The CSU Graduation Initiative strives to raise the freshman six-year graduation rate by eight percentage points by 2015, and cut in half the existing gap in degree attainment by CSU’s under-represented minority students. About 50% of CSU students graduate in six years. Every interrupted education is a lost opportunity for the student, their family, and the state. We face a moral imperative to serve our students better by helping more of them complete the college educations that prepare them for full and productive lives.

This session will provide an overview of the CSU Graduation Initiative, how it is structured at the 23 CSU campuses, progress made to date, the importance of data-driven decision making, critical challenges, and lessons learned. Participants will hear strategies for identifying, evaluating, and scaling exemplary practices that facilitate graduation and reduce the achievement gap, and will be encouraged to discuss the extent to which these strategies are being implemented on their campuses.