CSU System Faces Four-Year Graduation Shortfall Caused In Part By Class Shortages

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — California State Universities set a record in the 2015-16 school year, enrolling more than 65,000 students, but only about one in five of them are expected to make it to graduation in four years.

It's even lower at Sacramento State, where only 9 percent are expected to graduate in four years, while at Stanislaus State, less than 16 percent will make it.

Sacramento State biology major Jasmin Suazo is in her fifth year of college working toward a bachelor's degree.

"I had a specific education plan that was supposed to keep me on track, so because I couldn't get some of the classes I had to go five years," she said.

Her major was recently impacted, meaning there are more students than space in classes. It's an issue the school's new president, Robert Nelsen, hopes to fix.

During an August address, he discussed the issue at length, saying the biggest challenge facing Sacramento State students is a lack of classes.

But Sacramento State isn't alone with its graduation rates. Overall, only 23 percent of first-time freshmen in the CSU system made it to graduation in four years. Compare that to a 62 percent graduation rate for UC schools, and a 42 percent rate at the private University Of The Pacific.

"It's a very complex issue," Sacramento State provost Fredrika Harmsen said. "A lot of our students work, they have work commitments, they're doing internships and they have families."

She says the issue is bigger than just a shortage of classes. The number of students returning as sophomores, juniors and seniors at Sac State and Stanislaus State drops by at least 10 percent—more than 600 students drop out each year.

"I kind of had an idea it would take maybe longer than four years," said freshman criminal justice major Eucario Calderon.

For him, part of the reason can be found in the classes he's taking. Before starting his college courses, he had to take a few remedial classes this summer.

"I thought I was prepared, but according to SAT scores and all that—supposedly I wasn't prepared. And I had to take remedial classes," he said.

He's not alone. Fifty-six percent of Sacramento State freshmen have to take remedial classes—those are offered to build up students' skills, but they don't count toward their degree.

Nelsen's plan to move forward includes more money to hire new faculty, adding more sections of high-demand courses, working with elementary and high schools in the region to make sure students are prepared for college, and introducing new software programs that allow students to keep track of their progress.

"I think that would actually help a lot, and that would resolve the issue more," Suazo said.

She hopes future students will benefit from the changes, but until then, she says she will work to get all the credits she needs to graduate in the spring.