I ne conort year for the Kentucky State University class of 2009 ends at the close of the 2015 summer session. What is provided for review is an update of our current status towards the graduation rate of the 2009 cohort. Also provided is a description of the efforts taken by the institution through Academic Affairs to reclaim and graduate students who are near completion.

An analyses of data for the 2009 cohort consists of 545 first-time full-time students at the associate's and bachelor's levels. During the six-year cohort period (2009 – 2015), 82 of the students have graduated from KSU to date, revealing a current graduation rate of 15%. This does not include students in the cohort who have applied and are scheduled to graduate during the spring 2015 commencement. The final 2009 cohort graduation rate will be finalized after summer school 2015 culminates.

The minimum number of hours to complete an associate degree program at KSU is 60 credit hours. For the bachelor's degree, the minimum credit hours for graduation is 120. A closer review of the non-completers remaining in this cohort shows that their progress (credit hours completed) towards graduation is outlined below.

There are 14 students remaining in the cohort with 50 or more credit hours earned at the associate's level. Likewise, for the bachelor's level, there are 13 students with earned credit hours ranging from 110 – 119 and 26 students with earned credit hours of 120 or more. These students provide an opportunity for the University to increase its graduation rate by nearly 10 percentage points. If we were able to graduate the 53 students who have potential for completion by the end of the summer session, they will be able to graduate within their cohort year. In doing so, the University could increase its graduation rate for the 2009 cohort from 14% to 25%.

To achieve the goals outlined above, we have identified these 53 students in the 2009 cohort who are either currently enrolled or not currently enrolled. In contacting these students, we have required that their advisors update each student's plan of study to ensure that they understand what classes they must take to be able to graduate by the end of summer school 2015. Those students that are not currently enrolled are evaluated for their degree of choice first, then they are evaluated for program Completion through liberal studies with a concentration in their area of interest. Students are advised to take the quickest route to their degree. This work is being conducted by the academic advisors in the program areas as well as the academic persistence counselors in the Center for Academic Persistence Services (CAPS) program. The mid-term warning list of unsatisfactory grades (D/F/W list) was also reviewed to identify students in this cohort who may be in jeopardy of not passing a class. CAPS staff identified these students using email and telephone calls to trouble shoot regarding their academic barriers to success. The CAPS center hosted several workshops and one-on-one sessions with these students. Advisors and CAPS staff also reached out to faculty to reconnect students to their classes where necessary. Student in the 2009 cohort are closely monitored, advised, consulted, and encouraged to persist to graduation. This is done with students on an individual and group basis.

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