by Alissa Davis
Staff Writer
You probably won't hear cries of "We're number five! We're number five!" ringing across the University of Houston campus, even though The Higher Education Coordinating Board said so in a recent report.
The board's 1996 performance assessment ranked UH fifth statewide in the number of students who achieve bachelor's degrees within six years of admission as well as for the number of students retained after completion of one academic year.
Retention, the number of students who return after one year, is one of the biggest concerns of colleges and universities because "the largest student dropout rate occurs after the first year," said Ray Grasshoff, a public information officer for THECB.
UH had a 72 percent retention rate for fiscal year 1996, while the University of Texas and Texas A&M posted first-year retention rates of 87 percent and 88 percent, respectively.
"These schools have a higher percentage of freshmen and less transfer students than UH, and parents pay for more of their education," said Ed Apodaca, associate vice president for enrollment services at UH.
In comparison, he added, a large proportion of UH students transfer in from area community colleges. "Eighty percent of UH's first-time freshmen are from the Houston area. The university did well in this survey for the population it serves."
It may be unfair to compare UH to other Texas schools because its diversity, size and centrality in the fourth-largest national city sets it apart. "We have a university that is so responsive to the city that we have more to offer the students than other universities," Apodaca said. "Kids that attend these other schools want to graduate and then leave that city."
Opportunities extended to UH students by the Houston community may be a contributing factor to slow graduation rates. While only 35 percent of UH's students graduate in less than six years, 40 percent of UH students hold down part- or full-time jobs, allowing for only part-time enrollment status, Apodaca said.
Slow graduation rates have become a trend in the last seven to 10 years for the entire state, however. According to the performance review, 68 percent of Texas A&M students graduate within six years of enrollment. While that number represents just more than two-thirds, it also represents the highest percentage in that area of all Texas schools.
"It used to be that parents would pay for education, and the students would hurry up and graduate and then move on," Apodaca said. "This trend is due to the availability of financial aid and a change in the family structure. College students have separated much more from their families and many are working to contribute to the costs of their education."
This trend may end up costing students more for their education. "Many students don't realize it is a financial benefit for the student to get out of school quickly," Grasshoff said. "Going to school for six years instead of four means fewer years in the work force making money."
UH's 35 percent graduation rate within six years is below the state average, which is at about 50 percent, Grasshoff said. However, comparing it to other schools which are more similar in urbanization and enrollment could place UH's performance rates in a more favorable light.
A more appropriate comparison would be with colleges and universities that are part of the "Urban 13," said UH Director of Student Outreach Services Susan Zwieg. The "Urban 13" is actually a group of 20 urban schools across the country, each with an average student enrollment of 25,000 students.
Zweig also pointed out that Houston, unlike College Station or Austin, is not a college town. A higher percentage of UH students commute, and Zweig said that may play a role in retention and graduation levels.
Apodaca asserted that a comparison to the other Urban 13 schools may not be fair, due to the fact that Houston is a bigger city than the ones in which the other Urban 13 universities are located.
"Although we do share concerns and interests with (other Urban 13 universities), very few of these schools are as diverse as we are," Apodaca said.