Programs
The Graduation Initiative coordinates several programs and activities. These include the following:
Finish in Four The newest Graduation Initiative program is designed to help motivated students complete their degree in four years. Beginning in spring 2013, the Finish in Four program, modeled after the Late Intervention program, will help students navigate all facets of academic resources, policies, and procedures. With a small grant and intensive case management by Graduation Initiative staff, our hope is that these students will continue to earn thirty hours per academic year, culminating in earning their degree in four years, thus affecting the university's 4-year graduation rate.
Late Intervention This program consists of an outreach to students who have exceeded their four-year graduation time, in an attempt to help them solve any problems they may be having and get them graduated within the five or six year timeframe. Doing so not only helps students who have been delayed by various situations to get their degree, it also helps the university in its quest to improve our graduation rate. Analysts work intensely, on a one-on-one basis, with these students to help them surmount their barriers. Students are also encouraged to work closely with their academic advisor in selecting an optimal set of courses to move them along. Students in the Late Intervention program often qualify for a special grant, the Graduation Incentive Award. Student participants can find program forms on the documents page.
Student Money & Time Matters Our research has shown that money and financial matters are very important to achieving a degree here at UTSA. In order to avoid working so many hours outside the university or alternatively accumulating a great deal of debt from loans, students must carefully balance their time and money resources. The Student Money & Time Matters (aka Rowdy Cents) service will help students to achieve this balance through a variety of online resources focusing on budgeting, setting priorities, avoiding debt, and managing credit. In summer 2012, this financial literacy program transitioned to Student Financial Aid, bringing more financial literacy information to new and continuing students.
Welcome Back Encourages students who left UTSA to return to campus to earn their undergraduate degree. The program involves working with participants one-on-one and networking with different campus offices to help students earn their bachelor’s degree by providing advocacy, support, and information.
Policy Review The Graduation Initiative will do a thorough review of policies and procedures at the federal, state, and university level to see what changes can be made to remove barriers to graduation. If you know of a policy that might need consideration, please let us know.
College Graduation Improvement Plans Retention and Graduation Analysts from the Graduation Initiative have gathered information within each academic college about what barriers students face in their progress to graduation. Stakeholders within each college, including the dean of the college, have produced a Graduation Improvement Plan from the research done by the analyst through interviews of faculty, staff and students, along with analyses of departmental graduation rates.