Achievement gaps between whites and students of color are closing somewhat at Minnesota State two-year colleges but growing at the system’s seven universities.
Over the past four years, the 30 colleges saw broad improvement in their three-year completion rates. Fifty-eight percent of white students finished school on time, up 3.2 percentage points, while students of color as a group improved 4.6 points, to 43.5 percent.
However, six-year graduation rates for university students of color fell 2.5 points, to 41.5 percent. White students improved by a point, to 55.4 percent.
The system saw similar trends in the percentage of students returning for a second year of school.
Chancellor Devinder Malhotra has made it a priority to improve on success measures for all students, especially students of color and American Indians.
Ron Anderson, senior vice chancellor for academic and student affairs, told trustees Tuesday they’re using a variety of tools to close achievement gaps. They’re relying less on non-credit-bearing developmental courses, creating transfer pathways across institutions and learning from schools that are making progress.
“We have just scratched the surface of understanding the efficacies of those approaches,” he said.
Minnesota State has begun work on a costly new student information system, which chief financial officer Laura King called “perhaps the most transformative change this system has ever undertaken.”
It should help campuses dig deeper into data to identify and support students who need it.
Minnesota State also has changed its budget model to financially reward institutions that meet system goals for student success.
Clyde Pickett, system chief diversity officer, said colleges and universities also must make their practices more equitable and learn from students of color who succeed in school.