Diverse Issues in Higher Education August 5, 2011 UNO's Graduation Rate Nearly Doubles to 38 Percent NEW ORLEANS ­- The University of New Orleans reports a 38 percent six-year graduation rate for the freshman class that enrolled in the fall semester of 2005. That's a 90 percent improvement over the previous class, which had a six-year graduation rate of 20 percent. The six-year graduation rate is the one most used by the U.S. Department of Education for its annual survey. Official graduation rates are based on an entering fall semester and composed of first-time, full-time degree-seeking freshmen. Students who take longer than six years to graduate and students are not working for a degree when they enter and freshmen who first enroll in the spring semester are not included in the official six-year graduation rate. Meanwhile, the latest commission set up to study the governance and management of Louisiana's public colleges will hold its first meeting Aug. 19, now that its members have been chosen. State lawmakers agreed to create the 18-member study commission in the most recent legislative session. Gov. Bobby Jindal announced his five board members on Tuesday, and the Board of Regents announced the full slate of appointees on Wednesday. The study group includes lawmakers, higher education officials, business leaders and others. It is scheduled to meet monthly and required to submit recommendations about college governance two months before the 2012 legislative session begins in March. A similar study commission made up of national and regional higher education experts was convened last year. The Legislature adopted some, but not all, of that commission's recommendations. SANDRA M. PHOENIX Program Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 404.592.4820 Skype:sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree Street NW Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (Lyrasis) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children.