Originally published March 9, 2000
by Adam Zurn

If you received the highest score in a class on an exam but still failed it, would you be proud of yourself? Millersville sure is.

Millersville recently beat out the rest of the state system to have the highest four-year graduation rate-a whopping 36 percent. Last time we checked, 36 percent was still failing-and miserably. Not exactly something you brag about.

We realize that these numbers are never going to be 100 percent because students transfer, switch majors, and/or drop out. But shouldn't Millersville be striving for at least a passing score of traditional students graduating in four years.

On top of that, Millersville has the nerve to ask Harrisburg to look at five-year graduation rates instead? Since when did this become a five-year school? Millersville missed the state cut-off of 40 percent by four lousy percentage points. We imagine that asking for the money would be like asking your professor for a D­ just because you were really close to passing. The question remains, did you earn the passing grade? Did Millersville earn the money?

A large number of private schools have graduation rates above 40 percent. How hard can it be? Is there a conspiracy theory against the state system? Doubtful, the state capital probably wants more students graduating in four years (just like all our parents do). Is that such a bad thing?

President Joseph Caputo believes that to graduate in four years, one needs to take at least 16 credits, borrow more money, not take a double major, and/or a drop your minor.

Take more than 15 credits or drop your minor!?! Those aren't solutions to graduating in four years. The University is trying to use a Band-Aid to solve a major problem by shifting the blame and encouraging students to get less of an education.

President Caputo said that the intention of general education classes was to help students in the future when everyone is frequently changing careers. Isn't that suppose to be the purpose of a minor-something you have an interest in, a secondary strength, and/or a fall back career. How much can you really learn in a general education class anyway?

Taking more than 15 credits a semester is a difficult task. In some majors, a person would have to be insane to take more than 15 credits a semester. Take Tech Ed for example, when a three-credit class meets for six hours a week. That means 15 credits is more like 30.

Secondly, a fair number of students are actively involved in campus extra-circular activities. Isn't that an almost required part of college anymore? In order to give yourself an edge over the rest of the competition you have to be involved. This provides you with experience you can't get in a general education class?

The solution to graduating in four years has three parts. The first thing is to remove some of the general education requirements. Ask yourself, do you really need that second perspective? The answer is no!

That's not how faculty senate sees it though. Less general education requirements mean less faculty needed to teach those classes. A scary thought for even the most seasoned and tenured professor.

The second part of the solution is that more classes in your minor count toward your general education requirements. Imagine that, killing two birds with one stone. It's almost unheard of here at the Ville.

The third part is that all majors only require 120 credits for graduation, not 129 or more. Simple math says you can't get out of here in four years when you need that many credits.

I demand the University address this problem with the goal of graduating 60 percent of the students in four years not five. Methods of addressing this problem do not include useless handouts entitled "Four-Year Graduation Guide" or suggesting students not have a minor.

The solution includes removing general education requirements, having more classes in your minor counting toward your general education requirements, and all majors requiring 120 credits for graduation.