A Focus on Student Success

The California State University system is working to increase graduation rates and eliminate achievement gaps. Goals have been set at the system level and for each campus.

This effort is directly linked to an ambitious goal related to student success at Cal Poly Humboldt. That goal, described by former Humboldt President Lisa Rossbacher as part of “Living Our Pledge,” is to fully eliminate the achievement gap faced by traditionally underrepresented students, first-generation students, and low-income students.

Within the next decade, our students should face no gap in their retention rates and no gap in their graduation rates. At the same time, we will improve four-year and six-year graduation rates for our freshmen, and we will improve two-year and four-year graduation rates for our transfer students. Under Graduation Initiative 2025, Cal Poly Humboldt will seek to:

  • Increase the six-year graduation rate for first-time freshmen from 46 percent to 56 percent.
  • Increase the four-year graduation rate for first-time freshmen from 14 percent to 30 percent.
  • Increase the four-year graduation rate for transfer students from 69 percent to 79 percent.
  • Increase the two-year graduation rate for transfer students from 26 percent to 38 percent.
  • Eliminate achievement gaps for traditionally underrepresented students, first-generation students, and low-income students.

These are challenging goals, and they are also incredibly important. As a University community, we share the belief that every one of our students deserves the opportunity to succeed. We recognize that education has the potential to lift individuals, families, and entire communities.

Our students and their families are counting on us. And so is California, which needs more successful graduates to help power its innovation economy.