Note: This is part two of Rattler Nation's three-part special report on "Dorms and Degrees."The State University System of Florida does a pathetic job of housing its students. The Florida legislature constantly requires universities to expand their enrollments but does not pay for housing construction.
Considering the scarcity of on-campus housing in the SUS it’s no surprise that UF, which has a wealthy student body, is on top of the graduation rate list. The average family income for UF students is about $105,000 and only 22.1 percent receive Pell Grants. Most FAMU students come from families that make $30,000 or less. FAMU is also the only SUS member at which most students receive Pell Grants, with a total of 65.3 percent.
It’s easy for most UF students to call their parents and get extra money for rent, car gas, and food when prices go up. The majority of FAMU students can’t do that. That's why most FAMU students have to take smaller course loads whenever the cost of college increases. Smaller courses loads hurt the university's six-year graduation rate. If FAMU had more campus housing, the cost of education would be lower and students could take more classes.
UF and FSU are also the two public universities that have the highest six-year black graduation rates (70.8 and 68 percent respectively in 2007). Both have decreased the cost of educating black students at their institutions. The Gators permitted their black freshman enrollment to drop by 27 percent in Fall 2008 while the Noles let theirs go down by 15 percent.
An important question needs to answered: Are UF and FSU strategically placing a high percentage of their dwindling black student populations in on-campus housing? If those two universities have big percentages of blacks in on-campus housing, that would be another important factor behind their high six-year graduation rates for African Americans. Housing cuts down the cost of living and helps students afford more credit hours.
Florida’s newspapers don’t ever look at this issue when they compare black graduation rates across the system.
Click on graphic to enlarge.
Data Sources: Ed Trust and Campus Explorer.
We were all too busy the past decade or two, allowing the private housing market to get the lion's share. All of the grant money has been going directly from students to them. Now the schools have nothing to show for it, but embattled graduates and the legendary lost or long-term students. The city had something to do with it too. Greed was definitely in the room too. I have been saying it since 2002, Bowdoin College and Vanderbilt actively house their students. It goes to lengths to nurture he type of student and alumni the school will have. Which in-turn enhances the institution academically and culturally, especially enables them to communicate with and mold and depend on its alumni.
ReplyDeleteIf I never lived on campus and never supported or attended anything on campus, I'm less likely to relate and recruit or reciprocate. Less likely to look back, come back and much less likely to give back. I know a good number of people who will and definitely already have helped to make the above statement true. They need orientation back too. You'd be amazed how much a class like that helps.
ReplyDeleteWe need more campus housing to bring down the ridiculous cost of college in Florida. Until that happens the schools with the richest kids are going to have the best graduation rates because they can actually take enough classes to graduate in six years.
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