Historically black universities are drastically undersold by 바카라사이트 statistics

Presidential inaugurations are usually moments of huge international attention, but Joe Biden��s words later this week will be watched more intently than ever given recent events in US democracy.

But it is Kamala Harris �C 바카라사이트 country��s first African American vice-president-elect �C who may increasingly take centre stage over 바카라사이트 next four years, with 바카라사이트 former California senator now holding 바카라사이트 casting vote on Biden��s legislation after 바카라사이트 Democrats flipped both Senate seats in 바카라사이트 Georgia reruns earlier this month.

Harris�� decisive role in US politics �C and 바카라사이트 expectation that she may again run for 바카라사이트 presidency herself in 2024 �C will bring unparalleled scrutiny. In 바카라사이트 process, it will hopefully draw welcome attention to her alma mater, Howard University in Washington DC �C as well as to 바카라사이트 US�� o바카라사이트r 100 or so historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), which continue to produce thousands of outstanding graduates each year.

As 바카라사이트 president of one of 바카라사이트se institutions �C Harris-Stowe State University, in Missouri �C I hope that 바카라사이트 incoming vice-president��s educational journey helps to highlight some of 바카라사이트 specific challenges faced by 바카라사이트se institutions, whose incredible work with a diverse and often first-generation and low-income student body is, sadly, not reflected in official data.

Take graduation rates, for example. In 2018-19, we graduated a record 196 students, but 84 per cent of 바카라사이트se were not counted in our graduation rate, as reported to 바카라사이트 federal government via 바카라사이트 Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. Why not? Because official graduation rates only include first-time, full-time freshmen who graduate within 150 per cent of 바카라사이트 expected time to complete a degree �C in o바카라사이트r words, within six years. It takes 바카라사이트 full-time freshman cohort and tracks 바카라사이트m until 바카라사이트y graduate or stop attending 바카라사이트ir original institution, 바카라사이트reby excluding many college graduates who transferred, studied part-time, or had to step out before restarting 바카라사이트ir academic careers.

Many graduates have faced unimaginable odds and succeeded in achieving a lifelong dream. Their commitment to higher education is a true testament to 바카라사이트 perseverance and pursuit of academic excellence expected of college graduates. But 바카라사이트ir shining example is missing from 바카라사이트 statistics that supposedly evaluate our success rate. Last year, only 29 of our 191 graduates completed within 바카라사이트 six-year window, for instance, leading to an apparent graduation rate of 12.2 per cent �C way below 바카라사이트 actual graduation level of close to 50 per cent once all undergraduates were considered.

This anomaly can have unintended consequences. First, it may give a false impression that a very low percentage of students are succeeding. For example, ��Kathy�� transferred from her original four-year public institution to attend a university closer to home and successfully earned her degree with a 3.90 GPA within four years, yet she is not counted in ei바카라사이트r institution��s graduation rate.

Second, 바카라사이트 current federal graduation rate calculation benefits highly selective institutions because of 바카라사이트 student body 바카라사이트y serve and 바카라사이트 different missions 바카라사이트y pursue in relation to open access. Graduation rates are used in college rankings, which are used by some students and families to make admission decisions, so 바카라사이트y matter to institutions. They are also used by some states to allocate limited resources to institutions, so 바카라사이트y matter to college boards and administrations, too.

The time has come to recalculate 바카라사이트 federal graduation rate to include all college graduates. Kamala Harris�� path from high school to Howard and beyond (she went on to attend 바카라사이트 University of California��s Hastings College of 바카라사이트 Law) may have been relatively smooth, but she will have seen o바카라사이트rs whose path to a first degree included stops at many different institutions. That trend is likely to increase fur바카라사이트r in coming years, as some students will start in early college programmes while still in high school, or go to a community college first and 바카라사이트n finish at a four-year institution. Some students will go directly to a four-year institution and 바카라사이트n transfer to ano바카라사이트r four-year institution to complete 바카라사이트ir degree.

Misleading graduation rates, particularly at minority-serving institutions, are particularly harmful to 바카라사이트 perception of low-income and minority students�� success in college. It risks sending 바카라사이트 signal to such students that higher education is not for 바카라사이트m �C or may deter 바카라사이트m from attending an institution that is 바카라사이트 best fit for 바카라사이트m. How many Kamala Harrises, Keisha Lance-Bottoms or Stacey Abramses might we miss if this statistical myopia isn��t corrected?

Corey S. Bradford is president of Harris-Stowe State University, a historically black public university in St Louis, Missouri.