SUNY Purchase Praised For Small Black-White Graduation Gap

SUNY Purchase is one of only 11 schools identified in a recent study as having a small gap in graduation rates between African-American and white students, according to a recent study by The Education Trust. 

The study focused on 293 public and 165 private four-year schools nationwide. It found that graduation rates for white students were on-average 18.7 percentage points higher than African-American students in the private schools; and 16.2 percentage points higher in public schools.

SUNY Purchase, meanwhile, had a gap of only 1.6 percentage points from 2006-09, according to the study.

Differences in graduation rates between minority and non-minority students has become normal in colleges and universities across the country, according to The Education Trust. But schools like SUNY Purchase that have little or no graduation rate difference show that a gap is not inevitable.

"When you look beneath the averages, you do see that there are institutions that are beating the odds," said Jennifer Engle who wrote the reports with Mamie Lynch.

Common denominators between schools with low gaps include strong leadership, use of leading indicators to track performance and robust supports for struggling students, according to the study.

Although SUNY Purchase was mentioned for its small gap in graduation rates, the school points toward an overall focus on the success of each student - minority or not.

"Purchase College is committed to the success of every student from the time that they enroll at the college until they walk across the stage at commencement," Dennis Craig, SUNY Purchase vice president and associate provost for Enrollment, said in a press release. "Purchase College's focus on degree attainment places a strong emphasis on the engagement of students both in and out of the classroom.  Students are encouraged to become active participants in their own academic success."

Other SUNY schools mentioned for low percentage point gaps included Albany, Plattsburgh and Stony Brook.

The study also cited nine schools with above-average gaps in minority and non-minority graduation rates. Two New Jersey Schools, Felician College and Rowan University, were the only two in the area to make that list.

Schools cited for having a small percentage gap were praised by The Education Trust for having strong pre-college programs, support groups and a culture of academic success throughout the student body.

Lynch added that when a college president sets minority completion as an important goal and as a priority, that really filters down through the university.