The new Graduation Guarantee program at the U is highly feasible and likely to succeed, said U student and administration leaders. However, the program must overcome challenges, including a lack of information among students and the possibility that students might choose not to participate.
Several other universities have implemented similar programs, with varying degrees of success. Spencer Pearson, former ASUU president, said that the U looked at similar programs at other schools, including Minnesota, Texas Tech, Arizona and Colorado while planning the program.
Advisers at Utah State University have offered a similar Graduation Guarantee option to students since 2002. However, the school has not promoted the program strongly and there have been no new applicants for the past three years, said Stephanie Hamblin , director of University Advising at USU.
At any given point during the first few years of the program, there were approximately 40 students participating, Hamblin said. “It’s a good program for students that know what they want to do. Unfortunately, we don’t always see a lot of students in that position.”
John Francis, senior vice president for Academic Affairs at the U, said there are several differences between the two schools that should make the U’s program successful where USU’s was not. “We have mandatory orientation and mandatory advising (unlike USU), so we have good ways to get the message across to students.”
Francis also indicated that the USU version of the program lost focus when the USU president, who had been a major proponent of the project, was replaced.
The U’s program was primarily spearheaded by Pearson and former ASUU Vice President Basim Motiwala, who have both moved on to other pursuits since the election of a new student body government two months ago.
Patrick Reimherr, newly-elected ASUU student body president, said that he and Jon Hayes, current vice president, are both committed to the success of the program. “We have a lot of priorities, but this is up there,” Reimherr said.
Francis and student administration leaders don’t believe that a majority of students will sign up to use the program.
“If we end up with a significant minority of students participating, and everyone being more conscious of long-term planning, (the Graduation Guarantee program) will be a success,” Francis said.
Pearson said he thinks at least 30 percent of students will sign up for the program. “I’m optimistic that we will see even more as the program continues to grow,” he said.