Kent State University is embarking on a campaign to motivate and assist students toward timely graduation. The university’s “Formula to Finish” initiative encourages students to register for and pass at least 15 credit hours per semester in order to graduate in two years to get their associate degree or four years for a bachelor’s degree, and save time and money in the process. Kent State’s Undergraduate Studies oversees the “Formula to Finish” initiative for all students at Kent State’s eight campuses.
The first phase of the “Formula to Finish” campaign was officially launched during Destination Kent State this past June. Kent State’s President Beverly Warren and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Todd Diacon promoted the initiative to parents and incoming freshman students along with faculty, staff and advisors during Pillars of Success sessions and advising appointments. The second phase of the campaign will be launched with “Formula to Finish Day” and Advising Week, which will be held Sept. 15-19.
“The campaign is new, but not the concept of taking at least 15 credit hours per semester,” said Nikki Crutchfield, assistant dean for academic student support services in Kent State’s Undergraduate Studies. “Advisors, using data from Research, Planning and Institutional Effectiveness (RPIE), have worked with students for years to help them understand the benefits of taking a minimum of 15 credit hours per semester. Advisors are very important to the success of our students as they continually work with students to holistically address barriers and solutions to helping them stay on track for a four-year graduation.
“We would like to change the culture of completion here at Kent State, getting our students to graduate on schedule, thereby saving them time, money and increasing their post-graduation options, such as entering graduate school or their desired profession sooner,” Crutchfield added.
Timely graduation helps students save time in their educational pursuit and enables them to start off their careers early, offering them financial independence and increasing their earning potential. Timely graduation also allows students to save on tuition costs, which can add up when students enroll for extra semesters.
“Data from Kent State’s RPIE office shows that students who take 15 or more credit hours per semester tend to be more successful academically than their counterparts, and are retained at a higher rate,” Crutchfield said.
Crutchfield said that support for the “Formula to Finish” initiative is vast.
“University administrators, advisors, faculty and staff are providing students with tutoring, academic and success coaching, supplemental instruction, required advising and targeted messages, along with many other support services to help ensure their timely graduation.”
For more information about Kent State’s “Formula to Finish” initiative and why it makes sense for students to opt for timely graduation, visit www.kent.edu/got15.