FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2005
Contact: Dave Wellman, Director of Communications, (304) 696-7153
 

Graduation, retention rates on the rise at Marshall University

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Graduation and retention rates are on the rise at Marshall University, Provost Sarah Denman said today in a report to the institution’s board of governors in the board’s regular meeting at the Robert C. Byrd Institute for Advanced Flexible Manufacturing.

Denman said Marshall has exceeded its goal of raising its graduation rate by at least one percent per year since the 1999-2000 school year, when the rate was 33 percent. According to preliminary calculations, this year’s graduation rate is 43 percent, greatly exceeding the minimum goal set five years ago. It’s also already higher than the legislated goals of 40 percent for 2008, and approaching the 2010 goal of 45 percent.

“We are very confident we can meet the goal of 45 percent in 2010,” Denman said.

Denman also announced that the retention rate for first-time, full-time, degree-seeking freshmen in 2004 to this fall was 75 percent. The rate the previous year was 72 percent.

Marshall President Stephen J. Kopp said news of the improved graduation and retention rates is very positive for the university.

“Marshall University is the people’s university in West Virginia, and we are committed to their access and success,” Kopp said.

Also today, Kopp announced that the accounting firm of Deloitte and Touche, LLP, recently completed the annual financial audit of Marshall, and the result was very favorable. In fact, Dennis Juran, a managing partner with Deloitte and Touche, described the audit as being “as good as you can get.”

“We are very pleased with our annual financial audit,” Kopp said. “The financial results are good and we received an unqualified audit opinion from our auditor and no management letter. This means that the auditor noted no instances of noncompliance or other matters that would require reporting under government auditing standards.”

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