The COVID-19 pandemic and the disparate impacts across communities of color and moderate-income families created a renewed urgency to close the gaps that exists between underserved students and their peers across all 23 CSU campuses. Not since the launch of Graduation Initiative 2025 in 2015 has the need to marshal the CSU’s collective resources been more critical to address differential patterns of student success.
Building on the Graduation Initiative 2025 Advisory Committee recommendations in summer 2021, the CSU identified five equity goals and priorities to address the gap. They are:
REENGAGE AND REENROLL UNDERSERVED STUDENTS
Reflecting a nationwide trend exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, student retention decreased disproportionately among historically underserved students. Efforts are focusing specifically on reengaging with students of color, Pell-grant recipients and first-generation students to support their reenrollment to the CSU and meet their academic goals.
See Reengagement & Reenrollment Efforts EXPAND CREDIT OPPORTUNITIES
Summer sessions and intersessions provide an opportunity to gain more academic credit. This is particularly important for students of color and first-generation students who may have had less opportunities to earn academic credits. Additional funding will support students falling behind in academic credits and help facilitate timely degree completion.
Explore The Opportunities
ACCESS TO a DIGITAL DEGREE PLANNER
Digital degree planners, or roadmaps, help students navigate the registration process, select core courses and keep them on track for timely graduation. The CSU is committed to making a digital degree planner available to all students.
Learn About the RoadmapsELIMINATE BARRIERS TO GRADUATION
Administrative barriers disproportionately impact underserved students who are often more susceptible to academic disruptions such as fee assessments, registration holds and cumbersome processes. Campuses are reviewing practices to eliminate barriers to timely graduation.
See Our Priorities
PROMOTE EQUITABLE LEARNING AND REDUCE DFW RATES
Earning a non-passing grade negatively impacts a student’s academic trajectory. Without compromising academic rigor, the CSU is addressing equitable learning practices for classes with persistent high failure rates (such as D, F or Withdrawal) and providing opportunities for additional learning when needed.
Learn About These Efforts