UB School of Engineering Announces Graduation Guarantee

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Beginning this fall, the University at Buffalo School of Engineering and Applied Sciences will offer all entering freshmen and some new transfer students a new "graduation guarantee."

If students follow a prescribed engineering program and remain in good academic standing, the engineering school guarantees that they will be able to complete their degrees on time: in four years if they choose the standard four-year plan, in four-and- a-half years if they choose the co-op plan or in five years if they select the five-year plan.

Any student who meets these conditions and is unable to graduate on time because courses are unavailable will be enrolled in the necessary course or courses tuition-free.

The "graduation guarantee" is the first of its type to be offered at UB.

According to Mark H. Karwan, Ph.D., dean of the UB School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, said that if students keep up their end of the educational partnership, then they should not be prevented from graduating on time because they can¹t get into required courses.

"With this guarantee, we are able to assure our students who maintain good academic performance that they will not be delayed from getting their degrees because courses are unavailable," Karwan continued. "Course availability has traditionally not been a problem with our curriculum, so that having this type of guarantee is very natural for us.

"Making this guarantee is one of the many signs of our commitment to our team of students, faculty, staff and corporate partners to provide an excellent program of engineering education."

He said that in introducing the guarantee, the UB School of Engineering and Applied Sciences is joining some of its peer institutions, which are introducing similar measures.

The school¹s guarantee is dependent on students following the engineering requirements as described in the undergraduate catalog and remaining in good academic standing, also as described in the catalog.

Transfer students will have to work with their advisors to find out whether or not they are eligible for the guarantee.