UB Makes Four-Year Graduation Pledge to Incoming Freshman Students

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- University at Buffalo Interim Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Bruce D. McCombe today announced the launch of a new program, Finish in 4, which pledges to provide entering UB freshmen with the academic resources they need to graduate in four years.

To participate, students must sign a pledge that they will adhere to program requirements.

Students who fulfill all obligations of the Finish in 4 plan, but who are not able to graduate within four years, will be given the opportunity to complete the UB courses required for their degree free of any tuition and comprehensive fee charges.

If students are unable to adhere to their Finish in 4 requirements, UB will continue to work with them to develop an appropriate plan to graduate.

"At UB we have made a commitment to creating a robust, academically rigorous and supportive educational environment," said UB President Satish K. Tripathi. "Our goal is to provide our students with a transformative education -- through unique undergraduate research experiences, undergraduate academies, interdisciplinary freshman seminars and innovative living/learning communities.

"UB's Finish in Four initiative builds on that overarching effort by providing our undergraduates with the faculty resources and academic support they need to thrive academically -- and to graduate in a timely way."

Finish in 4 will be offered to freshmen at UB in the fall of 2012. All undergraduate majors are eligible, except double degrees and those that include a graduate or advanced professional component such as doctor of physical therapy, doctor of pharmacy, occupational therapy or other combined degrees.

"Finish in 4 is our commitment to students and their parents to do all that we can to help students achieve this important goal," said McCombe. "It also is vitally important that students understand their obligations to earn an undergraduate degree in four years, so they can move on to employment or graduate school."

A. Scott Weber, UB vice provost of undergraduate education, said, "Every UB student arrives expecting to have an exceptional educational experience. We want to partner with our students so that they have a road map that provides this enriched experience and enables them to finish their bachelor's degree in four years as efficiently and economically as possible."

While nearly all of UB's undergraduate majors can be completed in four years, most students in the U.S. take longer, sometimes as long as six years, to receive their degrees. Finish in 4 will provide students with clear information and guidance on exactly what it takes to complete their degree within the traditional four-year timeframe.

Under Finish in 4, UB is committed to offering required courses to students in the term designated in the plan they developed with their advisors. If a seat in a required class is unavailable, the university will provide the student with assistance to register in the required class, or find alternates.

UB students who sign the Finish in Four pledge will be given a roadmap of what courses to take and when, and what grades and other requirements must be met. UB will also provide regular academic, career and financial advisement to enable students to complete their degrees on time.

In turn, students must fulfill their requirements pertaining to academic advisement, course registration and grades. Regular and clear progress reports will be provided to students showing whether they are on track to graduate.

"The UB Faculty Senate is enthusiastic about the Finish in 4 program," said Ezra Zubrow, chair of UB's Faculty Senate. "The Executive Committee passed a resolution expressing its overwhelming support for Finish in 4, which provides students with a plan that enables them to complete their undergraduate degrees in a timely, predictable and economical fashion. It provides a true comparative advantage."

UB's new Finish in 4 initiatives complements SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher's call for improving graduation rates across the SUNY system and with President Obama's imperative to control the cost of a college degree.

A full description of the program is available on UB's undergraduate advising website at http://advising.buffalo.edu/fif.

The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, a flagship institution in the State University of New York system and its largest and most comprehensive campus. UB's more than 28,000 students pursue their academic interests through more than 300 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs. Founded in 1846, the University at Buffalo is a member of the Association of American Universities.