Randall Johns is a 26-year-old father. He works sometimes two jobs at once and more than 50 hours a week. He's African American. And he's been pursuing an undergraduate degree, paying his own tuition, since 1992.
In many ways, he's a typical Cal State Northridge student.
Like Johns, as many as 60% of the freshmen who enrolled at Cal State campuses in 1992 have not graduated, recent state figures show, and the outlook is even bleaker at the four campuses in Los Angeles County.
Cal State Northridge, Long Beach, Dominguez Hills and Los Angeles are some of the most diverse campuses in the nation, often serving as a ladder to the middle class.
African Americans attending Cal State universities usually take twice as long to complete their degrees and they graduate at half the rate of their white classmates. Latinos do not fare much better.
Of all the Cal State campuses, Northridge's six-year graduation rate is the worst, at 28%. The rates are important because the more time students spend in college, the longer they delay the attendant boost in earning power and the more likely they are to drop out, experts say.
The national graduation rate is 54%. But for large urban institutions nationwide, the rate is 38%. In comparison, the rate at the four Cal State campuses in Los Angeles County is 30%.
The situation could worsen in five years, when the children of baby boomers are expected to flood the state's colleges and universities, raising enrollment statewide by 455,000. Cal State currently serves about 360,000 students.
Already Cal State is streamlining remedial programs and reevaluating academic and financial aid counseling to hasten student progress. Campuses are hiring additional teachers and offering more courses to better accommodate students' schedules.
Experts blame Cal State's low graduation rates on two factors: time and money. Although there has never been more financial aid available, the federal emphasis has shifted from grants--which students do not have to repay--to loans. Many lower-income students who cannot afford rising tuition and fees are working longer hours to avoid debilitating debts. Students of color are the most likely to juggle jobs and school, slowing their course work and often delaying graduation for years on end.
Cal State officials acknowledge problems but say that inequities in pre-college schooling and income tilt the academic playing field toward middle-class whites. Besides, even a prolonged college education is better than none, they say.
