The University reported the class of 2014, which graduated in the spring semester, had a 55.1 percent four-year graduation rate — 3.1 percent higher than the class of 2013’s graduation rate.

In 2012, the University began implementing changes to improve four-year graduations rates to 70 percent by 2016. Over the past five years, graduation rates have ranged between 50 and 53 percent.

The University also reported the class of 2017 had higher retention rates, earned better grades and took and passed more credit hours than any other previous class on record.

The Institutional Reporting, Research and Information Systems Office reported 94.6 percent of the class of 2017 students returned to campus for their sophomore year, 1.1 percent higher than the class of 2016’s 93.6 percent retention rate. The class of 2017’s cumulative GPA was 3.28 during its freshman year, up from the previous class’ 3.22.

According to the University, the class of 2017 was the first group of students to benefit from campus-wide initiatives designed to increase four-year graduation rates. These include programs that identify at-risk students and provide them with resources needed to succeed.