U of L certainly needs to up graduation rates

– But doesn’t deserve special praise for saying it will do so

A recent report from the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) says, “The University of Louisville in Kentucky is a very competitive public research university” (Page 18).

That’s because U of L attracts high caliber students who should enjoy significant success in college.

But, lots of undergraduate college success isn’t happening at U of L.

The AEI’s report says that only 44 percent of entering freshmen graduate from U of L within six years. AEI says this is one of the very worst rates among any of the comparable research universities in the South.

That's why I was a bit taken aback today to find that over at the Prichard Blog, Susan Weston is praising the University of Louisville for saying it will increase its college graduation rate.

There is no question that U of L needs to get its graduation house in order, but the university should already have a much better graduation rate than it does.

In fact, it is high time U of L made good on the investment Kentuckians and aspiring college freshmen have made in the school for a very long time.