Published by Communications and Public Affairs (519) 824-4120, Ext. 56982 or 53338
News Release
May 09, 2000
U of G exceeds system averages, performance indicators show
University of Guelph students are graduating, finding and keeping jobs, and paying back their student loans at rates that exceed the averages at other Ontario universities, according to new performance indicators released today.
Performance indicators reveal that some 94 per cent of U of G students are employed within six months of graduation, with that rate jumping to more than 97 per cent within two years. The Ontario system average is 93.1 and 96.4 per cent respectively.
When it comes to graduates, U of G's overall graduation rate is 79.2 per cent, compared with a system average of 73.2 per cent. But Guelph is disadvantaged by the methodology used to determine graduation rates, one reason being that Guelph is the only tri-semester university in Ontario. Guelph graduates also have lower student loan default rates than do graduates from other universities. Systemwide, the average default rate is 8.4 per cent, compared with 7.8 per cent for U of G graduates.
Despite Guelph's positive showing and his support in principle for performance indicators, president Mordechai Rozanski cautions that the provincial indicators are not necessarily a full and true measure of a university's success.
"While delighted that so many of our students are employed after graduation and that our graduation rates are so strong, I question whether the indicators put forth by the province truly measure quality," Rozanski said. "I also have concerns that funding tied to these indicators is not predictable and makes planning for the future uncertain. Most important, these indicators are not a fair reflection of the mission of a university. We take pride in the fact that we excel in teaching and research, and that the excellent undergraduate experience we provide our students encourages many of them to pursue higher degrees, all of which are not reflected in these indicators." Students pursuing graduate degrees were counted as unrecorded in this survey.
In response to the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities' OSAP policy, U of G released indicators for students on employment, graduation and student loan default rates. Graduation and default rates were calculated by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities using existing data sources. Employment data was collected through a graduate survey conducted by the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC). Some 51 per cent of U of G graduates responded, the second-highest response rate among all universities. More than 19,600 graduates took part in the survey systemwide.
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