At San Antonio's largest public college, the University of Texas at San Antonio, the six-year graduation rate is 29 percent.

Institutions cannot control the divorces, births, deaths and job losses that often cause students to drop out. But over the past few years, many have responded to public scrutiny by dedicating time, staff and money to helping students break down the barriers to graduation. And it's working. This weekend, as many local universities celebrate winter commencement, at least a few students will walk the stage because of those efforts.

Amber McGee, a 24-year-old anthropology major at UTSA, graduated Friday with help from UTSA's Graduation Initiative staff, who offered her a grant if she could complete her degree within a year or so.

The grant paid for child care, allowing McGee to attend school full-time.

“They were the first people to put it into perspective for me,” McGee said. “They sat down with me and said, ‘Look at what you have taken, and look at what you need (to graduate).'”

With tuition rising at a steady pace, McGee also realized she could not afford to stretch out her education any longer.

“If my tuition went up anything at all, I would not have been able to finish,” McGee said. “There is absolutely no more room in the budget.”

Reaching out

Historically, public universities and community colleges in Texas have had little incentive to focus on retention and graduation rates because state funding is tied to enrollment on the 12th day of class.

But that may be changing.

Texas received a $1.8 million grant to explore an overhaul of its public higher education financing system, tying payouts to the number of students who complete a class or degree.

At UTSA, there is added pressure to raise graduation rates because of its goal to become a Tier One research university, a group of top-notch institutions where such rates typically top 75 percent.

About three years ago, UTSA piloted a late intervention program, contacting fifth-year seniors and offering up to $4,000 in grants if the students could complete a degree within four semesters.

UTSA expanded it into the Graduation Initiative, an office with six staff members and $850,000 per year for grants. This year, the staff sifted through hundreds of student records, recruiting about 250 students for the program. Each student fills out a course plan, and staff follow up to make sure they are registered for and passing their classes.

Often, students begin school young and unencumbered, but four or five years later, they have jobs and families.

McGee, for instance, was sidetracked by a pregnancy and an unsupportive boyfriend and was forced to cut back her hours because she could not afford child care.

“To be honest,” she said, “school wasn't the first thing on my mind.”

So far, the program's success rate has averaged around 80 percent, compared with 38 percent for similar students who did not participate.

Keeping students engaged

Officials often lay the blame for low graduation rates on so-called at-risk students, typically poor, first generation minority college students with weak academic preparation.

But some schools do a better job graduating the same type of students, indicating the institution has some influence.

Texas State University in San Marcos, for example, attracts students who are slightly more prepared, both financially and academically, than those at UTSA. Yet the six-year graduation rate is 54 percent.

Part of the reason lies within the critical freshman year. At Texas State, about 90 percent of freshmen live on campus, and the university hosts a big summer camp and orientation. About 80 percent of the students come back for their sophomore year.

At UTSA, 43 percent of freshmen live on campus, and about 60 percent return for the second year. UTSA is younger than Texas State, and for most of its life has been a commuter school. President Ricardo Romo has done much to change that, adding campus housing and amenities, but UTSA continues to evolve.

Community colleges, which are entirely commuter, have similar problems. After four years at the Alamo Colleges, one-quarter of students have either graduated or transferred to a university, a number so low it spurred trustees to launch a large-scale improvement effort.

Much of the push is focused on remedial education, the educational equivalent of quicksand for many students. But some fairly simple changes have made a difference.

San Antonio College, for instance, launched Operation Graduation, a public relations campaign featuring staff walking around campus in caps and gowns, passing out buttons and fliers with the tagline “Don't Just Transfer ... Graduate!”

Many students rack up enough credits to earn an associate's degree, but they transfer without applying for the degree, said Jessica Howard, vice president for academic affairs.

The campaign took off and the school saw a 12 percent increase in graduates this year. Even Howard has gotten into the act, going to class after work to earn an associate's degree on top of her Ph.D. from New York University.

Balancing freshman year

In general, private universities boast higher graduation rates than their public counterparts, a testament to the importance of personal attention and keepings students engaged.

But among private schools, there is variation.

At St. Mary's University, a private, Catholic university on the West Side, nearly 60 percent of students graduate within six years, despite the fact that nearly half are financially needy and more than three-quarters are minorities.

Rosalind Alderman, assistant vice president for retention at St. Mary's, said they deliver extra attention and advising during the critical first year.

Freshmen “need to fit in socially, to have friends and feel like this a home for them, but they also have to do well academically,” Alderman said. “An imbalance is often the reason for leaving.”

At St. Mary's, 80 percent of freshmen in 2008 stuck around for sophomore year, compared to 67 percent at University of the Incarnate Word, which also serves a sizeable population of at-risk students.

David Jurenovich, vice president for enrollment management at UIW, said the school has spent nearly $4 million this year on new retention programs, and now employs 15 staff in the area of student success.

UIW launched Upgrade your Aid, dropping the bar for keeping a scholarship from a 3.0 to a 2.0 grade point average and offering more money to students doing well academically. Another program offers discounted tuition over the summer for qualifying students.

“Retention is up. We have begun to see some fruits of our labor,” Jurenovich said.