The CSU’s student-focused initiatives aim to ensure that all students regardless of racial, ethnic or financial background have the same opportunities to benefit from the transformative power of a CSU degree. Those initiatives include both Graduation Initiative 2025, a long-term plan to increase graduation rates, and the Black Student Success Initiative, an effort to stem statewide declines in Black student enrollment through bolstered outreach and support.
Graduation Initiative 2025
Graduation Initiative 2025 aims to increase graduation rates for all CSU students while eliminating opportunity and achievement gaps. Since its launch in 2015, the initiative has brought completion rates to all-time highs and continues to focus on narrowing equity gaps between underserved students and their peers.
The CSU has redoubled efforts to eliminate equity gaps by launching an action plan that includes implementing reenrollment campaigns, expanding credit opportunities and providing digital degree planners for all students.
| Bachelor’s Degrees | 105,841 | 83.40% |
| Master’s Degrees | 20,405 | 16.10% |
| Doctoral Degrees | 614 | 0.50% |
| Total | 126,860 | 100% |
Black Student Success Initiative
Reflecting national trends, the CSU has experienced a decline in Black student enrollment as well as retention. In response, the CSU formed a strategic workgroup within Graduation Initiative 2025 to redouble its efforts in supporting and advancing Black student success. The workgroup developed a series of 13 systemwide recommendations designed to serve as an action-oriented path forward with multiple ongoing outreach efforts and on-campus programs.