10.29%	Yes
89.7%	No

Comment: It may present a variety of hardships, as everyone has different financial levels, priorities, responsibilities, etc. by Tom

Comment: no way I know a lot of grads that went longer

Comment: Of course not. What about the people that have to work, take care of family, and pay their own way through college. Let's not forget, sometimes life DOES happen. by Frank

Comment: University exists for the pursuit of higher learning. There should be no age or time limit placed on *continuing* your education. by Jeremy

Comment: It sometimes takes students longer to graduate due to family, jobs or money. Don't keep these students from getting a degree please. by Janice

Comment: There is no mandate stating that anyone MUST get their college degree. It is by choice, and students pay a great deal of money to pursue a higher education. Whether it takes 5 years or 10, students should be able to earn their degree at whatever pace their military or career allows. It seems universities would be losing money if they place a stipulation on the time allowed to earn a degree. by Jessica

Comment: This a horrific idea from people more interested in taking students money than providing a quality education. You cannot expect all students to learn in the same way at the same rate. To do so is archaic and cruel. Students are already pressured by recent legislation that limits them academically, why add more? by Xandra

Comment: With bachelor deadlines, this gives the university the ability to enroll more students and faster degrees, in turn, a more productive workforce. by ray

Comment: life is what happens when your busy making other plans- John Lennon. by vincent

Comment: I just graduated in Dec. 2010 and it took me 13 years to finish with all obstacles that life has. Are they even thinking of the single mothers, full-time workers, or the kids that may not be able to afford a semester and has to skip one? It will probably discourage some kids from attending because of the preasure. by Stephanie

Comment: There are life circumstances that can make this goal difficult. There should be no time restriction as long as the student is in good standing and the degree requirements do not change from the time of enrollment until the completion of the program. by Brian

Comment: If you're only able to attend on a part-time basis, a time limit is discouraging. You may not be able to make the deadline if you work more than one job or have other life issues that prevent you from taking a full course load. by Deb

Comment: It would be wrong to penalize someone with an education "time cap" who has experienced non-normative life situations such as death or illness. by Jeremy

Comment: This is a horrible idea! With the number of credits required to graduate keeps going up, it is getting even more difficult to graduate on time. Especially for people who have other things to worry about. Things like--I don't know--A JOB! by Mitch

Comment: With the economy the way it is today some people need time away to just work to save up to be able to continue their education. Or in some circumstances their jobs may take them away for periods of time to where they can't get back to that school.

Comment: Every student has a different situation. SO many need to work and go to school causing them to go part time. It should be their choice after all they are the ones paying for it. by VICTORIA

Comment: I think the dealine is ridiculous. In today's economy many students are not financially stable to finish in 5yrs. by Jennifer

Comment: There are family situations that will sometimes make people put school on the back burner. I'm still working on my degree. by Judy

Comment: 5 year graduates will lack much more life experience! by Monica

Comment: I do not think that they should limit students to when they need to graduate. The schools are making money if the students are staying in school, so why limit them if it is taking someone a little longer than is expected. I can understand if students are not taking classes that follow their degree plan or wasting their time and not passing the classes that they are taking. But if someone changes their minds about their career path and it takes them over five years to get their degree, kicking them out of school does not sound like the answer. by Joel

Comment: I know plenty of students that had to stop going to school for various reasons, such a military deployment, family issues, and financial complications. By limiting the time spent on a degree, these people would not be able to aquire one. In a more general perspective, this would also reduce our educated work force, which would be inherently be bad for society. by Kyle

Comment: I can understand the idea that students going straight to college from high school to move quickly, but life happens. The harder and harder it is to attain a bachelor's degree because of location, cost, or outside responsibilities, the more time people need to achieve these goals. That notion follows the outdated model of a student whose education is footed or co-signed by somebody else. This is the 21st century. Families don't always have college funds for their kids. Beyond that, how many 18-23 year old people do you know that know themselves well enough to have defined their purpose in life well enough to motivate them to not just get the scroll, but truly understand what they've learned and why? Good intentions, perhaps, but a very bad idea. I could have sworn that there was already an incentive program for students to complete their degrees within 5 years. by A.

Comment: It should not be required, however there should be an incentive to graduate early by Matt

Comment: Absolutely Not!! Not everyone has the money to go to school full time. By creating such a policy only the rich will easily meet the demand. by Elizabeth

Comment: SOME STUDENTS HAVE TO WORK FULL TIME TO SURVIVE OUT IN THE REAL WORLD WHILE IN SCHOOL & MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GO TO SCHOOL FULL TIME TO FINISH IN 5 YRS, IT MAY BE POSSIBLE FOR SOME BUT NOT FOR THE MAJORITY. Financial aid may be an option in some cases but is not always real helpful; it ends up being loans most of the time putting the student into more debt. Most students move a couple of hours away from "home" to follow their dream so they don't live at home with their parents & may have to pay for any tuition they don't get assistance with "out of pocket". Dorms may also be an option but are also getting more expensive as time goes by. by VIRGINIA

Comment: Yes. They are plugging up the line for students that wish to get into a University to finish their degree. And they need to dump those that are professional students. by John

Comment: I do not agree that this decision should not be left up to the university to determine. As a student myself, I believe it should be my personal decision based on my availability for school along with work and home priorities as well. There is enough overwhelming stress and pressure just to finish college, and I believe adding a deadline would only discourage people who are indecisive about attending college in the first place. by Victoria

Comment: What? Do I think universities should make students graduate within 5 years? NO, that expectation is unrealistic; obviously, the focus group who made this recommendation is out of touch with today’s economic recession. The latest news poll indicates Americans are at a record high of unemployment. How are these students or their parents to pay for their fulltime status, financial aid, scholarship or student loan? Sure, lets get into more debt that’s just what we need to stimulate our economy. Let me make a suggestion, using the same focus group from the above poll let’s give them a different task. 1. Ask them to find incentives enticing High School Graduates or GED recipients to enroll in our universities. 2. Ask them to come up with a plan to lobby our State/Federal government requesting tax breaks for employers that partner with universities offering graduates immediate employment in their specialized field. 3. Ask them to come up with a plan where universities offer more classes and a larger selection of start times. In conclusion, universities should not place unattainable restrictions on students; they should start thinking out side the box. The goal has always been to have students graduate within 4-5 years but the reality is LIFE happens. We must be willing to adapt to different situations. If the student is in good academic standing it shouldn’t matter how long they attend the university of their choice. The real question should be, why are traditional universities losing enrollment? The answer is not in ‘the five year graduation plan,” it is in the accessibility of the 'On Line Universities.' Students need a university that is willing to work with them not against them. A university that is available to fit their needs; part-time, full time and anytime. by Sandra

Comment: I worked full time as a janitor at OLLU and was only able to go to schoool part-time. It took me 7 1/2 years to complete my degree but now I have a great job that has allowed my family and me to have things I never would of had without a college degreee. If I had been put in a time frame, I never would have been able to complete my degree on time. by Louis

Comment: Absolutely not!!! Many people must work and go to school at the same time. This would mean only the more wealthy citizens can attain a degree. Our country has always championed those who work hard and strive for a better life and education is part of that. How dare they even entertain this idea. by barbara

Comment: If the student is a full time student, then yes. But if they are part-time, no! by Sarah