A record number of degrees were disbursed among University of Wisconsin students last Spring. According to UW, 13,733 degrees were awarded to 13,663 recipients, the highest number in UW’s history. The number exceeded the previous year’s record total of more than 1,200 degrees, according to UW.

Office of the Registrar communication specialist Logan Reigstad said the student population at Madison has increased by almost 10,000 students in the last ten years, along with the average time to graduate decreasing from 4.1 years to 3.7 years.

Reigstad said that rising graduation rates contributed to the rising number of degrees. 

“In 2014, the four-year graduation rate was 57% and last year it was 75.8%. Students are coming in and graduating in record time” Reigstad said. 

Shorter time to graduate, more students at the university and higher graduation rates have led to this record number of degrees that also happened last year, according to Reigstad. 

Reigstad said students are taking on more credits than ever. The office of registrar’s statistics show that the average credit load increased in the past decade, along with more students enrolling in summer classes. These additions contributed to the degree total.

As for a future of record-breaking degrees, Reigstad said the factors barring the count from continuing to rise includes housing. Reigstad said that the increasing prices of housing would be the main barrier to continuing broken records in degrees awarded. 

Reigstad said UW has not built any university housing in over a decade, and since then the student population has grown by over 10,000 students.

“The last new residence hall that was built opened in 2013, and that was Leopold. We’ve added 10,000 students in 10 years, but we haven’t added any residence hall capacity,” Reigstad said.

The causes of the records being broken in the past two years are positive aspects of the university making an effort to make college shorter and cheaper for incoming students, reflected in the number of degrees awarded, Reigstad said.

These records are a result of university policy directed to help students at UW, Reigstad said.

“There are more opportunities outside of just the fall and spring for four years,” Reigstad said. “It’s a culmination of many efforts over the last decade to improve student experience, outcomes and make sure students are graduating quickly with a quality education that prepares them well for their future.”