Wesleyan University made a splash in 2012, when its president, Michael Roth, announced that it would provide more support to students who wanted to graduate in three years. The move was part of a broader effort to make the university more affordable — early graduation could reduce the price of a Wesleyan degree by about 20 percent, Mr. Roth wrote when he introduced the option. And smoothing the path to a three-year degree is one way for the university to offer students flexibility and move away from higher ed’s tendency of being "wedded to the convention," Mr. Roth says. Before the announcement, a student or two graduated early each year, university officials say. One of those early graduates was Mr. Roth, in 1978.

June 5, 2015 ・ From Chronicle of Higher Education