UF's administration withdrew the proposal for block tuition indefinitely Tuesday, postponing a measure that proved unpopular with many students.
At a conference call of the UF Board of Trustees, UF Provost Joe Glover said the recent jump in graduation rates gave the administration reason to reconsider the measure.
"I know of no other place that has undergone a 6 [percentage point] rise in graduation rate," he said.
For students who entered UF in 2006, the four-year graduation rate was 64 percent, a jump from 58 percent for students who entered in 2005.
Machen said he's never seen an increase so drastic.
"I've been in this game for 14 years - I've never seen that kind of jump," he said.
He said he felt Student Government handled its opposition to block tuition well, but the statistics are what cemented his stance to postpone the measure.
UF Student Body President Ben Meyers said he felt the increased rate is a result of students responding to tough economic times.
"I want to assure you that the jump in the graduation rate shows a re-dedication of students in this economy," Meyers said.
The administration wants to monitor the graduation rate to see if the increase is stable. Glover said UF examines graduation rates every year, and that based on preliminary research, he thinks the current graduation rate will stay steady for the next cycle.
