The length of time for a student to complete their undergraduate bachelor's degree is a critical outcome measure at public higher education institutions. This investigation explores the efforts performed at a highly selective public research university to improve student degree completion, and includes a comprehensive review of the institutional process used to change administrative and academic policies and procedures. Examination of various factors that predict four-year degree patterns, time-to-degree, and unit accumulation are reviewed. Timely degree completion has, over the last few decades, developed into one of the most important metrics for public universities to demonstrate institutional success to their students, governing boards, government officials, and the public at-large. Finishing the degree within four years is considered timely and affords a student an efficient pathway to enter the next phase of their desired professional career. These timely degree completion students can maximize the associated lifetime economic and social benefits that degree earners enjoy relative to non-timely degree completion individuals and non-degree holders. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]