Retention and Graduation Rates. Helena College has taken the following steps to increase retention and shorten time to graduation. • Realigned math pathways to ensure students only take the math course required for their program and currently experimenting with summer math “boot camps,” with “first generation learning communities,” and with embedded or shortened developmental course sequences. • Reviewed curriculum in 3 programs with historically low completion; resulted in course changes, sequence changes, and elimination of some unnecessarily difficult requirements • Sought and received Department of Education approval to offer an Experimental Sites Initiative for Competency Based Education • Purchased Starfish Retention Solutions that allows members of the institution to provide timely information and interventions, allowing service providers the opportunity to effectively remediate the situation. • Changed the structure of student advising to assign a faculty advisory during the first advising appointment rather than waiting until the student completes 19 credits, unless the student needs two or more remediation classes. Those students are advised by professional advisors trained in student and educational development. • Began requiring New Student Orientation of ALL degree seeking students and improved the information provided to increase the awareness of the institutional expectations for success and support programs available to the student, as well as to develop early meaningful relationships with student leaders and employees. • Implemented delayed and split disbursement based on attendance information to reduce the barrier of future attendance as students are only awarded aid they have earned. This all but eliminates the need to return federal aid money on the students’ behalf. • Using Smarthinking, an online on‐demand tutoring software, that employs tutors who are masters level or higher, trained educators, and accessible to students 24/7. • Implemented an institutional Recruitment, Retention and Completion Committee with representation from all institutional constituent groups to provide detailed and systematic review of process, programs, and procedures. *See Appendix C‐3 – Retention & Graduation Rate of First‐time, Full‐time Freshmen
