Only 44% of first-year Maine public university students who fail a course in their first semester return for the start of the next academic year. UMS universities will be piloting an offer of a free course to promising first-year students who failed a class in the fall of 2019 and would benefit from additional resources and student support to successfully transition to college-level work.
Orono, Maine — Marking the end of final exams for the Fall 2019 semester, the University of Maine System announced that it will be offering a free college course to promising first-year students who failed a class during their first semester. The Make the Grade Student Success Initiative is a pilot project to provide students struggling to make the transition from high school to college with the resources and support they need to stay on track to success.
As UMS Chancellor Dannel Malloy brings renewed attention to efforts at Maine’s universities to increase the percentage of students who return year-to-year, the Make the Grade Student Success Initiative is also part of the UMS Maine Values You student outreach campaign.
First-year University of Maine System students who failed a course in the Fall 2018 term were more than twice as likely to not return for the start of the next academic year when compared to the overall return rate for the Fall 2018 first-year cohort. Less than half — only 44% — of the first-year students who failed a course last fall were back on campus this September.
A UMS in-state student working toward college success with a free Make the Grade three credit-hour course will save an average of $780 in tuition costs.
“Maine students and their families need to know they are valued at our universities and that we are committed to their success,” said Dannel Malloy, Chancellor of the University of Maine System. “A free course is not a remedy, but it sends the message to struggling students that the transition to college can be a challenge and they are not alone. Maine is counting on our university leaders, faculty, and staff to do even more to meet students where they are and with the support they need to succeed.”
“When I first started at UMFK, I worked many hours at a part time job and underestimated the time and effort needed for the program I attended,” said David Bouley, a 2016 graduate of the University of Maine at Fort Kent with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management and an Associates Degree in Forestry. “After the first year of not excelling to my standards, I decided if this is what I want to do for my profession something needed to change. I set a goal academically and didn’t stop until I succeeded. The summer before my junior year, I had an internship offer from three employers to pick from.
“My academic advisor and professors stuck with me and I made it to graduation and a career in the Maine forestry industry. I am proud that our public universities are working so hard to help and offer the tools needed for a successful career after college.”
All seven campuses of the University of Maine System will be participating in the Make the Grade student success pilot initiative for Fall 2019 first-year students. Eligibility and requirements for participation will vary as the universities experiment with different approaches and leverage existing initiatives that are successfully meeting the specific needs of students. Campuses will be proactively reaching out to students who are eligible for a free course over and immediately following the holiday break.
Campus Plans for Helping Students Make the Grade
The announcement of the Make the Grade student success initiative coincided with the December 20th end of final exams for the Fall 2019 semester. Details and informational materials are still being finalized at each of Maine’s public universities. The following is an overview of how the pilot initiative will be implemented:
UMA: At the University of Maine at Augusta a “Make the Grade” Grant will provide UMA matriculated students who qualify with the opportunity to retake one class of four credits or less from the Fall 2019 semester. UMA will cover the tuition for a repeat in the Spring 2020 semester with the student responsible for course-specific fees. Courses in which a grade of D+ or lower, L, and WF are valid for this pilot grant opportunity.
UMA students with questions about eligibility are urged to contact 877-UMA-1234 of visit https://www.uma.edu/makethegrade/
UMaine and UMM: The University of Maine and its regional campus, the University of Maine at Machias, will reach out to eligible students in early January. Students will have one year to use a tuition waiver for one course based on their academic needs. Students will also participate in meetings with Associate Deans and staff in Student Affairs. The goal of the initiative will be to ensure that students find the mentors and assistance they need to persist to degree completion. UMaine is committed to the success of it students and research shows that learners who take the time to connect with staff within their academic units and in student life have a greater chance of finding a major that motivates them and compels them forward toward their preferred careers.
UMF: At the University of Maine at Farmington eligible students will hear from academic advisors early in the New Year. Students offered the Making the Grade course will participate in a newly established intensive advising effort for first-year students with a GPA below 1.0. Students have been able to take advantage of the advising in lieu of a review for academic suspension.
UMFK: At the University of Maine at Fort Kent campus leaders will be reaching out to eligible first-year students immediately after grades are posted congratulating students on completing their first semester of college. The message, expected around December 30, 2019, will acknowledge that the transition from high school to college can be hard and express the university commitment to be a partner on the trip from high school to career.
The Make the Grade offer will allow students to take one course for free in the spring or to wait and take the failed course again the next time it is offered. Students will engage with their professional academic advisor about how best to use the offer and the resources available at the campuses that promote academic success. Students will have until February 3, 2020, the end of the add/drop period, to take advantage of the offer.
UMPI: At the University of Maine at Presque Isle campus leaders will be reaching out to eligible first-year students immediately after grades are posted congratulating students on completing their first semester of college. The message, expected around December 30, 2019, will acknowledge that the transition from high school to college can be hard and express the university commitment to be a partner on the trip from high school to career.
The Make the Grade offer will allow students to take one course for free in the spring or to wait and take the failed course again the next time it is offered. Students will engage with their professional academic advisor about how best to use the offer and the resources available at the campuses that promote academic success. Students will have until February 3, 2020, the end of the add/drop period, to take advantage of the offer.
USM: The University of Southern Maine will pilot the System’s “Making the Grade” initiative with a focus on entry level courses that are prerequisites to all majors. Under this program, students who do not pass College Writing or their Entry Year Experience in Fall 2019 may be eligible to retake that course in spring 2020 using a one-time scholarship. Full time matriculated students who qualify for this program will be contacted on or before January 15.
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Distributed 12/20/19