If student success in courses can be raised, the payoff would be considerable for the students, UW-Milwaukee, and Wisconsin. More students will not only complete courses but, importantly, will also master the skills and knowledge that encompass these courses and, in doing so, have the capacity to be able to build on this learning and succeed in advanced coursework. More students will attain a college degree at UWM and have the skills and knowledge needed to be successful as citizens and employees in the 21st century.
Metric of Success
Short term: At least a 20% reduction in the rate of baseline D, F, and W (withdrawal) rate for each course.
Long term: Less than 20% of students with a final grade of D, F, or W in each departmental course.
There is always room for improvement in the learning and success of students. Not acquiring the intended learning outcomes in courses may create challenges to learning more advanced concepts, lead to poor performance in subsequent coursework, and contribute to non-retention in the freshmen, sophomore, junior, and senior years. Thus, increasing student success in courses is critical, as mastery of skills and knowledge in these courses potentiates students’ ability to complete their degree and attain their educational and vocational goals.