Donovan, D., & Suresh-Menon, D. (2024, February), Student Recruitment and Retention Improvements through Success in First Year Mathematics: A Multi-faceted Approach  Paper presented at 2024 Collaborative Network for Engineering & Computing Diversity (CoNECD), Arlington, Virginia. 10.18260/1-2--45480

\bibitem{asee_peer_45480}
  Donovan, D., \& Suresh-Menon, D. (2024, February), \emph{Student Recruitment and Retention Improvements through Success in First Year Mathematics: A Multi-faceted Approach}
  Paper presented at 2024 Collaborative Network for Engineering \& Computing Diversity (CoNECD), Arlington, Virginia.
  10.18260/1-2--45480

Deirdre Donovan Dr. and Durga Suresh-Menon.  "Student Recruitment and Retention Improvements through Success in First Year Mathematics: A Multi-faceted Approach".  2024 Collaborative Network for Engineering & Computing Diversity (CoNECD), Arlington, Virginia, 2024, February.  ASEE Conferences, 2024.  https://peer.asee.org/45480 Internet.  14 Dec, 2024

\bibitem{asee_peer_45480}
  Deirdre Donovan Dr. and Durga Suresh-Menon.
  "Student Recruitment and Retention Improvements through Success in First Year Mathematics: A Multi-faceted Approach".
  \emph{2024 Collaborative Network for Engineering \& Computing Diversity (CoNECD), Arlington, Virginia, 2024, February}.
  ASEE Conferences, 2024.
  https://peer.asee.org/45480 Internet.  14 Dec, 2024

@INPROCEEDINGS{asee_peer_45480
author = "Deirdre Donovan Dr. and Durga Suresh-Menon"
title = "Student Recruitment and Retention Improvements through Success in First Year Mathematics: A Multi-faceted Approach"
booktitle = "2024 Collaborative Network for Engineering \& Computing Diversity (CoNECD)"
year = "2024"
month = "February"
address = "Arlington, Virginia"
publisher = "ASEE Conferences"
note = {https://peer.asee.org/45480}
number = {10.18260/1-2--45480}
}

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - Academic performance in mathematics is a key indicator for success in STEM majors and degree programs [1]. Research [2] shows success in mathematics influences persistence and completion of engineering degrees more than other courses. Students at Wentworth mirror these trends with only 79.8% of first year students successful in mathematics. This success gap negatively impacts retention and impedes degree progression. Students from underrepresented groups achieved lower success rates than students from other demographics. 

To meet the institute’s strategic goals of inclusive excellence and high value learning, Wentworth restructured the messaging, timing, and pedagogical approach to first-year mathematics. This initiative takes a student - ready approach to answer higher education’s call to ‘fix the classrooms’ [3]. To begin the process, Wentworth invested in a new position to lead these efforts. In May 2022, a Director of First – Year Mathematics was hired. One of the goals of this position is to design and shepherd initiatives to improve first year mathematics success.

Messaging about mathematics at Wentworth now focuses on accessibility and meeting students where they are. Admissions materials and discussions focus on meeting student’s mathematical readiness. Families come to understand that through a new mathematics placement process, students will be able to start their mathematics sequence at the spot that best fits their skill set. By starting at their optimal spot in mathematics, students can more readily experience mathematical success [4]. 
The timing restructure converts the standard 14-week calculus course into two separate 7-week courses. This new approach allows for faster content recovery time as all seven-week classes rerun every seven weeks. The lack of delay in restarting a course may empower a student with immediate results in their academic progress. Pathways for success in mathematics include online synchronous and asynchronous summer offerings as well as realignment of pre and co-requisites. 
Pedagogical approaches have shifted to focus on active learning. Faculty development and training are ongoing. Classrooms have been redesigned to support collaboration. Faculty facilitated study groups and imbedded classroom student tutors encourage student success. 
In this presentation, we will give details about this multi-faceted approach, as well as preliminary data. This new approach will benefit all students, including those from traditionally underrepresented groups at Wentworth.  
[1] G. C. Wolniak, M. J. Mayhew, and M. E. Engberg, “Learning's Weak Link to Persistence,” The Journal of Higher Education, vol. 83, pp. 795-823, 2012.
[2] M. W. Ohland, A.G. Yuhasz, and B.L. Sill, “Identifying and removing a calculus prerequisite as a bottleneck in Clemson's General Engineering Curriculum.” Journal of Engineering Education, vol.93, no.3, pp.253-257. 2004.
[3] J. Handelsman, S. Elgin, M. Estrada, S. Hays, T. Johnson, S. Miller, and J. Williams, “Achieving STEM diversity: Fix the classrooms.” Science, vol. 376, no. 6597, pp.1057-1059.2022.
[4] D.M. Bressoud, V. Mesa, and C.L. Rasmussen, Eds, Insights and recommendations from the MAA (Mathematical Association of America) national study of college calculus. MAA Press. 2015.

AU  - Deirdre Donovan Dr.
AU  - Durga Suresh-Menon
CY  - Arlington, Virginia
DA  - 2024/02/25
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Student Recruitment and Retention Improvements through Success in First Year Mathematics: A Multi-faceted Approach
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/45480
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--45480
ER  -