U of A students are achieving outstanding success in introductory chemistry and math courses, due to innovative student success programs provided through a collaboration between faculty, the Student Success Center, Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences and the Engineering One-Stop. As a result of these programs, the success rates in University Chemistry I, University Chemistry II, Calculus I and Calculus II improved significantly over the past two years.

"Chemistry and calculus are historically challenging courses and a requirement for STEM majors," said Deborah Korth, senior associate vice provost for student success and academic excellence. "By targeting these courses specifically, we are improving our students' overall academic success and helping them graduate and reach their career goals."

Under the leadership of Matt Gerner, coordinator of Chemistry Student Success and instructor, the teaching faculty in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry worked with the Student Success Center over the past two years to implement a pilot program that allowed students to retake exams and included outreach to students who needed additional support.

This outreach was conducted by Engineering One-Stop academic coaches and Fulbright College instructor coaches. Students also received supplemental instruction and tutoring provided by CLASS+, which stands for Classroom Learning and Academic Success Services and is offered through the Student Success Center. During the fall 2024 semester, the success rate for University Chemistry I was the highest it has been since at least 1992, at 80.8 percent, which is an increase of nearly 13 percentage points compared to fall 2023.

"Coaches were foundational for outreach to our students struggling in University Chemistry I in fall 2024," Gerner said. "The coaches regularly followed up with students who were falling behind, providing encouragement, one-on-one mentoring on study skills, and tips on how to approach the course. Adding the support of the coaches and a shift in course structure to incorporate exam retakes helped achieve a success rate of 80.8 percent, which was the highest success rate in more than 30 years." 

Speaking about University Chemistry I, Gerner continued, "In fall 2024, we not only had the lowest withdraw rate for University Chemistry I of any fall semester since at least 2010, but we also had the highest final exam average of any fall semester I've taught the course.  More students remained in the course and performed better on average on the cumulative final exam than in previous years." 

In addition, the success rate for University Chemistry II improved by about 11 percentage points since the pilot program began in 2022. In fall 2024, more than 86 percent of students elected to retake exams in University Chemistry II, and the average increase in grade from the initial exam to the exam retake was nearly 30 percent.

The Student Success Center also worked with Teaching Assistant Professor Carlos Nicholas and Teaching Assistant Professor Virginia Parkman with the Department of Mathematical Sciences as well as student success team members from Fulbright College and the Engineering One-Stop to improve success rates for Calculus I and Calculus II. These units implemented a program that included outreach to students who were at risk of failing the course by providing resources to help students increase their learning. The teaching faculty in the Department of Mathematical Sciences redesigned the Calculus I and Calculus II curriculum based on student success data, expanded outreach efforts, and improved teaching through earning Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) microcredentials.

As a result of these efforts, the success rate for Calculus I improved to approximately 76 percent in fall 2024, which is an increase of six percentage points, and the Department of Mathematical Sciences saw a 10 percent gain in success rates in Calculus II in fall 2024 compared to fall 2023 across all sections of the course.

Korth added, "The improved student success rates in these courses is a direct result of the tremendous efforts of Matt Gerner, Carlos Nicholas and Virginia Parkman, our incredible teaching faculty who helped implement these programs and encouraged students to seek academic support services to enhance their learning. This would not have been possible without the close partnership between the faculty, Fulbright College Student Success Team, the Engineering One-Stop, and the Student Success Center."

In addition to these programs, the Student Success Center provided space and created Study Halls to support students taking chemistry or calculus courses.  These Study Halls were offered during the fall 2024 semester and again this semester.

For more information on student support services available at the CORD, visit success.uark.edu. For more information on how colleges and units can partner with the Student Success Center, contact Deborah Korth at dkorth@uark.edu. For more information on how faculty can earn microcredentials through ACUE, visit portal.acue.org/pages/uark.

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About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $3 billion to Arkansas' economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research and Economic Development News.