Media coverage: Developmental courses at UW-Green Bay

In an article Friday (Dec. 17), the Green Bay Press-Gazette examined developmental courses at higher education institutions in Northeast Wisconsin. At UW-Green Bay, more than one-third of incoming freshmen needed remedial help in English or math. One reason numbers have grown, according to Michael Stearney, dean of enrollment services at UW-Green Bay, is the growth of the Adult Degree Program. “The assumption is that at some point they learned this; but if you’ve been away from it for a while, you forget,” Stearney told the newspaper. “It’s not that they couldn’t do it; it’s that they just don’t remember.” He also said the remedial courses are an easy way to help ensure student success. Read the entire article.

More quotes, by dean of enrollment services

In addressing the potential for some to question “developmental” courses at an institution of higher learning, UW-Green Bay’s Michael Stearney addressed those questions head-on in the Press-Gazette article: “I understand the whole taxpayer thing, ‘We paid for it once, why should we pay again?'” Stearney said. “I get that. But can we really walk away from something that is so easily fixable? Do we ruin their futures for that?” More than 90 percent of students taking developmental classes at UWGB pass them, he said, and move on to continue their coursework. “In a perfect world, we wouldn’t be doing this at all, they’d learn this stuff in high school,” he said. “But that’s not realistic.”