BILLINGS- MSU Billings had its best retention rate in five years at the start of the spring semester.
There was a decrease of 27 students from the fall semester of 2018 to the spring semester of 2019.
In the previous four years, MSUB has lost an average of 270 students between semesters.
This year decreased by .6 percent compared to 5.9 percent in each of the last four years.
A total of 4,288 students attend MSUB, with 2,566 at the University campus and 1,722 at City College.
Chancellor Dan Edeleman credits the use of retention initiatives, including a special course for freshman and more sections for high-demand classes for the better showing.
“Because we are a smaller campus, we are able to know our students better and lots of students like that,” Edelman said. “They don’t want a room of 500 other students in a classroom. So we’re able to make the connections. We’re able to see when the students aren’t in class. We’re able to see when they’re struggling. We’re able to work out and reach them better, so it’s good.”
Edelman anticipates increases in enrollment over the next few years.
Reporting by David Jay for MTN News
