This academic year we had a 3 year graduation rate of 68.9 %, which was decreased from 70% the year prior, and which is below our benchmark goal of 70%. Based on the ACEN report, an area needing development is to implement strategies to improve retention rates. Students need support for both academics and skill development. We have been maintaining limited tutoring and advising hours utilizing peer tutors, and have been able to offer faculty test reviews prior to exams for each course. We also have access to Net Tutor for Nursing courses, however there has been minimal usage of this service by our students. Despite a full-time tenure track faculty search, we were unable to fill our open lines, and resorted to hiring two full-time temporary faculty and numerous new adjuncts. With the resignation of another experienced, tenured faculty member after the Fall semester, we need to hire additional full-time faculty in order to be able to provide the high quality instruction and support students need.

In Newburgh we admitted 48 students in the spring of 2017; in Middletown, 93 students were admitted this fall (including day and evening students). Skill lab use on both campuses has been high; as of the week of November 20th, the usage was approximately 77 student-hours per week in Newburgh, and 216 student-hours per week in Middletown. The technical lab assistant in Newburgh did not return for the Fall semester, and we were unable to hire a replacement until the week of November 27, 2017, due to a lack of applicants and a hiring freeze. The full-time Middletown lab assistant had to do double duty to set up the Newburgh lab, and had limited time to be in the lab helping students with skill practice. The lack of a lab assistant had a definite effect on the ability of students to be in the lab practicing. There were eighteen 3rd time skill tests this semester, as compared to thirteen last fall semester, and 4 students failed out of the program based on third-try skill failure as compared to 2 last fall. Given that student failure at high-stakes skill testing results in attrition from the program, an increase in technical lab assistant hours to full time are needed for both campuses to support validation of student skill competency.