• • • • for the next term. These programs were selected by the Commissioner of Higher Education for the Montana University System to be offered at each institution as a step toward increasing safety for all students. GFC MSU created a new marketing plan for summer semester targeting continuing students and transfer students who might be home for the summer, or able to take an online class at the college. The college built its summer schedule by December 1 instead of March 1 so students and prospective students can see what courses will be offered and plan accordingly. The following programs submitted self-studies for continuing professional accreditation during 2015: Dental Assisting, Paramedic, Respiratory Care, Health Information Technology, and Health Information Coding Specialist. Two programs hosted accreditation site visits during fall semester 2015: The Dental Assisting program was visited in September, and the Paramedic team hosted a visit in November. The Veterans Success Center will remain open and staffed for three more years thanks to an $80,000 donation from a local business after one-time-only funding from the state Legislature expired. Great Falls College MSU has one of the highest populations of veteran and veteran dependent students amongst colleges and universities in Montana. The Veterans Success Center usage has grown from 19 veterans using the center 180 times in spring semester 2014 to 98 veterans using the center 1,568 times in spring semester 2015. The retention rate of student veterans using the center is 95%, while only 68% of veterans not using the center were retained. Fall 14 - Spring 15 Retention New & Transfer Students 95.0% 100.0% 90.0% 80.0% 73.5% 70.0% 67.9% 60.0% 50.0% 40.0% 30.0% 20.0% 10.0% 0.0% 1st - 2nd Semester Campus-Wide • Veterans who did not Visit Center Veteran Visitors to Center HealthCARE Montana Grant: In October 2014, a consortium of two-year colleges in Montana was awarded a $15 million TAACCCT grant from the Department of Labor to create statewide healthcare pathways and accelerated nursing pathways, and to provide services to students, such as accelerated credential completion, coaching and access to distance education. GFC MSU’s participation in this project allowed the college to hire a nursing faculty and a healthcare transformation specialist. Nursing faculty and directors have participated in statewide efforts that Great Falls College Montana State University 15