Due to the success of its POLYA lab, the University of Idaho is the only state school in Idaho to not offer remedial math courses — however, this could soon change.
UI Interim President Steven Daley-Laursen first mentioned the idea of adding lower level math classes during his fall address to the university.
“Students who scored below an 18 on the ACT take these classes at other universities in Idaho,” said Monte Boisen, chair of the math department. “These classes offer no credits and cost extra.”

At UI, instead of putting students in those classes, they’re currently placed in Math 108, which is a POLYA course.
Roughly half of students who scored below an 18 on the ACT and are enrolled in Math 108 pass the class. The two other major state schools, Idaho State University and Boise State University, have the same pass rate for their remedial classes.
 “There doesn’t appear to be a huge demand for remedial math classes,” said Provost of Academic Affairs Doug Baker. “We would most likely be seeing less than 100 students a year in that program.”

Boisen said while less than 100 students will be in the course, it’s still important since it offers those who can’t initially succeed in POLYA a way to better understand math.
The UI Charter, as it currently reads, won’t let the math department offer developmental classes with state dollars.
“There are two ways to implement developmental classes,” Boisen said. “We can either get permission and the resources to offer it on campus or contract Lewis and Clark State University or North Idaho College.”

LCSC and NIC already offer these developmental classes, so UI would contract their instructors and have them come to the Moscow campus.
Either way, Boisen said he would like to see the program up and running by fall of 2009.
“Someone e-mailed asking for remedial math,” Baker said.
Boisen stressed he wants to make sure these classes are offered on campus. Washington State University offers remedial math classes because they contract instructors from Spokane Community College, but he would prefer UI students don’t have to leave campus to receive developmental instruction.

“To have success, you need a lot of student–instructor interaction,” Boisen said. “I would like to have the teachers available to students on campus.”
It’s also difficult to figure out the logistics of using Pullman’s resources. Bussing a large population of students to the campus every day of the week presents a challenge, as does the financial aspect.
Remedial classes cost extra, so plans would have to be made finance them.

“People who get placed in 108 come from rural schools where not much math is being taught, or they’ve received bad instruction in the past,” Boisen said.
UI does offer a lot of dual credit enrollment courses with high schools in the region, especially those in rural areas.
“Every urban student has calculus available to them nationwide, but many rural schools don’t,” Boisen said.

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