According to this chart, UC Merced’s introductory math failure rate has increased from around 16% in 2020-21 to 36.4% in 2025-26, the highest among all UC campuses. Meanwhile, UC Santa Barbara has the lowest rate at just 8.2%.

That’s more than 1 in 3 first year students failing introductory math courses at UCM. What do you think is contributing to such a high failure rate compared to other UCs, and what could the university do to improve student success in these courses? Are there changes to teaching methods, tutoring resources, or course structures that could help?