The Unity Experience – A Personalized FYE Course
James J. Horan, Professor of Developmental Studies and
Director of the Learning Resource Center
Nineteenth Annual Conference on The First-Year Experience
July 25, 2006
Toronto, Ontario
 Private baccalaureate college with a few associate’s degree programs
 Enrollment: 517 students (full time)
 Mission statement references active learning and supportive community
 Programs and curriculum focus on environmental studies and natural resources, e.g.,
Wildlife Biology and Conservation, Conservation Law Enforcement, Environmental Education,
Adventure Education Leadership, Ecology, Forestry, Landscape Horticulture, Parks, Recreation &
Ecotourism
 Interdisciplinary Core Curriculum: The Unity Experience, Perspectives on the
Environment, Human Ecology, Culture and the Environment
The Unity Experience IC1113
 three-credit course required of all entering students
 one-credit version for transfers
 enrollment: 20 per section
 includes Peer Leaders
 stresses student-active pedagogy
 includes College Student Inventory and academic advising
 emphasizes active engagement and connections
 includes semester-long portfolio development
 includes collaborative service learning project
 instructors meet weekly as reflective practices collaborative
THE UNITY EXPERIENCE
The Course
The Unity Experience is designed to assist you and all other entering students in making a successful transition to life here at Unity College.
Students who are successful in this course will demonstrate
 Personal development
 Community engagement
 Environmental stewardship
All course activities are directed toward fulfilling and documenting one or more of these goals, which are explained in further detail below. The
degree to which you make meaningful connections among these courses will likely have a significant impact on your learning, academic
achievement, and satisfaction.
You will work with other students to identify academic and social resources and challenges, make meaningful connections with our campus and
your new community, and broaden your perspective on nature and the environment. You will document your activities and achievements in your
first semester in a portfolio, which will be the basis for your grade in this course. The course is designed to be activity-based, engaging, and
enjoyable, but you must take it seriously to be successful. If you do, you will be well on your way to becoming a successful, contributing, and
satisfied member of the special living and learning community that is Unity College.
Requirements
NOVA Your NOVA experience is part of this course.
Class Activities
This is an experiential course. You cannot be successful unless you are an active, thoughtful participant in virtually all class
activities.
Reflective Journal
Service Project
You will also submit reflective journal entries, which are generally briefer and less formal than essays.
The College is committed to community service of many kinds. We will all work together on a meaningful service project.
You will demonstrate how well you have met course objectives through your course portfolio, which will be shared with others
and will be the basis for your course grade.
Course Portfolio
Academic Integrity
The Unity College Honor Code requires honesty in all academic work. You are responsible for understanding and following the Honor Code
guidelines, which are published in the college catalog and student handbook. Infractions may lead to course failure or dismissal from the College.
Course Outcomes and Evaluation Rubric
Your success in this course and your grade will be determined by how well you document (in your portfolio) your activities and achievement in
relation to the course goals and objectives, listed in detail below. Each student will:
1.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Engage in personal development opportunities at Unity College
Articulate academic, social and professional goals
Identify academic and social challenges and resources
Engage in a sustainable lifestyle
Take inventory of basic college-level skill set
2.
a.
b.
c.
Engage your new community
Make meaningful connections with campus and community
Identify and develop a campus and community support network
Appreciate the value of diverse people and ideas
3.
a.
b.
c.
Demonstrate environmental stewardship
Broaden your perspective on nature and the environment
Demonstrates responsible citizenship
Work together with a group to achieve common environmental goals
GOALS/ OBJECTIVES
1. Engage in personal
development opportunities at
Unity College
ADVANCED (5)
Seeks out
opportunities
DEVELOPING (3)
Takes advantage when
presented
EMERGING (1)
Leaves growth to
chance
a. Articulate academic, social and
professional goals
b. Identify academic and
social challenges and
resources
Considers short and
long term
Eagerly realizes
challenges and seeks
out and utilizes
support
Deliberately engages
in healthy sustainable
lifestyle
Seeks out self
knowledge and
improvement
opportunities
Seeks out
opportunities for
engagement
Develops meaningful
relationships
wherever presented.
Regular participant
and explores
opportunities
Cultivates support
and is supportive
Seeks out new ways
of thinking and
experiences
Responsible,
reflective
environmental citizen
Deals with present and
short term future
Admits some
challenges.
Recognizes resources
when offered
Has some good habits
and some bad
Vague direction or
career path
Avoids challenges.
Avoids help.
b. Engage in a sustainable
lifestyle
d. Take inventory of basic
college-level skill set
2. Engage your new community
a. Make meaningful connections
with campus and community
b. Identify and develop a campus
and community support network
c. Appreciate the value of diverse
people and ideas
3. Demonstrate environmental
stewardship
Often responds to
negative feedback
Unreflectively
follows personal
preference
Leaves
improvement to
natural progression
Will participate and
can be engaged
Resists meaningful
interaction
Makes friends with
peer group. Sporadic
attendance, little
follow-through
Habitually isolated.
Complies when
required.
Usually open to
support when offered
Tolerates challenges to
established attitudes
Has few
connections
Settled on ideas and
acquaintances
Responds to
compelling ideas and
projects
Personal interest in
the outdoors,
nature or the
environment
a. Broaden your perspective on
nature and the environment
Articulates a well
thought-out, but
flexible world view
Reflective and
responsive when
prompted
b. Demonstrates responsible
citizenship
Empowered. Acts for
the common good.
b. Work together with a group to
achieve common environmental
goals
Motivates others to
learn and act.
Facilitates others
success. Leads
Follows through on
commitments to
community.
Collaborates. Accepts
direction
Close minded and
unreflective.
Appears
unconcerned.
Considers helping
when approached.
Contributes
inconsistently to
group work
DATE
CLASS ACTIVITY or TOPIC
RELATED EVENTS
T 9.6
Introduction
Group Process
Scavenger Hunt
Course introduction continued – setting class goals and
expectations
Advising, Add/Drop
Reflective essay
Discussion of reflective essay
Admissions survey
Introduction to Portfolios
M 9.5 Begin Add/Drop
T 9.6 Workstudy Fair
W 9.7 Founders Day
M 9.12 End Add/Drop
Intro to Service Learning & planning for service project
Controversial Issue Dialog Prep
College Student Inventory
Check in
Introduction to CRC & Alumni Fair
Goal setting – semester; mid-semester
COMMUNITY CARNIVAL
R 9.8
T 9.13
R 9.15
T 9.20
R 9.22
T 9.27
Group Process
Service Learning
R 9.29
T 10.4
Service Learning
Prepare for Equalogy
Service Learning
Environmental Essay
Reflection on Equalogy
Check in
No Class - FALL BREAK
Controversial Issue #2
Unlikely Partners preparation
R 10.6
T 10.11
R 10.13
9.23 to 25 COMMUNITY
WEEKEND (Common Ground
Fair, Parents Wknd, Alumni
Wknd)
10.5 Equalogy
10.10 to 11 FALL BREAK
T 10.18
R 10.20
T 10.25
R 10.27
T 11.1
R 11.3
T 11.8
R 11.10
T 11.15
R 11.17
T 11.22
R 11.24
T 11.29
R 12.1
T 12.6
R12.8
R 12.15
Program Talks preparation
Prepare for mid-term
Unlikely Partners reflection & discussion
Midterm Conference - Midterm grades & CSI results
Environmental Stewardship Fair
Midterm Conferences continue - Midterm grades & CSI
results
Environmental Stewardship Fair
Speak Out Speakers
Vote
Speak Out Debrief
Degree planning, course selection plan
Advising and preregistration
Preregistration
Mid-semester goals revisited & end semester goals
Vocational goal setting
Alumni Connection Fair
Something enjoyable and rewarding
No Class - THANKSGIVING BREAK
Internship presentations
Ropes course/portfolios/SL
Ropes course/portfolios/SL
Ropes course/portfolios/SL
LAST CLASS
Focus groups/assessment
M 12.19 evening PORTFOLIO EXPO IN GYM
10.19 Mid Term Grades
Program Talks
Program Talks
10.26 Last day to withdraw
from classes
Program Talks
Program Talks
11.1 ELECTION DAY
Program Talks
11.7 to 11 PREREGISTRATION
FOR SPRING CLASSES
Program Talks
11.23 to 25 THANKSGIVING
BREAK
F 12.16 Classes end
M-W 12.19
Throughout the semester, students:
 craft a set of short, intermediate and long-term
academic, social and co-curricular goals with
action steps for meeting them
 predict their midterm grades and learn how to
calculate their GPA
 attend program gatherings with faculty sponsors
and upper-level students in their majors
 draft a four-academic plan of courses
 collaborate with peers in the same degree program
and select courses for the following semester
under the supervision of the instructor
 research and debate contentious environmental and
social issues, learning critical thinking and
respectful discourse
 attend and write about a professional production
on alcohol abuse and date rape
 attend internship presentations by upper-level
students in their majors
 research internship and employment opportunities
through the campus Career Resource Center
 participate in ropes course/challenge activities as a
class
 attend an alumni fair to hear from Unity graduates
employed in environmental fields
 partner with a peer who has very different
perspectives on environmental issues to explore a
new way of experiencing nature
 create and collect artifacts for a course portfolio