Utilizing Your Freshman
Orientation Course to
Achieve Retention Results
17th International Conference on
The First-Year Experience
Maui, Hawaii
June 17, 2004
Biographical Sketch of Biola
 Private liberal arts university
 Located 30 miles outside Los Angeles
 Founded in 1908
 Undergraduate enrollment of 3100
students
 Moderately selective
 41 undergraduate major programs
Our Message
We knew all of the components that a First
Year Seminar “should” contain. For
several years--despite a lack of results--we
resisted giving up any of those things.
When we finally let our course evolve
naturally to meet the needs of our campus,
we started to see significant improvement
in our retention rates.
Biola’s First Year Seminar
Program
 How did it start?
 How did it evolve?
 Structure
 Learning objectives
 Results
How did the Program Start?
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Began in 1987 as extended orientation taught by
faculty, staff, and graduate students
Students were assigned to cohorts randomly
Housed in Student Affairs
Retention rate of 75.7%
Standard curriculum not specific to any
academic discipline
Course titled “University Life”
How did the Program Evolve?
 Facing stagnant retention rates and
faltering credibility, the program was
reorganized in 1995
 Cohorts were formed according to major
 Faculty from each major were recruited to
teach the course for their students
 Curriculum was decentralized
Details, details…
 Instructor chosen by faculty chair or
recruited by director of Academic Advising
 Faculty compensated according to part-time
equivalent scale and based on faculty rank
 38 sections of the class taught every Fall
 Class is mandatory and lasts the first 8
weeks of the semester
 Class offered for 1 unit of credit and
calculated into GPA
Details, details…cont’d
 Separate sections for
International and
Undeclared students
 Class culminates with transition to course
selection for spring semester
 Many instructors also serve as academic
advisors creating a natural relationship
 Instructor training is voluntary
 Class size ranges from 5 to 30
 Retention rate of 84.6%
Learning Objectives
 Assist students with the transition between
high school and college
 Orient students to the mission and culture
of Biola University
 Inform students of the expectations and
opportunities in their major
The Value of First Year
Seminar
 It provides an opportunity for students to
clarify their choice of major
 It provides the opportunity to develop
community within the major, very early on
 It provides students with the opportunity to
develop a relationship with a significant
faculty member within their major.
Success!
 Freshman-Sophomore retention rate of
84.6%
 Positive feedback from students and
faculty
 New sections offered each year
 Many sections taught by senior level
faculty and department chairs
What works for us
The course is mandatory for freshmen.
 The course is for academic credit
 The course is designed to be meaningful for
both students and faculty
 The faculty have freedom to develop the
curriculum to meet their specific goals
 Adequate budget to fund salaries, operating
costs, and class activities
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What we have learned…
Our First Year Seminar program has evolved
into something that works for us…even
though it might not be what we originally
envisioned.
Take what you know a successful First Year
Seminar program should be and adapt it to
your school, then see if it accomplishes your
goals.
Questions?
Comments?
Thank you for attending!
Please complete a session
evaluation form.
Contact Information
Julie De La Ossa
Director, Academic
Advising & Student
Retention
Eric Lapointe
Assistant Director,
Academic Advising &
Student Retention
[email protected]
[email protected]
Biola University
13800 Biola University
La Mirada, CA 90639
562/903-4782