25th Annual Conference on The First-Year Experience
Atlanta, Georgia
February 24-28, 2006
Predicting the Performance and Persistence of First-Year College Students: The Role of NonCognitive Variables
Paul Gore
Director
ACT
319-337-1540
[email protected]
Student attrition continues to be a focus of attention in higher education. For example, Tinto (1993)
reported first year attrition rates of approximately 25% in four-year institutions. More recent studies
suggest the situation has deteriorated (ACT, 1999). Research efforts have focused on identifying
factors that influence student persistence and performance (Astin, 1999; Daugherty & Lane, 1999;
Gardner, Keller, & Piotrowski, 1996; Pascarella & Terenzini, 1991) and there growing awareness
of the importance of non-cognitive factors in predicting how well a student will perform and how
long they will persist in college (Gore, Leuwerke, & Turley, in press; Gore, in press; Paker, Duffy,
Wood Bond, & Hogan, 2005; Robbins, Lauver, Le, Davis, Langley, & Carlstrom, 2004).
The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of both cognitive and non-cognitive variables
in predicting college student performance and persistence in a sample of students enrolled in a firstyear experience course. More specifically, we tested whether non-cognitive predictors would
account for incremental variance in college outcomes (e.g., beyond that which can already be
accounted for by traditional predictors such as standardized test scores).
The Student Readiness Inventory was administered 455 students enrolled in a first-year experience
seminar at a large Midwestern public four-year university. Students’ ACT scores were obtained
from University records. The SRI is a 10-scale 108 item measure of motivational, social, and study
skill factors. Hierarchical linear and logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine
whether scales on the SRI could predict college performance (1st and 2nd semester GPA) and
persistence (1st to 2nd year retention). Results from these analysis offer further evidence of the
predictive validity of constructs measured by the SRI. Moreover, observed incremental validity
coefficients suggest that scores from the SRI can improve upon models of performance and
persistence that rely solely on traditional academic predictors.
National Results of the ACT Entering Student Survey
David Chadima
Consultant
ACT
319-337-1728
[email protected]
This presentation will provide a summary of the national normative data report of the ACT
Entering Student Survey. Participants will learn about entering students' educational plans,
preferences and their impressions of college as they begin their first year experience.
The ACT Entering Student Survey normative data report is based on the administration of the
survey to 42,009 students at 57 colleges between August 1, 2001 and July 31, 2005. Results are
broken down by type of institution, size of institution, level of study, and a variety of demographic
variables.
Specific areas to be explored include:
- Reasons students decide to continue education after high school
- Sources of funding for postsecondary education
- Purpose for enrolling at a particular college
- Types of classes students prefer to attend
- Types of class format students prefer
- Areas students feel they need help
- Students preferences for extracurricular activities
- Students' planned college major
- Students' occupational choice
- Students' college impressions
- Students' rating of colleges at the time of application for admission
- When students decide to attend a particular college
- Sources of information about a college
Admissions personnel, advisors, marketers and administrators will all find this information a
helpful reference in the evaluation and planning of their institutions' programs and activities.
The Learning Commons: Student Success Through Institutional Collaboration
Richard Holmgren
Director of the Learning Commons
Allegheny College
814-332-2898
[email protected]
Keri Fadden
Assistant Director of the Learning Commons
Allegheny College
814-332-2898
[email protected]
Allegheny’s Learning Commons addresses a constellation of observed first-year student needs. A
2003 analysis of student responses to the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) found
our curriculum to be very challenging—students rank Allegheny among the top decile of liberal
arts colleges for academic challenge—yet student experience of the supportiveness of our campus
environment is below the median for liberal arts colleges. We also observed that first semester
academic success, which we defined as an earned GPA above 2.4, is one of our best retention
indicators. We concluded that we needed to do a better job publicizing the support services we
provide and communicating to students that we believe they can be successful at Allegheny.
In response, we established the Learning Commons, which brings together all academic support
services: FYE programs, the Writing and Speech Centers, study skills counseling, technology
support, support for students with disabilities, and coordination of academic advising. The Learning
Commons staff is drawn from academic affairs, student affairs, and the teaching faculty. In
collaboration with student and academic affairs, we have made our support programs more visible
to students and faculty. In addition, a new electronic early warning system enables faculty to alert
the Learning Commons when students need help so that we can initiate contact.
Preliminary measures indicate that our approach is working. Service utilization is up and this year’s
first year retention was three percentage points higher than predicted based on class demographics:
academic preparation, gender, and distance from home. When the current NSSE data is available in
November, we will assess student perception of the supportiveness of the campus environment.
Our session describes the Learning Commons, its origins, and our assessment of its success, and
allows ample time for participant interaction.
Partnerships: Academic and Student Affairs
Penny Foster-Shiver
Associate Professor, Computer Information Systems
Anne Arundel Community College
410-777-2522
[email protected]
Carlesa Finney
Director, Student Achievement and Success Program
Anne Arundel Community College
410-777-2530
[email protected]
Terry Clay
Assistant Dean, Student Development and Success
Anne Arundel Community College
410-777-2305
[email protected]
Lester Brooks
Professor of History
Anne Arundel Community College
410-777-2428
[email protected]
This session will focus on the strategies for developing a strong academic and student services
partnership to address the minority student achievement gap that exists in most institutions of
higher education. The panel will reveal how to begin to solicit administrative support and faculty
commitment to build comprehensive programs and services for a target population. In particular,
traditionally underserved first generation, low income, African American and Hispanic students in
need of academic support and social competence are the focus. It began with the development of
an intensive 4 week post high school transition to college program unique in design and
implementation in the community college setting and has now evolved into an entire first year
experience. The workshop will provide insight into how to pull together institution-wide
commitment and funding while overcoming obstacles to prepare the target population for
achievement in the college environment.
Anne Arundel Community College (AACC) is a public, two-year community college with an open
enrollment policy that serves more than 20000 credit and 30000 non-credit students each year. The
college is located in suburban Anne Arundel County Maryland where families and youth living in
pockets of poverty struggle amidst affluence. The presenters, a mix of faculty and student services
staff, will address the vision shared by group of black faculty and staff who were overwhelmed by
the disparity in success and retention rates and decided to coalesce to determine approaches that
might make a difference.
Integrating a First-Year Seminar into Learning Communities to Increase Academic
Performance and Student Engagement
Dan Friedman
Director of Freshman Seminar
Appalachian State University
(828) 262-2028
[email protected]
Beth Marsh
Assistant Director of Freshman Seminar
Appalachian State University
(828) 262-2028
[email protected]
Julie Alexander
Graduate Assistant
Appalachian State University
(828) 262-2028
[email protected]
Freshman Seminar at Appalachian State University is a 3-credit hour, graded elective course that
focuses on helping first semester freshmen manage the transition to college. Over sixty sections of
this course are offered each fall semester, and each class is an integral part of a Freshman Learning
Community. Within each learning community, students are co-enrolled in Freshman Seminar and
one or two other core curriculum courses, and the linked classes are coordinated around a specific
theme, academic major, or discipline. The purpose of these links is to make it easier for students to
form study groups and integrate course material while making friends, exploring majors, and
discovering potential career choices.
Recent assessment findings indicate that students enrolled in this type of learning community at
Appalachian earn significantly higher grades in the linked core curriculum courses than students
who are not linked as part of Freshman Seminar. Based on the results of this study, we interviewed
some of our most successful learning community instructors to find out what they are doing to
make the experience so valuable. We will present specific examples of how these teams are
integrating course content as well as how the Freshman Seminar course is supporting students in
the linked course(s). We will also discuss how this type of integration is fostered through an
orientation and training session as well as monthly learning community team meetings.
Integrating Technology into the First-Year Experience
Joni Webb Petschauer
Director, Freshman Learning Communities in General Studies
Appalachian State University
828-262-3878
[email protected]
Nikki Crees
Assistant Director, Freshman Learning Communities in General Studies
Appalachian State University
828-262-8860
[email protected]
Appalachian has found its Freshman Seminar based learning communities to be a rich environment
for curricular experimentation. This has been particularly true for infusing technology into its
curriculum. In 2003, the Freshman Learning Communities office partnered with Apple Computers
in developing an iMovie competition for first year students. Although several other institutions
have designed similar iMovie competitions around freshman residence halls, Appalachian decided
to take the iMovie competition into the classroom. Participating teams consist of up to 6 firstsemester freshmen who had a common membership in one of Appalachian’s academic learning
community programs and they each created a 5-7 minute film that explored “A Moment of
Change…” in their first semester of college. Through this process
Based on the success of this venture, a second pilot project began in 2004 – the Spanish language
learning community iPod project. First year students were co-enrolled in a Spanish language
Freshman Seminar and co-enrolled in a World Civilizations class with a Latino culture focus.
We will present student reactions to the project, the logistics involved in creating a partnership of
this nature, and replication ideas for a single class assignment. Inviting students to explore creative
technology can be an amazing tool not only for learning the technology itself, but more importantly
for developing valuable skills that we all hope our students are gleaning from a college education:
leadership, collaboration, delegation, project design, and critical thinking.
All in the Family: Parental Support in New Student Academic and Career Decisions
Deb Vetter
Associate Dean for Student Success Programs
Asbury College
859-858-3511x2127
[email protected]
Sally Foster
Director of Career Services
Asbury College
859-858-3511x2351
[email protected]
Laurie Schreiner
Professor and Chair, Doctoral Studies in Education, and Director for the Center for StrengthsBased Education
Azusa Pacific University
626-815-5485
[email protected]
This session on the Student-Parent Dialogue at Asbury College is organized into five parts. A brief
review of the literature on the characteristics of the millennial ("helicopter") parent and the
millennial student will be presented initially to establish the need and justification for the program.
Specifically addressed will be the nature of this student-parent relationship and their attitudes
toward educational pursuits and career decision making. Next, a brief description of the
StrengthsFinder assessment and why it was selected as the central component of the program will
be presented, as well as how the assessment provided students and parents with a common lanuage
for discussing the students' personal talents and strengths as they relate to academic pursuits and
occupational decision making. All of the components involved in the planning and implementing
the Student-Parent Dialogue will then be outlined including: the student and parent orientation to
the program prior to New Student and Parent Orientations; student participation in either a college
success course or career development group, and the Student Dialogue; parent participation in the
Parent Dialogue; and student and parent participation in the Student-Parent Dialogue. Also covered
at this time will be the marketing of the program and fiscal considerations. Assessments results
will be then be shared including lesson learned along the way. The session will conclude with an
opportunity for questions by the session participants. Handouts of the presentation and program
marketing pieces will be provided to each participant.
First-Year Parent 101: Trends, Hopes, and You Pierced What?
Kathryn Jarvis
Director Instructional Support
Auburn University
334-844-5972
[email protected]
Nancy Bernard
Director Career Services
Auburn University
334-844-4744
[email protected]
Nancy McDaniel
Assistant Vice President
Auburn University
334- 844- 4710
[email protected]
Addressing parental involvement in the lives of college students is a recent phenomenon in higher
education (Strumpf & Warner, 2000; Mullendore, 1998; Kepler, Mullendore & Carey, 2004). The
growth of websites for parents of college students and articles appearing in the popular media such
as, “Are you an over-involved college mom?” (more.com./quiz) or “A Nation of Wimps?”
(Psychology Today, Nov/Dec 2004) provide increasing evidence that today’s parents are a
constituency with whom higher education will continue to reckon.
Frequently, the concerns that confront college freshmen are developmental and typical in the
population. Most parents do not have a background in student development theory and these
transition issues may present a number of challenges. Providing information about trends,
discussing hopes and fears, and presenting a brief primer on developmental theory and its
application to students, offer parents an opportunity to reflect and relate the outcomes of the
undergraduate experience in and out of the classroom.
With this in mind, this session will discuss the design, implementation and evaluation of a
workshop, presented as a course with a model syllabus and readings for parents of incoming
freshmen students. Freshmen Year Parent 101 is offered as an optional pre-orientation session for
parents of incoming first year students. It can also be adapted for use with faculty and advisors.
Serving Academically At-Risk Students Through Integration
Jodi Koslow Martin
Dean of First-Year Students
Aurora University
630-844-7510
[email protected]
Eric Schwarze
Director of the Learning Center/Lecturer in Humanities
Aurora University
630-844-5521
[email protected]
This presentation will focus on two aspects of supporting academically at-risk students within a
retention program designed for all first-year students. First, how does a university integrate existing
targeted retention programs into more encompassing structures? Second, how does a university
provide multiple layers of support without making the least academically prepared students feel
marginalized? The interaction of the Dean of First-Year students and the Director of the Learning
Center at Aurora University provides one model.
Within the 2005 entering class of almost 400 students, 9% of the students have been conditionally
admitted to the university. Serving these academically at-risk students without marginalizing them
can be challenging within a first-year program designed for all new students. The Learning Center
staff coordinates the STAR (Strategies Targeted for Academic Rewards) program, beginning with
an orientation program a week prior to the official start of first-year activities and continuing as an
academic support program throughout the year. The Dean of First-Year Students and faculty
advisors counsel and guide these students through their first year as they do all students.
Overall, Aurora University’s approach is one of integration. Staff members provide additional
resources to conditionally admitted students, but these students still participate fully and without
distinction in the academic and social experience of being an Aurora University student.
Establishing this dynamic has required the university to integrate the STAR program (with an 8year history) into the first-year program developed in 2002. The Aurora University program
demonstrates how collaboration among staff and faculty can lead to success in assisting and
retaining the least academically prepared students to succeed in college.
A Strengths-Based Approach to the First-Year Experience
Laurie Schreiner
Professor of Higher Education Leadership
Azusa Pacific University
626-335-6375
[email protected]
Eileen Hulme
Associate Professor of Higher Education Leadership
Azusa Pacific University
626-815-5349
[email protected]
This session will focus on the implementation of a strengths-based approach to the first-year
experience, an approach that has been utilized successfully on a wide variety of campuses ranging
from community colleges to large public universities. The premise of the program is that
awareness of one’s strengths, along with the knowledge to apply those strengths to new situations
or to overcome obstacles, gives students a foundation for succeeding in college. This foundation is
both affective and cognitive; that is, strengths awareness has motivational properties that can lead
to increased engagement with the academic environment and thus result in student success, but it
also has the cognitive capacity to increase a student’s range of intellectual behaviors that can be
applied to the academic arena.
The session will begin with an overview of the strengths philosophy and evidence of its impact on
student engagement and success. The remainder of the session will be focused on ways of
implementing this approach in the first-year experience. Three specific areas of first-year
programming will be highlighted as vehicles for the strengths-based approach: (1) the first-year
seminar, (2) academic advising, and (3) co-curricular programming. Examples will be provided
from a variety of campuses, best practices will be highlighted, and evidence of effectiveness will be
presented. Participants will have the opportunity to experience a sampling of strengths-based
activities that can be utilized in the first-year experience and will receive materials for use and
adaptation on their own campuses.
Common Reader Program Implementation Strategies
Melinda Messineo
Assistant Professor of Sociology
Ball State University
765-285-5530
[email protected]
Neal Hoffman
Graduate Assistant for Freshman Connections
Ball State University
[email protected]
This presentation is based on the well attended session we did last year with changes made in
response to the feedback received by last year’s participants. I will provide materials and lead a
discussion designed to assist a university in implementing a common reader program. The
presentation will begin with a description of Ball State’s common reader program inception and
current goals. The majority of the time will be spent taking participants through a “typical fall
semester” beginning with how one might solicit titles, continuing through the formation of the
selection committee, the first round elimination, the actual reading and assessment, the solicitation
of community feedback, the final selection, the author contact, the book ordering, the creation of
support materials, the on-line discussion, the book distribution, the discussion groups, the fall
programming and finally ideas on how to structure the author’s visit. The presentation will address
challenges and discuss how the program has changed over time and why. The presentation will
include “decision points” where participants will be alerted to alternative approaches that might
also be considered. There will be time for participants to ask questions and share their own insights.
The materials that will be provided include sample title solicitation wording, a timeline of the
process, an assessment tool for the selection process, a sample list of titles, a book selection
committee participant survey, a discussion group leader survey, sample book support materials, and
more. The session will also include opportunities for participants to ask questions and discuss the
programs on their campuses.
First-Year Success Series: A Campus-Wide Approach to Educational Programming
Jodi Webb
Director, Orientation & First Year Programs
Bowling Green State University
419-372-9348
[email protected]
Program Overview & Learning Outcomes
The First Year Success Series (FYSS) addresses issues that first year students may experience
during their transition to college life. Workshops offered through FYSS are designed to help
students explore the campus, become more engaged in their education, develop skills for academic
and personal success, plan for their academic future, and meet new students, faculty, and staff from
across campus. Participants will learn how this campus-wide programming initiative has met with
success both in student attendance and achieving the intended learning outcomes.
Program Development & Expansion
The FYSS began in 2003 as a programming partnership between Orientation & First Year
Programs and the Office of Residence Life. Over the past two years, the FYSS has been expanded
to include over 300 workshops each year. All programming is intentionally planned to coincide
with key transition points with many sessions taking place in residence halls across campus.
Developing Collaborative Relationships
Programs are developed and presented by representatives from Student Affairs, Academic Affairs,
and the City of Bowling Green. This has had led to the creation of new programming options, as
well as the opportunity to promote existing programs through this campus-wide initiative. FYSS
has been linked with various first year courses and programs with some instructors requiring
students to attend a minimum number of workshops.
Overview of Program Evaluation & Assessment
An overview of participant and presenter evaluation and assessment tools will be provided, as well
as a summary of the results from 2004 and 2005.
Lessons Learned & Idea Sharing
The workshop will conclude with an overview of lessons learned, as well as the opportunity for
participants to share their ideas about out-of-classroom programming for first year students.
First-Year Seminars: Opportunities and Challenges
Arthur Lizie
Coordinator of First Year Seminars
Bridgewater State College
508-531-2170
[email protected]
Laurie L. Hazard
Director of the Academic C enter for Excellence/Curriculum Coordinator
Bryant University
401-232-6746
[email protected]
Anne F. Pomeroy
Director of Freshman Seminars
Richard Stockton College
(609) 652-4612
[email protected]
Tyra Goodgain
Counselor/Associate Professor
Montgomery College - Germantown Campus
301-353-7715
[email protected]
Kay H. Smith
Associate Vice President/ Academic Experience
College of Charleston
[email protected]
The program chair will introduce the general topic, which is the opportunities and challenges of
starting a first-year program, especially one in which there is a distinct divide between the realms
of power for academic affairs and student affairs. After the introduction, he will invite each of the
five panelists to describe briefly her program, particular challenges and opportunities, and how
these challenges were addressed. After he describes his program, the floor will be open for
questions from the panel and from the audience. If there is not sufficient discussion, the chair will
have a list of prompt questions to stimulate discussion.
Advising for Success: The Evolution and Content of a Comprehensive First-Year Advising
Program
Peggy Smith
Director, Academic Achievement Center
Bridgewater State College
508 531-1214
[email protected]
Helena Santos
Associate Director, Academic Achievement Center
Bridgewater State College
508 531-1214
[email protected]
Steve Viveiros
Staff Associate, Academic Achievement Center
Bridgewater State College
508 531-1214
[email protected]
The Haughey First Year Program is developed and delivered collaboratively by faculty, staff,
graduate assistants, and peer advisors. The advising curriculum has emerged from discussion about
what beginning students need to know and be able to do, at what point during the first college
semester specific knowledge and skills are critical, and whether it is safe to assume such knowledge
and skills are routinely mastered independently. The resulting program introduces all students to
important skills and information through a series of required advising sessions – four groups and
one individual – each with a standard set of objectives and advising curriculum. Additional
individual advising attention is paid to those identified as at-risk via special admission, entry
assessment of math, reading, and writing, those who are undecided about major, and/or those who
experience academic difficulty during the first college year.
Previous FYE presentations have provided a broad overview of the entire first year program –
advising and learning assistance. Session participants have consistently expressed interest in
knowing more about the specifics of the advising program logistics and curriculum. This session
will allow that level of scrutiny and detailed discussion about topics such as sustaining campus
commitment to a centralized mandatory advising program, encouraging faculty participation,
interfacing with admission and registrar’s functions as well as programs and offices such as
orientation, career services, health services, the counseling center, residence life, and the athletics
department. Discussion will also focus on assessment of students’ learning outcomes to identify
populations of students who are not thriving and for whom additional programming is needed.
Faculty Development for First-Year Programs
R. Steven Turley
Associate Dean, Undergraduate Education
Brigham Young University
801-422-3095
[email protected]
Coral Richards
Graduate Student
Brigham Young University
801-422-6818
[email protected]
Successful transitions of first-year students to the college environment involve adopting social,
cultural, and academic frameworks which are different from those they had in high school. Two of
the vehicles we use at Brigham Young University (BYU) to help students with this adaptation are
New Student Orientation and Freshman Seminars. We have found that effective faculty
involvement in these activities is essential for high student engagement during their first year of
college. Faculty members help students connect with the university, adopt university-level habits
of the mind, and find alignment between their personal goals and institutional objectives and
resources.
This session will outline various ways we recruit, develop, and involve faculty members in New
Student Orientation, Freshmen Seminars, and other courses with predominant freshman
enrollments. We will show and distribute training DVD’s and written materials we have developed
for faculty and handout materials we use in faculty development. We will also discuss a special
freshman focus in our annual faculty development General Education Academy.
We have assessed the effectiveness of our faculty development efforts in student and faculty
survey’s done prior to and following New Student Orientation and the Freshman Seminars. New
Student Orientation data show high levels of student and faculty satisfaction with the Habits of the
Mind seminars, small gatherings with individual faculty members. Students participating in
freshman seminars had a significant increase (p<0.001) in student engagement measured by
involvement in campus clubs, attendance at university forums and devotionals, asking advice of
faculty members, participation in service activities, and participation in fine arts events on campus.
Students from a control group who were not involved in these activities showed a significant
decrease in their involvement their first-year as reflected by these same measures. Qualitative data
from faculty instructors indicated a similar sense of the effectiveness of these courses.
Fostering a Sense of Belonging
Jeff Jacobs
Assistant Professor, Recreation, Parks, & Tourism Administration
Cal Poly State University
805 756 7628
[email protected]
Participants in this session will be energized with a unique and interactive presentation that will
engage the body and mind. Attendees will spend some time out of their chairs and interacting with
fellow attendees as we examine several key aspects of a sense of belonging. The primary objective
for this session is for participants to walk away with multiple action steps that they can implement
immediately, that will improve and enhance a sense of belonging for students with whom they
work.
The session will begin with attendees participating in some community building initiatives which
will serve a dual purpose. These initiatives will help foster an open and welcoming learning
environment for our time together and will also serve as examples of initiatives that attendees can
utilize when they return to campus and work with students.
A brief presentation on the importance of a sense of belonging will follow the opening initiatives.
This presentation will provide a theoretical framework and rationale for our discussion. The
balance of the session will introduce specific strategies and techniques that can be implemented
immediately and will assist attendees in fostering a sense of belonging when working with college
students.
The strategies covered during this session will be appropriate for utilization as stand alone
initiatives or as components that can contribute to the enhancement of student success programs or
university courses. The session will be interactive, with attendees engaging in several of the
recommended strategies. Attendees will receive resources and lesson plans that will assist them
with customizing and implementing the strategies discussed. Attendees will be encouraged to
participate in the discussion and to comment throughout the session. Time will be set aside at the
end of the session for participant questions and an evaluation of the session.
Give or Sell: Which Promotes More Summer Readers
Patricia Ponce
Special Assistant to the Vice Provost
California Polytechnic State University
805-756-1380
[email protected]
David Campaigne
Program Coordinator
University of South Florida
813-974-4555
[email protected]
The presentation will be conducted by three different presenters from three very different
institutions (California Polytechnic State University, University of South Florida and Nebraska
Methodist College). Each presenter will describe their summer reading program explaining details
of the planning process to include:
•
the size and scope of the program
•
reading selection process (participants involved)
•
supplementary materials supplied (to students)
•
student notification of the program requirements
•
mechanism for which the book is discussed (course, orientation, voluntary?)
•
additional program components (e.g. author campus visit, panel presentations, lectures,
workshops, films, community involvement)
Handouts of each institution’s program material will be disseminated among participants. Visual
aids will also be shared.
The summer reading assessment employed by each institution will be covered in the second half of
the presentation. Each presenter will describe how and when the assessment was administered.
The presenter’s will unveil the three questions asked in common (across the three different
institutions):
1.
How much of the book did you read?
2.
If you were given the book for free, how much do you THINK you would have read?
3.
How would you rate the book you read?
Finally, the interpretation of the results will be discussed.
The presentation will then open up for discussion among the participants.
Writing Assessment for the Seminar in First-Year Experience
Marjorie Jaasma
Director of FYE
California State University Stanislaus
209-677-3403
[email protected]
Stephanie Paterson
Assistant Professor of English
California State University, Stanislaus
209-667-3968
[email protected]
The poster session will include a copy of the writing prompts used at the beginning of the semester
and at the end of the semester. The writing prompt includes the rubric that was used to assess the
essays. Results of a comparison of pre/post scores will be provided, as will results from a content
analysis of the post-semester writing sample. Finally, a discussion of the results with implications
for improving the program will be provided.
Impact of Peer Mentor and Instructor Relationship on FYE Students’ Perception of the
Course
Cheryl Priest
Assistant Professor of Human Development and Family Studies
Central Michigan University
989-774-5592
[email protected]
Shelly Benson
Undergraduate Student Researcher
Central Michigan University
989-944-1871
[email protected]
The poster and handouts will highlight research being conducted during the Fall of 2005, within
Central Michigan University’s First Year Experience Program. This research is based on results
gathered through surveys administered to faculty and undergraduate mentors and through course
evaluations completed by first year students at the end of a one credit, eight week course. Analysis
will focus on the idea of “team teaching” and whether or not first year college students’ perceptions
of the success of FYE 101 are impacted by the relationship between their co-facilitators. In
addition to presenting an abstract of the project and a description of the procedures and methods,
the poster/handouts will define the university’s FYE objectives, document the evaluation tools used
in the study, share correlations found between co-facilitator relationships and their student
perceptions, outline conclusions, and make recommendations for future practice in terms of
faculty/undergraduate peer partnerships. Finally, the poster will identify and highlight trends that
may lead to the development of positive teaching relationships between faculty members and their
undergraduate mentor partners. The presentation will allow those interested in first year programs
to contemplate the utilization of an undergraduate mentor in the classroom and how to best foster
strong faculty-mentor pairings.
Teaching Nutrition in FYE 101: Effect on Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behavior
Jack Logomarsino
Coordinator, First-Year Experience Program
Central Michigan University
989-774-2004
[email protected]
Lacey Crowe
Teaching Assistant, FYE Program
Central Michigan University
517-290-0533
[email protected]
One important objective in our eight week, one credit, First-Year Experience course (FYE 101) is
to identify and resolve problem nutrition behaviors that may hinder student success. To accomplish
this objective, we developed a short nutrition learning module that can easily be incorporated into a
course that has time constraints like ours. Our section of FYE 101 (n=17 students) was assigned an
exercise that was completed outside of class and discussed during the next class. The exercise was
based on the new online interactive MyPyramid Plan, (http://www.MyPyramid.gov) that replaced
the old Food Guide Pyramid. MyPyramid Plan can help students choose foods and amounts that
are right for their specific needs. Each student is able to get a quick estimate of what and how much
she/he needs to eat by entering age, sex, and activity level in the MyPyramid Plan box. Using the
advice "Inside MyPyramid", students make smart choices from every food group, find their balance
between food and physical activity, and get the most nutrition out of their calories. An important
feature of the MyPyramid is that students can learn information that can change attitudes and
behaviors. Students are given a short written nutrition exercise that guides them through the
colorful MyPyramid website. Students answer questions in the exercise by navigating through the
website. A pre-test and post-test questionnaire was used to assess nutrition knowledge, attitudes
and behaviors. The data were tabulated and analyzed. The data were grouped according to each
category and were summarized. The results indicated that the nutrition learning module helped
students to make healthier food choices and developed better attitudes about nutrition. In
particular, students gave greater priority to nutritional needs and were more inclined to eat healthier
snacks instead of junk foods.
Mentoring the First-Year Student: Learning Outcomes of Undergraduate Peer Mentors
Jason Bentley
Faculty, Interdisciplinary Studies
Central Michigan University
(989) 774-2434
[email protected]
Christine Jackson
Undergraduate Peer Mentor
Central Michigan University
(248) 895-2750
[email protected]
Considering the academic freedom that allows creative models for the delivery of FYE courses at
many institutions, the role of the peer mentor often varies among individuals and between sections.
Qualitative and quantitative data gathered at Central Michigan University studies the possible
learning outcomes for peer mentors, clarifies the role of mentors in different academic programs,
suggests practical notions for defining mentor roles and responsibilities and may offer suggestions
for the redesign of current program models.
In addition, this project furnishes strategies to collect data about mentor preparedness and models
of mentoring the first year student. The notion that clearly distinct models exist emerges from the
data, and the findings show relation to the impact on the experiences of first year students.
Jumpstart Your Academic Success: A Program to Academically Engage First-Year Students
BEFORE Their First Class
Elaine Richardson
Director, Academic Success Center
Clemson University
864-656-6212
[email protected]
Casey Berkshire
Coordinator, Transfer Student Programs
Clemson University
864-656-6254
[email protected]
To academically engage first year students prior to the first day of class, we have developed two
programs at Clemson University. The Summer Reading program, now in its third year, was
developed through collaborative efforts of the offices of Academic Affairs and Student Affairs. The
Jumpstart Workshops were developed starting in the fall of 2005 as part of the academic workshops
program.
The ASC staff collaborated with faculty to determine topic areas for the Jumpstart workshops. The
workshops were promoted during summer orientation sessions followed with a brochure mailed to
incoming freshmen. Workshops were held concurrently on Monday and Tuesday before classes
began on Wednesday, August 23, 2005.
Workshop topics included: Elements of Success in Chemistry, Jumpstart Your Success in Biology
110, Keys to Academic Success in the Biology 120-Series Courses, Striving for Success in Biology
103, Components of a Successful Application to Health Sciences Programs, How to Jumpstart
Your Success in Your College Studies, and Transitioning to College Writing. During the
workshop, we will present details of how the topics were selected and received, what did and did
not work, and how we will modify for 2006.
The second part of the presentation will focus on the Summer Reading Program; details of book
selection and distribution will be discussed. Components of the program include distribution of the
book during summer orientation sessions, a required essay that is submitted through BlackBoard
prior to the presentation, and the formal presentation. The day before classes begin, the President
holds Freshman Convocation with required attendance. After a brief introduction, the author of the
selected book (or for 2005, the main character from a non-fiction work) speaks to the freshman
class. Students and facilitators then disperse for small group discussions. Specific details on
recruiting faculty and staff facilitators and scheduling procedures will be discussed.
Institutional Renewal: Comprehensive Reform of Retention and Graduation Policies and
Practices, 2002-2005
Peter Trumpower
Coordinator, Assessment and Retention Studies
Cleveland State University
216-687-9397
[email protected]
In the spring of 2002 the faculty of Cleveland State University unanimously approved a proposal to
modify almost forty year old undergraduate admissions standards. This marked the beginning of a
period of rapid institutional change related to policies and practices that support student success.
Over the next three years multiple proposals were adopted by the Faculty Senate and Board of
Trustees and at the same time a number of other changes occurred that signaled to all constituents
of the University that it was no longer “business as usual” at Cleveland State.
In support of student retention and graduation, undergraduate admissions policies at all points of
entry and re-entry were reviewed and strengthened. Almost every academic regulation was
modified, to include the grading and probation systems, and innovative approaches to monitoring
and assisting students, such as Academic Progress Warning and course level restrictions for
developmental students were deployed.
In addition to various institutional level changes, critical changes were undertaken in the areas of
new student orientation, placement testing, and academic advising. These marked significant
collaborations between faculty and Student Affairs staff. Testing procedures were simplified and
streamlined, resulting in more efficient and accurate placement of students in Math, English,
foreign languages, and developmental courses. Student pass-rates in 100 and 200 level courses and
subsequent coursework success were assessed in an effort to improve academic advising.
Finally, the visibility of student scholarship and achievement was elevated to new heights at the
University with the installation of a freshman honorary society (Alpha Lambda Delta), the
development of a University Honors program admitting new freshman and juniors, and the creation
of a President’s List. All of these changes were designed to work in concert to improve the
retention and graduation rates of undergraduate students.
Why a Sophomore Seminar? A Two-Year First-Year Experience at Colby-Sawyer College
Randy Hanson
Coordinator of Liberal Education
Colby-Sawyer College
603-526-3657
[email protected]
Judy Muyskens
Vice President for Advancement
Colby-Sawyer College
603-526-3426
[email protected]
Russ Medbery
Assistant Professor, Exercise and Sport Sciences Department
Colby-Sawyer College
603-526-3870
[email protected]
Greg Perchik
Nursing Student
Colby-Sawyer College
603-526-3000
[email protected]
Our presentation will have three parts. The first part will discuss why and how we moved from a
single semester First Year program (“First Year Experience”) to a two-year transition program (the
Pathway). We will describe the weaknesses of the shorter FYE program and the concerns and
pedagogical principles that led us to the new Pathway program. These principles include seeking to
increase expectations by faculty and staff for students and by students for themselves;
connectedness – helping students learn how to connect the learning they receive throughout the
curriculum and across the college; sparking a passion for learning; and making a transition
experience that sets up life-long learning (for example, emphasizing discussion and reflection vs.
exams, memorization, and content-mastery). We will then describe in detail the new program we
created and briefly, the innovative process we used to create it. We will provide examples of
Pathway syllabi. The second part of the presentation will focus on the Pathway program in action.
We will discuss the implementation of the program: the creation of a faculty Coordinator of
Liberal Education to oversee implementation; faculty response to the Pathways; the process for
proposing and accepting Pathway proposals; linkages with Student Affairs and cultural events
planning; faculty development workshops to support writing in the Pathway. The final part of the
presentation will address assessment. We will discuss the college’s new Assessment Committee
with faculty and staff membership which now works with the Liberal Education Coordinator to
oversee assessment of the program. We will also discuss the results of assessment data gathered so
far (standardized assessments as well as systematic qualitative feedback), noting where we have
succeeded as well challenges (such as addressing student concerns that their Pathway “has nothing
to do” with their majors, maintaining momentum throughout the two-year span of the Pathway, and
making clearer how “Stepping Stone” courses relate to the main theme and first year and
sophomore seminars of the Pathway). Our presenters include faculty who have taught in the
Pathway program and a student who has completed the Pathway program.
Designing and Implementing an Interdisciplinary First-Year Seminar
Michael Klabunde
Core Curriculum Coordinator
College of Mount St. Joseph
513-244-4241
[email protected]
Lisa Rome
Assistant Professor of Mathematics
College of Mount St. Joseph
513-244-4529
[email protected]
Alan DeCourcy
Associate Academic Dean of Graduate Studies
College of Mount St. Joseph
513-244-4487
[email protected]
This presentation will document the design, implementation and assessment of IDS 100
Foundations Seminar, a first-year experience course at the College of Mount St. Joseph.
As part of a wider curricular initiative to transform the general education core, in 2002 focus
groups of faculty, students and staff expressed the need to add an introductory freshman seminar to
a modification of the already existing interdisciplinary core curriculum. This hybrid course would
provide students with an introduction to college learning skills and an on-going orientation while
also introducing the basic liberal arts and sciences in an interdisciplinary context. This course was
ultimately designed with input from faculty proposals, outside consultants, and review of the
relevant literature on first-year experiences.
The theme of the course is social responsibility, emphasizing values that flow directly from the
College mission. To support this, a common summer reading book (with pre-assignment) is chosen
by the faculty, and its author is brought to campus early in the academic year to speak with IDS 100
students. Faculty from various disciplines build on this initial shared experience and use common
syllabus elements to construct individual learning modules for the course around their own
strengths and interests. Guest speakers from support programs across campus regularly supplement
classroom academic activities and provide an on-going orientation to campus resources and
services.
For two years now, institutional assessment data have been collected from IDS 100 final papers to
establish a baseline for the College’s overall baccalaureate learning outcomes. Student
performance in this course has also been identified as a strong predictor of student retention at the
College, and has led to the design of a modified first-year experience course soon to be piloted for
those students unsuccessful in IDS 100.
Creating a New Culture of Advising for First Year and Beyond
Lizette Bartholdi
Director of Academic Advising
College of St. Catherine
651.690-6509
[email protected]
Suzanne Hendricks
Director of Core Curriculum and Professor of Family, Consumer and Nutrition Sciences
College of St. Catherine
651.690-6670
[email protected]
Ellen Richter-Norgel
Director of Student Retention
College of St. Catherine
651.690-8730
[email protected]
Over the past three years the College of St. Catherine has been embracing the work of Greater
Expectations, a nation-wide movement to enhance student learning. One outcome of this work has
been an intense focus on understanding the advising experience of students at the College of St.
Catherine. Through assessment and evaluation, members of Enrollment Management developed a
number of goals and objectives for improving the first year advising culture and beyond. The
presenters will share a number of advising and retention strategies and examples that are embedded
in the Culture of Advising initiative. Goals and objectives of this initiative will be explained.
Specific programmatic strategies include:
§
on-going development of a four year program entitled, The Catherine Connection (an
articulated map that outlines the student experience of the curricular and co-curricular programs
that reinforce the core values/mission of the College
§
implementation of a model advising program that matches the first year core course(The
Reflective Woman) with the first-year comprehensive advising program, in which the instructor of
the course serves as the student's first-year advisor
$
integration of the Noel Levitz, College Student Inventory as an early alert system;
§
development of a continued sophomore retention initiative
§
implementation of a five year plan for best practices for advising
§
implementation of an extended orientation program for students at risk for attrition
§
implementation of an electronic portfolio program that articulates student outcomes, from
classroom assessment to professional career/graduate school portfolios
Challenges, limitations and future plans for this work will also be included in this presentation.
Presentation will include power point, demonstration of e-portfolio, folder of handouts/examples
and discussion.
From Disengagement to Engagement: Case Studies from the First Year
Vivia Fowler
Director, Center for Engaged Learning
Columbia College
803-786-3776
[email protected]
Tamara Burk
Associate Director, Center for Engaged Learning and Director of Leadership Studies
Columbia College
803-786-3554
[email protected]
Samantha Minor
Program Coordinator, Center for Engaged Learning
Columbia College
803-786-3113
[email protected]
In spite of exemplary results from the NSSE (National Survey of Student Engagement) over a fiveyear period, Columbia College faculty, staff, and student leaders continue to seek ways to address
student engagement, both academic and social. This United Methodist women’s college began to
address student engagement in the late 1990s with sweeping curricular changes in general
education. And while the documented outcomes indicate that we are accomplishing our goals,
student resistance to a rigorous, interdisciplinary curriculum—especially in the first year—has
continued. At the same time, we have developed initiatives that address our high attrition of
students, especially first-year students. This presentation showcases the new Center for Engaged
Learning (CEL), an intentional and strategic partnership between Academic Affairs and Student
Affairs. Through collaborative initiatives among faculty, staff, and student leaders, the Center
provides opportunities for students to bridge their own learning and living experiences during
college, thereby enhancing their academic motivation and setting the stage for a lifetime of selfdetermination. And the results are encouraging! This year we celebrated a 12% increase in firstyear retention, much to the credit of a comprehensive institutional attention to student success and
engagement.
Session participants will explore case studies of four hypothetical students who are “disengaged”
and make recommendations for changes that encourage student engagement. In groups, participants
will decide on one faculty, one staff, and one student leader/mentor response to the case, making
recommendations for curricular and co-curricular changes that encourage student engagement.
CEL staff will showcase the collaborative efforts of the Center’s First-Year Student Success
Initiatives, General Education Programs, Leadership Studies, Career Services and Student
Engagement Mentors (STEMS) as ways to promote student success from the first to the last year of
college. The directors of the Columbia College Center for Engaged Learning and Student
Engagement Mentors will lead the session.
The Introduction of Math Manipulatives to Math 081 Developmental Education Students
Patricia Quintero-Hall
Director of Student Success Center
Community College of Baltimore County
410-780-6459
[email protected]
Karen Wingard
Math Resource Coordinator
Community College of Baltimore County
410-780-6820
[email protected]
Tyrone McKoy
Mathematics Instructor
Community College of Baltimore County
410-285-9723
[email protected]
This will be hands-on session. Math faculty and staff from the Student Success Center will
demonstrate mathematical concepts through the use of math manipulatives. Three math stations
will be created. The participants will be divided into three groups. Participants will have 10 minutes
to visit each station and learn how to use the material. The topics that will be covered: Adding
signed numbers, subtracting signed numbers and solving linear equations. Participants will also be
asked to share their knowledge of manipulatives. Participants will receive samples of the material.
Enhanced Assessment for Enhanced Achievement: Linking Assessment Tools to First-Year
Seminar Learning Outcomes
Kristin Bransford
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Concordia University
651-641-8721
[email protected]
Robert Krueger
Associate Professor of Math
Concordia University
651-641-8848
[email protected]
The session should be of interest to faculty and administrators from institutions which offer a firstyear seminar and are interested in linking learning outcomes and assessment of the program. The
participants will identify learning outcomes to facilitate the development of a first-year seminar,
link learning outcomes with assessment tools, use assessment results to modify the learning
outcomes, and experience activities that explore the connections between learning outcomes,
assessment tools, and enhancing the first-year experience. The presentation will begin with an
interactive presentation that focuses on the structure of this institutions first-year seminar, their
learning outcomes and rubric, overview of the assessment tools used, and institutional data.
Participants will then identify the learning outcomes in their institutions' first-year seminar.
Included in this activity is identifying the process that their institution followed to create their
learning outcomes. Participants will review learning assessment data from Concordia University to
modify the learning outcomes of their first-year seminar. Participants will reflect on the type of
learning goals that are easily assessed using the assessment tool. Participants will discuss how to
use this data to modify the first-year seminar. The session will end with questions, wrap up and
evaluation.
Starting on the Right Foot: Student Success Through a Pre-First-Year Experience
Rick Hogrefe
Associate Professor, Speech Communication
Crafton Hills College
909-389-3235
[email protected]
Merrill Deming
Professor, Mathematics
Crafton Hills College
909-389-3329
[email protected]
The session will include an introduction to the program as implemented by the college as well as
interactive exercises to allow the audience to participate in activities unique to a pre-first year
experience program. We will discuss the specific needs that this initiative sought to fulfill as well
as its goals and the steps the college took to make the program a reality, including creating
partnerships with local high school districts. The presentation will identify the principles that guide
the pre-first year experience program as well as specific instructional and communication strategies
used to engage students during the course as well as throughout their tenure at the college.
Participants will be provided with resources, including a customized workbook and resource book,
which they can adapt to their respective first year experience programs. As presenters, we are
committed to the use of active learning strategies within the session and will encourage audience
discussion regarding how the concept can be implemented and improved upon.
Career Planning for the Millennial Generation
Marsha Fralick
Department Chair Personal Development
Cuyamaca College
619-660-4432
[email protected]
Research has shown that selection of a major and good career planning are keys to college success
and retention. Students who have made good decisions about their future careers are more likely to
be motivated to be successful and to continue their education. Current college students (born
between 1997 and 1995) are called the Millennial Generation and they will be entering a world of
work that is dramatically different from previous generations. New career trends affecting this
generation will be presented and discussed. Dr. Fralick will also share relevant research on the
topic and present a model for student career development along with practical strategies for career
planning as part of a college success course. The proposed model for career development includes
four areas: personality, learning style, interests and values. For the personality component, the
theories of Carl Jung and the Myers-Briggs Personality Inventory are used to help students
understand their personality types and matching careers. Some new online versions of personality
and learning style assessments are meaningful and cost effective tools for career assessment. For
the career interest component, the theories of John Holland (Holland's Hexagon) and various online
assessments are useful in helping students understand their interests. For the values component,
Dr. Fralick will share some values checklists and exercises that she has developed to help students
understand how values are an important consideration in career decision making. Additional
information will be provided on the career decision-making process and online resources available
to students for completing career research. The workshop will be presented in an interactive format
in which participants will be invited to share ideas and questions.
First-Year National Benchmarking Projects
Darlena Jones
Director of Research and Development
Educational Benchmarking (EBI)
417-831-1810
[email protected]
Assessing first year students is a complicated and time-consuming endeavor. Educational
Benchmarking offers a number of national studies designed to evaluate the perceptions of first year
students. The first study, the First-Year Initiative Assessment (FYI), developed in conjunction with
The Policy Center on the First Year of College provides valuable information to guide program
improvement. The next study, the ACUHO-I/EBI Resident Assessment, provides essential
information on residence hall residents. Another study, the AFA/EBI Fraternity/Sorority
Assessment, provides educators insight into the fraternity/sorority experience for first year students.
In all studies, both descriptive and prescriptive reports are provided that help guide improvement
and resource allocation. Benchmarking your data against other schools also provides valuable
perspective. Come and learn about the study, selected findings, and how your program can become
involved in this national study.
Institutionalizing the First-Year Experience Program
Rebecca Olive-Taylor
Associate Director of Academic Advising
Elon University
336-278-6500
[email protected]
Mary Wise
Assistant Vice-President for Academic Affairs
Elon University
336-278-6642
[email protected]
Steve Braye
Director of General Studies and Professor of English
Elon University
336-278-5651
[email protected]
Rex Waters
Associate Dean of Students
Elon University
336-278-5323
[email protected]
This roundtable session operates on the premise that institutionalization of a First-Year Experience
Program implies buy-in and program coordination among multiple stakeholders on multiple levels
within the university. Institutionalization in the best sense encompasses principles of sustainability
and adaptability as higher education adjusts over time to diverse populations, cultural shifts, and
economic constraints. Additionally, assessment is viewed as commonplace and indispensable to
continued improvement.
Elon University, an Institution of Excellence in the First College Year, offers a First-Year
Experience that is 17 months in length, beginning before a student’s first college class. Initiated
over 20 years ago with a one-hour seminar, the program has evolved to be more intentional,
multifaceted, and inclusive of multiple stakeholders across campus. Having grown beyond its
humble beginnings, this institutionalized FYE program weaves together the academic mission,
student life, and a challenging learning environment that shapes not only the students but also the
university. Moving an FYE program to the institutionalized level invites growth, opportunity, and
political conflict for areas of pedagogy and systems management. However, both immediate and
long-range benefits to students and the university are enhanced when institutionalization is
achieved.
How do colleges and universities know when an FYE program is institutionalized? Are there
degrees of institutionalization? How do stakeholders in FYE programs manage the process towards
institutionalization? Are there pitfalls to avoid? How do we recognize those pitfalls? This session
will invite participants from FYE programs at all developmental levels to engage in a discussion
that addresses these questions and more.
The 4Rs of Student Success: Building on Student Experiences
Steve Piscitelli
Professor of History, Education, & Student Success
Florida Community College at Jacksonville
904-910-6142
[email protected]
Until our students can either intuitively feel or behaviorally demonstrate that a strategy is practical
for them, “ownership” may only be a term that an authority figure is trying to foist upon them.
This session will address student success from four different student perspectives: reflection,
responsibility, respect, and renewal. Related activities will demonstrate how students can move
themselves toward understanding what it means to be a responsible student.
Successful adult learning must combine reflection, respect, responsibility and renewal. The session
will start with an exploration of what students do “bring to the table.” Session participants will
work with reflective activities that will help students understand who they are, where they are, and
where they want to go.
The session then will take the participants on a transitional ride from reflection to responsibility,
looking at how students can translate their musings into reality. What resources will they need to
make their dreams become realities--and how will they go about securing those resources? More
importantly, how will students know if their actions are helping or hindering them?
The third part of the session explores respect. We will not only look at the basic need to respect
others, but also the critical need to respect one’s self and how that will directly benefit the student
on his/her journey.
Finally, the session will transition from respect for self and others to the importance of taking time
to renew one’s physical, emotional, mental and spiritual energy. This very naturally brings the
participants back to the reflective mode where the process begins again.
Participants will consider how students can assess their progress each step of the way. That is, what
can students do to make sure they are on the right track to becoming a responsible student?
Institutional Responses to Catastrophic Campus Events: Transient and Persisting Concerns
of First-Year Students Following Three Hurricanes
Marcie Pospichal
Director, Academic Support
Florida Southern College
863-680-4197
[email protected]
The impact of three September, 2004 hurricanes on student transition is assessed using two survey
approaches, a series of three surveys administered in the Freshman Seminar Program and a set of
two surveys specifically designed to assess hurricane effects in a cross-section of FSC students.
The September Freshman Seminar surveys are five-point Likert scale items that ask students to
rank themselves on ten college success skills and predict their semester-end grades. Students also
share the greatest challenges anticipated in the upcoming semester. Chi-squares analyses
demonstrate the proportions of students reporting strong skills were the same in September 2004 as
in 2002, 2003 and 2005. Eight of the top ten challenges were the same for all years. Although
students had experienced one hurricane by the administration of the September 2004 survey, no
student cited hurricanes as a “challenge”. In December 2002-2004, seven of the ten challenges
retrospectively reported by students were the same but, notably, in December 2004 “hurricanes”
was cited as the greatest challenge by 8% of respondents and ranked third overall. In the April
2005 survey, only one student noted “hurricanes” as the greatest challenge of the fall 2004
semester. In separate assessments, a cross-section of students was surveyed in April 2005 and
again in October 2005. A five-point Likert scale survey revealed that, in April 2005, 61% reported
that the hurricanes had negatively affected academic performance and, in October 2005, 56%
responded similarly. Additional lingering effects of the hurricanes will be reported. In an openended item, students recommended how FSC could improve responses to hurricanes. Student
suggestions and their rank-ordering were identical in April and October 2005: (1) delay the
reopening of campus; (2) improve hurricane response plan (3) improved communications about the
plan. Institutional responses to theses findings will be shared. This research supported by Lumina
Foundation for Education Grant 3285.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective College Students: For Sustained, Superior Student
Performance
Lonnie Moore
Senior Training Consultant
FranklinCovey
615-791-8205
[email protected]
Deciding on classes, studying for next week’s finals, choosing a major, and holding down a job to
pay for it all. Balancing activities, course work, and social lives. Being away from home and
adjusting to a new campus environment. Today’s college students are busy with many demands
competing for their time. Are they prepared? Help your students focus on their end in mind.
Provide them with the skills to succeed in college and become effective leaders—for life.
Franklin Covey’s 7 Habits workshop—based on Stephen Covey’s best-selling book The 7 Habits of
Highly Effective People—has transformed the lives of thousands of people worldwide. Now
FranklinCovey Company will offer the same content specifically designed for college students. A
Yale University longitudinal study showed that students who start their freshman year with a plan –
an end in mind – are much more likely to complete their education and be successful for life.
Touching upon several aspects of college life, the Collegiate 7 Habits builds a framework of
empowerment and personal responsibility.
See, Think, and Act Differently to Achieve New Results
The Collegiate 7 Habits workshop helps students change their approach to their responsibilities,
relationships and even problems and opportunities by:
•
Learning to balance all aspects of college life through time management skills
•
Uncovering and exploring a personal mission and setting goals
•
Increasing trust levels and proactive behaviors
•
Developing strong relationships with other students and faculty
•
Better understanding and more effectively meeting needs and expectations of professors,
family, and those people most important to you
•
Setting priorities to achieve what matters most
By accepting responsibility for their own actions, students learn to tap into their “fire within,” the
motivational fuel that will enable them to create and execute a vision for their lives.
Workshops that Work for You
The Collegiate 7 Habits workshop is not merely a motivational event. This workshop can be used
within a college curriculum course, as part of a student leadership program, for freshmen
orientation and the First-Year Experience program, by residence hall counselors, and for student
athletic programs. The workshop is an unforgettable experience that will have a lasting impact that
will extend to post-collegiate successes. It consists of one-hour modules that can be used as a
stand-along workshop or adapted to fit within an existing course.
There are two ways to share this content with your students:
Internally Facilitated Workshops
You can be licensed to train your own students on-site. After attending a 7 Habits program and
certification, your facilitator can adapt the material as needed to reflect the unique culture of your
campus and can certify other staff within your organization to deliver the content to students.
Custom On-Site Workshops
Experienced, dynamic FranklinCovey training consultants can present these workshops at your
location and customize them to address the particular needs and challenges of your group.
The Message for Students – 7 Lifelong Habits
The Collegiate 7 Habits workshop is based on seven foundational principles. The result: A
message with impact and staying power.
Habit 1: Be Proactive Take on new challenges. Commit to your college career. Initiate important
contacts on your campus. Make responsible decisions
Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind Define your mission and goals in life. Plan and execute a
schedule.
Habit 3: Put First Things First Prioritize and take action. Don’t procrastinate on major projects.
Learn to balance all aspects of your activities, course work, jobs and social life. Learn time
management skills.
Habit 4: Think Win-Win Have an everyone-can-win attitude, even in debates. Work effectively
with faculty and roommates. Learn conflict resolution skills.
Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood Sincerely listen to others. It will make
you more effective and helps you build trust among others.
Habit 6: Synergize Celebrate diversity. Discover options that are better than “your way” or “my
way”in the college community. Commit yourself to service learning opportunities.
Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw Take down-time. Renew yourself regularly in mind, body, and spirit.
The Relationship Between Non-Cognitive Variables and Student Success
Catherine Andersen
Director FYE
Gallaudet University
202-651-5804
[email protected]
William Moses
Professor of Art
Gallaudet University
202-651-5804
[email protected]
There is a growing body of evidence that success in college is connected to strong emotional
intelligence. Parker, Summerfeldt, Hogan and Majeski (2004) found that students with GPA’s of
3.0 or higher had significantly higher scores on most of the emotional intelligence dimensions than
students with GPA’s below 2.0. Specifically, they found that the intrapersonal, adaptability and
stress management abilities (as measured by the Bar-On EQ-i) of students were important in
contributing to student success.
At Gallaudet University, the EQ-I was administered to all incoming first year students enrolled in
26 sections of a First Year Seminar class, during the second week of classes and then again at the
end of the semester. Students in specific sections of the First Year Seminar (those sections where
instructors are certified in EQ-I) received individual feedback based on their results. In addition,
specific action-based activities were used in these sections that were designed to enhance
competencies of individual students as identified by initial assessment results. These activities
were part of their in-class curriculum.
Scores for students who received feedback and targeted inventions after the initial assessment were
compared with those who did not. Pre and post BarOn EQ-I results were compared between
groups. In addition, the data from both groups was merged with the FYI (First Year Initiative) to
look for possible correlations.
Project Peak: First-Year Experiential Fun!
Elizabeth Patten
Director, The Freshman Center
George Mason University
703-993-9082
[email protected]
Mary Ann Grandinetta
Assistant Director, The Freshman Center
George Mason University
703-993-3223
[email protected]
Anzie Lahham
Peer Advisor, The Freshman Center
George Mason University
703-993-9082
[email protected]
Our presentation will provide a brief overview of University 100, our first year experience
program, including the history, purpose and goals, where it is housed academically, and description
of the course. We will also describe the team teaching approach of having both a faculty and peer
advisor in the course. The focus of the presentation will be on the details of Project Peak: how it
came about; specific activities and curriculum; resources and funding; selection of staff and
participants; important partnerships both inside and outside the university; and the evaluation
process. We will discuss the benefits and outcomes of the program as well. We will look at future
plans and goals for expanding the program, including possible international programs and the
development of an outdoor education center on campus. This presentation is appropriate for a wide
variety of participants - from newcomers to FYE courses to those who already have similar
programs. The presentation style will be very interactive, and will include materials such as
training manuals and videos from the program.
Community Scholars: A Comprehensive Transition & Retention Program at Georgetown
University
Stephanie Colunga
Assistant Director Center for Minority Educational Affairs
Georgetown University
202-687-3915
[email protected]
Elizabeth Velez
Director Community Scholars Program, Professor
Georgetown University
202-687-7575
[email protected]
This presentation will begin with a brief history of the program including university funding and
institutional support. It is also important to discuss how the program has evolved and changed into
what it is today.
Currently, the Community Scholars Experience begins with a four-week summer residential
component built around Humanities and Writing, an intensive critical-reading and writing course
that provides an interdisciplinary foundation. A second, non-credit, summer enrichment seminar
helps prepare students for core courses such as Accounting, Economics, Philosophy or Theology.
Scholars live in a residence hall along with Resident Advisors who provide an extended orientation
to life at Georgetown. Students also meet with key service providers such as college deans,
financial aid representatives, etc. The program seeks to foster comprehensive college skills that
would be helpful for any first-year student. Scholars receive a $1,500 scholarship in addition to
their need-based financial-aid award to compensate for lost summer wages.
In the fall, Scholars continue with Humanities and Writing and take a reduced load of four courses,
one of which will include weekly “Fourth Hour” study groups led by facilitators recommended by
course professors. In addition, participants receive one three-credit summer-school scholarship that
can be used at any time during your undergraduate career.
The Community Scholars Experience continues with a variety of activities including one-on-one
meetings with the Coordinator of the Program; workshops on choosing a major, studying abroad,
finding internships, applying to graduate school, and choosing a career; special faculty seminars;
cultural and social outings; and community service opportunities.
Our presentation will also include our assessment results and findings which include student
demographics and graduation rates.
The Community Scholars program continues to evolve and change, there fore we will discuss the
future outlook for the program.
We will close the session with open discussion and questions from the audience.
Recruiting Academic Faculty for First-Year Seminars: The Role of Student Leaders
Patricia Kennington
Assistant Director, Success Programs
Georgia Institute of Technology
404-894-1970
[email protected]
Established in fall, 1986, the Freshmen Seminar at Georgia Institute of Technology includes key
first-year topics and skills-building experiences. Administered by Success Programs in Student
Affairs, seminar teachers come from academic and support units. As described in an online essay
of the Policy Center on the First Year of College, the format for most seminars at GT is college
transition. Since 2001, some faculty has developed discipline-based freshmen seminars that
include both transition topics and major-focused course content.
Both college transition and discipline-based seminars use a team approach and experiential
learning. An upper-class team leader provides mentoring, teaching, and bridge learning in
adjustment issues for new GT students. In fall, 2001, a small group of TLs formed the Team
Leader Advisory Board to plan training and events for all TLs.
Success Programs has worked to increase the number of discipline-based seminars that utilize team
leaders and a small-group format. Team Leader Advisory Board members developed a plan to
approach faculty they believed would be interested in teaching a discipline-based seminar with both
transition topics and major-focused content. The result has been an increase to discipline-based
seminars to twenty-one during fall, 2005. The role of student leaders in TLAB expanded to include
teacher recruitment within the TLs' major area of study. In addition to an increased number of
faculty teaching freshmen seminars, student-to-faculty interactions on teaching the course have
been encouraged. To gauge faculty views and satisfaction with the course, five GT1000 teachers,
new, experienced, faculty, and support staff, were interviewed at the beginning, middle, and end of
Fall, 2005, semester.
This poster session will describe the freshmen seminar at GT, synthesize initiatives increasing
faculty-staff efforts to teach and improve the seminar in part based on interview assessments, and
integrate efforts by student leaders and faculty to increase discipline-based freshmen seminars.
How Should Colleges and Universities House First-Year Students? Findings From Two
National Research Projects
Chris Caplinger
Interim Director, FYE
Georgia Southern University
912-871-1456
[email protected]
Darlena Jones
Director of Research and Development
Educational Benchmarking
417-831-1810
[email protected]
After a brief survey of the research on engagement in residence halls and the building boom on
American campuses, we’ll examine the (very sparse) literature on the subject of first-year students
in non-traditional facilities. We’ll then present findings from two research projects.
The first uses Educational Benchmarking’s Resident Survey to compare first-year students’
satisfaction levels in apartments with those in residence halls from the same campuses during the
same year. The analysis suggests that students in apartments are significantly less satisfied in their
interaction with others: in 33 percent of the 115 cases in which a comparison could be made
between residence halls and apartments on a campus, first-year students in the residence halls were
statistically more satisfied with the extent they met people in their residential facility than students
who lived in apartments. In no case were apartment students more satisfied with the extent that
they met people (in the remaining 67 percent, the differences were not statistically significant).
Another area in which residence hall students reported higher levels of satisfaction was in safety.
In 73 percent of the cases, residence hall students reported statistically higher levels of satisfaction
with safety than students living in apartments; in only 15 percent of the cases did apartment
students report feeling statistically safer than students who lived in residence halls. Often students
argue for apartments based on questions of value, but the data do not support this argument. In 8
percent of the cases, residence hall students found more value in their experience than students
living in apartments, while in 10 percent of the cases, the opposite was true. In over eighty percent
of cases, there was not a statistical difference between students’ perception of value in apartments
and residence halls.
In addition to this study of comparative first-year student perceptions, the session will present
findings of a national survey of chief housing officers about the value of certain types of living
arrangements for first-year students. The survey asks about the present scope of first-year students
living in apartments on their campuses and the extent to which they see various housing
configurations as beneficial for a variety of factors (including interaction, safety and marketing) for
first-year students.
The session will conclude with an open discussion: what is best for first-year students?
Redesigning Assessment: With Electronic Portfolios
Margo Alexander
Instructor/Professor of Mathematics
Georgia State University
404-651-0680
[email protected]
The purpose of this project is to show how electronic portfolios can be used as an assessment tool
and how the use of electronic portfolios facilitate the learning and transfer process as well as to
document students’ learning and contribute to students’ learning experience. The session will
include examples and resources applicable to anyone interested in creating and utilizing Electronic
Portfolios within a teaching/learning environment.
Using Comic Books to Bridge the Gap Between Classroom and Community
Elizabeth Firestone
Assistant Clinical Professor
Georgia State University
404-651-2211
[email protected]
Kristin Wood
Instructor, Department of English
Georgia State University
678-910-6610
[email protected]
The session will be presented by providing the merging overtime of two courses; GSU 1010
Freshman Learning and English 1101 from separate entities with concurrent themes to a fully
interactive curriculum and community work. In order for others to create a similar successful
program this historical progression is important because it began with simple ideas such as similar
papers themes, to the use of films, to "hero development", to creating comic books, to the full
integration of the courses through instructor cooperation, comic books and community service with
leadership. The current development of heros and other characters is critical to the students taking
further roles beyond the class into the campus and surrounding community. The hero development
will be described in detail with examples from past student work. The complicated intertwining of
these two courses has had it barriers, challenges, and successes all of which add the final dimension
to this presentation for those interested in creating such an involved process for students that
propels them into further action on campus and in the surrounding community.
Using E-Portfolios to Enhance Integrative Learning and Assessment of General Education
Goals
Carolyn Codamo
Faculty Associate for Freshmen Studies
Georgia State University
404-651-1604
[email protected]
Valora Richardson
Graduate Assistant/Trainer
Georgia State University
404-542-1887
[email protected]
Margo Alexander
Faculty Math Department
Georgia State University
404-542-1887
[email protected]
The e-Portfolio pilot project began at Georgia State University in spring of 2005, when faculty
invited three companies to campus to demonstrate their e-Portfolio applications. The faculty
evaluated and selected an application from a Canadian company, Chalk & Wire. (See handout of
comparative evaluation of the three applications).
A subset of 13 out of 45 freshmen learning communities were chosen to participate in the pilot
project, which included 30 faculty and staff and 325 students. During the summer 2005 semester,
representatives from Chalk and Wire trained the faculty and staff in the e-portfolio application.
Two graduate lab assistants (GLAs), who participated in the training, were hired to build the ePortfolio template for the learning communities and enter standards and rubrics for the assessment
components. Early in the fall 2005 semester, the GLAs conducted student training sessions for the
325 students.
The students trained were in the GSU 1010 New Student Orientation course, the anchor course of
all learning communities. At least two to three faculty in each learning community received
training so that they could use the e-Portfolio technology in their courses for the purpose of
integrating content and assignments across their learning communities.
Standards and rubrics were written to assess the general education goal of effective written and oral
communication and the quality of the required e-Portfolio components. The e-Portfolio technology
provided an unique and innovative way to enhance integrative learning in linked courses and to
assess the communication general educational goal.
At the end of the fall 2005 semester, assessment data will be collected and analyzed in order to
document student performance against demographic variables. Also the e-Portfolio technology will
be evaluated and recommendations made as to the suitability of the Chalk & Wire software to
achieve institutional-wide assessment goals. These results will be presented at the conference.
(NOTE: NEED INTERNET HOOKUP FOR PRESENTATION)
Diverse Media in Identity Formation
Darryl Townes
Assistant Clinical Professor
Georgia State University
404-651-2211
[email protected]
The philosophy of the course is key to the courses setup. This philosophy will be described and
demonstrated. Examples of diverse media and student reactions toward the media will be
presented. The connection between media and student identity development is critical to students
being able to engage in meaningful conflict that is resolved in the classroom through exercises.
Both the conflict and exercises will be discussed and demonstrated. Student comments about their
growth and development as a "multicultural citizen" will be given with student permission. Getting
participants involved in the experience as would occur in class is the ultimate goal of the
presentation so that they have an experiential opportunity.
Stress and Conflict: Real Issues That Make a Difference in First-Year Success
Michele Hill
Assistant Clinical Professor
Georgia State University
404-651-1792
[email protected]
The presentation will be divided into two sections to discuss the separate courses. In each case the
techniques for the courses will be talked about and some will be demonstrated and practiced by
participants. The skills for stress management include breathing, muscle relaxation, time
management, positive self-statements, and other creative techniques. The conflict course involves
teaching basic skills of listening, anger management, understanding your personal conflict style and
then facilitation, negotiation, and mediation. For each course, the impact of these techniques on
student success will be discussed. If time allows, the presentation could include a "facilitated
dialogue" in order to demonstrate to participants how this technique works in class by having a
direct experience.
Atlanta-Based Learning: Engaged Learning in the Community
Jean So
Program Development Officer for Atlanta-Based Learning
Georgia State University
404-651-0385
[email protected]
Nancy Mansfield
Associate Professor of Legal Studies
Georgia State University
404-651-2717
[email protected]
Description:
Atlanta-Based Learning promotes academic and civic engagement with the greater Atlanta
community. As an urban research institution, Georgia State offers an opportunity for students to
understand the context in which they are developing as learners. Atlanta-Based Learning activities
generate connections between the academic curriculum and the urban Atlanta environment. The
Atlanta-Based Learning initiative aims to reach across disciplines and colleges to promote a
campus-wide effort of engaged learning and to strengthen the University's institutional identity.
Georgia State University launched Atlanta-Based Learning fall 2004 within Freshmen Learning
Communities (FLC). The Atlanta-Based Learning initiative provides an inclusive model for
engaged learning that mirrors the institutional identity, promotes faculty involvement, enhances
student learning, and highlights the comparative advantage of an institution directly linked to its
urban environs.
This session includes 4 components:
1. Overview of Atlanta-Based Learning: This session highlights the process of establishing
Atlanta-Based Learning, working closely with faculty, and aligning the program with the
institutional identity of Georgia State University.
2. Continuum of Engagement: The continuum of engagement includes four dimensions: learning
about Atlanta Settings, learning from Atlanta Systems, learning with Atlanta Communities, and
learning by Atlanta Service-Learning. Examples of activities along the continuum and assessment
data from the FLC program will be discussed.
3. Case Study of the Law and Society FLC: The Law and Society FLC theme centered on the 50th
anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education decision. Professor Nancy Mansfield will describe
the process of incorporating the theme with interdisciplinary course content in ethics, political
theory, rhetoric, writing, and research. In addition, she will highlight how Atlanta-Based Learning
activities provided a local, hands-on context to the curriculum. The program included (a) a site
visit to Sweet Auburn Avenue and Atlanta Public Schools (APS) Archives and Museum, (b)
interviews with a panel of community experts, and (c) group presentations for critical reflection.
The case study provides qualitative data to document the student and faculty perspectives of
enhanced learning outcomes.
4. Suggestions for Adapting the Model: Atlanta-Based Learning provides an inclusive model for
engaged learning in the community. Participants will learn how to adapt this model of civic
engagement and intentional learning to fit their own institutional needs.
Four Years Down the Road: Senior Voices on the Lasting Effects of First-Year Learning
Communities
Nannette Commander
Professor; Assistant Vice President of Recruitment and Retention
Georgia State University
404-463-0576
[email protected]
William Fritz
Associate Provost for Academic Affairs
Georgia State University
404-651-1156
[email protected]
Student voices are often overlooked as a powerful source of rich information on the impact and
effectiveness of Freshmen Learning Communities (FLCs). When students are invited to share their
views, it is often during their first-semester experience. This session addresses the lasting effects of
participation in FLCs at a major urban research university from the perspectives of more mature
students. A panel of students who are academically “four years down the road” will share with the
audience how their first-semester FLC experience impacted them and is currently influencing their
senior year. Time will be allotted for a question and answer session between participants and the
students regarding FLCs. In addition to the student voices, quantitative results from the National
Survey of Student Engagement and qualitative data from focus groups on the lasting effects of
FLCs will be presented. Also, graduation rates, grade point averages, and retention rates on FLC
students will be compared to non-FLC students from fall, 1999 to fall, 2004. Presenters will
summarize the main themes that emerge from the data and the student voices. Finally, implications
of these results will be discussed in terms of allocations of limited resources for retention.
GSU Freshman Learning Communities “Collaborate or Die”
Gary Longstreet
Instructor of KSU 1101 & Program Manager
Georgia State University & Kennesaw State University
404-463-9706
[email protected]
Jean So
Program Manager for Atlanta-Based Learning
Georgia State University
404-651-4442
[email protected]
"Collaborate or Die"... this Business Week headline could easily be the motto of Georgia State
University's Freshmen Learning Community program. From 295 students to over 1,000-this is an
example of FLC growth realized through the collaborative efforts between academic affairs and
student affairs. Come hear how the Office of Undergraduate studies and New Student Programs
work together before, during and after orientation to enroll more than half of Georgia State's
entering freshmen class in freshmen learning communities. It's truly a collaborative effort... from
our mission statements, to strategic plans, to organizational structures and publications; we'll share
them with you!
To further discuss our program, each of the three presenters will have the opportunity to speak on
their experience and parts that they played in the collaboration between Undergraduate Studies and
New Student Programs. We will begin with a discussion of the mission statements from each of
office, detailing the use of each mission within office printed materials and student/faculty staff
meetings and training. We will then look at how each office mission incorporates the University
Strategic plan and vice versa. Nest, we will discuss the organizational structure of each office and
the importance of top down university-wide support. We will then discuss the recruitment and
marketing strategies that each office used and the collaboration that exist to make these strategies
successful. The final two pieces of this presentation focus on the collaborative contingency plan put
in place between the two offices to better serve all the needs of new students attending GSU. As a
result t of the successful collaboration techniques and procedures offered by the Office of New
Student Programs and University Studies, we will then give a detailed picture of what the Georgia
State graduate looks like - from freshmen to graduate!
Beyond Bored Games: Activities that Engage First-Year Students in Active Learning
Ellen Nagy
Director, First Year Experience
Heidelberg College
419 448-2063
[email protected]
Kristen Lindsay
Associate Director Career Services
The University of Toledo
419 530-8562
[email protected]
With retention initiatives becoming increasingly important as colleges and universities try to satisfy
and hold onto students for both recruitment-enhancing and financial reasons, it is critical that we
involve students in their education and connect them to their academic experience. Often,
educational decisions are made without a career plan in mind and courses are often chosen
impulsively. Frequently students make career and academic decisions based on unrealistic,
romanticized notions of what various occupations involve. When students base their career
decisions on wish fulfillment rather than reality, confusion, anxiety, doubt and dropout are likely
outcomes.
Everyone agrees that students who find meaning in their coursework, and learn to develop
relationships between in-class assignments and their extra-curricular pursuits are more likely to
graduate. Additionally, student development theory teaches us that we must meet students where
they are. So where are today’s deciding students? And exactly how do we connect with them?
In this age of Reality TV and adventure, students demand instant communication through textmessaging, and often seem glued to computer screens, cell phones, I-Pods, or video game systems.
Many instructors and educators bemoan that students expect entertainment, not necessarily
instruction. So what’s the solution? Contrary to what you may think, you do not need climatecontrolled chambers equipped with flashing lights and earthquake simulators, or spotlights and
revolving stages to dynamically engage your students in the learning process. During this session,
participants will experience a variety of exercises, games and techniques which you can put to use
immediately and learn how to adapt them for your unique objectives.
This session will focus on how to developing student-centered and interactive activities and the
different games and strategies we have employed on our campuses to help first-year students begin
making sound decisions about their academic program and career direction.
Overview of FYE Pilot at Hillsborough Community College
Dana Livesay
Student Information Coordinator, FYE
Hillsborough Community College
813-259-6424
[email protected]
Rich Senker
Assistant to the Dean, Technical Programs
Hillsborough Community College
813-253-7478
[email protected]
The poster presentation will be divided into three main sections: 1) CREATION PROCESS OF
THE COLLEGE'S FIRST YEAR EXPERIENCE PROGRAM. This portion will provide
information on how the FYE program was started and how it has changed and grown in its three
years. Included in this section is professional development for faculty and the creation of a
dedicated FYE website. The second section will explain the COMPONENTS of First Year
Experience. This includes but is not limited to a modified College Success course, an in-house
Early Alert system, a second semester career project for FYE students, and faculty as mentors. The
final section of the presentation will share DATA-BASED RESULTS AND OUTCOMES on the
success and retention of FYE students. Data will be provided comparing retention rates of FYE
students versus non-FYE students; data tables will also provide information on the performance of
students who received Early Alert versus those who did not. A composite list of intervention
suggestions based on Noel-Levitz's College Student Inventory will also be displayed.
FYE: A Holistic Approach
Margaret Garroway
Associate Director of Academic Support/ Co-Director FYE
Howard Community College
410-772-4678
[email protected]
Linda Wiley
Associate Professor of English
Howard Community College
410-772-4951
[email protected]
We will begin this concurrent session by asking participants to remember a significant event during
their freshman year of college where they felt they were truly college students. They will share
these in groups and will give a few examples. Then we will point out how most of these events did
not happen in one class. We will share research from prominent figures in retention who concur.
The transition to a college student happens in many areas and is as diverse as the students who
experience it. This will be the basis for our discussion on a holistic approach to FYE at Howard
Community College. Since “it takes a village,” we are promoting a school-wide attitude of support
from both Academic Affairs and Student Services. We will review the aspects of our model which
include classroom strategies, professional development, a faculty learning community, a website, a
peer leader program, collaboration with the book connection, and ongoing assessment of both FYE
students and programs. After sharing our FYE prototype, we will ask participants to share in
groups what else they are doing at their college that goes beyond the FYE seminar. Again we will
ask each group to relate one or two ideas that would help others look at a more integrative
approach.
Building Community on Campus: A Reflection of Spirituality, Wholeness, and Balance
Sharon Ferrett
Senior Academic Advisor
Humboldt State University
707 826 5111
[email protected]
This session will start with a brief review of the problem: increased statistics of violence, crime,
drinking, drugs, date rape and suicide on college campuses. We will explore what building a sense
of community and belonging means. How can we integrate a search for purpose, meaning, and
basic spiritual values of kindness, civility, cooperation and respect into campus life? We will
discuss how to deal with accelerating change, pressures, stress and technological progress and what
it means in terms of a life of reflection, defining our purpose and carving out a sense of meaning in
our lives.
In this roundtable discussion, participants will look at ways we can simplify our lives in this
complex world, ideas for building community, cooperation, and a sense of belonging on our
campus. Discussion will center on how to make our college campus kinder, more hospitable and
hopeful.
Connecting First-Year Students and Their Families with the College Community
Maureen Murphy
Director of the First Year Experience Program
Huntingdon College
334.833.4462
[email protected]
We have designed a college-wide “First-Year Early Communication Program (FYECP).” First-year
students are assigned to a FYE Facilitator when the student “deposits” to the college. The FYE
Facilitator who is a faculty member, administrator, or staff member, serves as the student’s FYE
Seminar Facilitator and initiates a series of communications with the student and his/her family,
beginning with the sending of a graduation wishes. Our program is effective in assisting first-year
students (40% of whom are first-generation college students) and their families. The types and
number of contacts are designed to connect the first-year student “early on” to a person at the
college who will assist the student and the family in the transition to college prior to the student
arriving on campus. We have studied the effects of a first-year early communication program on
the following aspects of the life of a first-year college student: (a) withdrawal of deposit to the
college, (b) matriculation, (c) registration for early versus late summer orientation sessions, (d)
level of parental involvement, (e) mid-term grades, (f) first year grade-point average, (g) retention
to second semester and second year, (h) participation in extracurricular activities, and (i) overall
satisfaction with the first year at college. Comparative data for first-year classes who did not
participate in a FYECP will be presented. Throughput the year, each FYE Facilitator keeps an
accurate communication log of every contact made with each student and family member
throughout the first year. We have been able to quantify the types of questions asked by students
and families and categorize the types of communications made for two years of the program for a
total of 376 students and 32 FYE Facilitators. The FYECP is comprehensive in scope and connects
the Office of Admission, Student Life, and Educational Outcomes with each other. The timing and
topic of each communication with first-year students and their families and results from our
research as well as the administrative aspects of the FYECP will be presented.
Unique Opportunities for First-Year Student Involvement with the College Library and Staff
Eric A. Kidwell
The importance of the library in the academic and social life of a first-year college student is often
underestimated. We present a program, now in its third year, in which library faculty and staff
serve as mentors to first-year students in the library, serve as FYE Seminar Facilitators, plan and
coordinate first-year student dinners at faculty homes, and host an annual “First Year Experience
Halloween Dinner” utilizing the library, its staff, and resources. Details of our program will be
presented as well as an assessment of first year students involved in each aspect of our program.
·
Successful Methods for the Development of Cohesive, Interactive First Year Seminar
Classes
Tami Olds and Glenn Stearns
·
Effective Use of a Comprehensive First Year Experience Web Site for Seminar Classes
Jeremy Lewis
A First-Year Early Communication Program (FYECP)
We have designed a “First-Year Early Communication Program (FYECP).” First-year students are
assigned to a FYE Facilitator when the student “deposits” to the college. The FYE Facilitator, a
faculty member, administrator, or staff member, serves as the student’s FYE Seminar Facilitator
and initiates a series of communications with the student and his/her family, beginning with the
sending of a graduation card wishes. Our program is effective in assisting first-year students (40%
of whom are first-generation college students) and their families. The types and number of contacts
are designed to connect the first-year student “early on” to a person at the college who will assist
the student and the family in the transition to college prior to the student arriving on campus. We
have studied the effects of a first-year early communication program on the following aspects of
the life of a first-year college student: (a) withdrawal of deposit to the college, (b) matriculation, (c)
registration for early versus late summer orientation sessions, (d) level of parental involvement, (e)
mid-term grades, (f) first year grade-point average, (g) retention to second semester and second
year, (h) participation in extracurricular activities, and (i) overall satisfaction with the first year at
college. Comparative data for first-year classes who did not participate in a FYECP will be
presented. Each FYE Facilitator keeps an accurate communication log of every contact made with
each student and family member throughout the first year. We have been able to quantify the types
of questions asked by students and families and categorize the types of communications made for
two years of the program for a total of 376 students and 32 FYE Facilitators. The FYECP is
comprehensive in scope and connects the Office of Admission, Student Life, and Educational
Outcomes with each other. The timing and topic of each communication with first-year students
and their families as well as the administrative aspects of the FYECP will be presented.
Unique Opportunities for First-Year Student Involvement with the College Library and Staff
Eric A. Kidwell
The importance of the library in the academic and social life of a first-year college student is often
underestimated. We present a program, now in its third year, in which library faculty and staff
serve as mentors to first-year students in the library, serve as FYE Seminar Facilitators, plan and
coordinate first-year student dinners at faculty homes, and host an annual “First Year Experience
Halloween Dinner” utilizing the library, its staff, and resources. Details of our program will be
presented as well as an assessment of first year students involved in each aspect of our program.
·
Successful Methods for the Development of Cohesive, Interactive First Year Seminar
Classes
Tami Olds and Glenn Stearns
·
Effective Use of a Comprehensive First Year Experience Web Site for Seminar Classes
Jeremy Lewis
Bringing Together First-Year Students and the College Library
Eric A. Kidwell
Director of the Library/Professor and Program Coordinator for the Core Curriculum
Huntingdon College
334-833-4420
[email protected]
Margaret Kinney
Head of Circulation
Huntingdon College
334-833-4422
[email protected]
This presentation will include a description of our library service program to first-year students (in
particular), how we assess our successes, and a discussion of how we might grow our program.
Our current program includes the library faculty and staff working closely with the faculty in the
English program to provide first-year students enrolled in composition courses with two sessions in
the library - the fall session is an orientation to the library facility that includes use of the library's
website and basic services, and the second session is taught in the spring term and delves more
deeply into the use of library resources to complete class assignments and advanced research. Our
mentoring program is three-fold: it's a component of the student assistant supervisory roles library
faculty and staff serve (year-to-year the majority of the library's student workers are first-year, firsttime-away-from-home students); it's through establishing relationships with students that are
created as they use the library; and lastly it's through library faculty teaching in the college's firstyear experience (credit) course and serving as academic advisors. Recognizing that the literature
shows that the library as place remains important, we place great emphasis on creating a welcoming
environment for our students. One of the most visible illustrations of this on our campus is the
annual first-year experience dinner the library hosts in the fall at Halloween. This dinner includes a
hot buffet served in the library's atrium, library faculty and staff in costume, and a fully turned-out
building that with its gothic architecture lends itself at this time of year for creating the perfect
atmosphere for an evening of fellowship and good food. College administrators and first-year
experience instructors are also invited to attend. This event is quickly gaining a reputation on
campus as an eagerly anticipated event.
What Are First-Year Students Doing with Their Money? An Overview of a Recent Study
Evaluating the Financial Perceptions and Spending Habits of First-Year Students
Missy McElprang Cummins
Coordinator, Academic Programs
Idaho State University
(208) 282-3933
[email protected]
A student’s ability to manage his or her finances is identified as an issue impacting the students at
Idaho State University. Academic success and retention are both affected when students are unable
to make wise financial decisions. The focus of this session is concentrated on examining a key
problem facing freshmen at Idaho State University.
Results of a recent study evaluating the financial perceptions and spending habits of freshmen at
Idaho State University identified some key areas that can help students make better choices about
how they manage their money. The development of an 8 week Money Management course
teaching some of these skills was one of the outcomes of this study. This course teaches basic
financial concepts such as: creating a budget, developing meal plans, making financial goals,
reducing debt, and managing credit.
Students at Idaho State University and around the country will benefit by acquiring essential
financial management tools. Session participants will see an overview of this study as well as the
specific results. This will be an interesting look at where students are spending their money and
what universities can do to better prepare them to make some of the most important financial
decisions of their lives.
Creating a Resource Guide for Faculty Teaching First-Year Students
Danielle Lindsey
Special Projects Coordinator, Office of the Provost
Illinois State University
309-438-3175
[email protected]
During the summer of 2005, members of Illinois State University’s Council for the First-Year
Experience created an electronic resource guide for faculty teaching first-year students. As one
outcome of the Foundations of Excellence project, the guide includes our First-Year Experience
mission statement, a history of the newly formed Council for the First-Year Experience, curriculum
updates, a calendar of our first-year student events, information about campus support services and
campus policies.
The poster session will include the resource guide shown electronically via a laptop, a display
board detailing the steps taken to create the resource guide, and handouts with information
including the web address to our guide. Facilitators will be available to discuss the process used to
create the resource guide, as well as to discuss methods for creating a similar guide on attendees'
campuses.
When Low Retention Rates Happen to Good People
Robert Guell
Coordinator of First-Year Programs
Indiana State University
812-237-2169
[email protected]
This session will provide a brief summary of the actions taken and programs introduced during our
5-year Lilly Project and the 4-year, post-project period. The discussion will center on a narrative
version of our Foundations of Excellence project "Current Practices Inventory" to demonstrate that
we are "good people" doing the "right things." The analytical portion of the discussion will center
on the success of certain programs and counter that by discussing the aggregate retention decline.
The session will serve as an opportunity for other "good people" to discuss their own successes and
failures.
The meat of the session will walk through the First-Year Programs Briefing Book, web-accessible
document that explains what we do for first year students and how, and to what degree, these
programs have been effective. (http://www.indstate.edu/site/fyp/index_2163.html)
The session will briefly go over the evidence for success in specific programs and then counter that
with an overall picture of retention decline. The session will conclude with an open discussion
among those present focusing on realistic expectations.
Integrating Co-Curricular Learning into First-Year Seminars
Frank Ross
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Life & Diversity
Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis
317-274-8990
[email protected]
Jan DeWester
Faculty member, Communication Studies and Co-Director IUPUI Summer Academy
Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis
[email protected]
We will begin our session with introductions of the presenters, and will ask audience members to
introduce themselves with regard to their role in working with first-year students.
Next, we will engage the audience in a reflective writing activity where they will assess the current
level of co-curricular learning integration in first-year seminars on their campus.
Next, we will briefly discuss the literature related to the impact of co-curricular learning on firstyear students.
Next we will briefly discuss the work done at IUPUI in the last year where the presenters (a student
affairs administrator and a faculty fellow) assessed co-curricular learning in University College
first-year seminars.
Next we will have the participants in small groups discuss efforts on their current campus toward
collaboration between student affairs and academic affairs to enhance the first-year experience.
Presenters will prompt groups with questions and then open up for a full-group discussion of best
practices.
Next, we will engage the participants to develop an action plan for increasing cross-campus
collaboration on their campus to enhance first-year seminar student learning.
Finally, we will end with a question and answer period.
Innovations for Civic Engagement in the First Year
Scott Evenbeck
Dean, University College
Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis
317-274-5032
[email protected]
Frank Ross
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Life & Diversity
Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis
317-274-8990
[email protected]
William Orme
Librarian
Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis
[email protected]
We will begin our session with introductions of the presenters, and will ask audience members to
introduce themselves with regard to their role in working with first-year students.
Next, we will engage the audience in a reflective writing activity where they will assess the current
level of civic engagement on their campus and in particular, with first-year programs.
Next, we will discuss the impetus for course development, including campus and community
factors.
Next we will discuss the Template for First-Year Seminars at IUPUI and the process by which this
five-member instructional team designed the new course. Specific learning outcomes will be
detailed.
Next we will discuss how the new course was marketed during new student orientation, using
student affairs, academic advisors, and student orientation leaders.
Next we will the course itself, including the roles played by the instructional team and a detailed
summary of pedagogical techniques used to teach study skills, time management, information
literacy, stress management, and campus involvement. We will detail the specific involvement of
student affairs in development of several rich co-curricular learning experiences for the students.
Next we will discuss how we integrated the students into the life of the city using the Indianapolis
cultural districts as a framework. We will discuss various city excursions to artistic and cultural
locations, and detail Service and the City, a city-wide community service project developed
specifically for first-year students at IUPUI.
Next we will discuss course assignments and a final project which allowed students to integrate the
IUPUI Principles of Undergraduate Learning and showcase their new-found knowledge of the city.
Next we will discuss specific assessment techniques used with this course to measure effectiveness.
Next we will engage participants to brainstorm ideas for developing similar courses on their
campus.
Finally, we will end with a question and answer period.
Transitioning Faculty into FYE Through Faculty Development
Rachelle Darabi
Director for Center for Academic Support and Advancement
Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne
260-481-6268
[email protected]
Greg Anderson
Associate Director for the First Year Experience
Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne
260-481-6069
[email protected]
Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) began its First Year Experience (FYE)
with curricular Learning Communities (LC) as its main vehicle in 2004 after two semesters of
successful LC pilots. Although faculty in the LC’s were committed to student success, few had
received training in effective teaching techniques and strategies. Thus, faculty development
became a key component of our program.
We developed a series of four spring workshops to help faculty prepare for the fall term. Some
specific topics included integrating curriculum, developing joint syllabi, creating joint learning
goals and objectives, and incorporating co-curricular activities and FYE’ learning goals into their
classes. Faculty were also introduced to student development theories. To supplement our
training, we used teleconferences from the National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience.
We have continued the training utilizing students and faculty who were involved in the first year.
In addition, we designed a faculty handbook which included LC policies and pedagogical strategies
important to a first-year experience. In addition, each spring we give books to the LC faculty. One
book was Richard Light’s Making the Most of College: Students Speak Their Minds. Faculty were
so excited by this text that we developed a one-day conference with Light as the speaker. Prior to
the conference two book discussions were held where faculty were given the opportunity to drive
the conference topics.
The LC initiative at IPFW is small, but FYE is meant to touch all freshmen. We currently can’t
provide an LC experience for every freshman, but through conferences like the Light one, we can
make an impact on faculty who teach these students. In this session, presenters will share and
demonstrate training materials and activities as well as discuss assessment means.
Connecting Students Through a Theme: Learning Communities at IUPUI
Sarah Baker
Associate Professor of Radiologic Sciences
Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis
317-274-5253
[email protected]
David Sabol
Lecturer/Coordinator of Learning Communities
Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis
317-274-2508
[email protected]
Especially within the first year of college, IUPUI is a national leader in strategies to improve
undergraduate learning and retention. An early strategy to purposefully restructure the curriculum
for beginning students was the development of learning communities. Learning communities
reorganized the curriculum by linking or clustering courses that enrolled a common cohort of
students. The paired-course learning communities had students enrolled in First-Year Seminars also
taking a disciplined-based course together. This intentional organizing of the students’ time, credit,
and learning experiences focused on learning experiences to build community and foster more
explicit connections among students, faculty and disciplines.
Building upon the success of learning communities at IUPUI, Themed Learning Communities
(TLCs) were developed. These intentionally developed communities were organized to link firstyear students, faculty, and others across three or more discipline-based courses that were
thematically linked together with a First-Year Seminar. This pedagogical model was based on the
selection of a theme or topic of study and included the collection of a resource team to provide the
content for students and assistance in curricular integration.
This presentation will provide an overview of TLC development at IUPUI. The rationale,
coordination, linkages and common TLC themes will be discussed. Assessment data will be shared
with participants.
Student-to-Student Mentoring: An Integral Component of Academic Support Programs at
IUPUI
Gayle Williams
Assistant Dean, University College
Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)
317-274-8923
[email protected]
Andrea Engler
Director of Orientation
IUPUI
317-278-1576
[email protected]
Mark Minglin
Director of the Bepko Learning Center
IUPUI
317-274-0231
[email protected]
Stephanie Osborne
Academic Coordinator
IUPUI
317-274-8923
[email protected]
The conference presenters will engage the audience in an interactive exchange about managing,
rewarding, and educating student mentors. Student mentors have been critically important to the
success of many of the programs at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis(IUPUI), but
managing the growing number of students involved in an ever-expanding variety of campus
initiatives has been challenging. In response, the campus established the Bepko Learning Center in
1998 as the home of the IUPUI mentoring programs. Over the last seven years, the Center has
developed a number of initiatives to ensure that student mentors are rewarded for their services.
Student mentors, for example, are no longer paid on an hourly basis. Instead they are awarded
scholarships to more appropriately honor their work. In addition, a series of courses was developed
and introduced this year to further support the mentors’ educational development. And each fall,
the Center sponsors a state-wide conference where IUPUI student mentors can interact and train
with other students who are involved in similar work on campuses throughout Indiana.
Assessment is central to the success of the mentoring programs at IUPUI. In addition to the regular
evaluations of the student mentors’ work, a two-year program review was completed in 2005. A
self-study process during the first year was followed by a comprehensive review in the second year,
which was conducted by IUPUI faculty and consultants from similar programs at other universities.
The final report is available on the IUPUI University College website.
Presenters will share information on managing a large mentor program as a scholarship initiative,
and they will provide an overview of the two-year assessment review and the state-wide mentor
conference. An instructor from the new mentoring course will describe that initiative. Sample
scholarship contracts, training schedules, conference materials, and assessment data will also be
provided.
Teaching Millennial Learners: Strategies for Creating an Engaging Classroom
J. Bradley Garner
Assistant Professor/Coordinator of First Year Seminar
Indiana Wesleyan University
765-677-2452
[email protected]
To be effective instructional experiences for “millennial” students must go beyond the lecture to
include interactive strategies that challenge them to wrestle with issues, clarify their own thinking,
and communicate with others in a meaningful way. This session provides participants with an
opportunity to experience a variety of ready-to-implement strategies.
Today’s students have been dubbed “The Millennial Generation” (Howe & Strauss, 2000; Howe &
Strauss, 2003). They come to colleges and universities around the world with a different
perspective and different learning needs than their predecessors. These differences and
distinguishing characteristics include: loyalty and hard work when they see value in what they are
doing, a preference to "live in the moment", a tendency to process information in narrative images,
energetic and in need of continual stimulation and challenge, comfort in juggling many things at
once, a tendency to move on quickly if they get bored or dissatisfied, specific goals for the next five
years and a strong belief they will achieve their life goals. Each of these behavioral characteristics
can dramatically impact the manner in which millennial learners respond to instructional
experiences and the degree to which they accomplish desired learning outcomes.
Today’s university teaching, to be successful, must create a learning environment that engages
students in new and unique ways. Teaching must go beyond lecturing to include strategies that
assist students interacting with instructional content and personalizing it to their own goals, dreams,
and life purposes. Creating these types of learning experiences require attention to:
•
Atmosphere (i.e., cultural expectations and required
evidence for excellence in teaching and learning)
•
Acquisition (i.e., new knowledge, skills and dispositions)
•
Application (i.e., learning experiences that extend learning
beyond the classroom)
•
Assessment (i.e., quantitative and qualitative analysis of
student learning)
•
Association (i.e., interactions and relationships with
faculty across settings and circumstances
This presentation will be directed toward each of these important considerations in teaching and
learning. Each of the five components will be described and operationalized for participants.
Additionally, participants will observe and experience several different strategies for engaging
millennial students across these five components of teaching and learning.
Transition to Kean (T2K): A Comprehensive Program to Assist Students in Transition
Terry Y. Fung
Director of General Education
Kean University
908-737-0333
[email protected]
In this interactive session, you will learn about the comprehensive transition-to-college program at
Kean University, one of New Jersey’s largest state universities. You will learn how the nationallyrecognized Transition to Kean (T2K ) Program, currently celebrating its twentieth anniversary,
continues to evolve in response to local assessment results and best practices in the field.
The T2K Program, which is housed in the General Education (GE) Program, features a required
one-credit course, Transition to Kean (GE 1000), along with supporting services for students and
supports and training for T2K instructors and peer mentors. The Transition to Kean course is one of
the GE Foundations Courses and is required of all freshmen and transfer students with fewer than
10 credits. In this presentation we will outline and discuss the following aspects of the T2K
Program:
•
Design of the T2K course and how it fits within the General Education curriculum
•
Rationale for and enforcement of T2K’s uniform course syllabus, textbook, and grading
policy (sample of the course syllabus and other materials will be distributed)
•
Required workshops on Careers, Diversity and Safer Sex and the assignments and
discussions related to these workshops (strategies to facilitate discussion and sample icebreakers
will be shared)
•
Professional development activities for instructors and peers which include an
Instructor/Peer Training Day, monthly instructor meetings, advisement workshops, a week long
peer training program, and technological support
•
Assessment issues and activities (assessment instruments and data analysis will be shared,
including a study of the correlation between Transition to Kean passing rates and student academic
achievement)
•
Second semester follow up procedures
•
T2K custom textbook and other supplemental teaching materials
•
Rationale for course changes based on assessment results
•
Family Orientation events and newsletters sent to families/parents to encourage their
involvement in their children’s college educations
Joint Enrollment: Best Practices, Biggest Challenges
Katherine Kinnick
Director of Pre-College Programs
Kennesaw State University
770-423-6471
[email protected]
Donald Singer
Coordinator of Joint Enrollment
Georgia Perimeter College
678-407-5220
[email protected]
Joint Enrollment coordinators often work in isolation on their campuses and may rarely have the
opportunity to network with colleagues in similar positions at other institutions. This roundtable
discussion session provides an opportunity for new and seasoned Joint Enrollment coordinators to
share ideas for best practices, suggest strategies for overcoming challenges, and generally get a
better sense of what is happening in the Joint Enrollment field across the country and in institutions
that share similarities to their own. The opportunity to share structural, administrative and
curricular program models would be very beneficial to Joint Enrollment coordinators and faculty
who teach in these programs.
While Joint Enrollment high school students are often academically accelerated, they share many of
the academic and social needs of traditional freshmen. In most cases, however, they do not take
freshman seminar courses that could address these needs, because these courses rarely transfer to
other colleges. In addition, because Joint Enrollment students are one to two years younger than
most freshmen, they have unique issues, ranging from emotional and physical maturity to lack of
transportation that may hinder their successful transition to college. Because most still live at home
and take some courses at their high schools, they may not feel fully integrated into the college
social environment, and may have feelings of isolation and “not fitting in.” Other issues facing
Joint Enrollment coordinators include varying levels of institutional support – philosophical as well
as monetary, and resistance from high schools that view Joint Enrollment programs as a
competitive threat to Advanced Placement curriculum and funding.
This Roundtable was also envisioned as the first step in launching a national interest group of Joint
Enrollment coordinators, Joint Enrollment faculty and others involved in pre-college enrichment
programs. The interest group, we hope, would meet on an annual basis at the FYE convention, and
could take a leading role in disseminating information about best practices in Joint Enrollment
programs.
TAKE 5! Great Ideas for Teaching First Year Students
Kathy Matthews
Director of First Year Experience
Kennesaw State University
770-423-6493
[email protected]
Lynn Boettler
Instructor, First-Year Experience Seminar
Kennesaw State University
678-423-6207
[email protected]
Kim Frazier
Instructor, First-Year Experience Seminar
Kennesaw State University
678-423-6207
[email protected]
Deborah Mixson-Brookshire
Instructor of University Studies
Kennesaw State University
678-423-6207
[email protected]
Lesia Schnur
Instructor of First-Year Experience & English
Kennesaw State University
678-423-6207
[email protected]
This 60 minute session uses a format similar to speed dating, only participants rotate to different
tables to hear great ideas for teaching first year students. This session requires a larger room where
9 tables (preferably round) are set up with 5-6 participant chairs and 1 presenter chair at each table.
The session is limited to 45-50 participants with the concept being that all chairs are filled at each
of the tables. (Note: Numbers of participants can be adjusted but need to correspond to the number
of seats available.) Each of the tables is designated and labeled with one of the “great idea” topics,
and a KSU faculty member sits at each table prepared to share his/her great idea. When
participants arrive, they sit at a table where they receive an abstract of the topics presented at all of
the tables so they can decide which tables they’d like to visit. The session facilitator explains the
format. Participants move to five different tables in
10-minute increments. At each table, a KSU faculty member gives a 5-7 minute synopsis of his/her
great idea, and participants have 3-5 minutes to ask questions. After 10 minutes, the timer sounds,
and participants receive a 1 page description of the idea and then move on to another table. To
make it interesting, there’s a bit of a musical chairs element to the session. Participants move to
tables, but if seats are already full, they must move to a different table. Since there are 9 tables,
participants must be selective in order to get to the 5 tables they desire. Ideas being presented: Peer
Theater, Building Community Values, Developing Classroom Etiquette, Teaching Critical
Thinking, Using Foreign Film in FYE, Facebook for Making Connections, Exploring Personality,
Creating Humor, and Teaching NOW.
What a President Learned Living With First-Year Residents
Betty L. Siegel
President
Kennesaw State University
770-423-6033
[email protected]
Michael Sanseviro
Director of Residence Life
Kennesaw State University
770-420-4388
[email protected]
Desiring a meaningful and realistic interaction with first-year residential students, the president
moved into the living-learning community one night a week for a month. This session will review
the data collected, emerging themes, and institutional response. During these visits, the evening
would include dinner with RAs, special sessions with student leaders, and open discussions in
lounges throughout the community. These discussions lasted late into the evening, covering a
range of topics from the value of general education to the design of on-campus facilities to cocurricular engagement. The evenings included watching the news and discussing world events.
Early the next morning, discussions continued over breakfast at the Waffle House. Meeting the
students in their own environment during the hours when they are most active, a depth of genuine
understanding was reached about the lives of this generation, how they think, feel, dream and
behave.
Some themes were expected, correlating closely to research findings about the Millennial
Generation. Others were unique to the experiences and perspectives of this cohort of first-year
students, and proved incredibly instructive for programmatic purposes. From the data, populationspecific presentations were created and shared through institution-wide workshops, including a
presentation to the entire faculty during the opening-of-school activities. These presentations
focused on understanding our students and seeking innovative and intentional approaches to
collaboratively creating student success. In addition, the data was incorporated into the master
planning process for the design of future on-campus housing. One specific program created as a
result is the “Fabulous Friday EdVenture Series.” The students indicated they wanted more out-ofclass interaction with faculty and felt Fridays were underutilized. A pilot series introduced during
the summer semester offered weekly educational and social activities engaging students, faculty,
and staff. Future overnight visits are planned to gain additional data and continue the courageous
conversations started last spring.
Leading Change at a University: 25 Years of Success
Betty Siegel
President
Kennesaw State University
770-423-6033
[email protected]
Mary Lou Frank
Dean of University College and Undergraduate Studies
Kennesaw State University
770-499-3550
[email protected]
Keisha Hoerrner
Director of CLASS, Learning Communities
Kennesaw State University
770-499-3222
[email protected]
Rebecca Casey
Chair of University Studies
Kennesaw State University
770-499-3383
[email protected]
Building on a sustained foundation of student success, Kennesaw State University supports the
uniquely collaborative, holistic programs, connecting academics with experiences outside of the
classroom, community based learning, and globalization. Led by President Betty Siegel, this
institutional team discusses the design, implementation, and assessment of the University College
and other significant milestones in President Siegel’s career.
Dr. Siegel’s Invitational Theory is reflected in the FYE seminar (begun in 1983), and in other firstyear programs. In these, one finds four operating assumptions that give consistency and direction
for action: respect, trust, optimism, and intentionality. Ideally, the four interconnecting
assumptions lead to a total environment in which each person is cordially summoned to develop
intellectually, socially, physically, psychologically, and spiritually.
We will share tips on how we have maintained our “small college feel” while managing an increase
in student population to over 19,000. We will showcase the University College (one year) and
Communities for Learning Success (CLASS) program (fourth year), and provide strategies on
building cross-campus relationships for this collaborative model.
Assessment data will be used throughout the presentation to show outcomes for student persistence
and retention, academic performance, and student satisfaction. For more information on the
University College, the Fall Annual Report is located at the following web address,
http://www.kennesaw.edu/universitycollege/
Encouraging First-Year Students to Engage in and Embrace Learning Inside and Outside the
Classroom
Charles Barr
Advisor, Institute for Achievement and Learning Comprehensive Support Program
Lynn University
561-237-7224
[email protected]
Ronnie Glines
Advisor, Institute for Achievement and Learning Comprehensive Support Program
Lynn University
561-237-7888
[email protected]
This don’t-miss innovative session will describe our theme-based FYE sections, Academic
Adventure cruise, the student Alpha Profiles and the faculty/mentor model integrated into our yearlong first-year seminars at Lynn University. Our learning environments stretch from the palm trees
and beaches in South Florida to the ancient Mayan Temples in Cozumel. We will present
assessment results from our fall 2005 post- course self-evaluation designed to measure significant
changes in student learning outcomes and discuss ways we are improving retention.
The themed FYE sections and Academic Adventure cruise are the ideal learning environments for
our faculty/mentors to teach our first-year students the skills to navigate the transitional and
developmental challenges of college life. Helping students make measured progress with
educational, career, identity, and health development can help improve retention and reduce highrisk behaviors. By helping students understand their cognitive strengths, abilities, and preferred
learning styles, we help each student discover their unique potential and match their strengths with
study strategies, majors and careers that are right for them.
Each student in our FYE sections is provided with a personalized written Alpha Profile based upon
their responses to our learning assessment inventories. In this session we will describe how we
complete the Alpha Profiles for each first-year student and demonstrate using a role play how we
provide the motivational feedback to each student about the results. The purpose of the profiles is
to help students identify their cognitive strengths, skills, abilities, personality traits, and preferred
learning styles, and then match this profile with study strategies an academic major, and possible
careers. We then teach them how to strengthen all of their multiple intelligences.
We provide all of our first-year students with the opportunity to select their FYE section based on
their individual interests and passions. By having our students actively take ownership in their
course selection, we increase the chances of student-to-student connections based on mutual
interest. All of our FYE sections are designed to help our students tap into their potential and
strengths and get comfortable with their unique way of learning. Because all students learn
differently, we teach differently.
Our FYE themes offer everything from a passion for fashion, and boat building, to using
motivational movies, self-discovery, and exploring the world outdoors. Our faculty/mentors are
required to use their passion for teaching and learning to design the course based on the core FYE
curriculum. By empowering our faculty/mentors to creatively present the chosen material in a way
that they love, we are attempting to infuse our students with the same passion exhibited by our
staff. Our presentation will not only cover the current process used to organize this type of learning
platform, but will also address student feedback regarding the offered FYE sections.
By requiring all of our first-year students to participate in the Academic Adventure, we actively
engage them in experiences that have real consequences. Lynn University’s Academic Adventure
program takes the concept of experiential learning to a new level by taking students to see the real
world and learn about different cultures during a seven-day expedition through different countries
in the Caribbean.
The Academic Adventure begins during the fall semester, when students learn about the countries
they will be visiting. Throughout the fall semester, FYE students are exposed to cultural and
historical information about the destinations that they are going to visit during the Academic
Adventure. At the various ports of call, they participate in excursions designed to build on what
they've learned about the area's people, history and culture during the semester. A website provides
a description of the course objectives and all students need to complete a final exam to earn the one
credit for the Academic Adventure.
Finally we will describe the evaluation tool we used to measure outcomes after the first-year
seminar and the academic adventure. We want to assess how well students learned the skills and
topics described in the course objectives as a way correlating learned skills and retention. At the
conclusion of the seminar, we will provide opportunities for questions and discussion about
effective ways to measure whether students learned new skills and whether these new skills can
predict retention.
“First-Year Friendly”: Designing an Online Library Skills Tutorial for Millennials
Peter Thayer
Reference and Access Services Librarian
Marietta College
740-376-4361
[email protected]
What are academic libraries doing to adequately respond to the needs and preferences of today’s
first-year students, also known the Millennials, or Generation Y? To ensure that Millennials learn
the necessary skills for conducting successful library research, academic librarians are
incorporating active learning techniques and the use of Internet technologies into their instruction
activities. One of the more popular pedagogical devices librarians are using to teach research skills
to Millennials is the web-based tutorial.
Dawes Memorial Library is part of Marietta College, a small contemporary liberal arts college
located in southeastern Ohio. Two years ago, the library decided to change the manner in which it
presented its library orientation for first-year students. In 2003, Dawes Library transformed “Make
the Connection”, a lecture-based library orientation workshop, into a web-based library skills
tutorial.
The most important goal of “’First-Year Friendly” is to provide academic professionals with
answers to two questions: 1) what are the learning needs and preferences of Millennials and 2) how
does “Make the Connection” respond to such needs and preferences. The first question will be
answered by providing information on what recent academic literature has to say about the
characteristics of Millennials. The second question will be answered by providing information on
how “Make the Connection” is “first-year friendly” in terms of its design, content, and
functionality.
One other goal of “First-Year Friendly” is to provide resources to academic professionals wishing
to develop their own “first-year friendly” web-based library tutorials. Among the resources
available will be a list of suggested readings in which one can find out about efforts other academic
libraries are undertaking to respond to Millennials’ needs.
“First-Year Friendly” will feature posters summarizing aspects of the “Make the Connection”
project, handouts for conference participants, and a demonstration of “Make the Connection” via a
laptop.
From Theory to Practice: Teaching Strategies for the First-Year Seminar
Joe Cuseo
Professor, Psychology; Director, First-Year Seminar
Marymount College
562-431-8051
[email protected]
There is a striking synergy across research findings on student success in college. Four theoretical
principles emerge as recurrent themes in the scholarly literature on college success: (1) active
involvement —student success is related to how deeply engaged students are in the learning
process, i.e., the amount of time an energy they invest in the college experience—both inside and
outside the classroom; (2) social integration—student success is enhanced through interpersonal
interaction, collaboration, and human connections that students make with other members of the
college community—peers, faculty, staff, administrators; (3) personal reflection: college success is
strengthened when students take time to reflect on their curricular and co-curricular experiences,
transforming these experiences into a form that makes sense or has personal meaning to them, and
enabling them to make relevant conceptual connections between what they are trying to learn with
what they have already learned or previously experienced; (4) personal validation—college success
is more likely to be experienced when students feel personally significant, i.e., when they feel
recognized as individuals and that they matter to the institution.
This session will focus on how to transform these theoretical principles into specific strategies that
may be implemented in the FYE course via in-class pedagogy and out-of-class assignments.
Educator-Publisher Partnerships: Collaborating to Promote the Success of First-Year
Students
Joe Cuseo
Professor, Psychology; Director, First-Year Seminar
Marymount College
562-431-8051
[email protected]
Viki Fecas
Coordinator, Career Development Services
University of South Carolina
803-577-8284
[email protected]
Aaron Thompson
Professor of Sociology
Eastern Kentucky University
859-622-3047
[email protected]
Paul Carty
Director, National Book Program
Kendall/Hunt Publishing
563-589-1153
[email protected]
Tina Bower
Developmental Editor, National Book Program
Kendall/Hunt Publishing
563-589-1153
[email protected]
The value of collaboration in higher education is well documented, but one form of collaboration
has received relatively short shrift—collaboration between textbook publishers and educators. This
session will focus on promoting productive partnerships among FYE educators, authors of FYE
texts, and textbook publishers. One FYE textbook project will serve as an illustration and stimulus
for driving a larger-purpose discussion of how publishers may partner with educators to better meet
the needs of first-year students. Textbooks can strongly shape, define, or dictate the content of
college courses. The role of textbooks in delineating the content of FYE courses is particularly
significant because the FYE does not represent a single academic discipline comprised of a
traditional body of knowledge. Instead, it is a cross-disciplinary or trans-disciplinary educational
intervention (in terms of both scope and purpose), whose content is often fluid (at best) or illdefined (at worst). Questions arise about what body of research, theory and scholarship underlies
the course’s practical content, and how much scholarship should be included in an FYE course (and
text) whose focus is patently applied in nature, yet whose academic credibility is repeatedly
scrutinized and challenged.
The session will include discussion of textbook customization, and the creation of alternative
publication formats (e.g., course supplements, articles, monographs) designed to better serve the
needs of first-year students within the context of an FYE course, and within other programming
contexts that dot the landscape of a comprehensive first-year experience (e.g., summer transition
and summer reading programs, new-student orientation, and transfer student programs). This
discussion is designed to serve the dual purpose of (a) providing FYE practitioners the opportunity
to convey their ideas to publishers about learning materials may best meet their professional needs
and the educational needs of their first-year students, and (b) allowing publishers the opportunity to
assess whether viable markets exists to support the development and production of alternative
learning materials.
The Student Intervention Team at Maryville College
Chad Berry
Associate Professor of History
Maryville College
865/981-8265
[email protected]
Ariane Schratter
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Maryville College
865-981-8272
[email protected]
Michelle Ballew
Director of Residence Life
Maryville College
865-981-8194
[email protected]
Bruce Holt
Director of Counseling
Maryville College
865-981-8035
[email protected]
Our presentation will begin with explaining briefly about Maryville College and its challenges with
retention. We'll then discuss why the SIT was established and move on to its goals--to identify
students who might be at-risk for withdrawal and to develop and initiate intervention strategies that
seek to prevent withdrawal. We'll discuss some key assumptions behind the SIT: that students leave
because they have multiple dimensions of difficulty, that effective intervention strategies must be
unique to each student and his/her specific situation, and that there is at least one person on campus
best suited to provide assistance. We’ll explain the membership of the SIT and move on to
discussing the Triage Process that we’ve developed (low concern, moderate concern, serious
concern, and no further service available or wanted). We’ll explain how we’ve come to identify atrisk students to be discussed in SIT meetings and explain some of the variety of intervention
strategies we’ve adopted. We’ll provide some data about the number of interventions over the
four-year period, and then close with a discussion of the direct and indirect impacts on students as
well as impacts on the College (enhanced awareness of student issues, improved faculty-staff
collaboration, policy recommendations, etc.). We’ll share some individual student histories from
the SIT and conclude with what we’ve learned about the SIT’s role with retention (class attendance
is a very important indicator, “selective attrition” aids retention, better understanding of why
students leave, critical issues for the MC FYE program, better sense of “fit” and knowledge of
which students succeed, etc.). There will be ample time for questions.
At Maryville College, Everyone Goes Outside! The Use of Outdoor Adventure for First-Year
Students
Bruce Guillaume
Founder, Mountain Challenge
Maryville College
865-981-8125
[email protected]
Mary Steger
Program Director - Mountain Challenge
Maryville College
865-981-8125
[email protected]
Tyson Murphy
Program Specialist - Mountain Challenge
Maryville College
865-981-8125
[email protected]
One of the outcomes of "Orientation: Perspective on the College" at Maryville College is to form
meaningful groups among new FY students. To accomplish this end, Maryville College utilizes
Mountain Challenge - the college's outdoor program. Upon arrival, new students are welcomed to
the college and then assigned to orientation sections. Since orientation is required for all FY
students, there are typically 25-30 sections for new students. During the first three days all students
and all sections of orientation are engaged with Mountain Challenge.
Five sections actually travel off-campus for a three-day; two-night expedition experience. Two
expedition sections engage in whitewater and flatwater paddling. Two sections backpack, and one
section hikes and paddles on flatwater. All the other sections stay on campus and experience the
ropes course, canoeing, hiking, and/or the Alpine Tower. Trained Mountain Challenge staff provide
technical support for each trip and facilitate discussions about college life, student expectations,
and college expectations during each trip.
Unique in this effort is that Maryville College begins the first year experience with Mountain
Challenge and requires all students to participate.
Additionally, all students evaluate the experience upon completion. The results are calculated for
each orientation section and returned to the orientation leader. Also, results are compiled for the
entire class and compared to previous years to provide trending information.
This presentation will describe enough of the college's orientation program to provide an
appropriate context, the Mountain Challenge component in detail, and the evaluation mechanism.
Fostering First-Year Student Success: A Small College Perspective
Jerilyn Swann
Associate Professor of Biology
Maryville College
(865) 981-8068
[email protected]
Ariane Schratter
Assistant Professor of Behavioral Sciences
Maryville College
(865) 981-8272
[email protected]
Bruce Guillaume
Director of Mountain Challenge
Maryville College
(865) 981-8126
[email protected]
Chad Berry
Associate Professor of History
Maryville College
(865) 981-8265
[email protected]
Michelle Ballew
Assistant Dean of Students for Campus Life
Maryville College
(865) 981-8194
[email protected]
Our focus at Maryville College is on integration of academic life into a whole-student model that
encourages personal growth, campus involvement, and civic engagement. We started this
integrated approach 10 years ago with the First Year Seminar sequence, which begins with
Orientation and continues throughout the first year with academic courses focusing on individual
development, environmental study, and the American community. Through the evolution of the
First Year series and participation in the Foundations of Excellence project as a Founding
Institution, we developed a philosophy statement that guides our decisions in programmatic
offerings across college divisions. As a result, we have created a First-Year Experience
Coordinating Group comprised of faculty and staff who work regularly with first-year students, the
admissions director, and the athletics director, and that is chaired by the Chair of the Core
Curriculum. The FYE Coordinating Group meets regularly and tasks appropriate faculty and staff
leaders with course and curricular review in order to produce proposals for improvement that are
sent to the Academic Life Council (a curriculum committee). The FYE Coordinating Group also
hosts annual campus-wide summits that focus on various issues related to first-year students. For
example, our most recent summit centered on the psychological, social, and academic development
of current first-year students. As we are still working toward a comprehensive approach that meets
the needs of all First-Year students, we are anxious to hear how other small colleges are addressing
the challenge of fostering successful first-year students. The brief presentation of our recent
endeavors to integrate all aspects of first-year student life into a thoughtful, supported framework is
expected to generate fruitful discussion among roundtable participants. We will stimulate
discussion as needed with specific questions regarding approaches to academic expectations,
campus life, faculty advising, student wellness, civic engagement, retention, and diversity.
Making Connections
Earlean Smiley
Lecturer, Freshman Year Program
Medgar Evers College, CUNY
718 270 4969
[email protected]
Jane Alexander
Assistant Professor, Freshman Year Program
Medgar Evers College, CUNY
718 270 4963
[email protected]
This session will explore pedagogies and provide strategies for empowering and motivating
students in the Freshman Year Program at a public, urban, non-residential college to use their
critical thinking skills in cultivating a “family affair” learning environment. The presenters will
facilitate a discussion-type approach exploring the pedagogies and the learning strategies that
permeate the Freshman Year Program curriculum illustrated by a power point presentation. Time
will be given for participants to share their ideas, opinions, innovations, and initiatives that are
taking place at their various institutions.
Engaging Black Men in the First-Year Experience Through the Use of Technology, Music,
and Multimedia
Charles L. Jones
Lecturer/Counselor
Medgar Evers College/The City University of New York
718-270-4966
[email protected]
Lystra Huggins-Anderson
Lecturer/Counselor
Medgar Evers College
718-270-4971
[email protected]
Safiya Bandele
Lecturer/Counselor
Medgar Evers College
718-270-5155
[email protected]
Initially, one all-male section of First Year Orientation classes was created in the fall of 2004.
Fifteen students attended this class. This fall 2005, class size is thirty men. To supplement in-class
instruction, course content was transmitted via computer mediated communications designed to
enhance the students’ ability to better understand and perform in the course. Blackboard, an
interactive website, e-mails and the Discussion Board (within Blackboard), PowerPoint
presentations and online music sites and other multimedia were used to supplement the
teaching/learning/sharing approach through which students developed a collaborative project
supported by online research.
Various online music sites and genres were visited and discussions were used to stimulate, support
and assist students to complete course objectives. Students researched,
Developed, and produced a PowerPoint presentation of semester long activities.
Moreover, assessments included analyzing: 1) the value of the students’ being involved in an all
male learning environment; 2) the values of their being involved in an academic environment
where in-class learning was supplemented through the use of Technology, Music and Multimedia;
and, the value of students’ being involved in the development of research projects in which students
have an interest and stake in the outcome.
The students, faculty members, the Director of the Freshman Year Program, and college
administrators gained insight into the viability and success of an all male and/or female gender
section in the Freshman Year. Faculty members gained a greater appreciation that using
technology in teaching and research enhances their ability to diversify methodologies and improve
student outcomes. And, the students’ use of multimedia provided them with an interactive, visual
and “hands on” approach to learning which deepened their understanding of the subject matter,
while making it easy, convenient and fun
Summer Scholars: Students Needing an "In"
Jay Pendleton
Associate VP of Academic and Career Services and Director of the Office of First-Year Programs
and Academic Advising
Mercer University
(478) 301-2078
[email protected]
Tony Kemp
Associate Director, First-Year Programs and Academic Advising
Mercer University
(478) 301-2078
[email protected]
For the last several years, Mercer offered a summer program designed for students lacking the
prerequisites for admission to the University. The institution uses several criteria for assessing the
success of the program: number of students who successfully satisfy the academic requirements of
the program, academic performance of these students during their first-year, and retention rate of
the students from fall to spring. The session will provide a brief history of the program from its
inception to current status. Doing so will allow time to compare the effectiveness of the program’s
strategies.
The session will review the student and family programs that take place for participants prior to the
summer session. It will then review the selection criteria for summer courses, criteria for the
selection of summer faculty advisors, and advisor training and development. In addition, the
session will outline the specific academic support programs put in place to support the students
during the five weeks.
Included in the session with be evaluations of the program from the last three years, as well as
retention and academic performance data of student participants.
Enhancing Academic Skills to Meet University Expectations
Carolyn Hopper
Learning Strategies Coordinator
Middle Tennessee State University
615-898-2157
[email protected]
Inherent in student success programs of any sort is the premise that we want to show students how
to meet the academic expectations of the university or college. Just how do we go about this? What
makes up the framework for effective teaching and guiding students toward student success and
optimal learning? Educators who have interpreted brain research in light of student learning have
discovered that teachers and students should pay close attention to several components that make
for optimal learning. Three of these, meaning, present circumstances, and past history, provide a
framework for constructing our learning objectives, curriculum, classroom activities, and
assessment. The focus of this session is on developing practical strategies which address these three
components. While the presenter will lay a foundation for understanding brain research, the
emphasis of the interactive presentation is on applying research to practical strategies for learning
how to learn. The participants will examine some things they can do in presenting materials,
designing courses, and making assignments that enhance learning and some things that they can
remind students to do when learning something new and difficult.
The underlying premise of the session will be to remind instructors that they have the power to
present information in a way that may be more conducive to learning than they or their colleagues
may be using, and that student motivation is increased when students understand how they learn. It
may be more important to model how to learn than it is to teach topics we think students need to
know. The learning outcomes for the session include developing a simplistic knowledge of what’s
going on in the participants' brains and that of their students, and developing some practical
applications to enhance students' academic preparedness.
Mentoring the Next Generation of Student Advocates
Ralph Anttonen
Director of Exploratory Program & Chair of Academic and Student Development
Millersville University
717-872-3483
[email protected]
Michelle White
Director of Academic Advisement
Millersville University
717-872-3257
[email protected]
Jay Chaskes
Director of the Center for the Study of Student Life
Rowan University
856-256-3516
[email protected]
Recent research by Anttonen and Chaskes (2002) discovered that mentoring was the number one
process by which past First-Year Advocate award winners learned student advocacy skills. In
addition, a Chaskes and Anttonen (2005) chapter in the recent Jossey Bass Book: “Challenging &
Supporting The First-Year Students, A Handbook for Improving The First-Year of College”
proposes a skill set employed by these advocate winners in building first year programs for
students. Building on this empirical research, the present study sought to examine how advocates
learned these skills and whether or not they were mentoring the next generation of student
advocates. In addition, the study attempted to explore whether this skill was being passed on to the
advocate’s protégé and whether being a change agent was an important component in this process.
The study utilized a web based survey developed by the present investigators in conjunction with
John Gardner, Director of the Policy Center on the First –Year of College located in Brevard, North
Carolina and Stuart Hunter, Director of the National Resource Center for the First-Year
Experience. This survey was mailed, either electronically or in hard copy, to134 located past
student advocate winners who received this award from the National Resource Center between the
years 1990 and-2004. After, follow up requests, a total of 64 out of the 134 (48.5%) completed the
survey. The quantitative data was compiled and under the leadership of one of the principal
investigators, a research assistant read and categorized the open-ended responses into agreed upon
categories.
This presentation displays the findings of this study and also highlights some possible future
direction both for future research and also for mentoring efforts in the field of higher education.
Learning Communities Enhance Student Outcomes and Ignite Campus Expansion Efforts
Linda McDowell
Freshmen Year Coordinator/ Associate Professor of Education
Millersville University
717-871-2388
[email protected]
Carol Phillips
Assistant to the President and Associate Provost
Millersville University
717-872-3703
[email protected]
Collaboration and cooperation among Academic and Student Affairs faculty and staff has been key
to the success and expansion of Millersville University’s current freshman living/learning
communities (LCs). This shared commitment has been vital in creating a strong sense of
community among student and faculty participants both within their respective groups and across
campus. Assessment findings of our early pilot work has validated the relevance of this approach in
fostering student engagement and satisfaction with students’ entering college experiences and
resulted in significantly higher second-year persistence rates among program participants. Over the
past five years the living /learning communities have expanded from 2001, with six one-credit
seminars linked to one class: English Composition to 2003, when learning communities were
expanded to include three linked, theme-based classes. In 2004, growing success and interest
among faculty fueled expansion from six to twelve LCs, including several majors-based seminars.
Research outcomes indicate that veteran faculty report rejuvenation and renewal in their teaching
and junior faculty note that they have enjoyed classroom success. In a 2004 survey of all freshmen,
student participants reported greater satisfaction and engagement than their non-participating
counterparts. And focus group findings have repeatedly demonstrated stronger student
commitment to the University, enhanced student success in meeting goals for academic success and
gaining friends, and appreciation for the seminar approach with its emphasis on problem-based
learning. Also valued is the enhanced student-faculty relationship with its expansion of the
traditional adviser-advisee role. In 2005, as part of revision of General Education, three-credit
“passion” seminars are being piloted and will be compared with the outcomes of the one-credit
seminars as part of our ongoing efforts in expanding the freshman year experience program to
include all entering students.
Developmental Mismatch Among New College Students: Using First-Year Seminars to
Bridge the Gap
Laurie Hanich
Assistant Professor of Educational Foundations
Millersville University
(717) 871-2231
[email protected]
Linda McDowell
Associate Professor of Education
Millersville University
(717) 871 2388
[email protected]
Christine Anthony
Assistant Professor
Millersville University
(717) 872-3922
[email protected]
Most educators will identify life-long learning as a primary goal for their students. We want our
students to be intrinsically motivated to learn and to experience academic success. According to
self-determination theory, students’ motivation can range from extrinsic in nature, where students
perform because it leads to a particular outcome to intrinsic in nature, where students learn because
they find it inherently interesting and enjoyable (Deci & Moller, 2005). This model presents three
necessary conditions that must exist for optimal intrinsic motivation to occur: autonomy,
competence, and relatedness.
For good psychological development to occur there should be a fit between a person’s environment
and their psychological needs (Eccles, Midgely, Wigfield, Buchanan, Reuman, Flanagan, and Iver,
1993). For adolescents, this environment usually is the school environment since this is where they
spend the majority of their time. Theorists have written about the developmental mismatch that
occurs between adolescents and the high school environment, based upon the needs of adolescents
and the structure of the school. We argue this developmental mismatch continues to occur, and
may even be augmented, as students make the transition to the university life.
It is our belief that First Year Seminars can be constructed to facilitate the necessary conditions for
intrinsic motivation and to minimize the negative psychological consequences for students.
Although there are many different types of first-year seminars on campus, we focus our attention of
a University 101 type seminar. This type course provides entering freshman with an introduction to
the University with emphasis on assisting the student in selecting or exploring a major study. Our
roundtable discussion will focus on how we believe the activities and structure of First Year
Seminars meet students’ needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. We look forward to
sharing our ideas with other educators and to hear of their experiences which may assist us in
creating more developmentally appropriate environments.
Learning, Community, and Kindness: A Residential Learning Community and Various NotSo-Random Acts of Kindness Toward New College Students
Tom Carskadon
Professor of Psychology
Mississippi State University
662-325-7655
[email protected]
Stacey Mann
Instructor of Communication
Mississippi State University
662-325-8942
[email protected]
Charlie Wilder
Graduate Student in Student Affairs
Mississippi State University
662-717-1200
[email protected]
Our learning community included a group of entering first-year students who lived together in an
Honors Residence Hall and took both Honors General Psychology and Honors Public Speaking
with each other. One recruitment strategy, shared in detail, surpassed all others.
Goals included teaching the academic content of General Psychology and Fundamentals of Public
Speaking, while connecting the courses to each other and their content to the ³real world.²
Academically, we sought two additional elements: an introduction to the University and its
resources; and an introduction to issues of cultural diversity within and beyond University. Prior
experiments here suggested this was quite feasible.
Socially, we sought to build group cohesion through the learning community.
Students wrote journals that spanned both courses. Each instructor contributed assignments, and all
journals were read and responded to by both instructors. While the fundamentals of public speaking
had to be taught, the actual content of the speeches could be virtually anything. Thus while
demonstrating public speaking skills, the students informed each other about University resources
and the diversity of the university community.
We share specifics of a number of assignments, strategies, and methods that could profitably be
employed in a wide variety of first-year courses*and beyond*as well as an innovative program of
parent contact. We also share (and encourage you to add to) a list of 250 Not-So-Random Acts of
Kindness Toward College Students that you may try. Kindness and relationship-building, while
worthy goals in themselves, may also have long-term value.
The learning community was greatly valued by the students, but the particular elements that
students appreciated most and least were sometimes surprising. Awareness of these may help in
aligning student goals with pedagogical and institutional ones.
New Student Experience: A Holistic and Collaborative Approach to First-Year Student
Retention
Michele Campagna
Director, New Student Experience
Montclair State University
973-655-5369
[email protected]
Housed in Student Development and Campus Life, New Student Experience serves as a driving
force for curricular and co-curricular activities. Since its inception in 1997, NSE has expanded its
efforts to increase retention and graduation rates and to offer intentional experiences that support
learning and involvement. The department’s functions are organized through its comprehensive
strategic plan.
NSE is staffed by a Director, an Assistant Director, a Coordinator of Orientation and Family
Programs, four First-Year Counselors, a Program Assistant, and 25 Peer Leaders.
Welcoming 1,900 first-year students to campus this fall, MSU is the second largest and fastest
growing university in New Jersey. It draws its students from neighboring counties, contributing to
its ethnic, cultural, social, and economic diversity. Rated a medium-selective institution, MSU has
an 83.9% first-year student retention rate - a level more akin to that of highly-selective institutions
according to the Consortium for Student Retention Data.
NSE coordinates New Student and Family Orientation. This summer, nine two-day overnight
programs were offered through the collaboration between many departments across campus. A
Family Connection program and an Advisory Council are also being formed.
First-Year Counselors provide their caseloads with academic advising and counseling. Students in
academic jeopardy are closely monitored and referred to campus and community resources as
necessary.
NSE oversees the curriculum development and instruction of the New Student Seminar, a onecredit General Education requirement. Seventy sections are offered this fall with approximately
1800 students enrolled. About thirty of these sections are linked to Learning Communities also
coordinated by NSE. The department advocates for first-year academic issues on campus through
the assistance of its Academic Advisory Team
The First-Year Programming Series, which also operates in the residence halls, serves to promote
student transition and engagement. Issues addressed have included wellness, civic engagement,
academic integrity, as well as social programs.
Career Services and Employment Resources that Impact Retention
Wayne Barbour
Associate Dean of Student Development
Montgomery College
(301) 353-1963
[email protected]
Shirley Bliss
Job Opportunity Coordinator
Montgomery College
(301)279-5057
[email protected]
The proposed presentation will reflect Educational researchers' continued study of the factors that
influence the retention of college students. In summary, the findings indicate that in order to retain
the nation's students, institutions of higher education must be willing to lobby and develop
programs and services that address the needs of the students. With the number of students working
to afford the cost of a college education and to support themselves, programs and services must
provide them the wherewithal to balance their priorities in ways that result in retention and goal
obtainment. More students are attending two-year institutions today than a generation ago
(Tierney, 2005). The growth is predominantly among economically challenged and ethnically
diverse students of whom will be the first in their families to attend college, (Nunley, 2004). The
impact of the services and resources will depend on several things, such as hours of operation,
modes of service delivery, sensitivity to cultural differences, and content. The importance of Career
Services and Employment Resources to retention rates should be carefully considered while
structuring and funding student support services. Consequently, this presentation will focus on the
successful strategies that Montgomery College employed to develop their Career Services and
Employment Resources.
Changing Patterns of Campus Involvement in the First Year of College
Sara Hinkle
Associate Director, College Advising Center
New York University
212-998-8098
[email protected]
Jeannine Kranzow
Director of Academic Advising
Saint Leo University
(352) 588-7730
[email protected]
The positive educational and developmental impact of student involvement has long been hailed in
the literature (Astin, 1984; Kuh, Schuh, Whitt, & Associates, 1991; Pascarella & Terenzini, 1991,
2005). A goal of most professionals in the field is to help engage students in educationally
purposeful out-of-class activities, such as campus leadership, study abroad, intercollegiate athletics,
and Greek membership (Kuh, Palmer, & Kish, 2003). This objective is particularly important for
first-year students, who are just starting to connect with the institution and are especially vulnerable
in terms of making a positive adjustment that will foster their persistence and success (Tinto, 1993;
Upcraft, Gardner, & Associates, 1989)
Recent research suggests new trends in the ways that first-year students involve themselves on
campus (Keup, 2003; Kuh, et al., 2003). Students tend to be less involved in these traditional forms
of activities, and more involved in more academically related co-curricular opportunities, such as
service-learning and academic clubs. Others prefer more informal types of activities, such as
attending cultural or athletic events, or connecting with peers in the residential environment. Many
students in the later group fear that formal involvement will conflict with their academic priorities
(Light, 2001). The presenters found similar trends in both their research and practice.
The goal of this program is to present and discuss these new trends of engagement, particularly as
they relate to new college students. First, we will briefly review the relevant literature on
involvement, and present evidence of these shifting trends in student engagement. We will discuss
the implications these trends have for those in student affairs and new student transition programs,
such as first year seminars. Finally, we will allow ample time for participants to ask questions and
share their own insights about engagement patterns on their campuses, as well as how they are
responding to them.
A 2005 National Report of First-Year Student Motivation
Beth Richter
Senior Director of Retention Solutions
Noel-Levitz
319-337-4700 ext. 2303
[email protected]
Richard Miller
Research Consultant
Noel-Levitz
319-337-4700 ext. 5657
[email protected]
A 2005 national study reveals that 90,000 survey respondents were overwhelmingly positive about
continuing and completing their education. Initially, this presentation will describe the findings
from this national data set.
In particular, over 90% of the respondents agreed with the statements: “I have a very strong desire
to continue my education, and I am quite determined to finish a degree” and “I am very strongly
dedicated to finishing college – no matter what obstacles get in my way.”
Yet, national retention rates clearly indicate that there are counterbalancing variables that interfere
with persistence.
In this study, lack of financial preparedness and lack of academic preparedness emerge as two such
barriers, as indicated in students’ responses to such items as: “I have the financial resources that I
need to finish college,” and “I have a hard time understanding and solving complex math
problems.” These obstacles are consistent with studies that have shown an increasing number of
students arriving on campuses who are less prepared to succeed academically and less equipped
financially to deal with college costs, including an influx of first-generation students who are less
familiar with the opportunities provided by postsecondary education.
Especially noteworthy from this study is students’ level of receptivity to instruction on effective
ways to take college exams and their interest in selecting an educational plan that will help them
prepare for a good job. Almost half to two-thirds of respondents would like to receive help in areas
such as career guidance and improving math skills within their first few weeks of college.
In closing, implications for policy and practice will be discussed in relation to the findings. Many
campuses have found that they can connect incoming students with services they need early in the
term, thereby elevating student success and retention. Brief case studies will be shared.
Helping Students Build a Self-Portfolio: A Strategy for Success
Lauren Brown
Academic Adviser and Lecturer of Freshman Seminar
North Carolina State University
919-515-8499
[email protected]
Shannon Brandt
Academic Adviser and Lecturer
North Carolina State University
919-515-5838
[email protected]
The First Year College at North Carolina State University has begun implementing portfolios into
the first year student courses, Multidisciplinary Studies 101/102 as a new instructional approach
that emphasizes and promotes students’ understanding of themselves.
The presentation will introduce the concept of developing a self-portfolio. It is a collection of
academic experiences, achievements, self-evaluation and development that is started in the first
year, added to and utilized throughout their college experience.
One of the reasons that the First Year College uses the portfolio is to engage students in their
learning, making them accountable for their experiences and the process. Learning requires action,
interaction and application!
Self-portfolios provide ways of exploring and managing a student’s development through
expression of one self or individuality. They are designed to make accessible the outcome of
student learning and their reflections about the process. The portfolios capture and showcase
important learning experiences in and out of the classroom. Self-portfolios are collections of
materials that communicate who students are, display their interests, academic progress,
achievements in and out of the classroom and trace student development. This is an effective way
for students to save work, think about how they can improve, and plan for their academic future.
Portfolios are highly flexible tools that can also be used administratively for assessment not only
for the instructor but also for the department. Tracking student progress can lead to a greater
understanding of how the department is meeting curriculum goals and objectives.
Our presentation will be given in a PowerPoint format, including handouts and information on the
First Year College’s process for guiding students in creating the self-portfolios. We will also bring
examples of portfolios our students have completed to help illustrate points. After the formal
presentation, we will engage participants in a discussion of techniques they might currently use and
also take questions.
The Challenges and Opportunities of Interfaith Dialogue in Higher Education Communities
Janice Odom
Director, Caldwell Fellows Program
North Carolina State University
919-515-3837
[email protected]
The most challenging new arena of diversity education on the college campus today is that of
Interfaith Dialogue. At a time when our global community is seeing rising conflict based on faith
perspective, our campuses are concurrently becoming more diverse in the range of faith
perspectives among students and faculty.
The means and resources to proactively address the diversity issues of faith communities are
relatively scarce for campus administrators and faculty.
This session will be a dialogue event, inviting participants to share how faith diversity is being
recognized and addressed on their individual campuses.
Facilitated by the presenter, session attendees will discuss the potential benefits, challenges and
strategies of interfaith dialogue in the classroom and across the campus.
Attendees will receive a bibliography of resources and a profile of programs that have been
initiated at NCSU and other campuses to enable positive interfaith dialogue.
The session will approach the possibilities that exist in interfaith understanding when
commmonality among traditions is the starting point of dialogue. Attendees will be presented with
resources that delineate the common themes among faith traditions.
Assessing Student Readiness, Promoting Student Success: An Institutional Initiative
Rebecca Cole
Coordinator, Freshmen Academic Programs
Northern Arizona University
928-523-8225
[email protected]
Paul Gore
Director, Career Transitions Research
ACT, Inc.
319-337-1540
[email protected]
Margot Saltonstall
Assessment Coordinator, Division of Student Affairs
Northern Arizona University
928.523.7985
[email protected]
Eileen Mahoney
Director, Gateway Student Success Center
Northern Arizona University
928-523-4772
[email protected]
This session will highlight an institutional initiative designed to make use of data generated from
the administration of the Student Readiness Inventory to our incoming first-year class
(approximately 1600 students). The SRI generates ten construct scores and two risk indices that
identify individuals who may be at risk for 1) not being retained at the institution and 2) not
succeeding academically. Specifically, we will describe four programs that we developed to use
SRI data for the purposes of promoting academic success, campus engagement, and student
persistence.
Our first approach to using the information from the SRI was for early identification and direct
contact with students who were determined to be at risk for either failure to persist at the institution
or failure to remain in good academic standing. The SRI risk indices were used to develop decision
making rules allowing for identification of a “best served” student group. These students were then
invited by different campus offices for one-on-one advising sessions.
Our second approach to using the information from the SRI was to match student needs, as
determined by low scale scores, with specific university resources and services. This intervention
involved using information from the SRI to guide direct contact with students to invite them to
access services or participate in events.
Our third approach to embedding the SRI in first-year programming was to use particular scale
scores during instruction in our freshmen seminars. Our institution has two seminars, a three credit
course for underprepared students and a one credit transition to college course for regularly
admitted students. The different classroom activities used for both of these seminars will be
described.
Our fourth approach to including the SRI in first-year programming was to use the composite
indices (retention and academic success) to build a customized retention prediction equation for our
institution.
Retention and Academic Success Outcomes of Fall 2004 First-Year Seminar Participants and
Nonparticipants at Northern Arizona University: A Descriptive Study
Mary Fry
Adjunct Faculty--Doctoral Student
Northern Arizona University
928-635-9461
[email protected]
Rebecca Cole
Coordinator of Freshman Academic Programs
Northern Arizona University
928-635-9461
[email protected]
Margot Saltonstall
Assessment Coordinator for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs
Northern Arizona University
[email protected]
Researchers conducted a descriptive study to assess program participation by fall 2004 first-year
students enrolled at Northern Arizona University (NAU). Demographic and preenrollment
academic characteristics, program enrollment, measures of academic success, retention of program
participants (EPS 101 and FYE 101) and nonparticipants are described.
Results indicated that more females enrolled at NAU and participated in freshman seminar
programs with the exception that a greater percentage of males enrolled in EPS 101. More females
than males also chose not to participate in FS. Percentages of students enrolled in FS programs
reflect the percentages enrolled at NAU. Greater percentages of minority students are represented
in EPS and lower percentages are represented in FYE Honors. EPS students have lower mean SAT
and ACT scores, while FYE Honors have higher average scores.
Results related to academic success indicated a greater percentage of FS participants receive course
grades or A or B than C, D, or F. FS participants have lower probation rates than nonparticipants
with the exception of EPS 101 students. FS participants have higher mean GPA for the first
semester than nonparticipants with the exception of EPS students.
Results related to retention indicated that FS participants have a higher retention rate to spring and
fall 2005 than nonparticipants with the exception of EPS students who have a lower rate. Retention
rates are roughly equivalent between males and females with the exceptions that more EPS males
leave after the first semester. Retention by ethnicity by program is the most complex finding and
not easily summarized.
A possible explanation for the discrepancies in academic success and retention between EPS
students and other student groups is the initial lower academic readiness. EPS is designed to
improve the academic success, social integration, and retention of underprepared students. In
contrast, FYE is designed for academically prepared student, and FYE focuses on social
integration.
Teaching Critical Thinking in the First College Year as a General Education Attribute:
Three Decades of Research
Timothy Walter
Dean of Academic & Student Services
Oakland Community College
(248) 522-3812
[email protected]
James Berry
Dean of Academic & Student Services
Oakland Community College
(248) 522-3912
[email protected]
Over the past three decades, Dr. Timothy L. Walter and his colleagues have developed a validated
instructional program of basic critical thinking strategies that are based on Bloom's Taxonomy and
viewed as general education attributes by many institutions of higher education. These critical
thinking strategies are typically taught across the curriculum. Between 1973-2005, hundreds of
students received instruction in the basic critical thinking strategies while enrolled in FYE courses,
academic support courses, and traditional courses at colleges and universities. The critical thinking
strategies that these students have learned are those basic strategies upon which much higher level
critical thinking is based. One of the challenges that freshman students face is that much of what
they are expected to do requires what are thought to be higher order thinking skills. Yet, most
students haven't had the opportunity to learn or refine the basic lower and mid-level skills upon
which higher skills build. Without systematic use of these basic strategies, students struggle or fail
to learn higher level skills. The presentation will focus on introducing participants to the
intellectual model upon which these strategies are based and participants will then see how
instructors in the classroom can engage students in interactive classroom exercises which facilitate
the learning of basic critical thinking strategies that are general education attributes and applicable
across the curriculum to all courses. Participants will leave this presentation with the skills to teach
students in all courses, including the FYE seminar, the critical thinking strategies upon which the
higher level thinking is developed and which make thinking more orderly and effective.
Participants will learn how to teach students how to apply these strategies to information whether
written or spoken. They will specifically learn how to teach students to apply these strategies to
their texts, readings, lectures, and class discussions. With the increased focus on the teaching of
general education attributes such as critical thinking in our colleges, we believe that the freshman
year course at many colleges is the perfect point at which to introduce students to basic critical
thinking strategies. This experience provides students with an opportunity to learn strategies in a
"user friendly" environment and then apply the strategies across the curriculum.
Collaboration: Good for Student Success
Sandy Calvert
Assistant Dean, Getty College of Arts & Sciences
Ohio Northern University
419-772-2131
[email protected]
Justin Courtney
Assistant Director of Residence Life
Ohio Northern University
419-772-2401
[email protected]
A Power Point presentation will be used to highlight the work of a year-long task force on student
assistance and retention issues that resulted in a pilot study of an online electronic student referral
process in spring 2005. Examples from the pilot study will be used to walk session participants
through the development of the referral process, the distribution of information to student staff,
university faculty, and administrators. We will share our online form, the online tracking system,
the lessons learned through the pilot study and the concerns of Academic Affairs and Student
Affairs about working on such a collaboration.
We will also address the training needs of residence life student staff members, the concept of a
"one stop shop", and the development of a Task Force to address the student assistance and
retention issues on our campus. Included in this discussion will be plans for the development of a
campus brainstorming committee to address areas of concerns for students, faculty, and staff
through seminars and workshops (e.g., controller's office being concerned with credit card use by
students after being approached by credit card companies in student union to sign up for a card and
receive a free t-shirt or financial aid requesting a local banker discuss credit history with the
freshmen students). Handouts will be provided.
The LINK Career Development Project: Engaging First-Year Students in Professional
Development
Shiretta Ownbey
Associate Dean, Academic Programs and Services
Oklahoma State University
405 744-5053
[email protected]
Brecca Farr
Senior Coordinator, Career Services and Adjunct Assistant Professor - College of Human
Environmental Sciences
Oklahoma State University
405-744-9533
[email protected]
Jane Swinney
Assistant Professor, Department of Design, Housing and Merchandising
Oklahoma State University
405-744-5035
[email protected]
First-year students often do not grasp the impact of early engagement on their future career success.
The LINK career development project was designed to aid students in understanding the
importance of their involvement and to promote organized detailing of their connections,
experiences, reflections, and goals.
The LINK is a three-ring notebook that begins with an introductory letter and four check sheets
detailing integrated academic and professional experiences that promote success within the
students' chosen field. It also contains materials and activities organized in five sections: DREAM,
BUILD, PREPARE, CONNECT, and LEAD. Each section focuses on different but integrated
elements of the students’ professional development. For example, the DREAM section focuses on
self-reflection and the importance of establishing goals. The CONNECT section includes a
discussion about networking as well as pages to record contact information and save business cards
of individuals met during the student’s college experience. Within the PREPARE section, topics
reviewed include developing a master vs. dynamic résumé, writing effective cover letters, and
being well-prepared for an interview.
The LINK is distributed to every student in each First-Year Experience course; several assignments
and in-class exercises are completed that provide additional instruction and opportunity to use the
LINK. To encourage ongoing use of the LINK, as is the objective of the project, key faculty
members were introduced to the LINK and suggestions provided for ways to integrate it into their
subject-specific courses. For example, The LINK was used to integrate a focused activity within an
academic learning community. A job description assignment utilizing an industry publication for
job searching in nine areas helps freshmen research job opportunities and initiates visualizing the
career they want to pursue; this is kept in the Dream category of The LINK.
Sense of Belonging in First-Year Students: An Exploration of Gender and Ethnic Differences
Erin Mehalic
Graduate Research Assistant
Old Dominion University
757-567-9058
[email protected]
The purpose of this study was to determine if there were any gender or ethnicity differences in firstyear students’ sense of belonging. Participants were 1,125 first-year students enrolled in a
mandatory large-enrollment global environmentalism course at a mid-sized Eastern university.
Data was collected through online surveys which were given at the end of the semester. The
measure used in this study was the Sense of Belonging Scale, which has four subscales: perceived
peer support, perceived classroom support, perceived isolation, and perceived faculty support.
Between groups analyses of variance were used to assess for gender and ethnicity differences in
sense of belonging. Gender differences were found in three of the four subscales. Men reported
perceiving significantly less peer support and faculty support than females. Females reported
perceiving significantly less isolation than males. Ethnicity differences were only found in
perceived faculty support.
The findings in this study provide valuable information to universities that offer or intend to offer
large-enrollment courses. The professors involved in these courses will have a better understanding
of how they may adjust their pedagogy in order to meet these students’ needs. In the future, it
would be interesting to collect qualitative data to gain further insight into what experiences lead to
these responses.
Risky Behaviors in First-Year Students: An Examination of the Relationship Between
Alcohol Use and Sexual Behavior
Heidi Myers
Research Assistant
Old Dominion University
(757) 683-4591
[email protected]
First-year students may enter college with a distorted view of alcohol use and sexual behaviors
among their college peers. Evidence suggests that alcohol plays a major role in risky sexual
behaviors. Corbin and Fromme (2002) indicate that alcohol leads to a reduced likelihood of
condom use, the initiation of condom use, as well as initiation of alternative contraceptive methods.
Sumbayi et al. (2004) revealed that those who report drinking problems also report having
significantly more sexual partners, receiving money or material goods for sex, and having fewer
protective behaviors such as use of contraception and having other safe sex strategies. This is an
important area for university administrators to focus on when developing prevention programs for
first-year students.
For the purposes of this study, risky behavior is defined as alcohol misuse and risky sexual
behavior (i.e., having multiple partners and not using contraception). The participants of this study
were recruited from a southeastern, research university via an on-line survey. One hundred and nine
first-year students completed the anonymous survey at the beginning of second semester of college.
The online survey contained measures assessing alcohol use, problems resulting from over
indulgence of alcohol, sexual behavior, and contraceptive use.
The researchers hypothesize that students who drink often are more likely to engage in unplanned
sexual activity and are less likely to use protection than those who do not drink often. Correlations
and multiple regressions were used to assess the relationship between alcohol use and sexual risk
taking in first-year students. Results of the analyses and suggestions for future research will be
discussed.
The College Classroom Stressors Scale (CCSS): A Principal Components Analysis and Initial
Validation
Jennifer Morrow
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Old Dominion University
(757) 683-4448
[email protected]
Margot Ackermann
Research Associate
Old Dominion University
(757) 683-4591
[email protected]
Jennifer Cutchin
Instructor
Old Dominion University
(757) 683-4539
[email protected]
Attending college can be a stressful experience for students (Park, Armeli, & Tennen, 2004; Ptacek,
Smith, & Zanas, 1992). Academic concerns, relationship issues, and other factors can have a
profound impact on a student’s well-being, and issues such as these can cause students to perform
poorly in their courses. In addition, stress related to college can be so intense that students feel
compelled to seek services from the campus counseling center. University personnel should also be
concerned about the effects of stress on the retention of students and consider ways to make
adjustment to college easier for first-year students.
The purpose of this study was to create an instrument which could be used to collect baseline and
follow-up data on the stressors that students experience. This study details the development of the
College Classroom Stressors Scales (CCSS) and its initial validation in a sample of first-year
students.
One hundred and forty four undergraduates were asked to respond to the following question: List
five things about the college environment that stresses you out. The responses given by the students
were condensed and the resulting 81-item scale was given to a group of 452 undergraduates. An
initial Principal Components Analysis (PCA) resulted in a 29-item scale with five subscales. The
rating scale for this instrument contained seven response choices: strongly disagree to strongly
agree. The five subscales of the CCSS are: classroom isolation, classroom stress, significant other
pressures, professor responsiveness, and schoolwork issues.
The 29-item CCSS scale was then given to 1229 first-year students as part of a larger online survey.
A discussion of the reliability and validity of this new instrument will be discussed and
demographic (gender, ethnicity) differences will be presented.
Foundations of Excellence® Inventory of First-Year Practices
Kathleen Morley
Assistant Director
Policy Center on the First Year of College
828-966-5313
[email protected]
In February 2003, the Policy Center on the First Year of College invited AASCU and CIC
institutions to participate in a grant-funded initiative to vet standards of excellence for first-year
programming and organizational structure, and to develop a process for assessing the degree to
which those standards are being met. During March through June 2003, 219 institutions vetted the
proposed standards of excellence called Foundational Dimensions®. During 2003-2004, twentyfour select four-year Founding institutions piloted the Foundations of Excellence® model, which
entails a comprehensive assessment of the degree to which institutions are achieving the
Foundational Dimensions. Currently, 26 four-year and 10 two-year select institutions are
participating in the 2005-2006 implementation of the Foundations of Excellence model.
These institutions have agreed to convene a task force, conduct an inventory of first-year policies
and practices, use performance indicators to assess first-year Foundational Dimensions, analyze
survey data, develop a portfolio of evidence and summative evaluation of achievement on each
dimension, and produce an action plan. This presentation will be based on an analysis of the
Current Practices Inventories (CPI) collected at the 36 participating institutions. A review of the
CPI will address questions such as what are the common first-year policies and interventions, how
are institutions structuring oversight of the first year, what are the DFWI or
drop/failure/withdrawal/incomplete rates for courses with high first-year student enrollments, and
what are the current assessments being used to evaluate the first year.
In this presentation, an overview of the Foundations of Excellence model will be provided. The
Foundational Dimensions themselves will be distributed. Results from the Current Practices
Inventory completed by the thirty-six participating institutions will be reported. Finally, the
presenter will provide a summary of insights gained from this in-depth collection of first-year
practices among institutions participating in the Foundations of Excellence model.
Putting It All Together: Active and Community-Based Learning in First-Year Programs
Judith Patton
Director of University Studies
Portland State University
503 725-8367
[email protected]
Candyce Reynolds
Director of Mentor Programs, Associate Professor, University Studies
Portland State University
503 725-4657
[email protected]
Research tells us that active learning strategies engage students more effectively and create more
lasting learning, but what does active learning look like? What classroom strategies do faculty use
and how do they design assignments that cut across disciplines and even reach into the community?
What is the effect of these on the students and on their learning?
Presenters from Portland State University’s University Studies program will share examples of
classroom activities and assignments taken from a variety of Freshman Inquiry classes along with
student work samples. This session will focus on the modeling of active learning strategies. As our
“students,” participants will engage in a variety of active and cooperative learning activities. We
will demonstrate A/B sharing, pick a passage, and think, pair, share activities. We will discuss
each strategy and debrief why, when and how they can be used in our classrooms.
In addition, participants will learn about other active learning assignments, such as multiple
perspective presentations, developing reflective practices, class rubric creation, design problems
and community-based learning projects. Assessment data from the annual review of first year
student portfolios and end of year course evaluations will be used to show the effect of these kinds
of pedagogies. The presentation will stress the practices that make a difference in student
engagement and retention. Finally, participants will have the opportunity to share their active
learning activities with each other as well as reflect on how to incorporate these ideas into their
practice.
University College: A First-Year Neighborhood Built Around Effective Advisement
Lettie Raab
Executive Director: University College
Prairie View A & M University
(936) 857-4448
[email protected]
Juanel Sippio
UC Director of Academic Advisement
Prairie View A & M University
(936) 857 2306
[email protected]
Ila Schauer
Professional Advisor and Training Coordinator
Prairie View A & M University
(936) 857-2316
[email protected]
“The ethical imperative that guides the student-centered university is that students be treated as
ends in themselves, not as means to other ends such as the institution’s financial health or the well
being of departments.” (University Colleges and the Student Centered University, the Association
of Deans and Directors of University Colleges and Undergraduate Studies.) Some universities
include a structure that effectively contributes to promoting the qualities of a student-centered
university. This unit, often referred to as University College, typically focuses on first-year
students. Prairie View A & M University opened its University College (UC) in 2000 as a state-ofthe-art freshman residential complex, but it’s far more than a set of buildings! UC is a
comprehensive freshman program with holistic, intrusive advisement by professional staff at its
heart. Each student is assigned to a University College Academic Team that is resident hall-based
and includes 102 to 110 students, a Professional Advisor (PA), a Learning Community Manager
(LCM), two student Community Assistants (CA) and a Faculty Fellow. The UC model has
implemented accessible advisement, academic enhancement, support services/ referrals, and cocurricular activities within the residential complex. This presentation will detail the duties of the
professional advisors, as well as discuss the UC PA calendar that graphically indicates that holistic
advising is not “seasonal work,” but a year long commitment to student success. The presenters
will describe how UC has built a relationship with campus faculty through the Faculty Advisement
Coordinators (FACs), the Faculty Fellows (FFs) and the Professional Advisor Liaisons (PAL)
programs. The presentation will highlight the collaboration of the Professional Advisors and the
residence hall staff as part of an “academic team” focused on student success. This collaboration
runs the gamut from residentially-based academic programming to off-campus cultural programs.
UC has shown statistical success in improving freshman retention and academic performance.
Academic Issues Facing First-Generation College Students
Ila Schauer
Professional Academic Advisor
Prairie View A&M University
936-857-2306
[email protected]
Research continually suggests that First-Generation College Students are at a definite disadvantage.
They are less likely to have taken College Prep courses or college entrance exams. They are more
likely to be required to take remedial classes, more likely to work full time once they get to college.
They are more likely to come from low income families, have lower educational expectations and
receive less support from their families with the application process.
First-generation students are much less likely to attain a degree from their initial college than
students whose parents completed college. They face pressure from their families to “make us
proud”, yet they often straddle two cultures and are breaking rather than keeping family traditions.
The researcher who seeks more information about this student population finds several
contradictions. First, and foremost, there is no clear definition of the term ‘First Generation College
Student’. A commonly held definition for First Gen is that these students are the first in their
immediate family to attend college – period. However, a literature review shows that this is not a
universally held notion.
The second problem an advisor faces is how to identify this student population. Most current
research uses the self-select method which holds its own inherent concerns.
Obviously, these first-generation students need the help of a good academic advisor. This
roundtable discussion led by the chair of NACADA’s First Generation College Interest Group will
allow FYE participants to examine this unique student population. We will explore the latest
research, discuss interventions, and study the issues facing First Generation College Students.
Creating a Supportive Environment for Online College Success Students
Amy Baldwin
Distance Education Coordinator
Pulaski Technical College
501-812-2262
[email protected]
Ann Fellinger
Developmental English Instructor
Pulaski Technical College
501.812.2200
[email protected]
Kimberly Halpern
Developmental English Instructor
Pulaski Technical College
501.812.2200
[email protected]
Creating an online college success course for the community college student has its challenges. The
online environment has the potential to distance the instructor from the students and the students
from themselves, which is the antithesis of good college survival class. By using a variety of
WebCT tools and assignments, you can provide a warm, supportive environment that is interactive
and community oriented. Specifically, the presentation will cover WebCT tools such as
quiz/survey, student homepages, discussion board, student presentations, student tips, compile and
assignments. Participants will learn how the use of practice quizzes, private email, directed
discussion, weblogs, tips, focused feedback, and the creation of a commons area can bring a group
of students together to support each other and to have a true college experience.
Using Logic Models to Plan and Evaluate First-Year Programs
Deborah Bennett
Associate Professor
Purdue University
765-494-9748
[email protected]
Deborah Taub
Associate Professor of Educational Studies
Purdue University
765.494.9748
[email protected]
With increasingly scarce resources in higher education, first-year experience programs are facing
increasing pressure to provide concrete evidence of effectiveness. Heightened accountability
requirements have created a critical need for systematic assessment and evaluation to gauge the
attainment of projected program outcomes and impacts.
This paper will present applications of a decision-oriented logic model of the type developed by the
Kellogg Foundation and recommended for complex program designs (Kellogg Foundation, 2001).
A logic model includes an analysis of program resources (inputs), activities, outcomes, and impacts
(student, teacher, institutional) and enables program developers, the program implementation team,
and program evaluators to examine the relationship between critical processes and products during
the planning and execution of a program. The early development of a logic model helps program
personnel and stakeholders specify factors that could influence the successful delivery of a program
while increasing the probability that necessary resources are available to maximize positive project
impact.
The logic model approach differs from traditional assessment models in higher education because it
is dynamic rather than sequential, it is theoretical rather than atheoretical, ,focuses on multiple
program dimensions, and includes consideration of contextual factors (such as demographic factors
and institutional characteristics).
The presentation will lead participants through the development and use of logic models with an
emphasis on linking theory with practice. Participants will leave this session with familiarity with
the logic model and its use in designing and assessing first-year experience programs.
Enhancing Student Experiences and Retention Through Multicultural Learning
Communities
Melissa Dyehouse
Graduate Assistant for Assessment
Purdue University
765-496-3619
[email protected]
Natalie Rausch
Senior Assistant Director of Student Access, Transition and Success Programs
Purdue University
765-494-0969
[email protected]
Matthew Pistilli
Assistant Director and Coordinator of Databases and Statistics for Student Access, Transition and
Success Programs
Purdue University
765-496-3619
[email protected]
The overall goal of this presentation is to disseminate information about Multicultural Learning
Communities (MLCs) at Purdue University. Conference participants who attend this session will:
1. Gain an understanding of the MLCs, including their development and implementation.
2. Review measurable outcomes associated with MLCs at Purdue University.
3. Learn how to create similar programs on their home campuses.
4. Learn how Purdue’s MLCs are being evaluated and altered according to received formative
feedback.
5. Learn about incorporating multicultural themes into existing courses.
While a great deal of the presentation will be a lecture format, the presenters will allow for
questions from the audience and interaction between members about similar programs on their
home campuses.
In 1999, Purdue University launched its first Learning Community with 46 students. Fall 2005 saw
1,246 students enroll in 45 learning communities. To date, the first-to-second year and cumulative
retention rates for participants are 2.1 percentage points higher than they are for students who were
eligible but chose not to participate in Learning Communities. The positive impact of Learning
Communities on students of color and women is even greater. Minorities constitute a larger portion
of the LC participants (17.23%) than they do the total campus undergraduate population (11.9%).
Moreover, their first-to-second year retention rate is 4.1 percentage points higher than it is for their
non-participating minority counterparts.
By infusing multicultural elements into the curriculum and the living environment, the
Multicultural Learning Communities expose its minority participants to course content and
experiences that help them more closely identify with their academic experiences and enhance their
passion for learning. In addition, Caucasian participants find that by taking part in an MLC, they
are exposed to a richer and more diverse learning experience. Research also shows that
participants, regardless of ethnicity, who participate in an MLC have a greater appreciation and
respect for different perspectives and cultures when compared to non-participants. Early research
indicates a 10 percentage point difference in retention for participating minority students when
compared to their non-participating counterparts.
By creating supportive learning environments that examine the contributions of the many cultures
that comprise our campus, state, nation and world – a learning environment that celebrates
differences while simultaneously stressing similarities – the MLCs help all participants, minority
and majority alike, feel more comfortable and experience greater success in their new
postsecondary home. As a result, MLC students will be more likely to stay in and complete
college, and when leaving with their degrees, they will be better equipped to make contributions to
and advancements in Indiana’s and America’s diverse society.
Purdue Opportunity Awards Program – Creating Access, Achieving Success
Maura Scully Murry
Purdue Opportunities Award Program Director
Purdue University
765-496-2462
[email protected]
The overall goal of this presentation is to inform participants about the Purdue Opportunity Awards
(POA) Program. Conference participants who attend this session will:
1. Gain an understanding of the purpose of POA as it contributes towards achieving the land-grant
mission of greater access to higher education.
2. Examine the funding structure for this new scholarship initiative.
3. Identify the quantitative and qualitative mechanisms utilized to evaluate the POA program and
continuously enhance the quality of the program.
4. Discover how to integrate scholarship awards programs with peer mentoring and other student
success resources.
Although an interactive lecture format will provide the basis for this presentation, the participants
will be encouraged to ask questions and contribute to small group discussions concerning access
and transition issues.
In February of 2003, Purdue University’s President Dr. Martin C. Jischke requested the
development of a new initiative that would create greater access to quality education for students
who might otherwise not be able to attend Purdue due to financial and personal circumstances.
From this was born the Purdue Opportunities Awards Program, and the initiative has been evolving
ever since. The goal of the award is simple: to help at least one student from each county see the
significant roadblocks to higher education become stepping-stones of opportunity. The Program
provides a supportive environment that assists students financially, socially, co-curricularly, and
academically during their first two years of study at Purdue University West Lafayette.
POA enrolled its first class of 90 students during the fall 2004-05 semester. These students have
progressed to their sophomore year, and many are serving as mentors to the current class of 92
students representing 81 of Indiana’s counties. Program staff work to provide monthly gatherings
of students to help them succeed at Purdue. These gatherings range from social programs to
dinners with Purdue faculty and administrators to sessions on forming good study habits and time
management skills. The goal of these programs is to provide students with a strong support
network and resources that will help them overcome past personal and financial hardships and
graduate from Purdue University.
Improving Program Effectiveness with Student Development Theory
Deborah Taub
Associate Professor of Educational Studies
Purdue University
765-494-6946
[email protected]
Kathryn Widman
Graduate Assistant for Learning Communities and Residential Life
Purdue University
765-496-3619
[email protected]
Matthew Pistilli
Assistant Director and Coordinator of Databases and Statistics, Student Access, Transition, and
Success Programs
Purdue University
765-496-3754
[email protected]
The overall goal of this presentation is to educate participants about student development theory.
Conference participants who attend this session will:
1.
Understand how student development theory can help them work better with their students.
2.
Learn about theories put forth by Sanford, Chickering, and Perry.
3.
Learn how to approach students so as to help them gain competencies and develop
intellectually and socially.
The presenters have found in their professional lives that knowing where students are coming from
– their intellectual, social, and ethical mindsets – can help in getting students to develop further
while in college. They have also noted that while many existing programs have a theoretical
context to them, those actually implementing the program rarely have any training in the key
student development theory that provides the structure for what it is that they do on a day-to-day
basis. In not having this background, faculty and staff members can only do so much to help their
students succeed and grow.
We feel that by providing a primer on three commonly used student development theories, we can
aid faculty and staff in recognizing their students’ unspoken developmental needs related to
personal growth, relativistic thinking, personal competence, emotional management,
interdependence, and mature relationships.
The presenters will provide brief explanations of each theory, provide opportunities for attendees to
practice identifying where students are developmentally through case studies, and allow for
questions from the participants during the 60 minute session.
Faculty Mentor Orientation Program
William Tenbrunsel
Associate Dean for Academic Services
Roanoke College
540-375-2219
[email protected]
Adrienne Bloss
Professor, Assistant Dean for Curricular and Faculty Development
Roanoke College
540-375-2434
[email protected]
To strengthen the academic and cultural components of new student orientation, Roanoke College
recruited 23 faculty mentors to participate in all aspects of program planning and implementation.
Mentors selected an orientation book and considered ways of relating it to the college mission and
first-year transition issues. In cooperation with student orientation leaders, faculty mentors led "O
groups" of 25 new students, conducted book-related discussions and activities, and participated in a
variety of other on-campus and off-campus events.
The orientation program was established with well defined goals, and we will discuss how these
goals influenced the program's design and implementation. We will also outline the mentor
recruitment and orientation planning processes, share book-related materials mailed to students
during the summer, offer examples of faculty development exercises and preparation of student
orientation leaders, and describe planning and implementation of service activities, departmental
receptions, and regional excursions. We will touch on issues in integrating new and existing
orientation components and the increased interaction between Academic Affairs and Student
Affairs. Examining assessment results of this year's orientation in the context of the past five years'
orientation assessment data, we will discuss this year's successes and possibilities for improvement
in next year's program.
Participants will have an opportunity to relate ideas from this program to their own institutions.
Life Design: A Creative Approach to the First-Year Experience
Braelin Pantel
Director of Student Activities + Assistant Dean of Students
Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design
303.225.8538
[email protected]
Kecia Pedrett Leland
Dean of Students
Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design
303.225.8540
[email protected]
VA Hayman Barber
Director of Career + Alumni Services
Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design
303.225.8569
[email protected]
This session will provide an overview of a unique FYE program at Rocky Mountain College of Art
+ Design. In addition to a comprehensive Orientation program and peer mentoring programs for
first year students, the college offers Life Design, a seminar series for first year students. Based on
a six dimension wellness model, Life Design offers students opportunities to develop their personal
skills, competencies, and self awareness in the distinct dimensions of the Steven’s Point Wellness
model: social, occupational, spiritual, physical, intellectual, and emotional.
Life Design is facilitated by student affairs staff in collaboration with the Foundations of Art and
Design department at the College. The Foundations department strives to prepare students with the
fundamental skills needed for success within the College’s academic programs of study. Life
Design’s mission closely mirrors this, with an emphasis on preparing students for life with a basic
knowledge of how to cultivate a healthy and well life at college and beyond.
For each week of the Life Design program, students chose one seminar to attend. Seminar topics
were based on the wellness dimensions from the model used, but were each unique in content and
focus. The seminar series concluded with sessions for first year students about class registration for
the following term and a service project for all student participants. Life Design was implemented
for under $1,000.
This session will provide participants with information about this creative and unique approach to
the First Year Experience. Participants will be given curricular examples of seminar content as well
as tips and suggestions for creatively approaching the first year experience or modifying existing
programs. This session will be of particular value to practitioners who seek new ideas for campuses
at which a more traditional model of the First Year Experience may not fit with the campus culture.
Embedding Self, Major, and Career Exploration in the FYE: Value for College of Business
First-Year Students
Joanne Damminger
Executive Assistant to the Vice President for Student Affairs
Rowan University
856-256-4453
[email protected]
Betsy McCalla-Wriggins
Higher Education Specialist
Rowan University
856-589-4499
[email protected]
Robert Pritchard
Professor of Finance
Rowan University
856-256-4500 x3477
[email protected]
Gregory Potter
Interim Dean of the Campbell Library
Rowan University
856-256-4961
[email protected]
This presentation describes a Career Development Program that embeds self and major exploration
in the College of Business First-Year Seminar curriculum. Such exploration is paramount to firstyear learning and informed career decision making. Not surprisingly, when college-bound students
are asked why they decided to attend college, they list the primary reasons of getting a better job
and making more money. College of Business majors often indicate that they choose a business
major because of the prospects for rewarding, high-paying positions that can lead to career
advancement. In actuality however, many Business majors know little about the major and less
about specific specializations within the Business major. This presentation will describe a program
prepared jointly by the College of Business and Career and Academic Planning (CAP) at a regional
public university. The Career Development Program includes major exploration and job search
preparation in the freshman, junior, and senior years. Although this presentation will briefly
describe all three Career Development Modules, it will highlight the freshman module. Attendees
will learn how the First-Year Seminar Business course includes self, major, and career exploration
to assist first-year Business students in understanding their major and making intelligent course,
major, and career choices. As part of the program, College of Business freshmen are required to
attend a workshop which introduces them to exploration using the MyRoad.com interactive
guidance program. Information about the online site and student handouts will be explained during
the workshop. The benefits of embedding this type of self and major exploration in the First-Year
Seminar will be discussed. Attendees will be invited to share experiences and contribute to the
richness of the presentation.
Developing a Fall Bridge Program for Entering Science and Math Students
Gloria Payne
Chair, Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Saint Augustine's College
919-516-4151
[email protected]
Ken Alston
Director, Fall Bridge Program
Saint Augustine's College
919-516-4072
[email protected]
The major goal of the Fall Bridge Program is to assist in the retention of science, technology,
engineering and mathematics (STEM) majors. This presentation will provide conference
participants with a model to supplement learning for first year STEM students. The presentation
will discuss the following components of the program:
1.
Curriculum Enrichment: The poster presentation will outline the steps taken to extend the
gate keeping courses into the Fall Bridge Program curriculum. The college has extensive
experience in Summer Bridge programs and as a result of these programs there was clear evidence
to indicate that a fall bridge would be more beneficial in achieving the goal of retention. It
provides an opportunity for developing and guiding the learner through the first semester in a direct
hands-on method. Traditional students can be quite possessive with the weekend and many do not
consider it a time for academic enrichment. The challenges faced in dealing with this type of
mindset will be presented. Interviews and photographs of program participants will be exhibited in
the presentation as well. Samples of surveys and the pre and post tests will be available for
conference participants.
2.
Faculty Development: Faculty members who participate in the program are required to
submit additional paperwork. They are also required to adhere to guidelines that are specific to the
gate keeping courses. These guidelines and challenges will be outlined in the presentation. It was
evident that one has to be very careful in the selection of faculty who teach first year students.
3.
Program Structure and Administration: The program is administered in the Division of
Natural Sciences and Mathematics. It is financially supported by the National Science Foundation
and the Health Careers Opportunity Program (HCOP). The structure consists of a program director
that reports to an external evaluator and the chair of the Division of Natural Sciences and
Mathematics. The faculty who teach the gate keeping courses are required to be in constant contact
with the program director. The poster presentation will outline the duties and responsibilities of the
director, evaluator and faculty participants.
“Let Me Call My Mom First!:” The Challenges of Working With Millennial Students and
Their Parents
Jeannine Kranzow
Director of Academic Advising/Assistant Professor
Saint Leo University
352-588-7730
[email protected]
Sara Hinkle
Associate Director, College Advising Center
New York University
212-998-8130
[email protected]
While student development theory (Chickering, 1969) and academic advising standards (CAS
standards) document the importance of first-year students making their own decisions and working
through the struggles they encounter, millennial students have some characteristics which make
these experiences more important than ever before. Literature about this generation indicates that
students do not have experience making important decisions on their own. Many millennial
students are accustomed to being told what to do (Howe & Strauss, 2000) and are most comfortable
in a passive role. This is complicated by the fact that many parents of this generation are
characterized as “helicopter” parents. That is, they tend to hover over their children and are highly
involved in the decisions that students make.
Many colleges and university faculty and staff report challenges to certain aspects of the first-year
experience because of the nature of the parental involvement. This session will look at
characteristics of millennial students and discuss how these characteristics affect practice for those
who work with first-year students. Although parental involvement can mitigate the impact a
campus has on a student (Weidman, 1989), those who work with first-year students can have a
substantial influence if they work with (and not against) parents.
The session will address issues of student development, student-decision making, student
responsibility, and ways to involve parents appropriately in the first-year experience. Participants
will come away from the presentation with a better understanding of ways to assist students of this
generation.
Focus: A Learning Community Shaped by the FYE Course
Dana Basinger
Director of Freshman Life
Samford University
205-726-2216
[email protected]
Lori Bateman
Instructor in Core Curriculum
Samford University
205-726-2216
[email protected]
Mary Sue Baldwin
Director, Center for Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship
Samford University
205-726-4097
[email protected]
At Samford University, Focus was piloted in fall 2005 as a learning community (LC) comprised of
three core courses. Although this was not Samford’s first foray into learning communities, a team
of nine instructors sought to make Horizons (Samford’s one-credit, first year experience course),
the foundation of each of the three Focus cohorts. The team members created and implemented the
LC curriculum with the goal of strengthening the Core; by uniting Horizons with first year courses
Communication Arts 101 and Cultural Perspectives 101, LC students could study the historic
problems of inner-city Birmingham, and be challenged to integrate their faith, learning, and living
by reflecting upon their service experiences. A secondary goal was institutionalizing the
theological exploration of vocation as a critical part of the first year experience.
All courses in Focus curriculum explore three driving questions:
*
Why Am I Here?
*
Who Am I?
*
How Do I Live Responsibly?
Cultural Perspectives explores these topics through the study of literature, history and philosophy;
Communication Arts through writing, public speaking and service-learning; and Horizons through
examination of topics uniquely relevant to first year students”e.g., Samford’s mission, liberal
education, developmental milestones, vocation, diversity. Supplementing these efforts were four
freshmen-only convocations held throughout the fall semester which offered presentations by
experts on particular topics: The Samford Distinction, Personality Assessment, Vocation, and
Diversity.
Samford’s Center for Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship conducted first week, mid term and final
surveys of the Focus students, as well as interviews with all instructors. The results of these efforts
will be compared and contrasted with students and faculty from the other 25 standard Horizons
sections at the conclusion of the fall semester.
From Start to Finish: Successful Classroom Interventions
Shelley Rinehart
Retention Counselor
San Jacinto College South
281-922-3444
[email protected]
Joan Mauldin
Developmental/ESOL Department Chair
San Jacinto College South
281-922-3456
[email protected]
Our conference session begins with a brief snapshot of our campus demographics, community and
placement within a multi-campus district. This provides session participants a context for assessing
transferability of these strategies to their own campuses. We will discuss the Center for Student
Development areas and our philosophy of going out to the students instead of waiting for them to
come to us. We also share our methods for achieving buy-in and support from faculty to let us
come into their classes to make these various presentations including relationship building with
faculty, staff and administrators, department liaisons and relationships with developmental
instructors. Another method for achieving faculty support has been that our initiatives are datadriven and we share these results with faculty to show them that what we are doing is really
working. A faculty member will be present to give the faculty perspective. We will talk
specifically about recruiting students (GED classes, ESOL classes, and high school visits), giving
students resources for success (Freshman-level course presentations, distance learning resource
sheet, "Improve your Grades" handout), Developmental Math Presentations, Classroom
Presentations on demand, Presentations to upper-level Math courses and postcards to increase our
number of graduates. This session will wrap up with a discussion of new initiatives that are in the
planning stages. This presentation covers initiatives that take the student "From Start to Finish!"
The Boot Camp Approach to FYE: A Radical Approach to Retention of First-Year Students
Vida Kenk
Interim Dean, College of Science
San Jose State University
408 924-4800
[email protected]
Michael Randle
Student Development Specialist
San Jose State University
408 712-7248
[email protected]
The presentation is entitled, “The Boot Camp Approach to FYE: A radical approach to retention of
first year freshmen part 1.” This presentation examines collaborative efforts of the College of
Science and the Student Advising Center at San Jose State University aimed at motivating and
assisting first year freshmen with becoming academically successful at San Jose State University.
The Associate Dean of the College of Science and a Student Development Specialist from the
Student Advising Center co-developed a first year experience course entitled, “Success In Science.”
Affectionately (and appropriately) referred to as “Science Boot camp” this course has had great
success in facilitating the academic success and retention of first year frosh and has contributed
greatly to the College of Science’s student retention and student academic achievement statistics.
Additionally the course has become a “catch all” for the delivery of specified services to targeted
populations. The course has evolved into a structured academic support program that combines
elements from educational equity outreach and academic support programs, a “boot camp” like
regiment and academic content and pedagogy.
A presentation featuring the Interim Dean of the College of Science and the Student Development
Specialist that pioneered the collaboration between academic departments and the advising center,
will describe the nature of the collaboration; the methods used to facilitate faculty “buy-in”; and the
program design and training necessary for faculty and staff to participate as instructors for the boot
camp course. Secondly course objectives will be discussed and outcomes shared through data
collected by the presenters. Third, presenters will discuss examples of targeted students populations
that have been served by the course and discuss how the utilization of the course in this manner has
saved the campus tens of thousands of dollars. Afterwards the presenters will facilitate a dialog
between themselves and audience members.
Getting to Know You: A Campus Initiative to Engage First-Year Students Before They
Arrive on Campus
Agnes Gottlieb
Dean of Freshman Studies and Special Academic Programs
Seton Hall University
973-761-9786
[email protected]
The University Retention Committee and Freshman Studies instituted a series of opportunities for
first-year students to interact with the university and important departments prior to arriving on
campus for the Fall semester. Operating on the assumption that the sooner a student feels at home
at the university, the more likely it is that we will retain them, Freshman Studies worked
extensively with Information Technology’s applications department to seamlessly encourage
students to get to know us virtually.
The ambitious project, which was launched in March as students began sending in their tuition
deposits, had seven specific components: 1. students were given a technology user name and access
to the university computer system when they sent in their tuition deposit; 2. students were also
instructed at that time in how to access the university’s learning platform, Blackboard, so that it
quickly became the vehicle of choice for students to enter in to the university system (this was
important so that students see the messages and announcements posted there); 3. students who took
language placement tests did so through the Blackboard portal, again reinforcing this entry as the
appropriate access to the university system; 4. students who attended Orientation in June were
given their laptop computers at that time; 5. our incoming Pirate Class of 2009 was directed to
participate in our “Doubloon" scavenger project, which allowed students to collect gold coins by
virtually visiting campus web sites; 6. students were able to participate in weekly chat sessions so
that first year students could ask questions and hear about important programming and policies; 7.
students were required to complete a series of summer assignments that required technology,
including an alcohol awareness program, a virtual orientation to the university library and a career
assessment program. More than half the students who attended orientation in June participated in
the summer online scavenger hunt.
Infusing Best Practices for Improving Student Learning and Success Into an Integrated
FYRST Seminar and Learning Community Initiative
Amanda Yale
Associate Provost for Enrollment Services
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
724-738-4868
[email protected]
Jessamine Montero
Assistant Director, Act 101/Academic Advisor
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
724-738-2112
[email protected]
Connie Laughner-Ramierz
Academic Advisement
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
724-737-2226
[email protected]
Cathy Brinjak
Director, Academic Advisement Resources
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
724-738-2009
[email protected]
Chrissy Le
Student Assistant
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
724-738-4868
[email protected]
In fall 2000, Slippery Rock University began to explore the use of an integrated first-year seminar
and learning community cluster (FYRST/LCC) initiative as a key ingredient to enhancing first-year
student learning and success. The FYRST/LCC initiative was developed with the goals of
improving student learning and success, increasing student persistence, academic performance, and
academic and social integration with the institution. Initially, SRU created a pilot program which
enrolled about half of the first-year students. Today, over 97% of our incoming first year students
participate in the program.
This effort represents a campus-wide collaboration of many faculty and administrative staff (nearly
150 faculty from each of the institution’s four colleges and the Academic Services Department
teach the FYRST course or one of the cluster courses), administrators (President, Provost, and
College Deans who provide both public support and financial assistance), academic and student
affairs administrators (who serve as guest lectures and presenters), and clerical staff who are a
constant source of guidance throughout the entire process.
The initiative also embodies a creative path to approaching faculty development. Over the last two
years, the support for faculty development was enhanced through the use of an e-communications
tool for FYRST Seminar faculty in which all course materials, research on the seminar, and
strategies for teaching the seminar are provided entirely on-line through the use of an electronic
classroom learning tool and makes course materials available to students and faculty 24/7/365.
Now, in its fifth year, the FYRST/LCC program also incorporates an active peer leadership
component within its structure. Integral to the peer leader program, seminar faculty and peer
leaders are genuine collaborative partners providing the following student transition services: (1)
information on academic advising, major and career exploration, and scheduling; (2) connections to
campus resources, activities, and events; and (3) involvement and engagement in institution
services and activities.
Presenters will share materials related to program development and assessment.
Group Intimacy and First-Year Success
Beckie Hermansen
Director of Student Activities
Snow College
435-283-7120
[email protected]
This presentation will begin with a full description of Snow College and the Start Smart first-year
seminar at Snow College. Included with this description will be definitions of section leader,
mentor, and participant--this will also include common characteristics for the population being
studied (i.e. average age, socio-economic status, secondary school location). Traditional methods
of Start Smart instruction as well as average group sizes will be presented (i.e. syllabi, session
meetings, other requirements for a passing grade). Included with the presentation on Start Smart
will be basic statistics such as the number of students participating compared to non-participants
and the number of non-completers compared to those students receiving a passing/completing
grade. Next, there will be a presentation on the nature of the study: the three treatment groups and
the control groups. A brief discussion as to the methodology chosen as well as relevant literature
will be presented (specifically literature on group size, formal vs. informal meetings with college
personnel, and how technology as a form of communication/conversation either embraces or
alienates students to campus. Results from the study will be presented, including all statistical
figures and analysis. And interpretation of these results will follow. Finally, implications,
limitations, and areas of further research will be discussed. The final minutes of the presentation
will be open to questions/answers.
Connecting First-Year Academic Planning and Career Planning via a Transitions Initiative:
One Institution's Story
Leon Book
Director, Student Transitions & First-Year Experience
Southeast Missouri State University
573-651-2688
[email protected]
Theresa Haug Belvin
Assistant Director for New Student Programs
Southeast Missouri State University
573-651-5166
[email protected]
Wendy Blocker
Assistant Director for Career Linkages
Southeast Missouri State University
573-651-2583
[email protected]
That the presenters’ institution, Southeast MO State University in Cape Girardeau, provides a highquality admissions process followed by a well-organized and well-executed orientation program is
not unique. Neither is their institution’s required first-year seminar (FYS), in place and integral to
the general education program since 1988, particularly newsworthy. These student transition
elements would be conspicuous only in their absence! Presenters describe how these services have
been combined with career development to form a Transitions Initiative that features a unique
configuration of services under one umbrella. The presenters profile a unique partnership between
the University and Missouri’s Division of Workforce Development (DWD) that predicts improved
student transitions across the four (or more) years of students’ academic and career development.
The emergence of this partnership has been coordinated with the redesign of the University’s career
services unit, Career Linkages. They explain how DWD has hired and pays the salary and benefits
of four developmental career counselors who work alongside academic advisors, Career Linkages
professionals, and University faculty and staff to ensure that beginning students find a career path
that is appropriate for their talents, interests, and abilities. They further describe the process
underway to connect academic planning and career planning formally and intentionally beginning
with the FYS and continuing throughout students’ academic careers. They relate how the
cooperation among all parties allows for better development of student learning opportunities,
improved supervision and assessment of students’ experiences, and higher quality service to all
program constituents. Audience members will participate in discussions of the advantages of such a
partnership and will learn how to initiate such a partnership in their states, as well as help the
presenters anticipate challenges to successful implementation of the Transitions Initiative on their
campus.
Wellness and Activity: A Missing Link in Retention?
Chrisanne Christensen
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Southern Arkansas University
870-235-4934
[email protected]
It is essential to provide students with all necessary tools to successfully manage the stress of
college life. A critical piece of student success is the incorporation of healthy alternatives for
dealing with increased pressure, stress and changes in lifestyle. First Year programs represent a
logical mechanism for the dissemination of this important information. Our investigation assessed
the role of activity and wellness in First Year programming. A sample of participants (N=30)
attending the 2004 Annual Conference on the First Year Experience was surveyed to determine the
existence of health and wellness component. Data indicate that 23.1% reported a significant
contribution in areas of wellness and activity Additionally, colleges and universities reported a
willingness to include wellness issues in First Year programs.
During the transition from high school to college available time for healthy activity decreases by as
much as 6 hours per week. Colleges and universities are urged to implement significant health and
wellness components in curricula. The possibility of a correlation between wellness activities and
student grade point average should be explored. Further study linking wellness and activity to
student perceptions of success is recommended.
Using the Student Readiness Inventory to Introduce Critical Skills for College Success
Through a First-Year Experience Course
Rachel Pickett
Graduate Assistant
Southern Illinois University – Carbondale
618.453.4351
[email protected]
Virginia Rinella
Director; Pre-Major Advisement Center & Freshman Seminar Program
Southern Illinois University - Carbondale
618.453.4351
[email protected]
This session will focus on how we have incorporated results from the Student Readiness Inventory
(SRI) into our existing first-year experience (FYE) course. First, we will present an overview of the
SRI and how it was developed. The SRI yields individual student scores on ten different scales. The
ten scales include: Academic Discipline, General Determination, Goal Striving, Commitment to
College, Study Skills, Communication Skills, Social Connection, Social Activity, Academic SelfConfidence, and Emotional Control. Descriptions of these scales will be presented. We will also
briefly describe the research supporting the utility of the SRI as a predictive instrument with respect
to academic performance and retention.
We will spend the majority of our session describing curricular modules that we have developed to
specifically connect results from students’ SRIs to our existing FYE curriculum. Several lesson
plans will be presented, ranging from introducing the SRI in one class period, to infusing the SRI
into multiple class periods throughout the course. Activities and ideas will center on how to engage
students and motivate them to strengthen the skills and attitudes that will promote their success. We
will also offer several ideas about how to link SRI scale results to common topics featured in FYE
texts. Finally, we will describe our experience of including the SRI in an FYE course from the
perspective of the coordinators, instructors, and students.
Humor In the Classroom: Jest for the Health of It!
Jeannie Killian
Advisor, Instructor, Training Specialist
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
618-453-6967
[email protected]
As service providers for First Year Freshmen we share not only in the joy of their accomplished
transition into higher learning, but also in the stressors in teaching/modeling daily academic living
skills.
For most of us, this comes when we lose our sense of humor. One of the most powerful stressbusting options for creating a positive academic environment, however, is also one of the most
underappreciated, underutilized, and under-valued resources we have at our disposal – our sense of
humor.
From many studies and research, we know that healthy people tend to be the most productive, and
laughter contributes to good health. Laughter improves circulation, fills the lungs with oxygen-rich
air, stabilizes blood pressure, and causes beneficial changes in the chemistry of the body. Twenty
seconds of intense laughter, even if faked, can double the heart rate for three to five minutes.
Laughter stimulates the production of catecholamines, the alertness hormones.
Biologically, we are still quite primitive and our reactions to stressful situations are exactly the
same as those of our original ancestors. Our bodies respond to stress by pumping adrenaline into
our system as a way to prepare for “fight or flight”. Unfortunately, that response was created for
things like saber tooth tigers and big wholly mammoths, not a first semester freshmen. The
physical response is designed to give us the best possible chance of survival in a dangerous
situation. Fight or flight was not intended as a response to cell phones or iPods.
While some teachers or administrators may find that humor in the workplace is unprofessional,
studies have shown that people with a good sense of humor are promoted faster and go further in
educational settings than humorless people do.
Do the lives of the people you impact upon on campus feel your stress and pressure? If your
consumers, your students, feel your stress are you doing them a disservice?
In summary, successful campuses are discovering what a powerful tool our humor resource can be
on stress and transitional change. When applied properly, humor is a proven catalyst for creativity,
team building, morale boosting, and motivation. The effects of a good laugh can last for up to 24
hours. One study found that humor works faster on the body than either Valium or Vodka. In
other words, our sense of humor is a sugar-free, tax-free, cholesterol-free, nicotine-free, fat-free,
carbohydrate-free, non-addictive, environmentally friendly stress-reducing option that doesn’t
require any special equipment or membership fees. Remember, he who laughs in the classroom,
lasts in the classroom!
Diversity Begins at Home
Jill Wilks
FYE/Learning Specialist
Southern Utah University
435 586 7847
[email protected]
This workshop will start with the presenter asking participants to identify their sense of what
universities and cultures around the globe might want to achieve in regards to diversity. Then the
presenter will introduce a metaphor to describe how humans build meaning and develop beliefs.
(Their packet will include step-by-step descriptions for two in-class, hour-long, activities that
illustrate to students how humans shape meaning.) With thoughts of how we build meaning in
mind, participants will begin to use the primary experiential tool mentioned in the Session Abstract
as if they were students in the class. Short, interspersed lecturettes will detail how to use the tool
and how to understand the tool’s capabilities to allow greater objectivity in listening to and
accepting various backgrounds, points of view, and ideas. The presenter will suggest that by using
this model to first address universal human characteristics, students will more consciously develop
a value for diversity. Once participants have spent time filling in each area of the model, they will
socialize with each other, using the model as a basis for conversations. Finally, individual
participants from the small groups will report to the larger group about realizations made while
using the tool. Questions and comments will be encouraged throughout the presentation.
Participants will receive copies of the model, instructions and methods for using it.
Finally, Student Success in Developmental Mathematics
Susan Peterson
Coordinator of Remedial Math
Southern Utah University
435-586-5441
[email protected]
There are a variety of people and unique strategies involved in the success of our students.
1. Math 0900 is a 2-credit class that meets at least 4 days per week. Math 0990 is a 4-credit class
that meets 5 days per week.
2. The teacher and each student meet once a week in a one-on-one, 15-minute, Progress Meeting.
At each meeting the student is made aware of their progress. Homework, quizzes and tests are
discussed. Plans for improvement are made and carefully monitored.
3. At the beginning of each semester the students take an assessment exam. The results are
discussed during each student's Progress Meeting and appropriate recommendations are made.
4. Each teacher has an office with direct access to a tutoring area. This arrangement facilitates
getting the students into the tutoring lab for help. The tutors in our lab are trained using the College
Reading and Learning Association standards (CRLA)
5. We use a computerized homework program that comes with each student's textbook. To
supplement the computer problems, the students are assigned problems out of the textbook that
they work by hand. The work on these problems is graded to make sure each process is understood
and demonstrated.
6. Student Support Services is a federally funded program on the SUU campus that provides
additional support to those who are first generation students, low income students, ESL students
and those students with physical or learning disabilities. They also offer Math 0920, Math Anxiety
Reduction.
7. Toward the end of each semester, during Progress Meetings, each student is advised about the
next math class they should take. Once the student is out of remedial math we work closely with
the math department to ensure that each one is progressing toward completion of a general
education math class.
Reengineering the First-Year Experience at Southern Utah University
Abe Harraf
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Southern Utah University
435-586-7704
[email protected]
Patrick Clarke
Director, Student Success Center
Southern Utah University
435-586-5479
[email protected]
Blair McDonald
Associate Professor of Engineering
Southern Utah University
435-586-7908
[email protected]
Earl Mulderink
Faculty Civic Engagement Coordinator
Southern Utah University
435-865-8323
[email protected]
The goal of this roundtable discussion is to open a dialogue about how to effectively stimulate
collaboration and accountability among campus stakeholders as a means to bolster the impact of
retention based programs. Over the past four years, Southern Utah University has reengineered
many of their existing programs to share a common vision and to work more collaboratively with
each other. From partnering with the university’s housing and residence life office, to overhauling
the curriculum of the existing first-year seminar, to re-envisioning the university’s honors program
and convocations lecture series, SUU has made tremendous strides to bring greater focus to the
experience of first-year students. Key retention based departments were realigned under academic
affairs and organized to build bridges between faculty, support staff, and students. The creation of
advisory boards consisting of faculty, staff, and students for existing programs has resulted in an
increased investment among multiple stakeholders. This shared responsibility for student success
has yielded effective collaborations. Examples include: expansion of tutoring services yielding
over 16,000 duplicated contacts during the 2004-05 academic-year, more than a tenfold increase in
attendance at the university’s convocation lectures, a curriculum for first-year seminar that is
advised by both faculty and students, a team taught summer bridge program for under-prepared
students, a greater focus on academic advisement as a key component of student success,
establishment of faculty based service & learning initiatives in the classroom, the establishment of
a peer mentoring program, and the establishment of various partnerships with university housing to
establish a true living and learning experience. Participants in this roundtable will reflect as they
consider the journey SUU has made over the past four-years. They will then participate in an open
dialogue with each other and presenters to discuss initiatives on their campuses using SUU as a
point of reference.
Orientation: A Two-Way Street
Diane Savoca
Coordinator of Student Transition
St. Louis Community College
314-513-4323
[email protected]
Teresa Huether
Campus Staff Development Coordinator
St. Louis Community College
314-513-4348
[email protected]
Donna Spaulding
District Staff Development Coordinator
St. Louis Community College
314-513-4476
[email protected]
This round table discussion is based on the premise we must be responsible not only for orienting
our new students to the institution but also for orienting the institution to the students. The
appreciative inquiry pedagogy will be used with small group of participants to collect information
for a best practices document about two way orientation activities. This document will be emailed
to individuals who participant in the discussion.
Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is an organizational development process/attitude that focuses on
creating more of what is going well. It captures the energy of success stories which propels
organizations to excellence. A bibliography will be available for participants who want to learn
more about AI.
An AI interview guide will be provided so that participants can interview each other in a consistent
and positive manner. Successful faculty/staff orientation strategies will be shared as well as wishes
for future institutional orientation activities. We will explore what we value about our students,
faculty, staff, institutions and ourselves. Participants will be invited to identify common themes and
propose a vision for the future.
The presenters believe that we are already doing many great things to orient our faculty and staff to
our new students. Much of what we do may be unintentional or even intuitive. When we become
intentional with our services we will become even more effective and efficient in managing the
mutual cultural shock which may sometimes occurs on our campuses.
Two way orientation, much like two way communication, will lead to higher levels of satisfaction
for both new students and the members of our campus communities. Understanding is a foundation
for appreciating and celebrating each other.
No First-Year Student Left Behind
Marcy Esler
Director of Student Retention
State University of New York College at Brockport
(585) 395-5346
[email protected]
Mary Ann Giglio
Director of the Student Learning Center
SUNY Brockport
(585) 395-5469
[email protected]
Andrea Chauncey
Coordinator of the First Year Experience
SUNY Brockport
(585) 395-5728
[email protected]
This presentation is a description of the many programs targeting first year students at a four-year,
comprehensive SUNY College. The presenters will focus on collaborative efforts between two
offices, the Student Learning Center and the Office for Student Retention. We will discuss how we
support each other’s goals and efforts to provide our freshmen with the best opportunities for
success. The initiatives we will discuss will include block scheduling, peer mentoring, academic
support, summer reading, parent programs, probation programs, and the freshman seminar. We
will outline the steps we took to develop, endorse and disseminate our new Vision and Mission
Statements for the First College Year and will share our experience with Freshman Council, a
product of our involvement in the American Democracy Project.
Pre-Major Learning Communities: Reaching out to the Undecided Student
Carol Van Der Karr
Director, Advisement and Transition
State University of New York College at Cortland
(607) 756-7138
[email protected]
Lori Schlicht
Coordinator of COR 101
State University of New York College at Cortland
(607) 753-4726
[email protected]
In this presentation, we will review the evolution of our Pre-Major Learning Communities for firstyear undecided students. We will present the data and issues leading to the creation of the program,
critical issues and decisions, and the most recent, intended and inadvertent, outcomes. We will
share our experiences dealing with issues of curriculum, collaboration and ownership, student
involvement, administration, and assessment. Finally, there will be a critical group discussion on
how to connect learning community models and specific student needs.
In 2000, SUNY Cortland had several distinct learning community initiatives that operated
independently and with varying levels of enrollment. The programs were built by motivated faculty
and staff and showed great potential. In order to help realize that potential, a consortium made up
of faculty, student affairs professionals, and academic administrators came together to look at
unifying and refining the vision of these communities.
The result was the creation of the Pre-Major Learning Communities programs, focusing the first
year learning communities towards the undecided student. By reviewing the realities of our
curriculum, needs of undecided students, and benefits of learning communities, all parties involved
came together to create a more unified and effective initiative. We now require all first semester
Pre-Major students to participate in one of three types of learning communities, ranging from a full
set of courses to living learning communities and paired courses. The program serves
approximately 230 undecided students each fall.
The presentation will cover specific factors in the development of the program, lessons learned,
program assessment, logistics of running the program, and areas for growth. We will share
materials and encourage dialogue among all colleagues during the presentation. It has been an
interesting journey and we look forward to a lively and motivating discussion about our undecided
students and learning communities.
University-Mandated Program Review of a First-Year Seminar Program: A Successful
Model
Robert Szafran
Professor of Sociology
Stephen F. Austin State University
936-468-2009
[email protected]
Timothy Clipson
Professor of General Business
Stephen F. Austin State University
936-468-1588
[email protected]
Randy Swing
Co-Director and Senior Scholar
Policy Center on the First Year of College
828-966-5312
[email protected]
As first-year seminars become an accepted part of the university curriculum, they become subject
to the accepted requirements for curricular programs – including university-mandated program
review. We describe the review process used last year at Stephen F. Austin State University. We
believe it can serve as one model for program review.
The review was done at the request of the university’s provost as part of the regular review of
academic programs. The review committee met regularly during the 2004-05 academic year. The
fall was devoted to data collection and the spring to analysis and formulation of recommendations.
During the fall, the committee sought information from a variety of sources: past program annual
reports; a telephone survey of 1st year students in the seminar and not in the seminar; focus groups
of seminar instructors and seminar students; invited comments from university faculty, staff, and
alumni; in-house course evaluations and, to obtain comparative data, EBI’s First-Year Initiative
course evaluation. In order to bring committee members up to speed on first-year programs, they
were given reading assignments (from Challenging & Supporting the First-Year Student edited by
Upcraft, Gardner, and Barefoot) and asked to attend a video conference (Foundations of Excellence
in the First College Year). Also, a scholar in the area of first-year seminars participated in several
telephone conferences with the committee as a whole and with subgroups of the committee.
During the spring semester, the committee shaped discussions around topics of interest raised by
the provost in her charge to the committee and additional topics suggested by committee members.
Preliminary recommendations were proposed and submitted for straw votes throughout this
deliberation phase of the committee’s work. Eventually, 10 recommendations were included in the
committee’s report. Some were easily adopted, others involved considerable debate, and a few, to
be honest, show that they were parented by a committee.
Knowing that many committee reports have little real impact, the committee sought to improve the
probability that its recommendations would be adopted. After receiving the final report, the provost
was invited to meet with the committee to seek any needed clarifications, ask questions, and give
her initial reactions. To mark the one-year anniversary of the final report, the committee will
reconvene with the provost and the director of the first-year seminar to review progress in
implementing the committee recommendations.
Spring Forward: Making the Leap From the First Year to the Sophomore Year
Kathleen Gillon
Academic Advisor
Stony Brook University
631.632.8439
[email protected]
Yih-Huei Dawn Liu
Academic Advisor
Stony Brook University
631.632.4708
[email protected]
With a growing emphasis on the First-Year Experience, some universities have chosen to adapt
their academic advising models to better support the needs of their first-year student population.
When using a class year model, the transition from first to second-year advisors can be challenging
for many first-year students. Students develop a relationship with their first-year advisor and
feelings of apprehension may arise as they prepare to move from one advisor to another. One
challenge in using a class year advising model is making this transition seamless for the student as
well as the advisors. In considering this, one approach is viewing the transition between first and
second-year advising as beginning at the start of the first year.
This session will explore the importance of the relationship between first and second year advisors
in adequately preparing students to think beyond their first year, while enabling these students to
“let go” of their first year advisor and establish a meaningful connection with their second year
advisor.
Writing the First Year: The Self as Initial Evidence
Walter Freed
Lecturer in English
SUNY at Geneseo
(585)245-5273
[email protected]
I have been interested for years in ways to encourage first-year students to see in themselves people
who have worthwhile opinions and experiences that can be explored and developed. Students often
believe they are solely receptors of knowledge rather than instigators and provokers of wisdom and
enlightenment. Sometimes they do not sense that they are in and of a larger world, even as they
retain their own personalities.
Several methodologies may be used to stimulate not only classroom discussion, but individual
contemplation as well. If writers are to see themselves within a larger frame of reference, they may
benefit from knowing that they may become characters, evaluators, and interpreters of the world as
they know it. All writers come to this realization. Such an epiphany may include the
understanding that seemingly mundane or trivial matters have universal implications.
Students may see themselves as writers in a number of ways, which include but are not limited to
those which Douglas Hunt has prompted. The first is Writer as Character within the events
described, and then the Writer as Interpreter of those events. The second is Writer within a selected
Historical Moment, providing insight into the time lived. The third is Writer as Social Being,
formulated perhaps by the Zeitgeist into which the writer is born. The fourth is Writer in Revolt,
questioning the authorities or influences the student has known. The different approaches may
overlap, but that is no matter.
Such avenues into writing give the essayists material at their fingertips, a self-confidence, and an
inherent interest in the assignment. They are using themselves to write creative, intellectually
interesting observations.
Assessing the Integration of Information Technology into the First Year of College at Three
Public Universities: A Case Study Approach
Daniel Brown
Dean of University College
Texas A&M University-Kingsville
(361) 592-3290
[email protected]
Patricia James-Maguire
Assistant Professor of CIS
Eastern New Mexico University
(505) 562-2360
[email protected]
Janet Buzzard
Visiting Associate Professor of Management / Marketing
Missouri Southern State University
[email protected]
Information technology (IT) has been integrated into college campuses in a variety of ways and
with specific intentions. Unfortunately, the manner in which this integration has occurred has often
lacked coherence and has not resulted from an assessment of student needs and abilities. In
addition, many best intentions have had unintended consequences. Examples include: changes in
administrative software programs not linked to discussions with enrollment managers to identify
potential impacts on new student recruitment and negative impacts on student learning associated
with network performance. In this study, the integration of IT into the first year of college has been
analyzed using a case study approach. This approach provided the mechanism to review IT
integration into the first year of college at three universities: Texas A&M University-Kingsville, a
doctoral-granting, research intensive Hispanic-serving institution; Eastern New Mexico University,
a regional comprehensive Hispanic-serving institution; and Missouri Southern State University, a
regional comprehensive institution focused on preparing graduates for careers in multicultural
environments. For the purposes of this study, the first year of college was defined as beginning
with student application to the university (pre-matriculation) and continuing through acceptance
and new student orientation (transition) and into the first year academic and co-curricular
environment (residency). Our systematic review identifies strengths and weaknesses of IT
integration into the first year of college, unintended consequences of increased reliance on
information technology as a means to communicate and disseminate information, and variation
among campuses in the extent to which IT has been successfully integrated. All three outcomes are
of particular interest given their relationship to what is commonly referred to as the digital divide.
This is particularly of interest given that TAMUK, ENMU, and MSSU serve populations sharing
predominantly rural backgrounds yet strive to respond to IT access limitations in diverse ways and
with varying strengths of intent.
Utilizing E-Portfolios in a First-Year Seminar Course
Richard Kirk
Director, Student Success
Texas State Technical College
956-364-4110
[email protected]
Juan Garcia
Division Director, Computer Information Systems
Texas State Technical College
[email protected]
The first part of the presentation will highlight the development of the course as an integration of
computer applications with learning and critical thinking strategies. The course name is
Frameworks for Learning: A Psychology of Personal Adjustment for College Success.
The second part of the presentation will summarize the course curriculum by demonstrating four
learning/critical thinking abilities that relate to the workforce requirements as defined by the
Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS). These abilities suggest that
students have both the will and the skill to succeed in college and continue as life long learners.
The final component of the presentation is a visual demonstration of the electronic portfolio
showcasing student achievement of learning strategies for student success. A presentation on
rubrics will be included to provide an assessment approach to the e-portfolio application.
Building Bridges Through Difficult Dialogue: Connected Conversation Through a Common
Experience
Pam Wuestenberg
Assistant Dean for University College and Director of University Seminar
Texas State University - San Marcos
512-245-8967
[email protected]
Chris Frost
Director of University Honors Program
Texas State University - San Marcos
512-245-2266
[email protected]
Since the 1980’s Carnegie Foundation reports (e.g., Boyer) have cited routine failures in students’
abilities to make connections between their major and other disciplines and between academic
courses and life. As we reflect on twenty years of “college learning” dialogue, we recognize this
theme of connectedness still remains at issue. In response, colleges and universities have
developed initiatives that emphasize interdisciplinary curricula, first year experiences, residential
colleges, and common reading programs. While scholars continue to assess the value of such
initiatives, that is not the ax that we wish to grind. Rather, we report here on a model that
integrates the essential components of current learning initiatives, yet does not do so without
simply adding another piece to a multiversity puzzle.
A subtle but real dialectic underlies discourse on connectedness: the harder we strive to create
learning that guarantees student success, the more we remove the realm of unknowing essential to
firsthand discovery and unbound intellectual dialogues. Parker Palmer, for example, speaks of
education as a paradox, such as the dynamic tension between knowledge and life, a way of holding
opposites together that creates an electric charge that keeps us awake (Palmer 1998: 74). To
navigate the paradox (connecting structures in integrative fashion, while letting authentic dialogue
unfold), Texas State has developed a model that embraces difficult topics, fosters dialogue on real
issues, and promotes campus wide debate all the while keeping entering students at the forefront.
We accomplish this by way of an innovative organizational structure (a circular design), one-year
conversational series timelines, and a common theme that holds in dynamic orbit a number o
f disparate university objects. The purpose of this presentation is to report on this explicitly
integrative model; in particular, we discuss the success of the inaugural yearlong conversation on
hatred, the second yearlong conversation on courage, and the planning process for the third year
conversation on protest and dissent.
Stitching Our Stories: The College Journey
Donna Hauer
Director, Multicultural Programs and Services
The College of St. Catherine
651-690-6827
[email protected]
Kaying Thao
Office Coordinator/Video Intern
The College of St. Catherine
651-690-6784
[email protected]
To begin our presentation we will share some information in a Power Point presentation about the
College of St. Catherine, including demographics of our student population and that of the Twin
Cities. We will transition into a description of the Hmong culture, and feature our Hmong video
project. The video will serve as a model that can be adapted by other colleges and universities to
address the cultural-specific needs of their student populations.
The College of St. Catherine’s vision is to be the world’s pre-eminent Catholic College educating
women to lead and influence. Founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in 1905, the
College integrates liberal arts and professional education within the Catholic traditions of
intellectual inquiry and social justice. Committed to excellence and opportunity, the College
engages students from diverse backgrounds in a learning environment uniquely suited to women.
Education at the College of St. Catherine (CSC) prepares graduates to demonstrate ethical
leadership grounded in social responsibility.
With over 39,000 graduates and 4,809 students currently enrolled in undergraduate and graduate
programs, the College of St. Catherine is the largest and most comprehensive Catholic college for
women in the U.S. and the third largest private college in the state of Minnesota. Housed on two
campuses, the College offers 46 undergraduate degree programs, and 12 certificate and associate
degrees for women in day and weekend formats, and eight master’s programs and one doctorate
degree for women and men. The College of St. Catherine is the largest provider of nurses and allied
health professionals, and the second largest provider of K-12 teachers in the state of Minnesota.
Minnesota’s population is approximately 12% people of color, with the second largest Hmong
population (45,500-70,000) in the United States according to the 2000 U.S. Census data. It is also
home to 30% of the United States Somali population (approximately 12,000.) The College of St.
Catherine is proud to have one of the most diverse student populations of any private college in
Minnesota. This past fall, our undergraduate student population was over 25% students of color
with nearly 30% being first generation.
The College is committed to recruiting and retaining high ability and high promise students of
color. Some girls and women of color often have not received the modeling to see themselves
successfully attending college. Navigating complex admissions and financial aid systems can be
daunting for young women from families who have never attended college. Because these young
women lack exposure to the college experience, they often find it difficult to know how to access
resources or even imagine themselves capable of managing college life. These barriers often result
in college students of color needing additional support to enable them to stay in college and
complete their programs.
First-generation student of color are more likely to attend and successfully complete college if their
families are supportive of their efforts. Helping families understand the college experience and see
the link between a college education and its relevance to community, long-term career, and life
satisfaction is key to gaining family support. Additionally, offering families clear information
about applying to and attending college is especially important for first-generation college students
who are immigrants from non-English speaking families.
Institutions of higher education typically use traditional models of recruitment, which are geared
toward predominantly white, educated audiences and are largely ineffective with communities of
color. Traditional recruitment tools (view books and brochures) are culturally specific and expect
non-white and/or first-generation prospective college students and their families to adapt to the
model. This expectation is exclusive and disregards the needs of the diverse pool of potential
college students; worse, it fails to recognize that communication is largely culturally based.
Based on feedback from Hmong student focus groups, the College of St. Catherine recognized that
in order to successfully recruit and retain these students it needed to create a strategy that supports
the historically oral cultural tradition of Hmong families. The Hmong parent orientation and video
project not only serves to honor the oral tradition, but also explore many questions and concerns
parents have about higher education – in their own language. This model is adaptable to other
populations as well. St. Kate’s will eventually be offering parent orientations in Somali and
Spanish as well as making videos in Somali and Spanish to meet the needs of our student
populations.
Hmong Video Project (Stitching Our Stories: The College Journey)
Working in conjunction with local Twin Cities filmmaker Mark Tang, the College of St. Catherine
produced a poignant video documentary that interweaves dynamic footage of campus activities,
interviews providing essential information from faculty and staff, and most importantly, the voices
and experiences of Hmong students, alumni, community leaders and parents. This video serves to
illuminate the college experience to Hmong parents and families so they will be better equipped to
provide stronger support and understanding to ensure their daughters’ academic success. This
information will create an impact that will extend to younger siblings and other family members –
thus serving as both a retention and recruitment tool.
Putting It Together! The Trials, Tribulations, and Triumphs of a First-Year Program
Merry Renn Vaughan
Director of Theatre, Instructor
The College of St. Scholastica
218-733-2278
[email protected]
Julie Ahasay
Dignitas Faculty, Instructor
The College of St. Scholastica
218-723-6618
[email protected]
Teresa Aldach
Assistant Director, Counseling Services
The College of St. Scholastica
218-723-7020
[email protected]
The College of St. Scholastica presents an overview of our required, year-long first-year program,
Dignitas.
The presentation begins with a recap of how the program developed from a long history of
attempts, successes and mistakes at creating a first-year program including the 2004-05 academic
year pilot of three distinct models. We discuss lessons learned regarding assessment, use of peer
mentors, faculty collaboration, course content, and garnering administrative and faculty support.
The next part of the presentation focuses on the common experiences agreed upon by the program’s
25 faculty members. These include viewing of the film “Crash” and conversation about its message
and meaning in our lives; a pilgrimage to a memorial to three victims of lynching in our city; an
emphasis on human dignity (as the title suggests); regular conversation about being a first-year
college student i.e. how to manage time, organize study, keep outside work hours in perspective,
have time for friends and family, and also make opportunities for attending to the inner life. All of
these conversations are part of the Dignitas program. All professors in this program include these
activities and also create a topical course on something that, as one faculty member says, “makes
their heart sing.”
Finally, we discuss another unique component of the Dignitas Program: the use of peer mentors for
each section of the course. The mentors were selected by their partner faculty and participated in
training provided by the Student Center for Health and Well-Being. Unlike many first-year
programs where incoming students work with peer advisors through a brief orientation period and
then are left to their own devices, these peer mentors connect with and help guide first-year
students throughout the entire academic year. Videotaped testimonials from current Dignitas
students and their peer mentors will be a featured part of the presentation.
Bringing The New York Times Into Your First-Year Experience Program
Austin Norfleet
Regional Education Manager
The New York Times
800-792-6962
[email protected]
Roger Schwartz
Regional Education Manager
The New York Times
[email protected]
Please join us to discover how The New York Knowledge Network can enrich your First Year
Experience. The New York Times Knowledge Network was created to assist educators with one of
the most diverse, in-depth and informative resources available – The New York Times. The Times
is more than just the news, it is material for class discussion, topics for research projects and the
starting point for new ideas.
The New York Times’s prize-winning journalism and comprehensive insights into national and
global events make it an invaluable resource. The Times helps faculty cover topics that have direct
impact on the lives of students today – from social issues and new technology to the global
economy and career opportunities.
How can we teach students to be more civically engaged? How can students become more aware of
their role within a democracy? The New York Times can be used to open their eyes to the global
world surrounding them. The Times has proven to be especially effective in helping students
identify connections between classroom theory and real life examples. Many educators think of The
Times as a living textbook, and find it invaluable for keeping students engaged.
This workshop will provide an overview of The Times resources available as well as teaching
strategies to enrich your curriculum, stimulate discussion, nurture your student's intellectual
curiosity and deepen their knowledge.
In the Belly of the Beast: The First-Year Experience in an Innovative Learning Community
Sandra Holinbaugh
Delta College Director
The State University of New York College at Brockport
585-395-5949
[email protected]
Jim Georger
Lecturer, Delta College
The State University of New York College at Brockport
585-395-5473
[email protected]
Derek Nikitas
Lecturer, Delta College
The State University of New York College at Brockport
585-395-5947
[email protected]
Delta College—-a selective liberal arts program within the State University of New York College
at Brockport—-is particularly engaged with the first year experience. We employ methods
generally based on the ancient Greek model of interdisciplinary education and the integration of a
student’s academic, personal and professional growth. In this presentation we will highlight just
three of our strengths: collaborative education, experiential education, and technological education.
Sandra Holinbaugh will explain our successes in collaborative education. She will highlight our
small class sizes and the frequent group work among our students, the latter leading toward creative
“final exams” and extensive semester-long projects that are showcased in our annual Fall
Symposium and World Conferences. She will explain how our team-taught, interdisciplinary
courses lead to greater student engagement. Finally, she will demonstrate how student and faculty
collaboration strengthens every aspect of the first-year experience, from recruitment to student
mentoring and beyond.
Jim Georger will discuss experiential education, with particular emphasis on the career exploration
and leadership training exercises we conduct in order to prepare first-year students for their
required summer internships. He will also demonstrate that faculty and peer mentoring are
essential components of successful experiential learning.
Our program is based upon an ancient model, but Derek Nikitas will demonstrate how we use
contemporary technology to facilitate our students’ study of the past and the present. He will
highlight Delta College’s extensive use of an internet “course management system” that
revolutionizes the concept of the classroom. He will also discuss several innovative collaborative
projects we’ve designed to engage the students’ technological savvy and their interest.
Ultimately, our goal is to share why in 2002 the Middle States Accreditation team proclaimed that
Delta College makes most of the other colleges in the United States seem like they are stuck in the
Nineteenth Century.
Creating a First-Year Experience Course from Scratch
Andrew Cinoman
Director of Orientation Services
The University of Iowa
319-335-1497
[email protected]
Brian Corkery
Assistant Director, Academic Advising Center
The University of Iowa
319-353-5700
[email protected]
Pat Folsom
Director, Academic Advising Center
The University of Iowa
319-353-5700
[email protected]
We will describe the broad, collaborative approach as well as the step-by-step outline we used to
create a first-year experience course at The University of Iowa. We will begin by briefly reviewing
changes in the institutional climate that made it possible to pilot a first-year experience course.
Discussion will then focus on the steps we took to transform an 8 section, 1 semester-hour pilot
course into a 60-section, 2 semester-hour first-year course program that serves 25% of each
university entering class. We will address all aspects of program development: building
institutional support, course development, instructor identification and development, program
evaluation, revision and enhancement. Throughout the presentation, emphasis will be placed on the
importance of extensive campus-wide collaboration.
We will describe how we used a successful pilot to gain central administration support, outline
specific strategies for gaining unit director-level campus-wide support and note the importance of
developing a clear, well-thought out and detailed proposal.
Next, we will outline the steps in and factors to consider in course development including selection
of topics, syllabus development, setting course policies, choosing a textbook, developing lesson
plans and creating a teaching manual for instructors.
Course development and instructor recruitment occurred simultaneously and we will share
guidelines we used to identify potential instructors, strategies for convincing unit directors to
provide instructors from their units, and how we addressed release time, compensation and work
load. We also will discuss factors we considered in the development of our instructor training
program including its structure, content and methods.
We will close by demonstrating the importance of program assessment: how we have utilized
feedback from students and instructors to strengthen course content and improve course
assignments and activities as well as how persistence data has allowed us to “grow” the program.
Training, Maintaining, and Retaining FYE Course Instructors
Brian Corkery
Assistant Director, Academic Advising Center
The University of Iowa
310-353-5700
[email protected]
Pat Folsom
Director, Academic Advising Center
The University of Iowa
319-353-5700
[email protected]
Andrew Cinoman
Associate Director of Admissions and the Director of Orientation Services
The University of Iowa
319-335-1497
[email protected]
This presentation will outline the structure of a comprehensive instructor training program at the
University of Iowa that successfully trains and supports 60 FYE instructors each fall. The
presentation breaks instructor training down into three dimensions: pre-service preparation (initial
training), in-service support (maintaining), and post-service feedback (retaining). The presentation
framework will emphasize the philosophical and practical considerations of each dimension, i.e.
what our goals are and how we meet them.
We will begin with a very short overview of the academic and social environment within which our
course operates, but this will quickly give way to a discussion of pre-service preparation. Our
focus will be on the structure, strategies and topics comprising this initial 10 hours of training. We
will discuss how we incorporate modeling, case studies, and small group work, into training topics
such as the nature of first-year students, effective teaching strategies and lesson plan development.
The second segment of the presentation will spotlight our coordinated approach to in-service
instructor support. We will describe how our weekly de-briefing meetings, web-based curricular
resources, and frequent communication to and among instructors combine to encourage instructor
creativity within a common curriculum. We will share student satisfaction data demonstrating our
instructor group’s consistent level of high performance.
The presentation’s third segment will focus on post-service feedback. Here we will outline how we
close out the teaching term. We will describe how we thank instructors for their efforts, provide
evaluative information regarding student satisfaction, solicit productive feedback to improve the
course, and incorporate elements that tie them into future teaching terms.
For each dimension of the training program participants will receive a wide variety of sample
training plans, materials, and detailed list of talking points. We will end the presentation by
addressing questions.
Promoting Success, Service, and Scholarship: View of a Scholarship Program Driven By
FYE Initiatives
Larry Sparkman
Director of the Luckyday Program
The University of Southern Mississippi
601-266-5981
[email protected]
Amy Wade
Assistant Director of the Luckyday Program
The University of Southern Mississippi
601-266-6879
[email protected]
The Luckyday Foundation, based in Jackson, MS, gave the equivalent of an 18 million dollar
endowment to provide a four-year scholarship program for qualified students. Our first class of
scholars joined the campus fall 2002.
This scholarship program has given the University the opportunity to collaborate with faculty, staff,
and community partners. The Luckyday Foundation Citizenship Scholars Program provides 100
entering freshmen with $1,250 a semester for four years, plus the opportunity to apply for an
additional $4,000 study abroad scholarships.
Components of the program include:
University 101 & Luckyday Seminar: Students in this scholarship program must take University
101 (2 credit hours) and the Luckyday Seminar (1 credit hour). While the University 101 course
teaches study skills and living skills, the Luckyday Seminar provides orientation to the scholarship
program; connection between students, staff and faculty; motivation for service and involvement;
defines service-learning; and promotes citizenship.
Learning Community: Students are required to live in designated residence life hall areas with
other scholarship recipients. This is required the first year and optional for their second year of
enrollment.
Leadership Development: Students will complete the Leadership Series offered by Student
Activities in the fall semester of their second year. Students will also be selected to become part of
the program leadership.
Service: Students will be required to complete service hours with community partners designated
by the Office of Community Service Learning each semester they are enrolled in the program.
Peer Mentoring: As student progress through the program, they will become peer mentors,
teaching assistants, and residence hall assistants. This places students in key areas for being
effective mentors to other Luckyday Scholars.
Senior Capstone Experience: Students will complete a senior capstone project which may include
writing a self-evaluation report, completing a senior thesis, taking a Luckyday Senior Seminar
which focuses on transitions to life after the undergraduate experience and job seeking.
Study Abroad: Ten students per year will receive an additional $4000 scholarship to study abroad
in their program of choice.
Our conference presentation will focus on the key components of the program and the
implementation of these components.
The Effect of Faculty/First-Year Student Interactions on Gains from College
Terrell Strayhorn
Assistant Professor of Higher Education
The University of Tennessee
865-974-6457
[email protected]
Faculty-student interactions are important (Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005). Prior research suggests
that such interactions have an effect on students’ values, opinions, and attitudes (Astin, 1992, 1993;
Gurin, 1999; Milem, 1994, 1999). Other studies suggest that faculty-student interactions have a
significant, positive effect on learning and gains from college (Astin, 1993; Dey, 1991; Kuh, 1995).
Over time, faculty-student interaction both inside and outside the classroom has become a defining
characteristic of the undergraduate experience (Kuh & Hu, 1999, 2001). Given the importance of
such interactions, it comes as no surprise that institutions have spent time and energy to increase
opportunities for faculty and students to interact. Colleges continue to make large investments into
building student centers and lounges and hosting campus events to bring students and faculty
together. However, recent studies suggest that the frequency of faculty-student interactions may
not be as important as the focus of them (Kuh & Hu, 1999). Interactions based on course related
issues tend to have a larger impact on student learning.
Course-related interactions have been referred to as substantive interactions. Such interactions
include asking for course information, attending an office appointment, or working on a research
project with a faculty member. Research suggests that substantive interactions play an important
role for seniors (Kuh & Hu, 1999), but little research examines the influence of such interactions on
first-year student outcomes. In this session, we will discuss what is known about first-year students
and present findings from a study that investigates this issue. Implications for first-year advocates,
administrators, and faculty will be highlighted.
At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to: (a) summarize key findings related to
first-year students, (b) discuss the importance of faculty-student interactions, (c) describe the effect
of such interactions on first-year students, and (d) identify factors that mediate this relationship.
Midterm Blues: Using Checkpoint to Help First-Year Students End the Semester on a High
Note
Leticia Rashid
Academic Advisor I
The University of Texas at San Antonio
210-458-5933
[email protected]
Jennifer Alvizo
Academic Advisor I
The University of Texas at San Antonio
210-458-5179
[email protected]
The proposed poster session will present an effective advising retention program at UTSA called
Checkpoint. The presenters will provide detailed information about what Checkpoint entails, its
purpose, and statistically display its effectiveness in increasing GPA’s for participants compared to
non-participants.
Checkpoint targets undeclared students with at-risk GPA’s of 2.0 or below at midterm during their
first year. These students are contacted by their designated advisor to arrange an appointment to
discuss their academic progress, review their time management, calculate their GPA’s, and make
referrals to other university resources.
Checkpoint incorporates developmental advising. During the appointment, advisors help the
student identify academic obstacles and assist the student in determining if his/her current study
habits toward these courses are successful. The advisor also helps the student evaluate key
differences between high school and the university setting, to try and ease this transition. At the
end of the Checkpoint meeting, the student works with the advisor to devise an action plan of
effective study habits to potentially produce positive academic results by the conclusion of the
semester. The advisor also encourages the student to utilize campus resources such as learning
assistance for help with academics and refers them to places on campus for non-academic support.
The proposed poster session will compare final semester GPAs for those undeclared students who
attended their Checkpoint appointments weighed against those Checkpoint students who did not.
Not only will the effectiveness of this program be demonstrated through personal accounts from the
two presenting advisors, but it will also be visually displayed by the statistics shown at our poster
session. Other components of the poster session will include Checkpoint information packets
given to students and original contact sheets filled out by both Advisor and student.
No First-Year Seminar? No Worries!
Heather Cummings
Coordinator, University Transitional Programs
The University of Western Ontario
519-661-3898
[email protected]
While an incredibly effective tool to assist in the transition of its first year students, a first year
seminar is not a viable option for all campuses. This presentation will illustrate the collection of
programs and services that one university has developed in its efforts to create a comprehensive
first year program that supports students’ academic and career aspirations. In addition to the outline
of programs and services, this presentation will show institutional data and student evaluations on
the success of these programs for both retention and student performance.
The University of Western Ontario has a first year class of over 4500 students. In an effort to
emphasize the academic experience of the university and position itself as offering the premier
student experience in the country, Western has implemented a series of programs and services (at
critical student junctures) that support student transitions from the moment they accept their offer
and into their second year. These programs in chronological order include:
1)
Summer Academic Orientation – daily orientation where students receive academic
advising, timetabling and registration assistance
2)
*Summer Reading Program – common reading experience
3)
*Academic Mentoring Program – students assigned upper year student mentor from their
same faculty to assist with academic and career interests
4)
*Enrichment Programs – two enriched programs for high academic achieving students
5)
*What’s Your Major/Getting Ready for Intent to Register – academic panels and an
academic fair to help students make their decisions regarding which major or specialization to
declare for second year.
6)
year
*What’s Next? – presentations on the expectations of students as they enter their second
7)
*Leadership Education Program – leadership development opportunities for students in
their upper years
* denote programs utilizing student volunteers
All of these programs have been evaluated for their effectiveness. Data will be presented.
Think First: A Peer Educator Program
Brandon Cooper
Coordinator of Student Rights and Responsibilities
Thiel College
724-589-2216
[email protected]
Jennifer Duca
Internship and Community Service Coordinator
Thiel College
724-589-2015
[email protected]
The presentation will begin with a brief overview of Thiel College policies and demographics. We
will:
o
Discuss what had been done in the past to educate first year students about campus policies
during orientation.
o
Explain the thinking behind using peer educators and the benefit a presentation like this
would have on students.
o
Offer an overview of Think First, including specific information given to the students
during the session, the structure of the program, the rationale behind the guest speakers, and show
the PowerPoint presentation used.
Review the results of the Think First program:
o
Student and faculty perceptions on the issues: was it well received, did the students learn
from it, did it change any behaviors, will be discussed.
o
Statistics involving first year students and underage drinking behavior, both number of
violations and the number of serious episodes in contrast with previous years.
There were seven topics discussed during the program they were:
o
The experience of being “busted”- the emotions involved and the immediate steps following
the violation.
o
Myths vs. Facts- common myths that are held about the alcohol policy versus what actually
took place.
o
Social Ramifications- how the violation was perceived on campus because it is such a small
campus.
o
Legal consequences- what it was like to go to court? The process and the emotions that
were involved in this aspect of the judicial process.
o
Legal Aspects- the local district magistrate agreed to speak with students on the process
involved in his court and the long-term legal consequences of underage drinking.
o
Living with a Record- a local attorney and adjunct professor at Thiel spoke on the
implications of an underage drinking record, the process of getting it removed, and the other legal
issues involved when drinking underage.
TRU’s Shared Leadership Model: Tips, Tricks & Traps for Developing and Expanding a
Successful FYE Initiative
Nancy Twynam
Director of Student Affairs
Thompson Rivers University
250-371-5738
[email protected]
Kathy Mitchell
Faculty, FYE Team Leader, Div. Student Development
Thompson Rivers University
250-828-5317
[email protected]
TRU’s Shared Leadership model was introduced in a workshop format at the 2005 Annual
Conference on the First-Year Experience. Participants’ feedback reflected positively on our
presentation and we fielded several requests to return with an in-depth sharing of how we begin a
new initiative within our model. To meet these requests, we have designed this workshop, which
will be of value to both newcomers and returning participants.
We will review the model, identify some new initiatives within it and focus on our most recent
initiative – the FYE Student Leadership Program - from its inception to its implementation. We
will share our tips, tricks and traps in an interactive format enabling participants to leave with the
means of adapting our model to suit their institutional needs.
We will present the following aspects of the Student Leadership Program: needs identification
using John Claxton’s “Nominal Group Technique”, designing the project, budget implications,
institutional buy-in, training, implementing a pilot, and evaluation.
Assessment continues to be a critical component of our evolving FYE initiative. Our Student
Leadership program will be assessed through historically established baselines, institutionally
developed targets, program actuals and external benchmarks.
Using a First-Year Weekly Newsletter to Help Students Learn About Campus
Martin Eisenberg
Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of the Residential College Program
Truman State University
660-785-4409
[email protected]
In evaluating Truman’s First-Year Experience, a Task Force identified that first-year students had
difficulty retaining much of the information shared during Truman Week, our orientation program.
While we were providing them with the necessary information to be successful at the University,
frequently the information came with no context. For example, students learned about our Writing
Center at a time when they were unlikely to be working on a paper. They learned about time
management before they learned about the challenges of being a college student and balancing
class and out of class experiences. . In addition, students were still unsure about the mission of the
University. Hence, we decided to develop a Weekly Newsletter that would provide information at
times when students needed the information.
The Newsletter consists of 4 sections: 1) A study skills tip 2) A healthy lives tip 3) A campus
resource; and 4) a Quote of the week. The quote of the week is always about the value of education
or the meaning of a liberal education. The newsletter is written to reflect the realities of the
academic calendar. For example, during the week midterm grades were distributed, the newsletter
focused on what to do with your midterm grades and where tutoring is available on campus. As
we’ve seen more flu and colds on campus, the newsletter discussed how to prevent colds and flu.
Overall, with a minimal amount of effort the newsletter has allowed us to provide students with
information related to what they are experiencing during the first-year. It also allows us to repeat
information and help students take advantage of resources on campus.
Developing an Exit Survey Tool in a Unique Context
Karen Caldwell
Student Development Coordinator
UAE University, University Undergraduate Requirements Unit
971-50-663-9730
[email protected]
This presentation describes the development of a computer-mediated exit survey to assess students’
experiences in UAE University’s first-year developmental program, the University General
Requirements Unit (UGRU).
UGRU assists students in transition from Arabic-medium high school to English-medium
undergraduate studies. Comprising nearly 7000 students (75% female, 25% male) and 370
instructors, UGRU represents nearly 30% of the total university population.
In its 3rd year of a large-scale reform project, UGRU has transformed from a remedial program
focusing on isolated skills in separate disciplines into a developmental program fostering crossdisciplinary competencies. In this context, UGRU developed five curriculum competencies (learner
training, thinking skills, application of knowledge, information literacy, and communication) in
four content areas (English, study skills, mathematics, and information and communication
technology). Concurrently, UGRU’s institutional core values (learning environment, effective
communication, community participation and student focus) were formed.
In the development of UGRU’s institutional assessment plan targeting the academic areas as well
as the student- and IT-support areas, the need for a comprehensive assessment of students’
experience and engagement in their first year became apparent. After a literature review and best
practices canvas, development of an exit survey became part of the assessment plan.
The developers faced 3 choices early on: adapt, adopt, or create. Using the core values and
curriculum competencies as their point of departure, the developers incorporated principles and
approaches used in other contexts in addition to those unique to their situation.
Several factors shaped the development process. Language issues, such as translation of survey
items and the subsequent bilingual item presentation proved to be particularly thorny. In addition,
project management issues of stakeholder definition (of participants and developers, including roles
and responsibilities), instrument definition and creation, tech support, timelines, and collection,
analysis and reporting of data played dominant roles in the piloting process.
Findings From the 2005 Your First College Year Survey: Exploring the Critical Issues of
Adjustment and Satisfaction
Victor Saenz
Director of Follow-up Surveys
UCLA Higher Education Research Institute
310-206-1433
[email protected]
De'Sha Wolf
Research Analyst
UCLA Higher Education Research Institute
310-825-7079
[email protected]
The purpose of this session is to profile the first-year of college experiences for a national sample
of students and to analyze how pre-college and college experiences might differ in affecting student
outcomes related to college adjustment and satisfaction. Using longitudinal data from the 2005
Your First College Year (YFCY) survey, this session will spotlight key trends within the national
aggregate sample on these two important college outcomes, and it will also highlight strategies for
institutional assessment using HERI data. The 2005 Your First College Year survey is designed as
a comprehensive instrument that collects data on a wide range of cognitive and affective measures.
YFCY generates valuable feedback on first-year experiences, students’ academic and personal
development, and interpersonal interactions with members of the campus community.
The first college year is critical to a variety of student outcomes such as college adjustment and
satisfaction, which can facilitate retention and academic success (Tinto, 1993; Upcraft & Gardner,
1989). Research on social and academic adjustment has identified peer network formation and
ability to identify with the academic work as important indicators of successful transition to college
(Hurtado & Carter, 1997; Tracey & Sedlacek, 1985). However, existing research tends to
aggregate students of all racial and ethnic backgrounds together and has not adequately disaggregated racial/ethnic groups to examine their first-year experiences. Braxton et al. (1997)
suggest that existing frameworks on college transition do not address the varying integrating
experiences for minority college students, nor do they adequately take into account the impact of
pre-college characteristics on first year experiences. Accordingly, we organized our analyses
primarily around understanding differences across racial/ethnic groups. Accordingly, this session
will focus on understanding between-group differences across race and ethnicity that can inform
institutional efforts aimed at facilitating the transition and adjustment process for all students.
Spirits in a Secular World: Understanding Students’ Spirituality and Religiosity at a Public
University
Jennifer Keup
Principal Research Analyst
UCLA-SAIRO
310-206-5072
[email protected]
While American higher education began as a handful of religiously-affiliated colleges (Cohen,
1998; Lucas, 1994), the vast majority of students who pursue post-secondary in the United States
today do so at public institutions, which clearly delineate between the educational purpose and
activities of their institution and personal matters of religiosity and spirituality, which may have
implications for student development. Although separation between the intellectual and spiritual
may be in line with the institutional mission of public colleges and universities, it does have
implications for student development at this critical time for identity formation as well as cognitive,
moral, ethical, and spiritual development. Further, sources ranging from popular news magazines
to scholarly literature highlight a renewed interest in religion and spirituality among the entering
cohort of new college students. As such, it is becoming increasingly important for higher
education professionals at both public and private institutions to consider students’ religiosity and
spirituality as an important component of campus life and the educational mission of the institution.
Utilizing multiple sources of institutional data on entering and first-year students, the purpose of
this session is to share findings from assessments of students’ religious and spiritual values, beliefs,
and practices as they enter the institution and during the first year. The presentation of historical
trends data for this university and comparison data from other public institutions will help
contextualize the institutional findings. Further, these data provide the foundation of an
investigation of the relationships between spirituality/religiosity and 1) political affiliation, 2) views
on research and scientific inquiry, 3) social conservatism, 4) pluralistic world view, and 5)
academic and co-curricular involvement in college. Throughout the presentation, the session leader
will use these findings to facilitate an in-depth discussion of students’ spirituality and religiosity,
particular in a secular institutional environment, and the implications for first-year programming
and policies.
Adapting Problem-Based Learning for the First-Year Experience: An Emirati Example
Brian Bielenberg
Professional Development Coordinator
United Arab Emirates University
+971 3 50 783 2757
[email protected]
Problem Based Learning (PBL) is an innovative methodology used around the world as a means to
engage students in active learning and construction of knowledge (Jonassen, 2000; Knowlton,
2003; Sharp, 2003). In most higher education institutions, the primary focus of PBL is on the
discovery and application of content knowledge in a single discipline. In the first year
developmental program of the United Arab Emirates University, a unique adaptation of PBL has
been implemented to meet the interdisciplinary developmental needs of first year students.
Following a brief introduction to the theory and practice of PBL, this presentation will highlight the
process of adapting the PBL approach to the first year experience in order to promote the
development and assessment of a set of interdisciplinary curriculum competencies that include
Learner Training, Thinking Skills, Application of Knowledge, Information Literacy, and
Communication. The presentation will then highlight, through presentation of research findings,
how this particular PBL initiative enables students and instructors in the first year program to make
a variety of connections: connections between subjects (mathematics-IT-English-Study Skills),
connections to the real world, connections between participants (community of learners), and
connections to the knowledge, skills and dispositions that will be needed for success in university
and beyond. The impact of this initiative will be demonstrated through presentation of qualitative
data gathered by means of facilitator feedback sessions, student and teacher course evaluations, and
student and teacher focus groups, as well as quantitative data comparing student time on task and
attendance in this initiative with previous non-PBL courses. The presentation will finish with a
discussion of general challenges encountered, solutions developed, and how PBL might be
implemented in other first year programs worldwide.
PIP: Creating a Successful Probation Intervention Program for First-Year Students
Joe Ritchie
Director - Orientation Services
University of Central Florida
407-823-5105
[email protected]
Since its inception, the Probation Intervention Program at the University of Central Florida has had
a significant impact on first-year students who are on academic probation. The probation rate in
1998 for First Time in College Students was 21.6% and in 2003 it was 10%. The committee that
spearheads the program is comprised of over six departments with each one playing an integral role
in the development of the activities that students participate in.
The presentation will begin with an overview of why the program was implemented and the goals it
is trying to accomplish. The majority of the time will be spent on reviewing the numerous
strategies that have been introduced over the past six years. Strategies that will be discussed
include: on line student self-assessment forms, academic advising appointments, student
improvement plans, probation workshops, email timeline, freshman seminar course, academic early
alert, academic bulletin boards, and a parent resource website. First-year students who are placed
on probation are highly encouraged to participate in the above activities with the academic advising
appointment and completion of the self-assessment form being mandatory components of the
program. During the academic advising meeting, students complete a Student Improvement Plan to
help them identify areas they can improve upon throughout the semester. A detailed timeline will
be disseminated indicating when each activity is started and the impact it has on students.
Data will also be shared with participants on the student retention rates along with the results of the
student self-assessment form. For the past few years, student feedback has provided a qualitative
analysis on factors of why students went on probation. In addition, a detailed analysis of each
year’s probation record along with the number of students who were removed will be discussed.
The program will conclude with a look to the future and what is currently happening with the
program. Finally, participants will be given the opportunity to share ideas and discuss other
possible interventions that are successful at their respective campuses.
PeerFest: An Educational Initiative
David Ouimette
Executive Director of First Year Programs
University of Connecticut
860-486-3378
[email protected]
Alexa Smith
Program Assistant
University of Connecticut
860-486-3378
[email protected]
Jennifer Minot
Peer Education Coordinator
University of Connecticut
860-486-3378
[email protected]
The University of Connecticut’s Peer Education program formally began in 1998 and continues
today with over 30 individual programs. Each group unites in the common goal of providing
opportunities for students to gain experience educating their peers in a variety of settings.
PeerFest began two years ago as a way to bring together Peer Education groups at the end of each
summer and prepare them for leadership roles over the coming year. This presentation will
highlight our process of developing a two-day conference for Peer Educators. We will cover
details regarding the logistics of providing space, meals, and materials. We will also discuss the
challenges of organizing an event for hundreds of students and choosing programming that benefits
a diverse group of peer leaders. Examples of evaluations and result summaries will be provided to
demonstrate the types of questions we ask to ensure the success of PeerFest each year. These are
used so PeerFest can evolve based on the needs and requests of students. Based on responses from
last year, this upcoming PeerFest 2006 will focus on first-time peer educators and employ veteran
leaders who will serve on the conference’s planning committee and act as facilitators.
Giving Your Students the Competitive Edge
Melissa Johnson
Honors Program Advisor
University of Florida
(352) 392-1519
[email protected]
Daniel Fay
Honors Peer Leader and Head Student Assistant
University of Florida
(352) 392-1519
[email protected]
Fall 2005 marked a dramatic change in the course content for the UF Honors Freshman Experience
course. During the pilot year of Honors Freshman Experience in Fall 2004, the course content
closely mirrored the content in regular sections of First-Year Florida. Based on feedback from
students, peer leaders, and instructors, we found that the students were almost insulted by the
course content on basic skills like time management and involvement and therefore felt the course
was a waste of time. Because honors students at UF are high-achieving students already (they must
have a 1380 SAT or 32 ACT score and a 3.9 high school GPA to qualify for the Honors Program),
instructors felt that their students needed an outlet to engage them in advanced opportunities at UF
while also helping them become more competitive for future projects.
Thus, we shifted the curriculum for Fall 2005 to focus on opportunities like undergraduate research,
study abroad, internships, leadership, community service, and involvement with faculty. Course
requirements such as a faculty interview, a resume workshop, a personal statement, and a civic
engagement project were developed to fit in with the new course topics. Every course topic and
requirement serves a dual purpose to help students find opportunities for involvement at UF, as
well as to become more competitive with future scholarships, graduate or professional school,
internships, and leadership opportunities. So far, students seem challenged and excited about our
expectations for increased involvement in these opportunities.
This presentation will begin with a very brief overview of the Fall 2004 curriculum, only to serve
as a comparison to the changes we made for Fall 2005. From there we will distribute copies of the
Fall 2005 syllabus and discuss course topics, requirements, and activities. We’ll provide examples
of student projects, as well as their feedback about the course.
Learning Outcomes: Beyond the Peer Mentoring Experience
Brad Harmon
Doctoral Intern for Staff Development and Judicial Programs
University of Georgia
706-542-2753
[email protected]
Research has long indicated that peer relationships play a significant role in the retention and
persistence of college students. Emphasis has been placed upon the power of peer relationships as
a vital means of support for students as they make the transition to college (Astin, 1996; Bean,
1985; Grant-Valone & Ensher, 2000; Tinto, 1975). Peer mentoring has been established as a form
of peer education where students serve as role models to fellow students and provide them with
personal support and guidance (Ender & Newton, 2000; Gould & Lomax, 1993). The majority of
research on peer mentoring has suggested that psychosocial development significantly affects a
student’s self-perceptions of competency to serve as a peer mentor (Jones & Kolko, 2002; Rice &
Brown, 1990). Students who have served as peer mentors experience significant growth and
development, especially in areas related to the development of identity and sense of purpose (Jones
& Kolko, 2002; Rice & Brown, 1990). However, little attention has been given in the research
literature to identifying and understanding specific learning outcomes associated with student
participation as peer mentors in a college setting (Badura, Millard, Peluso, & Ortman, 2000; Rice &
Brown, 1990; Rusell & Skinkle, 1990).
This session will provide information on the results of a recent qualitative study which used semistructured interviews with students who served as peer mentors to undergraduate first-year
students. The purpose of this study was to examine what type of learning occurred during the peer
mentoring process. Session participants will learn about what students perceived that they learned
from their experience as peer mentors and how that learning impact their personal and professional
development.
The Freshman College Summer Experience at the University of Georgia: A Five-Year
Perspective
Laina Edwards
Program Coordinator
University of Georgia
706-542-0697
[email protected]
Sherrie Nist
Director of the Division of Academic Enhancement
University of Georgia
706-542-0459
[email protected]
In 2000, the University of Georgia instituted the first Freshman College Summer Experience
(FCSE). FCSE is an intensive summer academic program that assists 275 regularly admitted first
year students in getting a head start on college life. However, unlike regular summer school, it
offers a comprehensive learning experience. All FCSE participants enroll in 6 credit hours
consisting one of five social science courses and one of two courses that assist students
transitioning from high school to college. Students move in to their residence hall at the beginning
of the program in July and continue living together the remainder of the school year. Students also
must choose from numerous Beyond Class programs to introduce them to all of the resources and
opportunities available at UGA and the city of Athens.
All of the components of Freshman College have been very successful, in part, because it is
dynamic and ever-evolving. Following each FCSE, we conduct a comprehensive program
evaluation, assessing its strengths and weaknesses. Thus, in planning for the sixth FCSE, which
will take place from July 5, to August 3, 2006, we have taken time to reflect on the progress of the
program as a way of continuing to improve upon it. In this session, we will focus on six key
questions: (1) How has the Freshman College evolved over the last five years? (2) What key
changes have taken place? (3) What were the driving forces in making these changes? (4) Which
changes had the greatest impact on the program and why? (5) How has the FCSE impacted student
success and retention? (6) What factors do we need to keep in mind as we plan for the future?
This session will be useful for those institutions having similar programs or those who would like
to learn from our triumphs and lessons.
Writing and Thinking Across Disciplines in First-Year Learning Communities
Christy Desmet
Associate Professor and Director, First-Year Composition
University of Georgia
706-542-2128
[email protected]
Sharon McCoy
Instructor, English Department
University of Georgia
706- 542-2245
[email protected]
June Griffin
Franklin Fellow
University of Georgia
706- 542-3437
[email protected]
Marcus Fechheimer
Professor and Department Head, Cellular Biology
University of Georgia
706-542-3338
[email protected]
This session describes the development of a FY Learning Communities Program over two years. In
addition to living together in the same dormitory, students take three classes together: a large
lecture class appropriate to the LC theme, a First-year Composition class that is customized to the
theme and the other classes, and a First-year Seminar with a "lead professor" that culminates, in the
second semester, in a service learning project. The decision to include a FY Composition class in
every Learning Community turns out to be fortunate, as a campus-wide Report from the Task Force
on General Education listed as a priority more attention to writing in the Gen. Ed. curriculum.
Participants in the session address the ways in which the Learning Community initiative promotes
community among the students, but also the challenges of transforming the LC as social
community into a discourse community. A learning community offers an ideal opportunity to create
a model discourse community in the classroom: students know each other well and they share a
growing knowledge base in a specific discipline. But of course, students are still novices in the
discipline and in order to function well as a discourse community the classes the students take in
common must complement and work with one another. The session offers suggestions for
successful collaboration among faculty. Participants in the session also explore ways to establish
common ground between the discourses of science, social science, and composition as students of a
learning community encounter them in these two academic departments. While science, social.
Scoemce, and composition have different paradigms in terms of what constitutes a defensible
hypothesis and evidence, their paradigms for investigation and their standards for its conveyance to
an audience are remarkably close. Exploring that common ground creates a synergy that enriches
both disciplines.
Facilitating Adjustment, Commitment, and Academic Success of a First-Year Student From a
Historically Disadvantaged Background: A Case Study
Matete Diako
Student Counsellor
University of Johannesburg
+2111 406 2112
[email protected]
Thomas Mkhatshwa
Head of Departments: Student Counselling
University of Johannesburg
+2711 406 2940
[email protected]
This presentation aims to highlight the important role that support services play in monitoring
adjustment and academic success of a first year student. A case study will be used to illustrate how
facilitation of adjustment positively contributes to academic success. When students get accepted
for registration, it is often assumed that they have qualities needed for success based on observable
academic records which are used as criteria for selection. According to Tinto (1995) the first year
is the most important year in the overall degree progression and he also found that 75% of students
who do not complete their studies attribute the reasons to problems experienced in the first year of
study. South Africa boasts its diversity in terms of race, cultural backgrounds and eleven official
languages.
Students who get accepted at the University illustrate the diverse historical background of the
country. It is however unfortunate that the same institutions fail to accommodate the complexities
associated with the diversity of their environment. Socio-cultural backgrounds have been found to
have a significant effect on the overall adjustment and academic success of a first year student.
Historical disadvantages of students registered at the University of Johannesburg include economic
disadvantage, poor educational background and language difficulties. Their educational
background reflects the racial difference in the education system of the country. Such students
have limited vocabulary in the use of English, which in turn affects academic performance, their
self esteem and their motivational level. Facilitating success of the first year student was done
through:
?
conducting a need analysis and designing an individualized program that continued with the
student until they received their diploma
?
Offering extensive support by allowing the student free access to the counselor.
?
Providing practical skills
?
Providing study skills
?
Foster small peer study groups.
?
Continuously monitor progress
Survival Skills Programme for First-Year Students
Thomas Mkhatshwa
Head of Departments: Student Counselling
University of Johannesburg
2711 4062940
[email protected]
Matete Diako
Student Counsellor
University of Johannesburg
2711 406 2112
[email protected]
For many students, the first year of University is one transition in which academic and social
challenges are encountered. The outcome of these challenges can result in either success of the
student, disappointment or failure which could lead to discontinuation of studies. In a research
conducted at the University of Johannesburg by Exner (2003)it was found that many students fail to
settle in their first year. This finding illustrates that institutions need to have effective and pertinent
programmes that will help first year students accomplish their educational goals. Experience in
dealing with students indicates that students bring along problems such as poor academic
backgrounds, unclearly defined goals and family related challenges. All these issues significantly
affect the overall adjustment of the first year student. This presentation intends to high light the
problems that first year students are faced with at the University of Johannesburg. It also discusses
the survival skills programme that is offered by the University of Johannesburg to all first year
students. The survival skills programme is facilitated through the following: 1.Orientation which is
designed to help new students adjust better, 2.Residence development team which is made up of a
multi-disciplinary team- it runs programmes aim at helping new students deal with distractions of
new environments in a constructive and meaningful way. 3. Peer helping which is facilitated by
fellow senior students. From time to time peer educators runs projects that help first year students
identify problems with a view to finding long-lasting solutions. The survival skills programmes
intended to benefit first students in the following manner: 1. Promoting student wellness through
enhancement of healthy holistic growth and development. 2. By identifying problems in advance
and enhance coping skills. This further intends to facilitate achievement of their educational goals.
The paper argues that expected progress and improved results would be realized if educational
institutions made the provision of survival skills to first year students a priority. The programme is
evaluated through the use of questionnaires distributed to first year students. The results reflect that
survival skills programme help first yea students to develop better coping skills to academic work
and life in generals. This further reveals that new students cannot be left alone to fend for
themselves.
Up Close and Personal: Incorporating Low-Cost, High-Impact Technology in FYE Courses
Robert Feldman
Director, Power Up for College Success and Professor
University of Massachusetts—Amherst
413.545.0130
[email protected]
This hands-on session will discuss and demonstrate state-of-the-art technologies that can be easily
and economically incorporated into FYE courses. In the presentation, we provide an overview of
several new technologies that can be used in and outside of classrooms, illustrating the ways that
technology can be used to personalize FYE classes and engage students. These innovative
technologies are changing the nature of classroom dynamics and requiring the development of new
skills, both on the part of students and instructors.
Designed for both novice and experienced technology users, the participative presentation begins
with a discussion and demonstration of in-classroom technologies that can enhance first-year
experience courses. Specifically, we examine and demonstrate the use of “smart” presentation
media and the use of interactive classroom technologies. These technologies, which involve
electronic student response units and receivers, offer immediate feedback from students during
classes and real-time assessment of student attitudes and beliefs. We also will examine the use of
technologies involving the Web, such as Web-based group activities. The pros and cons of
incorporating online instruction into FYE classes, and issues regarding student involvement and
personalization will be considered. Finally, we will consider the overall benefits and disadvantages
of the use of technology, addressing the practical—and philosophical—issues of how the use of
technology can improve educational outcomes. We conclude with a discussion of the implications
of technology for encouraging student success.
Integrating Service-Learning and Diversity in a Learning Community: The Michigan
Community Scholars Program (MCSP)
David Schoem
Faculty Director, MCSP
University of Michigan
734-615-6847
[email protected]
Wendy Woods
Associate Director, MCSP
University of Michigan
734-647-4860
[email protected]
The Michigan Community Scholars Program at the University of Michigan integrates the
educational initiatives of service-learning, diversity, and learning communities to aid in the
successful transition of students from high school to college. This interactive session will provide
the concrete details of how this program has achieved first-year retention rates consistently above
95%, emphasizing program diversity, faculty involvement, small classes, service-learning projects,
student leadership, and intentional community-building.
The session will first provide information on the conceptual underpinnings of the program,
including the boundary crossing structures that bridge academic and student affairs, disciplinary
borders, faculty and students, university and community. It will provide program details on courses,
residence life, faculty participation, student leadership, intergroup dialogue, community service,
assessment, recruitment and institutional support that can be adapted to different campus settings.
A short CNN clip about the program will be shown.
Participants will then be invited to examine in small groups their own institutional settings and
programs to explore how they might adapt in part or in whole the successful models and practices
of the Michigan Community Scholars Program. Participants will be asked to share their success
stories from their own and together all will explore and address common challenges.
The experience of the Michigan Community Scholars Program, a residential learning community,
has been explored in a recent book “Engaging the Whole of Service-Learning, Diversity, and
Learning Communities."
Students Teaching Students
Joe Salvatore
Director of Peer-Led Study Groups/Project Coordinator
University of Michigan
734-936-5456
[email protected]
This presentation will outline the Science Learning Center’s Peer-Led Study Group (PLSG)
Program, which provides active learning opportunities for first-year students enrolled in
introductory biology, chemistry, and physics courses. The presentation will include and overview
of program’s philosophy and goals, with emphasis on how the program differs from one-on-one
tutoring and other less active learning opportunities. Attendees will also learn about the program’s
staff, faculty, members, and leaders, including demographics.
The core of the presentation will focus on the training and evaluation components of the program.
In training, study group leaders learn about some of the challenges facing first-year students in their
transition from high school to college. Unlike many high school science courses, college science
courses demand that students apply their knowledge to new problems and situations. Study group
leaders must provide their members with opportunities to practice these higher order thinking skills
through discussion, peer-to-peer learning activities, and problem solving techniques.
In addition to training, the presentation will provide information on program evaluation, including
leader self-evaluations, observations during actual study group sessions by program staff, follow-up
feedback sessions, and discussions of evaluation results gathered from study group member
surveys. Study Group Leaders use this information to reflect and establish goals for improvement.
Finally, the presentation will address some of the key challenges facing the program. For example,
faculty support of the program is one difficult challenge. A recent luncheon to celebrate the
success of the program was cancelled due to lack of faculty attendance. And only three of the 24
faculty involved returned surveys asking for feedback about the program.
A study group program can be a tremendous resource for first year students and this presentation
will provide higher education professionals with detailed information about the challenges and
successes of the PLSG Program at the University of Michigan.
Pedagogy and Student Services for Institutional Transformation: Inclusion for All First-Year
Students
Jeanne Higbee
Professor, General College
University of Minnesota
612-625-8015
[email protected]
Mary Ellen Shaw
Counselor Advocate
University of Minnesota
612-625-4576
[email protected]
Dana Lundel
Research Center Director
University of Minnesota
612-626-8706
[email protected]
David Ghere
Associate Professor of History
University of Minnesota
612-626-8631
[email protected]
Universal Instructional Design (UID), an adaptation of the architectural concept of Universal
Design, is a relatively new model for providing access to higher education for students with
disabilities. Through UID, staff and faculty create more welcoming spaces for all students by
rethinking professional practices to develop curricula and programs that are inclusive for all
learners. When faculty and staff implement UID as they begin planning for a course, program, or
activity by taking into consideration the strengths and challenges of all students, they reduce or
eliminate the need to provide last-minute accommodations or to segregate students on the basis of
individual needs. Although originally conceived as a means for making higher education more
accessible for students with disabilities, ultimately, we hope that this model will be applied more
broadly to provide the foundation for new theoretical work and research and practice in
multicultural higher education.
This session will begin by providing a brief introduction to Universal Instructional Design within a
multicultural education framework. We will show a brief video clip to illustrate why some students
have difficulty disclosing their disabilities or asking for accommodations. Each of the presenters
will then discuss how he or she has implemented Universal Instructional Design in practice with
first-year students, including in specific classroom settings like a first-year experience course and
freshman-level American history and psychology courses and in advising. Finally, for participants
who want to learn more about UID, the presenters will provide information about a project recently
funded by the U.S. Department of Education that will provide an all-expenses- paid-plushonorarium, discipline-specific, grant-funded professional development experience available in
summer 2006.
Handouts for this session will include a list of online and other resources as well as copies of
publications that illustrate the implementation of UID.
Underrepresented Populations: Facilitating Intellectual Growth, Multicultural Perspectives,
and Student Development
David Ghere
Associate Professor of History
University of Minnesota
612-626-8631
[email protected]
Dana Lundell
Research Center Director
University of Minnesota
612-626-8706
[email protected]
Mary Ellen Shaw
Counselor Advocate
University of Minnesota
612-625-4576
[email protected]
Patricia James
Associate Professor of Art
University of Minnesota
612-625-2380
[email protected]
One of the most critical transitions currently facing American higher education institutions is the
shift in demographic trends that will shape our student populations of the future. Institutions will
need to be more thoughtful and creative in how they develop initiatives to ensure not only access,
but also the retention of students from traditionally underrepresented groups. The purpose of this
session is to introduce participants to a unique model for responding to this challenge, General
College.
The presenters will briefly (a) describe the history of the academic unit and its theoretical
foundations, (b) discuss the focus on multicultural perspectives throughout the curriculum and
student services, (c) explain how skill development is embedded in disciplinary course offerings,
(d) examine the role of student services and faculty-advisor interaction in student success, and (e)
present findings of recent research related to achievement and retention within the academic unit.
The audience will then break up into small groups according to individual interests for further
conversations in each of these theme areas. The session will conclude with a discussion of how
aspects of this model could be implemented at participants' home institutions.
Discussions of this nature are critical to those involved in FYE, particularly as related to practice at
four-year institutions where traditional developmental education programs are being phased out or
undergoing significant transitions. It is imperative that access for historically underserved student
populations is not ignored, and that, once access is provided, systems must be in place to ensure
retention. It is also important that programs, courses, and services have a solid foundation in theory
and research related to best practices. Handouts for this session will include a book about this
award-winning academic unit as well as a session agenda and copies of overhead slides.
Making a Home at the University: The I-CAN Approach
Patricia James
Associate Professor of Art
University of Minnesota
612-625-2380
[email protected]
Patrick Bruch
Associate Professor of Writing Studies
University of Minnesota
612-625-6041
[email protected]
Rashne Jehangir
Assistant Professor, General College
University of Minnesota
612-625-3551
[email protected]
Over recent decades, many institutions have created programs to help first-year students develop
social, cognitive, and affective resources to help them succeed in their University careers. In recent
years, through developments such as freshmen seminars and learning communities, these programs
have focused increasingly on the importance of tapping into the intellectual energy that first-year
students can bring to the knowledge-making project of universities. Our presentation will share the
theory, design, and outcomes of one such program—the I-CAN learning community model at the
University of Minnesota. This model is one of the foundations of a major first-year learning
community initiative in planning. Specifically, we will discuss how our learning community
pursues five goals for both professors and students:
• Develop a strong sense of belonging to the learning community and to the University as a whole.
• Develop a repertoire of ways to think about and express ideas, emotions, and experiences.
• Develop the ability to work collaboratively with others.
• Bring lived experience into the classroom and explore connections between the academic
community and the other communities.
• Strengthen students’ feelings of self-efficacy by learning more about themselves as individuals
and as members of the community.
Our thematically-based learning community is structured as a systemic network of diverse activities
that reinforce our goals through a variety of approaches. Our research informs ongoing
improvements of our learning community, contributes to a larger research agenda in a college-wide
learning community initiative, and adds to the national discussion about the role of learning
communities in retaining and graduating underrepresented students. Participants will learn about
the theories that inform our work as well as the rewards and problems of learning and teaching in a
multicultural learning community.
Learning Communities: A "Required Opportunity" for Undecided Students
Mary Keenan
Director, CLA New Student Programs and Advisement
University of Minnesota Duluth
218-726-7009
[email protected]
This presentation will provide an overview of learning communities, CLA’s learning community
model, lessons learned and assessment data, an explanation of how our model supports first year
undecided students, and time for Q&A and discussion.
The overview will incorporate the work of Chickering (good practices in undergraduate education),
Astin (what matters in college), and Tinto (student persistence). It will explore learning community
models presented by MacGregor and Smith and common goals of learning communities.
Elements of our program will be detailed, including why CLA developed a required learning
community program for undecided students, program goals, lessons learned, and assessment data.
Samples of our communities and promotional literature will be shared.
The presentation will also include reflection upon how our program supports student success by
providing conditions that support retention, including clear and consistent information, academic
and social support, involvement of undecided students as valued members of our university, and
engaged student learning. (Tinto)
An opportunity for Q&A and audience discussion will be provided.
How Do Leaders Influence Supplemental Instruction (SI) Attendance?
Maureen Hurley
Associate Director, International SI Center
University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC)
(816) 235-5557
[email protected]
Marion Stone
Associate Director/Research Coordinator
University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC)
816-235-5758
[email protected]
The data demonstrate that students who attend Supplemental Instruction (SI) sessions receive an
average of one/half to one full letter grade higher than students who do not participate in SI.
Several studies have examined student motivation to attend SI sessions as it pertains to academic
goals, but less research has been done to investigate how social elements impact SI attendance.
Because socializing is often a high priority for traditional college students, this exploratory study
focused on how social and interpersonal factors influenced session attendance. The presentation
will look at outcomes of a questionnaire that addressed student impressions of the SI leader,
lecture, professor, and the UMKC campus SI program as a whole, although it focused primarily on
their impressions of the SI leader. For example, are students more likely to attend sessions with a
leader whom they consider “cool” or possessing good social skills? Does student word of mouth
promote a positive or negative view of the program across campus? Answers to these questions
may shed some light on why students attend only once at the beginning of the semester or do not
attend any sessions at all. Also, why do students give leaders poor satisfaction ratings although
observations indicate that the leaders follow the SI model, and program evaluation shows a positive
difference in mean course grades? Perhaps this is because students are motivated by social as well
as academic goals. Having a better understanding of how social factors influence session
attendance will ultimately lead to more successful SI programs.
Investment Portfolios: Direct Writing Assessment for First-Year Programs
Kristi Bryant
Assistant Director of First Year Program
University of Nebraska at Kearney
308-865-8291
[email protected]
Jeremy Schnieder
Director of Writing Center
University of Nebraska at Kearney
308-865-8728
[email protected]
As First Year Programs can have classes from many disciplines, implementing direct writing
assessment can be an arduous task. Not only must different types of writing be brought into the
fold, but different attitudes toward writing must be dealt with. These difficulties, when coupled
with fitting it all within the overall objectives of the program, can cause many to search for
alternatives. Thus, a clear understanding of the process must be attained. This includes
understanding the creation of the tools, collecting of the samples, and interpreting the results.
Furthermore, working with results that are not as positive as are hoped for can create headaches for
faculty and administrators alike. However, from these circumstances can emerge some very
positive developments for everyone involved. Using experience as a guide this presentation will
demonstrate the creation of a portfolio based form of assessment and the evolution of a First Year
program as it struggled to implement and grow through the use of portfolio writing assessment.
Integrating Service-Learning Into a First-Year Learning Community for Psychology Majors
Kim Buch
Associate Professor of Psychology
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
704-687-4756
[email protected]
Service learning is a unique combination of experiential learning and community service that
benefits the student and their community at the same time. It provides students with a valuable
“hands-on” learning experience in a real-world setting and can be a valuable vehicle for achieving
the community-building goals common to most learning communities.
This paper describes the methods, results, and challenges of integrating service learning throughout a formal first year program for psychology majors at the University of North Carolina at
Charlotte. The Psychology Learning Community (PLC) includes a service learning group project
in the first-semester freshman seminar for PLC members, a second-semester course built totally
around service learning (Citizenship and Service Practicum), and a first-summer international
service learning experience in England.
Phase 1 in the first year project consists of a 15-hour group service learning project that is
integrated into the Freshman Seminar for Psychology Majors, a required course for all PLC
members. This project places teams of students into 5 local service sites, including a homeless
shelter, a residential drug rehabilitation center, a jobs program for unemployed youth, a movement
class for disabled children, and a clothing store serving the needy. Team presentations on the
experience serve as the final evaluation for the course.
Phase 2 consists of an optional course that raises the number of on-site service hours to 35, and
requires extensive readings across themes such as American Individualism and Community, Moral
Development and Social Psychology, and Values Clarification. Phase 3 consists of an optional 4week summer study abroad program in England, which includes an international service learning
component. A small group of PLC students completes an intensive group service learning project
at a social agency serving AIDS patients, while comparing and contrasting the British approach to
community service and volunteerism to the American approach.
Ensuring Web Accessibility for All Students
Margaret Turner
Director, Student Achievement Services
University of North Carolina Wilmington
910-962-4256
[email protected]
As the population of students with disabilities continues to increase colleges and universities are
faced with proactively providing accessible information systems for online offerings. Providing
barrier free WEB sites is not just a courtesy but a law. In September of 1996, the US Department
of Justice ruled that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to WEB pages.
Accrediting associations such as SACS (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools) has a
requirement addressing accessibility of on-line courses.
Many colleges and universities are redesigning and customizing their WEB sites. Portal housing of
all on-campus service functions is becoming a reality. Students are often exposed to university
functions prior to their First Year Experience after being accepted to the university and certainly
during the first year. Use of the Web is particularly prone to inaccessibility, not from intent or
malice, but due to the lack of awareness on the part of web site creators. It is clear that universities
are rapidly moving forward with technology offerings. What is not clear is how they will ensure
equal access for all students. Dialog regarding how this equal access will be achieved needs to be
happening in a proactive manner. The issues are not just for Disability Service Offices or
Information Technology Divisions to ensure this accessibility. This must be a campus-wide effort.
This presentation will address the process necessary to achieve accessibility. Participants will be
encouraged to discuss implications and solutions.
Cornerstone Learning Communities: A Story of Collaboration Between Academic Affairs
and Student Affairs at UNC Wilmington
Sean Ahlum
Marketing and Computing Consultant
University of North Carolina Wilmington
910.962.3573
[email protected]
Kemille Moore
Dean, University College
University of North Carolina Wilmington
[email protected]
Claudia Stack
Co-Director of Cornerstone Learning Communities
University of North Carolina Wilmington
910.962.3821
[email protected]
Michelle Rodems
Residence Coordinator, Housing and Residence Life
University of North Carolina Wilmington
910-962-8616
[email protected]
The first year of college is a time, ideally, when young people make a shift from adolescent selfabsorption to seeing themselves as effective parts of a community. UNCW’s Cornerstone Learning
Communities (CLC) program helps them to make that transition in numerous ways. The students
are exposed to faculty working with University College and Housing and Residence Life
professionals. They become aware of the collaboration required to make a complex residential
learning program happen. The activities and programs in the residence hall complement the
academic themes presented in class.
The Intended and Unintended Consequences of First-Year Learning Communities
David Jaffee
Acting Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
University of North Florida
904-620-2560
[email protected]
Richard Phillips
Assistant Professor of Sociology
University of North Florida
904-620-1651
[email protected]
Lucy Paltoo
Student Asst, Residence Life
University of North Florida
[email protected]
Researchers theorize that learning communities like Freshman Interest Groups (FIGs) aid in student
retention by providing a sense of community and a friendship base in the classroom. However, less
is known about some of the potential pitfalls of freshman learning communities. For instance,
sociologists know that a strong sense of “us” within small groups can produce cohesion and
community among group members, but these dynamics can also contribute to cliques and the
exclusion of nonconformists or “free spirits.” Since tolerance of difference and alternative points of
view are essential values of the university, it is vital to determine if these negative aspects of FIGs
exist and are problematic. Our study compares students in a residential FIG (a type of learning
community where students not only study together but live together in the dorms), students in a
non-residential FIG, and a third group in a non-FIG classroom environment to examine how the
frequency and intensity of student interaction contributes to both the positive and negative aspects
of group dynamics in learning communities. Our student population are freshmen at a regional
public university in the southeastern US. Data were collected at three different points over the
course of a semester.
In addition to our examination of classroom dynamics, we also employ the Grasha-Reichmann
Student Learning Style Scale—a well-established measure of student learning orientations—to see
how various types of learners fare in different classroom settings. The Grasha-Reichmann scale
allows us to see whether certain types of learners are more inclined to choose a freshman learning
community. It also allows us to correlate different learning styles with classroom performance, and
overall satisfaction with the first-year experience.
Getting Published: A Guide to Publishing Opportunities on the First College Year
Barbara Tobolowsky
Associate Director, NRC
University of South Carolina
(803) 777-5193
[email protected]
Tracy Skipper
Editorial Projects Coordinator
University of South Carolina
(803) 777-6226
[email protected]
Inge Lewis
Editor
University of South Carolina
(803) 777-1924
[email protected]
Michelle Maher
Editor, Journal of First-Year Experience & Students in Transition
University of South Carolina
(803) 777-3084
[email protected]
Jean Henscheid
Fellow
University of South Carolina
(208)883-8191
[email protected]
This roundtable discussion focuses on the wide range of publishing opportunities at the Center,
including the research-based Journal of The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition, ESource for College Transitions, and the monograph series. Learn about the process of getting
published, the missions of the different publishing venues, and the characteristics of accepted and
rejected articles. Participants will be able to ask questions regarding the process.
Partnering for Student Success: The University of South Carolina’s Early Intervention
Initiative
Chrissy Coley
Director, Retention and Planning
University of South Carolina
803-777-9307
[email protected]
The session format will primarily be structured as an interactive lecture in which the presenter will
review the current student success scholarship, discuss the development and implementation of the
Early Intervention Initiative, and share recommendations for effectively partnering with academic
units on similar initiatives. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and share ideas
from their own campuses and research.
As a result of attending this session, participants will 1) gain an understanding of the current
scholarship on student success, 2) become aware of the best practices of high-performing
institutions as identified by the literature, 3) develop an appreciation of the role of early warning
systems as they pertain to student success, 4) learn about the development and implementation of
the Early Intervention Initiative at USC, 5) discuss how to develop effective academic
affairs/student affairs collaborations on their own campuses, and 6) review the results and impact of
the program at USC.
The session will present the EII as an example of cross-campus collaborations and partnerships,
from the development of the model to the implementation and evaluation of the initiative. Based
on current scholarship and best practices, the initiative has been designed purposefully to enhance
student learning and success through intervening with students at the earliest point at which
adjustment concerns can tangibly be measured - the point of excessive class absences. The EII has
the power to acculturate students to the expectation (value) of class attendance at USC, as well as to
align services (interventions) with students who may be at risk for falling through the cracks. It is
an example of an intentional and intrusive academic monitoring system that responds when
students first exhibit signs of adjustment issues. And finally, it is capable of identifying students
who are academically prepared for college-level work, but who may lack the skills, confidence, or
goals to succeed.
Leveling the Playing Field: Maintaining a Commitment to Traditionally Underrepresented
First-Year College Students in Transition
Christa Watts-Hutto
Graduate Assistant
University of South Carolina
803-777-5127
[email protected]
Jessica Claar
OSP Graduate Assistant
University of South Carolina
803-777-5200
[email protected]
The mission of the Opportunity Scholars Program (OSP) is to increase the retention and graduation
rates of low-income, first-generation students enrolled at USC-Columbia. The program serves at
least 200 students each year and enrolls approximately 50 freshmen. OSP operates as a learning
community for first-generation college students from poor and working class families. Since 1995,
75% of all enrollees have been low-income and first-generation college students, often minorities.
OSP is a very intensive four-year program that focuses primarily on the first-year experience, while
continuing to provide an academic and socially supportive community. It includes a combination
of guidance and advocacy services that mitigate adjustment concerns. OSP services and activities
include the following: student orientation, academic advisement, OSP classes, mentoring,
academic support, cultural enrichment, undergraduate research opportunities, tuition reduction, and
special scholarship awards. In addition to these services, the OSP staff monitors the academic
progress of each student throughout his/her enrollment at the university. If the students experience
academic difficulty, the staff intervenes with suggestions and arrangements for improving
performance.
The goals of OSP are to achieve an 80% freshman to sophomore retention rate, to achieve a 60%
graduation rate among project participants, to achieve a 16% graduate school placement rate, and to
maintain that at least 90% of the student evaluations will indicate that USC has an institutional
climate supportive of the success of TRiO eligible students. OSP has a history of not only
achieving these goals, but surpassing them. Assessment has shown that OSP has an 80% freshman
to sophomore year retention rate, a graduation rate at approximately 63%, a 17% graduate school
attendance rate, and that 97% of students feel that USC is academically supportive of their
endeavors. The Opportunity Scholars Program’s graduation and graduate school placement rates
are both comparable to that for the general USC population.
Promoting First-Year Student Success Through Residentially Based Academic Initiatives
Jimmie Gahagan
Assistant Director for Residential Learning Initiatives
University of South Carolina
(803)777-1445
[email protected]
Anna McLeod
Coordinator of Residential Learning Initiatives
University of South Carolina
(803)777-4885
[email protected]
Kimberly Dressler
Graduate Assistant for Residential Learning Initiatives
University of South Carolina
(803)777-4129
[email protected]
Jody Kunk
Graduate Assistant for Residential Learning Initiatives
University of South Carolina
(803)[email protected]
This presentation will provide participants with an overview of residentially based academic
success initiatives such as: the changing role of the peer resident advisor, academic consultations,
tutoring, and academic advising. The presentation will begin by building the case for the
importance of these initiatives and why they should be delivered in students’ residence. Current
literature regarding the impact of the residence halls on student learning and other relevant
assessment data will be used to support this development.
The presenters will then provide an overview of national trends regarding such initiatives along
with highlighting the work of the Student Success Initiative at the University of South Carolina.
The Student Success Initiative at the University of South Carolina involved three main
components: 1)intentional interactions between resident advisors and first-year students, 2)the
Academic Centers of Excellence that provide tutoring and general academic skill consultations for
students, and 3)front-loaded resources such as pre-advising and other recognition events.
The presenters will then take time to discuss the future of these initiatives and outline specific
recommendations to encourage their sustainability. Specific attention will be given to developing
sustainable academic partnerships and funding issues.
Hitting a Wall With Facebook?: Importance and Issues of the Trend
Stephanie Serven
Graduate Assistant
University of South Carolina
777.2247
[email protected]
Kathleen Murray
Graduate Assistant
University of South Carolina
777.1526
[email protected]
As Astin’s theory of involvement (1984) suggests, “…for student learning and growth to take
place, students need to actively engage in their environment” (Evans, Forney, & Guido-DiBrito,
1998), and we as student affairs professionals are called to find opportunities for students to
become involved both in and out of the classroom. Involvement for Astin refers to what students
actually do, and not simply their feelings or thoughts, and involvement has been tied to outcomes
such as student satisfaction and retention (Cooper, Healy, & Simpson, 1994; Berger, 1997).
Although it is not involvement in the traditional sense, web-based communities, such as
Facebook.com, provide opportunities for students to become a part of collegiate communities. As
the headline of Facebook’s login page states, “The Facebook is an online directory that connects
people through social networks at schools.”
Begun in February 2004 as a means for Harvard University students to easily get in touch with one
another and maintain relationships from afar, Facebook has quickly spread to approximately 2,000
college campuses and 4.2 million users and is projected to continue growing (Estes, 2005). The
appeal for many students is the opportunity to meet new people at their institution, find others with
common interests, and maintain relationships with high school friends and those at other
institutions. This concept is not entirely new, as a number of colleges and universities formerly
distributed paper face books to new students to help them become acquainted with one another; the
Facebook goes an extra step and caters to the tech-savvy students who are now entering our
colleges and universities.
More than just assisting in the establishment of social networks and/or keeping tabs on old friends,
the Facebook provides a means of involvement in the campus community, provides a sense of self
and connection, and serves as a means by which students solidify their identity by making public
statements about themselves.
Schlossberg’s Transition Theory provides another avenue for understanding the Facebook. As
incoming students attempting to navigate a massive transition, web-based communities provide the
third of Schlossberg’s four S’s: Support. Facebook allows a person to visualize their support
network in the form of their network of friends, their groups (communities) and affiliation with the
institution (2 of the 4 types of supports Schlossberg discusses).
Due to the pervasiveness of this program and its potential for assisting first-year students with their
transition, we believe it is important, if not essential, for student affairs professionals to be
knowledgeable about Facebook (how it works, why it is popular), the pros and cons associated with
its use, and the challenges and potential dangers that go along with it. The presenters are prepared
to educate participants about the uses of Facebook.com and applicable student development
theories. The majority of the session will include lively discussion about experiences with
Facebook and the many related topics. Both presenters are recent college graduates and current
Facebook users.
References
Cooper, D. L., Healy, M. A., & Simpson, J. (1994, March). Student Development Through
Involvement: Specific Changes Over Time. Journal of College Student Development, 35, pp. 98102.
Berger, J. B. (1997, September/October). Students’ Sense of Community in Residence Halls,
Social integration, and First-Year Persistence. Journal of College Student Development, 38, pp.
441-452.
Estes, A. (2005, September 28) A Facelift for Facebook. Change Magazine. World Wide Web:
www.msnbc.com/id/9516347/site/newsweek/print/1/displaymode/1098/).
Assessment of the First College Year: A Dozen Easy Ideas
Bradley Cox
Coordinator of Research and Public Information
University of South Carolina
803-777-6225
[email protected]
Randy Swing
Co-Director and Senior Scholar
Policy Center on the First Year of College
828-966-5401
[email protected]
This session will provide an overview of a dozen easy-to-implement ideas related to assessment of
the first college year. The dozen ideas will fall into four categories:
Attendance and Early Intervention:
-Demonstrate attendance/cut patterns of first-year students
-Overview studies that suggest simple interventions (like a phone call from a graduate student) can
improve class attendance
-Present evidence that first-year students sometimes have class schedules that physically do not
allow them to make it subsequent classes on time.
Retention:
-Putting retention statistics into contexts of institutional mission, prediction formulas, peer
comparisons, etc.
-Calculating the financial savings of an improved retention rate.
-Tracking students who leave the institution to find out where/why they leave, and if they succeed
elsewhere.
Student voices:
-Starting simple with a "question of the day/week"
-Using 10 minute writing prompts to ask about campus issues.
-Consider what students perceive as having been promised to them, and find out if any of those
promises are being broken.
-Use reflexive photography or video diaries to allow students to express themselves visually.
Before & after (pre & post tests)
=Assess students before the first year (e.g., orientation) and again at the end of the first year to see
how they've changed
-CSXQ & CSEQ
-CIRP & YFCY
-BCSSE & NSSE
Using these 4 categories of assessment, we will provide a dozen ideas that can be easily
implemented by educators looking to assess the first college year.
Rules of Engagement
Vicki Collins
First Year Seminar Instructor
University of South Carolina - Aiken
(803) 278- 1967 ext. 3735
[email protected]
The presenter will explain the steps of the following activities, available as handouts to
participants:
JOB SHOP - Students are offered jobs at Lincoln Electronics, a company with an ususual hiring
policy. After small group discussion, students will indicate if they will accept the job offers and
explain their responses.
DOOR-TO-DOOR - Students will roam through campus buildings, searching for the most colorful
and interesting faculty office door. The writing assignment requires them to describe the door in
detail and create a persona for the professor, using only the items on the door as clues.
NO TRY-OUTS - Students are parents, teachers, coaches, and school board members of
Springfield Middle School. They must determine if the school will extend its current "No TryOuts" Policy, which eliminates the stigma of rejection.
CRO-MAGNON MAN - (Full demonstration/attendee participation) Students will take a short
reading assignment and create a visual study guide, with colorful illustrations only (no words
allowed).
THINKING ABOUT THINKING - Students will read a list of statements about the writing
process. Then they will be asked to find common elements among the statements, determine
appropriate criteria, and categorize connected statements.
ART CRITIQUE - A visit to the institution's art department, gallery, or museum is in order to
choose one or more pieces of artwork. A written assignment requires students to both describe and
analyze the art.
CULTURAL LITERACY - Using E.D. Hirsch's DICTIONARY OF CULTURAL LITERACY:
WHAT EVERY AMERICAN NEEDS TO KNOW, the instructor will divide students into teams
for some healthy competition. (Rewards are optional)
Did They Really Learn Anything? Transforming First-Year Seminar Assessment to Measure
Student Learning Outcomes
Stephanie Foote
Director, Academic Support Services and the First-Year Experience
University of South Carolina Aiken
(803) 641-3321
[email protected]
Braden Hosch
Director of Institutional Effectiveness
University of South Carolina Aiken
(803) 641-3338
[email protected]
First-Year Seminar assessment often focuses on measuring student satisfaction (with the course),
perception of learning, and the relationship between course enrollment and first-year student
retention. Although these measurements are useful, they don’t tell First-Year Seminar
administrators or instructors what students are learning from the course. To better understand the
learning that occurs in the First-Year Seminar classroom, assessment must move from standard
course evaluations to identifying and measuring learning outcomes.
During this session, the presenters will share their experiences using course goals to inform and
define learning outcomes, share methods to measure learning outcomes, discuss how to use this
form of measurement in the classroom (and gain support from faculty and staff teaching the
course), provide insight on how to use the collected data, and finally they will provide advice on
revisiting and revising the measurement tools. Participants will leave the session with practical
strategies to help them begin the process using resources on their own campuses.
Collaboration, Innovation, Instruction: Best Practices in the First-Year Seminar
Nick Shrader
Assistant Director, University Housing
University of South Carolina Aiken
641-3566
[email protected]
Jennie Volforte
Associate Director, University Housing
University of South Carolina Aiken
641-3788
[email protected]
Vicki Collins
Lecturer, English Dept.
University of South Carolina Aiken
641-3735
[email protected]
Corey Feraldi
Director, Career Services
University of South Carolina Aiken
641-3280
[email protected]
Stacie Williams
Director, Multicultural Affairs
University of South Carolina Aiken
641-3442
[email protected]
Innovation in the first-year seminar classroom is paramount to the success of the course, but how
can one be innovative while remaining true to the academy? This session, featuring a panel of firstyear seminar instructors will include best practices in first-year seminar instruction.
During this session, the presenters will share their experiences teaching the first-year seminar using
a variety of pedagogical techniques, share strategies to engage and motivate students in the
classroom, discuss how to teach some of the more challenging content areas (e.g., critical thinking,
issues of diversity, etc.), and provide insight on how to use teach this type of course effectively
while maintaining support from faculty. Participants have an opportunity to contribute their own
experiences teaching first-year students, and will leave the session with practical tips on how to
engage students in the classroom.
Launching and Sustaining Learning Communities
Jean Henscheid
Fellow
University of South Carolina, NRC FYE SIT
208 883 8191
[email protected]
The multi-year National Learning Communities Project and the tremendous amount of work
spawned by this effort has firmly established the learning community approach as one of the most
powerful and sustainable reform strategies in undergraduate education. Learning communities
reorganize the college student experience through course clustering and integration of in and outof-class learning. In reorganizing the student experience, learning communities apply the
fundamental tenants of sociological and cognitive theories to improve student engagement,
learning, and success. Participants in this session will discuss topics involved in creating and
maintaining learning communities including curricular and co-curricular design, faculty and staff
involvement, assessment, instructional development, funding, and creating campus-wide
partnerships. Using learning communities toward broader institutional transformation will also be
discussed.
Facilitating Academic Success of Latino Students via Learning Communities
Dalinda Solis
Co-Director, HSI Title V Project
University of Texas - Pan American
(956)292-7494
[email protected]
Ana Maria Rodriguez
Associate V.P. for Undergraduate Studies
University of Texas - Pan American
(956)316-7919
[email protected]
Michael Weaver
Associate Dean, College of Arts and Humanities
University of Texas - Pan American
(956)[email protected]
Marta Lopez
Director - University Retention and Advisement Program
University of Texas - Pan American
(956)316-7126
[email protected]
Mark Noe
Assistant Professor - English Dept.
University of Texas - Pan American
(956)381-3430
[email protected]
The session will begin with each presenter introducing themselves and indicating their role in
facilitating the implementation of learning communities. The audience will then be polled to
determine their roles and the institutions they represent. Participants will be asked to identify the
degree that learning communities have been implemented within their own institutions.
The next component of the discussion will focus on the implementation of learning communities.
Issues relative to faculty recruitment will be discussed. Participants will be asked if they had
similar experiences or if they can provide recommendations or suggestions for more effective
faculty recruitment.
Issues regarding transition from paired learning communities to integrated learning communities
will be discussed next. Specific strategies will be shared with the participants. Presenters will then
encourage participants to share their own experiences, impressions, concerns, etc. relative to
transitioning to integrated learning communities.
The third major issue to be discussed is recruitment of students for participation in learning
communities. Specifics regarding recruitment strategies already attempted and those planned for
future implementation will also be discussed. Participants will be encouraged to comment on the
strategies mentioned, as well as additional strategies that may have been implemented at their
respective institutions.
Closure of the session will be conducted by asking participants to identify strategies/ideas/etc. that
were garnished from the discussion. The presenters will begin the process by sharing their
learnings from the participants' comments and then will ask participants to share their reflections
and/or learnings.
Renovating Pacific's Full First-Year Mentor Program
Lou Matz
Associate Dean of General Education
University of the Pacific
209-946-2673
[email protected]
Gary Miller
Dean, The College
University of the Pacific
209-946-2023
[email protected]
Dave Chase
Assistant Dean, Conservatory of Music
University of the Pacific
209-946-2418
[email protected]
Douglas Tedards
Assistant Dean, College of the Pacific
University of the Pacific
209-946-2142
[email protected]
Established in 1992, Pacific’s Mentor Seminar Program is a required three semester sequence—
Mentor I and II are taught in the first year, and Mentor III in the senior year. Due to a recent
extensive review, the program has been substantially redesigned, and the university is supporting
the new program with at least seven new faculty lines to maintain high levels of tenure-track
faculty participation.
In our presentation, we will discuss why the program has been changed, how we are changing it,
the nature of the new Mentor Seminars, a new e-portfolio system, and potential difficulties in
implementing the new program.
Currently, Mentor I is a common syllabus course devoted to timeless philosophical questions,
Mentor II is devoted to contemporary social policies and civic engagement, and Mentor III serves
as an ethical capstone course in which students write an ethical autobiography.
The redesigned Mentor Program will be thematically uniform since it focuses on one overarching
question, ‘What is a Good Society?’ Mentor I will continue to be a common-syllabus course that
examines various aspects of a Good Society in an introductory way through a more inclusive
interdisciplinary reader. Mentor II follows up the broad first-semester course with newly
developed topical seminars taught from all academic divisions (including six professional schools)
that focus in-depth on specific issues of a Good Society. Finally, Mentor III is reframed to focus on
students’ ethical development in the contexts of family, work, and citizenship, and it will add an
intellectual autobiography. These autobiographies will draw from an electronic portfolio of work
from the previous Mentor Seminars as well as General Education courses. The portfolio will bring
more coherence to the General Education program for students and faculty and will be a means to
assess the program as a whole.
The Freshman Advising and Priority Registration Program
Martina Stewart
Associate Director, University College
University of Utah
801 585-3238
[email protected]
Pat Reilly
Academic Program Manager
University of Utah
801 585-0486
[email protected]
The Freshman Advising Program at the University of Utah has been in place since 1999. In this
session we will discuss the logistics of this award winning program (2005 NACADA Outstanding
Institutional Advising Award Certificate of Merit), data on retention and graduation rates, and
programs and resources we have developed for campus advisors who work with new freshmen. Our
objective is to introduce several successful initiatives that may be adaptable to other institutions.
We will begin by giving some background on the University of Utah, our student population, and
the genesis of the freshman advising program. Due to campus-wide concern about the retention of
new freshmen at the University of Utah, in 1998 the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs
charged the University Academic Advising Committee (UAAC) to develop and implement a
campus-wide freshman advising program. At that time, the Freshman Advising Committee, a subcommittee of UAAC was formed, and the Freshman Advising Program was implemented in 1999.
One of the committee’s major challenges in implementing a campus wide freshman advising
program was determining how to get freshmen in to advisors’ offices for advising. Our campus
culture avoids mandatory requirements being placed on students. Rather than making it
“mandatory”, the committee came up with an incentive: priority registration for 1000 and 2000
level courses for all new freshmen that meet with an advisor. We will explain how we advertise
this program, our collaboration with a freshman seminar program for first year students, and data
on retention and graduation.
Finally, we will discuss professional development activities and resources we have designed for
campus advisors who work with new freshmen. These programs have been very effective in
starting campus-wide conversations about advising, and getting us all on the same page regarding
our goals as we advise new freshmen students.
Opposites Can Attract: Marriage Therapy for Academic and Student Affairs
Cheryl Rice
Director, EXCEL Center
University of West Georgia
678-839-6280
[email protected]
Don Rice
Chair, Department of Psychology
University of West Georgia
678-839-6510
[email protected]
Ashley Lewis
Assistant Director, EXCEL Center
University of West Georgia
678-839-6280
[email protected]
DeLandra Hunter
Associate Director, EXCEL Center
University of West Georgia
678-839-6280
[email protected]
Donald Sebera
Associate Director, EXCEL Center
University of West Georgia
678-839-6280
[email protected]
Is divorce inevitable between Academic and Student Affairs or can this marriage be saved? The
EXCEL Center at the University of West Georgia answers a resounding, YES, this marriage be
saved, and be strong and productive. Nine years ago UWG achieved a happy marriage of student
and academic affairs with the creation of the EXCEL Center for Academic Success. Housed in
Student Affairs, the EXCEL Center not only serves as constant reminder of the need for
coordination and cooperation between these two divisions, but also presents a continual challenge
to the staff to keep this partnership of Academic and Student Affairs healthy.
The EXCEL Center achieved that rare and happy state in which a department housed in Student
Affairs maintains the respect of Academic Affairs. In this position the Center has the unique
opportunity to bridge the gap between these two sides of the “house.” The primary function of the
center is to assist students, particularly first year and undeclared students, to achieve academic
success by offering a variety of services ranging from academic advisement, tutoring, mentoring,
minority student support, academic service learning, and working with FY Seminar course and
Learning Communities.
This session will explore the secret of this Center’s success whose director is one of the 2004 FYE
Student Advocates of the Year Awardees. The very nature of this Center’s program requires the
respect and coordination of academic and student affairs’ programs whose communication styles
and expectations may be as diverse as the popular Venus and Mars analogy is for women and men.
Members of the EXCEL staff and a UWG faculty member will offer recommendations for creating
and maintaining positive connections among student services staff, faculty and academic
administrators. Examples will be detailed and applicable to a variety of departments and programs
in other colleges and universities.
Assessing the First Year of College Experience: A Multifaceted, Integrated Approach
Greg Lampe
Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor
University of Wisconsin Colleges
608.263.1794
[email protected]
Gregg Nettesheim
Senior Information Manager
University of Wisconsin Colleges
608.263.1794
[email protected]
In fall 2003, the University of Wisconsin Colleges launched its first year initiative, Engaging
Students in the First-Year (ESFY). The UW Colleges is a multi-campus, two-year transfer, liberal
arts institution. Implementing this initiative on 13 campuses located throughout Wisconsin is the
challenging context within which we have worked to develop an approach to assessment that is
both coherent and a source of meaningful information for all of the participants.
The initiative’s implementation plan included a multifaceted, integrated approach to assessment.
Now in its third year of implementation, the ESFY assessment program has yielded interesting and
significant results. This session will present the UW Colleges approach to assessing its ESFY
initiative as well as a number of the most significant findings.
Presenters will introduce session participants to the assessment planning process, and the methods
and instruments used to gather assessment data for this exciting initiative. Additionally, the session
leaders will share how the institution has used the data to drive decision-making and curriculum
planning. The assessment of ESFY, though initially implemented as a stand-alone approach for this
initiative, has increasingly become an integral part of institution-wide assessment. Findings from
other assessment measures have been incorporated into the ESFY data, and more recently,
assessment measures initially used exclusively in ESFY are being extended to university-wide
assessment efforts.
Presenters will discuss the challenges and lessons the institution has learned as it has continued to
refine and develop its approach to assessing the first college year. Participants will be given time
for questions and comments, and invited to share other assessment approaches they have tried.
Fast Food For Thought: How Common Readings Whet the Appetite of First-Semester
Students
Mary Hoeft
Professor of Communication Arts
University of Wisconsin-Barron County
(715) 234-8176 Ext. 5422
[email protected]
Nancy Chick
Associate Professor of English
University of Wisconsin--Barron County
715-234-8176, x5425
[email protected]
For the past two years, Professors Mary Hoeft and Nancy Chick have organized a common reading
at their university. All students, faculty, and staff are asked to participate. Student Services
provides free copies of the book to all participants.
The purpose of the common reading program is to bring together students, faculty, and staff in a
common intellectual experience in the classroom, across disciplines, in hallways, in student center
food lines, in club meetings, and at campus-sponsored activities. Last year, students read Michael
Crichton's science fiction novel _Jurassic Park_. This year, the book that received the most votes
from faculty, students, and staff was Eric Schlosser's _Fast Food Nation_. The campus has literally
come alive with projects that center on the common reading. This year, students in speech courses
are discussing the book, a film series on campus addresses fast food industry topics, three first year
seminars use the book as text, the French class discusses the globalization of fast food, and
freshman composition students explore in writing and research issues relevant to the book. Most
significantly, discussions in the hallways revolve around reactions to the book and to book-related
classroom activities from various disciplines. This program clearly conveys to first semester
students that our campus values intellectual engagement. The project causes students to make
connections between classes and between the campus and the lives of students off campus.
The primary goal of the common reading is to engage students. Our assessment of the common
reading shows that the program has been extremely successful in achieving its primary goal.
Assessment results will be shared in this session and all participants will be provided with a folder
containing materials that explain the process of organizing and assessing a common reading.
Facilitating a Comprehensive First-Year Experience at a Large Research University
Wren Singer
Director, Orientation & New Student Programs
University of Wisconsin-Madison
608/261-1444
[email protected]
The presentation will review UW-Madison’s recent efforts to improve the first year learning
experience for all new students. I will begin with a historical perspective on the freshman
experience at UW-Madison including data regarding the increasing quality of the first year class
and the university’s efforts to provide a stronger welcome for new students. From that point I will
explain why UW-Madison has decided to work to improve the learning experience of first-year
students even though UW-Madison has a very high freshman to sophomore retention rate (93%)
and an academically talented freshman class.
After setting the stage with the history and the rationale I will explain the planning, implementation
and assessment strategies. First I will describe the audit of campus programs for first year students
that we completed. Next I will talk about how the results of the audit suggested a particular
planning strategy. I will then begin discussing the implementation of the planning strategy starting
with the creation of the Orientation & New Student Programs Advisory Council and the process for
identifying learning outcomes for the first year and for specific programs within the first year. I
will continue the discussion of implementation by describing our first year newsletter, conference,
and brown bag series designed to stimulate and sustain campus dialogue on first year issues. In
addition, I will talk about some specific initiatives, such as training of Teaching Assistants in first
year courses, that we have identified as high impact. Finally I will talk about our assessment
strategy and share some early data.
Following the summary of the planning strategy and implementation progress and assessment
results, I will share the critical success in the first few years of the initiative and then talk about
significant challenges remaining. The remaining time will be used for group discussion.
Strategies for Implementing a First-Year Experience Improvement Plan
Gerald Greenfield
Associate Provost for Academic Affairs
University of Wisconsin-Parkside
(262) 595-2144
[email protected]
Phyllis Curtis-Tweed
Assistant Provost for Assessment, Research, & Student Success
Medgar Evers College
(718)270-5026
[email protected]
Beverly Dolinsky
Professor of Psychology
Endicott College
978-232-2194
[email protected]
Scott Evenbeck
Dean, University College
Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis
317-274-5032
[email protected]
Roberta Matthews
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Brooklyn College
718-951-5864
[email protected]
This session will present strategies for implementing a comprehensive First Year Experience
improvement plan based on the experiences of five of the Founding Institutions of the “Foundations
of Excellence” project. Each of these institutions, which vary in size, mission, funding, and first
year initiatives, has been able to use the Foundational Dimensions to evaluate and improve first
year experience programming.
Over the past two years, each of these institutions has completed a self-study process that resulted
in a confirmation of strengths and identification of areas that need improvement. In the final step of
the self-study process, the institutions developed action plans to address these needs. Each
institution is now in varying stages of implementing their improvement plans. In this presentation,
a brief introduction will be presented regarding the Foundations of Excellence project. Following
this, there will be a description of each institution. The presentation will focus on six areas of
concern that were found to be universal in the implementation of the improvement plans. Each of
these areas will be described and an institution will provide specific examples of strategies for
overcoming these concerns. The areas of concern to be presented include:
1)
Overcoming the Silos
2)
Improving Communication
3)
Creating a climate for change
4)
Achieving Faculty buy-in
5)
Using assessment as a tool for change
6)
Resource Development
After an institution has discussed a particular area and change strategy, we will discuss the benefits
of this strategy as well as the problems that have arisen. Summative ratings will be presented
describing how well each of our institutions has achieved the goals listed in our improvement plans
as well as how effective the change strategies were in promoting change. The structure of the
presentation will include a minimum of 30 minutes for questions and answers by the audience.
Doing What You've Always Done, but Not Getting What You've Always Gotten?
Constance Staley
Professor of Communication and Director, Freshman Seminar Program
University of Colorado, Colorado Springs
719-262-4123
[email protected]
Today’s students are different from their predecessors. Often perplexed, many faculty are finding
that doing what they’ve always done is not getting them what they’ve always gotten in the
classroom. Today’s “Net Generation” students follow televisions shows with multiple concurrent
plots. They watch a DVD, text message, talk on their cell phones, and do their homework at the
same time. School is not always at the top of their priority lists. They are over-obligated and, some
would say, over-optionalized. Some students prefer to “minimize” their work to “what will be on
the test,” or even “download their workload,” often missing much of what college is really about.
They are unclear about the academic investment that is required for challenging and rewarding
outcomes. They don’t always understand the “why’s” of learning.
This session will focus on what today’s students need and how First-Year Seminars can help them
get it. Do First-Year Seminars help students find Inner Direction? Do students gain Interpretation
skills (to understand, not just memorize what they’re learning)? Do they leave with
Instrumentation skills that will serve them well? (tools to survive and thrive—critical and creative
thinking, speaking, writing, numeracy, etc.) Do they have the true Interaction Skills needed to
build healthy work and personal relationships? Building on Levine’s (2005) recent book, Ready or
Not, Here Life Comes, this session will help participants gain true insights and practical
implementation strategies for their own classrooms and their home institutions.
Understanding the Millennial Students and Educational Resources for Them
Joyce Winterton
Director of Education Programs
USA TODAY
703-854-5641
[email protected]
Keri Rogers
Director of First Year Experience
Sam Houston State University
936-294-3422
[email protected]
Doug Fraser
Manager National Programs
USA TODAY Education
703-854-5077
[email protected]
The Millennial generation of students was born during the years of 1982 to 2002. This group of
college students provides new challenges and opportunities for First Year Experience programs.
The Millennial college student is described as special, sheltered, confident, conventional, teamoriented, achieving and pressured. Their parents are considered to have a strong attachment to their
children and have been named the “helicopter parents”. As a result of these characteristics,
selected teaching strategies will work better than others for the Millennial college student.
Examples of interactive engaging strategies will be presented including the following:
Engaging Academic and Career Resources:
Participants will examine a variety of strategies for using USA TODAY and their own campus
resources to help students acquire the knowledge and skills needed to analyze, evaluate and
interpret real-world information related to career and workplace trends and issues.
•
College Readership Program – Relevant, timely information. USA TODAY provides
articles related to issues and trends from the business, political, medical and education worlds. In
addition to their textbooks students can learn about their field of interest and examine what’s
happening in the workplace daily from USA TODAY.
•
Careers TODAY – This website is designed to help students prepare themselves for the
world of work, no matter what their major or career choice. Highlights include the Career planner
that assist First Year students to plan and make decisions about their majors and future careers; case
studies with thought-provoking discussion questions from professors and field experts; profiles of
people at various stages of the careers and hot workplace issues. Students get a leg up on the
changing workplace and learn more about careers at every level, and from many fields.
Transformational U: Everyone Counts in Recruitment and Retention
Melissa Miller Kincart
Assistant to the Vice Provost, Enrollment Management
Utah State University
435-881-6693
[email protected]
Krystin Deschamps
Matriculation Advisor
Utah State University
435-797-0977
[email protected]
In 2001, Utah State underwent an administrative reorganization that moved recruitment, advising
and retention units to Academic Affairs and put “raised expectations” in front of the faculty.
Through the use of Enrollment Management, our university has been able to exert its historic ethic
of care and shape the student body in deliberate ways, through emphasizing quality. Enrollment
Management has been an instrumental change agent, raising expectations throughout its units,
building partnerships between academic affairs and student services, and by intentional recruitment
and retention initiatives. At Transformational U, “everyone counts in recruitment and retention.”
Utah State University has adopted a systematic, multi-faceted institution-wide approach to student
success and retention. Intentional student recruitment underlines our efforts on the retention front.
We help students navigate the college choice process, emphasizing “fit” between the student and
the institution. Our Enrollment Management Plan incorporates territory management outreach,
campus wide programming, yield activities, and integrated marketing and communication flow
strategies, in an effort to seek out the best prepared students and enroll them in degree seeking
programs. We continually remind our prospective families: “we don’t just care about admitting
and enrolling students; we care about admitting, enrolling, and graduating students.”
Retention begins with recruitment, but additionally, we are intentional about student success by
proactive tracking, advising, exit interviewing, and recruiting back our dropouts. We have
significantly improved advising with a new advising center for undeclared students, where we
employ intrusive techniques to encourage personal commitment to an academic goal and a USU
degree program. We continue to advance first year student initiatives that place emphasis on
“personalized attention.“ These efforts have greatly impacted our first-year, full-time retention rate
which rose in 2003 to 75 percent compared with 66 percent just three years earlier. (We hit our
75% goal two years earlier than expected.)
Maintaining the Momentum: Mentoring the Mentor
Mike Jensen
Academic Director for Student Success Program, Assistant Professor
Utah Valley State College
(801) 863-7090
[email protected]
Marni Sanft
Assistant Director for Student Success Program, Assistant Professor
Utah Valley State College
(801) 863-6183
[email protected]
Ben Duffy
Team Lead, UV Mentor Program
Utah Valley State College
[email protected]
Aaron Olsen
Team Lead, UV Mentor Program
Utah Valley State College
[email protected]
In his book Mentoring the Mentor, Paolo Freire suggests that a mentor must allow “students [to]
become owners of their own history.” We have been exploring ways to allow our mentors to
become owners of their own program, thus creating their own history. We now receive more
positive reports, from mentors and instructors alike, than ever before. Reasons for this
improvement are 1. Curriculum changes to training courses, 2. Mentor-generated research and, 3.
Changes in leadership structure of the program.
Course curriculum has been improved to train and provide our mentors with more structure and
accountability in their positions. The courses generate opportunities for mentors in ways such as
idea sharing, practice presentations, in-depth reviews of student success topics, modeling, case
studies, and relationship building. The courses have service-learning and leadership certification
program designations as well that assist mentors in receiving distinctions upon graduation.
Mentors focus on program goals with specific outcomes in mind. They evaluate all aspects of the
program and use the results to make changes and recommendations. Evaluating their program has
led to increased confidence and improvement. This improvement has been demonstrated in diverse
areas such as the summer service learning project, connecting mentees with campus departments
and activities, class study sessions, and one-on-one mentoring.
UV Mentors are placed in teams, each with a team lead, senior (experienced) mentors and newly
selected mentors. This layered structure provides strong bonds and new mentors have "seasoned"
mentors to turn to for ideas and help. They are not only forging learning communities with their
Student Success students, but also with each other in a variety of subjects. They have a support
group to bounce off ideas and to check up on one another.
Our presentation will include discussion, handouts, DVD & PowerPoint presentation including a
mentor-produced video. (We will provide projector)
The Wagner Plan: Learning by Doing
Anne Goodsell Love
Dean of the College
Wagner College
718-390-3423
[email protected]
Julia Barchitta
Dean of Learning Communities
Wagner College
718-390-3443
[email protected]
Ruta Shah-Gordon
Associate Dean for Student Development
Wagner College
718-390-3423
[email protected]
Lori Weintrob
Associate Professor of History
Wagner College
718-390-3309
[email protected]
The Wagner Plan was initiated in 1998 at Wagner College. It incorporates features vital to firstyear learning and success. The first-year program (FYP) includes: team-taught interdisciplinary
learning communities; thirty hours of experiential learning; faculty development for active learning,
academic advisement, and writing across the curriculum; integration of academic and student
affairs partnerships; the use of peer educators; and incorporates campus-wide diversity initiatives.
This presentation will describe how these elements have been integrated, assessed, and
institutionalized at Wagner College.
Learning communities in the FYP are taught by full-time faculty from two different disciplines and
include an integrative reflective tutorial taught in a seminar format. These same faculty serve as
the students’ advisors, addressing issues of transition and academic success. One of the hallmarks
of the Wagner Plan is “learning by doing” with an emphasis on civic engagement, therefore
students are involved in New York City to link their academic and off-campus experiences.
Critical to the institutionalization of the FYP is faculty development and leadership of the program.
FYP faculty attend monthly meetings, an annual retreat, writing and other topical workshops.
These are coordinated by a faculty member elected by the group. Student affairs personnel actively
participate by facilitating discussions on student development and advisement. Partnering with
faculty, they integrate the curricular and co-curricular mission of the College with programs such as
a summer reading initiative, Orientation that emphasizes experiential learning, and co-sponsoring a
diversity festival. In addition, together they identify and address issues that hinder first year
success. Upper-class students serve as Orientation Leaders, tutors (writing, research, and discipline
specific), and stage a “theater night” which educates about diversity through the performing arts.
Wagner College received the Hesburgh Award in 2005 in recognition of its comprehensive firstyear program. This presentation will share Wagner’s journey.
Extracurricular Support for First-Year Composition: The Washburn Writers Program
Margaret Stewart
Professor and Director, Freshman Composition, and Co-Director, Washburn Writers Program
Washburn University of Topeka, Kansas
785-67-1734
[email protected]
Ann Callies
Director, Equal Opportunity Program; Co-director, Washburn Writers Program
Washburn University
785-670-1871
[email protected]
Adrienne Halpin
Washburn Writer, 2005-2006
Washburn University
785-357-7219
[email protected]
Danielle Smith
Washburn Writer, 2005-2006
Washburn University
785-267-9343
[email protected]
Leah Sewell
Washburn Writer, 2005-2006
Washburn University
312-343-4230
[email protected]
This poster session describes the Washburn Writers Program at Washburn University, a program
that designs extracurricular activities in support of Freshman Composition. The program provides
a stipend to competitively selected advanced student writers, usually junior and senior writingemphasis English majors, who are proudly known as “Washburn Writers.” These students work
with the Freshman Composition staff to develop extracurricular events that will further Washburn’s
first-year goals, including fostering a writing community, improving student writing ability,
increasing retention, boosting first-year student success, and deepening the intellectual experiences
of first-year students. The Washburn Writers take suggestions from Freshman Composition
instructors, and often respond to their specific requests for special tutorials or classroom visits, but
the Washburn Writers also have a great deal of programmatic autonomy. Among the
extracurricular activities which the Washburn Writers have devised are midnight writers’ circles,
creativity workshops, guerrilla-poetry videos, revision workshops, after-theater and after-poetryreading discussions, poeticizing-the-campus activities, haiku conversations between freshman
students and their composition instructors, coffeehouse readings, theater trips, nature-writing field
trips, and the publication of a freshman e-zine. Recently, in an effort to strengthen all
components of a first-year writing community, the Washburn Writers designed some activities just
for the Freshman Composition instructors. These activities included a haiku workshop and a
coffeehouse reading of the instructors’ own original work. This poster session will include photos,
videos, and DVD’s of these activities; descriptions of the program’s structure, history, and
initiatives; examples of freshman writing; and assessment data.
All Washburn Writers Program extracurricular events are assessed through surveys completed by
the freshman participants and interviews with the Freshman Composition staff. The poster session
will present two-and-a-half years’ worth of assessment data.
UGE 1000 and the Learning Community
Jean Garza
Director, UGE 1000/Assistant Professor
Wayne State University
313 577-3244
[email protected]
Hope Hiller
Program/Projects Coordinator
Wayne State University
313 577-6432
[email protected]
UGE 1000 is an academic program that administers a course designed to provide students with the
opportunity to develop information management skills and to gain practical information in a variety
of arenas, both academic and personal. Each year all Project 350 students take UGE 1000:
Information Power during the summer session. This one-credit class consists of lectures and
applied skills modules designed to introduce modern universities and their research libraries,
especially those of Wayne State University.
Students are involved in an in-class debate to apply information they have researched through indepth usage of computers under the tutelage of UGE 1000 faculty and instructional librarians in the
undergraduate library. A class usually has 3 teams, each consisting of a pro side and a con side.
The small group work develops and strengthens relationships between team members, contributing
to the stability of a learning community.
The debate topic is intended to be carried over to other classes in the Project 350 curriculum. The
research done in UGE 1000 library sessions can be applied to presentation formats other than
debate, such as speeches and papers. The carry through of the topic becomes another bond for the
students as they move through all classes together.
The placement of UGE 1000 into the Project 350 Learning Community curriculum allows students
to participate in individual and group activities promoting the opportunity to explore both learning
and professional skills.
IML - Institutional Change in Lower Division Mathematics
Robert Mayes
Director of the Institute for Mathematics Learning
West Virginia University
304-291-0558 x2304
[email protected]
Edgar Fuller
Assistant Professor of Mathematics
West Virginia University
304-293-2011
[email protected]
Fred Butler
Assistant Professor of Mathematics
West Virginia University
304-293-2011
[email protected]
Melanie Butler
Assistant Professor of Mathematics
West Virginia University
304-293-2011
[email protected]
The before calculus courses at West Virginia University, including Liberal Arts Mathematics,
Applied College Algebra, Applied Calculus, College Algebra, College Trigonometry, and
Precalculus, have historically had D, F, and withdrawal (DFW) rates of 40-60%. The Institute for
Math Learning (IML) was created in 2001 to improve student achievement in all of these courses,
while maintaining their academic rigor and integrity. The general philosophy of the IML is to
focus on conceptual understanding and applying mathematics to solve real world problems, in order
to engage students and develop their comprehension. There are several approaches being employed
to meet this goal. Interactive computer laboratory activities, in which students explore concepts
using technology (java applets, computer algebra systems, MS Excel, geometric construction
packages), have been incorporated into all IML courses. Personal Response Systems (PRS) are
being used, to ensure student engagement and active participation during lectures. Assessments
often include open-ended essay questions, in which students are asked to explain how concepts are
related to one another. In addition to trying to facilitate conceptual understanding, students in IML
courses are also encouraged to be accountable. Most assessments are completed using Web CT
Vista. Students can check grades and look over previously submitted assessments using this course
management system. Course attendance is regularly tracked and posted using Web CT Vista. The
long term objective of the IML is to maintain DFW rates in these before calculus courses at 30% or
lower. This presentation will discuss the techniques being employed, the difficulties encountered,
and the successes achieved in working toward this goal. Research tracking the effectiveness of the
IML initiative has been conducted over the past 4 years, including tracking of DFW success,
success in subsequent courses, change in student affect, improvement of student skill and
conceptual understanding. Results of this research will also be reported.
The Sublime Combination of Faculty Interest and Student Choice: An Experimental FirstYear Seminar Program
Richard Weeks
Professor of History
West Virginia Wesleyan College
304-473-8765
[email protected]
Boyd Creasman
Freshman Seminar Coordinator and Professor of English
West Virginia Wesleyan College
304-473-8805
[email protected]
Eric Waggoner
Assistant Professor of English
West Virginia Wesleyan College
304-473-8240
[email protected]
Sandra Adkins
Student Assistant
West Virginia Wesleyan College
304-614-2469
[email protected]
Miki DeMary
Student
West Virginia Wesleyan College
304-473-7137
[email protected]
In 2004 West Virginia Wesleyan College began an experimental 4-credit Freshman Seminar
combining the student and academic support aspects of a traditional one-credit Freshman Seminar
with the writing instruction of Freshman Composition II. Our idea is that if faculty from various
disciplines identify topics they would like to teach, and entering freshmen qualified for
Composition II take the option of choosing one of these experimental sections, we will have
seminars that faculty really want to teach and students really want to take. We have not been
disappointed. Some topics: The Sixties, The Holocaust, Family Communication, Hearts and
Minds, and Baseball and the American Land.
This rigorous freshman course is 1) to prepare students for future research and writing (it is clearly
unwise to "go easy" on freshman, as has been demonstrated by Karen Schilling's research) and 2) to
demonstrate that freshman bonding best occurs when an academic challenge is at the center of the
freshman experience. We use assessment data of various kinds to inform our understanding of how
best to construct effective freshman seminars.
Boyd Creasman is Freshman Seminar Coordinator and will speak to the development and
assessment of the program and his own experience teaching "The Sixties." Eric Waggoner will
speak to the writing aspect of the program and teaching "The Sixties" (same title, but independently
developed). Richard Weeks will offer details on his seminar "The Holocaust." Sandra Adkins, a
senior History/Physics major and student assistant for The Holocaust for two years, will discuss her
role and how well the freshmen handled the academic challenge and adjustment to campus life.
Miki DeMary will discuss her experience as a student in The Holocaust seminar, and its effect on
her ability to perform well in subsequent courses. We will tailor our remarks to allow plenty of
time for discussion and questions.
First-Year Experience: The Academic Component
Judith Dallinger
Assistant Provost for Undergraduate Studies
Western Illinois University
309- 298-1066
[email protected]
Dana Moon
Administrative Intern and Academic Advisor
Western Illinois University
309-298-1066
[email protected]
Matthew Blankenship
Professor and Faculty Associate for FYE
Western Illinois University
309- 298-1290
[email protected]
The First Year Experience (FYE) at Western Illinois University includes both a residential
component and an academic component (the focus of this presentation).
Freshmen are required to take two FYE classes; one each during their first two semesters. FYE
courses are primarily social science and humanities general education courses, are 100 and 200
level classes that are worth 3 or 4 credit hours, and are taught primarily by tenured/tenure track
faculty members. Enrollment in FYE courses is limited to 22.
Students are required to attend three or more co-curricular activities outside of the regular class
meeting schedule. Several co-curricular experiences are developed which are of university-wide
interest (e.g., a speech by the author of the Summer Reading), but most are specifically related to
the course content.
All classes have peer mentors (mostly upper division students). They are selected by the FYE
faculty, and serve in various capacities, including leading co-curricular discussions or directing
class activities.
FYE classes require that at least 25% of the grade is based on written materials. Faculty are
expected to use active and engaging teaching methods. Faculty members voluntarily attend FYE
Workshops to familiarize themselves with the FYE class expectations.
FYE faculty are supported both monetarily (through funds available for class activities) and
through faculty development activities (e.g., workshops, WebCT discussions), directed by the
Office of Faculty Development’s Faculty Associate for FYE. In addition, departments receive
funding to hire faculty to teach “replacement classes.”
Peer mentors receive an honorarium for their work, and are supported by the FYE Peer Mentor
Coordinator, a graduate assistant.
Freshmen, and all other FYE personnel, receive a complimentary copy of the FYE Summer
Reading.
The FYE program at WIU instantiates a central component of the university wide strategic plan:
Higher Values in Higher Education.
Residence Life as a Context for the First-Year Experience
Janice Lung
Director of Housing & Residence Life
Western State College of Colorado
970.943.2101
[email protected]
Nicolette Griffith
Mentor Coordinator
Western State College of Colorado
970-943-2101
[email protected]
This presentation highlights the educational potential of college residence halls in light of FirstYear Experience goals. Presenters will introduce participants to a First-Year Experience Living
and Learning Center. Key components include:
1.
Peer mentors. Academically successful upper level students are selected on the basis of
strong interpersonal skills. The primary responsibility of peer mentors is to encourage first-year
students to participate in campus programs and organizations. By living with first-year students
peer mentors become valuable academic and personal role models.
2.
Faculty-in-residence. In order to facilitate faculty-student interactions outside the
classroom, individual faculty members live “in-residence” for one-week intervals. Throughout the
week the faculty member eats in the dining hall with students, attends hall meetings, facilitates
educational programs, provides tutoring and advising and goes on duty rounds with residence hall
staff.
3.
Passport to Success. This six-week program introduces students to the campus learning
community by providing a menu of activities and organizations from which students select.
Students choose to participate in programs that are most relevant to them and collect stamps in
order to demonstrate involvement. After six-weeks students celebrate the breadth and depth of
their involvement.
4.
College Survivor. This ½ day experiential program requires students to utilize
communication, teamwork, risk taking and discipline in order to work through challenging
situations. It introduces students to the idea of overcoming academic and personal challenges of
college.
5.
Progressive Portfolio. In order to prepare for a successful undergraduate career, students
design a binder in which to compile academic work and personal records throughout college. The
progressive portfolio provides structure yet allows for personal expression in a way that encourages
students to set goals, demonstrate successes and reflect on their growth and development.
Presenters will discuss benefits and limitations of the residence hall context to promote the goals of
FYE.
Foundations for Learning, Growth, and Success: The First-Year Foundations Program at
Wilkes University
Douglas Lynch
Associate Professor of Education
Wilkes University
570-408-4682
[email protected]
Ellen Flint
Faculty Associate to the Provost; Associate Professor of Music
Wilkes University
570-408-4427
[email protected]
The Wilkes University First Year Foundation courses (FYF) provide a unique program linked to
wider university initiatives while recognizing individual differences in both faculty and first year
students. Research by the FYI Student Assessment Project demonstrated the program was
significantly more academically challenging than our comparison group. FYF courses were
developed and revised to capitalize upon faculty strength with sustained coordination and support
from university college staff. This coordination is in stark contrast to many universities whose
staff and counselors have infrequent contact with program initiatives isolated from mainstream
faculty.
The heart of the FYF program lies in intellectually challenging and academically rigorous
coursework outside the discipline of the student’s intended major. The program integrates into all
courses, regardless of content, key educational initiatives of the Wilkes Undergraduate Experience,
a set of common learning goals, shared readings and experiences, and an introduction to the use of
the electronic portfolio. Incorporation of several Learning Communities into the program enhances
opportunities for meaningful dialogue across disciplines, while sets of specialized courses,
including those devoted to learning strategies and writing, serve the needs of the “at risk” student.
Wilkes provides for at-risk students in several ways. A “stretch writing program” helps students
through focused writing instruction, conditionally admitted students are required to enroll in a
special FYF that combined academic content and study strategies, and students volunteer for three
types of paired-course learning communities: resident only, mixed commuter and resident, and
open enrollment.
Faculty members are encouraged to teach topics of deep personal interest and are excited about
their self-designed courses. They are supported in their efforts by the FYF Program Coordinator
and the University College staff, who host workshops and informal discussions that focus on young
adult development, effective teaching strategies, common course objectives, and extracurricular
and co-curricular learning opportunities.
Facilitating Transition to the Psychology Major: The Degree Planning Session
Lisa Douglas
Graduate Assistant
Wright State University
937-775-4155
[email protected]
Jean Edwards
Associate Chair, Undergraduate Program Director
Wright State University
937-775-4155
[email protected]
Beginning one’s major area of study is an important transition in a student’s first year experience.
The student needs information about the focus and scope of the major, strategies for proceeding
toward the degree, and prospects for professional development after completing the baccalaureate.
As part of our new centralized advising program we have recently initiated a program to facilitate
students’ transition to and identification with the psychology major. After achieving 30 credit
hours, students can apply to be admitted to the psychology major, an important milestone in the
first year university experience.
New majors receive a letter of welcome to our department and an invitation to attend a Degree
Planning Session (DPS). The focus of the DPS is to present the learning objectives and
requirements of our curriculum and provide clear guidelines for achieving a B.A. or B.S. degree.
Both degrees offer opportunities to acquire knowledge of current theory, research, and application
in diverse areas of psychology. We also discuss opportunities for enriching the student’s
undergraduate experience, including faculty mentored research projects, individualized,
supplemental courses, Psi Chi Honors Society, and Psychology Club. Graduate education
opportunities and career options after the baccalaureate degree are also discussed. At the conclusion
of the DPS, students are presented with a set of planning guides that outline potential strategies for
achieving a psychology degree. Each student is encouraged to use these guides as a tool for
developing his or her own unique program of study.
Our expectation is students who are provided with this information will make more informed
choices in their course selections and supplemental activities, including independent research
participation, honors projects, and practicum activities. In the six months since we implemented
the program, approximately one third of the new majors have attended a DPS (143 students
admitted to psychology since May 2005).
Learning Communities, Peer Instructors, & the Foundations of Excellence Self-Study:
Enhancing First-Year Student Success
Doug Saul
Director of Learning Communities
Wright State University
937-775-5759
[email protected]
Heather Beckett
Learning Communities Program GTA
Wright State University
937-775-5759
[email protected]
First year student success at Wright State University is facilitated by our Learning Communities
Program which serves about 1,700 new students. This presentation will focus on the key aspects of
the LC Program and highlight our extensive use of Peer Instructors and our new initiatives. It will
also provide an interim report on the Foundations of Excellence Self-Study, which our institution is
currently conducting.
Most WSU learning communities are comprised of a First Year Seminar linked to general
education courses. These seminars are taught by staff, faculty, and peer instructors. Recently the
LC Program adopted a new custom package of a professional student success text (Step by Step, by
Gardner & Jewler) and a custom published workbook of materials and activities (Into the Water)
developed by the presenters.
Peer Instructors are juniors, seniors and graduate students who are carefully selected, trained and
supervised to teach a learning community seminar. They teach 45% of the 74 seminar-based LCs.
With summer training and weekly supervision meetings, these older students have proven to be a
cost-effective way of serving more new students; they quickly establish rapport and are viewed as
experts on college life issues. Based on course evaluations, Peer Instructors are as effective as staff
instructors in these LC seminars.
Wright State University is one of the 13 inaugural institutions participating in the 2005-2006
Foundations of Excellence in the First College Year Self-Study. A campus-wide task force has
been assembled to conduct the self-study using the nine Foundational Dimensions, along with the
guidance of the Policy Center on the First Year of College. In particular, we hope to strengthen the
connection between LC seminars and their linked General Education courses’ faculty to enhance
students’ learning experience. The impact of this self-study is expected to influence our FYE for
the next decade.
NOTE:
Most of this presentation is different from the one Doug co-presented at Phoenix in 2005. The first
part will be based upon the presentation we gave at the Ohio First Year Summit in October, 2005.
After seeing that presentation, Dr. Betsy Barefoot encouraged us to propose this presentation for
the national FYE Conference in Atlanta.