Lessons Learned: Developing a First-Year Experience Program

1. Lessons Learned: Developing aFirst-Year Experience Program Dr. Keri Rogers Associate Dean, College of Arts & Sciences Director, First-Year Experience Texas Association of Collegiate Registrars & Admissions Officers November 7, 2006

2. History • 1985 • Math Help Lab/Tutoring • 1999-2001 • Transition Skills Integration • 2001-2002 • Bearkat Learning Community • 2002-2003 • Writing Center • Student Advising & Mentoring Center (SAM Center) • First-Year Experience Task Force

3. History • 2003-2004 • Reading Center • Developmental Class Changes • 2004-2005 • First-Year Experience Office • SAM 136 – Introduction to Collegiate Studies • Freshman Learning Community – General Cohort • FYE E-newsletter • FYE Advisory Board

4. History • 2005-2006 • New Student Convocation • Freshman Learning Community – Business, Criminal Justice, & Education Cohorts • 2006-2007 • Parent Newsletter • Freshman Learning Community – Agriculture Cohort • SAM 136 – Honors Section • SAM 136 - Academic Coach (Profiles International, Inc.)

5. FYE Task Force • Inclusive of all university divisions • Academic Advising • New Student Orientation • New Student Convocation • Freshman Seminar • Learning Communities • Academic Support Services

6. Hallmarks of Excellence • Philosophy and unified approach • Student engagement in and out of school • Diversity • Subpopulations • Organizational structures • Qualitative/quantitative assessment Policy Center on the First Year of College

7. FYE Office • SAM 136 • Freshman Learning Community • New Student Convocation • FYE Website and Email Address • www.shsu.edu/fye • fye@shsu.edu • E-newsletters • The Know • Parent Newsletter

8. SAM 136 • 3-credit hour elective • Sections limited to 25 students • Taught by qualified adjuncts • 181 students (F04) to 530 students (F06) • 9 sections (F04) to 24 sections (F06) • 9 instructors (F04) to 21 instructors (F06)

9. SAM 136 • Topics • Time, stress and money management • Study skills • Majors & careers • SHSU history, traditions, resources & services • Writing • Public speaking • Civic involvement/service learning • Diversity • Wellness (including alcohol & other drugs)

10. Learning Communities • Bearkat Learning Community • Residential • Students take 2 classes together • Freshman Learning Community • Non-Residential • Cohorts – General, Business, Education, Criminal Justice, Agriculture • Students take 3 classes together

11. Registrars Office • Scheduling of classes • Flagging classes and cohorts • Assessment Plan

12. Admissions Office • Promotion of FYE • SAM 136 • Freshman Learning Community • Must know why it is important for students to participate

13. Future Initiatives • Move to First-Year Student Success Team • Establish Summer Bridge Program • Develop Longitudinal Data and Reports

14. Guiding Questions • Who are your students? • What is their experience on your campus? • Where are they experiencing success? • Where are they experiencing frustration and failure?

15. Lessons Learned • Success is attributed to the personal attention that students receive • Doesn’t move as fast as we’d like • Support of recruiters and academic advisors is crucial • Student help in recruiting participation in FYE is crucial • Instructor recruitment can be difficult • Have an established budget and staff for the program before beginning

16. Lessons Learned • Have an assessment plan ahead of time • Having a director come into position in mid-May was almost too late • Important to constantly assess and evaluate the programs so that they can be tweaked • Communication with potential students is important • Student involvement in FLC is last minute

17. Resources • The National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition (www.sc.edu/fye) • Policy Center on the First Year of College (www.firstyear.org) • SHSU First-Year Experience (www.shsu.edu/fye)

18. Contact Dr. Keri Rogers • 936.294.3422 • krogers@shsu.edu www.shsu.edu/enrollment/presentations.html