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NMU’s First Year Experience Program

NMU’s First Year Experience Program. A Brief Overview. FYE at NMU. “FYE” stands for First Year Experience FYE helps incoming freshman adjust to college life. They choose a “block” of courses to share with other students who have similar academic interests

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NMU’s First Year Experience Program

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  1. NMU’s First Year Experience Program A Brief Overview

  2. FYE at NMU • “FYE” stands for First Year Experience • FYE helps incoming freshman adjust to college life. They choose a “block” of courses to share with other students who have similar academic interests • It is a FREE program that students elect to participate in during their first semester of enrollment at NMU • FYE was designed with three goals in mind: • to help students develop strategies and attitudes to maximize academic success • to familiarize students with campus resources (how to use them) • to assist students in developing positive relationships with faculty, staff, student leaders and peers

  3. Points of Interest • Program has been in place since 1995 • Since then, enrollment has grown from 14% to 72% of the incoming freshman class (@1260 in fall 2011) • Currently a first-semester program; NOT for the entire academic year • While most students voluntarily participate, conditionally-admitted students (FP/CTP) are required to participate in FYE as a condition of their enrollment • Approximately 65 blocks are offered each fall semester (3 each winter) • Each block of courses contains a non-academic seminar course (UN100) • FYE trains and supports 55-60 undergraduate teaching assistants to assist UN 100 instructors with the delivery and design of the course • While guided by a set of common objectives, actual design and implementation of the UN 100 course content varies by instructor (ASL , textbook, subject emphasis, etc.) • An FYE Advisory Board works throughout the academic year to develop program initiatives, affirm program direction, and guide the “business” decisions of FYE • The board is comprised of faculty and staff from a variety of departments on campus

  4. Why is FYE popular? • Students and Parents • EARLY registration for courses (months prior to attending Orientation) • CONFIRMED course schedule • CHOICE of courses related to academic interests • SHARED experience with other incoming students • Alleviate anxiety associated with “process” • Campus Impact • Early exposure to academic depts. and faculty • Organized “populating” of courses chosen by dept. • Simplifies advising “bubble” during orientation • High impact, nationally recognized post-secondary educational practice that aids retention

  5. How does FYE work? • Students select their desired block • Students register: • Admitted Student tab on mynmu.nmu.edu • Calling the FYE office

  6. What does a block look like?

  7. Why does FYE work? • A combination of factors… • Students get a “say” in their first semester • Students get a “taste” of their intended major • Parents support the program • Shared experience with peers in the “same boat” • Support structure maintained through semester • Blocks provide a foundation for their relationship to NMU (housing, student orgs, athletics, academics) • Instructor collaboration and innovation • Faculty and staff cooperation and assistance • The UN 100 course…

  8. The Core of the Block • The UN 100 Freshman Seminar course is the “core” of the block • Weekly, two credit non-academic course • DOES COUNT toward graduation • The means used to formally deliver the goals of the FYE program • Content facilitates a successful transition to NMU • Academic engagement (from study skills to time management to lecture series) • Social/Personal (from the PEIF to study groups to residence halls) • Career (assessments, major selection, advising process) • Though delivery of content is unique to instructor, common objectives serve as guidelines

  9. How do we know FYE works? • Student testimonials from course evaluations. • “I really enjoyed this class because it was a positive environment that stayed the same from week to week, so I always knew what to expect from my teacher and my teaching assistant. This class and its staff were always available to answer my questions, and helped me out a lot with things I needed to know as a new student. ;D” • “… was a wonderful teacher. Her knowledge of the academic environment really came through in her teaching. She had lots of insight into the ways of becoming a better learner, a better communicator, a better person. Plus she had lots of enthusiasm. I believe that stems from her passion about learning and her want to pass that on to her students. She has repeatedly told us to come and visit her if we have questions or just want to talk.”

  10. How do we know FYE works? • Academic Performance and Retention highlights • 75.7% (non-FYE) vs. 85.3% (FYE GS only) • “Clear” = cumulative GPA at least 2.0 • 82.5% (non-FYE) vs. 89.3% (FYE GS only) • “Retention” = returned for following semester • All things considered… • 75.7% (non-FYE) vs. 80.6% (FYE with FP/CTP) “clear” • 82.5% (non-FYE) vs. 85.2% (FYE with FP/CTP) “retention”

  11. Good to Know • FYE DOES NOT reserve “all of the classes” • There is a misconception that students are not able to register for certain courses because those courses are reserved for FYE blocks. • In actuality, FYE reserves only 20-25 seats per course, per block. Many courses have more than 25 seats • FYE reserves seats in approximately 180 courses each fall (16 courses in the winter) • Changing courses in the block is NOT recommended • Blocks are designed so that students share the same course schedule • Math Placement Exam MIGHT be required • If an FYE block contains a MATH or CHEMISTRY course, students must complete the Math Placement Exam (or Diagnostic test) prior to being registered in that block • If an FYE block does not contain a math or chemistry course, students are not required to complete any math placement prior to registering for that block • Students are only placed in blocks if they request to be placed in a block • The only exception to this practice is for students admitted on Freshman Probation or College Transitions Program • These students are placed in blocks based on COMPASS assessment results taken during orientation

  12. This PowerPoint presentation is the property of Northern Michigan University’s First Year Programs. It may not be reproduced without written consent. www.nmu.edu/fye

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