Creating a Comprehensive, Curriculum-Based First Year Experience

1. Creating a Comprehensive, Curriculum-Based First Year Experience Krista Beron

2. Where We Began • Two First Year clusters with 50% of FYs • Traditional programming model • Weekly cluster wide educational program • Weekly alternative-to-alcohol weekend socials • Year-long • No academic/campus involvement • Residence Life/First Year Office leadership committee

3. Program Mission and Goals • Program Mission • Facilitate the transition and adjustment to the Dartmouth community for first-year students; and • Sustain a residential learning community that promotes the social, emotional, moral and physical well-being of its members • Specific goals of the program are as follows: • Stage One • Create the opportunity to develop social networks, particularly those that are not defined by alcohol. • Promote residentially-based interaction for FYRE residents. • Increase student contact with administrators and use of campus resources. • Stage Two • Promote citizenship, service and leadership. • Increase student contact with faculty. • Challenge residents to explore the complexities of diversity.

4. Limitations of Traditional Program • Lack of attendance • Lack of creativity amongst student staff • Lack of individual contact/outreach • Lack of critical message delivery • Excessive spending with limited results • Lack of campus resource connection

5. Program Planning Process • Revisit mission and goals • Identify strengths and weaknesses • Take stock of available resources • Develop objectives to meet goals • Put logistics in place to meet objectives • Implement the program • Assess outcomes • Revisit objectives

6. Identifying Key Resources • Engaged student staff • Campus resources • Small floor communities • Staff focused on relationship building • Involve students in development process

7. Establishing Objectives • Opportunity to share common experiences • Share enthusiasm for campus traditions • Resource connection • Safe place to ask key questions of transition • Feel known personally • Have a sense of belonging

8. Theoretical Background • Marginality & Mattering • Rogers • Relationship development necessary part of growth • Four I’s of Learning Communities • Identity • Involvement • Investment • Influence • Strategic Planning Theory • Steps in process followed to organize process of change

9. Redeveloped Program Structure • Weekly gatherings led by student staff • Topics/curricula outlined by leadership committee • Curricula reviewed by campus resource colleagues • Staff supported by flexible curricula reviewed weekly in staff meetings • Professional ¼ position dedicated to managing & assessing program • Regular cluster wide social programming • Community connection trips • Utilization of staff interaction logs and community sociograms to assess staff success

10. Preparation for Implementation • Professional staff training • Student staff training • Manual creation • Facilitation guides for staff meetings • Marketing of program to residents • Planning for assessment

11. Implementation • Use student language • Attention to staff level of comfort • Understand what topics are most important to transition on your campus • Utilize campus resources when helpful

12. Assessed Results • On average, 85% voluntary participation • On average, 75% learning outcome attainment • Staff felt more supported & more successful • Campus resources partnering voluntarily • Pilot program expanded to entire FY class

13. Lack of Impact of Potential Obstacles • Increased number of programs could increase budgetary needs • Limited amount & quality of gathering space • Limited amount of academic affairs involvement

14. Addressed Impact Areas • Student staff selection • Student staff placement • Professional staff training • Student staff training • Intentional partnering with campus resource colleagues • Assessment

15. Application for Other Campuses • Find pieces that can be applied • Used peer mentoring approach at UMass • Incorporated relationship-building in RA staff • Know your campus culture and exploit it • How does this apply to your campus?