CONNECTING STUDENTS TO CAMPUS If You Build It, They Will Have Fun! David Milford, Dean of Students Sharon Murray, Associate Dean for Academic Services Sharon Robinson, Dean of the College RUSSELL SAGE COLLEGE FOR WOMEN

What Makes Russell Sage College Different? A women’s college Small urban campus in Troy, New York Many 1 st -generation college students Equal number of residents and commuters Liberal arts and professional programs

How Did We Get To A Place Where Fun and Academics Didn’t Mix? Tenuous link between Student Life / Academic Affairs Original Mentor Program WORLD core ENGLISH 101

The Little Big Idea: A First-Year Block All first-year students in the same place at the same time 3 days a week: –Either WORLD 120 or English 101 MW –Co-curricular on selected Wednesdays –FYE 101 on Friday New York Times Opportunity Programming Town Meetings

Backing Up to the Beginning Moving from a 2-day, midsummer orientation to an extended Fall Start-Up Summer Reading/Dean’s Reading Forum Opening Convocation –Matriculation Book –Self-Introductions –Class Advisors –Alma Mater

Sustainability: The Expectation of Intellectual Community Each activity has an outcome on both the Student Life and Academic Affairs side. Everyone is a learner. FYE qualities of integrated learning and community extend beyond the first year. Students are reminded of their first year experiences for the rest of their college careers.

First-Year Experience 101: Program Goals, Tools, & Outcomes First-Year Program Goals ToolsLearning Outcomes Making Individual Connections with Faculty and Students Establishing relationships with the mentor teamKnowing that there is someone (faculty and/or student mentor) one can rely on to provide guidance and support; challenging one’s comfort zone and expanding coping resources Becoming a member of the Russell Sage Community Initial and Extended Orientation through presentations from Resource Centers and guided experience with mentors; Assistance in making connections with academic advisors in the major and other first-year programs Knowledge of campus resources and comfort in using them; knowledge of the Russell Sage College catalog and understanding one’s individual responsibility in meeting degree requirements. Enhancing the values embodied in the liberal arts Class discussion and written reflections on readings, films, forums, and speakers, Being able to take diverse views and to practice critique as a means of expanding one’s point of view Practicing reflective habits of mind in a collaborative setting Acquiring basic skills researching a topic for Town Meeting, in beginning an electronic portfolio, and in using computer tools, library and community resources Planning and participating in Town Meeting projects and beginning a portfolio to be continued across the student’s course of study Enlarging membership in multiple communities Participating in mentor group, the assembled Class of 2___, the College, and the city of Troy; Building broader connections through discussion of Town Meeting topic and community service project, thus laying the groundwork for WLD 420; Reading the New York Times to support ENG 101 and WLD 120 Who will I be? Expanding one’s sense of identity through new identifications and self-reflection Prepared by Sybillyn Jennings, Ph.D.

The Big Little Idea: A First-Year Block

Backing Up to the Beginning

LEARNING TO READ THE NEW YORK TIMES