This study aimed to rectify the problem of inadequate preparation and support of faculty in the Student Success (SLS) course at Brentwood State College (name of institution changed for reasons of confidentiality) (BSC). This problem of practice is significant because the SLS course is intended to contribute significantly to students acquiring…

Universities have always been acknowledged as important drivers of economic development. Traditionally Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) contributed indirectly by disseminating knowledge and providing educated personnel to industries. A shift in the primary missions of universities encourages universities to take a more active role in…

This article argues that teachers and WPAs can "hack" standard curricular spaces and institute more inclusive writing pedagogies. One form of hacking can occur through the design of Writing Studio, a one-hour peer workshop that provides a necessary off-shoot from normative composition instruction. Writing Studio disables composition as…

Introduction: This case study describes the process faculty at a large research university undertook to build a stand-alone online academic integrity course for first-year and transfer students. Because academic integrity is decentralized at the institution, building a more systematic program had to come from the bottom-up (faculty developed)…

In this program profile, we detail the design and implementation phases of an interdisciplinary first-year experience curriculum for multilingual students in the Creando Raíces learning community model at Humboldt State University. Our profile describes how we worked together as a professional learning community to integrate theories of writing…

In this case study, we use organizational development and change theory to look at how the University of Oklahoma (OU) has attended to the mathematical pathway leading to STEM fields. Using multiple sources of data, we are able to create an informative narrative that provides the particular context of the situation and in-depth picture of the…

Experiential-learning provides opportunities for students that feature a variety of highimpact practices including first-year seminars, internships, community learning, collaborative projects, and capstone seminars. To offer these high-impact practices for students, faculty from across disciplines and majors must be willing to incorporate these…

This paper describes the development and implementation of engaging and supportive experiences to promote student engagement, persistence, and success at a commuter, open enrollment, public, minority-serving institution. Project components included faculty development at the SENCER Summer Institute (SSI) 2016, attended by a team comprised of an…

In September 2011, the Association of American Universities launched a major initiative to improve undergraduate STEM education. The overall objective was to influence the culture of STEM departments at AAU institutions so that faculty members are encouraged and supported to use teaching practices proven by research to be effective in engaging…

Institutional data were used to examine the grades and retention of first-year students in 2 types of living learning communities--Academic Theme Floors (ATFs) and Freshman Interest Groups (FIGs)--and a First-Year Experience (FYE) course. Multiple regression revealed students in FIGs earned nominally higher GPAs (standardized [beta] = 0.02, p less…

This final report describes activities and accomplishments of a 3-year program, the Queens College (New York) Freshman Year Initiative (FYI), which emphasizes the importance of the academic community and the role of faculty in integrating freshmen into the college community. The program has become institutionalized and currently involves 600…

Describes an economically and educationally effective experimental approach to orientation, developed by the University of Kentucky, involving the creation and implementation of videotapes on topics of interest to freshmen. (NRB)

Most college and university retention programs do little to change the quality of academic experience for students, especially during the first critical year of college. One of the most promising reforms is establishment of "learning communities," which feature block scheduling to enable students to take classes together, are organized…

The Linkage Program at John Jay College of Criminal Justice links small groups of entering first-year students with similar academic skills in three courses whose instructors meet beforehand to coordinate assignments and class materials. Describes the evolution and outcomes of the Linkage Program, highlighting its effects on academic persistence.…

One institution's experience in developing and implementing a freshman program is translated into suggestions for others, addressing such issues as faculty involvement, openness of discussion, program objectives, costs, faculty development, experimentation, and mistakes. (MSE)