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As the academic year gets underway, the FYE programs are again gearing up to help students successfully navigate the road to academic success. Recent years have demonstrated that the programs, specifically designed for freshmen, have helped boost retention of students from freshman to sophomore years and improve academic success. The programs may also be contributing to improved graduation rates at the universities, which are now above the national average for similar institutions. “Faculty and student support staff at all four universities are working diligently and effectively with freshmen students to help them overcome obstacles and be successful,” said CSUS Chancellor David G. Carter. “We are seeing solid results, and the beneficiaries of these efforts are our students and, ultimately, our state.” In addition to the overall retention rate for all first-time, full-time freshmen returning as sophomores increasing from 72 percent for fall 2002 to 77 percent for fall 2009, the retention rate for Latino and African American students has risen as well. In fact, the gap in retention rates between white and minority students has dropped from 7 percent in the fall of 2004 to 1 percent in fall 2009. At Southern Connecticut State University, freshmen sharpen their critical thinking skills, work closely with a faculty mentor and a diverse group of fellow students and shape how they learn for their college career and beyond. FYE also provides opportunities for community engagement, peer mentoring, and campus leadership, helping students to get involved both on campus and in the community. National studies have indicated that students who are involved in programs outside of the classroom have a greater likelihood of success. Academic advising, along with study skills workshops, encourages students to stay focused academically. In addition, Southern offers “learning communities” for some freshmen, consisting of groups of 20 students who take two or three course together during their first semester, providing an opportunity for first-year students to make friends, form study groups, and take on academic challenges together. At Eastern Connecticut State University, the First-Year Program brings freshmen together in small classes designed to foster the development of a strong and supportive community of faculty and students. The program promotes academic excellence and interdisciplinary collaboration while helping first-year students adjust to the rigors of college life. A two-semester program, first-year students enroll in a fall semester course cluster and a spring semester liberal arts colloquium. By participating in both components of the First-Year Program, Eastern students gain the necessary skills of good scholarship, satisfy core (or sometimes major) requirements, participate in small classes, and work closely and interactively with faculty members, a peer mentor and fellow classmates. They are also introduced to resources and services on campus, as well as the many clubs, activities and programs that are a vital part of the Eastern community. Western Connecticut State University’s Integrated First Year Experience is based on the concept of First Year Seminars, generally defined as “discussion-based courses (with)… a strong emphasis on creating community within the classroom.” The classes help to foster a sense of belonging, and in encouraging critical inquiry, highlight skills that will be important throughout students’ college career. The program at Western also includes a “common read” – a book read over the summer which will be the basis for classroom work, lectures and a community-wide effort to encourage everyone in Danbury to read the same book. This year, the book is “The Things They Carried,” by Tim O’Brien, who will present a lecture on campus on Oct. 26. The FYE program at Central Connecticut State University brings together the services, programs, curricular and co-curricular activities that support a student’s transition from high school to college, providing a foundation for academic success. Among the many common first year experiences at CCSU are summer advising day, opening orientation, welcome week activities, an FYE curricular experience, and a course advising experience. The program includes a graded one-credit course focusing on the transition to college, along with a general education course that includes the competencies and skills necessary to make the successful transition to college. Learning communities and first year seminars are also part of the program. The Connecticut State University System is the state’s largest university system, with more than 36,500 students attending Central, Eastern, Southern and Western. Nearly nine in ten graduates remain in the state, pursuing careers, raising families and contributing to the state’s economic vitality and quality of life. © Copyright by ConnecticutPlus.com. Some articles and pictures posted on our website, as indicated by their bylines, were submitted as press releases and do not necessarily reflect the position and opinion of ConnecticutPlus.com, Canaiden LLC or any of its associated entities. Articles may have been edited for brevity and grammar. CURRENT HEADLINES: Top of Page
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