Committee explores first-year programs

Year No. 1 crucial to
CMU students’ success

How CMU helps its students through the first year is one of the key strategies toward fulfilling the CMU 2010 priority of creating an environment that supports teaching and learning.

In order to examine the many programs aimed at first-year students across the campus, CMU’s ad-hoc Academic, Residence Life, and Student Affairs Liaison Committee is charged with evaluating the impact of current efforts, identifying and evaluating opportunities, and making recommendations for greater coordination and expansion.

Among some of CMU’s programs aimed at the first year are specific academic courses like FYE 101, student orientation, tutoring services, and supplemental instruction.

“The first year is a critical year for student success,” said Jack Logomarsino, coordinator of CMU’s First-Year Experience program and committee chairman. “It’s a very stressful time for students. We try to get students engaged in the university and get them more involved – give them skills to succeed.”

Logomarsino feels that CMU’s 78 percent retention rate may be improved through the strengthening of first-year programs.

In order to help the committee with its task, seven members attended the national Annual Conference on the First-Year Experience in Atlanta. They received $11,361 in CMU 2010 FY06 funding to attend. Each member had an assignment to look at different aspects of the first year.

“Each of us came back and gave a report, and we’re in the process of formulating recommendations based on our findings,” Logomarsino said. “We definitely have some good ideas. At the conference we shared ideas with a lot of people who had similar backgrounds.”

Another funded proposal for $844 involves assembling data and running statistical analyses on CMU’s first-year courses to determine how effective they are at student retention and academic success.

FYE 101 students discuss course materials.