Policies, Procedures, and Timelines
Freshman Learning Communities
The Freshman Learning Community (FLC) program provides students with opportunities to experience a smoother transition into the higher education community through efforts to integrate them both academically and socially to the expectations established by the University community. At the core of the program lies a course (GSU 1010) dedicated to assisting students in the attainment of necessary academic skills and personal success strategies essential to integrating into the campus community. Additionally, the course provides opportunities for the dissemination of important information related to campus resources, as well as the support of peer mentors who encourage co-curricular engagement. Students who participate in FLC tend to have a higher retention rate and GPA than students who elected not to participate in a learning community.
The FLC program is composed of different sets of policies and procedures related to the following four areas: 1) Scheduling, 2) Communication, 3) Pedagogical Support, and 4) Registration.
Scheduling
Each FLC section is composed of 5-6 courses, most, if not all, are from the Core Curriculum. Since FLC sections now fall under one of the eight fields of interest (Business, Education, Health Sciences, Humanities, Policy Studies, Social Sciences, Undeclared), particular focus needs to be made when selecting courses.
· Courses are selected related to field of interest (whether because of the content of the course or the course is recommended/required for majors in field of interest).
· Courses are scheduled so as to create a balanced schedule throughout the week so as not to overwhelm students on a particular day(s) (a few FLC sections will be scheduled in more concise blocks with multiple back-to-back courses).
· Courses with high DWF rates are not to be scheduled back-to-back.
· Courses in the same area of the Core Curriculum are not to be scheduled in the same FLC.
· In order to accommodate the availability of courses scheduled and student preferences, courses are to be selected either primarily in the morning, early afternoon, or later in the afternoon.
· Total credit hours of each FLC section are not to exceed 16 hours.
· Whenever possible, multiple FLC sections in the same area of interest are to be scheduled in a large section of a Core course (2-3 Business related FLC in same section of PolS 1101, for example).
Once the schedule for each FLC has been completed and proofed for time conflicts, the following procedures should be taken:
· The complete schedule for all FLCs is to be reviewed by advisors in the Freshman Center of the University Advisement Center. Since advisors in the Center are assigned to specific majors, one or two advisors will review the schedules for the FLCs in a particular field of interest.
· The reviewed schedule is then to be submitted to the college scheduler in the College of Arts and Sciences for her to reserve seats in specific sections. This will take place no later than late February.
· If a scheduling change in an FLC needs to take place (GSU 1010 instructors need to change the time of their sections, for example), the entire FLC block needs to be reviewed to ensure that the change does not create a time conflict. The change needs to be submitted to the college scheduler in Arts and Sciences and properly updated in the master list of all FLC schedules.
Communication
The Communication area has many different stakeholders and needs to be constantly managed throughout the academic year. Whether reaching out to faculty, administration, incoming students, or current first-year students, targeted information needs to be created and disseminated about the benefits of the programs and the reasons why they should participate in the FLC.
Faculty and Administration
· Early spring, as the schedule for all FLCs is being finalized, individual departments are to be contacted and made aware of the number of seats being reserved for the FLC. Along with the notification, a brief summary of the program, its goals, and benefits need to be attached so that departments understand the importance of these seats and their roles in the retention and success of incoming first-year students. Particularly for departments, the benefits of FLCs should also focus on the possible recruitment of majors.
· At least twice a year, early spring and early summer, a report on the accomplishments of the FLC program and of its students should be posted on the Success website and sent to chairs, deans, and provosts.
· Throughout summer, FLC instructors need to be encouraged to sit in on the “Academics” panel during Incept so that they can not only talk about the role of faculty members in a university setting, but can also meet other instructors who are teaching in the FLC program.
· Starting in the summer and throughout the fall semester, communication about FLC-related events (major selection fairs, civic engagement opportunities, co-curricular activities, etc.) needs to be disseminated on the Success website, GSU website, and through emails. An increased awareness of the different components of the program needs to take place so as to facilitate recruitment and possible theme integration. The dissemination of information is also important as it can potentially increase the number of faculty members who participate in other programs housed under First-Year Programs (FYP), such as Early Alert/iCare, First-Year Book, and Academic Coaching.
· A purposeful outreach of all instructors who are participating in the FLC, not just GSU 1010 and Engl 1101 instructors, needs to take place in order to increase the sense of learning community and, possibly, the integration of the FLC theme. Opportunities for FLC instructors to interact with students and fellow instructors outside the confines of the classroom also need to be created.
· Towards the end of the fall semester, instructors who are teaching GSU 1010 sections should be asked for a commitment for next fall semester. By the end of January, it should be clear which instructors are planning on coming back for the upcoming fall semester. At the same time, a call for GSU 1010 instructors should be sent across all colleges and departments to recruit new instructors among the ranks of faculty members and adjuncts.
Students
· Early spring, the Success website needs to be updated to expand on the benefits of the FLC program, as well as the outcomes students should expect from enthusiastically participating in the FLC.
· In order to better prepare students for their transition, the Success website needs to clearly delineate expectations, present ideas to adapt and develop learning study skills, as well as articulate the cost of not fully engaging in the FLC and in their education.
· Also in early spring, First-Year Programs needs to work collaboratively with the Office of Admissions to craft all communication sent to incoming first-year students (confirmed or not) about all aspects of the FLC. All communication from Admissions should direct students to the updated Success website, where students will find valuable information about FLC.
· As the Office of New Student Orientation and Parent Relations is training new Inceptors in mid-spring, FYP needs to communicate effectively with the new recruits about the FLC program, its goals and benefits, as well as the required aspect of the program. Inceptors need to be knowledgeable enough about the program so that they can answer most questions appropriately from students and parents. Inceptors also need to know members of FYP who can answer all other pertinent questions.
· Starting in spring, and continuously throughout the following fall and spring semesters, incoming first-year students need to be made aware of all FLC-related events (major selection fairs, civic engagement opportunities, success workshops, co-curricular activities, advisement, etc.) and achievements related to the program. Frequent encouragements and affirmations could also reinforce the notion that FYP and Undergraduate Studies care about the success of all students.
· Mid-fall and mid-spring semesters, once the course schedule posts to GoSolar, FLC students need to be reminded about their course registration for the following term. Intense and intrusive communication about holds, finances, and other possible obstacles to their registration needs to take place. GSU 1010 instructors, Peer Mentors, email campaigns, and posters are possible ways to reach out to FLC students.
· Continuing communication with FLC students in the spring semester needs to be more of a focus for FYP. Programs or linked courses in the spring need to be examined so that the benefits of the FLC program last beyond the first semester.
A comprehensive calendar dedicated solely to communication (of which an incomplete draft is included at the end of this document) will be created and shared among all members of First-Year Programs; the calendar will also highlight who will be responsible for which measure in order to ensure that every aspect listed above is accomplished. For the most part, the Assistant Director for First-Year Programs will be responsible for the direct communication with the administration, instructors (current and potential), and incoming first-year students, as well as making sure that all marketing materials have a consistent message about the program. The Retention Coordinator and Retention Specialist will continually update students about their progress, as well as communicate with instructors and students about all FLC events taking place. The new Administrative Specialist will be responsible for the assessment of the program, updating the website, and monitoring the email address.
Pedagogical Support
An area of growth will be the pedagogical support provided to GSU 1010 and FLC instructors. Whereas the GSU 1010 curriculum will be consistently scrutinized to ensure that it is up to date and that students obtain the most effective academic support, more attention needs to be directed towards the support faculty members involved in the FLC receive. Particular emphasis will be placed on ways GSU 1010 instructors can increase the engagement of students in their learning experience as well as how they can devise ways to integrate the field of interest within other FLC courses.
· A common syllabus for GSU 1010 needs to be designed that will be required of all new instructors (whether graduate teaching assistants or staff members). The common syllabus will ensure that all required modules are completed and that critical academic skills are thoroughly covered, making for a more homogenous and comprehensive experience for all FLC students. For the same reasons, returning instructors will be asked to submit their syllabus prior to the start of the semester so that they can be evaluated.
· A comprehensive instructor’s manual needs to be distributed to all GSU 1010 instructors. The manual needs to not only include weekly talking points and activities, but also ideas about possible assignments and ways to engage students in the classroom.
· New instructors will be required to attend at least a day-long training session in the spring and continuous training sessions and workshops throughout the year (sessions should last no longer than 45 minutes once a month or so). Failure to do so will result in the instructor not being retained for the following year or for the upcoming semester.
· Returning instructors will be required to attend at least a half-day training session in the spring. These instructors will be invited, but not required, to use the common GSU 1010 syllabus and to attend the sessions and workshops held throughout the year.
· The training sessions and workshops offered for GSU 1010 instructors need to address student engagement in the classroom, classroom management, theme integration, communication between FLC instructors, and using Peer Mentors effectively. Instructors will also be encouraged to attend workshops sponsored by the Center for Instructional Innovation and the Exchange.
· The expectations for all students to participate in required modules for GSU 1010 need to be clearly communicated to instructors, along with easy steps-by-steps directions on how to integrate them in the classroom. Hybridizing many modules (where the majority, if not entirety, of the material to be covered is placed online) may be a solution to increasing the buy-in from faculty members. When hybridizing is not an option (such as Atlanta-Based Learning), the module must be optimized in its approach and logistics.
· Late summer, all FLC instructors (GSU 1010, Engl 1101, and other departments) will be invited to attend a one-day conference on teaching undergraduate students, with an emphasis on teaching in the FLC. The conference will talk about the FLC program, Georgia State students, effective teaching strategies, ways to create and integrate interdisciplinary assignments, as well as allow instructors in the same FLC to meet and talk about the goals and assignments of their courses. The conference will be sponsored by the Office of Undergraduate Studies, the Center for Instructional Innovation, and Writing Across the Curriculum; other offices, such as the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Learning and the Exchange, may also be added to the program.
· Late summer, the Assistant Director for First-Year Programs needs to attend as many instructors’ training sessions as possible from as many departments as possible. Whenever possible, the focus must turn on ways to integrating the FLC theme and on supporting the first-year students.
· Throughout the year, communication with all instructors must be continuous so as to reinforce the notion that FYP is there to provide support and emphasize responsibility.
Registration
In order to lower the amount of manual processes related to the Freshman Learning Communities registration, the registration process has been adapted so that students will register themselves for FLC courses and will take control of their necessary registration adjustments (such as AP/IB credits). Doing so will significantly lighten the workload related to FLC registration, and would allow more time for the staff of Undergraduate Studies to communicate with students.
· As students are accepted to Georgia State, an FLC attribute will be placed on the students’ record that will allow them to register for sections that have been restricted to FLC. Students in the Honors College, since they will be exempted from registering in an FLC, will not have the attribute on their records.
· During Incept, students with a particular interest (as determined by their majors and by the eight fields of interest) will sit at a table with an advisor. Following a presentation about the Core Curriculum, students will be presented with a choice of 4-5 FLC for which they can join. Based on their choice, the students will be provided with a sheet with CRNs they must manually enter in their PAWS account so as to be registered. In order to validate their choice, the advisor will need to verify that the students have entered the correct CRNS before submitting their registration.