Making the first year a different experience
Kate Simpson
Issue date: 2/16/05 Section: News
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New opportunities await Western Illinois University first-year students when the First Year Experience program expands in the 2005-2006 academic year.
The program, part of the university's strategic plan, will focus on first-year students as a group through academic courses, attendance at on-campus events and living arrangements.
"One of the values that we hold at WIU is academic excellence, and we believe that the expansion of the First Year Experience program will result in a higher quality education for entering students," said Judith Dallinger, assistant provost for undergraduate studies.
First-year students will not lack choices in their course schedules despite being within an academic group that places requirements. In other words, although first-year students have requirements, they still can choose classes to fit their majors.
"The academic course component will be tailored to each student's selection of courses," Dallinger said. "There will be a large selection of FYE courses from which first-year students can select, and they will naturally fit into students' regular schedules."
Attending on-campus activities will be mandatory for first-year students. This is necessary, according to the university, because on-campus activities in relation to coursework also will be part of the experience.
Conflicts with attending the plays, concerts and additional events should not arise because most first-year students will live on campus, according to Dallinger. Any first-year students living off campus with their families also will be required to attend because they will be parts of the academic coursework.
If transfer and upper-level students still need to enroll in freshman-level courses, they also will not face conflict with the program. Upper-level students will not be required to take the program.
"The program is designed for beginning students," Dallinger said. "Most transfer students, and all upper-division students who need to take the type of courses that will be included as FYE classes will be enrolled in non-FYE sections."
First-year students will not have such options, as the program will be mandatory. Kathy Cavins, associate vice president for student services, does not consider this a potential problem.
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