B Y: G L EN D A HE N S L E Y
J AN U AR Y 7 , 2 0 13
Special Report
Western Calling U!
In just under a week we will welcome approximately 100 new first-year students to campus! The Fall 2012
campaign to welcome all new students to campus with a personal phone call has provided us with a good
indication of what works – for those of us making contact and for students on the receiving end. Callers and
students alike have given very positive feedback. We will continue to examine strategies to promote a greater
success rate, be sensitive to your time constraints, and responsive to student feedback we have received.
You are invited to participate as a volunteer with our Spring 2013 Western Calling U Welcome!
Depending on the number of volunteers, you would have a list of only about 5 names. These calls are potentially
even more important than our Fall campaign, because we have fewer ‘Big Welcomes’ in January than August.
Please consider joining the Spring 2013 Call Team – This will take less than an hour of your time and you will
enjoy the conversation! We will provide lists and begin to make calls in January, after the first week of classes.
If you would like to volunteer, please contact Glenda Hensley.
Front Line – First-Year Seminar Faculty Conversations
THE FIRST-YEAR SEMINAR (FYS) OPEN CLASSROOM PROJECT
Faculty who teach the FYS come together each year to share conversations about teaching and learning in the
FYS. Topics and formats continue to be faculty driven. This year’s “Conversation Series” will take a new direction
as we strive to meet your requests for peer-to-peer sharing of practice and technique – and to enable more
flexibility in meeting your hectic schedules.
The FYS Open Classroom Project, sponsored by the Coulter Faculty Commons, is an opportunity for
colleagues to enrich their teaching by observing the FYS classes of others.
The project calls for volunteers to open their classrooms to colleagues for peer observation. (All
observers must let us know that they are coming to observe and you can turn down requests for
observations as you see fit. Observers do not evaluate instruction.)
Why participate?
Research shows that one of the most powerful forms of professional development in teaching is
watching others, and this project brings that power to our campus.
Your invitation: If you teach or have taught a FYS this year, you will soon receive a special invitation
from Freya Kinner (fkinner@wcu.edu)
I am happy to offer a sneak preview and invite your consideration to participate in this opportunity designed just
for you!
The CORE
Service Learning - 2013
As you’re finalizing your plans for the upcoming semester, please consider joining the Center for Service
Learning for one of our events, or including one or more of our projects in your syllabus. We are always available
for class presentations, and we’re also happy to help faculty, staff, and students find service opportunities in the
community. Here are a few of the events that we have scheduled for the spring:
 8th Annual Community Service-Learning Fair: ---Tuesday, January 29th.
 MLK Days of Service: Monday, January 21st, and Saturday, January 26th --The projects will be scheduled
between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on.
 Citizenship & Civility: The interdisciplinary theme for 2012-2013 is still going strong!
 ‘Brown Bag’ Sessions focusing on community engagement:
If you would like more information about any of these opportunities, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Center for Service Learning
828.227.2595
Alternative Spring Break Trip to Jamaica
March 21-31, 2013
Please share this with your students – what a wonderful opportunity!
Trip cost: $1999.37 (Includes transportation, lodging, food, & insurance)
For more information, contact the trip leaders:
 Mike Corelli, Leadership Programs
 Mike McDonald, Political Science
 Rebecca Lasher, Social Work
 Vicki Faircloth, Education
Toolbox
Spotlight on FACE:
LC2 Group (Learning Community on Learning Communities)
WHY: Learning Communities foster integrated learning environments that have the potential to
provide a significant impact on student learning outcomes and to promote strong connections as students
transition to campus life. Often those first experiences include grappling with difficult issues and
choices. Learning Communities are particularly well situated to reinforce ethical choices and high standards.
HOW: Guided by the QEP and Vision 2020, our aim is to merge theory with practice via a cycle of research,
implementation, assessment, and critical reflection.
WHAT: The LC2 FACE group serves two functions: 1) as a resource to facilitate the development of a new group
of learning communities to be implemented during 2013-14; 2) encourage new participants’ representative of a
wide range of disciplines across the campus to participate with this FACE group to examine current theory,
practice, strategies, and methodologies in an interactive, dialogic, and experiential exploration of best practice –
whether directly teaching in a learning community or not.
You may learn more about our work so far here: Learning Communities at WCU
Contact: Glenda Hensley, Director of First Year Experiences – ghensley@wcu.edu or phone at 227-2786.
CEO Reminders
CALENDARS
Student Life Calendar: For a complete listing of what's going on for students from intramurals, to concerts and
lectures, to organizations, arts and culture, and so much more....
Events Calendar: Information on arts and culture at WCU - plays, concerts, art exhibits, films, and more...
Service Learning: Current Events
ACE: Arts and Cultural Events Calendar
IT Training & Workshops: Calendar - For upcoming training and events, including Black Board, eBriefcase, and
more and make sure to note Blackboard day on September 6th
Potty Times: PEAKS communication with FY students. For more information, contact Laura Ansley.
EVENTS
Dance Marathon
Dance Marathon will take place on March 9, 2013 in the CRC from 12pm – 12am. Last year WCU had over 300
participants and raised over 8,000 dollars for the Children's Miracle Network. Our goal for this year is to double
that, but we cannot succeed without your help.
Join the rest of Western Carolina University by contributing to Dance Marathon's efforts to raise 16,000+ dollars
to make miracles in a child's life! There are numerous ways to donate and sponsor Dance Marathon. Our
dedicated committee of 16 students and 2 professional advisors will happily accept any monetary donations
given towards the purchasing of items needed.
If you have any questions or concerns please contact me: WCUDanceMarathon@email.wcu.edu.
Jennifer Spaugh, Sponsorship Chair
(336)671-5786 Office of Leadership & Student Involvement
OPPORTUNITIES
Are you ready to teach in a Learning Community at WCU? Do you want to access
best practice tips from experts across the state? Here is an opportunity for you!
Learning Communities Today
Date: 14 February 2013, Joseph S. Koury Convention Center, Greensboro, NC
The meeting, co-sponsored by WCU and UNC-Greensboro, will be an informal gathering of current and future
learning community practitioners to discuss what works, what doesn’t and grand ideas to help build successful
and sustainable learning communities. Participants will be asked to put forth potential focus topics of interest to
generate an inclusive guided conversation. The expertise will come from the participants attending, based on their
current campus projects.
Attendees of the 2013 Lilly Conference at Greensboro: $50 per-conference fee
Non-Attendees of the 2013 Lilly Conference at Greensboro: $100 mini-conference fee
To access registration and accommodations information, please visit the website:
http://learningcommunities.uncg.edu/current/conference.php
Resource File
Blackboard --- reference and participate in the Transition Pathways Course site....
Education Briefcase – resources and information for students and for faculty and staff looking to use eB in
your course.
First-Year Seminar: Liberal Studies – resource guide for faculty teaching the first-year seminar …
Transition Pathways: An instructor resource - resource guide for FYE transition course instructors …
CFC on the Web --- help with teaching, technology, and more--- helping you do what you do better!
FYE on the Web --- many resources and network links to help you along the way …..
QEP on the Web --- discover the possibilities - find the resources you need - find your path.....
OrgSync -- https://orgsync.com/login/western-carolina-university --- the place for student clubs and
organizations and other co-curricular opportunities ..
FYE Message Board – A weekly e-journal for students with content provided by WRCS
students. The intent is to engage students in the conversation of learning and experience –
with each other!
TRANSITION PATHWAYS: The Blackboard Commons: If you teach an FYE Transition course, you will see it
on your Blackboard menu under organizations. Questions: contact Glenda Hensley at ghensley@wcu.edu
The Education Briefcase (eB) is now open to ALL undergraduate students!
For information please contact Nory Prochaska, Chair of the eBriefcase Implementation Team.
For general information about eB, visit the website.
The next regular publication date is January 28, 2013 --- please let me know if you want to
share updates about programs, events, or other opportunities for teaching and learning in FYE!
Glenda Hensley, FYE Director