B Y: G L EN D A HE N S L E Y
J UL Y 1 5 , 20 1 3
Special Report
FYE Moves to a New Location!
The Office of First Year Experience (FYE) has moved to Killian Annex 137 (the former offices of the Associate Vice
Chancellor for Enrollment Management). This relocation will facilitate a more seamless environment for FYE
administrative and program functions, as well as for the Academic Success Program (ASP)-- a full-year program
that launches with a summer bridge for incoming first year students, which reports to FYE. FYE supports WCU
students during their transition to college. Please learn more about FYE and the services we provide to students,
as well as to faculty and staff working with WCU first-year students, on the FYE website.
Please feel free to drop by or to contact FYE with any questions, suggestions, or ideas for collaborative projects!
 Office of First Year Experience: 137 Killian Annex
Website: http://FYE.wcu.edu phone: 227-3017
 Glenda Hensley, Director of FYE
Email: ghensley@wcu.edu
phone: 227-2786
 Janina DeHart, Assistant Director of Academic Transition & Success -FYE
Email: jdehart@wcu.edu
Phone: 227-2217
FYE Open House! ------Speaking of dropping by…..
We invite you to drop in for a visit—have a conversation and glass of punch – and plan to partner with FYE to
create a dynamic experience for the class of 2017 and for the faculty and staff who make it real!
Date: Friday, August 12, 2013
Time: 3:00-5:00 pm
Where: Killian Annex 137
FYE and Student Success
FYE welcomes Dr. Lowell Davis to the WCU Family as the new Assistant Vice-Chancellor for the Office of Student
Success! This new administrative unit was created amidst a re-organization in the Division of Academic Affairs
during the spring. In his new role, Dr. Davis will oversee the Registrar’s Office, One-Stop Student Service Center,
Academic Advising, and student success programs including First Year Experience, Writing and Learning
Commons, Math Tutoring Center, Student Support Services and Disability Services, and Summer Session.
Please join us as we welcome Dr. Davis to WCU and let’s show him the “Western Way!”
FYE has enjoyed excellent leadership, guidance, and advocacy since its inception in the Office for Undergraduate
Studies, and now is eager to work with Dr. Davis to explore the opportunities ahead and committed to continue
our role as constant advocates for excellence, creativity, and innovation – FYE exists to be stewards and
champions for Student Success.
Front Line: Join WCU Students and Make a Difference!
WCU and Town of Sylva to host ASP's Day of Service
Saturday, July 20, 2013 in the Bridge Park in downtown Sylva
WCU’s Academic Success Program is partnering with the Town of Sylva to host its
annual Day of Service this year. ASP students will participate in day-long service
projects throughout Jackson County, while a festival to raise funds and awareness
for local nonprofits and service organizations will be held in the Bridge Park.
Aiding in this effort as a community sponsor is Walmart of Sylva. Walmart will act
as a collection site from July 5-20, providing shoppers with a Wish List of items for the Community Table, and
collecting community donations. All proceeds and donations will benefit the Community Table, Jackson
Neighbors in Need, and Communities in Schools of the Great Smoky Mountains.
The ASP Day of Service Festival will take place in the Bridge Park from 9am-1pm, with music, food, carnival
games, arts and crafts, inflatables, and a variety of booths with information on local nonprofits and their efforts.
ASP students will be volunteering throughout Jackson County, working with several other volunteer projects. To
close out the day, a free concert and evening celebration will be held in the Bridge Park from 5pm-9pm.
The Day of Service aims to foster the growing relationship between WCU and the community, provide an
engaged learning experience for ASP students, and to support vital community service organizations in Jackson
County. For more information on ASP or the Day of Service, contact Glenda Hensley, at
ghensley@email.wcu.edu or by phone, at 828-227-2786.
The CORE
The American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) identified 10 high impact practices. Among
those are “Common Intellectual Experiences.”
“These programs often combine broad themes—e.g., technology and society, global
interdependence—with a variety of curricular and cocurricular options for students.”
The intention with FYE ‘high-impact” is to provide rich learning experiences that help our students reinforce the
knowledge, skills, and dispositions they need to succeed in college and beyond. The following opportunities are
provided for you to adopt in your course design and intended to help students make the learning authentic as
they take ownership of their educational experience at WCU.
Please find your own pathways to integrate these four learning experiences/opportunities in your Transition
Course to help your students see how they fit into the grand scheme of things as the class of 2017!
1. The Bookmark Journey (please read more in Tool Box below)
2. FOCUS: First-year Opportunities for Community and University Service
3. The FYE Message Board: a student edited web-based newsletter
4. EYE on FYE
Tool Box
FYE Bookmark Journey – 2013
Bookmark--- (Definition):
To mark your place; enable you to remember important parts; enable you
to return with ease
Transition Course Instructors:
Please use the Bookmark Journey lesson guide to help your students discover
college this fall. ‘Discover College’ is one of the six FYE student learning goals that
have been identified for all first-year students. This lesson guide has many
variations you may adapt to suit your style and preference and will invite you to
add your own spark of creativity! Please read the full plan in Transition Pathways:
An Instructors Resource, on the FYE website.
Lesson Objective:
To help students discover and use WCU campus resources and networks; connect
those resources with the FYE goals; and connect resources to their own
educational goals.
Goal:
Students Discover College as they connect the journey to the learning goals and to
their overall college experience.
Academic Support from the WaLC
The Writing and Learning Commons (WaLC) and Mathematics Tutoring Center (MTC) are
open this summer to provide tutoring support for your students. Please visit our faculty
toolbox for information about our Summer 2013 tutor assignments, instructions on how
to request Blackboard access for tutors assigned to your course, a link to our in-class
workshop offerings, and the WaLC syllabus statement.
As you begin to prepare for fall classes, please consider recommending successful students for tutoring positions
with us. Students who are interested in positions with the WaLC can find additional information about our
employment opportunities on our website.
Please contact the following individuals to learn more about how we can support your students:
 Chesney Reich, Writing and Learning Commons Director (reich@wcu.edu, 227-2273): Course
tutors, one-on-one academic skill consultations, and in-class academic skill workshops.
 Murat Yazan, Writing and Learning Commons Associate Director (yazan@wcu.edu, 227-3426)
Writing assistance, Writing Fellows program, and online writing and research resources.
 Nory Prochaska, Mathematics Tutoring Center and eBriefcase Implementation
(prochske@wcu.edu, 227-3830): Math/CS tutoring and eBriefcase support for faculty
Celebrations!
rd
EYE on FYE 3 Annual Celebration: An Encore Brief
2012-13 FYE Advocate Award
View the video of FYE Advocate Finalists by clicking the camera or here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jrz1Rq_tQuA
Ten finalists were selected from student nominations – with 108 unique names, representing academic
colleges and divisions across academic and student affairs.
Faculty Award: Dr. Burton Ogle, Professor in the Department of Environmental Health
Staff Award: Brian Boyer, Case Manager for Academic Initiatives in Residential Living
Special FYE Advocate Award of Excellence for outstanding service to FYE 2009-2013
Presented to Dr. Carol Burton
2012-2013 EYE on FYE Awards
To see the video trailer for the event, please click the image or this link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zAwImILnDA
CEO Reminders---Calendars – Events – Opportunities
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
EVENTS
th
Announcing the 5 Annual Student Employment Fair
The Student Employment Information Fair will be held from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, August 20, in the UC
Grand Room. Open to all university students, the fair provides a central location for students to learn about
work-study and non-work study employment opportunities, as well as local off-campus employment. Light
refreshments will be provided. If your department would like to participate, please complete and submit the
online form. You do not have to have open positions to participate. All forms must be entered no later than 5
p.m. Wednesday, August 5.
Per university policy, ALL available jobs must be posted with Career Services (non-work study) and/or Financial
Aid (work-study). Contact Carrie Hachadurian (non-work study, 227-3888) or Joanne Foster (work-study, 2273183) for details.
ACE 2013-2014!
As you prepare your syllabi and class experiences for the next academic year, keep in mind some of the amazing
arts and cultural events ACE@WCU will be bringing to WCU. Below is a schedule of events. Please check the
ACE website throughout the year or ACE on facebook for additions. There will be workshops and class lectures
with each of these performances, so if you have specific questions about workshops or Q&A’s please email me.
 September 11th at 7:30pm in BAC: The Mystical Arts of Tibet’s performance “Sacred Music Sacred Dance”
 September 9th – 13th in the UC Grandroom: The Mystical Arts of Tibet’s Sand Mandala
 September 24th and 25th at 7:30pm in the UC Theatre: Sublime Frequencies film screening /Q&A:
Vodoun Gods on the Slave Coast: A Film By Hisham Mayet & The Divine River: Ceremonial Pageantry In The
Sahel A Film By Hisham Mayet
 October 2nd at 730pm in BAC: Nai Ni Chen Dance Company
 October 16th at 730pm in the BAC: Alash Tuvan Throat Singing Ensemble
 December 4th – TBD in the UC Grandroom: The Tarradiddle Players present A Commedia Christmas Carol
OPPORTUNITIES
Rooted in the Mountains: Valuing our Common Ground
4th Annual Symposium Integrating Indigenous Knowledge,
Language, Health, and Environment
September 20-21, 2013
WCU Health and Human Sciences Building
4121 Little Savannah Road
Cullowhee, NC 28723
Arts and Cultural Events
Presents the annual Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmaker screening dates for 2013-2014. This year’s
series is full of challenging topics, interesting points of view, and a variety of subjects. Please mark your
calendars as you plan your classes for the Fall and Spring. Although this series services students interested in
filmmaking, the subjects presented through each film can be very pertinent to your areas of interest. At each
film, the filmmaker will be present also to do Q&A’s and to answer any questions you may have about
filmmaking or the topics of the films.
Each film will be in the UC Theatre (unless otherwise noted on the website) and will begin at 7:30pm. There will
be a Q&A after the screening and a light refreshment reception following the Q&A with the filmmaker. The
Southern Circuit Tour brings the best of independent films to communities across the South. The 2012-2013
Southern Circuit is a program of South Arts. Southern Circuit screenings are funded in part by a grant from South
Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and local partner organizations. Special support
for Southern Circuit was provided by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
 Tuesday, September 17th 2013 Filmmaker Morgan Nichols and How to Make Movies at Home
“Award-winning DIY filmmakers making a film about fictional DIY filmmakers that also shows people
how to make DIY films themselves.”
 Tuesday, October 22nd 2013
Filmmaker Rob Kuhns and Birth of the Living Dead
In 1968 a young college drop-out named George A. Romero directed “Night of the Living Dead,” a low
budget horror film that shocked the world, became an icon of the counterculture, and spawned a
zombie industry worth billions of dollars that continues to this day.
 Tuesday, November 12th 2013 Filmmaker Jeremy Seifert and GMO OMG
GMO OMG explores the systematic corporate takeover and potential loss of humanity's most precious
and ancient inheritance: seeds. Trailer
 Tuesday, February 4th 2014
Filmmaker Till Schauder and The Iran Job
An American pro basketball player signs up for a season with upstart Iranian Super League team A.S.
Shiraz. This sports documentary takes a surprising turn when this gregarious charmer meets three
strong Iranian women fighting the repressive regime. Trailer:
 Tuesday, March 18th 2014
Filmmaker Leah Warshawski and Finding Hillywood
Set amongst the hills of Rwanda, FINDING HILLYWOOD chronicles one man's road to forgiveness, his
effort to heal his country, and the realization that we all must one day face our past. Trailer
 Tuesday, April 8th 2014
Filmmaker Jyllian Gunther and The New Public
What does it take for a team of idealistic educators who create a small inner city public high school, to
succeed inside our historically flawed education system? Trailer:
Resource File
Blackboard --- reference and participate in the Transition Pathways Course site....
Education Briefcase – resources and information for students and for faculty……….
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 --- the place for student clubs and organizations and other co-curricular opportunities .
FYE Message Board – A weekly e-journal for and by FY students.
Engage students in the conversation of learning and experience – with each other!
The Education Briefcase (eB) is now open to ALL undergraduate students!
For information please contact Nory Prochaska, Chair of the eBriefcase Implementation Team.
The next regular publication date is August 12, 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 ghensley@wcu.edu