Co-Curricular Efforts to Enhance Second Year Student Success
Reported by CLAS Academic Units
October-November, 2008
Information Submitted from: Art & Design, Biology, Biomedical Sciences, Chemistry,
Classics, English, History, Movement Science, Mathematics, Music, Philosophy, Physics,
Political Science, Psychology, Statistics)
Welcoming Communication to New Majors: (same as noted for First Year students)
- E-mail of welcome to newly-declared majors, w/ advisor information
(Chemistry, English, Music, Political Science, Physics)
- Welcoming letter signed by chair mailed to each incoming student (Biology)
- Departmental “Student Handbook” sent to new majors (Chemistry, Art &
Design, Movement Science)
Making the Transition (same as noted for First Year students)
- In some areas, new freshman/transfer students are assigned to
experienced/continuing students . . . new students are contacted before school
starts and welcomed to GVSU and, specifically, the ensemble in which they will
participate (Music)
Engagement with Life as a Major:
- Departmental stewardship of discipline-based student clubs (Biology;
Philosophy)
- Invitations to regular departmental seminars, and to guest presentations
organized through the department or student clubs (Art & Design; Biology;
Music; Philosophy, Political Science, Physics)
- Weekly film series w/ discussion panel (Psychology)
- Social get-togethers, usually through departmental student clubs (Biology;
Physics)
- Outreach:
- participation with faculty in Science Olympiad (Biology; Biomedical
Sciences, Chemistry, Geology, Movement Science, Physics, Statistics)
- participation with faculty in various clean-ups (stream, ravine, highway),
stream bank stabilization, etc. (Biology)
- tutoring (Physics)
- outreach for participation in National History Day (History)
- Departmental newsletter (Biology)
- Field trips (Art & Design, Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Physics)
- Student involvement in faculty interview process (a small group of students
going to lunch w/ the faculty candidate and then providing input to the search
committee) (Chemistry, Mathematics)
- Movie series and play reading (Theatre)
Engagement with Scholarship:
- Student Scholarship Day (virtually all CLAS units participate)
- Music student SSD participation is declining because of April
scheduling . . . conflicts w/ student final performance
preparations, recitals, etc.
- Capstone courses
- 4xx courses
- “Fall Research Night” (Biomedical Sciences)
- Concurrent sessions for student research poster presentations
- Faculty research paper presentations
- One-page summaries of each faculty member’s research projects
distributed to students; also posted on the departmental web site
(Biomedical Sciences)
- Summer Student Scholarship Program (virtually all CLAS units participate)
- Annual writing competition (Music); essay contest (Philosophy)
- Student involvement with faculty in conferences and field trips (Biology;
Physics)
- Summer Reading Program (Classics)
Assisting Academic Success: (some of these are the same as noted for First Year
students)
- Faculty conduct content review sessions for students in their courses (Biology;
Biomedical Sciences)
- Department chair conducts content review sessions for poorly-performing
students (Psychology)
- Reviews of portfolios (Art & Design)
- Departmental scholarships (Biology)
- Flexible approach to course substitution for “roadblock” courses (Political
Science)
- Advising forms, major/minor checklists, and sample curriculum plans available
on web site . . . very helpful for students thinking about switching majors or
emphases (Biology; Chemistry; Physics; Political Science)
- Faculty e-mail their advisees encouraging a meeting before registration begins in
the spring (Biology; Chemistry, Writing)
- Faculty advisors who care! (Political Science)
- “Early Alert System” . . . specific outreach to “at risk” students identified by
midterm grades . . . individualized e-communication . . . extended CLAS
Advising Center hours . . . extended faculty advising hours (CLAS Academic
Advising Center; CLAS departments)
Award Recognitions and Celebrations:
- Awards/celebrations acknowledging academic achievement as well as service
appreciation (Biology)
- Annual spring picnic and awards ceremony (Physics)
Preparing for Life After Graduation:
- Seminar series to help students plan for the future . . . giving them a positive
goal toward completing their studies within a 4-year period . . . seminars are
focused on helping them prepare for and apply to graduate programs, write a
personal statement, and explore other career options (English)
- MCAT and GRE prep courses (CLAS Academic Advising Center)