Senate Document Number 4100S
Date of Senate Approval 3/02/00
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Statement of Faculty Senate Action:
APC document 36: Addition of First-Year Experience program description.
No Deletions.
Add: the following entry for First-Year Experience on page 52 (After the Undergraduate Research Program description and before the High School Enrichment Program description).
FIRST-YEAR EXPERIENCE
The First-Year Experience program is specifically designed for first-year students and
supports the University mission of providing the best possible opportunity to acquire the
skill, knowledge and understanding necessary to pursue educational and professional
goals. The purpose of the program is to provide first-year courses and seminars, along with
programming that supports student involvement, integration into the campus community,
selection and commitment to an appropriate major, and timely completion of an
undergraduate degree. Each course is built around a traditional, or special topic, academic
theme with a common core that is central to all First-Year Experience courses. This
common core includes building a sense of community with classmates, students, faculty
and the campus community; and identifying individual abilities, strengths, and weaknesses
while developing a style of working and interacting with others. A limited class-size
provides the maximum opportunity to acquaint students with the challenges and demands
of higher education while supporting them in their transition to the university. Courses
open to first-year students, students transferring 12 or fewer hours, or with permission of
instructor or program director.
RATIONALE: The First-Year Experience program is in its fourth year of operation continuing to offer courses each Fall semester. As an established program, a description should be included in the catalog in order to provide students with relevant information. Between 20 and 27 sections of FYE courses have been offered each fall semester since 1996. Enrollments have varied between 50%-60% of new freshman. Students enrolled in an FYE course continue to be retained an average of 5% higher into the sophomore year than their non-participating cohorts.
FYE program information is provided in new student information, registration information, orientation information, in addition to publications material to the UNCA community. The program operates on a combination of state and foundation funds. Documentation of the program in the catalog will have no impact on the current or future budget requests.