Georgia Southern University
Freshman Interest Groups
Address: P.O. Box 8105
City: Statesboro
State: GA
Zip or Postal Code: 30460
Country: USA
Program Director (or best person to contact): Academic Enhancement Coordinator for University Housing
Email: Housing@Gasou.edu
Phone: 912-681-5406
Fax: 912-871-1274
Web Address: http://www.aux.gasou.edu/housing/index.htm
Brief Program Summary
180(Co-ed) first year students are housed in Watson Hall where the
rooms are arranged in a traditional style section or "pod", 2 pods equals one floor.
Each floor houses 60 students of a particular major including Business, Education
or Undeclared. Students enroll in the same cluster of classes during their first semeter on campus and participate
in major related activities and programs. The three freshman interest groups
for Fall Semester 1999 are "Business Opportunities", TEACH (Training Educators About College Habits)
and "Just the Core". The residence Life staff offers bi-weekly seminars
related to the FIG Student in this building have access to
an 8 station data connected computer room and Math and English tutors in
a neighboring hall.
Sources of funding
Student Technology Fee
Student Activity Account
Program Reports To:
Are students charged an additional fee: No
The number of persons in each of the following categories are teaching academic credit bearing courses
Fulltime Tenured Faculty: 0
Fulltime Probationary Faculty: 0
Fulltime Instructors: 0
Fulltime Retired Faculty: 0
Fulltime Adjunct Faculty: 0
Fulltime Graduate Students: 1
Fulltime Residence Hall Staff: 10
Parttime Tenured Faculty: 0
Parttime Probationary Faculty: 0
Parttime Instructors: 18
Parttime Retired Faculty: 0
Parttime Adjunct Faculty: 0
Parttime Graduate Students: 1
Parttime Residence Hall Staff: 2
Academic staff involved in the program that weren't included as faculty above
(Academic staff are personnel who are involved in providing academic services to students such as advising.)
Fulltime Academic Staff: 0
Parttime Academic Staff: 10
Non-academic staff involved in the program
(Non-academic staff are personnel who are involved in providing services that do not directly involve academics such as residence hall staff or staff who organize social activities that are not tied to academics.)
Fulltime Non-Academic Staff: 0
Parttime Non-Academic Staff: 10
Number of faculty offices in the residence hall: 0
The approximate percentage of students in each grade level
First Year: 98
Second Year: 0
Third Year: 0
Fourth Year and above: 0
Graduate Students: 0
Total Number of Students: 180
Year the Program Began:1998
Academic Courses Offered In The Community
University Orientation I 2 credits
English Comp I 3credits
Intro to Sociology 3 credits
College Algebra 3 credits
Intro to Business 3 credits
Art Histor 3 credits
Other Academic Offerings
Faculty Involvement programs
pre-advisement
Tutoring
Computers
Academic Enhancement Coordinator for University Housing
Classrooms in hall
Summary of Facilities and Facilities Budget See above
Computer Resources in the Residence Hall
8 station computer lab with word processing, Netscape, Eudora, Pine and Quicken
The Role of Community Partnerships
Advisement Centers involved in programming
Faculty involved in programming & teach reserved classes
Assistant Deans involved in reserved classes
The Role of Leadership Development
Students are encourage to participate in leadership opportunities in building or
elsewhere on-campus.
The Role of Research
None yet. After next year GPAs, Hours earned & attempted will be looked
at as well as other research to be determined at a later date.
Summary of Assessment Activities
Focus Groups held by Housing Administration
Summary of Extracurricular Activities Formally Associated with the Program
Community Service
Social and Academic programming
Upperclass mentoring program
The Role of Interdisciplinary Studies
None
How Diversity Issues are Addressed in the Program and in Courses
Residence Life programming
How Diversity Issues are Addressed Among Faculty and Students
Residence Life programming
Student Demographics
Traditional first year student, fresh out of high school
45% African American
first generation college students
Faculty Rewards for Participation in the Program
Release Time:
Salary Supplement:
Travel Funds:
Other: yes
Description of Other Rewards
Appreciation certificates
Disciplines Represented by the Faculty
See reserved classes section above
Willing to Serve as a Consultant:
Yes
Greatest Challenges for this Learning Community:
Faculty involvement & compensation
Suggested Bibliography
Look at University of Missouri and University of Michigan websites