Illinois State University

CONNECTIONS Residential Learning Community



Address: University College, 340 Fell Hall, Box 4060
City: Normal
State: IL
Zip or Postal Code: 61790-4060
Country: USA
Program Director (or best person to contact): Timothy W. Gordon
Email: twgordo@ilstu.edu
Phone: (309) 438-3859
Fax: (309) 438-7644
Web Address: ucollege.ilstu.edu/uc/connect.htm

Brief Program Summary
The CONNECTIONS lifestyle, located in Wilkins Hall (West Campus), give participants in the CONNECTIONS learning community program the opportuntiy to meet faculty and freshmen seminar leaders more informally (outside of the classroom). This lifestyle choice offers residents the opportunity to take advantage of tutoring programs and other learning community sponsored activities.

Sources of funding
The residential learning community program is supported by the CONNECTIONS program (University College) and University Housing Services.

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: 0
Fulltime Residence Hall Staff: 0

Parttime Tenured Faculty: 5
Parttime Probationary Faculty: 0
Parttime Instructors: 5
Parttime Retired Faculty: 0
Parttime Adjunct Faculty: 0
Parttime Graduate Students: 3
Parttime Residence Hall Staff: 4

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: 1
Parttime Academic Staff: 6

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: 4
Number of faculty offices in the residence hall: 1
The approximate percentage of students in each grade level
First Year: 100
Second Year: 0
Third Year: 0
Fourth Year and above: 0
Graduate Students: 0

Total Number of Students: 65

Year the Program Began:1999

Academic Courses Offered In The Community
Foundations of Inquiry (3 crs.) REQUIRED English 101, (3 crs.), REQUIRED Communication 110 (3cs.), REQUIRED Biology 101, Geology 102, Chemistry 102, and Physics 102. (3cs.) REQUIRED Learning Community Seminar, Interdisciplinary Studies 189.95 (0 cs.) REQUIRED for program enrollment

Other Academic Offerings
Students are provided on-site registration assistance, tutoring, study group assistance and workshops.

Classrooms in hall


Summary of Facilities and Facilities Budget Wilkins Hall is a co-educational residence hall near academic buildings, sports complex, and a short walk from the library and main quad area of the campus. No formal budget is developed at this point.

Computer Resources in the Residence Hall
Wilkins Hall (West Campus) has a computer lab in the basement of the residence hall. Students can use the lab for internet connections (e-mail, etc.), word processing, preparing presentation, and accessing mainframe applications (e.g. registration, financial aid, etc.). Residence Hall rooms also have ethernet links.

The Role of Community Partnerships
The program is driven by the fact that students take courses together, faculty and seminar leaders interact to assist students in connecting course content, etc. In addition, the University College and University Housing staff work together at all levels to plan and coordinate activities. Community and teamwork is central to making this option work.

The Role of Leadership Development
The general education courses in which students are co-enrolled focus on developing critical reading, writing and speaking skills. The focus in the coursework is to be a "responsible" and intelligent consumer of information, readings, etc. This skill focus is enhanced through seminar topics that focus on campus involvment, understanding and embracing diversity, and attending campus cultural and athletic events.

The Role of Research
The research focus is related to program improvement and outcomes assessment. Students, faculty, and staff that work with the CONNECTIONS program are asked to complete a paper and pencil (or electronic) evaluation that focuses on their experiences with the program.

Summary of Assessment Activities
The main focus of the assessment activities include the administering of a student survey (fall of freshmen year and then sophomore year) to gauge student satisfaction and outcomes compared to non-learning community students. This data is merged with mainframe data regarding academic performance, ACT, HS Rank, etc. In addition, subgroups are studied for different affects (gender, residence hall, ethnicity, etc.). Faculty and seminar leaders are also surveyed (electronically) to gauge their experience, satisfaction, and perspective about benefits to students and to them as campus employees. All data is used for program improvement. There are also small focus groups conducted for each group to gather more qualitative feedback. Monthly town meetings are also held for feedback from faculty and seminar leaders to be gathered in a "just in time" manner.

Summary of Extracurricular Activities Formally Associated with the Program
Extracurricular activities include athletic and cultural events. Other possible activities are organizing intramural teams and participating in events sponsored by the Office of Student Life.

The Role of Interdisciplinary Studies
The focus of most of the courses used is to provide an interdisciplinary and cross unit focus. Typically Foundations, Communcation, and English have assignments that overlap or relate due to the nature of the general education program structure.

How Diversity Issues are Addressed in the Program and in Courses
Diversity is a required component of the seminar and is focused on in hall programming as well as in general education courses.

How Diversity Issues are Addressed Among Faculty and Students
Diversity is included in training for faculty and seminar leaders who work with the program. In addition, it is a component of the standard freshmen seminar syllabus. Students engage in seminar and class activities that explore and apply these issues.

Student Demographics
The data indicates the students who participate in CONNECTIONS (overall) have similar ACT and HS Rank. Family background (in 1997) indicates that they may be more likely to come from families in which parents are still married and have one degree (though the difference was not significant). This data is from the 1997 learning community survey.

Faculty Rewards for Participation in the Program
Release Time:
Salary Supplement:
Travel Funds:
Other: yes

Description of Other Rewards
Letter to Dean/chair, certificate, reception in fall and spring semesters.

Disciplines Represented by the Faculty
ART, English, Philosophy, Education, Theatre, Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Physics, Business

Willing to Serve as a Consultant:


Greatest Challenges for this Learning Community:
The learning community program at Ilinois State University has been around since 1994. The residential program is in its pilot year. It will be important to continue to integrate this portion of the program into the planning and focus of general office efforts. The major challenges include timely communication, marketing a multiple option program (e.g. residential, non-residential, major-based), and continuing to examine options for building enhancement, etc.

Suggested Bibliography
Goodsell, A. (1993). Freshmen interest groups: Linking social and academic experiences of first year students. Unpublished dissertation, Syracuse University. Gordon, T.W., Harris E., Kalianov, C (1999). CONNECTIONS謋reshman learning communities at Illinois State University; Where we've been and where we are going. In J. MacGregor (Comp.), Strengthening learning communities: Case studies from the National Learning Communities Dissemination Project (FIPSE). Olympia, WA: The Evergreen State College, Washington Center for Improving Undergraduate Education. Guadalupe, A. (1996). College experiences and student learning: The influence of active learning, college environments, and co-curricular activities. Journal of College Student Development. 37, (6) 611-22. Harris, E. & Dillingham, A. (1998, June). Student characterisitcis and the efficacy of learning communities. Paper presented at AAHE Assessment Conference, Cincinnati, Ohio. Inman P. and Pascarella, (1998). The impact of college residence on the development of critical thinking skills in college freshmen. Journal of College Student Development. 39, (6) 557-67. Pascarella, E. & Terenzini, P. (1991). How college affects students. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Pike G., Schroeder C. & Berry, T. (1997). Enhancing the educational impact of residence halls: The relationship between residential learning communities and first year college experiences and persistence. Journal of College Student Development. 38, (6) 609-20 Simpson, R. & Frost, S. (1993). Inside College: Undergraduate education for the future. New York, NY: Plenum Press. Smith, B. L. (Fall, 1991). Taking structure seriously, the learning community model. Liberal Education, 71, (2), 42-48. Springer, L., Terenzini, P., Pascarella, E & Nora, A. (1995). Influences on college students' orientation towards learning for self-understanding. Journal of College Student Development. 36, (1) 5-17 Sullivan, C. F. (1994). Creating a supportive environment for college freshmen: Underlying dimensions of the freshman interest group program. Innovative Higher Education, 19, (2) 83-87. Terezini, P. T. (Fall 1994). Educating for citizenship: freeing the mind and elevating the spirit. ). Innovative Higher Education, 19, (1), 7-21. Tinto, V., Goodsell A., & Russo P. (1993). Understanding the impact of learning communities on new college students. Liberal Education, 79, (4), 4-9.