APRIL 2004

 

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Student Success Center (formerly CASS) offers many learning programs and initiatives

The Student Success Center (SSC), formerly known as the Center for Academic and Student Success (CASS), began as an initiative of a Title III Grant to provide holistic advising to undeclared students, begin new adult learner and student leadership initiatives, develop and implement the Freshman Year Seminar (FRYS) program, establish a one stop learning resource and computer center, and provide career exploration and peer tutoring to all ULM students needing these services. As the five-year grant award draws to an end, the SSC office is undergoing many changes. These changes began during the fall 2003 semester, when retention advisors were hired to meet with all freshmen needing Early Alert interventions. Both the SSC academic and career counselors and the retention advisors are now academic advisors.

FRYS

Implemented to increase the fall-to-fall retention rates for first time freshmen, FRYS 101 is now a university required 1 credit-hour course offered to all incoming freshman. This 12-week course is offered during the fall and spring semesters and has college specific, athletic, non-traditional and student leadership sections. FRYS is a diverse class focusing on community building, self-understanding, career awareness, study, time and money management skills, communication, diversity, personal wellness, and service learning. FRYS is a recipe for student success. The Noel-Levitz College Student Inventory – Form B is administered in FRYS and processed in group meetings in the course. For those students identified as having “at risk” profiles, referrals are made to the Academic Advisors in the SSC Office.

Student leaders continue to play a major role in the success of the FRYS program. As peer mentors, these student leaders help with all areas of the FRYS courses and strive to make a personal connection with the FRYS students. “I want to branch out and meet a diverse group of people. This class is so beneficial for the incoming freshman. It really gets them off to a good start!” stated Kristy Addison, teaching assistant, when asked why she wanted this position.

SSC Learning Resource Center (LRC)

The SSC LRC remains the tutoring centering for math, chemistry and biology. The LRC also offers DISCOVER Career Exploration, practice for the PRAXIS, Mavis-Beacon Typing practice, internet access and word processing computer terminals, and one-stop information center for a variety of campus entities.

SSC English Writing Center

SSC partners with the ULM English Department to provide free tutoring in English as well as assisting students with their writing projects. The Center also offers a variety of workshops each semester.

Student Success Workshops

SSC Workshops have now become a fixed part of ULM campus life and as the student population grows, the face of the workshops changes. For the spring semester “The Student Parent” was introduced and focuses on helping student-parents with time management and communication skills. Other workshops this semester included relationship skills, study skills, gender communication, stress management, relaxation, goal setting, general studies and time management.

ULM President’s Student Leadership Scholarship Program

This program is in its second year. These scholarship recipients participate in a special section of the FRYS course and are required to complete various campus and community projects. Fifty students are actively participating in the program and have completed interviews of war veterans, painted the interior of a building, worked at a local food bank, built a project for the local Boys and Girls Club, attended monthly planning meetings, and have begun plans for a Habitat for Humanity project. These students will participate in a Covey “Introduction to The 7 Habits of Highly Effective College Students” training on April 30^th. In addition, all scholarship recipients must join a campus organization and during their second year begin mentoring first year scholarship students.

New Initiatives - Supplemental Instruction, BALC, Freshman       Connection and STAART

Supplemental Instruction is a program in which a student who has successfully completed a course sits back through the course with a group of students and then holds group tutoring and study sessions 8 to 10 hours per week. The idea of the program is to identify courses which are difficult for students and provide additional assistance to these students.  Supplemental Instruction began in the 100 level chemistry courses during the fall 2003 and was expanded to include selected math courses this semester.

Busy Adult Learners Club (BALC) is an avenue for non-traditional students to get involved with campus activities.  The club has a student population ranging from 21-45 years of age and encourages the members to bring their families to the ULM activities.  The group has participated in several cook-outs and has numerous events planned for Spring Fever Week.

The Freshman Connection is a new concept to bring freshman students who may not have other group, club or organization affiliations together outside of the classroom.  This club, similar to BALC, encourages students to become involved in campus activities and to build a ULM spirit.  During the fall 2003 semester they participated as a group in three campus events.

Strategically Targeting African American Retention and Transition (STAART), is an innovative program that assists in helping African American students make a connection at ULM and have a voice in student activities. The STAART program main responsibility is to assist in the traditional and non-traditional age African American students to succeed from “STAART TO FINISH” at ULM .  This group meets weekly and has plans for a talent show and other events both this semester and next fall.

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