| Title | Faculty of ARTS Academic Commuter Transition Program (FAACT) |
|---|---|
| Faculty/College/Unit | Arts |
| Status | Completed |
| Duration | 3 Years |
| Initiation | 04/01/2008 |
| Completion | 03/31/2011 |
| Funding Details | |
| Year 1: Project Title | Creating Academic Community in the Faculty of Arts |
| Year 1: Project Year | Year 1 |
| Year 1: Funding Year | 2008/2009 |
| Year 1: Project Type | Small TLEF |
| Year 1: Principal Investigator | Norma Wieland |
| Year 1: Funded Amount | 64,964 |
| Year 1: Team Members | Norma Wieland, Assistant Dean, Student Services and Centre for Arts Student Services (CASS), Faculty of Arts |
| Year 1: Summary | The Faculty of Arts is the largest student community on campus. With almost 12,000 undergraduate students, new students find it hard to identify with a small community in the Faculty making the transition to UBC significantly challenging for new Arts students. Our NSSE results demonstrate that we are simply not doing well enough in our efforts to support students' academic transition to UBC. NSSE constructed the supportive campus environment measure because "students perform better and are more satisfied at colleges that are committed to their success and cultivate positive working and social relations among different groups on campus". By leveraging the potential of a peer-based approach to an academic orientation program, we believe we can enhance the opportunity for students to access the resources and relationships offered through a network of peers, faculty, staff, the Centre for Arts Student Services (CASS), and many resources dedicated to student success. |
| Year 2: Project Year | Year 2 |
| Year 2: Funding Year | 2009/2010 |
| Year 2: Project Type | Small TLEF |
| Year 2: Principal Investigator | Norma Wieland |
| Year 2: Funded Amount | 56,440 |
| Year 2: Team Members | Norma Wieland, Centre for Arts Student Services, Faculty of Arts |
| Year 2: Summary | The Faculty of Arts is the largest student community on campus and this program is designed to build upon the current orientation programs offered at UBC and address the specific transition needs of commuter students as they seek to identify and engage with a smaller community in the Faculty and to make a more seamless academic transition. Groups of commuter students in a cohort model, with peer leaders and a faculty mentor, help to create a more supportive campus environment to transition to UBC. In this program first-year students are connected with each other, with peer mentors and with faculty beyond the traditional class room setting, with academic transition at the core of the program. Continuing our efforts begun in year 1, the project will enhance the opportunity for students to access the resources and relationships offered through a network of peers, faculty, staff, the CASS and many resources dedicated to student success. |
| Year 3: Project Year | Year 3 |
| Year 3: Funding Year | 2010/2011 |
| Year 3: Project Type | Small TLEF |
| Year 3: Principal Investigator | Sally Hermansen |
| Year 3: Funded Amount | 49,300 |
| Year 3: Team Members | Sally Hermansen, Centre for Arts Student Services (CASS), Faculty of Arts |
| Year 3: Summary | The Faculty of Arts is the largest student community on campus and this program is designed to build upon current UBC orientation programs and recent changes to first year learning in the Faculty to address the specific transition needs of commuter students as they seek to make a more seamless academic transition. Groups of first-year commuter students are connected, in a cohort model, with each other, peer mentors, and a faculty mentor, beyond the traditional class room setting, with academic transition at the core, to help create a more supportive campus environment to transition to UBC. It builds on the experience and learning of the first two years of the program, to enhance the opportunity for students to access resources and relationships and will target students’ development of an academic plan; their transition from passive to active learner; and their connection to their Faculty as an academic learning community. |