To what extent and through what mechanisms are first-year
students, both resident and commuter, encouraged to get
involved in co-curricular activities such as student
government, campus publications, Greek life, campus clubs,
etc.?
What kinds of opportunities are available for first-year
students to develop or hone their leadership interests and
abilities (e.g., freshman council, for-credit leadership
courses, leadership programs, community service, etc.)?
Are new students intentionally made aware of or required to
use various campus resources such as career counseling,
learning skills centers, writing centers, personal counseling,
student health services, fitness programs, etc.
What efforts have been made to identify and serve unique
homogeneous populations of first-year students (e.g.,
commuters, athletes, honors, adult, disabled, minority or
international students, etc.)? What special programs are
available to support these students?
Campus problems and issues
Has your institution identified particular issues or campus
problems of special concern to first-year students (e.g.,
racial and cultural diversity, drug and alcohol use, sexually
transmitted diseases, vandalism and safety issues, sexual
assault, binge drinking, town/gown relationships, etc.)? Have
resources been committed to addressing and/or alleviating these
concerns?
Does your campus offer new students a structured forum,
such as a first-year seminar, within which to discuss such
issues?
In particular, what proactive steps is your campus taking
to address the issue of binge drinking, America's number one
college public health problem? Do you have the active
involvement of your campus chief executive officer on this
issue? Is there a campus task force charged with evaluating and
advising the institution on prevention efforts, related
policies, and changing legal interpretations of campus
liability? What is your campus policy regarding parental
notification for students under 21 who are involved in alcohol
related incidents? Is there any sense of awareness and concern
for the impact of alcohol abuse on the overall intellectual
climate, and, for example, class attendance patterns?
Greek life
If Greek social fraternities or sororities have chapters on
your campus, when are they allowed to "rush" new students?
What is the minimum GPA allowed to become a new member?
What steps is your campus taking to manage the influence of
Greek life, both positive and negative?
What kinds of data are available comparing the academic
performance, retention and graduate rates of Greeks versus
non-Greeks?
Residence life
If your campus offers students the option to live on
campus, what is the quality of residence life for first-year
students?
What kinds of data does your institution collect comparing
residential and non-residential students?
What is the quality of the first-year residence halls? Are
they comparable to upper-class halls? Are they "wired" for
technology?
What is the ratio of resident assistants (RAs) to
first-year students?
What are the criteria to become a resident assistant? What
kinds of RA training and compensation are offered?
Are any first-year courses offered in the residence halls?
Do any faculty live in residence with first-year students?
Are there quiet study spaces and or learning labs in the
residence halls?
Is there an intentional process of assigning students to
residence halls (e.g., all first-year halls versus mixed halls,
segregation or integration of genders, etc.)?
Is there an intentional process of roommate assignment?
What kinds of residential programming are offered
especially for first-year students?
Commuter life
To what extent does your campus welcome and support
commuter students?
Are special opportunities available for commuters to get to
know each other to share various kinds of information and
support?
How well are commuters integrated into the life of the
campus?
Does your campus offer child care to students with small
children?
Are offices and support services open and available to
commuting students at times that meet students' schedules and
needs?
Sponsored Programs, Institutional Advancement, and Fund
Raising
What kind of priority has been given the first college year
in your campus's efforts to seek federal and foundation grants
and private gifts?
What successes has your institution had in this arena?
What level of awareness is there of external funding
available to support first-year initiatives?
Is there an office/individual charged with this development
responsibility and opportunity?