2008 Woodie Awards
FYE resolution prepares for second reading
Nathanial Garrod
Issue date: 3/18/08 Section: News
Following years of research and discussion, a temporary class titled Freshman Year Experience (FYE), was introduced to the SSU community in 2005. Now, the continuation of this experimental class is threatened by budget cuts.
The class, University 150- FYE, was accepted as a two-year test program, with the reasoning being that in two years enough data could be gained so that a decision to add the class permanently could be made. The class would fulfill the GE requirement of sections A2 and A3.
With the second year of the program coming to a close, the debate of whether or not to keep the class has made it to two Academic Senate meetings.
After two discussions in the Senate, a proposed resolution to continue the FYE class will have another second reading on Thursday, March 21.
At the last Academic Senate meeting, on March 7, over 30 FYE students voluntarily showed up to voice their support. They stood outside of the Commons with various signs reading "Save FYE," "FYI: Choose FYE" and "FYE - It makes a difference."
Since then, the FYE courses have been the subject of much debate on the SSU campus. Students, faculty, staff and the administration have been buzzing about the debate, in classrooms and via email, in the hopes of a decision being made in the Senate meeting soon.
FYE came about through the research of various professors and lecturers. Their research recognized that the student population at SSU had changed vastly in the previous decade. This shift mainly consisted of a greater number of first-time freshmen and less transfer students.
The styles of learning and academic preparedness of many of these freshmen were completely different than students a decade before them. In order to help these students, a nine-unit, two-semester class was proposed.
"A two year study is not enough time to get accurate results. Five years would be enough to get good data," said Jenny Tice, sophomore and ASI Senator who took the class during her freshman year.
The class, University 150- FYE, was accepted as a two-year test program, with the reasoning being that in two years enough data could be gained so that a decision to add the class permanently could be made. The class would fulfill the GE requirement of sections A2 and A3.
With the second year of the program coming to a close, the debate of whether or not to keep the class has made it to two Academic Senate meetings.
After two discussions in the Senate, a proposed resolution to continue the FYE class will have another second reading on Thursday, March 21.
At the last Academic Senate meeting, on March 7, over 30 FYE students voluntarily showed up to voice their support. They stood outside of the Commons with various signs reading "Save FYE," "FYI: Choose FYE" and "FYE - It makes a difference."
Since then, the FYE courses have been the subject of much debate on the SSU campus. Students, faculty, staff and the administration have been buzzing about the debate, in classrooms and via email, in the hopes of a decision being made in the Senate meeting soon.
FYE came about through the research of various professors and lecturers. Their research recognized that the student population at SSU had changed vastly in the previous decade. This shift mainly consisted of a greater number of first-time freshmen and less transfer students.
The styles of learning and academic preparedness of many of these freshmen were completely different than students a decade before them. In order to help these students, a nine-unit, two-semester class was proposed.
"A two year study is not enough time to get accurate results. Five years would be enough to get good data," said Jenny Tice, sophomore and ASI Senator who took the class during her freshman year.
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