November 1, 2007

Sudent Affairs Leader - November 1, 2007 - Full Issue PDF
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A Freshman Seminar Success Story:
By Brian A. Vander Schee
The concept of having a Freshman Seminar that runs during orientation or extends throughout the fall semester is not new. Many colleges have had such a course in place for years. However, some institutions are reinventing their first-year programs to reflect institutional goals such as growth of student engagement, enhancement of campus identity, or integration of the general education curriculum. One such institution is reviewed here.

On-Campus Report Capsules
Facebook as a campus security tool: During a campus emergency, the University of Wisconsin-Madison used many tools to reach its 40,000-plus students – including Facebook. Our local newspapers reported that UW-Madison paid Facebook $100 to post a flier on the school’s social network that asked users to click on a link for an update on the campus emergency.

Transforming the Culture of the Greek System at William Jewel College
By Don DiPaolo and Rick Winslow
How do you influence student culture – particularly when student behavior runs contrary to the mission and vision of the campus? Time after time, in our work as administrators and faculty members, we have heard the question “What can we do?”

Engaging Students in Life’s Biggest Questions
By Kathleen Manning
“Why Are We Here? Colleges ignore life’s biggest questions, and we all pay the price” is the title of a recentBoston Globe article by Anthony Kronman. The New York Times Magazine published Rick Perlstein’s “What’s the Matter with College?” in its most recent college issue. The authors of these two articles discuss the demise of college as a place where students can explore the meaning of life and discuss larger questions about existence.