Monday, February 2, 2009
Effective July 1, the Department of Student Success will discontinue thematic learning communities because of budget cuts.
Learning communities are designed primarily for freshmen and are composed of groups of about 20 students who enroll in two core courses and a seminar course that focus on a particular theme. Students enroll in learning communities in addition to their regular course schedule.
Video
Despite budget cuts, the Business and Engineering Thematic Learning Communities will continue to operate.
Learning communities this semester have themes such as “Business and Society in East Asia” and “Gender Matters: Women Creating a Life of Meaning.” Students are connected with a peer adviser, participate in study groups and attend seminars with their professors that often focus on career and professional development. Some communities are even assigned to live on the same floor at residence halls.
Christa Curette, Port Arthur, Texas, junior and peer educator for the LC program, said the program was a great tool for academic success and it was also effective in helping freshmen transition into college life.
“I think it’s just a positive influence overall,” Curette said. “We can show them that we’re upperclassmen and we’ve been through the freshman year and we’re here if they need to talk or need any kind of guidance.”
Administrators cut the program in order to help meet the state mandated budget cuts. Each academic department at the University has been asked to reduce its budget by about seven percent for the 2009 fiscal year. By cutting the LC program, the University will save $302,741.
Jake Busted, a 3rd-year graduate student and GTA in the American Studies Department, discusses themes of his American Identities class with students in Bailey Hall Friday morning. The class is one of several in the University system that is part of the Learning Communities system. Learning communities will be discontinued in July because of budget cuts.
“One of the challenges with any decision like this is that we feel like we have a lot of programs that are doing a good job with excellent staff and the learning communities were one of those programs,” said Kathryn Nemeth Tuttle, associate vice provost for student success.
Tuttle said the learning communities were cut because freshmen weren’t always aware of the option, which made it difficult to get a large number of students involved. She said the learning communities were part of a very labor intensive program that also required a large time commitment from faculty and staff.
However, the School of Engineering has decided to continue its learning communities on its own budget after a group of students approached the school and asked for the program to continue.
“Probably half of the students in engineering either leave or change majors and the other half take five or six years to graduate because the coursework is so difficult,” said Curette, who campaigned to keep the learning communities running. She said the support that learning communities provide to any students, not just engineers, was a vital part of success.
“We understand the difficult decisions that all of us are having to make right now,” said Ian Cahir, communications coordinator for the School of Engineering. “But from our point of view this is just about making a positive move for the School of Engineering.”
Faculty and administrators at the University are trying to fill the void that will be left by the learning communities in other ways.
David Gaston, director of the University Career Center and facilitator for the international careers community, said his class has gone to London over spring break for the past three years to visit with employers, companies and graduate schools. He said it had been very beneficial and that several of his students had gone on to pursue careers abroad.
“The part that we’re going to miss is the opportunity to put our learning into practice over spring break,” Gaston said. “But as far as attaining and developing the knowledge, we will still be there.”
Gaston said a lot of what was covered in classes could be addressed on an individual basis by making an appointment with the Career Center.
Tuttle said she hoped to build on the orientation seminars, called PRE 101 in the course catalog. These classes focus on helping students make a successful transition to the University.
Tutoring services are also offered through several places on campus, including the Academic Achievement and Access Center Web site and Student Senate Web site.
Students can also sign up to be or work with a tutor through the Academic Achievement and Access Center or on the Student Senate Web site.
— — Edited by Liz Schubauer
Campus tutoring services help students succeed
Here are a few places where students can find affordable peer tutoring.
Brown: Cutting learning communities unfortunate but right ...
While the communities are beneficial, losing them is an economic necessity.
Students and parents have resources
Whether they're a long distance or short ride away, students can feel ...
Speaker promotes hazing prevention
A prominent voice against violence, Don McPherson kicked off National Hazing Prevention ...
Advisers help students find way
Advisers are assigned to help, not hinder your school life. Kathryn Nemeth ...
Amendment to expand University jurisdiction to off-campus ...
The amendment would allow the University to discipline students for off-campus issues.
Student Senate working to increase tutoring options ...
Organization attempting to revive its tutor list that was first created in ...
Female engineers get new support group
Mentor program offers tutoring, advice and support to an extreme minority in ...
University seeks students’ feedback
An electronic survey sent to randomly selected seniors and freshmen aims to ...
University officials propose changes to Code of ...
The student rights committee will discuss the proposed changes Wednesday night.
University services aid grieving students
Students dealing with a loss can seek help from Counseling and Psychological ...
Students struggle to raise grades
Freshmen seeing impact of poor performance during first college semester
Web site offers information fair online
Hire Kansas Talent offers Internet forum for graduate program recruitment.
University student named as Rhodes scholar
Kelsey Murrell became the University's 26th Rhodes scholar after a year-long application ...
Editorial: Students should monitor threatening budget cuts
Students need to know how proposed cuts could affect them.
Peer tutoring benefits tutored, tutors
Qualified students can still apply to receive tutoring from or to tutor ...
Seminars ease financial transitions
The series begins with a credit seminar today at 3:30 p.m. in ...
New housing option in McCollum to provide ...
Global House offers new way for Global Awareness Program certification.
Former University chancellor dies
Chalmers guided school through violent Vietnam War years.
Faculty member receives award for promoting science
Dr. Marigold Linton, director of American Indian Outreach at KU, was awarded ...
Senate outlines new goals for the year
University Student Senate trains new members and defines desired changes for the ...
University jobs lost as a result of ...
Eleven staff members lost their jobs in this round of cuts as ...
Alcohol on the brain: a look at ...
Binge drinking may have negative long-term effects that many students don’t realize.
Time, money and resources
Student athletes navigate two worlds.
Majors Fair provides information about academics, career ...
Students who haven’t yet declared a major or who are thinking about ...
Chancellor talks budget cuts with Kansas Senate
Hemenway spoke to legislators about his concerns of the effects of Sebelius’ ...
Degrees of success: athletes after college
College athletes' payment is their degree. But what if they never get ...
A numbers problem for Engineering School
Amid budget cuts, Regents have asked the program to increase enrollment
Racial protest sparks change
Deans prepare for recent budget cuts
KU is searching for ways to maximize resources after an announced $2 ...
Editorial: Support the University’s Spencer Museum of ...
The Spencer is up for a Visitor’s Choice Award from The Kansas ...
Overworked students' dangerous race against time
Is too much work and too little time putting students' health at ...
Data shows study abroad myth is untrue
Students who study abroad are more likely to graduate in four years ...
Editorial: State budget freeze raises concerns
Gov. Mark Parkinson needs to keep his promise and stop cut higher ...
Career fair underscores importance of choosing a ...
Student Academic Services encourages students to graduate in four years and avoid ...
Chancellor examines University standards
University committee will work with Gray-Little to possibly change admissions and recruitment ...
Parkinson announces new round of budget cuts
Budget cuts hinder academic programs
Reduced course offerings make it tougher for students to graduate on time.
Student athletes to have new study area
New tutor rooms and offices in Hale Center will open in June.
University incorporates Common Book Program
Incoming freshman will receive a personal copy of “Notes from No Man’s ...
From left: Kimberlee Hinkle, Libby Johnson and Hannah ...
1 comment
Kansas Jayhawk fans hold aloft a reproduction of ...
2 comments
Erin Saupe, a Ph.D. student from St. Cloud, ...
1 comment
0 comments
Armed robbers continue to threaten.
3 comments
Lecture from Greg Mortenson, co-author of New York ...
0 comments
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID