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WHAT CORNELL DOES WELL IN THE AREA OF STUDENT ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT
The
library and teaching and learning
In January 2000, following the appointment of Dr. Jean Donham as
College Librarian and in light of other vacancies in the professional
library staff, Cornell reconceived its approach to teaching and
learning in the library setting. Rather than appointing librarians
based primarily on their expertise in such areas as reference and
public services, we appointed them based substantially on their
academic interests and expertise. By the beginning of the 2000-2001
academic year, consulting librarians in the arts and humanities,
the social sciences, and the natural sciences were working closely
with faculty members in their respective areas, not only in making
book and journal selections but in providing point-of-need instruction
and resources related to classroom assignments course by course,
helping students learn how to get their work done. This process
has been especially valuable in the context of our intensive schedule,
where a single three-and-a-half-week course is the world of undergraduate
education for both faculty members and the group of students in
that classroom. In this context there is much flexibility to develop
a short-term academic community-and a premium on efficiency, productivity,
and timely feedback. In any case, this new-look program has substantially
increased student library traffic; facilitated strong working relationships
among faculty members, students, and librarians; and made it possible
for Cornell to begin to attend to matters of information literacy,
including those related to technology, in a comprehensive way.
Information literacy and the liberal arts
If we define information literacy as the attainment of the skills,
knowledge, and dispositions that enable one to locate, evaluate,
use, and communicate information effectively for the purposes of
gaining knowledge, solving a problem, or making a decision, we can
see that information literacy incorporates one of the skill sets
at the heart of liberal education. Indeed, no student can be said
to be fully engaged in the study of the liberal arts without developing
these skills. This is by no means a recent consideration at our
colleges. However, the information literacy arena has grown larger
and become much more complex with the recent explosion of information
in all professions and fields and the associated rise of new information
technology over the past twenty years. These developments pose substantial
challenges for teaching and learning, and at Cornell we believe
that we have made a good beginning in considering the larger institutional
issues related to these challenges. This consideration was a special
emphasis in our recent NCA reaccreditation self-study, in which
all academic departments at Cornell examined the paths of information
literacy in their disciplines, the place of librarians and library
resources along the path, and the role of technology in facilitating
the journey. One important issue before us (see challenges below)
is the relationship between the goals and processes of information
literacy and the first year experience.
THE
NEXT CHALLENGE/GOAL IN STUDENT ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT AT CORNELL
Orientation
and pre-registration
For many years we have attempted to find the appropriate mix of
activities to introduce entering students to the academic program
of the College during new student orientation. We include conferences
with advisors, sessions on teaching and learning in the framework
of the One-Course-At-A-Time calendar, placement testing, etc. We
have experimented with various formats for an academic seminar,
with none being wholly satisfactory. A number of years ago we adopted
a summer registration process for entering students. In part, the
purpose of this pre-registration was to attach students to the College
in the hopes of reducing the "summer melt" of admitted students.
This conference provides us with the opportunity to revisit orientation
and the registration process, as they relate to introducing students
to the liberal arts.
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Should students register for courses over the summer without benefit
of meeting with advisors?
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Should orientation be longer to allow more time with advisors
and other components to introduce students to the liberal arts?
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Should first-term, first-year-student-only classes meet during
orientation to convey important information related to the academic
program?
First-term,
first-year-students-only classes and the writing program
Although Cornell has no formal first year program in place, new
students take two courses that with some modification could constitute
a systematic first year introduction to the liberal arts.
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First-term, first-year-students-only classes (lasting three and
a half weeks) have been in place for several years now and it
is time to consider systematically their effectiveness, content,
and organization. What role should they have in introducing students
to the liberal arts? What specific issues/topics should be addressed
in common? Should they take the form of a first year seminar?
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Should entering students take first-year-students-only classes
in the first two course terms of the academic year, i.e., over
their first two months of college?
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Cornell's across-the-curriculum writing program is in its second
year. Its operation is monitored and evaluated by a committee
established for that purpose. It is likely that this committee
will suggest some modifications in the program this year as a
result of its work. However, significant questions and issues
will remain to be addressed. For example, should the topics covered
in the first-year-students-only courses and the writing courses
be coordinated? Should the course be required in the first half
of the academic year?
Academic
support services
We would like to learn more about the academic support services
in place at other ACM colleges. Our questions: (1) How are these
services staffed and organized? (2) How are students encouraged
to use these services? (3) How can we improve the quality of advising
and the continuity of advising during the first year?
Broader
consideration of the first year experience
Beyond
these specific issues, we wish to consider academic development
in the first year more comprehensively. Our questions: (1) Should
we have a program ensuring that students explore broadly in the
liberal arts in the first year and encouraging students systematically
to consider the nature of the liberal arts? (2) How should information
literacy be addressed in the first year? (3) How might we connect
the curricular and co-curricular program in introducing students
to the liberal arts?
Team
Members
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Dennis Moore, VP for Academic Affairs & Dean of the College
- Jim
Brown, Associate Dean of the College
- Christopher
Carlson, Professor of Sociology (Liaison)
- Karla
Carney, Associate Dean of Students
- Donald
Chamberlain, Chair & Associate Professor of Music
- Barbara
Christie-Pope, Chair & Associate Professor of Biology
- Jean
Donham, College Librarian
- John
Harp, Dean of Students
- Michelle
Mouton, Assistant Professor of English & Chair of the College
Writing Program
- Jonathan
Stroud, VP for Enrollment & Dean of Admission and Financial Aid
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