Thursday , December 5 , 2002

The S tuden t Sena te u n a n i­ m ously p a s se d a r e s o lu t io n th a t urged the F irs t Year of Studies to review its evaluation processes because it feels that s tudent needs were not being addressed. Work began on this resolu tion la s t y e a r a f t e r J e r e m y Staley, senator from Sorin Hall, noted his disappointment with First Year of Studies. Staley said, “First Year of Studies is not really in touch with w hat the students need. There is a big d iscrepancy over w h a t it claims to do and what it does.” M em bers of the A cad em ic Affairs C om m ittee m e t w ith Eileen K olm an , d ean of the F ir s t Y ear o f S tu d ie s , and reported that the meeting was unproductive, said Staley. This led to the drafting of the reso­ lution and Staley said, “It’s a recommendation and we want to use strong language because we feel it is necessary and that the i s su e s n eed to be addressed.” The resolution said students were confused about the role of their advisors, experienced in c o n s is te n t ad v is in g , w e re misinformed about classes and re q u i re m e n ts and ex p ressed uncertainty about the purpose and quality of peer advising. T h e A c a d e m ic A ffa irs Committee, which proposed the amendment, said First Year of Studies could realize its m is­ sion statement if increased stu­ dent input existed. First Year of Studies m akes m any of its d e c is io n s a n d c u r r i c u lu m changes based upon the results of a survey tha t freshmen are asked to complete each spring, s a id S ta ley . L as t s p r in g , app rox im ate ly 40 p e rc e n t of freshmen responded. The reso­ lu t io n s a id , “ F i r s t Y e a r of Studies has expressed that ‘our efforts to understand the first year experience a re severely undermined by a low response ra te ’ of first-year student su r­ veys.” S e n a te o f fe re d i t s e l f a s a r e s o u r c e fo r F i r s t Y e a r of Studies and asked it to conduct a m ore th o ro u g h ev a lu a t io n p ro c e s s t h a t in c lu d e s in p u t from sources other than upper­ c lassm en, new s tu d e n t focus g ro u p s a n d th e A c a d e m ic A ffa irs C o m m it te e of th e Student Senate.