The Decision, Implementation and Assessment of a Credit-Bearing Activity Class by Faculty in Residence: A Case Study

This case study reports on a programmatic decision to require a credit-bearing course that was made by Faculty in Residence (FIR), including its implementation and results over a two-year period from 2010-2012. The focus is on FIR and on the impact of their decision upon the students enrolled in their Living Learning Communities (LLCs). The credit-bearing course was a Kinesiology Activities class taken by all seven LLCs at Boise State University. Anonymous feedback from students was obtained via end of semester surveys; results were used to improve the course. Survey feedback was analyzed to assess the value students perceived to have gained from the course. The majority of students reported gaining value from the class. Students noted that it positively affected their time management/personal accountability, that it decreased their stress level and that it increased their awareness of the Recreational Center offerings. Some students were critical of the course, reporting little to no value or even resentment about the course requirement. The decision, implementation and improvements of the course required faculty leadership and full participation of all LLCs; perceptions of the FIR in terms of the effects of adding the required course on their LLC are reported

Successes of an Engineering Residential College Program within an Emerging Residential Culture

Boise State University is in the process of transforming from a historically commuter campus into a metropolitan research university which includes a growing residential culture (currently 8% of students live in residence halls). First time, full time freshmen age 18 or younger have increased from 61% of the incoming class in 2000 to 72% of the incoming class in 2008. To support our growing residential culture, University Housing, in cooperation with six academic colleges, began the Residential College (RC) program in 2004. Key among the five current RC communities is the College of Engineering. The Engineering Residential College (ERC) admits first and second year students with declared majors in one of our six undergraduate programs (civil engineering, computer science, construction management, electrical engineering, materials science and engineering, and mechanical engineering) and undeclared engineering. The 2007- 2008 academic year was the first during which an engineering faculty member lived in residence, the Faculty-in-Residence (FiR), with the 26 members of the ERC. The physical structure of the ERC supported collaborative work and study with student community members. Daily interaction of student ERC community members with the FiR and structured activities outside the classroom facilitated learning that enhanced engineering academics. In this paper, we discuss the qualitative life skills and quantitative academic successes of this living-learning community facilitated by a live-in engineering faculty member during the past three semesters and make recommendations for improving the overall ERC experience

We Can Move Mountains: Engaging in State-Level Policy Work

An increasing number of academic researchers are becoming involved in state-level policy work as a result of existing local partnerships or direct requests by agency directors or elected officials. Most faculty and policymakers do not receive any training in doing such collaborative work and, for each party in the partnership, it can often seem like landing on another planet or, at the very least, visiting a foreign country, with different jargon, players, and stakes. This essay provides a brief guide to navigating the world of state-level partnerships in policymaking