A letter from the Director

Hello Students and Parents!

Welcome to the home of UNC’s FYE Learning Communities. In finding your way to this webpage, I want to reassure you that you are doing just what you should by exploring the multitude of options before you as you select your direction for the next few years.

I’ve been working with Learning Communities and student success initiatives for the past 8 years, and I’m very proud of what we offer at UNC. Learning Communities (LCs) and First-Year Seminar courses have been proven to help students get higher grades, graduate in higher numbers, feel more connected to other students, faculty, and the campus, and enjoy their college experience more than those students not in LCs. That’s why we’ve put tremendous effort into building a Learning Community program that meets almost every first-year student’s needs to satisfy her/his major and graduate. (The only majors that we do not have Learning Communities for are some of the majors in Performing and Visual Arts, as they offer a similar opportunity to their students!)

When you are looking at selecting a college or university, and you are comparing academic initiatives such as Learning Communities, it is important to know what to look for. I would ask the following questions of any Learning Community program:

Are there any additional fees on top of tuition and room and board that a student has to pay to be in a Learning Community?
How many students get into Learning Communities each year?
Do I have to fill out an application for inclusion?
Are each of your Learning Communities confined to a specific residence hall, or can I still choose where to live?
What sets your Learning Communities apart from others we’ve seen?
What ongoing training and development do you offer for instructors in your Learning Communities?
Is there a First-Year Seminar class as part of the Learning Community?
What are the learning outcomes for the First-Year Seminar class?
Can I see a sample syllabus?
What research have you done to show the success of your Learning Communities? Can I get a copy?

Since we know that UNC FYE courses and Learning Communities help students be successful in college, we feel that all students should have the opportunity to be a part of UNC’s FYE Learning Community program. For that reason, our UNC FYE Learning Community program continues to grow each year, and we will soon expect that 75% of the first-year cohort will take advantage of this great academic opportunity.

Finally, I hope you take some time to look around this site. If you have questions or concerns, or need clarifications, I would love to speak with you. Feel free to call me on my direct line at 970-351-1175, or email me at Rob.Umbaugh@unco.edu.

Have a wonderful day, and I hope that I meet you at Orientation this summer!

Umbaugh
Rob Umbaugh
Director of Learning Communities
University of Northern Colorado



ACADEMIC SUPPORT AND ADVISING ORIENTATION ACADEMIC ADVISING TUTORING LEARNING COMMUNITIES How to Join Resources for Prospective Students and Parents A letter from the Director FYE Learning Community Examples Sample Syllabi Textbooks and Readings used FAQs Resources for Instructors Research and Assessment Excellence in First Year Teaching Awards Contact Information Staff FIRST GENERATION STUDENT SUPPORT	A letter from the Director Hello Students and Parents! Welcome to the home of UNC’s FYE Learning Communities. In finding your way to this webpage, I want to reassure you that you are doing just what you should by exploring the multitude of options before you as you select your direction for the next few years. I’ve been working with Learning Communities and student success initiatives for the past 8 years, and I’m very proud of what we offer at UNC. Learning Communities (LCs) and First-Year Seminar courses have been proven to help students get higher grades, graduate in higher numbers, feel more connected to other students, faculty, and the campus, and enjoy their college experience more than those students not in LCs. That’s why we’ve put tremendous effort into building a Learning Community program that meets almost every first-year student’s needs to satisfy her/his major and graduate. (The only majors that we do not have Learning Communities for are some of the majors in Performing and Visual Arts, as they offer a similar opportunity to their students!) When you are looking at selecting a college or university, and you are comparing academic initiatives such as Learning Communities, it is important to know what to look for. I would ask the following questions of any Learning Community program: Are there any additional fees on top of tuition and room and board that a student has to pay to be in a Learning Community? How many students get into Learning Communities each year? Do I have to fill out an application for inclusion? Are each of your Learning Communities confined to a specific residence hall, or can I still choose where to live? What sets your Learning Communities apart from others we’ve seen? What ongoing training and development do you offer for instructors in your Learning Communities? Is there a First-Year Seminar class as part of the Learning Community? What are the learning outcomes for the First-Year Seminar class? Can I see a sample syllabus? What research have you done to show the success of your Learning Communities? Can I get a copy? Since we know that UNC FYE courses and Learning Communities help students be successful in college, we feel that all students should have the opportunity to be a part of UNC’s FYE Learning Community program. For that reason, our UNC FYE Learning Community program continues to grow each year, and we will soon expect that 75% of the first-year cohort will take advantage of this great academic opportunity. Finally, I hope you take some time to look around this site. If you have questions or concerns, or need clarifications, I would love to speak with you. Feel free to call me on my direct line at 970-351-1175, or email me at Rob.Umbaugh@unco.edu. Have a wonderful day, and I hope that I meet you at Orientation this summer! Rob Umbaugh Director of Learning Communities University of Northern Colorado
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