::Dr. Earle Traynham to resume teaching in 2003
::Compass Bank to donate $100,000 for endowed scholarship
::The 2003 Faculty/Staff Drive kicks off next month
::UNF is offering a residential aspect of the Freshman Interest Groups program

October 2002

Living and Learning Together:
New Residential FIG Program debuts at UNF

David Jaffe, associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, leads the first Residential FIGs program at the Crossings.

About 50 freshmen living at the edge of campus don’t have to worry about a long trek to three of their classes this fall. Their classroom is just a few steps from their rooms in their residence hall, The Crossings.

For the first time, UNF is offering a residential aspect of the relatively new Freshman Interest Groups (FIG) program. Fifty-four freshmen students in The Crossings are participating in two FIG programs taught by faculty in a newly equipped classroom in the residence hall.

FIGs are not new to UNF. They were started four years ago as a way to establish what are referred to as “learning communities” at UNF. A learning community is basically a cluster of classes centered around a common theme that enroll a cohort of students.

This year, however, two of those clusters will be taught in a residence hall. One FIG, titled “Work and Society,” is examining what it means to work in contemporary America. This will be studied through three linked courses in economics, sociology and writing taught by Steve Shapiro, David Jaffee, and Miriam Chirico. The second FIG, “Human Nutrition” is examining the fundamentals of nutrition and exploring how nutrients are used in the body. Students are learning how to evaluate the vast amount of information about nutrition bombarding the public. It is being taught through courses in nutrition, statistics and writing by faculty members Judith Rodriguez, Pali Sen, and Susan Boyette.

Jaffee, associate dean in the College of Arts and Sciences, has the responsibility for coordinating the FIG offerings and has been working with Lynn Hendricks, director of Residence Life, to make arrangements for the residential aspect of the program.

“The idea behind the residential FIG is to give freshmen an opportunity to interact not only academically but also socially,” Jaffee said. In the first FIG programs, off-campus and on-campus students were included which made it difficult for social interaction, he said.

One of the major benefits is easing the transition of freshmen into college life and residence hall living. As with other FIGs, these students will be in small classes (28 maximum) and have more opportunities to meet with faculty on a one-on-one basis, he said. They will also have peer facilitators to assist in planning special events and activities.

Hendricks said over the summer Housing representatives met with faculty members to determine what type of equipment was needed in the third-floor lounges where teaching was to occur. A fairly extensive amount of equipment was purchased ranging from blackboards to computer image projectors. “We wanted the faculty to be as comfortable in the setting as the students,” she said.

The arrangements apparently are popular. Both residential FIGs are full and Hendricks said the first semester will be a learning experience for everyone involved. “We are committed to making this work and excited about the benefits for our students in enriching the residence life experience,” she said.

Although the residential FIGs are the newest element of the program, that doesn’t mean the more traditional FIG program is being ignored. Of the 11 FIGs being taught this fall by 33 faculty members, five are new for the fall semester. The new FIGs include such topics as examining biotechnology terrorism and exploring the customs, cultures and languages of other countries. Students in the latter FIG will have an opportunity to participate in a trip to England and France in the spring semester.

Overall, Jaffee said he is pleased with the success of the FIGs program started under the direction of Hank Camp, who is now the interim vice president for Academic Affairs. Student retention, one of the primary goals of the program, does seem to be better among FIG students. For example, among the students enrolling in the Fall 2000 FIGs, 79 percent returned for the Fall 2001 semester compared with the 74 percent average for FTICs (First Time in College).

Jaffee admits that FIGs, especially residential FIGs, must be considered experimental. It may be discovered, for example, that some students may not enjoy spending so much time with the same group of students while others may feel they are missing out on some campus-life experiences by not taking the majority of classes in the core campus area. “There are still a lot of unknowns that we hope will be answered as we gain more experience,” he says.