On The Same Page - October 2006
Celebrating 30 years at CSU...
The Office of Black Student Services and El Centro Student Services are celebrating 30 years at Colorado
State University this year! In recognition of the event collectively both offices created a float for the
annual Community Homecoming Parade. The theme for the float was: "Past, Present, Future Celebrating 30 years of
Excellence". 
Alumni rode on the float representing the past, along with current students who handed out candy to
observers and children rode the float representing future CSU Rams. The float was sponsored by Native Scapes and
Home Depot. The float also received a 2nd place award for participation!
CRLA Re-certification of CSU's Tutoring Programs
By Andrea Reeve
The College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA) certifies tutoring programs at colleges and universities throughout the United States. CSU's two largest tutoring programs at the Academic Advancement Center/Student Support Services and the College of Natural Sciences have been certified for the past 10 years. In the previous five year certification period, 89 tutors were certified in the two programs. And, in the previous academic year, the AAC alone provided over 4,500 hours of tutoring to 275 AAC participants. In order to become certified, a tutor must attend 10 hours of CRLA approved trainings and log 30 hours of tutoring. The AAC and CNS tutoring supervisors coordinate all of the trainings on campus.
This past spring, the certification expired and needed to be re-certified by the CRLA. John Henneberg, the Assistant Director for Academics at the AAC, completed the lengthy re-certification process, including all new initiatives now in place, and received another 5 year certification for CSU's tutoring programs. The certification will now run through the year 2011.
Seniors at Colorado State University most satisfied with "Overall College Experience"
By Dave McKelfresh
Seniors at Colorado State University were surveyed at the end spring semester 2006 along with college seniors nationwide. The spring 2006 survey, conducted by the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) at UCLA's Graduate School of Education & Information Studies, finds that over 86% of seniors at Colorado State University are satisfied with their "Overall college experience".
Developed by the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI), the College Senior Survey (CSS) is administered through the Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP), which has conducted national surveys of college students and faculty since 1966. The CSS is used by institutional researchers to study the impact of service-learning, leadership development, and faculty mentoring, and to assess a wide variety of instructional practices.
Students indicating that they were very satisfied or satisfied with the following aspects of campus life:
| CSU | Public Univ. | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall college experience | 86.6% | 86.2% |
| Courses in your major field | 86.2 | 86.9 |
| Overall quality of instruction | 82.7 | 83.0 |
| Interaction with other students | 81.2 | 77.4 |
| Respect for the expression of diverse beliefs | 78.3 | 73.8 |
| Class size | 74.6 | 72.7 |
| Amount of contact with faculty | 74.4 | 71.6 |
| Relevance of coursework to future career plans | 69.5 | 66.8 |
| Overall sense of community among students | 63.2 | 62.8 |
| Relevance of coursework to everyday life | 62.9 | 59.9 |
For more information about the College Student Survey please contact Dave McKelfresh at david.mckelfresh@colostate.edu
Campus Recreation Starts Adventure Outreach Program with the Pine Ridge Reservation
By Ray Aberle
In April students in the President's Leadership Program, Year Two, traveled to Pine Ridge, South Dakota to begin an ongoing project with the SuAnne Big Crow Boy's and Girl's club. The Pine Ridge Adventure Project is an outreach effort of Colorado State University Campus Recreation. Over the next several years Campus Recreation, with support from the SLCE office, is working to construct a complete Challenge Ropes Course and outdoor equipment check-out center.
The April trip included construction of four challenge course elements and the planting of nearly 100 trees. In addition to the construction work, students were able to participate in several cultural events, a family visit, and extensive time discussing and analyzing Lakota leadership styles. Several Colorado State University Challenge Course staff traveled to Pine Ridge in mid-May to complete an initial training of local staff at the center in outdoor adventure pursuits. In an effort to equip the outdoor equipment center, Campus Recreation is looking for gently used tents, sleeping bags, backpacks, and sleeping pads. Additionally, several grants for the completion of a high ropes course have been submitted.
President's Leadership Program student Tyler Will says, "Through both working on the challenge course and by interacting with members of the Lakota community, I gained new perspectives on leadership from a variety of sources."
FIRST TRACKS AT CSU: ADVENTURE FOR FRESHMAN STUDENTS
Submitted by Rodney Ley, Assistant Director, Campus Recreation
Sturdy backpack? Check. Sleeping bag? Check. Going to college? Check.
For many freshman students, the first step into academia means campus tours, stuffy lecture halls, and placement exams. But First Tracks students, who spend their first days at CSU rafting and hiking in the Colorado high country, take their adventure al fresco.
First Tracks, established in 2002, is a four-day in-coming student orientation program through the Outdoor Adventure Program in Campus Recreation. Over the 4-day summer weekend students call Pingree Park Mountain Campus home base, which puts them in the heart of the Colorado Rockies and just a short hike north of Rocky Mountain National Park.
The first day of First Tracks includes get-to-know-you games at the Student Recreation Center followed by rafting Colorado's only Wild and Scenic River, the Cache la Poudre. Here "teamwork" takes on real meaning as the students paddle their way through Class III and IV rapids in the company of a professional raft guide.
The second day includes 30-mile-per-hour swings off the Giant Swing on the Pingree Ropes Course, as well as climbing walls, tightrope walking, and other group challenges. All the while the students are surrounded by several 12,000-foot peaks like Fall Mountain, Comanche Peak, and Stormy Peaks, which hint of things to come. "I wanted the full Colorado experience," wrote one First Track student on her course evaluation. "My goals were to make new friends and get a taste of what Colorado had to offer before I came here. I met both those goals."
The culminating experience for most First Trackers is the ascent of Stormy Peaks in Rocky Mountain National Park. A tough 12-mile round trip hike and an elevation over 12,000 feet makes this a long day, but the rewards are a deep satisfaction. The motto for the day is "if I can do this, I can do anything".
The four days in the mountains isn't just fun and games though. "First Tracks is really a growth-through-challenge situation. Whether they're paddling a boat, summiting a 12,000-foot peak, or figuring out a ropes course problem, students are sharing a common experience, which means they're growing together," says Rodney Ley, director of the First Tracks program.
Students also have opportunities to get to know CSU faculty members who enjoy the outdoors as much as they do, as well as discuss their new lifestyles and responsibilities as university students with growing independence. "The relationships students make with faculty members and other students during First Tracks are the most important for the students because they feel connected to CSU from their first day on campus." says Ley.
John Wilcoxen, an incoming freshman and First Tracks student in 2006, confirms this when he says, "Everyone I went with has been talking about how cool it is to already have made those friends [from First Tracks] at CSU when we came back in the fall."
Faculty, Staff Visit Students on their Turf for 2nd Annual CSU Meet & Greet
By Tonie Miyamoto
It's not everyday that students hanging out in their residence hall room get a personal visit from a professor or Vice President.
Nearly 200 CSU faculty and staff poured into the halls on August 30, 2006 as part of the 2nd Annual CSU Meet & Greet program. The faculty and staff volunteers were escorted by RA's onto residence hall floors to welcome students to campus and to the Fort Collins Community.
The program gave residence hall students, many of whom are freshmen, a chance to meet some professors, chat with staff members, and ask questions about campus. As an added bonus, students who participated in Meet & Greet could enter to win door prizes that included gift certificates for food, movies, and entertainment.
Many students were excited to see so many faculty and staff in their hall and enjoyed the experience. "It was a good way to make the campus seem smaller and less intimidating. I could easily ask any questions that I had," one student noted.
Faculty and staff volunteers were treated to dinner at Corbett Marketplace before heading into the halls. As one faculty/staff volunteer noted, "It was a great experience from beginning to end. The dinner was a great chance to connect, and give faculty/staff a chance to experience student dining. And the time on the floors was very productive."
The program also gave students an opportunity to meet some professors outside the classroom in a more casual environment. "I enjoyed meeting the professors because they were really nice and informative about CSU. Plus, we had a lot in common about academic interests and sports," said one student who participated in the program.
"Meet & Greet is becoming an important CSU tradition. Very well conceived and organized," enthused one volunteer.
Look for information about CSU Meet & Greet next fall for your chance to participate in this interactive program!
CSU Sport Clubs Reach Pinnacle...
Being the best isn't always easy to do. Being the best three times in a row (a three-peat for all those sports fans) is nearly impossible. This is a feat that has been accomplished by Colorado State University's Baseball Club. This is one of two teams that took home the National Championship in their perspective sports last year.
Both the Men's Lacrosse team and the Baseball team brought back titles to Colorado State Unviversity that would classify them as the best in their leagues. The teams compete against other club teams, top ranked junior colleges and some Division II programs.
Residence Halls and Dining Centers Welcome New Staff
By Tonie Miyamoto
Several new faces can be found in the residence halls and dining centers this fall. New staff have joined the Housing & Dining Services team from across the country.
Teri Engelke is the new Assistant Director of Residence Life for Staffing, Training, and Development. Teri has a background in residence life from several universities and joins us from Phoenix where she was an Executive Team Leader for Target. Teri makes the best apple crisp in the world, so she is already quite popular at the Palmer Center!
Sean McGowan and Meredith Carpenter, Area Directors, are also new to the Residence Life staff. Area Directors supervise residence hall staff and split duties between the North and South side of campus.
Sean is the North Side Area Director. He grew up in Sonoma, California, and has lived in Ohio and Arizona before coming to Colorado to assume this new position.
Meredith holds down the fort on the South side of campus. She joins Residence Life from the Honors Department and was previously with the University of Oslo in Norway. If you see two very busy people hustling between residence halls, there's a good chance it's Meredith and Sean!
There are also five new and very busy Residence Directors this fall. RDs, as they are called, are full-time, professional, live-in staff members located in each residence hall. The 2006 new hires are Amanda Daul, Jason LaBret, Katherine (Kay) Lewis, Michael Pule, and Lory-Ann Varela.
Amanda hails from Wisconsin and is now at home in Durward Hall. She moved to Colorado from Boston. Amanda also has a master's degree in Counseling and Student Personnel from Minnesota State University, Mankato.
Jason can be found at Summit Hall. He came to CSU from Phoenix, where he obtained a Master's degree in Higher and Postsecondary Education. Jason is excited to finally see the seasons change again!
Katherine can be found in Braiden Hall. She grew up in Buffalo, NY and comes to CSU from Western Illinois University where she recently received her M.S. in College Student Personnel.
Michael and Lory-Ann round out the new hires. Michael joins us from Arizona State University. He now calls Allison Hall home. Lory-Ann's home base is Braiden Hall. She comes to CSU from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
In the Dining Centers, two new faces are greeting students this fall, Wyatte Stuard and Rob Borngrebe.
Wyatte is the new Associate Director for Procurement/Warehouse and joins CSU from the University of Maryland. Wyatte has replaced Chuck Parker, who retired at the end of August after more than 20 years of distinguished service.
Rob is the new Assistant Director at Corbett Marketplace and Parmelee Dining Centers. Rob joins CSU from Central Washington University. If you pop into Corbett or Parmelee Dining Centers you are likely to have an opportunity to meet Rob.
Creating Respect through Education and Wellness by Students Holds Event...
On September 28th in Parmelee Residence Hall the Department of Alcohol and other Drug Education, Parmelee resident advisers and Creating Respect through Education and Wellness by students (C.R.E.W.S) peer health educators collaborated on an alcohol education program.
As part of a social norming campaign that is set to take place Fall semester 2006, the event was a mixture of mocktails, DUI education, and root beer pong which taught students about blood alcohol content, the dangers of rapid alcohol consumption, alcohol poisoning awareness and messages regarding how to stay safe while drinking. The event was attended by over 230 students.
As of October 1, 2006 C.R.E.W.S. has reached over 800 CSU students in a total of three alcohol awareness education and prevention events. C.R.E.W.S. so far has displayed a 100 percent participation rate from its active membership.
