THE FORGOTTEN CLASS:CONNECTING WITH OUR

2ND YEAR STUDENTS

Keith LopezCoordinator, First & Second Year Programs

Orientation & Transition Programs

Welcome! Our topics today

Issues facing second year studentsNational and campus researchUnique approaches at CSU

So… Why 2nd Year Students?

What Is the Issue?The 2nd year is often a time when students

feel they do not get the attention and support they received their 1st year.

This can lead to the “sophomore slump”

This is also an institutional issue– not only a student issue.

Institutions are failing to engage 2nd yearstudents in a way that best fits their needs.

Pop Quiz!?Second Year Student Issues (Pattengale, 2000) Reduced motivation Declining performance “Newness” has worn off Intensified curriculum Choosing a major or career Reality hits Feeling of institution not as supportive as 1st year Move off campus, feel less connected Peer issues Identity issues

What Makes 2nd Year Students Unique?

Establishing themselves as individuals Declaring a major by 60 credits! Securing ideas about their future career Developing short and long term goals Working on academics with harder classes Missing "frontload" of their 1st year while still

trying to make connections on campus

Research on 2nd Year Students Freedman (1956) and “Sophomore Slump”

Common characteristicsFeel lost, unmotivated and disconnectedDissatisfaction with resourcesTransitions in identity and peer groupsExplorations in purpose and major/career decisions

Core is efficacy, engagement and commitment

Hunter et al., 2010, Tobolowsky, 2008, Schaller, 2005, Schreiner & Pattengale, 2000

Research on 2nd Year Needs Tobolowsky (2008) and 2005 national survey

Creating a sense of communityFostering social engagementFacilitating faculty-student interactionEncouraging major and career explorationPromoting academic engagement and leadership

Schreiner (2009)Impact of campus experience and peer groups

CSU Research on Year 2 Second Year Research Project-

Demographic & Academic Analysis (Fall 2006 1st year students)

Retention of 1st year students to a 2nd year

Your First College Year Survey

Campus Climate Survey

CSU Research on Year 2 Orientation Benchmarking Survey

Best practices for study skills fairs, student success conferences and second year programming

Individual Meetings with colleagues across campus

SYE Survey @ CSU in 2011 THRIVING QUOTIENT:

Engaged Learning & Academic Motivation = Connection Diverse citizenship  

PSYCHOLOGICAL SENSE OF COMMUNITY:Sense of belonging and friendships Campus pride and sense of community

(Nat’l = 5,138; CSU = 478)

SYE Survey @ CSU in 2011 FACULTY-STUDENT INTERACTION ITEMS:

Meeting frequency and content with Faculty contacts =Meeting frequency and content with Advisor contacts

SATISFACTION ITEMS:Living situations, physical health, money paid for college =Quality of faculty interactions (14.3% to 15.8%) Amount learning in college and contact with faculty Community service involvement (55.1% to 44.2%) Academic advising received (62.1% to 53.3%) Overall campus experiences (77.3% to 66.6%)

What Our Students Say Keeping up in all my classes, getting involved, making friends, talking

to professors outside of class, feeling like I belong. Adjusting to the increase in difficulty in my classes, and adjusting to

living with roommates off campus. Figuring when to start thinking about graduation and life after college.

Do I start searching now, next year, or in two years? Balancing finances, school, work, and friends. They all seem to not

have time for each other and it makes you make some big choices. Hard to make the same great friendship after moving out of the dorms. Motivation. Finding out your major and career goals. Time management and still being able to find a way to be involved on

campus while living off campus. Maintaining the enthusiasm I had when I first got here, personal

issues, a lot more stress, more thinking about the future.

Best Practices from 382 Institutions Top 3

Career Planning 74.2%Programs to Assist with Selection of Major 65.3%Academic Advising 61.0%

Lowest 3 Curricular Learning Communities 17.7%Publications for Sophomores 16.8%Peer Mentoring for Sophomores 15.4%

2005 National Survey on Sophomore Initiatives National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in

Transition by Bradley E. Cox & Barbara F. Tobolowsky (2008)

Orientation & Transition Programs First-Year Programs

Getting to Year 2 @ CSU Conference

Second-Year ProgramsYear 2 @ CSU: Second Year Program

○ Year 2 @ CSU Board○ Alternative Spring Break○ Academic Transition Workshops○ Outdoor Experiences ○ CSU! True Faculty Story Dinner Series○ Online Event Calendar for Second Year Students○ Monthly E-Newsletter to Second Year Students

Orientation & Transition Programs Future Programs

Year 2 Mountain Experience Retreat w/ Pingree Park

Traditions Program (Connected to Credit Completion)

Expanded Outdoor Experience OpportunitiesPartnership with the Career CenterRe-envision of Second Year Student Welcome

Back eventEnhance online resources/info for second year

students

Key Plus 2nd Year Community Career Development

Leadership Development

Supportive Diverse Community

The Focus of Key Plus Purpose: Understanding who I am

Self assessments, value and identity exercisesPortfolios and reflection assignments

Decision-Making: Where I am goingMentoring on academic/career planningStudy skills, time management and leadership

workshops

Belonging: Learning how I fit inService learning and experiential opportunitiesCommunity engagement activities

Key Plus 2nd Year Community For more information on Key Plus

contact:Jessica KlingsmithAssistant Director, Key CommunitiesCoordinator, Key Plus jessica.klingsmith@colostate.edu

What We Are Telling 2nd Year Students

Celebrate Reflect Explore Commit

Reflection Questions for Year 2 Help students explore these

questions:

A. Who am I?

B. Where am I going?

C. What do I need to do to get there?

For More Information.. Keith LopezCoordinator, First & Second Year ProgramsColorado State Universitykeith.lopez@colostate.edu(970) 491-6011www.otp.colostate.edu Click on “Second

Year”