Faculty Responsibilities in the 25-35 New Student Orientation Program

To the Faculty:

I am requesting your active participation in Cal Poly’s 25-35 program, a program designed to orient new students to their academic responsibilities and encourage student success.  Please take a few minutes to read this memo describing the purpose and rationale for the program and the important contributions you can make as a faculty member.  The heart of the 25-35 program is in the classroom and your participation is very important.

Rationale for the 25-35 Program

A typical high school student spends 30 hours a week in class but less than 5 hours a week studying outside of class; a recent national study reported homework time at 19 minutes per day.  The need to study 2 hours/unit/week upon entering college (a long-standing national recommendation), or 25-35 hours per week, is a tremendous transition that is not at all obvious to new freshmen right out of high school.  It is reasonable and important for each of us to help our students with this transition.

Nationally, 65% of first year college students study 15 or less hours per week; almost half study 10 or less hours per week.  Sadly, the numbers are about the same for seniors.  This possibly explains the disappointing graduation rates for American universities: 42% for public universities and 55% for privates.

Contributions of the Faculty in the 25-35 Program

Together we can significantly influence the academic environment.  Every classroom can be a mini-University 101 academic orientation type experience but in a course and with an instructor in which the student will invest time and energy.  Together we can present a common 25-35 study message focused on developing an academic work ethic.  Individually we can present strategies and philosophies on learning from our own points of view.   Following are some ideas for classes with new students for your consideration.  Please also consider modifying this program to fit any classes of continuing students you might be teaching.

Post a 25-35 Sign:  Please post a 25-35 sign outside of your office.

First Class Meeting: 

• Privilege of Attending College: Please talk about the privilege of being a college student, the intellectual and personal growth that accompanies the experience, and the advantage of becoming a college graduate in terms of quality of life (less than 25% of the United States population and only 1% of the world’s population has a college degree).
  
  
• Academic Expectations: Please explain your expectations of students and how to be successful in your course.  With freshmen it will be useful to discuss what learning really is and the personal time and commitment necessary to accomplish.  Sometimes students believe because they understood the lecture or the solution of a problem in an answer book that they have learned the material.  We need to get them to the third line of the following proverb.

  Chinese proverb

I hear and I forget                  
I see and I remember
I do and I understand

• 25-35 Sign:  Please hold up the 25-35 sign and explain that with 15-20 hours per week in class and 25-35 hours studying, that college is equivalent to a full-time job with plenty of time for other things if one manages time responsibly.

Early and Frequent Grading Experiences:  Please help your students understand what to expect on an exam and how to study for success.  It will be helpful to their preparation if the exam content and format do not appear as a complete surprise.  An early grading experience will give students the opportunity to analyze their study strategies and make adjustments.  Frequent grading experiences (quizzes) will give students multiple opportunities to understand their responsibilities without losing the opportunity for a decent grade.

Course Syllabus:  It is especially important that our new freshmen have clear and informative course syllabi.  Please consider a brief section on how students might use 2hrs/unit/wk in your course, why it is important, and how to know if they are truly learning.

Encouragement and Guidance throughout the Quarter:  Maybe weekly take a minute to ask how their adjustment to college, independence, and new surroundings is going and whether they really are accepting the responsibilities of studying, i.e. 25-35 hours per week. New students, probably more than others, need to know that you personally care about their welfare and success so please make sure they know this throughout the quarter.

Support of the 25-35 Program by the College and University

The 25-35 program started during Prospective Student Day of Open House with posting of 25-35 banners, the distribution of 25-35 Cal Poly pencils, and brief messages at the college level welcomes for prospective students.  Banners and messages also were part of the on-campus summer advising program. 

All new students received a 25-35 sign and a written message in August.

During Academic Day of Week of Welcome, the 25-35 message will be delivered at university, college, and department gatherings.  25-35 is an important theme in the Week of Welcome program.

The colleges will post  2ftx3ft 25-35 banners around the campus during Week of Welcome and the first week of classes in both fall and winter quarters.  The residence halls will also post the banners and provide students with 25-35 signs for their rooms.

Thank you for participating in this campus-wide effort to promote academic success.  Your personal message in your classrooms and labs is the most important part of this program.