As we end this first week of the academic year, we want to take a moment to thank all of you for starting this academic year with such energy and enthusiasm! This week--which involved new meetings with students and colleagues on Monday and Tuesday--revealed how your spirit of engagement and collaboration communicates volumes to students about Stonehill’s expectations for academic challenge. The week included some real highlights. First, the new Orientation program has garnered much positive feedback from students and faculty members. Everyone seems to agree that taking time to meet with first year advisees and as a department with majors had many benefits. First-year students met their faculty advisor and had an introduction to a possible major or to the choices open to undeclared students. Returning students have indicated that it was motivating to talk about plans for the year with their major department. We are certain that the program can improve for next year, but the practice of taking time before classes begin for planning with our students for the challenges of the academic year seems to have landed. Special kudos to Dick Grant and the Academic Services Office and John Pestana and the Registrar’s Office, for all their work to pull this off.
Many of you also know that we moved the annual Senior Transitions Conference from January to August. The turn-out was splendid, and Heather Heerman deserves special commendations for planning and executing this event. Seniors heard from the President, a Young Alumni Panel, and from speakers who focused on the job search or on graduate school application.
Perhaps most important was that you set a clear tone and expectation of academic rigor and intellectual curiosity. Given the academic profile of our incoming (and returning) students, it is important that our courses challenge our students. As first-year advisors can attest, new students have indicated on their “First-Year Advising Surveys” that they expect college to stretch them in new ways, and they anticipate a rigorous workload. So we encourage faculty to take one last look at their syllabi and to reflect on what they are asking of students.
You may also want to take a little time to review the “Strengthen the Impact” Co-curricular Calendar. Once again we have an impressive array of lectures, film series and other programs that truly augment the curriculum. We have attached the latest draft of the co-curricular calendar. Highlights include:
In response to past feedback from faculty, the Mass of the Holy Spirit and Convocation took place the day before classes started. Attendance at the Mass was disappointing, and we want to encourage better participation in the future. But it was impressive to see the large number of faculty members at Academic Convocation. Together we sent a clear message to students--and to each other--that we are community of scholars committed to the academic mission of the College. Approximately 95% of the first year class and 90% of the senior class were present.
Finally, we have a large number of new full-time faculty members this semester, and we encourage you to introduce yourself to them, and to offer your support for their transition at Stonehill. Next week, the Office of Media Relations will be sending out an announcement with new faculty bios, complete with photographs, so please be on the lookout for that!
Again, we simply want to end the week with a message of gratitude for all the good work that has made for a wonderful start to 2007-08. Thank you again.
Best regards,
Katie
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