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		Where and When Do You Start a New Specialized Residential Program? By Florence Johnson, Associate Director of Residential Education, The University of Arkansas A question of where and when to start a new specialized residential program is one that many in the profession struggle with on a daily basis. As we all know, there are no easy answers. The best advice I have is to just START! Prior to the fall of 2000 we had three special living areas in our residence halls: architecture, engineering, and honors. The requirements to live in one of these areas was simple – be enrolled in the appropriate academic program, have a 3.25 high school grade point average as an entering freshman, or a 3.00 college grade point average as a current resident. We knew we wanted to do more and we knew from research that programs such as first year and living/learning communities helped with increasing student retention. How We Got Started In the spring semester of 1999, our department paid for a faculty member, Dr. Suzanne McCray, from the Fulbright College Honors Studies program, and myself to attend the First-Year Experience conference in South Carolina. Over dinner the first night we talked about what we had both heard that day and concluded that we could and should start a first year program for honor students. Dr. McCray committed to assigning all freshmen Sturgis scholarship recipients to one floor, to having office hours in the building, and to teaching her honors seminar course in one of our residence halls, Futrall Hall. Futrall had previously been used to house graduate students. Due to the increased need for freshman housing, it had been re-designated as an undergraduate facility. Futrall Hall has five floors and houses 190 residents in double rooms. Dr. McCray reserved space to house scholarship students on one floor of the facility. All assignments to the floor were determined by Dr. McCray and coordinated through our office. As part of the project, we turned unused space into a classroom with a Smart Board, TV, multimedia projector, and dry erase board; relocated and expanded an existing computer lab; created a faculty office; provided a new computer for her use; and turned an old computer lab into a small seminar room. In researching the creation of this new special living area, I visited the University of South Carolina to meet with their housing staff about their special living programs and newly opened facilities. At the University of South Carolina, one of the tools used by the Resident Assistants during individual meetings with residents throughout the year was a freshman dialogue book. After following up with the results they had through the use of this tool, I decided that this was one component we would definitely need in our program. We developed a dialogue book, similar to South Carolina’s, that was focused on connecting to the university, academic progress, and plans for the next year. Staffing was increased to lower the resident to Resident Assistant ratio. We took five resident rooms off-line to use as Resident Assistant rooms and placed two Resident Assistants on each floor. A primary emphasis of the residential program on this floor involved the two staff members on the floor, using the dialogue books, and connecting with faculty. Residents living in the building were unaware that they were part of a special program being offered that was not being offered to other incoming freshmen. It is important to note that all residents who lived in Futrall had the same opportunities for involvement, even though Dr. McCray only assigned the one floor. We started quickly, quietly, and cautiously. Expanding the Program During the 1999-2000 academic year we were considering making several residence hall changes for the next year. Opportunity was at our door to expand what we had started! Also, under the direction of our Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, an emphasis was being placed on our first year students and connecting them to the institution. Several tasks forces were created to look at the needs of the first year student campuswide including a residential component. The task force consisted of representatives from the Division of Student Affairs, students, and faculty and, of course, University Housing. Four of the most difficult questions to answer were 1) what are the components of the ideal residential community, 2) who is eligible, 3) who determines eligibility and 4) how are special requests handled. Each member was given a packet of information consisting of: goals in developing a residential first-year program from The Freshmen Year Experience Monograph Series Number 5, 1991; a brief description of models for residential academic programs; a description of specific initiatives that were already being offered in the halls; a list of questions to generate discussion; and important issues to resolve (student and curricular issues, facilities, budgets, staffing, technology and assignments). Based on our experience at Futrall Hall, we worked with the task force to develop a program creating two first year residential halls: One that housed 190 residents, and Pomfret Hall that housed 374 residents. The program features for residents included monthly small group dialogues with faculty over a family-style dinner, one-on-one sessions with student staff, being involved in community service projects, special transition events during the first two weeks, and having the opportunity to attend Razorback football and Ladyback basketball games as a group. To implement the program for the fall of 2000, we needed to develop a group of faculty fellows, purchase athletic tickets, coordinate community service with the Office of Student Development and Leadership, collaborate with Campus Dining Services to have a private area of the dining room for the meals, add two staff members to every floor, require more closed weekends, encourage attendance at key events from staff, hire an additional receptionist and a full-time Resident Director because of the size of Pomfret Hall, and select and train staff for the FYE floors. Not only did we accomplish all of our tasks but we also started a Matriculation ceremony for all FYE residents. The matriculation ceremony is held on the Sunday night prior to classes starting. During the week before classes start, the floors make a banner that represents their community. All banners are displayed on the stage during the ceremony and later placed in cases on the living floors. We invite a faculty member as our featured speaker as well as the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, the Provost, and the President of Residents’ Interhall Congress to welcome the residents. Each resident is presented with a certificate and then signs the commitment role. One of the traditions at the University of Arkansas is our Senior Walk. Each graduate of the University has their name etched into the sidewalk with their graduating class. The resident’s signature on the commitment role is their first step in moving toward their name appearing on the Senior Walk. After the ceremony, there is a reception for all residents and guests. This year we had a special T-shirt made that was given to each participant in the matriculation ceremony. Residents are not required to attend but are encouraged to do so. The first year approximately 48% attended; this year 63% attended. Since the start of this program in the fall of 2000, we have added a Business living/learning floor, a Pre-Med Science living/learning floor, and a faculty-in-residence program. We are currently reviewing plans for a Scholars Residential College and have been approached by the Air Force ROTC to create a living/learning floor. Our new freshmen retention for the fall 2000 class shows that freshmen in the FYE halls were retained at 86% compared to freshmen in the other residence halls at 82%. New freshmen GPAs for fall 2000 in the FYE halls was an average of 2.99 compared to freshmen in other halls at 2.76. Spring comparisons show a 3.01 grade point average in FYE halls and freshmen in other halls at 2.86. To support the academic success of our residents, we offer free tutoring in many major subject areas, group study areas, quiet study areas, and review sessions conducted by faculty members. We also give residents in the FYE halls the opportunity to participate in a Class Connections book at the start of each semester. This book lists all residents who choose to participate and their classes, which allows residents to form their own study groups. In assisting residents with their transition to college, we also have a Counselors-in- Residence (CIR) program. Doctoral students in the Counselor Education program at the University of Arkansas who have received advanced training in counseling and helping skills staff this program. The CIR program focuses on providing short-term counseling for students living in the residence halls in response to their personal, academic and developmental needs. This service is confidential and free to the residents. Where and When do you Start a New Residential Program? Where and when do you start a new residential program? I do not have a specific answer. What I can tell you is that it can be done. During this entire time we have been short one professional staff member in the Residential Education area. We have not increased Resident Assistant staffing but reallocated staffing patterns depending on need. Most facility work that has been completed in the halls was already scheduled. Faculty interaction has been cultivated slowly and deliberately. Our budget has not increased greatly but has been reallocated to make the programs work. So, where and when do you start a new residential program? You start whenever someone comes to you with a glimmer of an idea; whenever someone says, “ I wish we could do that;” whenever someone says, “ what if?” Don’t worry that you do not have everything completely outlined, or thought of, just start. Use the knowledge and resources of other professionals at other institutions and just START! About the Author Florence Johnson has been at the University of Arkansas since 1991. She currently serves as the Associate Director of Residential Education with University Housing. She has worked in the housing profession for 10 years in Conferences, Marketing, Assessment and Residential Education. She is active in NASPA (National Association of Student Personnel Administrators), ACHUO-I Benchmarking, Conference Outreach, and Academic Initiatives committees. She is a 1996 NHTI (National Housing Training Institute) participant and has presented at regional and national conferences on topics of first year students, training, and assessment.