Stony Brook University Five Year Plan Accomplishments 2003

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

THE FIVE YEAR GOAL

Stony Brook will continue to improve undergraduate education and the recruitment and retention of students. In the last five years, the undergraduate program has been enhanced with initiatives ranging from increased mentoring, to special programs that engage undergraduates' interest, through programs that encourage pedagogical experimentation, to the establishment of several exciting interdisciplinary teaching and research units. To continue this development and accommodate the expanding undergraduate student body, the University will review what has been accomplished thus far to ensure that students' curricular needs are met, and continue carefully planned innovation.

2002-2003 PROJECTS

Ensure through Web postings and departmental handbooks that students have accurate and up-to-date information about courses to be offered over the next two years so they can plan their academic programs. Cancellations should be posted immediately. (1.1, Provost)

To assist students in schedule planning, the Undergraduate Bulletin and the Health Sciences Center Bulletin provide semester-by-semester course sequences for every academic major. The web version of the Undergraduate Bulletin is updated with curricular changes as they occur, and the Solar System provides continually-updated web access to each semester's class schedule well before advance registration.

Strengthen on-campus resources for improving students' basic skills, such as oral communication and writing, mathematics, and computer literacy. Increase students' access to personalized writing assistance. (1.2, Provost)

Writing Center services were expanded in 2002-03 to include an on-line tutorial option, small group workshops on specific writing issues, and an expanded Writing Center webpage. A tenure-track director was appointed in fall 2002, and training for peer tutors was extended to improve students' access to personalized writing assistance.
The Mathematics Learning Center moved to specially-designed facilities in December 2002. Staffing has been substantially increased by requiring all TAs in lower-division mathematics courses to hold office hours there and be available to other students when none of their own requires assistance.
Instructional Computing provides an expanding computer literacy program, including an introduction to campus computing for new students and classes in using the Internet for research and creating web pages. The increasing use of Blackboard for faculty/student communications also enhances computer literacy.
The Library Instruction program teaches information literacy through course-specific research sessions.
In 2002-03 three Residential Tutoring Centers provided tutoring in mathematics and science courses at times and locations convenient to students. The first Center opened in fall 2001.

Develop and implement a plan to create more quiet study spaces and student lounges across campus, including the provision of rooms for group study in campus libraries. (1.2, Vice President for Administration)

A ongoing program of student-lounge renovations began in 1998. Renovations to date include the six central lounges in the Social and Behavioral Sciences Building and others in the Health Sciences Center, Harriman Hall, and the Life Sciences Building. The second phase of the Student Activities Center that opened in fall 2002 includes a large lounge area. Renovation of the new commuter lounge in Melville Library will begin in summer 2003.

Provide free parking to admissions applicants and visitors. (1.4, Vice President for Administration)

Admissions provides free parking to applicants with an appointment to see an admissions counselor, and departments can purchase validations to provide their visitors with free parking in university garages. There is currently no plan to provide general free parking during the week, due to budgetary constraints. Free parking is available on weekends, and the public can park free park in South P lot during the week.

Establish an integrated student information database to provide online application processing, self-service facilities for routine administrative tasks, better management information for faculty and staff, and better communications to students. (1.5, Chief Information Officer)

The new PeopleSoft student administration system was implemented in April 2002, including admissions, registration, financial aid, and student billing services. The new system permits students and faculty to perform most of administrative tasks using the Solar System, a Web interface to PeopleSoft. Students can apply and check their admissions status, search for and enroll in classes, review their financial aid, pay their bills, request a transcript, receive electronic communications from various administrative offices, and perform other related functions. Faculty can download class and grade rosters, access student advising records, and enter their grades online. Departmental administrators have Web access to a variety of management information reports.

Streamline administrative procedures, especially for new students. Ensure that students have readily accessible, well-publicized opportunities for getting help, both on the Web and in-person. (1.5, Provost, Vice President for Administration)

The Web-based Solar System facilitates administrative transactions and offers both online answers to frequently asked questions and the opportunity to obtain personal help via e-mail. A help desk is staffed throughout the day during peak registration periods to expand in-person assistance in the Administration Lobby. Administrative procedures are streamlined through regular meetings of staff from Financial Aid, the Bursar, Student Accounts, and the Registrar's Office. Discontinuation of the student vehicle registration fee in summer 2003 will eliminate one administrative task for new students.

Offer a toll-free telephone number for all student services, especially for Admissions, Bursar/Student Accounts and Financial Aid. (1.5, Provost, Chief Information Officer)

A cost and usage analysis determined that a toll-free number would not be of significant benefit to students. The availability of Web-based information and implementation of the Solar System greatly reduce call volume and the need for a toll-free number.

Ensure that the Career Center has the capacity to meet student demand for its services. (1.5, Vice President for Student Affairs)

Career Center services have expanded significantly in response to continuously increasing demand from students, alumni, and faculty offering career-related programs in their classes. The Center has received several awards for excellence, but additional resources will be needed to keep pace with demand. Since 2000, individual student contacts have increased 35%, walk-in hours 50%, and online registrations 100%. Program enhancements have included stronger faculty and departmental partnerships, graduate student programs, new initiatives targeting minority students, and the creation of two credit-bearing career development courses. In 2001-02 the Center provided 3,500 individual career advising sessions, presentations and workshops reaching 6,500 students, on-campus visits by 300 hiring organizations, off-campus student employment worth $1 million, and more than 184,000 webpage contacts. A new HSC job fair is planned for 2003.

Previous Table of Contents Next