Transcript Welcome to Ithaca College

Frequently Asked Questions: Table of Contents
Table of Contents – PAGE 1
Significant Changes – PAGE 2
What components of FYRE will remain the same?
What components of FYRE are changing?
Basic Information – PAGE 3
What is FYRE?
What is the mission of FYRE?
Who lives in FYRE?
Where is the FYRE program? What are the Residence Hall “clusters?”
What are the amenities within FYRE?
What types of room are in FYRE residence halls?
FYRE Models – PAGE 4
What are the two models guiding the FYRE program?
What are the FYRE Learning Outcomes?
FYRE Signature Components & Traditions – PAGE 5
What are the benefits of FYRE?
What traditions exist for first-year students?
How can students get involved in FYRE?
The People of FYRE – PAGE 6
What is an FYRE Associate?
How does a student know who their FYRE Associate is?
How are FYRE Associates assigned?
Who is the Residence Director (RD)?
Who is the Resident Assistant (RA)?
OrgSync – PAGE 7
What is OrgSync?
How do students login to OrgSync?
Taskstream, ePortfolios, & DRFs – PAGE 8
What is Taskstream?
What is an electronic learning portfolio or ePortfolio?
What is a Directed Response Folio (DRF)?
How should students access their Taskstream account?
Where can students find support for their Taskstream accounts?
Is there training for how to use Taskstream?
Do students need to submit FYRE reflections in their DRF/e-portfolio?
If students have questions about their e-portfolios, who should they contact?
Significant Changes – Page 2
What components of FYRE will remain the same?
What components of FYRE are changing?
• The mission of FYRE remains the same: To provide a year-long,
intentional living learning environment that eases student
transitions, develops strong, active communities, and stimulates
intellectual curiosity.
•
FYRE will organize students into floor-based cohorts instead of
theme-based cohorts. This shift is in response to overwhelming
feedback that students would prefer to stay connected as a
floor community.
• FYRE will continue to house all first-year students together within
the upper & lower quads as well as the east and west towers.
•
FYRE will run two models concurrently. One model will emphasize
events and conversations around the concept of “Engaging
Perspectives” and the other model will frame conversations and
events around “Community Connections.” The Engaging
Perspectives events will explore the big questions posed by each
of the ICC themes. The Community Connections events will
explore the meaning, benefit, and responsibilities of community.
With the exception of six events a year framed by these focus
areas, a student's experience in FYRE will be the same.
•
FYRE will focus on students as partners in creating and shaping
their first-year experience. While Resident Assistants and FYRE
Associates will still provide leadership, mentorship, and resources
to first-year students, the students will be invited to participate in
their community by sharing ideas, interests, and helping advise
community activities.
• FYRE will continue to offer an excellent RA-to-student ratio to
ensure that each student has access to and attention from their
RA year-round.
• FYRE will continue to partner residence hall communities with
FYRE Associates to serve as resources and mentors to first-year
students.
• FYRE will continue to provide opportunities for student leadership
in the residence halls through Community Councils.
• FYRE will continue to offer the large-scale, tradition events like
First-Year Friday and First-Bomber Weekend.
Basic Information – Page 3
What is FYRE?
FYRE stands for the “First-Year Residential Experience.” FYRE is an
educational community experience for all students living in firstyear residence halls.
Where is the FYRE program? What are the Residence Hall
“clusters?”
The mission of FYRE is to provide a year-long, intentional livinglearning environment that eases student transitions, develops
strong, active communities, and stimulates intellectual curiosity.
FYRE is located in six Residence Hall “Clusters” (or groups of
residence hall buildings):
1. East Tower
2. West Tower
3. Boothroyd, Rowland, & Tallcott (upper quads)
4. Hilliard, Holmes, & Hood (upper quads)
5. Eastman & Lyon (lower quads)
6. Landon, Bogart, & Clarke (lower quads)
Who lives in FYRE?
What are the amenities within FYRE?
Since Fall 2014, all incoming first-year students live in FYRE.
Transfer Students who have a first-year student status are also
welcome in FYRE!
All FYRE halls have one or more floor social lounges, a TV lounge,
laundry facilities, and a kitchen/kitchenette. See the list of all
amenities by residence hall in our Residential Life Guide:
ithaca.edu/reslife/guide/amenities
What is the mission of FYRE?
What types of rooms are in FYRE residence halls?
Students living in FYRE have the opportunity for two different
housing options. Students can elect to live in a single room where
they can have privacy when they want to, but be surrounded by
their first-year friends, or choose to live in a traditional double
room with a roommate.
FYRE Models – Page 4
What are the two models guiding the FYRE program?
What are the FYRE Learning Outcomes?
Model 1 – Engaging Perspectives: This model aims to develop
community on the floor through an exploration of big questions
posed by each of the Integrative Core Curriculum (ICC) themes. Over
the course of the year, students, RAs, and FYRE Associates will work
together to explore all of the ICC themes represented within the
community. The ICC themes are: Identities; Inquiry, Imagination, &
Innovation; Power & Justice; Quest for a Sustainable Future; Mind,
Body, Spirit; and, World of Systems.
At Ithaca College, we hope students achieve a set of learning
outcomes through a combination of interactive learning
experiences during the course of their first year. Specifically, the
FYRE program outlines the following Student Learning Outcomes.
Model 2 – Community Connections: This model aims to develop
community on the floor through an exploration of the strengths of
community members. The goal is to allow students to “choose their
own adventure” and empower them to both shape and take
responsibility for their community by applying their own skills and
sharing their interests. We frame the importance of community and
its members through strategically designed focus events that model
essential community values including sustainability, community
service, support of community members, community resources,
understanding of current events, and the importance of participating
in community or adding value to community.
Students will be able to…
• …describe three resources available within the Ithaca College
Community (both models)
• …name three responsibilities of being an active community
member (both models)
• …describe three examples of concepts learned in class that
informs their actions as community members (both models)
• …identify three benefits of engaging with diverse perspectives
(engaging perspectives model only)
• …identify a strength they possess that they applied towards
improving their community (community connections model
only)
• …describe three positive practices that contribute to a
sustainable community (community connections model only)
Signature Components & Traditions – Page 5
What are the benefits of FYRE?
What traditions exist for first-year students?
Live with other First-Year Students. Our FYRE program provides
the opportunity for incoming first-year students to live with one
another as a cohort and make friends.
Ithaca College offers a number of annual traditions that first-year
students can participate in!
• Convocation
• Community Kick-Off
• Theme Kick-Off
• First Bomber Weekend
• Community Council
• Diversity Speaker: Maura Cullen
• Sustainability Challenge
• First-Year Friday
Experience an Excellent RA-to-Student Ratio. Within FYRE,
students will experience a low student-Resident Assistant (RA)
ratio so that they have access to and attention from their RA
year round.
Have Structured Points of Contact with your RA. We guarantee
at least three structured points of contact between each
student and their RA. While students and RAs will be in contact
throughout the academic year, these meetings are
opportunities to focus more specifically on transitional issues &
opportunities to engage with the community.
Benefit from FYRE Associates. The FYRE program boasts an
impressive group of Ithaca College Faculty & Staff (FYRE
Associates) who serve as resources, mentors, and guides to
communities of first-year students.
Shape your Community Experience. FYRE offers increased
opportunities for students to have voice and involvement in
shaping their community experience through engaging events
with RAs and FYRE Associates.
How can students get involved in FYRE?
There are many ways for students to get involved with FYRE and
their Residence Hall community:
1. Attend any of the events listed above!
2. Help shape the community by providing ideas or assistance in
planning events for the floor or building.
3. Join a floor group/committee.
4. Join the Residence Hall Cluster’s First-Year Council (Each FYRE
hall has a First-Year Council that serves as a leadership and
activity planning group for the community. (Interested
students should ask one of the Residential Life staff!)
5. Submit an FYRE reflection through Taskstream.
6. Visit IC’s Org Fair in early fall for more opportunities.
The People of FYRE – Page 6
What is an FYRE Associate?
How are FYRE Associates assigned?
An FYRE Associate is an Ithaca College faculty or staff member
who is assigned to a community of students living in the residence
halls. The FYRE Associate’s role is to serve as a mentor and
resource to first-year students and work with students to explore
roles they can take within their community.
FYRE Associates work with communities of students based on the
residence hall cluster or building. In the East and West Towers,
FYRE Associates are assigned to pairs of floors (the second and
third floor, for example). In the upper and lower quads, FYRE
Associates as assigned both wings of one floor.
How does a student know who their FYRE Associate is?
Who is the Residence Director (RD)?
Students can find out who their FYRE Associate is many ways:
(1) Attend the Community Kick-Off Event during Fall Welcome to
meet your FYRE Associate.
(2) Check OrgSync! OrgSync is an online portal where you can
connect with other students and find out more about
upcoming events. Visit: https://orgsync.com/login/ithacacollege
(3) Check your email! Students will receive regular emails from
their FYRE Associate.
(4) Check the FYRE Associate list! We list all FYRE Associates, their
themes, and assigned buildings at ithaca.edu/fyre.
(5) Contact Residential Life! Talk to your RA, call our office at 607274-3141, or email [email protected]
The RD is a full-time professional staff member who lives in the
residence halls and supervises the RA staff team. The RD is a
resource who is available to answer questions and provide
personal/academic support.
Who is the Resident Assistant (RA)?
The RA is a upper-year student who lives in the floor community
and offers support and guidance. The RA is an excellent resource
who is available for questions and advice.
OrgSync – Page 7
What is OrgSync?
OrgSync is an online portal where students can find out about
events happening on each floor, in the building, cluster, and
across campus! OrgSync is used to provide online support to
groups (online database, common resources, event promotion &
communication, etc.) at IC - we use it for student organizations
and FYRE communities.
How do students login to OrgSync?
Students should visit: https://orgsync.com/login/ithaca-college
and enter their Ithaca College netpass and password.
Taskstream, ePortfolios, & DRFs – Page 8
What is Taskstream?
Taskstream is a software platform used by Ithaca College for student
ePortfolios and program assessment. Both ePortfolios and Directed
Response Folios (DRFs) are housed on this system.
Where can students find additional support for their Taskstream
accounts? Is there training for how to use Taskstream?
Visit: http://www.ithaca.edu/icc/eportfolio or
ithaca.edu/its/traindoc/coursemanage/taskstream/
What is an electronic learning portfolio or ePortfolio?
Do students need to submit FYRE reflections in their DRF/ePortfolio?
An electronic learning portfolio is an online collection of student work
that may be used for assessment, demonstrating accomplishments,
learning, and reflection. For the ICC, all students will complete an
electronic learning portfolio that includes both work samples and
reflections on that work.
There is no requirement for students to contribute submissions about
FYRE to their DRF/ePortfolio. However, we do encourage students
to reflect on at least one FYRE experience through Taskstream at
the end of each semester.
Note: Students are required to complete DRF submissions for all
components of the ICC, including the Ithaca Seminar.
What is a Directed Response Folio (DRF)?
DRFs, or Directed Response Folios, are structured ePortfolios. Unlike
an ePortfolio where students can personalize all the information they
include, a DRF is structured and defines what responses or reflections
students should contribute. Students will automatically see the DRF
when they log into Taskstream.
How should students access their Taskstream account?
Students can access their account by logging into myHome from the
Ithaca College website.
If students have questions about their ePortfolios, who should they
contact?
For technical support, students should contact Information
Technology Services: ithaca.edu/its/ or 607-274-1000
For support with content for the ICC DRF, students should speak
with their Ithaca Seminar Faculty member.
For support with content for the FYRE DRF, students should email
[email protected] or contact Jacqueline Robilotta at 607-274-3141