If you woke up tomorrow and found yourself far from that ranch house or urban loft you now call home, if you awoke instead in a narrow bed in your old Towers or Boreman room, what would you do? Would elation at the prospect of parties and games outweigh your alarm at having to endure organic chemistry again? As you ambled across campus, encountering new buildings, new fashions, and new attitudes, would you feel at home?
Even
if you graduated only five or 10 years ago, you would have a
lot of catching up to do. WVU has changed. President David C.
Hardesty Jr. spearheaded the transformation, which combined the
University's historically excellent academic programs with enhanced
student support efforts and healthy social alternatives. This
has created a campus culture that nurtures students' personal,
as well as intellectual, growth—an environment in which
students can succeed.
No one appreciates this change more than the students who inspired it. "This University really tries to be focused on students," said Adrienne Batkins of Frederick, Maryland, who is pursuing an M.B.A. "There is a safe feeling, a small-college atmosphere but on a large scale."
Batkins earned her B.A. in English in 2000. She arrived on campus before Hardesty became president in 1995 and has witnessed his revitalization of the student living and learning experience. Above all, Batkins-whose memory stretches back to the out-of-control block party that used to await students in the fall—appreciates the recreation options the University now provides.
Healthier Choices
Batkins has been a fan of WVUp All Night since the nationally
acclaimed weekend program began in 1998. Three nights each week,
the Mountainlair offers study rooms with snacks, a free midnight
breakfast bar, movies, bowling and billiards, "game shows,"
dances, and comedy clubs.
"I was looking for an alternative activity," Batkins said. "The bar scene gets old. At Up All Night, there's always something to do. I like the game shows and the craft projects. I used to eat breakfast, but I don't stay up that late anymore."
Leah Montas, now a second-year law student, has also been attending WVUp All Night since it began when she was a sophomore pursuing her B.S. in wildlife and fisheries.
"I don't drink or smoke," she said, "so it gives me something to do that I wouldn't otherwise be able to do. I'm allergic to cigarette smoke, so hanging out in bars is not fun for me." Montas, who is from Arlington, Virginia, still attends Up All Night about twice a month. "I like the way it attracts a diverse group of people," she said. "You see people from fraternities and sororities, international students; everyone seems to enjoy it."
Leah's
husband, Robert Montas, has found that true among the freshmen
he advises in his work at the Undergraduate Academic Services
Center. A secondary education graduate student who earned a bachelor's
degree in political science in 2000, Robert Montas has also taught
WVU's newly mandatory freshman orientation course.
"I assigned the class to go to Up All Night and write a paper about it," said the Hackensack, New Jersey, native. "I haven't heard any negative feedback. It's great for people who don't want to just go out and party."
Students rave about another free-time option: WVU's Student Recreation Center, which opened in 2001. The 177,000-square-foot center features a 50-foot climbing wall, weightlifting and fitness centers, a leisure pool, lap pool, tracks, and sports courts.
"The Rec Center is the best thing that's ever happened at this University," said Amy Spurgeon, who is getting her master's in wildlife and fisheries after earning a bachelor's degree at Shepherd College and a second bachelor's at WVU. She works out every day, plays volleyball, swims, and has even taken up rock climbing and become certified on the climbing wall.
"I love the Rec Center," Batkins agreed. "It's another nice diversion besides the bar scene."
Political science freshman Nick Goodman of LaPlata, Maryland, summarized student sentiments: "The Rec Center is awesome. It's a great place to relax and hang out."
The University also provides safe ways for students to celebrate special occasions. FallFest—an outdoor concert—replaced the block party in 1995.
Batkins thinks it's a wonderful opportunity, particularly for freshmen, to see a big-name entertainer on campus. The 1999 Busta Rhymes concert is among her fondest FallFest memories, and she was disappointed when Outkast wasn't among the acts at the most recent FallFest. "But they came for a concert in the spring semester, so that's okay," she laughed.
Although business freshman Louis Cassis of Fayetteville didn't enjoy the bands at his first FallFest, the event had a lasting impact on him. "I met a lot of people I still hang out with," he said.
Living and Learning
In revitalizing the student experience, Hardesty paid special
attention to the freshman year. In order to provide a positive
experience and lay a foundation for collegiate success, he established
the Resident Faculty Leader (RFL) program in 1996. Faculty mentors
live near residence halls and share meals, academic advice, and
a sympathetic ear with students. Advising, cultural events, and
some classes take place in the residence halls.
As
a resident assistant, Spurgeon saw the RFL program's benefits.
"It's a great program," she said. "Faculty are
so willing to help students, and they provide a good time for
students, too."
Goodman has enjoyed getting to know his RFLs, David and Shawna Stewart, while living at Boreman Hall. David Stewart is an associate professor of English and associate dean of student affairs and residential education.
"I've gotten to know Dr. Stewart pretty well," Goodman said. "I think I could go to him with just about anything. Both he and Shawna are very nice and approachable. They have a great deal of knowledge to offer."
Goodman turned to the Stewarts when he had questions about whether to drop classes and whether to stay in ROTC. He has also participated in some dorm activities his RFLs organized, such as a fall trip to a local haunted hayride.
Cassis has also enjoyed living at Boreman and getting help from Dr. Stewart, and he believes most of his fellow residents have had similar experiences. "Everybody here gets help with something," he said. "The first semester, especially, would be rough without having the Stewarts here."
Academic support programs give extra help to students who find adjusting to college especially rough. The Structured Academic Year (STAY) program offers a second chance to students under academic suspension, and EXCEL is a voluntary program for at-risk freshmen. The Summer Transition Entry Program (STEP) gives academically at-risk incoming students a head-start on college life. All these highly structured programs emphasize study skills and time management.
Robert Montas, who now advises freshmen, started college as a STEP student. "My SAT scores were low, so I applied not knowing if I would get in," he said. His happiness at being admitted to WVU competed with some trepidation about attending the STEP summer program before freshman year. His worries, he quickly learned, were baseless.
"I loved it," he said. "It was instant friendship because there were about 100 of us in the program. By the time the semester started, we had friends already and knew the campus. We also earned some credits, so we were ahead of schedule."
To support all students academically, the University has invested in new technological resources and a $36 million Downtown Campus Library that adjoins historic Wise. In the new library's study areas, 180 powerful PCs offer super-fast Internet connections. Group viewing rooms with large plasma screens and wireless keyboards enable students to craft team presentations or watch assigned films on DVD. The library's bright, spacious stacks impress students who have labored on Wise's dreary upper floors.
Goodman uses the new library about once a week. Although he hasn't yet taken advantage of its technological resources, he finds it a quiet and perfectly lighted study environment.The freshmen Robert Montas advises tell him the same thing. "They say it's a nice place to go and study. It's hard to study in dorms."
Another study option is White Hall's new 24-hour computer lab with 92 computers with Internet access. "It's a great help, especially for those without computers,"said Montas, who recommends the lab to the students he advises.
The University has also given students a whole new way of communicating through the Mountaineer Information Xpress—the MIX—a one-stop Web location for checking grades, registering for courses, reading e-mail, communicating with professors, and keeping up with campus events.
Journalism graduate student Stacy Pachuta of Fairmont dropped her former e-mail provider in favor of the MIX because she receives less junk mail through it.
"It's nice that it's Web-based and you can check it from home," Goodman said, and Cassis agreed that the system is easy to use. Two of his professors are currently using its educational features.
Spreading the Word
While some students first regarded initiatives such as WVUp All
Night and the RFL program with skepticism, Leah Montas believes
that attitude is dissipating with each new class that attends
WVU. "I see a change in attitude," she said. "The
new kids think these things have always been here. They don't
have biases against them and really enjoy them."
In fact, students agree, the only thing keeping more students from benefiting from WVU's programs is a lingering lack of awareness.
"This University does a lot for students, more than most students probably even realize," Spurgeon said. "Sometimes it's hard for students to find out about everything that's going on if they're not actually looking for it."
Some students are doing their best to spread the word about WVU's unique undergraduate experience. Batkins said her brother is now considering sending his children to WVU, and Pachuta sells the University's strengths to her nearly college-age cousin.
"I tell her about things like the recent study where WVU dorms ranked number one for diversity, and about Morgantown being named the best small city in the East," she said. "I tell her that living in the dorms is a fun experience. The University has changed a lot since the days when it was ranked as the number one party school, and it's a positive change."
Statistics Show Success
Students' experiences show that WVU's investments in student
learning and living are paying dividends. So do a host of statistics:
• Freshman to sophomore year retention has increased significantly
since WVU launched Operation Jump-Start to improve the freshman
experience six years ago. More freshmen are now earning a grade
point average above 2.0. In addition to the Resident Faculty
Leader program—which incorporates faculty mentors into residence
hall life—Jump-Start includes a New Student Convocation
to introduce students to WVU's academic culture and Jump-Start
Academy, a three-day program addressing substance abuse, relationships,
and safety issues.
• Out of 183 institutions in a recent
national housing survey of university students, WVU residence
halls ranked fifth in access to educational opportunities, fifth
in quality of computing resources, first in peers' respect for
diversity, and in the top 20 percent in effectiveness of drug
and alcohol abuse education programs. WVU's residence halls made
large gains in nearly all areas since the previous survey in
1998.
• Freshmen who took a pilot orientation course that stressed
time management, note-taking, and test preparation had a higher
retention rate than those who didn't take it. More than 97 percent
of academically at-risk students returned for the spring semester
after taking the orientation course in the fall. With this in
mind, the course became mandatory in Fall 2001 at the recommendation
of a campus-wide Commission on Undergraduate Standards and Expectations
that also spurred the creation of a capstone experience in every
undergraduate degree program. A capstone experience—such
as a senior thesis, service project, artistic presentation, or
study-abroad adventure—requires students to synthesize what
they have learned.
• Since 1996, more than 30,000 people have seen 73 nationally
prominent speakers raise students' awareness and sharpen their
critical thinking abilities during the Festival of Ideas lecture
series. Speakers have included poet Maya Angelou, former South
African president F.W. de Klerk, filmmaker Spike Lee, historian
Michael Beschloss, and Olympian Greg Louganis.
• Students are responding to the alternative recreation
options the University provides. WVUp All Night attracts between
2,000 and 4,000 students each night, and 99 percent of students
surveyed have a positive opinion of the program. Up All Night
has also attracted the attention of ABC's Good Morning America
and earned WVU placement in The Templeton Guide among
the leading institutions addressing character development.
• During the Student Recreation Center's first week of operation
alone, it recorded 18,000 visits.
• Student support programs act as a safety net for academically
at-risk students. On average, 78 percent of students facing academic
suspension who start the STAY program complete it, and their
GPAs increase. Students who participate in the voluntary EXCEL
program get higher grades than similarly at-risk students who
do not.
• Under Susan Hardesty's leadership, the Mountaineer Parents
Club has grown to include more than 8,500 families in 68 chapters
throughout the state and nation. The club connects families with
campus life.
• Both retention and graduation rates are up. They are the
highest in West Virginia, and are consistent with rates for other
land-grant institutions nationally.
• More students are choosing WVU: Nearly 800 more students
enrolled at WVU's main campus in fall 2001 than in the previous
year. The main campus had its second-highest enrollment ever—22,774
students.