Sometimes, South Campus can feel like an isolated island full of freshmen, all wondering if they’re truly getting everything out of their UNC experience. The new program from the Residence Hall Association is what’s needed to tackle that problem.
The class of 2017 will be able to participate in a new program, the First Year Experience, that aims to improve both the social and academic sides of life.
We commend the housing department and RHA for having the foresight and sensible judgement to know that the majority of problems freshmen typically face can be alleviated by promoting more community and inclusion.
The FYE will give freshmen exposure to the possibilities study abroad can offer and the options available to them in the field of undergraduate research. By bringing the programs directly to South Campus, it focuses on freshmen and caters to their needs.
The FYE will also include more social events, which will be an outlet for students who want to meet other freshmen in an alcohol-free environment.
In addition to the new programs, RHA has reduced the freshman-to-resident adviser ratio to 40-to-1. By improving the ratio, RHA is proving that its main focus is the development of freshmen into successful individuals by giving them channels to address their concerns.
What are RAs there for, if not to be older students who are capable of giving sound advice? Having more RAs helps facilitate that. Additionally, it provides upperclassmen with more paid RA positions.
The housing department and RHA noted that some of its ambitions were scaled back due to budget cuts.
Despite these restrictions, these organizations have proved that it’s possible to provide services for students. Budget cuts don’t always have to mean a loss of successful programs, and the FYE will prove just that.
