Learning Plan – Sophomore Year Experience (SYE)
2009-10
Divisional CoCurricular Learning
Goal
Inclusiveness
Departmental
Learning Outcome
Students will cultivate awareness of self
and world
Students will make informed, thoughtful
choices about the future
Strategy 1
1. Action Steps
G-chats
G-chats
1.
2.
1.
2.
Strategy 2
1. Action Steps
Academic Planning Fair

1.
2.
3.
Strategy 3
1. Action Steps
Examination and Connection
3 individual meetings with RA throughout the year
Focus area: reflection on personal values and goals,
and on how these align with institutional values,
goals, opportunities, and challenges
Faculty and UC student reps from academic
departments
Career Development opportunity info
Off Campus study information
Career Development Experiential Opportunities
1.
2.
3.
individual consultation with professional and peer
staff
Internship/externship opportunities
SYE Exchange
Integrity

Identify ways to continually improve their decisionmaking
3 individual meetings with RA throughout the year
Focus area: process for making informed decisions in
developing personal plan for getting the most out of
the Gettysburg experience
Academic Planning Fair
1.
2.
3.
Faculty and UC student reps from academic
departments
Career Development opportunity info
Off Campus study information
Career Development Experiential Opportunities
1.
2.
3.
Individual consultation with professional and peer staff
Internship/externship opportunities
SYE Exchange
Divisional CoCurricular Learning
Goal
Emotional Intelligence
Departmental
Learning Outcome
Students will develop relationships with
faculty, staff, advisors, and peers
Students will utilize resources for personal
and academic growth
Strategy 1
1. Action Steps
G-chats
G-chats
1.
2.
1.
2.
Strategy 2
1. Action Steps
Academic Planning Fair

1.
2.
3.
Strategy 3
1. Action Steps
Social Skill
3 individual meetings with RA throughout the year
Focus area: how to develop effective, meaningful
relationships. Special focus on relationship with
faculty advisor, and student responsibility in this
relationship
Faculty and UC student reps from academic
departments
Career Development opportunity info
Off Campus study information
Career Development Experiential Opportunities
1.
2.
3.
Individual consultation with professional and peer
staff
Internship/externship opportunities
SYE Exchange
Strategy 4
1. Action Steps
Sophomore Class Dinner
Strategy 5
1. Action Steps
Block Housing
1.
1.
Social interaction with classmates, intended to build
interpersonal connections and a sense of class
identity within the class
Sophomores live with groups of friends in
Musselman hall
Emotional Intelligence

Competence
3 individual meetings with RA throughout the year
Focus area: identify institutional resources that align
with areas of student interest/need
Academic Planning Fair
1.
2.
3.
Faculty and UC student reps from academic departments
Career Development opportunity info
Off Campus study information
Career Development Experiential Opportunities
1.
2.
3.
Individual consultation with professional and peer staff
Internship/externship opportunities
SYE Exchange
Learning Goal Inclusiveness
Learning Outcome A
Method/Standard of
Assessment
Survey of sophomores on SYE outcomes – focus on assessment of self-awareness and ability of student to build connection
between their own values/goals and institutional values, opportunities, and challenges
1. Mid-late spring (Manny)
Method/Standard of
Assessment
Focus group discussion with CAs – about floor community experience : focus on how students progressed in self-awareness,
and using this self-awareness to build community, connect with well aligned institutional opportunities, etc.
1. End of each semester – at final CA meeting
Method/Standard of
Assessment
Track number of sophomores that visit Off-Campus studies, and that eventually study abroad
 End of each semester - Both total number, and number that identify some SYE interaction as part of the reason for
their choices
 Jen will discuss with Rebecca
Students will cultivate awareness of self and world
Learning Goal –
Integrity
Learning Outcome A
Method/Standard of
Assessment
Number of sophomores making use of specific Center for Career Development programs targeting sophomores (e.g.
externships, internships, SYE exchange, etc.) – track longitudinally
1. End of each semester - Both total number, and number that identify some SYE interaction as part of the reason for
their choices (Manny)
Method/Standard of
Assessment
Number of sophomores who have declared majors at particular points in the year – track longitudinally
1. End of each semester (Jen)
Students will make informed, thoughtful choices about the future
Learning Goal –
Emotional Intelligence
Learning Outcome A
Learning Outcome B
Students will utilize resources for personal and
academic growth
Students will develop relationships with faculty,
staff, advisors, and peers
Method/Standard of
Assessment
Tracking of attendance numbers at SYE programs
Survey of sophomores on SYE outcomes
1. In both areas with and without CAs – to provide
comparative data (Manny)
Method/Standard of
Assessment
Tracking the number of sophomores who visit Career Development
1. Both total number, and number that identify some SYE
interaction as part of the reason for their choices (Manny)
Focus groups/individual discussion with faculty advisors for
sophomores (Jen and faculty advisors)
1. Comparing advising experience this year with previous
years
2. General feedback on quantity and quality of advising
interactions with sophomores
Method/Standard of
Assessment
Tracking number of sophomores who have had individual
consultations with Off-Campus Studies
1. Both total number, and number that identify some SYE
interaction as part of the reason for their choices
2. Jen will talk with Rebecca
CA evaluation – of G-Chat effectiveness
1. Written assessment
2. Discussion/focus group assessment
Method/Standard of
Assessment
Method/Standard of
Assessment
Tracking number of G-chats CAs complete (Lynn)
Sophomore students – on-line evaluation of CAs (Lynn)
Tracking number of students attending CA drop in advising sessions
(Jen)
Focus groups with sophomores
1. To gather qualitative feedback on effectiveness of SYE
program in helping them build these relationships
2. Tom, Jen, Lynn, Manny
3. SYE Faculty advisors, perhaps some of the CAs
Method/Standard of
Assessment
Identify performance indicators in institutional surveys that are
relevant to SYE goals, and track these over time (Tom will work
with Jeff on this
1. NSSE
2. Senior Survey
3. Leadership survey
4. Alcohol survey
5. Other surveys
Method/Standard of
Assessment
Block Housing measures: to assess the impact of block
housing on floor communities
1. Number/nature of judicial incidents
2. CA assessment of floor community
(qualitative)
3. Number/nature of roommate issues
Method/Standard of
Assessment
Focus Groups with Juniors in the Fall: to gather qualitative
data from students after they have had some time to reflect
on and use what they may have learned as a result of SYE
Additional Assessment Plans: that are not as tightly aligned with specific learning goals
1. Angel Training Evaluation: completed by CAs, to provide feedback on CA training relevant to all learning goals