Buies Creek-Before they can take Western Civ, freshman English or college algebra, Campbell University students must learn the fundamentals of being a success at Campbell or “Camel 101.” Dr. Dennis Bazemore, Vice President for Student Affairs, called the freshman seminar an example of the interest Campbell takes in its students, from the beginning of their academic experience to the end.
During the Camel 101 seminars held Monday and Tuesday, August 17-18, students heard from a variety of representatives from Campus Safety to Computing Services. They received instruction in many areas such as protecting their property, controlling finances and navigating the sometimes troubled waters of academia.
“The course syllabus is a contract between you and that professor,” explained Laura Rich, director of Student Support Services. “It calls on you to meet certain obligations. If you are having problems fulfilling those requirements, don’t wait. Contact your professor. He or she will meet with you to discuss your problems and ways in which you can improve.”
Elaine Todd, of First Citizens Bank, gave students a crash course in money management. “You will have enough to worry about without worrying about your finances,” Todd said. “Keep track of your spending, think about your monthly expenses and set a budget. Above all, only use credit cards for emergencies.”
Camel 101 is a product of a new enrollment management initiative designed to benefit students and the university through specific strategies and tactics.
“We’ve always made students a priority,” said Bazemore. “Enrollment Management provides us with specific ways in which to accomplish this goal.”
Enrollment Management is a campus-wide initiative to monitor students from every aspect of university organization-from Admissions and Financial Aid to academics, student services. It uses various methods, including competition analysis, evaluation and assessment of the university’s position in the market, admission policies, enrollment goals, recruitment and retention plans, student aid and scholarship funding, staff development and training and many more.
Following Camel 101, students were scheduled to take a standardized test to evaluate their academic strengths. Dr. Tim Metz, Director of Institutional Research and Assessment, said the test focuses on reading comprehension, math, science and analytical thinking among other skills, and will not only be used to evaluate Campbell’s General College Curriculum, as it will measure improvement from freshman to senior year, but eventually to diagnose the problems of students who are struggling academically.
“These results can guide us in helping students and the University achieve success,” said Metz.
Photo Copy: Students leave the auditorium after the Camel 101 freshman seminar. Photo by Shannon Ryals.