The freshmen who started learning in classes this fall were also starting LEARN, the University's expanded First Year Program designed to help students make a successful transition to college.

"For most students, starting college is a huge step toward autonomy," says Dean of Students Larry Seigel. "The key to being successful in that autonomy is to develop skills of self-reliance."

Skill-building is, in part, what LEARN is designed to do. It's also about having fun.

The LEARN experience began with a Freshman Welcome Weekend, which gave freshmen early access to parking decals and the bookstore, various social gatherings and a day of activities in the city and an identity-building freshman trip to Canobie Lake Park. Other components of LEARN are First Year Resource Educators, upperclass students who will assist in planning and implementing programs throughout the year, learning environments that locate classes, computer labs and tutoring sessions in residence halls, a new UML Parent Council and the SAIL Leadership program specially adapted for freshmen.

The expanded first year program will also include

Imogene Stulkin and Larry Siegal with freshmen Joshua Trefly and Sarah Beals

a Commuter Mentor Program, a focused effort to address the needs of students not living in residence halls. Commuter students who choose to participate - 140 of the 277 non-resident freshmen so far - will be assigned to one of the 48 volunteer mentors, all from various student service offices. Mentors will make sure their mentees get academic information in a timely manner, meet with students on a regular basis and serve as problem-solvers and guides to University systems.

The expanded First Year Program is co-directed by Annie Ciaraldi, director of Residence Life, and Karen Humphrey-Johnson, director of First Year Students and Orientation.

The expanded LEARN program is modeled on the program conducted in residence halls over the last few years. Statistics for Fall '03 indicate the success of the program: LEARN participants earned more credits and higher grade point averages than either non-participating residential students or commuters. Most telling are the percentages of students who returned for the spring semester: 95 percent for LEARN participants, 89 percent for non-participating residents and 75 percent for commuters.

UML results mirror national statistics, which show that most student loss occurs during the first year.

"We want students to stick with it," says Seigel, "but even more than that, we want students to succeed."