The College of Freshman Studies (CFS)
The primary goal of The College of Freshman Studies is to
connect ongoing academic and non-academic initiatives that
directly affect the success of students from their first year
experience to graduation under one entity. The retention,
persistence, advocacy, academic advisement, counseling,
assessment of first year students are the core elements of the
mission of the College of Freshman Studies. The configuration of
the College of Freshman Studies will consist of: The Academic
Foundations Division (developmental reading, writing and
mathematics); The Freshman Year program; the SEEK/ Special
Programs; The Learning (tutorial services) and Testing Centers.
Additionally,
the College of Freshman Studies serves to further elevate campus
involvement in the first year experience and respond to
university mandates regarding retention, assessment and
graduation. Within this construct the college provides an
organizational structure for which offers greater visibility,
support and stature within the university community for these
collaborative programs.
MISSION
The mission
of the College of Freshman Studies is to prepare students to be
successful in their chosen field of study. It will do so by:
-
Guiding
and advising freshmen students successfully into a major
course of study,
-
Developing in freshmen students an ardent desire for
intellectual growth and development in their pursuit of
self-actualization;
-
Provide
freshmen students an understanding and appreciation of their
place in history as well as their position as role models in
the community; and
-
Developing in freshman students’ leadership, financial
literacy skills and an understanding of their civic
responsibilities that would allow them to serve as change
agents in their respective communities.
VISION
The vision of the College of Freshman Studies is to provide a
comprehensive array of curricula, co-curricula, extra-curricula
programs, and student support services to ensure that freshmen
students acquire the requisite tools, skills, and competencies
needed to successfully matriculate in their major course of
study.
The College, through its departmental faculty, counselors,
academic advisors, and program support staff, customizes its
programs and services to meet the individualized needs of each
student. In doing so, CFS provides the foundation to
operationalize the educational philosophy of Medgar Evers
College, Creating Success One Student at a Time.
OBJECTIVES
Some of the
principal objectives of the College of Freshman Studies are to
provide freshmen with the skills to become successful students.
These objectives will be achieved by:
-
Providing
intensive training in the areas of reading, writing, and
mathematics;
-
Connecting freshmen to the College’s support programs
---i.e., Learning Center, Women’s Development Center, MDEC,
counseling, scholarship programs, etc--in a focused and
intentional manner;
-
Connecting freshmen to faculty and peer mentors;
-
Preparing
freshmen to re/take and pass the CUNY examinations;
-
Enrolling
greater numbers of freshmen in the College’s Baccalaureate
Programs;
-
Connecting students to faculty and staff in their intended
majors;
-
Increasing the persistency rates of new freshmen that have
passed all three sections of the CUNY exams. This goal will
be achieved by providing them with opportunities to take
credit bearing classes resulting in each of them starting
the Fall semester with five credit hours or more;
-
Providing
transformative seminars that are led by MEC senior
professors/staff;
-
Posing
challenges to students that will foster their critical
thinking and problem-solving skills and encourage them to
make conscious connections between skills acquisition and
the application of those skills to their lives and careers.
Dr. Gale Gibson-Ballah, Dean
1650 Bedford Ave. Rm 2015A
(718) 270-4855
Ms. Bernadette Bruno Executive Assistant and Research
Associate,
1650 Bedford Ave, Rm. 2015R,
(718) 270-4855
