PLEASE NOTE: This particular web page contains archived materials. It does NOT include current information.
If you have come to this web page by searching, it may be the wrong information
that you are looking for. Please go directly to
http://www.salisbury.edu/newstudexp/ for the latest SU information.
Letter to New Students
Lawanda Dockins-Gordy, Director Office of New Student Experience and Guerrieri University Center
Dear New Student:
Welcome to Salisbury University!
I applaud you on your decision to accept admission to our
institution. New Students have a great deal of information to process
regarding issues of academic, social and personal adjustment to university
life. To assist you in make a smooth transition from high school to college,
my office coordinates the University’s New Student Experience Program. This
program is MANDATORY for all new students, including transfer
students with fewer than 24 credits. Transfer students with more than 24
credits may elect to take one of the seminars even though is it not required
of them. Participation is on a space-available basis. A New Student Seminar
is a required pass/fail for graduation from our university.
During your New Student
Seminar you will learn important academic skills, become aware of campus
services and organizations, and develop supportive relationships with others
in the campus community. All of the programs listed in this brochure meet
the requirements for your New Student Seminar pass/fail grading. ALL
PROGRAMS ARE FILLED ON A FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVED BASIS. Students with
disabilities are encouraged to apply.
Attendance at all sessions
and field trips is required. Be sure your class schedules do not conflict.
You may call or e-mail the course director for more information. Course
directors are usually available to speak to students and families during
PREVIEW (Summer Advising & Course Registration).
For other questions or concerns, feel free to contact the Office of New
Student Experience at (410) 543-6100.
Move-in for students with fewer than 24 credit hours will be:
Thursday, August 24, 2006. Times for move-in will be coordinated by the
Housing and Residence Life Offices.
Please note: A limited number of partial fee waivers are available for
some of the programs and are based on financial need. For more information,
contact Lawanda Dockins-Gordy, Director, Office of New Student Experience at
(410) 543-6100.
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Controversy and Community: An Introduction to the Bellavance Honors Program
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS PROGRAM IS FULL AS OF JULY 13, 2006
The Bellavance Honors
Program is designed to make you an active participant in your learning. This
New Student Seminar helps bring new students together in a series of debates
and activities that forge a close community of discussion, shared critical
thinking and fun! This program includes meetings at the Honors House, a
barbeque, a camping trip to Assateague and a ropes course team-building
experience. While the activities take place prior to the Opening Week and
some of the first weekends of September, participants will be sent an
information packet in the summer to help them prepare for some of the
discussions and exercises.
All first year Honors
Program students are encouraged to participate in this seminar. It is also
open to those eligible for the Honors program. Contact the course director
for further information. Participation in this option does not bar you from
participating in other New Student Seminar trips.
| Inclusive dates: | August 22-24 and two weekends in September - To Be Announced |
| Enrollment: | 40 |
| Direct Cost: | $85.00 |
| Course Director: | Dr. Richard England |
| e-mail: | rkengland@salisbury.edu |
| Telephone: | 410-546-6943 |
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Orientation for Freshman Commuters - History 101
Join us for a fun way to
satisfy the freshman orientation requirement and one of your General
Education requirements at the same time. The goal of this option is to
address the challenges of the commuting student. Commuters often face
different challenges than students who live on campus. They sometimes feel
less connected to the University than resident students. This course will
satisfy the orientation requirements expected of all freshmen and at the
same time help students develop a connection with the University and each
other. Since students who enroll in the seminar will also be placed in a
History 101 - World Civilizations class taught by the same instructor (who
was a commuter), they will be able to apply the skills learned in the
seminar in an academic setting. Orientation students will become more
connected to the University by attending classes and functions at a variety
of locations throughout the school such as the library, the Gull's Nest and
the Cool Beans Cyber Cafe'. Meetings will also be held at off-campus sites
such as the zoo and local park. So come on and join us in a fun, interesting
way to integrate orientation and academics and get to know your University
and your fellow students.
| Inclusive dates: | Throughout the Semester |
| Enrollment: | 24 |
| Direct Cost: | $25.00 |
| Course Director: | Kevin Birch |
| e-mail: | kebirch@salisbury.edu |
| Telephone: | 410-543-6147 |
Note: History 101 is your History 101 General Education class and New Student Seminar course combined.
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Beyond the Books
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS PROGRAM IS FULL AS OF JULY 13, 2006
Beyond the Books is an
intensive, four-day experience designed for students at all levels who want
to significantly enrich their transition from high school to University
life. Students will gain insight into campus living, personal growth and
community building through a dynamic program that uses the ropes course at
Beyond the Limits just outside of the city of Salisbury. Trained
facilitators guide students through a challenging process of experiential
discovery that significantly increases self-reliance, leadership skills and
a heightened awareness of others as positive contributors to the university
experience. Throughout the course, staff and orientation team peer leaders
direct participants through a creative approach to campus resources while
developing relationships. Physical demands are easy to moderate. No
experience is necessary.
| Inclusive dates: | July 24-27 |
| Enrollment: | 20 |
| Direct Cost: | $290.00 |
| Course Director: | Bud Elzey, M. Ed. |
| e-mail: | imatchr@ezy.net |
| Telephone: | 410-749-3680 |
| Course Director: | Heather Holmes, Ph. D. |
| e-mail: | hwholmes@salisbury.edu |
| Telephone: | 410-546-6928 |
A picture from prior years: (click to enlarge)
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NEW QUESTIONS, NEW CHOICES, NEW YORK
Understanding the Transition to College in the Context of Arts and Culture
This four day program connects experiences in fine and performing arts with issues students face
in transitioning to college. The myriad of social and intellectual issues
that the arts demonstrate is a perfect venue in which students can question,
consider and evaluate their personal and educational readiness for college.
No place other than New York City offers such exposure to culture and
diversity, a cornerstone of success in college, and beyond. Program
participants will have experiences that encourage them to discuss issues
directly relevant to their educational success. Those issues include but are
not limited to: conflict management, the value and challenges of diversity,
making good social and academic choices, and understanding the value of
options.
In addition, participants will learn the primary sources of support and information necessary to
navigate the college experience in general and Salisbury University in
particular. The program begins with a day of meetings on campus, dinner at
the Commons, and then an evening workshop. Early the next morning, we travel
to New York City to begin a three-day cultural and academic journey.
Students will debrief their experience in two ways: an analytical paper in
which they will connect their observations of the experience to specific
campus issues, and, two virtual meetings in WebCt where they will discuss
those issues as well as any questions that arise.
| Inclusive dates: | August 9-12 |
| Enrollment: | 20 |
| Direct Cost: | $1,000.00 |
| Course Director: | Darrell Mullins, Chair, Communication and Theatre Arts Department |
| e-mail: | dgmullins@salisbury.edu |
| Telephone: | 410-543-6238 |
| Course Director: | William Folger, Asst. Professor, Department of Music |
| e-mail: | wmfolger@salisbury.edu |
| Telephone: | 410-543-6386 |
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Champs Life Skills (Challenging Athletes Minds for Personal Success)
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS PROGRAM IS FULL AS OF JUNE 28, 2006
Conducted in a classroom
environment specifically tailored to University athletes, the CHAMPS/Life
Skills program is a comprehensive program of life skills designed to bring
together student-athletes or possible student-athletes to assist them with
being successful academically, socially and athletically. Participants are
able to address issues that are unique to student-athletes. These issues
include, but are not limited to, time management concerns while being an
athlete, the stresses of being a student-athlete, alcohol choices and the
culture of such on teams. The myriad of topics offered by the CHAMPS Life
Skills program can become a critical element in the overall success and
development of our student-athletes.
| Inclusive dates: | August 28-October 6 |
| Enrollment: | 20 per session (4 sessions) |
| Direct Cost: | $25.00 |
| Course Director: | Jill Stephenson |
| e-mail: | jastephenson@salisbury.edu |
| Telephone: | 410-543-6357 |
| Course Director: | Stephen Holmes |
| e-mail: |
smholmes@salisbury.edu |
| Telephone: | 410-548-4163 |
| Course Director: | Jason Simms |
| e-mail: | jlsimms@salisbury.edu |
| Telephone: | 410-543-6161 |
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MOSAIC (Maximizing Opportunities for Students to Achieve an Inclusive Campus)
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS PROGRAM IS FULL AS OF JULY 13, 2006
Gain a better understanding
and develop an appreciation for those who differ culturally, ethnically and
racially. MOSAIC is a peer education program designed to help students
create inclusion in their campus environment. This program includes
presentations, small group discussions, cultural events and field trips.
Students will also have the opportunity to prepare ethnic meals and
volunteer with specific community agencies. They will visit a variety of
museums and cultural locations.
The goals of the MOSAIC experience are to (1) Heighten awareness
of student's cultural identity (by beginning to develop a cultural
autobiography) and an understanding of how that identity influences
their perspectives and (2) to Expand knowledge of how stereotypes affect
self and others in the environment and (3) to Gain basic understanding
to build leadership for diversity
To accomplish these
objectives and provide students with an opportunity for an exchange of new
ideas and information, the composition of this group must be formed with
cultural, ethnic and racial diversity; therefore, establishment of this
group will not be official until a cross section of students is obtained. In
addition to the summer inclusive dates, students will meet two evenings in
September and October. Times will be coordinates with the course directors.
Some Pictures from Prior years: (click to enlarge)
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STARS - Habitat for Humanity (Students Taking Action and Responsibility on the Shore)
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS PROGRAM IS FULL AS OF JULY 13, 2006
Classroom presentations and discussions will focus on adjustment issues, University Programs, services
and resources.
Choice of two class times
either Monday/Wednesday 11-11:50am or Tuesday/Thursday 4:30pm-5:45pm.
Monday/Wednesday classes meet 11 times plus a build day. Tuesday/Thursday
classes meet 7 times, plus a build day. Students may choose either Friday,
October 6 or Saturday, October 7 as their build day depending on space
requirements for each day. Only one build day is required.
| Inclusive dates: | August 28-October 10 |
| Enrollment: | 30 (2 sections) |
| Direct Cost: | $35.00 |
| Course Director: | Jamie Holmes-Kriger |
| e-mail: | jlholmes-kriger@salisbury.edu |
| Telephone: | 410-543-6097 |
Some Pictures from Prior years: (click to enlarge)
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Nantahala Whitewater Rafting and Ropes Creative Leadership
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS PROGRAM IS FULL AS OF JUNE 28, 2006
Travel to the Great Smoky
Mountains of North Carolina, the "Land of the Noon Day Sun," and learn how
to tap into your creative student leadership skills at the Nantahala Outdoor
Center (NOC) in Bryson City, NC. Low-ropes initiatives, high-ropes challenge
course and whitewater rafting on the Nantahala River are some of the
"challenges by choice" participants can expect -- no experience necessary.
Participants will have the opportunity to hike a portion of the Appalachian
Trail and take a self-guided tour on mountain bikes. Located in southwestern
North Carolina, the region is rich in Cherokee tradition as learned through
the stories of local Native Americans.
The week begins and ends on
campus so that students will get to experience all of the great programs
Salisbury has to offer. No rest for the weary, as the experience continues
in the van ride to North Carolina with stops at a few scenic locations.
Then, once the group arrives in Nantahala, the orientation sessions are held
throughout the week at various adventure sites: along the Appalachian Trail,
on the water of the beautiful Nantahala River, at the foot of a mountain. At
sunset, the group gathers around the campfire, or in one of the rooms of the
log cabin, and students have the opportunity to discover and explore their
own leadership potential and creativity. Guided by a collection of texts,
exercises and experiences, students build a strong foundation of self
reliance and an intimate understanding of teamwork. That foundation will
last them throughout their college career and beyond.
The University and NOC
provide all equipment, food, supplies and transportation from campus.
Students must supply their own sleeping bag and personal clothing.
Participants can expect easy-to-moderate physical demands, and the ability
to swim is highly recommended.
| Inclusive dates: | July 23-29 |
| Enrollment: | 16 |
| Direct Cost: | $740.00 |
| Course Director: | Byron Hughes |
| e-mail: | bahughes@salisbury.edu |
| Telephone: | 410-546-2483 |
For more details about the program, including a summary of daily activities, packing list, advice from
alumni and more pictures please see the Salisbury
University Nantahala web page.
Some Pictures from Prior years: (click to enlarge)
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West Virginia Whitewater Adventure
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS PROGRAM IS FULL AS OF JUNE 28, 2006
Wild and wonderful West Virginia is home to two of America's finest whitewater rafting runs, the New
River and the world famous Gauley River. You will paddle stimulating class
II-V rapids on the beautifully scenic New River, which is known world wide
for excitement and adventure. In addition to paddling through the New River
Gorge, students will have an entire day of rock climbing and repelling.
Paddling, climbing and exploring coal mines all set the background for an
excellent chance to make friends and learn about your upcoming college
experience. Come experience wild, wonderful West Virginia with its rich
Appalachian history, wild rivers and wonderful sunsets. Experience is not
necessary, only the desire to test the water and yourself in this physical,
exciting and challenging environment.
Orientation will begin upon
arrival with fun, games and information about important campus topics to
make the transition to campus life easier and more enjoyable. Along with
learning all the University has to offer, you will be establishing
friendships that will far outlast your college career. So, join us on the
Wild West Virginia Whitewater Adventure and build ties that bind.
The University and Rivermen
Whitewater Outfitters will provide all equipment, food, supplies and
transportation to and from campus. Students must supply their own sleeping
bags and personal items. The physical demand is moderate. The ability to
swim is not necessary, but recommended.
| Inclusive dates: | August 6-12 |
| Enrollment: | 20 |
| Direct Cost: | $650.00 |
| Course Director: | Kristin Kasting |
| e-mail: | krkasting@salisbury.edu |
| Telephone: | 410-543-6161 |
| Course Director: | Agata Liszkowska |
| e-mail: | akliszkowska@salisbury.edu |
| Telephone: | 410-543-6313 |
Some Pictures from Prior years: (click to enlarge)
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Acadia Adventure
The Acadia Adventure Program
takes new students to one of the most beautiful national parks in America.
Acadia National Park was the first national park created east of the
Mississippi, located on Mount Desert Island along the coastline of Maine.
The variety of scenery makes Acadia one of the most visited national parks
in America. From the rugged coastlines, to the beautiful sand beaches and to
the top of Cadillac Mountain, there are thousands of reasons to wear out a
camera. The Acadia 2006 trip marks the 22nd year of the program. For
students that are part of the trip, the memories will last a lifetime.
The Acadia Adventure is
mostly a cycling trip, but cycling is just a part of what happens. During
the adventure, student will go sea kayaking, cliff climbing, camping, whale
watching, have a true Maine lobster dinner, visit Walden Pond, swim in the
ocean, work on a service project for the National Park Service, play mini
golf, visit Bar Harbor, see the first sunrise in America on top of Cadillac
Mountain and have a multitude of other adventures. All activities are a way
for students to bond and have a common experience with other incoming
students, peer leaders, SU faculty and staff members.
The overall program can be
compared to a metaphoric bicycle. One wheel has activities and bonding as a
hub. The other wheel features things based on the changes in life the
students experience in their transition to college. Students will learn that
teaching methods and the promotion of independent thinking are very
different in college than they were in high school. You will learn new
freedoms can cause new kinds of challenges. Many support topics, like time
management, class advising and registration, health issues, personal safety,
and many others will be discussed throughout the adventure. The student peer
leaders, faculty and staff will act as the handle bars, and sometimes the
brakes, to help students have the best adventure during the Acadia Adventure
and through their years at Salisbury University and beyond. The friendships
and contacts students experience during this adventure will act as the
bicycle frame for a successful foundation for many years to come.
Everything on the trip will
be provided with the exception of a quality trail bike, a bike helmet,
personal clothing and a sleeping bag. The trip is formatted so the
experienced cyclist can have fun and the less experienced cyclist can have
as much fun in their comfort zone. A few weeks of riding before the trip
will allow anyone to have a fun experience.
| Inclusive dates: | July 29-August 8 |
| Enrollment: | 30 |
| Direct Cost: | $650.00 |
| Course Director: | Tony Broadbent |
| e-mail: | abbroadbent@salisbury.edu |
| Telephone: | 410-548-4597 |
Some Pictures from Prior years: (click to enlarge)
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The Alaskan Experience
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS PROGRAM IS FULL AS OF JULY 13, 2006
While learning the history
and traditions of Alaskan Native Americans, students will explore Anchorage,
Seward, Homer and smaller villages in the region. In addition, students will
discover the natural beauty of the Kenai Peninsula and the Denali National
Park. This will be the opportunity of a lifetime to experience a variety of
outdoor activities such as camping, hiking, kayaking and fishing in Central
and South Central Alaska.
The ever-popular Denali
National Park in Central Alaska is home to the continent's largest mountain,
Mt. McKinley. The mountain is surrounded by pristine, natural forests and it
is a thriving habitat for an abundance of wildlife, including 39 species of
mammals such as caribou, the Grizzly bear, wolf, wolverine, moose, dall
sheep, red fox and many more. The park is home to 167 species of birds.
The heart of South Central
Alaska, the Kenai Peninsula, contains many state and national parks and is a
wildlife refuge that provides examples of this nation's natural and cultural
heritage. Located approximately 50 miles south of Anchorage, the peninsula
offers a unique flora and fauna, as well as distinctive geographical
formations (glaciers and fords) not seen anywhere else in the U.S.
Surrounded by the sea, ice fields and mountains, wildlife flourishes in this
narrow slice of temperate rain forest, where Native peoples hunted and
fished in the fjords for years. Some of the parks include gold mining, while
others maintain Alaskan Native archeological sites. The Kenai Peninsula is
managed and preserved by state and national park services, who will guide
students in completing a service project on the peninsula as a means of
gaining a deeper understanding and appreciation for this unusual gift of
nature.
| Inclusive dates: | July 18-28 |
| Enrollment: | 8 |
| Direct Cost: | *see note below |
| Course Director: | Dennis Leoutsakas |
| e-mail: | dxleoutsakas@salisbury.edu |
| Telephone: | 410-677-5434 |
| Course Director: | Ann G. Obert |
| e-mail: | agobert@salisbury.edu |
| Telephone: | 410-543-6125 |
* Cost of trip is estimated
to be between $1,500 and $2,000. The determination of the final cost will be
made in late April and is dependent on airline rates and the number of
committed students at the time of the ticket purchase. Early decisions by
students are necessary and students need to make a commitment to this
program by May 30, 2006. Please be advised that if students sign up for the
Alaskan Experience, and the trip does not take place, other New Student
Seminar outdoor programs may be full and students will be enrolled in the
ASAP Success Program. A DEPOSIT OF $500.00 IS DUE WITH YOUR APPLICATION.
BALANCE DUE ONCE TICKETS HAVE BEEN PURCHASED. STUDENTS WILL BE NOTIFIED BY
MAIL OR TELEPHONE TO FORWARD BALANCE DUE.
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Algonquin Canoe
Henry David Thoreau went to
the woods so that he might "live deliberately, to front only the essential
facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach." Every
summer since 1982, groups of new Salisbury students, joined by selected
upperclassmen peer-leaders and faculty and staff, have gone to the
wilderness of Canada to live deliberately, to make new friends and to
prepare for their college experience. If you come to our 24th trip this
summer, you will join over 1,000 Salisbury University graduates who have
participated n the unique Algonquin program.
In the tradition of programs
such as Outward Bound, we believe that canoeing and camping in wilderness
conditions are conducive not only to having a wonderful time, but also to
personal growth, to introspection and to a type of group bonding that cannot
be replicated in more "normal" conditions, with all of the many distractions
of our modern world calling for your time and attention. Usually occurring
in the two weeks immediately prior to the start of a new school year, this
program makes the perfect transition for a person about to start
college. Every night there is a "campfire" discussion of different aspects
of the University experience, led by the upperclassmen and faculty/staff
trail leaders -- and every day while canoeing, more informal discussions
about college life abound. By the time you return to Salisbury, you will be
ready to start college already having made friendships that will last a
lifetime, knowing a group of SU faculty and staff that can help you with any
questions you have while adjusting to college, and having experiences that
perhaps will never be replicated.
The canoe trip takes place
in Algonquin Provincial Park, in Ontario, Canada, one of the nearest places
to Salisbury where it is still possible to go on a seven day canoe trip into
the true wilderness -- no electricity, no roads, no houses, nothing but your
trail crew, wilderness campsites on pristine lakes (with water so clean that
you can drink it), the call of loons reverberating thorough the night, and
if you're lucky, some of the many animals commonly spotted in the park
(including moose, otter, bear, mink, beavers, and frequently heard then
seen, wolves). We carry all of our food and equipment with us on the lakes
and trails and every student will have the opportunity to cook over a wood
fire. The sunsets are stunning, the starts too bright to believe and with
good fortune the Northern Lights might appear. Prior canoeing and camping
experience is not required.
| Inclusive dates: | August 12-23 |
| Enrollment: | 36 |
| Direct Cost: | $755.00 |
| Course Director: | Kevin Birch |
| e-mail: | kebirch@salisbury.edu |
| Telephone: | 410-543-6147 |
Some Pictures from Prior years: (click to enlarge)
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ASAP Success (Achieving Social, Academic and Personal Success)
ASAP Success works around
your busy schedule and affords you the opportunity to meet and interact with
peers, faculty and staff, as well as upper-division peer leaders. This
interactive relaxed format is designed to provide new students with
accurate, timely and helpful information about the University and the
community. Topics focus on social, academic and personal success in
adjusting to university life. Registration takes place when students select
their required schedule of courses during Preview (summer advising and
course registration).
| Inclusive dates: | August 28-October 6 |
| Enrollment: | 30 (2 sections) |
| Direct Cost: | None |
| Course Director: | Lawanda Dockins-Gordy |
| e-mail: | ldgordy@salisbury.edu |
| Telephone: | 410-543-6100 |
| Course Director: | Marie B. Bradford |
| e-mail: | mbbradford@salisbury.edu |
| Telephone: | 410-543-6100 |
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