![]() Expectations for the courses vary among the participating schools. The strength of the learning communities may be in their diversity. In the 1997-98 academic year, there was a four percent increase in the retention rate of students participating in learning communities courses, compared with those students who did not participate. The learning communities courses provide the only opportunity to link to the schools early in a student’s academic career. Each learning communities course has an instruction team consisting of a teaching faculty member, a librarian, an advisor from the University College, and a student mentor.Īccording to Associate Dean Gayle Williams, 84 percent of incoming students admitted to IUPUI do not qualify to pursue courses in one of the disciplines represented by the degree-granting schools. Starting with just over 20 courses in the first semester, the program grew to close to 80 courses by the fall of 1998, with projections of well over 100 courses by fall 1999. Currently, learning communities courses are being offered in the schools of Business, Education, Engineering and Technology, Liberal Arts, Nursing, Physical Education, Public and Environmental Affairs, Science, and Social Work, and in the University College. The program offers an introductory class geared to the needs of first-year students, as well as other classes that familiarize students with specific disciplines. Located in the old library building, University College sponsors a number of programs and services, including student tutoring, academic advising, IUPUI’s honors program, a forum for general education and, most significantly, the learning communities program.Įstablished in the fall of 1995, the learning communities program is intended to help students learn to work and study collaboratively, develop essential skills of thought and evaluation, and familiarize themselves with the infrastructure necessary to navigate the university environment successfully. A year ago, the university organized a new unit, University College, that provides a common gateway to the academic programs available to entering students. The challenge to help undergraduates assimilate and embark on a college career is daunting. The one-year retention rate for full-time undergraduates is about 60 percent and the six-year graduation rate, though it has risen somewhat in recent years, is only 27 percent. More than 75 percent of IUPUI students are undergraduates, many of whom are first-generation college attendees. These employees have a working relationship with the University Information Technology Services (UITS). A total of 21 full-time employees work in the library’s technology group. The library administration has its own programming staff who are well paid and dedicated, and who appreciate the opportunities provided by working with the library. The former university librarian was willing to invest heavily in electronic information and to address numerous local and remote-access issues to compensate for the lack of strong print collections. Because the university is only 25 years old, the library did not yet have the print collections of many comparable institutions. ![]() The library has a history of significant in-house technical capability. According to the summary of the 1997 IUPUI Performance Report, the university views student learning as its highest priority and is committed to creating a learning-centered environment. A distinct feature of IUPUI is its relatively decentralized organizational structure, which gives schools a great deal of financial and curricular autonomy. It sees itself as an urban university having much in common with institutions such as Wayne State University in Detroit and Temple University in Philadelphia. IUPUI is home to the only dental and medical schools in the state of Indiana, as well as the largest law and nursing programs. ![]() Courses offered reflect the diversity that joint governance of Indiana University and Purdue University brings. The university provides more than 180 academic programs, from associate degrees to doctoral and professional degrees. ![]() Indiana University/Purdue University at Indianapolis (IUPUI) serves a student population of 27,000 from its location on the west side of downtown Indianapolis. Indiana University/Purdue University at Indianapolis Librarian-Scholar Collaboration in Learning Communities
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