[EastSideHBG]

Campus completes transition to 4 years

The Patriot-News
Saturday, August 28, 2004
BY JAN MURPHY
Of The Patriot-News

Penn State Harrisburg ushers in a new era today as it welcomes 150 freshmen, its largest crop ever of first-year students.

And the campus is now operating as a four-year institution for the first time.

For most of its 38 years, the campus in Lower Swatara Twp. served only juniors, seniors and graduate students.

Now the Harrisburg campus opens its doors as another entry point for freshmen seeking a Penn State degree in any of the university's more than 160 undergraduate degree programs. It also will offer a full four years of study in 26 degree programs.

In 2001, the campus began serving freshman pursuing degrees in information science and technology. Last year, it added more four-year degree offerings and drew 83 freshmen.

Making the change to a full-service campus for first- and second-year students "is the logical and natural next step," said campus Dean and Provost Madlyn Hanes.

Preparing the campus for this expanded role, which will draw dozens more 18- and 19-year-olds, took considerable work, Hanes said.

General education class offerings had to be expanded from a handful to nearly 100. Faculty accustomed to teaching juniors and seniors had to be trained to teach first-year students.

"It's funny how all these adults with Ph.D.s are worried about teaching 18-year-olds," said Penn State Schuylkill professor Marianne Goodfellow, who assisted with the faculty training.

To better serve the needs of full-time first-year students, Harrisburg campus officials added more morning and afternoon classes to the typically evening-course-laden class lineup. After years of being on the receiving end of student transfers, advisers had to brush up on the needs of students planning to transfer after their sophomore year to other Penn State campuses.

The staff in charge of student housing and activities also had to prepare for first-year students.

As a result, for the first two weeks of the semester, the campus activity schedule is packed with programs to entertain and orient students to college life. Opening day activities feature an outdoor movie, a pizza party and all-campus picnic.

"We want to front-load the first days and weeks so that there is a healthy menu of things for students to select from so they can interact and meet and network with students," said Janet Widoff, student affairs director and coordinator of student activities.

Research shows students who become involved in campus early on tend to complete their degrees and are more successful.

The number of campus clubs and organizations has been expanded, as have internship and field trip opportunities with local businesses, to extend learning beyond the classroom, Hanes said.

Students serving as community assistants -- known as CAs -- who are paid to serve as a resource for residential students were trained to handle issues that can arise with first-year students, such as binge drinking and homesickness.

"We kind of expect those things," said Lamon Harris, a senior from Baltimore serving as a CA. "Hopefully, we won't have them. But we have to know how to try and deal with them."

Widoff, like Harris, said she looks forward to having more younger students on campus.

Harris said they'll broaden the perspective of professors and "make it a little more lively around here."

Widoff said she expects younger students will bring more energy and zeal than Penn State Harrisburg has known -- and she can't wait.

"We're excited and ready," Widoff said.