UCSB, Senior HSJCSC Fellow
2003-2004 home page
HSJCSC FELLOWSHIP
Job Responsibilities
The Corps
UCSB HILLEL
Staff
Student Groups
ENGAGEMENT
What is it?
Engagement Stories
TARGET GROUPS & PROGRAMS
Freshmen
Women
Grad Students
Social Action/Spitzer
Jewish Honor Society
Recommended Groups
Other
GETTING TO KNOW CAMPUS
Maps/Calendars
Contacts/Resources/Partners
Campus Orgs/Leadership
Helpful Hints
GETTING A LIFE
Downtown
Goleta/IV
LA
Get help: I would recommend getting a couple of students who can help with the freshmen council who really have the skills to be able to follow-up with them and make sure that programs are being planned to meet the needs of the students. I had a couple of students, but I didn�t utilize them as much as I should have. I think this was because I was not clear to them about what I was hoping them to do. That�s the key: brainstorm together, be clear what each of your roles are, and follow-up with one another periodically. For this upcoming year, we have hired Student Outreach Coordinators, students who are paid to meet new students, welcome them, and follow-up with them. This will help the fellow/outreach person tremendously.
Focus on the first month:
This is really crucial, as there will be a swarm of new students, students who are looking for something to do (oh, do we have something for you to do!), and parents constantly giving us names of students to contact. Use this time very well-it will make the rest of your year easier!
What do I do on the first day (or days, or week, etc.):
- print a blank calendar
- put all of the dates of the Hebrew calendar (holidays, etc.)
- put in all of the dates of the school�s calendar (finals, mid-terms, vacations, etc.)
- find the calendar for the office of student life and see how that can affect your calendar
- declare what target groups you�ll be targeting
- systematically sit down and write your goals for each group and how you plan on getting there. Include in this list any resources you might have or who you would like to help you.
- Think ahead-what information would you like to get from a student when you meet them. Be prepared no matter where you go.
- Take a tour
- Meet with your supervisor.
- Read the fellowship materials.
- Generate a list of questions that you have, no matter what they are. Take them to your supervisor.
- Plan your first month or so. Which target groups are going to be your more important ones at the beginning of the year.
Tabling:
Tabling on campus during the first week of classes and during orientation is a must. Tabling during Orientation occurs in Manzanita Village in front of de Anza Resource Center and even though you might only get 5-10 names per session, there are about 15 sessions, so it all adds up! During the first week of school the best place to table is in front of the UCen. You have to go early during the first week of school because the tables are first come, first serve. Otherwise, you�ll have to bring your own table. The other good place to table is in the Arbor, but I wouldn�t table here until school starts, as it�s close to many academic buildings on campus. Ask students where the Arbor is. Any other time of year, I would say that tabling is not as effective, and I would suggest alternatives to tabling, such as handing out quarter-page flyers in the Arbor, or doing an on-campus outreach effort at a coffee shop.
Places for Programs:
For the freshmen, your best bet is in the residence hall formal lounges, as programs with food will get people to come out late at night, as long as it�s close to their bed! Doing stuff at the UCen or on campus is good during the day, but wouldn�t recommend it at night, unless it�s a location that is familiar with students. The lagoon is by the UCen and might be a nice place to do a lunch and learn or something similar. If you are targeting non-freshmen, I would stay stick with IV-perhaps a social in a bar for 21+, or a coffee shop, or even-the beach! I wish I would have utilized our beach more! One time we had a program in a yoga studio, and another time in a student�s apartment. Be creative!
Pre-School:
Planning dinners in different areas around CA (LA, San Diego and the Bay area) with incoming students is a great way to have them meet each other before they get here. You�ll probably have lists of names of students and if you organize them based on where they live, you can invite them to a dinner in that area. I would recommend mailing students the invitation, because I found that over the summer students are not only less accessible to their email, but that if their parents see an invitation, they will encourage the student to go. Finally, it would be great to do programming with the Summer Start students. These are first year students who get a head start on classes and start them before the rest of the first year students arrive on campus. Typically, they all live in the same area during the summer, which makes programming for you even easier!
Organize yourself:
Find your own way. A calendar, a palm pilot, just get organized!
Balance:
I�m a bad example of this, but you should balance work with play. There are probably going to be plenty of programs that you�ll want to come to (or that students will want you to come to), but know your body, your sanity and when you need to go home. It took me a long time, but I�m getting there�
The Quarter System:
Oh, the good �ol quarter system. This means that there are three 10-week sessions of classes. Fall Quarter goes from September through December; Winter Quarter from January to March, and Spring Quarter March through June. It makes the year go by very quickly, but it also means that you constantly need to be aware of the class schedule of the students so that you can plan accordingly. For example, many students are not that busy during the first couple of weeks of each quarter, but then they have mid-terms from weeks 3-9 or so, then finally their finals. Always ask around or check out The Nexus (the student newspaper) to see what�s going on before you plan something. Because few schools in the fellowship run on the quarter system, this means that other fellows might be finished programming when you are still in session. My recommendation is to start your website early and gradually add a little bit at a time because you�ll have less time at the end of the year to do this and the end-of-the-year evaluations compared with fellows who are done classes in May.