Parent Newsletter - October 2012
Dear VMI Parent:
As we reach the midway point of the Fall 2012 semester, I would like to share with you a report on the semester to date. Through September, the Miller Academic Center (MAC) served approximately 548 Rats and cadets!
Both nationally and here at VMI, we see very successful high school graduates arrive with what I call an “understandable but inaccurate assessment of their degree of readiness for college academics and college life.” It is understandable because the educational system has told them that they are ready (high SAT scores, very strong high school grade point averages, etc.). However, the students’ assessment is inaccurate due to the disconnect between high school and college. New college students too often have little to no skills when it comes to time management, reading for comprehension and retention, note-taking, and test preparation and test-taking. These are skills they did not need in high school so they did not acquire them. Then they get to college and find out they are not as ready as they had thought they were!
As a result, a great deal of our attention is on the Rats! We met with Summer Transition Program (STP) participants in July by conducting 14 workshops on academic success strategies for VMI. We are now working closely with the S2 staff and other successful upperclassmen to facilitate a successful transition to VMI by all of our Rats. In addition to a free copy of the VMI Cadet Success Planner, the Rats have had an Academic Saturday workshop on 9/1 about effective time management skills and how to use the VMI Planner. On 9/17, the S2 staff and the MAC conducted a Dean’s Time workshop that gave an overview of academic success strategies. Together, we also offered a new program called Major Study Times (MST). For the first four Mondays of the semester, Rats were required to meet by major after Supper Roll Call (SRC) for a briefing on major-specific strategies for success. The MSTs were led by successful upperclassmen in that specific major. The message was loud and clear: “Get out of Barracks and study!” It also gave Rats an opportunity to connect with their BRs and upperclassmen in their major to develop a learning community. It was important to then turn the responsibility of their actions in this regard over to them and thus the program ended on 9/24. We will be researching the effectiveness of MST in developing lasting behaviors to support their academic success.
Collaborations with faculty are also instrumental in the MAC’s efforts to serve our Rats. We are also working with COL Dellinger (Modern Languages and Cultures faculty member) in the pilot courses of AC (Academics) 101 and 102. These courses are providing proactive instruction and skill development to 48 Rats throughout the semester. Again, the involvement of upperclass cadets every Friday has been essential to the courses’ relevancy and effectiveness! Assessment of the courses’ effectiveness will inform VMI as to how we can best serve all Rats in the future. In Operation Excel (OE), MAC staff and upperclass cadets work with ROTC Scholarship Rats to provide a semester-long program to instill positive attitudes, behaviors, and effective strategies.
Both Rats and cadets are participating in Group Study Sessions (GSS) offered for a number of the Rat courses. The GSSs are led by upperclassmen who work closely with faculty. We are piloting an enhanced version of the program this semester called GSS+. For these groups, the faculty member meets with the cadet facilitators outside of the GSS to debrief on the previous week’s meeting and plan for the upcoming meeting. This team approach increases the strength of the program as departments are more involved in the planning and delivery of the information and strategies.
Another program specifically for upperclassmen is the Seminars on Academic Success (SAS) program. MAC staff members discuss various academic success topics such as time management, effective study skills, etc. in brief (30 minute) sessions during the early afternoon on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. All cadets receive an email each week with the details for the upcoming seminar. SAS is designed to help upperclassmen improve and/or fine tune their methods of academic success. Time is always available for questions and answers about the topic of the week as well as any other aspect of academic success.
For our cadets on academic probation, Project Success (PS) provides intensive support to identify and execute a plan that they create to acquire and use skills and behaviors that contribute to academic success. Upperclassmen work with these cadets to give them the “Been There, Done That” perspective as MAC staff members provide the expertise in effective skills and ways to make good decisions, stop procrastinating, and connect with faculty and other resources.
We are looking forward to continuing through the fall semester and getting to know your cadet either as a first-time visitor/participant or a continuing cadet in the MAC. If your son or daughter works in a leadership role with us, please know how instrumental he/she is to what we are able to do!
As a VMI parent, you have the ability to contribute to your cadet's academic success through your support of his or her hard work and dedication to taking the "path less traveled." This is a very special institution and the cadets are themselves very special! I hope that you will encourage your cadet to read our emails, stop by our office (202 Carroll Hall), and use our programs and services. Cadets can walk in or make an appointment with us. You can visit our homepage to see the schedule for the programs. I also invite you to stop by when you are on Post or to contact us with any questions or suggestions you have about programs and services of the MAC. It will be great to hear from you!
Sincerely,
LTC Elaine Humphrey, Ph.D.
Director, Miller Academic Center
Director of Teacher Education