Learning Community Booklet

our residential

communities

@ eiu

our values of a residential learning community Eastern Illinois University approaches residence hall living more uniquely than some institutions. Upon arrival you will quickly discover that our halls are made up of a series of Residential Learning Communities rather than floors.

In simple terms, these communities enhance our students’ lives by providing the tools for academic success, a chance to explore leadership, social justice and community engagement opportunities all while developing interpersonal skills. Residential Learning Communities are shaped by the core values of University Housing & Dining Services:

Community and Inclusivity We inspire an engaged community that actively seeks improvement through fostering personal relationships and seeks improvement through acceptance and understanding.

Learning and Academic Success We inspire world-class scholarship through academics, research and continued learning.

Integrity and Tenacity We inspire the integrity required to make the ethical choices and to persevere through all obstacles.

Respect and Civility We inspire individuals to be respectful to others, encourage civility, and establish and maintain trust.

Leadership and Engagement We inspire the exploration and creation of leadership opportunities to promote developing skills to encourage and enhance civic engagement and to serve as responsible citizens and leaders.

Healthy Living and Personal Wellness We inspire making healthy lifestyle choices that will support academic success and lead to optimum levels of personal wellness.

the overall community your role in the community Most of us had our entire lifetime to become accustomed to our family’s expectations and rules for living in our home. Arriving at EIU and living within the Residential Learning Communities offers some unique opportunities and challenges that require each student to understand his/her multiple roles in ensuring the success of the community. In the pages that follow you will find a description of not only your role in the community, but those of the many other individuals who are invested in your success as well.

Resident as Student

Resident’s Rights

Although each individual may ascribe to multiple roles within the University community, it is to be expected that first amongst them is the role of a student. Learning, whether formal or informal, is a constant focus. It is our hope that you will challenge yourself, and allow for external challenges to promote growth and learning through critical thinking, moving beyond comfort zones and viewing new experiences as an opportunity to expand your world view.

The University housing community entitles each student the right to:

Resident as Roommate Sharing personal space with anyone can be very rewarding, but it can also be challenging at times. This is true with family members, friends, as well as your University assigned roommate(s).

As a result, a staff member will be there to help you and your roommate(s) with the roommate agreement process.

• Read and study without interference, unreasonable noise or other distractions.

• Sleep without undue disturbance.

• Have personal privacy within an individual resident’s room.

• Live in a clean, sanitary environment.

• Have free access to one’s room and facilities.

• Host guests, but with the understanding that guests will honor the rights of other community members.

• Address grievances to staff.

• Be free of fear from intimidation and physical or emotional harm.

• Assume there will be reasonable cooperation in telephone use (i.e, as related to the university provided telephone line).

Resident as Community Member Each community member should be expected to treat others with respect and courtesy. With such a large number of people residing in the Residential Learning Communities, residents are exposed to a wide variety of cultures, campus events and experiences, including the opportunity to establish lifelong friendships. A successful community relies on each individual being active and productive within their environment. At EIU we value the input of community members, and through our community standards process you will have an opportunity to help shape your community.

• Respect roommate(s) belongings.

Resident Assistant

Get To Know Your RA Take a step into any residence hall at Eastern Illinois University, and you’ll soon see a special kind of student leader in action. Taking an active role in the building of vibrant communities at EIU, the Resident Assistant (RA) can be found helping students connect to campus, to their academics, and to other EIU students. The RA is a motivated, passionate, and caring student leader, one who strives to bring residents the opportunity to lead, to learn, and have fun. Collaborating in residence hall staff teams, RAs ensure that each residence hall environment is safe, exciting, and conducive to residents’ academic and personal success. In addition, RAs strive to create inclusive communities within the residence halls, advocating for students of all creeds and backgrounds to learn from one another and celebrate together the diversity of the human experience. Indeed, it is the work

of the RA to transform a collection of strangers into a dynamic living and learning community.

As a student living on-campus at EIU, your RA is available as a resource for information related to academics, involvement, and your personal success. Living on your floor, your RA is ready and willing to connect with you, providing you with the resources you need to thrive at EIU. Whether you join your RA at dinner with a Faculty Fellow, accompany them to a basketball game in Lantz Arena, or simply drop by their open door on your floor community, connecting with your Resident Assistant is a great way to begin your success story at Eastern Illinois University.

The Panther Success Initiative (PSI) Residential Learning Communities

The PSI program is a cornerstone of the . It was developed to promote intentional interactions between students and the various campus resources available to aid in their success. Since the needs of our students vary based on characteristics like personal goals, previous experiences and networks of support, the PSI program is intentionally centered on understanding each student as an individual and providing the appropriate support to better enable a successful outcome. The goals of the program are as follows: • Create meaningful interactions among community members

• Foster engaged communities at EIU and the Charleston area

• Serve as an early intervention with students experiencing difficulties

• Provide a rich flavor to our academic communities • Increase student satisfaction and retention • Increase GPAs and student success

• Assist each student in becoming involved in campus life

How does Residential it work?

Learning Community

As students enter their a Resident Assistant will have a conversation with them about their personal, academic and professional goals. The staff member is then able to direct students toward campus involvement opportunities and other resources that may be beneficial in reaching their individual goals. As campus events are promoted, the staff member will determine if a particular event may be something that is good for a particular student, or, if the interest is broad enough, something the community as a whole might collectively choose to attend. In 2001, our halls had an average of 2.68 GPA. In our Spring 2015 semester, we achieved our highest GPA of 2.92. It’s working!

Themed Res communities a closer look at the big picture Quiet Lifestyle Communities Quiet Lifestyle Floor Communities (QLFC) are residence hall floors that have extended quiet hours (beyond the traditional courtesy hours of other communities) to promote an academically conducive environment of study through strict enforcement of noise policy violations. QLFC at EIU restrict noise levels that can be heard more than one door away from a resident’s room at all times during the day except during relief hours. Relief hours restricts noise levels that can be heard more than three doors away with special note that courtesy hours are always in effect which means if a neighbor asks for the noise level to be adjusted at any time during the week, residents must comply.

Transfer housing communities The Transfer Housing Floors are available in certain buildings that have designated areas that give transfer students the opportunity to live in a community with students who are transitioning to our campus having already completed some college coursework.

Honors Housing Communities Programming efforts are coordinated by University Housing & Dining Services in conjunction with the Honors College and are geared towards the honors student community. Honors students receive priority assignment based on availability.

break Housing Communities Available for those who need to stay on-campus when the University closes for breaks longer than three days.

Academic Resources outlining our efforts Faculty, administrators and other University staff members have shown, time after time, their outstanding commitment to our student population by providing additional support for our students. Below is a brief description of many of the faculty and staff initiatives that occur as part of the Residential Learning Communities:

Charleston Chew Program

Early Alert

Students have the opportunity to get to know professors on a personal level. The Charleston Chew program allows students to invite faculty members to dine in one of the residential dining centers with the student, take part in residence hall programs, or maybe attend a campus activity or community event. Speak with any Housing staff member to arrange a gathering with a faculty member. Of course, University Housing & Dining Services will cover the cost of the faculty member. So if you have a “cool” faculty member, let your RA know.

The Early Alert System (EAS) was designed to help those students whose grades are at risk due to missing classes or not completing assignments. These factors often indicate the student may not be prioritizing their course work, or may be in need of a little extra assistance. If an instructor notices your grades are in decline, a staff member working with EAS will be notified of the situation. That individual will contact you and provide assistance.

Study Hours Faculty Fellows Studies have indicated that non-classroom interactions between students and faculty members can have a positive effect on student persistence and degree completion. As part of the Faculty Fellows program, EIU faculty members engage students in activities outside of the traditional classroom setting. They assist students on move-inday and attend various residence hall programs throughout the year.

These activities are simply a way for students to interact with faculty outside of the classroom to better meet the goals of the program: • Increase student engagement by promoting the personal growth and development of students through contact with members of the faculty outside of the classroom setting.

• Provide faculty with an understanding of Residential Life including gaining a stronger understanding of the learning communities where their students reside.

• Increase the student’s awareness of the intellectual, social, cultural and ethical dimensions of their own development.

• Provide an opportunity for students to learn from the professor’s life story - how they developed a passion in their area of expertise, and how the student can apply these learning opportunities to their own passion.

Each hall votes to define the buildings study hours. During study hours, the communities are expected to be quiet and respectful of peers who are studying and/or sleeping.

Homework Heroes Homework Heroes Academic Mentoring Program is a program designed to support and promote academic excellence. The program offers a way for residents to find other students that can provide help with materials presented in classes as well as provide general academic advice. The Homework Hero Academic Mentoring Program strives to provide a comfortable atmosphere where students can discuss academic goals.

Our goal is to strengthen students’ academic skills while helping them work with the appropriate campus resources to address their concerns. The Housing Professionals and Student Staff members work hard to ensure that all of our residents receive the advice and support they need to academically succeed.

visualize . . . the residential learning community VALUES

LEARNING & ACADEMIC SUCCESS

COMMUNITY & INCLUSIVITY

PANTHER SUCCESS

LEADERSHIP & ENGAGEMENT

PSI

INTEGRITY & TENACITY

INITIATIVE

HEALTHY LIVING & PERSONAL WELLNESS

RESPECT & CIVILITY