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Student-faculty programs score national award

Three programs sponsored by the UA Dean of Students Office received an award from the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators for outstanding student-faculty interaction.

The Faculty Fellows Program, the Student/Faculty Interaction Program and the Speaker Series Program were awarded with the Innovative Program Award on Nov. 12.

"We were really excited and honored," said Melissa Vito, University of Arizona dean of students.

"These (programs) are used to make our school feel smaller and provide students with faculty interaction," she said. "They build a sense of community."

Celia Sepulveda, director of education and outreach programs at the Dean of Students Office, coordinates the awarded programs.

"The Faculty Fellows Program hopes to increase graduation rates, and inspire all levels of learning," she said.

The program, which began 15 years ago, consists of about 29 faculty members who hold office hours at residence halls, program offices and greek houses. Funding for the program comes from the Department of Residence Life and the Dean of Students Office.

Stacey Whitefield, faculty mentor for UA sorority Kappa Kappa Gamma, said she felt the house was in need of a computer lab. After raising money from chapter funds, the girls received a lab equipped with three computers which Barb Dew, sorority president, said are in constant use.

"She (Whitefield) is extremely accessible. She holds office hours at the house two days a week, which is good for the younger girls to get help," Dew said.

Sepulveda said the faculty fellows are all well known in their circles.

While the faculty fellows are focused on individual interaction, the Student/Faculty Interaction Program provides grants for professors who want to take their students on off-campus trips.

The professors request money in addition to what the departments already provide.

Excursions range from picnics to road trips to the Fowler Museum in Los Angeles. Grants range from $250 to $500 and serve up to several hundred students. About 45 departments participate in the program.

"I would like to reach out to those departments who have yet to utilize our service," Sepulveda said.

The Speaker Series Program, the third program honored, was forced to meet at the Center for Creative Photography this year because of the demolition of the Gallagher Theatre.

The series, which is in its third year, invites researchers from the university to come and speak about their findings.

"It is done in a filtered common language, so the students can fully understand," Sepulveda said.

The program is sponsored by the Provost's Office, the U of A Bookstore and the dean of students.

"We are looking to expand the program by having more faculty members included and have a faculty fellow in every dorm," Vito said.

The dean's office is now submitting the programs to the national competition later this year. The current award received was based on university programs from California, Arizona, Guam and Hawaii.