DATE: December 19, 2007

CONTACT: Dori Helms, (864) 656-3940
biol110@clemson.edu

WRITER: Teresa C. Hopkins, (864) 656-1222
hopkin1@clemson.edu


Clemson salutes, remembers students at annual gathering

CLEMSON – As faculty and staff at Clemson University closed the fall 2007 semester on Wednesday, the conversation focused on the students.

“Our students are at the heart of our enterprise,” said university President James F. Barker during the semester-end general faculty and staff meeting. “There is nothing more important to us than their welfare and their academic progress.”

links More about the award recipients President Barker's comments

Barker cited results from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) to demonstrate the academic progress of the students at Clemson. On five composite benchmarks of effective practice, the Clemson scores are equal to or higher, by a statistically significant margin, than a selected group of peers and all NSSE participants. The benchmarks measure the level of academic challenge, active and collaborative learning, student-faculty interaction, enriching educational experiences and a supportive campus environment.  

More than 160,000 first-year students and seniors at more than 1,000 institutions take part in the NSSE survey.  

“Our students report finding a supportive and challenging academic environment,” Barker said. “Ninety-two percent of freshmen and seniors rate their entire educational experience as good or excellent. Ninety percent of freshmen and seniors say they would choose Clemson again if given the chance.”

Other NSSE results for Clemson students show commitments to work inside and outside the classroom.

Among Clemson seniors:

  • 78 percent worked with classmates outside of class on an assignment
  • 78 percent did community service or volunteer work
  • 68 percent had an internship, practicum or field experience
  • 41 percent completed a culminating senior experience, like a capstone project

Among the freshmen at Clemson:

  • 83 percent said their courses emphasized applying theories or concepts to new situations
  • 86 percent said Clemson provides substantial support for academic success.

Authors receive recognition“Our academic program is working,” Barker said.

Barker also addressed the loss of seven students this semester.

“We began the year talking about safety and security in the wake of the Virginia Tech shootings. We’ve made many changes to make us a safer campus. Yet today, we mourn the loss of seven Clemson students this semester,” he said. “The loss of any young person is a tragedy.”

Acknowledging that some deaths may be prevented, Barker addressed the issue of high-risk drinking among students.    

“As a community, we must come together to solve this very difficult behavioral problem,” he said.

The university has had educational and safety programs in place for years. To coordinate efforts, the university created the EMpower Clemson office in September and charged it directly with facilitating alcohol-safety initiatives.

“What is needed is a culture change, and that is the most difficult thing to effect from the outside,” Barker said. “We have the attention of the students and many are stepping forward to take ownership of the problem and to find solutions.”

In other action during the end-of-semester meeting, faculty and staff were recognized for their contributions to Clemson.

The Alumni Distinguished Cooperative Extension Public Service Award was presented to Jay Chapin, professor of entomology at the Edisto Research and Education Center in Blackville. Mike Vatalaro, chairman of the Clemson art department, and Elizabeth Milam Lomas, associate director of financial aid, each received the Thomas Green Clemson Award for Excellence. Mike McLeod, CU101 professor and coordinator of the Tutorial Services Program in the Academic Success Center, received the Prince Award for Innovation in Teaching.

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