The Faculty Mentor Program: An initiative to support the transition to university of on-campus students at a regional university

Abstract

This paper provides a brief overview of the learning needs of first year on-campus students at the University of New England (UNE) and a description of a faculty based student learning support program which has been piloted for three years (2001-03). The Faculty Mentor Program is an effective amalgamation of a range of learning support approaches. It is student centred, discipline-specific and is delivered via group work and one-to-one contact. There are four Faculty Mentors, who are placed in each of UNE's four faculties while remaining part of the centrally-based Academic Skills Office of the Teaching and Learning Centre. Although designed primarily to meet the challenges related to tertiary literacy deficit, qualitative evaluation suggests the Program also supports students in the more traditional mentoring areas. It has been effective in assisting in the integration and engagement of students in university life in the important first year of tertiary study.