WMU First-Year Seminar (FYE 2100)

Universal Course Design

Global Climate Change Course

Leadership Course

Course Design

The First-Year Seminar (FYS) offers first-year students the unique opportunity to work closely with a faculty facilitator, as well as, an upper-level student facilitator. This co-facilitator team will offer two important perspectives, which allow students the chance to learn what it takes to be a success. Research shows that attention to small groups gives Seminar students a greater opportunity to develop meaningful friendships with other seminar students who have related academic and social goals. Thus, the First-Year Seminar is limited 25 students per section. During the course of the semester students will actively engage in the WMU environment, connect with resources on and off campus, and learn essential skills that will aid in their success through college and beyond.

The First-Year Seminar focuses on four major assignments

1. Textbook Assignments
2. A common read experience
3. A research Project
4. Out-of-class activities

Global Climate Change Sections (space is limited)

How Science is Working to Save the Planet

Global Climate Change (GCC) caused by human activities such as burning fossil fuels is creating huge problems. In just a few years, changing climates will transform whole ecosystems, disrupting the world's richest farming areas, turning huge portions of land inhabited by millions of people into deserts. These and other changes may bring about political and economic chaos, and disrupt human health across the globe. This first year seminar course, funded by a research grant from the National Science Foundation, will address the problem head on examining the data that defines GCC, and more importantly defines how sustainable activities can mitigate the effects of climate change. Students will participate in the following hands-on research activities to understand aspects of GCC and the new technologies that may reduce/stop it:

• Defining and Understanding the Causes of Global Climate Change.
• Projecting how GCC will increase the number of extreme rain events associated with changes in the Great Lakes Basin water quality and environmental health.
• Developing innovative approaches to mitigating atmospheric CO2.
• Developing alternative energy sources including wind turbines, biodiesel from a variety of sources including algae, and hydrogen power.
• Demonstrating energy conservation through the application of green power principles used at the university's power plant and the university's recycling program.
• Calculating how energy efficiency offsets carbon dioxide entering the atmosphere.

Students will work in teams to do additional research related to one of the hands-on research exercises, producing a poster that will be displayed at a campus wide event at the end of the course. Some students will have the opportunity to travel free to a national undergraduate research meeting to present their work. The National Science Foundation views this FYE course as a pilot project for development of similar courses nationwide, which boldly emphasize student participation in university based research on possibly the greatest environmental problem civilized humans have ever faced.

Leadership Sections (space is limited)

This FYE 2100 leadership section will have a particular emphasis on enhancing the college experience through leadership development and the important role that leadership plays in the college experience. This section is designed to meet the needs at all levels of their leadership development. Additionally, this course is designed for both students who were active as student leaders in high school, as well as those who are looking to begin developing their leadership skills. This course will also help students understand the importance of co-curricular involvement, various approaches, philosophies, and theories of leadership. Students will participate in leadership skill building activities and will have opportunities to build friendships and connections with other student leaders. This course will also help students to explore how leadership development impacts the overall development of the college student. This section will be co-facilitated by a member of the Student Activities & Leadership Programs (SALP) staff and a current WMU student leader.