University of Kansas - Jayhawker Yearbook (Lawrence, KS)

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theyjust need a little TLC i lnenminn heshman nal a lillle elnsei lhan ihey may have liked wilh lhe new lhenalie learning Enmmurilies. liesnile their enrelanl nmximily, lheunh. lhese iesiilenlial and aeailemie eemmuniiies nmvided uselul links nn eamnus and all. Z5 I Freshman got a little closer to their neighbors this year. Not only did they share bathrooms and hall space, they shared academic advisers and even classrooms. Five residence halls: Oliver, Ellsworth, I-lashinger, McCollum and Lewis. planned to implement new living comm unities for students called Thematic Learning Communities. TLCs have been used across the country at places like the University of Nehraksa-Lincoln. Diana Robertson. associate director ofthe Department of Student Housing. said these types ofprograms had been successful elsewhere and were useful in getting students to be more active in their community. The residence halls had 12 communities, with themes ranging from science and ethics to film. Twenty students would participate in each community, living on the same floor and taking classes together. Each community had a Residential Peer Educator. an upperclassman in the same academic interest, as well as a resident assistant.Robertson said the PES would focus on academics. while RAS would handle discipline and floor community. PEs recieved seperate training and recieved free room and board in return for their contributions. Robertson said other people lived on the same floor as each TLC group, giving them a chance to meet other people. Designed for incoming freshman, students were enrolled in two thematieally related general education courses and a seminar course. Students weren't required to enroll in themes related to their majors, but they tended to grativate toward these. Linda Dixon. interim coordinator for the TLCS, said she sent information about the TLCS out with student housing in formation last year. There were 127 freshman who participated in the lall semester. Dixon said she was thinking of making the TLCS non- residential in the future, so students could live off-campus or in diflerent dorms. Some said they would miss out on the community leeling.As with any new program, of ficials vidll continue to work out the kinks in the new communities. l l if W' -r e- . ,ef -. lf.. '- W K .

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Kevin Wilmott, KU professor of film, poses in front of his movies poster. The film was featured at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival and applauded by director Spike Lee. -- photo by Ryan Scarrow iiiii if H 'Wi' - -'vi 1' '- ii Jllililfyiililliifi 1, ,ix , i 'ii ' t 91' ,, fb 511004 8 il Q 4 lg' itil i ff? , N ?:, 'l!!9 with 2 -. I ,wr N il4-'IW' i i l l l l i liiillfll v iilii5ifi iliiilJ5 l' l. ,r' l5.'lf 9'T i liiiilfiiiviiflli' 4-'l'l lYil'iy-lriiZilliul' i , ,'lJ'i i'Eii,'ii.-xl i i lililfililffifllllllhlrgilllll' l iiirillffl if, 5- in li'llflliW9 i ,3'i WWW!-v,,g,i in ,i,Wu'iiiiii-ill l ii , wi ii 'il I, mail. A M- 'i i 1- ii- lil' lil'-ii,-f,li,'. iiliif iiliwn' l , CDllfEl1QLatE StHL2il1f,3Ill2LlC3.,25

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Thematic Learning Communities made their debut in the Daisy Hill residence halls in the fall. -photos by Lauren Airey M11