Students have a new resource to help with their transitions into college life. The University and the Division of Student Life created the Office of First Year Experience in July to aid students.”Our focus is programmatic outreach and assistance to students and their transition into the University — academically and socially,” said Darrell Ray, assistant vice chancellor for FYE. FYE information was not provided during freshman orientation because it was developed after the first session. Information will be provided during next year’s orientation. This year is the test run of program initiatives, and staff will have a better idea of what works and what does not for next year, Ray said. A goal of FYE is to interact with students on campus and give them additional informational resources. In addition to the University College Center for Freshman Year, which focuses more on academic counseling and academics, FYE is a source for students who have other questions.One initiative that is under way is “Ask FYE,” an e-mail campaign that allows students to e-mail questions to a coordinator at any time.”The anonymous format allows students to ask questions they might not want to ask their friends,” Ray said. Staff can answer questions, and give more information about other resources on campus, such as informing a student who has a paper due about the writing lab. An initiative is to become more visible and accessible. These initiatives make it easy for students to reach the coordinators, Ray said.For the next five weeks, coordinators from FYE and UCFY will be at the 459 Commons on Tuesdays and the University Student Recreation Complex on Wednesdays from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. to answer any questions. This initiative, “Advice 2 Geaux,” will later include staff members from Student Life.”University College will be there with us,” said Maggi Spurlock, program coordinator for FYE. “We will be happy to answer any questions students have.”FYE has an estimated operating budget of $250,000 to $300,000, which includes salaries and program costs. There are two coordinators, one assistant director starting in December and graduate assistants working for the department.The Division of Student Life and Academic Services was changed to the Division of Student Life to narrow the focus on first year students and to increase retention rates. According to the Office of Budget and Planning, the retention rate for students returning for the fall of their second year in 2007 was 85.4 percent, up from a year before when the rate was 84.7 percent.—-Contact Erica Warren at [email protected]