What does the UO do to help freshmen succeed?
We do a lot. Student adjustment and retention are important to us! One way we help is through our first-year programs. An example is our Freshman Interest Groups (FIGs), which are designed to help students make an easier adjustment from high school to college. Students in groups of 25, linked by common interests, attend two general education classes together during the fall. These are regular university courses that satisfy graduation requirements and are also open to non-FIG participants at all class levels. The FIG group within these larger classes is linked together through College Connections, a one-credit course typically taught by one of the faculty teaching the two larger classes. Assisting in the course are advanced undergraduates who have demonstrated success in the courses in the FIG. These student mentors serve as teaching assistants to the faculty and arrange out-of-class activities that help new students become better acquainted with each other, the faculty, and campus res
