"We are concerned about the number of freshmen who end up on academic probation," says Andrew Grosovsky, associate vice provost for undergraduate education at UC Riverside. "That is a challenging path."

UC Riverside provides a safety mechanism for many freshmen, support that goes beyond professors' office hours and traditional tutoring. Explains Grosovsky, "We identified introductory courses that we know students struggle in, courses that have a high number of unsatisfactory outcomes, and we began to work with the instructors of those courses, asking what kind of programs would offer extra academic support so students don't fall off the cliff."

Four departments — Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Philosophy — now offer specialized tutoring in introductory courses. Department faculty determine the criteria for tutors, who are either graduate student TAs or upper-division undergraduates, but the goal is the same across departments: to begin identifying and offering help to struggling students by the third week of the quarter.

While campus learning centers provide a valuable service, tutors in centralized programs often aren't familiar with the pacing of a class or how an instructor frames the material. In the new Riverside program, tutors work directly with instructors and attend discussion sections; this intimate knowledge of the class allows them to be more responsive. They also become known to students, who, Grosovsky hopes, will come to see the tutors as peers.

There is potential for expanding the program, and at least one other department is expected to add the tutoring component to its introductory courses. "What we learn now will shape the program in the future," Grosovsky says.

Live and Learn
One measure of academic engagement is the amount of time students spend interacting informally with faculty and staff outside of class. In UCLA's faculty-in-residence (FIR) program, professors live among students in campus housing. Other campuses, including Berkeley, Riverside and Santa Barbara, have started similar programs, though UCLA's is the largest.

Seventeen UCLA faculty members and their families live in one- and two-bedroom apartments across campus. They share meals with students in the dining commons and participate in planned programs. On a recent night, for instance, about 30 students gathered with several faculty members for a screening of Crash and an informal discussion about race. Others get together for book groups or panel discussions on political issues. Some on-campus faculty offer academic assistance, including workshops on writing research papers and preparing for essay exams, but not all activity is scholastic. Spontaneous student-faculty hikes are common, and several professors host impromptu open houses or invite students to share in their outside passions, from cooking to photography. Others run "cookie patrol," dispensing treats to students during finals week.

Suzanne Seplow, director of the Office of Residential Life, which oversees FIR, is a firm believer in the program; she has lived in DeNeve Commons for two and a half years. In addition to her director's duties, Seplow teaches a Fiat Lux seminar and Honors Colloquium courses. "Being part of the residential community is critical, whether I'm in the classroom or wearing my director's hat," she says. "It enables me to connect to issues students deal with on a day-to-day basis."

The reach of the program goes beyond the residence halls. "The comment we hear most frequently from faculty is, 'This program has made me a better teacher,'" Seplow says. That benefits the entire campus community.

A Level Playing Field
Athletes at Berkeley experience pressures beyond the usual student stress, juggling the demands of the classroom with those of the team.

Coaches recruit student-athletes who show academic potential, a desire to learn and a willingness to use support services available through the Athletic Study Center (ASC). These include advising, tutoring, career planning and professional training services, as well as a spacious arboretum for quiet study and a computer lab. ASC director Derek Van Rheenen, a former Cal and professional soccer player, has also developed a database to track the academic progress, performance and career interests of Berkeley's student-athletes.

New this year is Faculty Athletic Fellows, in which faculty act as career mentors and advisers to each of Berkeley's 27 teams. The program is designed to "build intellectual, academic and career-oriented mentorships," says Van Rheenen, who also teaches in the Graduate School of Education. "We're trying to honor the institutional commitment to these young men and women and help them realize their academic, as well as their athletic, potential."

Faculty members may cheer at games and meet with athletes interested in majoring in their fields. Some have experience the student-athletes can relate to. Mark Brilliant, an assistant professor of history and American studies, signed on to mentor the men's swim team. Brilliant, once an intercollegiate swimmer himself, invites team members to e-mail him and visit him during office hours. "Just having someone on the faculty to whom they can talk about juggling life as a Division I athlete at a world-class academic institution is invaluable," he says.

For Jill Malko, head coach of the womenís lacrosse team, the best part of the program is that it breaks down the stereotype of Berkeley as an impersonal institution. "Even if a kid never interacts [with the Faculty Athletic Fellows], they get a sense that faculty here are people."

The Counselor Connection
Ultimately, each student must make an individual commitment to staying in school — but counselors can help prepare students for the transition, alerting them to possible difficulties and encouraging them to seek out the resources they need. Urge students to visit the campus, and to talk to students and professors. Prepare them for the added responsibility that comes with unstructured time and more in-depth assignments. Encourage them to seek tutoring early on if needed, and to make connections with faculty even if doing so at first seems intimidating. Such actions can make a big campus feel manageable, increasing students' sense of community and commitment to their own education.