Freshman Programs
Among the most successful and enduring University-wide projects are the Freshman Programs, which grew out of a 1985 statewide initiative on first-year retention. Most CUNY colleges have developed impressive first-year programs, ranging from "block-programming" of first-semester courses to faculty-driven attempts to reconfigure curriculum and pedagogy. In the most effective programs, the administrative and academic components of undergraduate education are brought into play, as colleges grapple with how to engage students in the crucial first year. The most successful bring distinguished full-time faculty to the teaching of first-year students, respect the various and rich cultures and languages that CUNY students bring to the classroom, and create opportunities for students to learn from each other
Transfer Programs
Thousands of students transfer into and between CUNY colleges each semester. At the campuses, transfer programs are designed to facilitate seamless transitions for students at critical academic junctures. Transfer programs provide a network of communication between CUNY colleges and beyond, asking colleges to examine the ways their local courses speak to similar courses at other Colleges.
