1. What is a Learning Community?
A Learning Community at Dickinson College is comprised of students who live in a particular residence hall, are enrolled in one of a set of thematically linked First Year Seminars, and engage in out-of-class activities together. For Fall 2013 there will be three learning communities for First-Year students:
Living with Scientific and Technological Advances
Includes the following linked seminars:
- Nano-Dreams and Nano-Nightmares: Hype and Hope for Nanotechnology, Prof. Sarah St. Angelo, Chemisty
- Technology and Social Interaction, Prof. Erik Love, Sociology
Music, in the Mind and as Social Experience
Includes the following linked seminars:
- Music and The Mind, Prof. Lynn Helding, Music
- Music, Mediated: How Recording Technology Transformed Music, Prof. Robert Pound, Music
Science, Religion and the Search for Meaning
Includes the following linked seminars:
- Are We Alone in the Universe, Prof. Catrina Hamilton-Drager, Physics & Astronomy
- Making Meaning in our Lives: The Psychology of Religion, Prof. Megan Yost, Psychology
2. What does a Learning Community Coordinator (LCC) do? An LCC is an upper-class student who works with faculty and the Assistant Provost for First-Year Programs to help create and sustain a successful learning community. In the Fall semester, LCCs work closely to support faculty efforts to guide and shape the learning communities through their work within and across particular First-Year seminars. LCCs play an administrative and logistical support role, and they will likely be called upon to assist in facilitating student programs. They also have the ability to support residence-hall-based programs to explore the themes of the learning community. By the Spring semester, the LCCs will be working with learning community students so that students take responsibility to shape their own activities and programs to enhance their living/learning environment.
3. Are there qualifications for being an LCC?
Candidates must be at sophomore standing or higher at the start of employment. They must successfully complete the LCC selection process (described below). Candidates must possess and maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade point average. Violations of college policy will affect candidacy.
4. What does the selection process entail?
The selection process entails an application form to be filled out by the candidate, as well as two references. Final candidates will be invited for an interview.
5. What is the compensation for being an LCC?
LCCs receive a $500 stipend for the Fall semester upon satisfactory completion of their responsibilities.
6. Are there other benefits from being an LCC?
LCCs have the opportunity to develop close working relationships with faculty and administrators, and are in a position to shape the living/learning experiences of a significant number of First-Year students. This is a position of responsibility, from which you, as an LCC, will learn a lot about yourself, about your peers, about interesting ideas and successful program development.
7. If I am selected as an LCC, where will I live? How will this affect my housing assignment?
If you are selected as an LCC, you will be expected to live in the appropriate residence hall assigned to that learning community. You will be assigned a room within that residence hall, which will likely be a double, but in some cases may be a single or a suite depending on the residence hall configuration. You will need to let any potential room mates know that you have applied to be an LCC, and this might affect your housing assignment.
8. Who does an LCC report to? LCCs are coordinated by Associate Provost Shalom Staub, and meet with him on a regular basis throughout the year. In the Fall semester, LCCs are expected to stay in close communication with their learning community's faculty in order to provide a support role at their direction.
9. Are there additional obligations? In the fall, LCCs will be asked to return to campus in the week prior to the start of classes in order to meet with fellow LCCs, RAs, faculty and administrative staff. In the spring semester, LCCs may be asked to return approximately 1-2 days prior to the start of classes for spring semester planning activities.
10. What if I have a question that was not answered on this page?
Please do not hesitate to contact AP Shalom Staub if you have any other questions about learning communities or the process of becoming an LCC. You may e-mail him at staubs@dickinson.edu, call him at ext. 1080, or stop in at his office on the 2nd floor of Old West, Room 16.