Residential Success Initiatives
The Office of Housing and Residence Life at Valdosta State University is committed to the success of students who live in the residential community; therefore we offer a variety of residential success initiatives for students to meet other residents, build relationships with faculty members, and most importantly learn where they live!
Fall 2009 - Spring 2010 Residential Success Initiatives Include:
- NEW! Special Interest Communities
- Living-Learning Communities
- Out to Lunch Program
- Faculty Partner Program
- Teaching in the Residence Halls
Special Interest Communities: A special interest community is a unique way to get involved in with the campus community while building relationships with new friends who share a similar interest. Each special interest community participant lives on a specific themed floor with resident assistants who will provide and work with residents develop social programs, fun activities, and initiate campus and community projects that make a difference related to their specific interest! New this year, we will offer two freshman special interest communities and three upper class special interest communities.To learn more about special interest communities at VSU, click here!
Living-Learning Communities: A living-learning community is an exceptional opportunity for students to live and learn together in a residential community. Valdosta State University offers five living-learning communities to our residents. Students who select to live in one of the 5 living-learning communities on their housing application, must apply to the individual program and meet the program criteria outlined by each program’s coordinator. Once students are selected to be members of one of the learning communities they will live together in a designated block of rooms in the residence hall, take one or more courses together, and participate in fun activities specifically designed for their community. To learn more about the living-learning communities at VSU, click here!
Out to Lunch Program: The Office of Housing and Residence Life, along with Campus Dining Services proudly announce
a unique opportunity for on-campus residents.Through a new program initiative where students can invite a professor, or other faculty member to lunch at no cost to that faculty member. (The student will need to use his/her own meal plan to cover their own meal). The mission is to stimulate learning and interaction outside of the classroom setting. Over lunch, students and faculty can get to know each other better and discuss various topics such as: a class assignment, joining a study group, learning how the professor’s academic career has developed, or finding common interests (hobbies, passions, etc.). Students who wish to find out more information, please visit the Housing Office located in Powell Hall, or you may call (229)333-5920, and ask to speak with Gala Jackson.
Faculty Partner Program: Becoming a faculty partner involves a partnership between members of the faculty and the
Office of Housing & Residence Life. As a faculty member, you have the unique opportunity to submit a personal enrichment course proposal which will allow you to share your personal interest with students who live in a residential community.
Course proposals should be sent to the Living-Learning & Assessment Coordinator who will match your personal enrichment course with a resident assistant interested in offering your course to students on their floor. Together, you and the resident assistant will set a date, time, and location for the residents to participate in your course. A minimal budget is available to cover the cost of program materials for the course.
Program Requirements:
- Provide a non-credit hour personal enrichment course available to students who live in the residential community.
- Provide at least two programs during the academic year.
(one program in the Fall semester and one program in the Spring semester)
- Personal enrichment courses can be any subject matter or interest with a demonstrated educational objective.
Some program ideas may include, but are not limited to: mastering the game of Sudoku, scrapbooking, writing poetry, how to make fashion jewelry, etc.
- Courses may vary from one to three sessions. Each session should last no longer than 1.5 hours.
- Course proposal forms are available electronically by contacting Housing and Residence Life
To become a faculty partner or discuss details of the program further, please contact Housing and Residence Life at 333-5920.
Teaching in the Residence Halls: The Office of Housing & Residence Life strongly encourages residential education and offers faculty members classroom space to teach or hold study sessions with students in five residence halls. Residence halls with available classroom space includes:
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Brown Hall
A traditional residence hall housing freshman students offers a dry erase board and 20 available seats.
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Centennial Hall
An apartment style residence hall housing upper sophomore, junior, and senior students offers a dry erase board, PowerPoint capabilities, and 30 available seats.
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Hopper Hall
VSU’s newly renovated residence hall housing sophomore, junior, and senior students offers a SMART classroom with 40 available seats.
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Lowndes Hall
A traditional residence hall housing freshman students offers a dry erase board, PowerPoint capabilities, and 12 available seats.
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Patterson Hall
A traditional residence hall housing freshman students offers a SMART classroom with 33 available seats.
Card access to enter the residence halls will be provided to you and students who have registered for the course. Card access will only be available for the dates and time slots your class is scheduled to meet. Priority is given to faculty members who teach core curriculum in areas A-E as outlined in the Undergraduate Catalog.
To request the use of classroom space or to schedule a tour of the classroom space in one of the residence halls, please contact Housing and Residence Life at 333-5920.
GHO Participants that attended the session Developing Residential Success Initiatives can review the presentation here:
Developing Residential Success Initiatives