Departments

Academic and service departments are critical to a nontraditional student's time to degree completion and minimization of debt.  An efficient, well designed degree completion program and support services, at any student's point of entry to Rutgers, can help them plan their attendance throughout a full year to ensure they register for courses sequentially. 

The core of an educational institution is to provide education to faculty, staff and students. Providing assistance, support, service and advice to faculty, staff and students is paramount to a cohesive Rutgers experience.  Without faculty, we lack individual experts to impart their knowledge to generations of individuals.  Without students, faculty lack the means to continue their legacy in sharing expert knowledge.  Without support staff, multiple parties veer away from purpose.  Without higher education, we lose the framework by which to positively impact the world. 

University administration should understand and provide appropriate accommodations, and facilitate the ongoing dialog about obstacles to a fully inclusive learning environment, and support innovative approaches to overcoming them.  "Students are more likely to be engaged when they understand that a course's content prepares them for the next courses in their sequence of study, and is relevant to their lives outside of the classroom^7,13,17,23." 

 

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER FOR SERVING ADULT STUDENTS

Are there sufficient numbers of evening, weekend, hydrid and online courses and seats offered to meet the needs of adults for majors, or other support programs for which the unit provides service, and general education? Is there an environment that fosters collaboration, learning, and community morale for adults? Are there opportunities and established study abroad, honors and independent study projects for adults? Is there an alternative policy, course or delivery format to a capstone course or other senior experience designated to guarantee degree completion for adults? Is there and what is the nature of the contact with faculty, especially mentoring, other than in the classroom and during formal daytime office and advising hours? What kind of in-and out-of-class contact with adult students is there, particularly those from diverse racial, economic, and cultural backgrounds? Are faculty and staff aware of undergraduate and referral programs for adult students?