The number of sections of the course-which teaches freshmen about life at the university, study skills, time management and the resources that are available at UB-will increase from 10 to 50.

The numbers of students involved will go from approximately 150 to approximately 750.

The increase in sections will go hand-in-hand with an effort to "block register" students enrolled in UB 101 so that the same students also will share three typical freshman classes, depending on their intended course of study.

Expanding the number of sections of UB 101 is "one of the most important things we can do for our new students," said Barbara Ricotta, interim dean of students.

The one-credit course, she explained, is concerned with more than effective study habits, note taking and how to prepare for exams. Its other goal is to help new students forge a connection that will allow them to make a successful transition into college and increase the likelihood that they will continue at UB through graduation.

UB 101 "helps students make an important connection with a faculty or staff member, which seems to be what our students tell us they are missing," said Ricotta.

An integral part of that connection will be those who will teach the course. A letter recently was sent to faculty and staff members, and teaching assistants, inviting those interested in helping students to better manage the often-bumpy transition into college to volunteer to teach the course.

According to Peter Gold, associate dean of the Undergraduate College, there has been a good response to date, but additional volunteers are needed.

Ricotta noted that she has taught three sections of UB 101, and it is "a wonderful experience. It really puts you in touch with issues and concerns our new students have. Every individual coming to class has unique concerns, but you can see a lot of similarities, how overwhelmed they can be, how little things can become very big in their world because they don't know how things can be accomplished."

"Anyone who thinks they can help build a good UB community that involves students is a good candidate for this," said Gold.

"It's a pleasure to teach and easy to do."

Course sections will be limited to 15 students and will meet once a week at a time and location convenient to the volunteer teacher. Classroom support will be available, including faculty-development seminars, a syllabus, a text and a student assistant.

"We're looking for people to teach courses that aim to give students a small-community feeling in the classroom," said Heather Holmes, director of new student programming in the Office of Student Life.

Holmes, who taught two sections of UB 101 last year, called the experience "very rewarding."

The time commitment required of those teaching the course is reasonable, she noted.

"I found I spent probably two hours a week preparing for class. Not coming from a teaching background, I wanted to be really prepared. A lot of the class involves teaching skills development, like time management. Some of the class preparation is about logistics. We would meet and go to the Living Well Center or Career Planning as a class," Holmes said.

Those campus "field trips" are an important part of the course, said Gold.

"We want students to have broad experience at UB, going to concerts, games and lectures as part of the course," he said.

"Students need to be comfortable participating at UB."

UB 101 classes also are being set up to help new students become more comfortable with each other.

"When I look at where our freshmen spend their first academic year, I have the sense that we really don't have a 'freshman year' for those students," said Gold. "Most classes have upper-class students in them, so most first-year students don't have a 'freshman experience,' and this will help them tremendously. It will help them find other freshmen and interact with them."

Students registered for UB 101 will be "block registered" in small groups and enrolled in three typical freshman classes, depending on their intended course of study.

"We're using those 15 students as a base and putting them together in three courses, the courses they ordinarily would take," said Gold.

"It's taken the combined efforts of the registrar, the scheduler and others, all pitching in to make this work. It's a genuine, large-scale effort that couldn't be done by any one office.