About Us
About CHASS F1RST
CHASS F1RST First-Year Experience Programs support students in the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences during their first year at UCR. We support both frosh students and new transfer students. Our priority is success. We provide students with the tools, opportunities, and experiences to be successful at UCR and beyond. We help students earn higher grades, feel a sense of belonging, and stay in school.
We help through:
- Award-winning learning communities in which students take courses with other students in their major
- Programs that connect students with faculty and staff
- Personalized advisement
- Workshops
- Peer support
- Courses that help students to fulfill college breadth requirements
- All-around support for first-year students and new transfer students
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Our Vision
CHASS F1RST, First-Year Experience Programs, prepares students for a successful transition into a large research university environment that promotes academic and student success.
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Our Mission
CHASS F1RST provides first-year frosh and transfer students with the tools, experiences, and opportunities to be successful at UCR and beyond. The program encourages student academic achievement, social integration, and cultivates self-development along with a strong supportive network of peers, staff, and faculty.
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Our Goals
CHASS F1RST will accomplish our mission through the following goals:
Achieve Academic Excellence
Develop academic pathways and strategies to increase student success through transitioning successfully to a university setting.
Foster a Sense of Community Engagement
Become familiar with the campus culture, navigating resources, and foster positive relationships by engaging with faculty, staff and other students in a diverse college environment and beyond.
Preparation for Life Possibilities
Prepare to become self-sufficient by establishing personal goals, making productive choices, and exploring different majors, careers and life options.
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Our Programs
Frosh Program
Our Frosh Program is designed for students transitioning from a high school setting to a research university. We offer two types of programs, CHASS Connect and a Learning Community Workshop Series. The CHASS Connect Learning Community is a year-long themed program which engenders an interdisciplinary educational experience by exposing you to faculty from different disciplines in the college. The Learning Community Workshop Series aims to connect students to resources for developing skills, expanding possibilities, fulfilling individual goals, and personal growth. A major component of the frosh program involves a 2-unit College Success Workshop “CHFY 007,” where students are taught strategies to succeed academically, personally, and professionally.
CHASS Transfers F1RST Program
Our Transfers F1RST Program is a student-led program that offers workshops, resources, and mentoring to transfer students entering CHASS. Transfers F1RST quarterly workshops are structured to help transfer students avoid transfer shock, learn about UCR resources, and build meaningful relationships. Incoming CHASS transfer students who opt to participate in our quarter-long mentorship program are paired with transfer mentors who are leaders within the mentorship program. In addition to helping incoming transfer students transition to our large research university, the Transfer Mentorship Program offers leadership opportunities to transfer students as Transfer Mentors and Ambassadors.
Department Courses
- HASS 001 in the Fall- We offer transfer students the opportunity to enroll in a 2-unit course HASS 001 (Step-by-Step to College Success for First Year Students) to develop and strengthen their critical thinking, studying, writing, and communication skills.
- HASS 001 in the Winter- We offer our first-year students who are having difficulties adjusting to college life their first quarter at UCR a 2-unit course HASS 001 (Step-by-Step to College Success for First Year Students) to help them explore a wide range of academic disciplines and campus support services.
- CHFY 020 Theory and Practice of Peer Instruction Course- Provides an intensive examination of study development theory, retention models, and pedagogy related to peer-to-peer instruction.
- CHFY 198I CHASS F1RST Individual Internship Course- Provides on-campus opportunities in the CHASS F1RST office to acquire skills and experience for future endeavors.
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CHASS F1RST & UCR 2030 Strategic Goals
CHASS F1RST aligns itself in the following ways to support the UCR 2030 Strategic Goals:
- Increases NET revenue by providing a variety of courses. CHASS Frosh Students take a 2-unit Learning Community Workshop (CHFY 007) in Fall, Winter, & Spring. CHASS Transfer Students take a 2-unit Transfer Learning Community Course (HASS 001) their first quarter at UCR. CHASS F1RST Student Leaders take a 4-unit Theory & Practice of Peer Instruction Course (CHFY 020) in Spring.
- Improves undergrad student success and experience with the expansion of the CHASS Transfers F1RST program for all incoming transfer students through the Transfer Learning Community (TLC).
- Improves undergrad student success and experience through the creation of the Transfer Year Experience (TYE).
- Improves undergrad student success and experience by offering student employment opportunities to accommodate the expansion of the CHASS Transfers F1RST programs.
Meet Our Staff
Contact Us
Contact us at (951) 827-2742 or chass1st@ucr.edu or transfers1st@ucr.edu. You may also stop by and visit our office in HMNSS 1614
Current Office Hours for Fall 2024:
- Monday: 8:30 am-5:00 pm (Stella In-Office & Dr. Rogers & Dr. Stewart Remote)
- Tuesday: 8:30 am-5:00 pm (Dr. Stewart & Stella In-Office & Dr. Rogers Remote)
- Wednesday: 8:30 am-5:00 pm (Dr. Rogers, Dr. Stewart & Stella In-Office)
- Thursday: 8:30 am-5:00 pm (Dr. Rogers & Dr. Stewart In-Office & Stella Remote)
- Friday: Office Closed/Staff Working Remote