Through participation on a committee, students are asked their opinions on aspects of academic, social, and community issues. Students are encouraged to help develop or improve a course or a program in the college. The Role of Research Faculty members are engaged in research or creative endeavors that often involve student participation. Students conduct research for honors thesis or non-honors project work, and the college often funds a portion of that research. The college has conducted periodic surveys to analyze the effectiveness of its programs.
Students evaluate faculty and courses each semester in every class.
Faculty and staff are evaluated annually for merit salary increases. In-depth reviews of faculty, and the whole college are conducted periodically. The college supports an annual camping retreat, several dances, Benzinger Library talks, Welcome Week activities including an interest fair and ice cream social, chili supper and course mart, a mentorship program, plays, poetry readings, concerts, yearbook, career workshops, and a writers' magazine. Interdisciplinary Studies Interdisciplinary studies is a hallmark of the Residential College. There is a major emphasis placed on interdisciplinary approaches in most of the courses as well as in the majors.