Bear Cub Connection Program

• Access to a Cub Coach, who is an experienced, returning KU student working within the Office of Residence Life, Housing, and Dining. Cub Coaches are assigned a cohort of first-year students to connect with individually and provide social and academic support to help new students feel part of the KU Community.
• Invitation to Bear Tracks, a program series covering topics that will help first-year students be successful. Bear Tracks connects students with a conglomeration of campus offices who will facilitate these programs on the residential side of campus (South campus).
• MORE Social Opportunities! Social programs for the entire first-year class, as well as the individual cohorts, will be offered, including cohort dinners and shared participation in campus traditions.
• Dedicated Tutoring Times: Study Halls featuring tutoring for students in the Bear Cub Connection program will be offered Sunday through Thursday for 2 hours. The sessions will be held in the residence halls and proctored by at least one Cub Coach. 
• Closer access to faculty through the Faculty Series, a series of exclusive opportunities for students and faculty to interact outside of classroom hours through social programming, meals, discussions, and receptions.
• Through a Service-Learning experience, Cub Cohorts have the opportunity to come together to give back to the campus and surrounding communities.

Participation in all the above Program Highlights are incentivized by milestone giveaways, Flex Dollars, and more!

If first-year students complete the following, they will be entered into a drawing for a FREE Diamond meal plan for the following semester:

• One tutoring/study hall session per week
• One social program that is planned for the first-year students per semester
• One Bear Tracks Program per month
• One cohort interaction per semester (i.e. attending a cohort social)
• One cohort dinner per semester
• One Residence Life-planned faculty initiative per semester
• One CA-planned program per semester
• One approved Campus Tradition per semester
• One Hall Council meeting per semester
• One faculty office hour per semester
• One meeting with your Cub Coach per semester (i.e. attending your Cub Coach's virtual office hours)

Looking for a tutor in a convenient location? Looking for a quiet, supportive study space? We offer study halls/tutoring conveniently embedded in four residence halls across campus! Residents from any building may take advantage of the following weekly study halls:

• OPEN STUDY SPACE: Mondays (7-8pm) Deatrick 3rd Floor Conference Room
• Zoology: Tuesdays (6-7pm) Bonner Hall Conference Room | Tutor's Name: Jacob
• Math 105: Wednesdays (7-8pm) | Rothermel Conference Room | Tutor's Name: Joshua 
• Chemistry: Thursdays (6-7pm) | Schuylkill Conference Room | Tutor's Name: Lucas

What residents can expect:

• Our residential first-year experience mentors, the Cub Coaches, will be assigned to the front doors of these buildings to help students sign into the hall and escort them to the study hall/tutoring space.
• Dedicated tutors will be available in the space to help students with the course listed above during the weekly study hall time.
• A Cub Coach will also be assigned to every study hall to assist the tutor, ensure that the space is reasonably quiet, and provide non-course-related support to residents as needed (i.e. advice regarding campus involvement, study tips, using professors' office hours, class registration, adjustment to college, etc.)
• Their attendance will be logged to count toward Bear Cub Connection Program incentives, such as the meal plan drawing for the following semester (see above "Program Completion Incentives for First-Year Students").

We're bringing the campus resources right into the residence halls! Every month, we will host approximately 7-10 educational programs called "Bear Tracks" in residence halls across campus. First-year residents should select at least one of these Bear Tracks sessions each month to learn about campus resources and how to be safe and successful in college.

FEBRUARY Bear Tracks Options:

•  Tuesday, 2/4/25 (6-7pm), Deatrick Hall 1st Floor Conference Room
  • "Byte-Sized Living": Residents will learn how to navigate all the housing/campus-related technology, including MyKUHousing, the Work Order system for any room issues, the Clean Cash app for laundry, ResNet support, Outlook, campus printing, KU Ticket Purchasing, and our social media platforms.
• Wednesday, 2/5/25 (6-7pm), Schuylkill Hall Recreation Room
  • "Navigating Your Next Move: 2025-2026 Housing Guide": This session is designed to review the room selection process for returning students from start to finish. Come learn how to select your roommmates, participate in room selection, and all the pro tips for a smooth assignment experience. 
• Thursday, 2/6/25 (7-8pm), South Dining Hall, Second Floor, Viewpoints Room
  • "Perspectives Panel: Black Excellence on Campus": As part of a monthly series highlighting different perspectives from various identities, a panel of faculty, staff, and students will discuss their Black identities.
• Wednesday, 2/12/25 (6-7pm), Deatrick Hall 1st Floor Conference Room
  • "Academic Adventures": Guests from Student Success will be presenting this session featuring tips about how to thrive academically. 
• Wednesday, 2/19/25 (4-5pm), Berks Hall Recreation Room
  • "Financial Aid Fast Facts": In this collaboration with the Financial Aid Office, we've asked them to answer your most common questions about FAFSA, aid, and more! 
• Thursday, 2/27/25 (6-7pm), Bonner Hall 1st Floor Lounge
  • "Beating the Blues": Counseling Center representatives will destigmatize common mental health concerns college students often face and impart guidance for emotional wellness.

MARCH Bear Tracks Options:

• Tuesday, 3/4/25 (6-7:30pm), Rothermel Hall Recreation Room
  • "Green Dot Training": Green Dot Trainers McKenzie Hollenbach and Amanda Slichter will provide Green Dot certification training to all attendees. This training empowers attendees to interrupt and prevent instances of interpersonal violence on campus such as sexual assault, intimate partner violence, and stalking.
• Tuesday, 3/25/25 (7-8pm), Schuylkill Hall Recreation Room
  • "Sensory Items": In this collaboration with the Disabilities Services Office (DSO), they will review the purpose of sensory items and provide giveaways. 
• Thursday, 3/27/25 (4-5pm), South Dining Hall, Second Floor, Viewpoints Room
  • "Perspectives Panel: Women with Disabilities": As part of a monthly series highlighting different perspectives from various identities, a panel of faculty, staff, and students who are women will discuss their disabilities, both visible and invisible.

APRIL Bear Tracks Options:

• Wednesday, 4/2/25 (6-7pm), Berks Hall Recreation Room
  • "Finding Your Fit: A Guide to On-Campus Jobs": Two Cub Coaches will co-present a session all about finding a job on campus. 
• Wednesday, 4/9/25 (6-7pm), Rothermel Conference Room
  • "Ready, Set, Relax: Preparing for Break & Summer Housing": Megan Hughes, the First Year Experience Graduate Assist, will lead a session designed to help attendees plan their transition to summer break.

What residents can expect:

• Our residential first-year experience mentors, the Cub Coaches, will be assigned to the front doors of these buildings to help students sign into the hall and escort them to the Bear Tracks program.
• Their monthly attendance will be logged to count toward Bear Cub Connection Program incentives, such as the meal plan drawing for the following semester (see above "Program Completion Incentives for First-Year Students").