Success Series for Presenters
Shape the first-year experience by connecting new Buckeyes to the support they need.
Your role in the Success Series
First Year Success Series (FYSS) presenters play an important role in helping new students navigate their transition to Ohio State. Through your sessions, students are introduced to the people, resources and strategies that can support their academic success, wellbeing and sense of belonging.
What makes FYSS unique is its focus on the first-year experience. Many new students arrive with strong academic and extracurricular backgrounds but are less familiar with how to proactively seek out support at a large university. FYSS sessions help bridge that gap not only introducing resources but by helping students understand when, why and how to use them during their first year.
As a presenter, your role goes beyond sharing general information about your office or program. Effective FYSS sessions:
Connect your resource directly to the first-year student experience
Help students understand why your resource matters now, not just later
Normalize help-seeking and engagement with support services
Provide clear, practical guidance on how students can take action
When presenters approach their sessions in this way, students leave not just with awareness but with a clearer sense of how to navigate Ohio State with confidence.
Presenter expectations
FYSS presenters should adhere to the following expectations, designed to provide a consistent and meaningful experience for first-year students and to support them in accessing sessions reliably, understanding how to engage with campus resources and applying what they learn to their first-year experience.
Presenters may offer sessions in one of three formats: in-person, Zoom or asynchronous through Carmen. Regardless of modality, sessions must be set up in a way that allows students to access them easily and without unnecessary barriers. Consistent, reliable access across sessions helps students engage confidently with the First Year Success Series and reduces confusion when navigating different formats.
Presenters have flexibility in how often they offer their sessions and may choose to schedule a single offering or multiple offerings across the term. To submit a session for review, you must first create at least one session instance. The FYSS team cannot view, review or approve a session until an instance has been added, so be sure to include at least one date and time when setting up your session.
All sessions must be scheduled within the established FYSS term window for the semester (e.g., August 25-December 4). Sessions must not be offered on weekends or on days when the university is closed or classes are not in session. Scheduling within these parameters ensures a consistent and accessible experience for students and aligns the First Year Success Series with the academic calendar.
All sessions must be between 45 and 75 minutes in length. For asynchronous Carmen offerings, session materials should be designed so students can reasonably complete them within this same time frame. Consistent duration across sessions helps students plan their participation and engage fully with the material.
Presenters are responsible for setting session capacity in a way that aligns with the intended student experience. Capacity decisions should support a meaningful and effective session, taking into consideration how students will engage with the content and with one another. Thoughtful capacity planning helps ensure that sessions remain impactful and accessible for students.
For in-person sessions, presenters are responsible for securing and reserving an appropriate campus location prior to submitting their session. Including a room in the session submission indicates that the space has already been confirmed.
For virtual and asynchronous sessions, presenters are responsible for creating and managing their Zoom meeting or Carmen course and providing the appropriate access information during the submission process. Ensure that course names and access details match exactly how they will appear to students (for example, the Carmen course name). To reduce confusion, avoid requiring additional Zoom registration when possible, as students have already registered through the FYSS system.
Clear and accurate location or access details ensure that students can participate without disruption.
FYSS sessions are designed to support students in navigating their first year at Ohio State. As such, sessions should clearly connect content to the first-year student experience and provide actionable next steps students can take to engage with campus resources.
Effective sessions prioritize relevance and application by helping students understand not only what a resource offers, but how and when to use it. Engagement and interaction should support this goal, creating opportunities for students to actively connect with the material.
FYSS sessions are expected to support the following learning outcomes:
Students can name at least one campus resource or strategy relevant to the transition to Ohio State.
Students can identify how to utilize a resource or strategy relevant to the transition to Ohio State.
Students report increased comfort in utilizing resources or strategies relevant to the transition to Ohio State.
Presenters are expected to begin and end sessions on time, track student attendance to ensure participants receive appropriate credit and remind students to complete their FYSS reflection within seven days of attending.
Following each session instance, presenters are responsible for submitting attendance through the FYSS application within the designated time frame. Timely and accurate attendance submission ensures that students receive credit for their participation and supports overall program tracking.
Presenters are encouraged to review their session report after the reflection period has closed. These reports provide insights on attendance and student feedback. Presenters can also use them to refine future sessions, especially when offering multiple instances of the same session.
Presenters may offer sessions in one of three formats: in-person, Zoom or asynchronous through Carmen. Regardless of modality, sessions must be set up in a way that allows students to access them easily and without unnecessary barriers. Consistent, reliable access across sessions helps students engage confidently with the First Year Success Series and reduces confusion when navigating different formats.
Presenters have flexibility in how often they offer their sessions and may choose to schedule a single offering or multiple offerings across the term. To submit a session for review, you must first create at least one session instance. The FYSS team cannot view, review or approve a session until an instance has been added, so be sure to include at least one date and time when setting up your session.
All sessions must be scheduled within the established FYSS term window for the semester (e.g., August 25-December 4). Sessions must not be offered on weekends or on days when the university is closed or classes are not in session. Scheduling within these parameters ensures a consistent and accessible experience for students and aligns the First Year Success Series with the academic calendar.
All sessions must be between 45 and 75 minutes in length. For asynchronous Carmen offerings, session materials should be designed so students can reasonably complete them within this same time frame. Consistent duration across sessions helps students plan their participation and engage fully with the material.
Presenters are responsible for setting session capacity in a way that aligns with the intended student experience. Capacity decisions should support a meaningful and effective session, taking into consideration how students will engage with the content and with one another. Thoughtful capacity planning helps ensure that sessions remain impactful and accessible for students.
For in-person sessions, presenters are responsible for securing and reserving an appropriate campus location prior to submitting their session. Including a room in the session submission indicates that the space has already been confirmed.
For virtual and asynchronous sessions, presenters are responsible for creating and managing their Zoom meeting or Carmen course and providing the appropriate access information during the submission process. Ensure that course names and access details match exactly how they will appear to students (for example, the Carmen course name). To reduce confusion, avoid requiring additional Zoom registration when possible, as students have already registered through the FYSS system.
Clear and accurate location or access details ensure that students can participate without disruption.
FYSS sessions are designed to support students in navigating their first year at Ohio State. As such, sessions should clearly connect content to the first-year student experience and provide actionable next steps students can take to engage with campus resources.
Effective sessions prioritize relevance and application by helping students understand not only what a resource offers, but how and when to use it. Engagement and interaction should support this goal, creating opportunities for students to actively connect with the material.
FYSS sessions are expected to support the following learning outcomes:
Students can name at least one campus resource or strategy relevant to the transition to Ohio State.
Students can identify how to utilize a resource or strategy relevant to the transition to Ohio State.
Students report increased comfort in utilizing resources or strategies relevant to the transition to Ohio State.
Presenters are expected to begin and end sessions on time, track student attendance to ensure participants receive appropriate credit and remind students to complete their FYSS reflection within seven days of attending.
Following each session instance, presenters are responsible for submitting attendance through the FYSS application within the designated time frame. Timely and accurate attendance submission ensures that students receive credit for their participation and supports overall program tracking.
Presenters are encouraged to review their session report after the reflection period has closed. These reports provide insights on attendance and student feedback. Presenters can also use them to refine future sessions, especially when offering multiple instances of the same session.
All sessions must be scheduled within the established FYSS term window for the semester (e.g., August 25-December 4). Sessions must not be offered on weekends or on days when the university is closed or classes are not in session. Scheduling within these parameters ensures a consistent and accessible experience for students and aligns the First Year Success Series with the academic calendar.
All sessions must be between 45 and 75 minutes in length. For asynchronous Carmen offerings, session materials should be designed so students can reasonably complete them within this same time frame. Consistent duration across sessions helps students plan their participation and engage fully with the material.
Presenters are responsible for setting session capacity in a way that aligns with the intended student experience. Capacity decisions should support a meaningful and effective session, taking into consideration how students will engage with the content and with one another. Thoughtful capacity planning helps ensure that sessions remain impactful and accessible for students.
For in-person sessions, presenters are responsible for securing and reserving an appropriate campus location prior to submitting their session. Including a room in the session submission indicates that the space has already been confirmed.
For virtual and asynchronous sessions, presenters are responsible for creating and managing their Zoom meeting or Carmen course and providing the appropriate access information during the submission process. Ensure that course names and access details match exactly how they will appear to students (for example, the Carmen course name). To reduce confusion, avoid requiring additional Zoom registration when possible, as students have already registered through the FYSS system.
Clear and accurate location or access details ensure that students can participate without disruption.
FYSS sessions are designed to support students in navigating their first year at Ohio State. As such, sessions should clearly connect content to the first-year student experience and provide actionable next steps students can take to engage with campus resources.
Effective sessions prioritize relevance and application by helping students understand not only what a resource offers, but how and when to use it. Engagement and interaction should support this goal, creating opportunities for students to actively connect with the material.
FYSS sessions are expected to support the following learning outcomes:
Students can name at least one campus resource or strategy relevant to the transition to Ohio State.
Students can identify how to utilize a resource or strategy relevant to the transition to Ohio State.
Students report increased comfort in utilizing resources or strategies relevant to the transition to Ohio State.
Presenters are expected to begin and end sessions on time, track student attendance to ensure participants receive appropriate credit and remind students to complete their FYSS reflection within seven days of attending.
Following each session instance, presenters are responsible for submitting attendance through the FYSS application within the designated time frame. Timely and accurate attendance submission ensures that students receive credit for their participation and supports overall program tracking.
Presenters are encouraged to review their session report after the reflection period has closed. These reports provide insights on attendance and student feedback. Presenters can also use them to refine future sessions, especially when offering multiple instances of the same session.
Presenters are responsible for setting session capacity in a way that aligns with the intended student experience. Capacity decisions should support a meaningful and effective session, taking into consideration how students will engage with the content and with one another. Thoughtful capacity planning helps ensure that sessions remain impactful and accessible for students.
For in-person sessions, presenters are responsible for securing and reserving an appropriate campus location prior to submitting their session. Including a room in the session submission indicates that the space has already been confirmed.
For virtual and asynchronous sessions, presenters are responsible for creating and managing their Zoom meeting or Carmen course and providing the appropriate access information during the submission process. Ensure that course names and access details match exactly how they will appear to students (for example, the Carmen course name). To reduce confusion, avoid requiring additional Zoom registration when possible, as students have already registered through the FYSS system.
Clear and accurate location or access details ensure that students can participate without disruption.
FYSS sessions are designed to support students in navigating their first year at Ohio State. As such, sessions should clearly connect content to the first-year student experience and provide actionable next steps students can take to engage with campus resources.
Effective sessions prioritize relevance and application by helping students understand not only what a resource offers, but how and when to use it. Engagement and interaction should support this goal, creating opportunities for students to actively connect with the material.
FYSS sessions are expected to support the following learning outcomes:
Students can name at least one campus resource or strategy relevant to the transition to Ohio State.
Students can identify how to utilize a resource or strategy relevant to the transition to Ohio State.
Students report increased comfort in utilizing resources or strategies relevant to the transition to Ohio State.
Presenters are expected to begin and end sessions on time, track student attendance to ensure participants receive appropriate credit and remind students to complete their FYSS reflection within seven days of attending.
Following each session instance, presenters are responsible for submitting attendance through the FYSS application within the designated time frame. Timely and accurate attendance submission ensures that students receive credit for their participation and supports overall program tracking.
Presenters are encouraged to review their session report after the reflection period has closed. These reports provide insights on attendance and student feedback. Presenters can also use them to refine future sessions, especially when offering multiple instances of the same session.
FYSS sessions are designed to support students in navigating their first year at Ohio State. As such, sessions should clearly connect content to the first-year student experience and provide actionable next steps students can take to engage with campus resources.
Effective sessions prioritize relevance and application by helping students understand not only what a resource offers, but how and when to use it. Engagement and interaction should support this goal, creating opportunities for students to actively connect with the material.
FYSS sessions are expected to support the following learning outcomes:
Students can name at least one campus resource or strategy relevant to the transition to Ohio State.
Students can identify how to utilize a resource or strategy relevant to the transition to Ohio State.
Students report increased comfort in utilizing resources or strategies relevant to the transition to Ohio State.
Presenters are expected to begin and end sessions on time, track student attendance to ensure participants receive appropriate credit and remind students to complete their FYSS reflection within seven days of attending.
Following each session instance, presenters are responsible for submitting attendance through the FYSS application within the designated time frame. Timely and accurate attendance submission ensures that students receive credit for their participation and supports overall program tracking.
Presenters are encouraged to review their session report after the reflection period has closed. These reports provide insights on attendance and student feedback. Presenters can also use them to refine future sessions, especially when offering multiple instances of the same session.
Presenter lifecycle
The First Year Success Series follows a clear process from session submission through post-session follow-up. While some steps like our review and approval process happen behind the scenes, you can manage your active tasks directly through the FYSS Presenter Portal linked below. Understanding this overall lifecycle will help you navigate expectations, plan effectively, and ensure students have a seamless experience.
Before submitting your session, please have the following information at hand:
Session title
Description of session
Outline of how session will be structured
Transition tag
Presenting office
Date
Start time and end time
Session modality (In Person/Zoom/Carmen)
If in person – Room number and campus building will be required
If Zoom – Zoom link required
If Carmen – Carmen course title required
Max capacity
Primary contact
Additional presenters
Presenters begin by submitting a session proposal that includes a title, description, session details, and alignment with one of the seven session transition tags.
Strong submissions clearly demonstrate how the session supports first-year students and how participants will apply what they learn. Before submitting, presenters should ensure all required information is complete, including at least one session instance (date, time, location, or modality).
Submitting sessions early is encouraged to allow sufficient time for review and to give students adequate opportunity to discover and register for your session.
Once submitted, sessions enter a review process. The FYSS team reviews submissions within approximately three business days to ensure alignment with presenter expectations and FYSS learning outcomes.
During this time, no action is required unless the FYSS team reaches out with questions or recommended revisions. If revisions are needed, presenters will receive feedback and guidance to support resubmission.
Once approved, sessions become visible to students and available for registration. From that point forward, session details such as date, time, location, and format become part of the student-facing experience.
Following approval, presenters are responsible for preparing their session and actively managing their scheduled offerings leading up to delivery.
This includes:
Preparing session materials (slides, activities, talking points)
Monitoring registration for each session instance to understand participation and plan accordingly
For asynchronous Carmen sessions, presenters are also responsible for regularly reviewing registration and adding students to the course to ensure they can access materials. Reviewing the registration roster multiple times per week is recommended to maintain timely access for students.
In addition to required responsibilities, presenters may choose to review participant information (such as college or audience type) to tailor their session and strengthen its relevance for attending students.
At the conclusion of each session, presenters play an important role in ensuring students receive credit and complete the final step of the Success Series process.
Before students leave the session, presenters should:
Take attendance
Remind students to complete their reflection within seven days
Immediately following the session, presenters must submit attendance through the Presenter Portal. Timely and accurate submission ensures that student participation is recorded and that follow-up communication and reporting can occur as intended.
Before submitting your session, please have the following information at hand:
Session title
Description of session
Outline of how session will be structured
Transition tag
Presenting office
Date
Start time and end time
Session modality (In Person/Zoom/Carmen)
If in person – Room number and campus building will be required
If Zoom – Zoom link required
If Carmen – Carmen course title required
Max capacity
Primary contact
Additional presenters
Presenters begin by submitting a session proposal that includes a title, description, session details, and alignment with one of the seven session transition tags.
Strong submissions clearly demonstrate how the session supports first-year students and how participants will apply what they learn. Before submitting, presenters should ensure all required information is complete, including at least one session instance (date, time, location, or modality).
Submitting sessions early is encouraged to allow sufficient time for review and to give students adequate opportunity to discover and register for your session.
Once submitted, sessions enter a review process. The FYSS team reviews submissions within approximately three business days to ensure alignment with presenter expectations and FYSS learning outcomes.
During this time, no action is required unless the FYSS team reaches out with questions or recommended revisions. If revisions are needed, presenters will receive feedback and guidance to support resubmission.
Once approved, sessions become visible to students and available for registration. From that point forward, session details such as date, time, location, and format become part of the student-facing experience.
Following approval, presenters are responsible for preparing their session and actively managing their scheduled offerings leading up to delivery.
This includes:
Preparing session materials (slides, activities, talking points)
Monitoring registration for each session instance to understand participation and plan accordingly
For asynchronous Carmen sessions, presenters are also responsible for regularly reviewing registration and adding students to the course to ensure they can access materials. Reviewing the registration roster multiple times per week is recommended to maintain timely access for students.
In addition to required responsibilities, presenters may choose to review participant information (such as college or audience type) to tailor their session and strengthen its relevance for attending students.
At the conclusion of each session, presenters play an important role in ensuring students receive credit and complete the final step of the Success Series process.
Before students leave the session, presenters should:
Take attendance
Remind students to complete their reflection within seven days
Immediately following the session, presenters must submit attendance through the Presenter Portal. Timely and accurate submission ensures that student participation is recorded and that follow-up communication and reporting can occur as intended.
Once submitted, sessions enter a review process. The FYSS team reviews submissions within approximately three business days to ensure alignment with presenter expectations and FYSS learning outcomes.
During this time, no action is required unless the FYSS team reaches out with questions or recommended revisions. If revisions are needed, presenters will receive feedback and guidance to support resubmission.
Once approved, sessions become visible to students and available for registration. From that point forward, session details such as date, time, location, and format become part of the student-facing experience.
Following approval, presenters are responsible for preparing their session and actively managing their scheduled offerings leading up to delivery.
This includes:
Preparing session materials (slides, activities, talking points)
Monitoring registration for each session instance to understand participation and plan accordingly
For asynchronous Carmen sessions, presenters are also responsible for regularly reviewing registration and adding students to the course to ensure they can access materials. Reviewing the registration roster multiple times per week is recommended to maintain timely access for students.
In addition to required responsibilities, presenters may choose to review participant information (such as college or audience type) to tailor their session and strengthen its relevance for attending students.
At the conclusion of each session, presenters play an important role in ensuring students receive credit and complete the final step of the Success Series process.
Before students leave the session, presenters should:
Take attendance
Remind students to complete their reflection within seven days
Immediately following the session, presenters must submit attendance through the Presenter Portal. Timely and accurate submission ensures that student participation is recorded and that follow-up communication and reporting can occur as intended.
At the conclusion of each session, presenters play an important role in ensuring students receive credit and complete the final step of the Success Series process.
Before students leave the session, presenters should:
Take attendance
Remind students to complete their reflection within seven days
Immediately following the session, presenters must submit attendance through the Presenter Portal. Timely and accurate submission ensures that student participation is recorded and that follow-up communication and reporting can occur as intended.
FAQs and troubleshooting
Submitting your session
A session refers to the overall content you are offering, including the title, description and outline. This information remains the same each time the session is offered. An instance refers to a specific occurrence of that session. Each instance includes details such as the date, time, location, modality and presenter.
For example, you may submit one session titled “Time Management Strategies” and offer it multiple times throughout the semester. Each of those scheduled offerings is considered an instance of the same session. Instances are entered as part of the submission process and must be added before a session can be reviewed for approval. Because of this, session details and at least one instance must be completed together to move forward in the process.
After you complete the initial session information (title, description and outline), you must click "Next" at the bottom of the page. This will refresh the page and display an option to add session instances. Because this option does not appear until after clicking "Next," it can feel like a step is missing. If you do not yet see the option to add an instance, make sure you have completed all required fields and clicked "Next" to move forward. Once the page reloads, look for the "Create New Instance button." After creating your first instance, you can return to the same page to add additional instances as needed.
Each time a session is offered, it must be entered as a separate instance, even if the session occurs on a recurring schedule (for example, the same day, time and location each week). While many sessions follow a consistent pattern, the current FYSS system does not support a recurring instance option. Entering each instance individually ensures that each occurrence is accurately scheduled, visible to students and available for registration.
A session refers to the overall content you are offering, including the title, description and outline. This information remains the same each time the session is offered. An instance refers to a specific occurrence of that session. Each instance includes details such as the date, time, location, modality and presenter.
For example, you may submit one session titled “Time Management Strategies” and offer it multiple times throughout the semester. Each of those scheduled offerings is considered an instance of the same session. Instances are entered as part of the submission process and must be added before a session can be reviewed for approval. Because of this, session details and at least one instance must be completed together to move forward in the process.
After you complete the initial session information (title, description and outline), you must click "Next" at the bottom of the page. This will refresh the page and display an option to add session instances. Because this option does not appear until after clicking "Next," it can feel like a step is missing. If you do not yet see the option to add an instance, make sure you have completed all required fields and clicked "Next" to move forward. Once the page reloads, look for the "Create New Instance button." After creating your first instance, you can return to the same page to add additional instances as needed.
Each time a session is offered, it must be entered as a separate instance, even if the session occurs on a recurring schedule (for example, the same day, time and location each week). While many sessions follow a consistent pattern, the current FYSS system does not support a recurring instance option. Entering each instance individually ensures that each occurrence is accurately scheduled, visible to students and available for registration.
Each time a session is offered, it must be entered as a separate instance, even if the session occurs on a recurring schedule (for example, the same day, time and location each week). While many sessions follow a consistent pattern, the current FYSS system does not support a recurring instance option. Entering each instance individually ensures that each occurrence is accurately scheduled, visible to students and available for registration.
After you submit
After submission, sessions enter a pending review period. The FYSS team reviews submissions within three business days to ensure alignment with presenter expectations and Success Series learning outcomes. During this time, no additional action is needed unless you are contacted with follow-up questions or feedback. Once reviewed, you will receive an email notification when your session is approved or if revisions are needed.
If a session requires revisions before it can be approved, the FYSS team will follow up with specific feedback outlining what needs to be adjusted. Feedback may include suggestions for strengthening how the session aligns with Success Series learning outcomes, clarifying how the content supports first-year students or refining how the session is described. The review process is designed to support you in developing a session that is both effective for students and aligned with the goals of the First Year Success Series.
After submission, sessions enter a pending review period. The FYSS team reviews submissions within three business days to ensure alignment with presenter expectations and Success Series learning outcomes. During this time, no additional action is needed unless you are contacted with follow-up questions or feedback. Once reviewed, you will receive an email notification when your session is approved or if revisions are needed.
If a session requires revisions before it can be approved, the FYSS team will follow up with specific feedback outlining what needs to be adjusted. Feedback may include suggestions for strengthening how the session aligns with Success Series learning outcomes, clarifying how the content supports first-year students or refining how the session is described. The review process is designed to support you in developing a session that is both effective for students and aligned with the goals of the First Year Success Series.
Preparing for your session
Preparation will vary slightly depending on how your session is delivered, but all presenters should take time to ensure their session is ready and accessible for students. For all session types, this includes:
Preparing presentation materials (slides, activities or talking points)
Reviewing registration to understand who is attending and plan accordingly
For in-person sessions, confirm the available technology in your reserved space and plan accordingly. Having a backup version of your materials (such as a file stored in OneDrive or on a flash drive) is recommended.
For Zoom sessions, plan to join your meeting 10–15 minutes early to confirm that audio, video and any interactive tools are functioning as expected.
For Carmen sessions, regularly review your registration and add students to your Carmen course so they can access materials. Monitoring registration 2–3 times per week is recommended to ensure timely access.
Reviewing participant information in advance, such as academic majors or audience type, can also help you tailor your session to better meet the needs of attending students.
The Student Reflection report includes a record of students registered for your session. Within this report, the Registered Date column can be used to identify students who should be added to your Carmen course. Registration data appears in the Student Reflection report because it is the central report that connects student registration, attendance and follow-up activity. For this reason, it is the most reliable place to identify registered students for Carmen enrollment.
To ensure students have timely access to materials, it is recommended that you review this report regularly and add newly registered students to your Carmen course throughout the session period.
There are several factors that can influence registration, but one of the primary factors is timing. Sessions must be approved before they are visible to students, and student registration closes 24 hours prior to the scheduled session. If a session is submitted shortly before its scheduled date, there may be limited time for it to be reviewed, approved and available for students to discover and register.
Preparation will vary slightly depending on how your session is delivered, but all presenters should take time to ensure their session is ready and accessible for students. For all session types, this includes:
Preparing presentation materials (slides, activities or talking points)
Reviewing registration to understand who is attending and plan accordingly
For in-person sessions, confirm the available technology in your reserved space and plan accordingly. Having a backup version of your materials (such as a file stored in OneDrive or on a flash drive) is recommended.
For Zoom sessions, plan to join your meeting 10–15 minutes early to confirm that audio, video and any interactive tools are functioning as expected.
For Carmen sessions, regularly review your registration and add students to your Carmen course so they can access materials. Monitoring registration 2–3 times per week is recommended to ensure timely access.
Reviewing participant information in advance, such as academic majors or audience type, can also help you tailor your session to better meet the needs of attending students.
The Student Reflection report includes a record of students registered for your session. Within this report, the Registered Date column can be used to identify students who should be added to your Carmen course. Registration data appears in the Student Reflection report because it is the central report that connects student registration, attendance and follow-up activity. For this reason, it is the most reliable place to identify registered students for Carmen enrollment.
To ensure students have timely access to materials, it is recommended that you review this report regularly and add newly registered students to your Carmen course throughout the session period.
There are several factors that can influence registration, but one of the primary factors is timing. Sessions must be approved before they are visible to students, and student registration closes 24 hours prior to the scheduled session. If a session is submitted shortly before its scheduled date, there may be limited time for it to be reviewed, approved and available for students to discover and register.
There are several factors that can influence registration, but one of the primary factors is timing. Sessions must be approved before they are visible to students, and student registration closes 24 hours prior to the scheduled session. If a session is submitted shortly before its scheduled date, there may be limited time for it to be reviewed, approved and available for students to discover and register.
Making changes to your session
If you need to update your session, including changing the time or location or canceling a scheduled instance, contact the FYSS team at fyss@osu.edu. A member of the team will update your session in the system and notify any registered students of the change. If you are considering canceling due to low enrollment, note that thresholds for session instances are set by each presenter (e.g., FYE-hosted sessions require at least 5 registered students).
Once a session is submitted and approved, it becomes visible to students and available for registration. Students rely on session details such as date, time and location when planning their participation, so changes must be coordinated through the FYSS team to ensure updates are accurately reflected in the system and communicated to registered students. This helps maintain a consistent experience and prevents confusion or missed sessions.
To request a change, contact the FYSS team at fyss@osu.edu, and a member of the team will assist with updating your session and notifying registered students.
If you need to update your session, including changing the time or location or canceling a scheduled instance, contact the FYSS team at fyss@osu.edu. A member of the team will update your session in the system and notify any registered students of the change. If you are considering canceling due to low enrollment, note that thresholds for session instances are set by each presenter (e.g., FYE-hosted sessions require at least 5 registered students).
Once a session is submitted and approved, it becomes visible to students and available for registration. Students rely on session details such as date, time and location when planning their participation, so changes must be coordinated through the FYSS team to ensure updates are accurately reflected in the system and communicated to registered students. This helps maintain a consistent experience and prevents confusion or missed sessions.
To request a change, contact the FYSS team at fyss@osu.edu, and a member of the team will assist with updating your session and notifying registered students.
After your session
Attendance should be submitted after you have fully reviewed and confirmed participation for all students in your session. When completing attendance, it is important to ensure that all students who attended are marked appropriately before selecting Submit Finalized Attendance. Any students not marked as attended at the time of submission will be recorded as not attended and will receive an automated notification reflecting that status.
If you need additional time to review attendance (for example, after a large session), you can return to your attendance page and continue updating it before finalizing. Submitting finalized attendance should be treated as the final step once all updates are complete.
If minor updates are needed after attendance has been finalized, you can still make those changes on the attendance page. However, reselecting Submit Finalized Attendance may trigger duplicate notifications to students. Taking a moment to confirm accuracy before finalizing helps ensure clear and consistent communication.
If you need assistance updating attendance after submission, contact the FYSS team at fyss@osu.edu.
If a student attends your session but is not listed on your roster, you can attempt to add them through the attendance page. To do this, use the Add Student option and search for the student using their name.# or student ID. If the student appears in the system, you can add them to your roster and mark them as attended.
If you are unable to locate the student using the search function, you can contact the FYSS team at fyss@osu.edu with the student’s name.#. We are able to add students to session instances from the backend and ensure they receive appropriate credit for attending.
Reports provide insight into both participation and student experience following your session. The Session Registration and Attendance report can be used to review registration, attendance and participation patterns. The Session Reflection and Student Reflection reports include student feedback, offering both quantitative responses and written reflections. Reviewing these reports can help you better understand how your session was received and identify opportunities to refine future instances of the same session.
Attendance should be submitted after you have fully reviewed and confirmed participation for all students in your session. When completing attendance, it is important to ensure that all students who attended are marked appropriately before selecting Submit Finalized Attendance. Any students not marked as attended at the time of submission will be recorded as not attended and will receive an automated notification reflecting that status.
If you need additional time to review attendance (for example, after a large session), you can return to your attendance page and continue updating it before finalizing. Submitting finalized attendance should be treated as the final step once all updates are complete.
If minor updates are needed after attendance has been finalized, you can still make those changes on the attendance page. However, reselecting Submit Finalized Attendance may trigger duplicate notifications to students. Taking a moment to confirm accuracy before finalizing helps ensure clear and consistent communication.
If you need assistance updating attendance after submission, contact the FYSS team at fyss@osu.edu.
If a student attends your session but is not listed on your roster, you can attempt to add them through the attendance page. To do this, use the Add Student option and search for the student using their name.# or student ID. If the student appears in the system, you can add them to your roster and mark them as attended.
If you are unable to locate the student using the search function, you can contact the FYSS team at fyss@osu.edu with the student’s name.#. We are able to add students to session instances from the backend and ensure they receive appropriate credit for attending.
Reports provide insight into both participation and student experience following your session. The Session Registration and Attendance report can be used to review registration, attendance and participation patterns. The Session Reflection and Student Reflection reports include student feedback, offering both quantitative responses and written reflections. Reviewing these reports can help you better understand how your session was received and identify opportunities to refine future instances of the same session.
Reports provide insight into both participation and student experience following your session. The Session Registration and Attendance report can be used to review registration, attendance and participation patterns. The Session Reflection and Student Reflection reports include student feedback, offering both quantitative responses and written reflections. Reviewing these reports can help you better understand how your session was received and identify opportunities to refine future instances of the same session.
Resources
Presenter site
Access the FYSS presenter portal to:
Submit and manage sessions
Access and submit attendance
View and download reports
Presenter checklist
Use this checklist as you plan, prepare, and deliver your session.
Develop a session that clearly connects to the first-year student experience
Ensure your session description reflects how students will apply what they learn
Plan at least one complete session instance (date, time, location, modality)
Monitor your session registration to stay aware of participation
For Carmen sessions, review registration regularly and add students to your course
Take attendance and remind students to complete their reflection
Submit attendance once it has been finalized
Review reports to understand participation and student feedback
Develop a session that clearly connects to the first-year student experience
Ensure your session description reflects how students will apply what they learn
Plan at least one complete session instance (date, time, location, modality)
Monitor your session registration to stay aware of participation
For Carmen sessions, review registration regularly and add students to your course
Take attendance and remind students to complete their reflection
Submit attendance once it has been finalized
Review reports to understand participation and student feedback
Take attendance and remind students to complete their reflection
Submit attendance once it has been finalized
Review reports to understand participation and student feedback
Strong FYSS sessions: What to do (and what to avoid)
Do:
Connect your content directly to the first-year experience
Provide clear “next steps” students can take after your session
Normalize the use of your resource or service
Help students understand how to access support, not just what exists
Consider avoiding:
Delivering a general presentation that is not specific to first-year students
Focusing only on information without helping students apply it
Assuming students already know how to access or use your resource
Relying on a single delivery approach that limits interaction or engagement
FYSS reflection questions
The following questions are included in the FYSS student reflection and correspond to the response data shown in reports (e.g., Q1, Q2, Q3). Students respond to the following items using a 5-point scale (Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree):
Q1: The session content matched my expectations of the information that would be shared.
Q2: The presenter explained the content in a way that was easy to follow.
Q3: The presenter made this content feel relevant to first-year students.
Q4: I can name at least one resource or strategy from this session that could help with a challenge I may face in my first year at Ohio State.
Q5: I know what steps I need to take to utilize the resources or strategies covered in this session.
Q6: I feel comfortable utilizing the resources or strategies covered in the session.
Students also respond to the following prompts in a single open-response text box:
What is something useful you learned from this session?
What is one action you can take based on what you learned from this session?
Would you recommend the resources from this session to a friend? Why or why not?
Have questions or need more information?
Reach out to the Success Series team at fyss@osu.edu.