Sociology professor living in dorm helps new CSUF students find their way – Orange County Register

LaTosha Traylor is ready to meet her new group of undergraduates.

She’ll be around both move-in days, Wednesday and Thursday, as about 2,000 new students mill around the quad at Cal State Fullerton’s housing complex, waiting to see their new dorms and meet their roommates for the first time.

The freshmen are often nervous and the parents a bit worried, said Traylor, a sociology professor who is serving as faculty in residence for the second year, living among the students.

“I walk up to the parents and say, ‘How are you doing?’” she said. “I try to reassure them that the staff here cares about the students’ well being and getting them acclimated.”

And for the new students, she’s there to let them know that CSUF is home.

“This is a sanctuary for you,” she said she tells them. “You have support here.”

Support is what Traylor is all about. She provides programs tailored for each stage in the students’ college career.

For one thing, her presence in the housing community gives new students the opportunity to interact with a faculty member in a casual setting. She lives in a one-bedroom apartment in one of the buildings.

“At the beginning we focus more on things that would assist them in getting off on the right foot in the semester,” Traylor said. “I ask, ‘What would you like to ask your professor but might be afraid to?’ I go over the idea of a syllabus, tell them to make sure they go to a professor’s office hours and don’t be afraid to ask questions.”