Several learning communities and first-year programs have been developed at Bowling Green State University, a public doctoral-research intensive university in the midwest, over the last few years. Such programs include the Bowling Green Effect Mentoring Program, the Literacy Serve and Learn program, the Honors Program, the Center for Multicultural and Academic Initiatives, the President's Leadership Academy, UNIV 100 (a voluntary two credit hour course for first-year students), and the University Program for Academic Success. An evaluation of these programs was conducted and the role of the university's office of institutional research was also explored. Logistic regression analyses were carried out to study program participation effects on retention and graduation after controlling for gender, race, and high school grade point average. Other analytic techniques were used to examine income versus expense and program participation effects on student attitudes. Learning center and first-year program directors were asked to comment on program effectiveness and participant satisfaction. It became clear during the program evaluations that local-level assessments are an important part of the process and that learning communities should be encouraged to adopt a more systematic approach to gathering feedback. It was also evident that the evaluation of such programs is of sufficient complexity to establish a partnership of the Office of Institutional Research, the program directors, and other stakeholders. The substantive conclusion of this formative assessment is that several of the learning communities and first-year programs are making significant impacts on retention, graduation, grades, and credit hours earned. It is not yet clear which of the activities of the successful programs are most responsible for their success. (Contains 60 tables and 36 references.) (SLD)