These proceedings report on a 1994 conference on the planning, implementing, and refining of programs designed to enhance the first-year experience of college students in urban settings. Early sections detail conference aims, background and policies. One section describes workshops on various topics, provides a profile on the keynote speaker, and a schedule of a student panel. This section also contains brief descriptions of the events held during the conference's seven sessions. Following this is a presentation of abstracts grouped by institution. Many of these describe programs or components of programs at urban institutions for first-year students. Among topics included are the following: first-year student persistence, students on public assistance, student/faculty relations, academic support services, summer program for science and engineering students, building community, career planning, tutorial services, non-traditional student services, student retention, volunteer partnerships, clustering, freshman studies program cost effectiveness, student employment services, student achievement in very challenging courses, teaching critical thinking, and student orientation courses. (JB)