The following is a short list of articles overviewing various community-buildling practices for starting the semester right.
How to Teach a Good First Day of Class by James Lang. Chronical for Higher Education.
Community Building in the Community College Classroom. by Sean Garrity. Inside Higher Education
Building Community. Center for Teaching & Learning. Western University.
The First Day of Class: Setting the Tone. Harvard University.
The First Day of Class. Dartmouth
Community Building in the Classroom. Columbia Center for Teaching & Learning
Community Building in the Community College Classroom. by Sean Garrity. Inside HIgher Educatoni.
Building a Sense of Community in Online Courses. Higher Ed Jobs