New students can look forward to a number of changes in the 2012 Orientation & Registration (O&R) program. Most exciting is the ability to host many of the O&R program sessions in the new Anderson Student Center. From the opening programs in Woulfe Alumni Hall to lunch in The View and the information fair in Campus Way, new students and parents will benefit from the beautiful ASC space. In addition to the new space, new students also will experience some changes in the O&R program.
When students sign up for an O&R session online, they now will be able to see what spaces are available in any given session and immediately can confirm their chosen session. The system is similar to the online features available when purchasing an airline ticket, where one can see how many seats are still available on any given flight. Students will pay a $30 orientation fee at the time they sign up for a summer program. The parent/guest fee will be $20 for the summer program. Fees are waived for international students, transfer students and seminarians. The fees are used to offset the cost of meals and materials during the O&R summer programs.
The changes in the “O” part of the O&R program are:
- The addition of a core curriculum session for students and parents to attend together.
- Updates to the student community sessions now will be led by student leaders.
- Instead of live skits performed by student orientation leaders, we will prerecord several different pieces to be shown throughout the day during various student and parent sessions. We have enlisted the talents of current students in the production of these pieces.
The changes in the “R” part of the O&R program also are significant. In the past, an academic counselor would preregister students for at least one course prior to O&R, and students would complete their course schedules in small-group advising sessions during the afternoon of their O&R sessions. This year, counselors will pre-register students for their full fall schedules prior to O&R. The student then will receive a 15-minute individual advising appointment at O&R with an academic counselor or faculty adviser, and any necessary schedule changes can be discussed during this appointment.
The dates for O&R this year are: July 16, 18, 21, 23, 24, 26 and 30, and Aug. 1 and 3. A tentative schedule is available online.
New students will receive O&R invitations in mid-May and will be asked to complete any necessary placement tests. In June, students will complete an online course preference form that will provide academic counselors with detailed information about each student to create their fall course schedules. Departments that typically participate in the O&R information fair will receive a formal invitation later in May.
Until then, questions about Orientation (“O”) can be directed to Tori Svoboda, associate dean of students, (651) 962-6052, and questions about Registration (“R”) can be directed to Susan M. Anderson, director of academic counseling, (651) 962-6300.
