Incoming freshmen and transfer students and their parents will encounter a much-changed program at the University of Colorado at Boulder when they arrive on campus from June through August for New Student Orientation.
Changes have been implemented in a variety of areas to bolster existing sessions, such as the interactive theater workshop, with new ones that fill in gaps and respond to changing campus issues, according to Jim Davis Rosenthal, director of orientation and Ralphie's Resource Center.
Under Davis Rosenthal's direction, the Orientation Office has examined the needs of students and parents "so that we could develop programming appropriate to those needs," he said.
"One area of focus in our presentations will be on a wellness philosophy, so that students will see they have a lot of choices and they'll know that they don't have to get to the point that something is a problem, they can prevent it before that happens."
In keeping with that theme, a section on the orientation Web site titled after the Greek motto, "Let Your Light Shine," invites students to begin thinking of themselves as members of the CU-Boulder community, to learn about the positive attributes of the campus and to begin making campus connections early in their college careers. The motto is on the University Seal.
"While we need to be clear about the consequences of inappropriate behavior, one of the things we're trying to do throughout the orientation process is to focus on 'the positives,' the behaviors in which we want to see students engaging, " said Davis Rosenthal.
That focus on "the positives" has been geared to both students and parents through new sessions on health and safety being presented by Wardenburg Health Center specialists. Presentations on stress, nutrition, sexual health, sexual assault, and drug and alcohol use will provide practical self-help information that parents are urged to share with their sons and daughters, emphasizing overall good health as a way of keeping a check on risky behavior.
"The wellness information is one of the newest and most exciting areas that we're adding to orientation," he said. "We're working with Wardenburg Health Center, which does the actual presentations, and we're including information on things like emphasizing the importance of getting enough sleep in order to study -- and the best places to study -- information on good health and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases and alcohol abuse."
A major area of change to orientation, said Davis Rosenthal, includes "a lot of changes to the actual programming, which we've made with the intention of communicating more effectively with students and parents." They include changes to advising, residence life and student development programming.
"Feedback from our advising staff has been very useful in developing an appropriate flow to our program -- what attendees need to learn and in what order," he said. "And our campus advisers and registration staff have been instrumental in rethinking not just how we get students into appropriate coursework, but how they can thrive as members of a rigorous academic community."
Diversity sessions will focus on "creating an inclusive campus climate that embraces diversity, multiculturalism and social justice," Davis Rosenthal said. Diversity sessions will be conducted by a graduate student intern, who was hired for the program, and they will encourage students to communicate about how to create a more inclusive and supportive campus environment for all people.
Residence life programming has been expanded to include a "meet and greet" time for students, interactive learning games and advice on "life in a residence hall" with emphasis on "getting along." Activities will include late-night pool and bowling at the student union, pool at the Hard Drive Caf茅 in the Kittredge residence complex and a laser show at Fiske Planetarium.
More emphasis on academic programs is another major change in this year's orientation programming, said Davis-Rosenthal.
"We've added new academic programming from the College of Arts and Sciences with everything from information on programs that students are expected to take for their coursework to current research in various fields that will be presented by faculty," he said. "Students will be able to attend lectures or discussions and there will be demonstrations with faculty in the humanities, natural sciences and social sciences."
For parents, a new session on the Student Conduct Code has been added so that parents will have a better understanding of student behavioral expectations, which will help reinforce those expectations for students. Also new this year is a session on the College Opportunity Fund and the non-resident tuition guarantee, in addition to a revised financial aid overview.
A parent coffee-tea mixer also has been added to give parents more time to meet other parents. A carryover session called "Living With Your CU Student," will give parents information on what to expect from their sons and daughters as they begin their college careers, and how to cope with those changes.
"The parent sessions are much more complete than in the past and we think they will do a better job of informing parents and of informing students through their parents," said Davis-Rosenthal.
For more information on CU-Boulder Orientation for fall 2005 call (303) 492-4431 or visit the Web site at: .