The university is committed to helping our students be successful and realized that this help needs to start before they even arrive. So, we are taking a bold, reimagined approach to the Class of 2019鈥檚 new student experience. CU-Boulder Today sat down with William Kuskin, Associate Vice Provost for Education Innovation, to talk about upcoming changes to our campus鈥� orientation process and how we can engage our incoming freshmen in the life of the campus.
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What kinds of changes are coming?
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We鈥檙e making big changes to the path our enrolling students follow to CU-Boulder. We鈥檙e asking our students to Be Boulder, and that means we have to Be Boulder as well, taking an approach in which we transform how students are integrated into academic life even as we challenge them to transform themselves.
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With this in mind, we saw an opportunity to improve the orientation experience by introducing an innovative new model that leverages our campus online course technology to create a more personalized advising and registration experience. This new approach combines a series of electronic communications with social media to keep new students and families informed while connecting them with each other.听
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Why are we making these changes now?
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While overall orientation feedback has been positive in previous years and we鈥檝e accomplished the practical tasks of getting students advised and registered for classes, we鈥檝e received consistent feedback from incoming families that the traditional two-day format is overwhelming in terms of the amount of content shared, and is hard to digest and recall afterwards.听
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We believe the changes will improve the student/advisor relationship, provide more opportunities to absorb and refer back to information they need in the transition to college and will enhance each student鈥檚 overall journey to become part of the CU-Boulder community.
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Can you give some specific examples of this new model?
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Confirmed students and family members will receive emails from our admissions office later this spring with information that will start them on their 听journey. A New Student Welcome Programs website will serve as the online 鈥渉ome鈥� and will provide incoming students with links into each phase of the journey.听For those students who may not have access to the internet we are creating a personal experience to assist in their journey to CU-Boulder. 听
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Each step along the way will be reinforced by regular email and social media content, as well as a special series of CU-Boulder Today editions focused on relevant tips, features and 鈥渢o-do鈥檚鈥� for incoming students and their families. This material will be designed to meet the unique needs of all our students and their families, aiding in our ability to ensure the success of our students.听Each student will complete the online orientation course, engage in a one-on-one advising appointment with their advisor and register online for courses (with support available, as necessary).听
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Additionally, we know many families value an on-campus experience before the start of the term, so then can choose to attend an optional New Student Welcome Day during the summer.
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So New Student Welcome Day is the new orientation day?
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Orientation day has become every day. We are using social media, live chat and videoconferencing capabilities to meet students where they live, answer their questions and guide them through their transition to members of our community.听
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Through Desire 2 Learn modules and digital engagement, our students and their families will be guided through the beginning of their academic journey at their own pace, in a way that makes sure that they have the information they need to succeed on our campus.
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Any domestic student and their family members can attend a New Student Welcome Day, however. This is an optional in-person experience for those who wish to visit campus. International students will continue to have an extended orientation experience the week before classes begin. All of our incoming students will continue to participate in Week of Welcome activities, and our first-year students will then transition into mentoring relationships with faculty and advisors to give them additional individualized attention and help them chart a course for success.
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If campus departments have questions about their role in the new process, should they contact you?
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We have a dedicated team working together to create this new student journey, and we look forward to everyone鈥檚 participation in welcoming our students to campus. Many of our campus units are already thoroughly involved in this new vision, as we have been working together since the fall semester. If anyone has additional questions or ideas, I invite them to share their input via our form at .
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