FOCs — members of the Federation Orientation Committee — posed last night after a meeting to talk about final details of next week's activities for new students. The group includes 43 representatives of faculties, schools, residences and colleges.

First-year students move in this weekend

Everybody ready? Some 5,000 new first-year students will be arriving at UW this weekend, and it take a village — or several Villages — to welcome them, get them settled in, orient them, equip them and get them ready for the first day of classes on September 14.

Thousands of upper-year students will also be streaming back to the Waterloo, Kitchener and Cambridge campuses over the weekend and all next week, but they already have WatCards and know how to use them, can tell the difference between a Bombshelter and a Brubakers, and know their way into (and out of) the tunnels. So the emphasis for the next few days will be on the newcomers.

About 80 per cent of them will live in on-campus residences, which are full to capacity this term as they are every fall. Arrivals are staggered for the sake of reducing traffic jams. Students have been advised to arrive on Sunday if they’re living in the north and south quads of Ron Eydt Village or Village I, the odd-numbered floors and north quads in UW Place, and the east wing of Mackenzie King Village. Arrival day is Monday for the other parts of REV, V1, UWP and MKV, and for Columbia Lake Village South.

“Several hundred Department of Housing and Residences employees and volunteers will be on hand to help incoming students move into their new home,” says Chris Read, who heads the whole operation as University Housing Officer. That would include the residence dons, who have been on campus this week being trained on everything from emergency procedures to the complications of Ramadan, which calls on Muslim students to fast during daylight hours this month.

The residences’ web site includes suggested lists of “what to bring” and, more urgently, “what not to bring”, including candles and incense, weapons, pets, “your own furniture”, heaters, air conditioners and cooking appliances. The new students will no doubt meet their dons as they arrive, but organized floor meetings (with pizza) are set for 5:30 Monday, and that’s the beginning of orientation activities for most students.

Over the weekend, though, all sorts of administrative and support services will be in operation for their benefit. Some details:

• Residences and off-campus housing office, Student Life Centre lower level, open 9:00 to 4:00 Sunday and Monday.
• WatCard office, SLC, open Sunday and Monday 8:30 to 4:30.
• REVelation cafeteria, Ron Eydt Village, open Sunday 11:00 to 7:00, Monday 8:00 to 3:00.
• Mudies cafeteria, Village I, open Sunday 10 a.m. to 12:30 a.m., Monday 5 to 6 a.m., 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.
• Tim Hortons, SLC, open Sunday and Monday 10:00 to 3:30 (24-hour operation will begin Tuesday morning).
• Tim Hortons, South Campus Hall, open Monday 11:30 to 3:30.
• Parking services office, Commissary building, open Monday 8:00 to 4:00.
• Bookstore, Waterloo Store, Write Stuff and E-Smart, South Campus Hall, open Saturday and Monday 12 noon to 4 p.m.; Sunday closed.
• CampusTech, SLC, open Sunday and Monday 10:00 to 4:00.
• Feds Used Books, SLC, open Saturday-Monday 9:00 to 5:00.

Central registration for orientation is in the Physical Activities Complex between 10 and 4 Sunday or 8:30 and 5:00 Monday, or at the “Ask-Me Booth” in the SLC, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday and all next week.

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Overview of next week’s orientation

as summarized in a release from UW’s media relations office

First-year students will kick off their higher education careers next week with a slew of activities designed to help them make a successful transition from high school to university. Orientation week, involving over 1,100 upper-year student volunteers, helps the newcomers begin the transition from high school to university. The six-day program, which begins Monday, offers a balance of academic information and social events for the first- year class.

"We will introduce our first-year students to a unique series of academic and social events that will help them adjust to a new environment and new expectations," said Cora Dupuis, Waterloo's student life co-ordinator: first-year experience. "It's an opportunity for the university and its federation of students to showcase their services. And it's a tremendous experience for our volunteer leaders."

Most activities are designed for students in particular faculties or departments and residences or colleges, while several target all first-year students. All students are encouraged to attend one of several showings of “Single and Sexy”, a play that raises issues ranging from sex to social responsibility. Other campus-wide events include a Monte Carlo semi-formal and an evening of improvisational comedy. There is also programming specific to the needs of students living off campus.

Orientation activities begin Monday afternoon with games that allow students to meet and mingle with their residence or off-campus roommates. Students will gather from 7 to 8:30 p.m. to participate in team-building activities on the Village Green.

Tuesday is largely an academic day. Students will meet their deans and other members of their faculties and departments. The day finishes with a Village variety night, with movies and live performers at various locations across campus, beginning at 9 p.m.

Wednesday and Thursday offer a mix of planned events and free time. Students can finalize schedules, purchase textbooks, set up computer accounts, and pick up financial documents. Faculties and departments will offer program-specific information sessions.

Brand new this year is an event called “At your Service”, designed to highlight key university services like counselling and the library. First-year students will come to the SLC between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday to learn about the variety of resources that are available. Indoor and outdoor tours will begin every half hour.

Thursday's big event is Monte Carlo Night, starting at 8 p.m. in the student life centre and physical activities complex.

Guest speakers from across campus will offer tips for academic success during Jumpstart Friday. They’ll host workshops on such topics as time management, academic integrity and note taking. James Cunningham, creator of “Funny Money”, will entertain students while discussing the key concern of financial management.

On Saturday everyone goes north, up to Warrior Field for Black and Gold day, to support Waterloo’s football team at their first home game of the year. The event includes carnival games and lots of school spirit. Evening events include a cross-campus night-walk tour, a video gaming event and an evening of improvisational comedy.

Waterloo's off-campus dons will offer a special orientation program for students who want to learn more about living in Waterloo Region.

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Other notes about the week ahead

Ontario student loan documents will be handed out at the Tatham Centre by staff of the student awards and financial aid office. Details of assistance programs, and booking appointments at Tatham, are online.

Training for WHMIS — the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System — as it applies to students is now Student Safety Orientation, available through the online ACE system. Students in engineering, environment, science and applied health sciences must take this training; those in arts and math need it only if they’re registered for a specific course to which it applies.

The English Language Proficiency Exam is offered for first-year engineering students Wednesday 10:00 and 12:00, mathematics 2:00 and 4:00, in the Physical Activities Complex. First-year architecture students take it Thursday at 1:00 in CEIT room 1015. Details are online. Students in other faculties aren’t scheduled to write the ELPE until December or next April.

Information about surviving orientation during the Ramadan month of fasting is available on a special page on the orientation web site, with information about meal hours and possible prayer locations.

International students are invited to a special information session late next week: math and applied health sciences, Wednesday 9:00 to 12:30, Rod Coutts Hall room 101; engineering Wednesday 1:00 to 4:30, RCH 101; arts, science, and environment, Thursday 9:00 to 12:30, Biology I room 271. It promises “things you need to know about living in Canada, the Kitchener-Waterloo area, the University of Waterloo campus and services, immigration processes, health care, shopping on a budget, and much more”.

A series of “Welcome Week” events for graduate students will run September 14 through 19, mostly at the Grad House beside South Campus Hall.

But now we come to the long weekend that closes off summer and introduces fall. UW offices and services will be closed on Monday, Labour Day, except for those involved in serving the newly arrived students — and except for a few essential services that never shut down: UW police, 519-888-4911 (ext. 22222 on campus); Student Life Centre, turnkey desk 519-888-4434 (ext. 84434 on campus); maintenance emergencies ext. 33793. The Dana Porter and Davis Centre libraries are open noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, but closed Monday. The Columbia Icefield recreation facility will be open 9 to 5:30 Saturday and Sunday, but closed Monday.

CAR

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