Our school also uses a team approach at orientation. All department are present as students cycle through various stations. The individuals are later introduced as the team that supports the students during their program. Student Services and Career Services each have a five to ten minute slot to help begin to establish a rapport with the new students prior to the Education department making the major presentation.
My school will only have instructors attend orientation every once in a while. I feel that they should have the opportunity to meet us and discuss what they can expect a little bit. For the most part our academic dean does the talking on the part of the instructors, but we could put our students more at ease by meeting us before class. I also think the idea of a current student or recent graduate speaking would be great. I will bring all of these things up in our next meeting.
I think my department, Career Services, has the most interaction with the students throughout their time on campus and beyond. As such we have a table set up where they can meet their advisor face to face, they can pick up an outline of services offered, and they can book an appointment during their second week of school to learn more about what we can do for them and the various results they can expect to achieve when they work with us. Our department head also does a brief speech introducing us and describing what we can do for them and what we have done for students in the past. They shouldn't leave orientation confused about what our department does.
Studemt services (Registrar and Academic Advisor) usually have the most interaction with the students during their program. At the orientation we explain what they can expect from us and what we expect from them. (attendance and grades). Also, our schedules and why they would need to meet with us.
I feel that the academics department will have much interaction with the students as we will see them on a daily basis. We need to get comfortable with each other
Every department at our location meets with new students during orientation; Student Services, Book Store, Financial Aid, Business Office, Learning Resource Center, President of the College, Program Directors, and Instructors. Each department gives the students something they need to be successful in the program; example the Book Store gives the students their textbooks, Student Services gives the students their daily planner, Learning Resource Center gives the students a pack of helpful tips for students. When they finish visiting each department all students meet in their first day classroom to meet the instructor and receive information for the first day of class.
All departments except admissions participate in our orientation. Our campus president does the introduction, then the DOE leads the orientation. The business office and career services do a section, as well as our clinical coordinators who hand out business cards. After the orientation is finished, but before the students go to get their books and ID's, we have a break-out session where students go with their program chairs into different rooms and spend time answering any questions they have specific to their individual program.
Robert,
It sounds like you have a very active Career Services group...and I believe this is important. It helps students stay focused on their career goal.
Susan Backofen
Jennifer,
I really like that students receive something useful from each department! This also helps them leave with the mindset they are already students; which is one of the goals of orientation. Great job!
Susan Backofen
Students meet with the Student Services Dept. We go through syllabi, grades, attendance, roll-sheets, Satisfactory Attendance Reports & Academic Monitoring Reports.
Instructors obivously have most of the daily interaction with students. Currently our instructors hand out books and uniforms to students, and also give breif and fun introductions during the spoken orientation. This helps students get to know their instructors a little before they are even in class with them, and get the sense that the instructors care about them.
Career Services and Student Services make a close second when it comes to getting the most student interaction, and each department has its own responsibilities as well in orientation. Student Services helps them with finalizing any paperwork and hands out calendars, and Career Services gives out product kits and takes ID pictures.
Our whole campus is involved in orientation, in one way or another. This gets students talking to individuals right off the bat, and starts to build relationships.
Carrie,
I really like that your instructors spend some time with the new students during the orientation process. As you point out, this makes a huge difference!
Susan Backofen
Our entire school is involved in Orientation. From Admissions to Career Services, Director of Education, Campus Director, financial aid, librarian, program director, we all show the students how welcomed they are and how great it is that they have decided to come to our school to change their lives.
I agree that having students meet/greet faculty is an awesome idea! I believe that can put them at ease as they look to their first day of class. We also have studnent ambassadors! What a great idea having them at orientation. I am not sure we are doing that yet. I plan to let my Dean know. Career Services is also important. Letting the students know they will have help when looking for a job, and also keep them focused on career goals is very important!
