Even the Best Laid Plans of Orientation Directors Go Awryâ€¦

Even the Best Laid Plans of Orientation Directors Go Awry… The University of Tulsa New Student Orientation & First Year Experience • Yolanda Taylor, Associate Vice-President of Enrollment & Student Services and Dean of Students • Melissa Abramowitz, Director of New Student Orientation

Program Outline • Introductions • History of Orientation Program at TU • History of FYE Program • Best Laid Plans for August 2003 • Questions/Discussion

History of Orientation Program at TU • Before Orientation 2000 • Five 3-day sessions during the summer • One 5-day session during August • One 8-day session during August • Traditional on-campus program including interest & educational sessions with Greek recruitment at the end (one week) • Issues • What & why did we change?

History of Orientation Program cont’d • Orientation 2000-2001 • Rise of the AdvenTUre Trips! – week-long program with optional trips at beginning of week and on-campus program at end of week • Issues • What & why did we change

History of Orientation Program cont’d • Orientation 2002 and Beyond • Fall of the AdveTUre Trips! • Hurricane AdvenTUre – “CANE CAMP” • 3 days on-campus and 3 days at Camp Heart ‘O the Hills • Issues • What & why did we change?

History of FYE Program • Introduction of 1001 Course & FYRE program in residence halls • Mutation within each College • Desperate Measures in 2002 • Future of FYE Program

Best Laid Plans for August 2003 • Acquiring Presidential Support and Approval • Building campus consensus • Using student, faculty and orientation leader feedback • The importance of program evaluation in programmatic change • Hope for the future • Best laid plans for August 2003

Even the Best Laid Plans of Orientation Directors Go Awryâ€¦