NEW STUDENTS FIND WHIRLWIND WEEK OF WELCOME EVENTS
September 22, 1999
Contact Gaye Vandermyn (541) 346-3133
New students this week (Sept. 22-26) can eat free pizza, barbecue or ice cream, join a bicycle tour, decipher the mysteries of financial aid (parents welcome here) or find out where to go for relief when the flu bug strikes. They can join a "Get down with the Ducks" dance, explore a few academic fields, and say hello to Gladstone, Donald and Darkwing, names for the mainframe and computers that are integral parts of the UO network. They can also move into their residence hall, tour their dining hall’s kitchen and talk to the chefs, find a social, religious or academic interest group, or attend a campus circus and an on-campus beach party. They can quiz a panel of faculty members on what to expect when classes start on Monday (Sept. 27), sign up for a club sport such as crew or lacrosse or take a one- or two-day outdoor adventure on whitewater rivers or on Cascade Mountain or Oregon Coast trails. Oh yes, they can also sit down with an academic adviser to sort out their class schedule. Each new student received a 36-page booklet of activities designed to help them and their families learn about university life and get acquainted with all that the University of Oregon campus offers, both in and out of the classroom. For details on the schedule of events, call the Office of Communications, (541) 346-3134.
UO STUDENTS DISCOVER FIGS IN THEIR RESIDENCE HALLS
FIGS, otherwise known as Freshman Interest Groups, have been around since the University of Oregon invented them in 1982 to help new students find a like-minded circle of friends for study and play. For the first time this fall, the UO has moved four FIGS into the residence halls–a move aimed at helping ease the transition to college life. "We’re trying to give our new students an easy way to connect with each other and to develop a sense of community on the campus," says Katy Ho, undergraduate coordinator. "Both are critical to students’ ability to succeed in their college career." The four FIG sections that are assigned to residence halls this fall term include liberal arts, literature and history, journalism and business. Each of these FIGs enrolls up to 25 students from the same residence hall in the same cadre of introductory classes and small group seminars. SOURCE: Jack Bennett, director of FIGS, (541) 346-1080 ; Katy Ho, undergraduate coordinator, Office of Student Retention Programs, (541) 346-1152.; Jane DeGidio, director, Office of Student Retention Programs, (541) 346-1144.
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