NAFSA REGION VI: INDIANAPOLIS, INNOVEMBER 8, 2010

Deciding on the Perfect Orientation for You

Introductions

Brian Domenget—International Programs Coordinator, Purdue University Calumet

Emily Fiedler—Coordinator for Cultural Engagement & Leadership, University of Evansville

Jennifer Nisevich—International Student Advisor, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)

The Perfect Orientation for You!

Your school is unique.What works at one school may not work at

another.What are your goals?

Itinerary

(1) Challenges & Issues

(2) Case Studies

(3) Resources

(4) Q & A

Challenges and Issues

Let’s review some of the aspects of orientation planning that should be considered when deciding on the perfect orientation program.

We’ll discuss how our schools handle these issues, and suggest additional options.

Models

Should you hold one orientation program that all students will attend? Should you hold separate programs for targeted groups? Or would a hybrid model be most appropriate? How many students are expected? Will you have both undergraduate and graduate students? Will you have both new and transfer students? Do any academic programs use a different calendar? Do you have a meeting space large enough for all students? Do you want to hold separate workshops on specific subjects? Is it possible to cover all information in one session? Will you need to coordinate with Domestic orientation?

Attendance

Have basic needs been met?Will jetlag affect attention span?Can you offer carrots to encourage

attendance?Will sessions be mandatory?Are transfer and graduate students required

to attend? Are they aware of this?

Budget

Orientation programs can be expensive! What budget have you been given, and how can you best use it? Should you provide meals/social activities? Can you hire student helpers? Will you need to provide transportation to campus or

events?

Are there any options to raise additional funds? Can you recruit sponsors? Can you solicit food donations from local restaurants? Can you ask campus departments to contribute? Can you use money from an orientation fee?

Staffing

Consider how many staff in your office will be available to assist with orientation. Will that be enough? Recruit volunteers from student body (UE example) Recruit volunteers from academic departments Recruit volunteers from Greek organizations Ask campus officials to help present information at

orientation Ask colleagues who interact with international

students to help organize the events

Space

Your space needs will vary depending on the orientation style you choose. What type of space(s) do you need? What is the reservation procedure? What occupancy is required? How many rooms are needed? What activities will happen in each room? Do the rooms require any kind of security? Will sessions be lecture, interactive, computer-based, etc? Do you have contact info in case of locked rooms or broken

equipment? Does the space reflect well on the university? What is your backup plan? Are there food restrictions (campus catering contracts) to

be considered?

Content: Outgoing

What information do you need to share with the students?

Practical Matters A. More Immediate Housing, Food, Banking/Money, Transportation, Shopping, Communication (cell phones,

Internet), etc.

B. Less Immediate Immigration (maintaining status, travel documents), Health Insurance, Overview of Campus

Resources/Student Services (including International Office, Student Health Center, Admissions Office, etc.), Employment, Social Security Number, US Laws, etc.

Academic Matters Structure: academic calendar, graduation requirements, grading Expectations for Students (attendance, academic honesty, assignments, participation, etc.) Registration Procedures

Cultural Matters U.S. Cultural Values , Comparing Cultures, Stereotypes Culture Shock and Adjustment

Will they attend a domestic orientation too? Don’t duplicate!

Content: Incoming

What information do you need to collect from the students? Copies of immigration documents? Copies of health insurance policies? Local contact information? Emergency contact information? Immigration history? Release forms? Academic documents? Immunization forms? Housing contract?

Will another office collect any of these items? Don’t duplicate!

Presenters

Apart from yourself, who has important information to share with new international students? Housing office? Student Health Center/Counseling office? ESL program? Campus police? Student Advocate? Career Services? Campus Life? (Student Organizations) Bursar office? Academic support services? (tutoring, mentoring, etc.)

Invite them to present information in your program. Give them information and support to help them prepare.

Types of Sessions

How long should each part of the orientation last? How can you keep the students interested? Can you add games or interactive discussions? (Is this

practical given the size of the group or time limits?) Can you add skits or role-playing activities with

current students?

Communication

How will you notify students of orientation activities before and after arrival? Admission letter paragraph? Information available in International Office? Facebook group? International Office website updates? Scheduled email messages? Signs near International Office? Online tutorial? Newsletter? How much information is too much information?

Other Considerations

These are some random topics that don’t fit under other headings, but should be considered:

How can you predict the number of students who will come?

How will you enforce mandatory requirements?Will Ramadan fall during orientation?How will you share information with students

who arrive late or who decide not to attend?Can students access campus housing before your

orientation date(s)?Can you set aside time during the rest of the year

to work on assessment and revisions to the program?

Assessment

How will you assess your program to determine if it meets the needs of your students? Can you create survey and send to all new students

after start of semester? (Consider all of the aspects you wish to evaluate.)

Can you ask academic advisors and mentors for feedback on their students’ adjustment?

Survey Monkey (www.surveymonkey.com)

Post-Orientation Activities

What will you do after orientation to follow up on the information you shared?

Can you receive alerts when students are struggling with the new academic system?

Have you considered holding weekly meetings/ English clubs to cover information that could not be covered during the orientation?

Can you reach out to Freshmen during their first semester?

Case Study

Representatives of large schools (> 30,000 students) meet with Jennifer

Representatives of medium schools (10,000 – 30,000 students) meet with Brian

Representatives of small schools (<10,000 students) meet with Emily

Resources

Preparation GuideStudent HandbooksOnline Orientation TutorialSample Agendas/ Calendars IUPUI, PUC, UENew Student Checklists IUPUI, UEEtc.

Any Questions?

Thank you for coming to our session!

Brian Domengetbrian.domenget@calumet.purdue.edu

Emily Fiedleref31@evansville.edu

Jennifer Nisevichjnisevic@iupui.edu