At our campus during the oriention process, FA Financial Aid, Student Services, Empolyment Services , Housing are all present to assit with student loans, reschudule class time conflicts, provide job listing for employment while attending school.Arrange tutoring ectt.I have to say our campus does a very job and helps our students to feel not only welcome but also feel as part of the campus.
Eric--
I really like the idea of having other instructors come in so students can meet them. That's a great practice.
Susan
Our education managers visit them and instructors of verrious courses. It gives them the oppertunity to see who they can go to for help and who they might see when they get to a particular class or course.
Student Services and Academics have the most interaction. Both departments are available for orientation: Academics are available for scheduling challenges and questions, while Student Services breaks up into several areas on campus: Greeting, Current Student Q&A as well as Resource information, and Student IDs. So Student Services sees them at the beginning, during, and at the end of orientation.
Steven--
That is excellent! It is important that the entire institution make students feel welcome and that everyone is there to help them.
Susan
Davey--
This sounds like an excellent process. Great job!
Susan
Financial has a large role with students. However,they are not included in orientation. The Director of Education,the Director of Campus,the Training Supervisor,Career Services is always there.
Our Program Manager handles the orientations. This is very helpful because it ties managment and the instructors together for a unified effort. The student benefits because it keeps the course requirements consistent.
Our company has an orientation that includes all of our departments. The local employment services makes a presentation on the local job market to make sure that our students have a realistic expection of what to expect. Names are taken and appointments are set for students who need local jobs.
Student Services explains the scheduling process and tells them about the other services they provide. The students are told how to access our counciler, the food bank and the other community services, They try to put the guys who may have transportation problems with a car pool.
The Finacial Aid Department comes in to stress the importance of repling and returning any request for information.
Our housing is also present to explain the process and assist as needed.
Our system works well and the new students show up with a good understanding of what to expect. Most all of the questions have been answered. Our instructors who teach our first course also explain how the student can out to them if they are having problems adjusting to the new school life. We let them know that "education" can grease the wheels because we know where to go with any type of problem.
As an instructor who teaches the first class I would have to say that our new students are preparded and ready to begin their education.
I am proud of how we do it.
We have the instructors that asre going to be their first instructors at the orientation. This really allows the new students to see who will be teaching them and stitch the students in.
Brad--
It is often very difficult to involve all faculty in the admission process, whether that is in the admissions interview, orientation, etc.
Some institutions have found it very effective to involve faculty during the admissions process by having them meet with faculty during the interview.
Susan
As an instructor, I never see the student until they reach my class.
Our other teams, financial aid, housing, employment services, student services, resource center and more, these guys are the best.
We could probably do better if more instructors were involved in the begining processes. Only less than a handfull of instructors are involved in the orientiation process.
Our institution does train instructors on the awareness of student retention and we are also trained to help and guide our students eairly on to support and guide them in all areas.
Well let see, I believe we make a point to cover all of the departments that pertain to the students. Some of these include student services, employment services, education facilty, and resorce personel.
Karl--
Excellent point. Student Services typically have the most resources to assist current students. It's great that you reinforce this to your class.
Susan
Student Services, which include many differant departments is the most referred dept. that I tell students that they can go if they need help,but first I let the whole class know that they can come to me with any questions that they may have and I will help them to the best of my ability.
Every student is assigned a student advisor when they enroll, and they keep the same advisor from orientation to graduation.
Students are directed to the Career Center, Financial Aid, Veterans Aid (if applicable), Library, and of course the Program Chair or Education Supervisor over their program of study.
The orientation process is like an interactive PowerPoint presentation where all of the information related to the various departments is integrated into the pages. The students are allowed to print the information out so that they can retain a hard copy for their records.
This information is again supplemented in the instructor files & announcments once the student begins attending thier classes.
They can also email or phone thier Program Chair or Education Supervisor over that program of study for additional information or resources as needed.
The entire school support system, including faculty, student accounts, finance, career success, student success, etc. should all be involved. The students here get a presentation usually by their first instructor, and then they get another tour of the facilities where each area provides additional information for them. This process works great.
James--
I think its a great idea to have you involved in orientation especially because you teach classes later in the program. You offer a different and valuable perspective.
Susan
I teach a course that they will not see until the end of their training. I have been invited to talk about the program and let them know what it is about. It also gives thema chance to sign up for the additional program they did not seek before.
all departments are visible and involved in Orientation. Amsisions, FA, Student Services, instructors etc..
Director of Education speaks, follwed by the President, the dean. Than break-out session to pick up uniforms, ID, parking pass etc..
Ice-breaker session is part of the DoE's presentation.
