UCT ORIENTATION 2014
DRAFT ALL-FACULTY BRIDGE ORIENTATION PROGRAMME
The All-Faculty Bridge Orientation Programme caters for those students who missed their university-wide orientation programmes. It is designed in such a way that ensures students make a smooth transition into university.
University Of Cape Town: DRAFT All-Faculty Bridge Orientation Programme
Saturday, 22 February 2014
BACKGROUND
The All-Faculty Bridge Orientation Programme is designed to cater for students who miss the mainstream university-wide orientation programmes. The one day programme will provide essential information related to the students’ academic careers and the support services that are available towards this end.
Areas of focus include academic orientation which is faculty-based and focuses on matters such as curriculum advice, course web pages, the Vula site, the UCT email system and other academic administrative queries.
In addition, focus is placed on UCT’s support services (Campus Protection Services, Writing Centre, Careers Centre, Disability Unit, Information and Communication Technology Services and the Student Orientation, Advocacy Service, HAICU, the Student Tribunal and the SRC) as well as the Library and campus tours.
The programme sets the stage for on-going orientation programmes that are run in the different faculties. It is also a good platform for the first years to gain access to essential services that enable a smooth transition from high school to university life.
Programme Expectations
· To get the students to easily acquire as much information about their degrees and issues that directly and indirectly affects academics.
· To enlighten and expose the students to the support services available to them in and around campus
· Introduction to the library should enable participants to get a general understanding of library rules, regulations and systems
· Since the tours are faculty-specific, participants will get introduced to buildings that directly complement their studies and hence make navigation around campus much easier.
Overall, the programme is expected to provide a sense of confidence in the participants as they would have covered material that would have been otherwise offered in the initial faculty orientation programmes.
Programme Design
The programme is spread across 6 major sections:
· Academic Orientation (Faculty-specific)
· Support Services
· Tours (Library and Campus Tours)
· Ice-breakers and Lunch
· The UCT Orientation DVD
· Computer Lab information and Evaluation of Programme
University of Cape Town: DRAFT All-Faculty Bridge Orientation Programme
Saturday, 22 February 2014
Time / Minutes / Activity / Venue / Speaker/ Facilitator09.00-09.05 / 5 / O.L. Introduction Skit / LS2A / Orientation Leaders
09.05-09.15 / 10 / Official Welcome (4 min 20 sec of Orientation DVD) / Mrs Shamla Naidoo
SUPPORT SERVICES
09.15-09.25 / 10 / Safety (CPS) / Sidwell Ntshibilikwana
09.25-09.35 / 10 / Student Wellness / Carmelita Lee Shong
09.35-09.45 / 10 / DISCHO / Rashieda Khan
09.45-09.55 / 10 / O.L. Icebreaker 1 / Orientation Leaders
09.55-10.05 / 10 / Disability Unit / Nafisa Mayat
10.05-10.15 / 10 / Career Services / Athi Matinise
10.15-10.25 / 10 / GSCID *TBC / Anthony Davies
10.25-10.35 / 10 / O.L Icebreaker 2 / Orientation Leaders
10.35-11.05 / 30 / HAICU / HAICU Peer Educator
11.05-11.15 / 10 / SRC Welcome/Talk / Mangi Gondwe
TOURS
11.15-12.00 / 45 / Library Tour / UCT Main Library/ Kramer Law Library / Orientation Leaders
12.00-12.50 / 50 / Campus Tour / UCT Upper Campus/ Middle Campus / Orientation Leaders
12.50-13.20 / 30 / LUNCH BREAK
13.20-13.38 / 18 / 4 min 20 sec-20 min of Orientation DVD
FACULTY-SPECIFIC
13.38-13.30 / 52 / Faculty Academics- Curriculum Design etc. / LS2B, LS2C, LS1A, LS1B, LS1C, LS1D, LS1E / Faculty Coordinators/Representative
14.30-14.50 / 20 / Homerooms (Q & A on various aspects) / LS2B, LS2C, LS1A, LS1B, LS1C, LS1D, LS1E / Orientation Leaders
14.50-15.30 / 40 / Computer Information, Vula info. and online Evaluation / Comlab / Lab Assistants/ Orientation Leaders
END
University of Cape Town: DRAFT All-Faculty Bridge Orientation Programme
Saturday, 22 February 2014
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
This agreement is made between SOAS (Student Orientation and Advocacy Service) and the Orientation Coordinating Committee (OCC) stakeholders. This agreement aims to clarify the involvement of all Stakeholders prior to and during the All-faculty Bridge Orientation Programme 2014.
The All-Faculty Bridge Orientation Programme is designed to cater for students who miss the mainstream University-wide orientation programmes. The one day programme will provide essential information related to the students’ academic careers and the support services that are available towards this end.
The Memorandum of Understanding herewith sets out the expectations of the different sections of the programme from the various stakeholders namely Faculty Coordinators, The SOAS office, Orientation Leaders, Session facilitators and support service departments.
All-Faculty Bridge Orientation Coordinating Committee includes the following stakeholders:
1. Student Orientation and Advocacy Service (SOAS)
2. Support Services (CPS, Student Wellness, DISCHO and the Disability Unit)
3. UCT Libraries
4. Orientation Leaders
5. Faculty/ IAPO Coordinators
6. Computer Lab assistants
Roles and Responsibilities
All Facilitators
Facilitators should ensure that they follow the following guidelines:
· Outline aim or vision of the particular office, services offered and how they are relevant to the first years, times of operation and address a maximum of 5 questions that might arise.
· Make use of visual aids and the orientation leaders for skits where possible.
· Presentation must be Vibrant and information should be concise
· Informative and interactive
· Encourage students to ask questions and clarify any academic issues
· Stick to time allocated for presentation
· Submit presentation material requirements at least 48 hours prior to programme date (this includes presentation slides and printed material).
SOAS
· Collate and assist faculty coordinators in identifying the targeted students
· On receipt and collation of participants, notify participants via email
· Design posters for marketing the programme
· Provide a highly efficient and effective team of 14 orientation leaders
· Secure technical equipment required for event well in advance, i.e. projectors, sound systems etc
· Secure venues and follow-up closer to the date
· The office should also ensure that the venue is opened at least half an hour before the start of the programme.
Faculty Coordinators:
· Establish a system of identifying students who miss orientation and notifying them of the bridge programme
· Academic support structures to be highly emphasised e.g. Student Advisors, Curriculum advisors, Mentor programmes, tutoring system and the faculty library sections.
· Ensure that folders are available for the students
Orientation Leaders:
· Take participants to the location of the support services which are located on upper campus.
· Blend history with function of buildings during the campus tours
· Highlight easy access routes and access conditions, for example, how to get to Leslie Social Sciences building from one of the shuttle stops
· Ensure that all students take the evaluation and submit it correctly in order to get a good response for future programmes.
· Assist lab assistants in administering computer lab overview
Computer Lab Assistants
· It is expected that the participants get a general understanding of the purpose of Vula and an idea of how they can navigate the site
· Expose students to the university’s home page, resources such as the first year’s guide to survival for future reference, PeopleSoft and Vula.
UCT Libraries
· Facilitate library tours which will target specific faculty resources and familiarise students with the library systems, rules and regulations.
CPS
· Introduce students to safety issues on campus including access control, CPS points, the mobile phone alerting system, the blue routes and the escort service.
Student Wellness
· Introduce students to this support service highlighting location, procedures to make appointments, payment options, emergency details, the role of medical aid and how to easily access the facility.
DISCHO
· Introduce students to the diversity of discrimination and harassment issues and how the department handles the different cases. The facilitator should also provide a clear visual and detail of how participants can access the service.
Disability Unit
· Introduce participants to the appropriate approach to disability matters and how the service supports students with any form of disability on campus. The facilitator should also highlight volunteer opportunities for the participants in this department.