Orientation Advisory Council

February 7, 2017

  1. Spring 2017 Program Review
  2. International Undergrads
  3. Domestic Freshmen
  4. 155 students, 3 who did makeup session. 141 last year, up 10%
  5. Transfer Student Welcome
  6. 216 students attended, down a little from last year but admission numbers are down as well.
  7. Next Steps Center
  8. Revised “Previous Institution Eligibility” checklist item
  9. Met with Dean of Students to change the wording of the checklist item. It is more specific so that students do not misinterpret the question.
  10. Anne Pagel as what is talked about in the meeting with DOS.
  11. Damien responded that it is to talk about their experiences and talk about the expectations of the UA.
  12. RO3 is the hold code.
  13. Upcoming Transcript Verification checklist item
  14. This is overall change within Admissions process. They have told us what core classes they are taking or core GPA. This is a way to verify reported information to ensure it is accurate and meets ABOR/UA requirements.
  15. 7th semester – Honors College and merit aid (Arizona/Wildcat Excellence Award). Deadline of March 1st, but no repercussion for non-completion. They must also submit the 8th semester transcript.
  16. 8th semester – ALL students, looking at 6th semester information, GPA and core classes. Working with Engineering and Nursing admissions who want to do additional evaluation of the students.
  17. For those with access, verification/admit checklisthas been added to UA Application Summary page.
  18. We will change our Orientation messaging to accommodate these changes.
  19. OOS – this will affect them, they will be able to make changes to their schedules during the orientation but will not be able to make changes until they submit the transcripts.
  20. Students can submit transcripts during their Orientation session at OIC.
  21. Processing will be taking these as we receive them to try and reduce the impact on the students. Admissions Processing will remove the service indicators quickly.
  22. Anne Pagel asked about Math Placement –
  23. Damien said New Student Services will meet with Math Placement to see what we can do, because if they do not do their placement before they will not be able to register for math.
  24. Pre-scheduling
  25. Lindsey Wedge is working on preparing this. February 17 is the deadline for curriculum updates.
  26. Sign off received from Education, Nursing, handful of Science programs.
  27. If there are no changes send her an email.
  28. UITS is going to start taking back some of their responsibilities for pre-scheduling and will be the primary contact this cycle. For the time being you can contact Damien for pre-scheduling questions and concerns.
  29. NSS Staffing
  30. We have offered our vacant coordinator position, they have accepted the position, and we are still waiting for a contract.
  31. OWL – thank you everyone for helping push the position and sharing with your students. We are looking at hiring 27-30 students to work with our 21 returners.
  32. Marketing & Materials
  33. Calendars
  34. Family Calendars will be the same but Student Calendars are change to Student Resource Guides, they will resemble the Transfer Student Resource Guides.
  35. More details about resources and support for student, less on dates and specific dates. Marketing is working with Arizona Mobile to make it digital. All of it will be there! This is still is draft review phase.
  36. Dana Robbins-Murray asked if there will be a draft sent to representatives for review.
  37. Yes, quick turn around.
  38. Presentations
  39. Thank you everyone for sending you updated sections and we will be sending this to marketing. Damien will set up a meeting with usual representatives to work on the OOS presentation. Waiting for rebranded version to be created by Marketing and for review from Melissa and Kasey.
  40. Quick Guides
  41. Marketing office wants to do something different.
  42. Tabloid 4 page spread. It’snot in the most legible format. Also want to make quick guides more of an identity piece to use during class review and to brand them to their college.
  43. There is a 6-page spread, trifold. Math on just 2 spreads, placement and English on one side.
  44. Damien will be reaching out to the college representatives to review and provide photos. If there is someone better than yourself, please let us know.
  45. We have a month until we need them to get to the printer.
  46. Advising Forms
  47. We will hold off because we do not have placement offices in attendance today. We will follow up individually.
  48. Out-of-State Information

CHI / SEA / NYC
Athletes / 1 / 1 / 0
Honors / 3 / 2 / 1
SALT Center / 13 / - / 25
UAGSC / 3 / 2 / 3
UARCH / 0 / 0 / 0
UBUSN / 15 / 1 / 18
UCLAS / 16 / 6 / 24
UEDUC / 9 / 2 / 2
UENGR / 1 / 0 / 1
UFNRT / 2 / 0 / 2
UHMNT / 1 / 0 / 0
UMDTC / 2 / 0 / 0
UNURS / 0 / 0 / 0
UPBLH / 0 / 0 / 0
USBSC / 9 / 0 / 9
USCNC / 10 / 1 / 10
Total / 68 / 12 / 69
Guests / 65 / 7 / 73
  1. Current Numbers
  2. Traveler Forms (due Friday!) & Information
  3. Kelsy Stephens contact information is below.
  4. Shipping Materials
  5. Will accept material drop-off for CHI, SEA & NYC from March 6-10
  6. DEN not included we will work on this in June.
  7. Renaissance Chicago now working if you are trying to reserve your room.
  8. SALT Center is tentative to have a lunch meeting to not interfere with the other sessions. Lunch period will be extended.
  9. Drop off at the front desk lower level of Old Main or bring to March 7 OAC
  10. Separate materials into bundles for each city and label contents
  11. Do not seal we will be opening them to repackage.
  12. Maximum weight of 35lbs
  13. We have 1,537 students registered for summer 2017.
  14. Admits we are up and applications are down. New admissions process makes it harder to create projections, but will continue to bring updated figures to OAC.
  15. 1,094 guests have signed up so far.
  16. TSW – 55 students who have signed up
  17. International – down 43% they have 16 students signed up.
  1. New Student Experiences Task Force being led from Melissa Vito’s area, 9 different committees looking at the student experience. Initial proposals for all of the committees. Working together to make a seamless process for students.
  2. Next Steps Center
  3. Dolores: tomorrow, we are going to get ideas of what you would like it to look like. Choose what and how we would like to see. Goal of session is “Go big or go home.”
  4. Orientation
  5. What does the experience look like. Please take the survey Damien send out, NSS
  6. It is aspirational, please do not let this limit you. If you think this is something that is beneficial.
  7. It is anonymous, feel free to provide critical or detailed information.
  8. Anne Pagel: some discussions have been fewer students in a session, models at other institutions – optional orientation with more online pre-orientation or online modules.
  9. Bring back a Saturday session
  10. Two day orientation sessions, one day academic and another engagement.
  11. Maricopa orientation, to be a yield event. One day travel.
  12. Since we moved to the pre-scheduler, many students don’t know how to use UAccess even though it is taught by OWLs. UAccess tutorial and at the same time registering their schedule is one proposal; huge change from where we are at.
  13. Feedback from colleges:
  14. Colorado has online model; 70-80% of students still attend in-person. UCLA is doing something similar as well, they have 90% of students go through in-person program.
  15. Allison Ewing-Cooper – they like that the students come in and register with the advisors.
  16. Marisa Pope-Malings – engineering
  17. Norma Ayon – advisors sit down with the students because it depends on where the students ability and have the advisors be hands on.
  18. What are we trying to solve? UAccess knowledge or getting a schedule they put together.
  19. CALS is for the online module to teach students.
  20. Dolores brought up the point that if it is completely online is this a way for families to take away the skills from their students.
  21. Leaning toward the smaller groups and having hands on piece.
  22. Damien can work with Fernando Chavez to look for spaces on campus that can hold the students and have the advisors walk around and help the students.
  23. This then makes us look at reviewing the Orientation as a whole. Other institutions who do the online module make include schedule review in their optional on-campus orientation.
  24. Take back to your colleges and bring back feedback next meeting. We value your input at this point to help us better understand what is the students needs.
  25. Mark asked if there is any data on on-campus vs online orientation.
  26. Colorado is still new and is trying to figure out their program.
  27. Welcome
  28. This one is moving more ahead a little quicker.
  29. Viewing the peer model for students.
  30. Peer groups formed at first event and remain together for a couple of days.
  31. Being intentional with the programming – including more topics, using peer groups to reflect and discuss.
  32. Will have to work with existing programs and schedules – res life move-in, Greek recruitment – to make sure programs are inclusive to all populations and minimize conflicts.
  33. Future OAC Meetings | Tuesdays, 3-5pm, El Portal Saguaro Room.
  1. March 7 – we will be reviewing draft OOS schedules and WA will be presenting. Usual updates and many more important things. Bring shipping materials if you would like.
  2. April 4
  3. May 2
  1. Summer 2017

Fall 2017 Domestic Freshman Orientation Dates
SALT / NSO / HNRS
CHI - Session 1 / 4/9 / 4/9 / 4/9
SEA - Session 2 / 4/23 / 4/23
NYC - Session 3 / 4/30 / 4/30 / 4/30
Session 4 / 5/24 / + / 5/25
Session 5 / 5/25 / + / 5/26 / + / 5/27
Session 6 / 5/30 / + / 5/31
Session 7 / 6/1 / + / 6/2
Session 8 / 6/12 / + / 6/13
New Start - Session 9 / 6/14 / + / 6/17
Session 10 / 6/15 / + / 6/16 / + / 6/17
Session 11 / 6/19
Session 12 / 6/21
Session 13 / 6/22 / + / 6/23
Session 14 / 6/26
Session 15 / 6/27 / + / 6/28 / + / 6/29
Session 16 / 6/30
DEN - Session 17 / 7/16 / 7/16
Session 18 / 8/11
Session 19 / 8/14 / + / 8/15 / + / 8/16
  1. CATS Academics: July 10-14
  2. International: August 8-11
  3. Transfer Welcome: July 28 & 31, August 12 & 14

Staff Contact Information

Kasey Urquidez, Vice President, Enrollment Management & Student Affairs Advancement and Dean, Undergraduate Admissions, office: 621-3705, email:

Stefanie Basij, Senior Director, Freshmen Recruitment & Enrollment Services: 621-1270, email:

Damien Snook, Associate Director, New Student Services: office: 621-8466, cell: 392-0251, email:

Dolores Machado, Senior Coordinator, New Student Services: 626-0849, email:

Serena Valle, Coordinator, New Student Services: office: 621-0572, email:

Kelsy Stephens, Administrative Associate, Freshmen Recruitment & Enrollment Services, office: 626-9781, email: