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★University Freshman Orientation:
Attendance Matters!
By Omar Fakih Hamad, Guest Reporter
Yes, attendance matters! That must be a descent and honest answer to a friend asking if attending orientation at all matters, and if he or she can put off joining his/her college to let the orientation period pass. Internet, e-mails, web-surfing, university brochures, websites’ documents, and university ads can provide a lot of, but not the whole amount of, information needed by a freshman. Freshmen need a real-time physical-touch orientation. The University Freshman Orientation!
It introduces a freshman to campus and the community. What is orientation all about? Do orientations differ from university to university or country to country? What do new students expect from the orientation program? Who is not required to attend? What if one misses the orientation period, how does a make-up orientation? Read a pamphlet, or talk to a friend?
In Tanzania, for instance, universities dedicate the whole first academic week to orientation, where all freshmen, commuters and residents, get an overview of the extensive range of opportunities available to them at universities. Attendance is normally mandatory as the orientation involves parts of timely registrations with expiring deadlines. Students are categorically divided into manageable groups each with an orientation leader (OL). The OLs serve as guides throughout the program and they are ready to share their knowledge and enthusiasm because they have received extensive training to prepare them to answer all incoming freshmen’s questions and queries, academically, socially, and personally.
During the orientation period, all the freshmen live in a residence hall on campus for the whole week of the program and the activities are planned from morning through evening. These activities consist of tours of the campus and facilities, meetings with faculty and administration, workshops, social events, inspiring and promising speeches from government officials (normally ministers and sometimes the country’s president), and matches and competitions between the freshmen and upperclassmen for the purpose of searching for new talent. In addition, freshmen get the opportunity to meet other new and old students and staff and to ask questions, both formal and informal. There includes presentations on a range of topics such as an introduction to the university, academic policies, campus life and visa rules and regulations for foreigners.
Freshmen and the universities’ authorities understand well that orientation is just the beginning of
At the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, when new prospective students were surveyed to suggest and identify their expectations from the forthcoming orientation, the majority considered the occasion as a time to make new friends, know more about the place and the new places around, have a fun time, know the available facilities, opportunities, and people in their respective and general departments; know how to deal with studies, know the characters and personalities of their possible professors and seniors, know the annual events and festivals, understand the history, motto, vision, mission, and personality of the university founder; and understand the rules and the by-laws of the university. In each college, all the staff members, wearing their graduation gowns and hoods, are presented in front of freshmen.
Birla Institute of Technology in India, which is a private university, concludes its orientation week by holding a big festival, prepared by the existing students and attended by almost the whole university community, families, friends, staff, students, professors, and the members of university’s board of trustees. The chancellor, always the states’ Governor, presides over the occasion. Seniors ragging the freshmen is a part of the fun and it normally creates the strongest intimacy and loving bonds between the two parties. However, ragging sometimes crosses the line of decency and it becomes such a cruel phenomenon that kills. This is why the Indian Parliament (Lok Sabha) has strongly banned ragging and has imposed severe punishment against it. It is a non-bailable offense, imprisoned for up to two years and fine.
Freshmen in any orientation at any university of any country should expect and demand for whatever they want to learn, because it is their time to be guided, told, and have their difficult questions and queries answered. Administrative staff, senior students, professors, and every one on campus is excited and feels honored to help the freshmen settle well and comfortably. Everyone needs it and it helps everyone. If one misses the orientation period, the best way to cope with that is to talk to other freshmen and seniors. Freshmen orientation extends for the whole year long. Be a part of it by helping or by getting helped! ★