New Student Orientation provides students with the information they will need before the first week of classes, provides parents and families with information that they will need during the first year of their students’ matriculation, and begins the process of relationship building.

New Student Orientation:  Goals and Outcomes

New Student Orientation provides students with information they need before the first week of classes, provides parents and families with information that they will need during the first year of their students’ matriculation, and begins the process of relationship building.  Outcomes and assessments associated with the goals of Clarion Transitions are outlined below.

Cement students’ and families’ commitment to Clarion University.

Outcomes

·         Students will activate and use their Clarion e-mail account during New Student Orientation.

·         Students will leave new student orientation with their Clarion Photo ID card.

·         Students will leave new student orientation with a full fall and partial spring schedule of classes.

·         Students and families will leave new student orientation with a written listing of critical phone numbers, offices, e-mail addresses, and web sites that they may need for answers to questions that arise before the start of school and after school begins.

·         Students and families will become familiar with the mission and core values of Clarion University and how Clarion’s unique characteristics, especially the university’s student-friendliness, benefit them.

Assessment

·         Students and Parents/Family members will complete surveys that assess satisfaction and learning outcomes.  For example, surveys will ask students if they have acquired critical items (e.g., do students have their id card, their spring schedules, contact information for other students). Surveys will also ascertain if students learned critical information (e.g., where to go for help with writing, where to go for tutoring).  Responses will show an acceptable level of satisfaction and learning to be defined by the Transitions Implementation Team.  Modifications of the orientation program will be made based on the results of New Student Orientation survey data.

 Forge positive and active relationships among students, and among students, faculty and staff.

Outcomes

·         Each student will leave summer orientation with “business cards” of other students with whom they will be encouraged to correspond (at least once) over the summer.

·         Students will participate in social activities designed to acquaint students with their peers.

·         Students will be able to name their dean and one faculty member that they met during summer orientation.

·         Every student will leave New Student Orientation with the Resource Guide, in which the location and phone number of their dean’s office is listed.

Assessment

·         Student surveys will ask questions specific to the outcomes.  For example: The name of my dean is _________ (please fill in the name of your dean).  Responses will show an acceptable level of learning to be defined by the Transitions Implementation Team.  Modifications of the orientation program will be made based on the results of New Student Orientation survey data.

Guide family members as they support their students during the transition from home to college and from college to work.

Outcomes

·         Students and parents will talk with staff in critical campus offices at the Resource Fair.

·         Students will be able to identify which office or individual should be contacted for specific questions.  Based on research, the critical offices and individuals to be identified include Financial Aid, iClarion, Academic Advisors, Public Safety/Parking, and the Center for Academic Enrichment.

·         Distinct programming for parents and families will help parents and family members distinguish between their student’s responsibilities while in college and the family’s role in helping students to meet these responsibilities.

·         Families will leave orientation with a Resource Guide to critical offices and services at the University, and with a Guide to Parent and Family Services.

·         Students and parents will complete critical financial aid and immunization paperwork, and will receive written information from critical campus offices.

·         Students who wish to receive immunizations during New Student Orientation will receive these.

·         Parents/Families will be introduced to the Parents/Families Services Office and the Parent’s Council, and will receive information about Family Day.

Assessment

·         Student surveys will ask questions specific to the outcomes.  For example, “If I need tutoring I should visit __________ (fill in the correct response). Responses will show an acceptable level of satisfaction to be defined by the Transitions Implementation Team.

·         Students/Families will use a check-off sheet during the Resource Fair identifying resource tables that they might visit as well as information that they should receive from those resource tables.

·         Parent/Families surveys will determine if Parents/Families know when Family Day is, if Parents/Families wish to join the Parent’s Council, and if Parents/Families are familiar with the Parents/Family Services Office.  Responses will show an acceptable level of satisfaction to be defined by the Transitions Implementation Team.

 Ensure that students are informed self advocates who accept personal responsibility for their education.

Outcomes

·         Students and families will recognize the value of Clarion’s general education program for them personally and professionally.

·         Students will leave orientation with a clear written summary of general education requirements.

·         Students will recognize the requirements in their major and will leave with a clear written description of these requirements.

·         Students will recognize where to go for critical university services that will help them to stay in college.

·         Students will differentiate their responsibilities while in college from their family’s most appropriate role in helping them to meet these responsibilities.

·         Students will leave orientation with a Resource Guide to critical offices and services at the University.

·         Students will leave campus with a Resource Guide that provides critical information about Student Affairs opportunities and services.

·         Students will leave campus with a Resource Guide listing majors and minors offered at Clarion University.

Assessment

·         Student and parents/family surveys will ask questions specific to the outcomes.  For example, “Where would you go to get help writing a paper?” Responses will show an acceptable level of satisfaction to be defined by the Transitions Implementation Team.

·         The baseline survey of student perspectives and understanding of general education that was distributed in spring 2000 will be distributed at appropriate intervals, and results from previous surveys will be compared with newer survey results to provide longitudinal data on progress as well as feedback to inform adjustments in the orientation or other programming related to general education.

 Engage students in productive co-curricular and extra-curricular activities.

Outcomes

·         Students and families will leave orientation with a list of clubs and co-curricular activities in which the students might become involved.

·         Students and parents will leave orientation with a schedule for the Discovery and Exploration programs.

·         Students and families will understand the requirements for successful completion of the Discovery and Exploration programs.

Assessment

·         Student and Parent/Family surveys will ask students and parents if they have Discovery and Exploration schedules.  Parent surveys will confirm that parents know the dates of Discovery weekend. 

Clarion University of Pennsylvania, Clarion, PA 16214
800-672-7171 or 814-393-2000

© 2006 Clarion University of Pennsylvania