Ready to Roam provides new students with an idea of what to expect in their first days on campus in the fall. This year, the event took place on July 30, with over a thousand students attending! New students familiarized themselves with the environment by joining tours, got a feel for classes with a Mini Lecture, learned academic success strategies, and broke down the differences between high school and university.

UM Essentials is a set of online modules that new Bisons can complete at their own pace, from home. The content features a wide array of topics, so students will discover strategies for taking on their first classes, university resources to help them succeed, wellness advice, tips on getting involved in student life, and the values and guidelines that keep the university a respectful and safe community. All incoming students are automatically enrolled in UM Essentials in August, so they can complete it at any time and refer back throughout the year. The online resource is also a great way for new students to familiarize themselves with the UM Learn interface, as the site also hosts all course homepages.

Prep Week is the best way to immerse yourself in the campus community! On August 26 and 27, all new students are invited to the Fort Garry campus where they can participate in university skills workshops, attend a special panel presentation, play games, and meet peers! The main component of Prep Week is a series of workshop sessions led by Student Affairs staff who specialize in supporting students by building their academic skillsets. Topics will include writing, academic integrity, study tips, and self-care. The panel discussion, titled “What I Wish I Knew,” features upper-years students providing the advice they would’ve liked to have when they started their journeys at UM. Additionally, there will be a Zoom webinar on August 28 about essential research and writing skills.

Welcome Day is the day before the start of classes, and it’s the grand finale of our orientation programming! To start, students are assigned homerooms for the day. Next, students will make their way to the Pep Rally to celebrate joining the herd! In the afternoon, students can enjoy the Carnival with new and old friends. Look forward to food, inflatable games, a photo book, a DJ, and more! If students still have questions before starting classes the next day, there will still be campus tours running through the afternoon, and they can stop by the Welcome Day Info Fair for more information on campus resources.

Are you starting your university journey with us this September? Ogechi Agba, Transition Events Coordinator, has a few words of advice:

“This is your first year at UM! Make the most of orientation by taking part in opportunities that have been created just for you. Meet new people with common interests and get an advantage by becoming familiar with the expectations and resources available to you.”

Participating in orientation programming is the best way to start off the new academic year on the right foot. That means knowing your way around, strengthening your academic skills, discovering resources to support your success and wellness through the year, and getting to know your peers. Check out the Fall Orientation website to discover more programming details and register for the events!

We are so excited for new Bisons to join the herd!

At Welcome Day student leaders, academic advisors and support staff will fill you in on what you need to know.  We will help you get familiar with your new space, highlighting valuable resources and must-visit spots on campus.

Student attendees will be assigned a Homeroom to start their day. We’ll send you the location, but you’ll also see lots of signs on campus as well as Meeters and Greeters to help point you in the right direction. Prior to lunch, UM community members will come together for the Welcome Ceremony and formally welcome you to the herd! Following the ceremony, you’re invited to join us for a free barbecue lunch  on the pedway. See the full schedule for more details.

We’re excited to announce that Brody Jackson, Morning Show personality from QX104 will be joining us at the Welcome Ceremony! You may also recognize his voice from his work at the Jets games as the Game Host.

Here are even more reasons why you should join us for Welcome Day:

• To gain confidence: Going somewhere new is overwhelming, but being introduced to these spaces and exploring them beforehand will do wonders. Learning about supports and services can also be intimidating, so we’ll show you how to get connected.
• Meet experienced students and future classmates. Hearing from students about university life will give you insight on some things you can expect. It’s also a good opportunity to meet future classmates as your Homeroom will have students registered in the same courses or program as you.
• Leaders can answer questions. It’s hard to know what information you’re missing until you get to campus and see it for yourself. Welcome Day will give you a chance to settle in and ask questions you may have.
• Hear advice from special guests and UM VIPs. These guests will share firsthand experiences and give you their best tips and advice. Helping you set yourself up for success and paving a better path for future students is the Bison spirit!

We’re excited to meet new faces and help you make the best of your first year! This is an exciting time for you and for the whole UM community, so we want to make sure you feel like you belong. Don’t miss this chance to see what lies ahead of you.

Be sure to confirm your attendance on Welcome Day by completing a short online form. Check your @myumanitoba.ca email address regularly for all important details: when to arrive and where to go, along with a QR code to use at check-in. Visit UM Commons for everything related to the first year experience.

“UM Commons Live provided students with an opportunity to meet new people and along with other on-campus initiatives, brought a fresh energy back to the Fort Garry campus,” Brandy Usick, executive director, Student Engagement and Success says. “Over the next few months, we’ll be looking for ways to reconnect with students as we ease back into more on-campus activity.” 

Under tents in the Quad, students were able to find information on campus sustainability, get career advice and have tours of campus. Staff were excited to hand out information and interact with students in-person for the first time in months. Billy the Bison visited every day, bringing high fives and good cheer. There was a drum circle lead by spiritual care coordinator Edgar French and student support case worker Jesse Singer, and student services navigators from the Virtual Advising Help Centre were on hand to support students with general questions and referral to services. 

Through UM Essentials, an eight-module online course, students learned about the university’s expectations for their academic and personal behaviour as well as how to navigate coursework through UM Learn. UM Essentials is available to students throughout the next year, so if you have not yet completed these modules, you can log on and complete them now.  

Prep Week featured a full schedule of online workshops, lectures and social gatherings, with some sessions seeing upwards of 700 students in attendance. The most popular were skill-based workshops, including those on time management, group work strategies and academic writing. Recordings of the Prep Week sessions are available in the  UM Learn course. If you are not able to access the course, email umessentials@umanitoba.ca and ask to be added. 

Nearly 3000 students registered for Welcome Day, logging in for the virtual kick-off of the new academic year with messages from university administration, alumni and upper-level students wishing them well on their UM journey. Students spent the day in sessions familiarizing themselves with all aspects of university life. View the welcome ceremony and the sessions offered on September 7. 

If you missed UM Commons Live and have not yet received your Welcome Package, you can pick one up at the First Year Centre (205 Tier Building) or at UMSU in University Centre, while supplies last.  

STAY IN TOUCH 

For everything you need to know as a first year student, visit UM Commons, an online hub where you can get connected to your classmates, find a mentor and more. Plus, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram @umfirstyearcentre and @umstudent.

 Welcome Day (September 7) 

Join us on September 7 to celebrate the beginning of a new academic year virtually. You’ll start the day by being officially welcomed to UM by the President, Chancellor and others at the Welcome Ceremony. Then you’ll meet with your Welcome Day group to hear about what you can expect as you begin your first year of university studies. In the afternoon, connect with your faculties or gain advice from students who were in your shoes last year. 

Join Welcome Day now

Prep Week (August 30-September 3) 

Start your day by meeting up with your classmates and upper level students for a morning check in before you start your day. 

Check out the Prep Week schedule, and identify the sessions you want to register for. Here are just some examples of what will be offered: 

• Get tips for skills-based learning, including strategies to master online learning, time management, planning study sessions, working well in a group, academic writing, tutoring, and much more. 
• Learn how you can have the best student experience, including a session with Bison Sports, tips on staying active while studying remotely, and introductions to various student communities where you can make connections and meet new friends. 
• Find out more about the many student supports and services available to you, including spiritual health, sexual violence awareness, accessibility, and more. 
• Get familiar with your faculty community at one of the faculty-led sessions. 
• Attend special lectures from UM Professors, like one about the history of comics and Indigenous representation in the medium  

This is your first year at UM! Make the most of it by taking part in opportunities that have been created just for you. Meet new people with common interests and get an advantage by becoming familiar with the expectations and resources available at your new school.   

View Prep Week 

 UM Commons: Live

If you are on campus Sept. 8, 9, 10, feel free to stop by UM Commons: Live in the Quad (look for our signs) and say “Hi!”. Students, faculty and staff from Student Affairs and other units will be on hand to answer questions, provide tours of campus and provide other helpful information.  

 Stay in Touch

For everything you need to know as a first year student, visit UM Commons, an online hub where you can get connected to your classmates, participate in events, find a mentor and more. Plus, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram @umfirstyearcentre and @umstudent. 

To help with the transition into being a U of M student, we have created UM Essentials – an online orientation course that provides critical information on things like academic integrity, getting involved on campus, academic success strategies, and also some of our crucial policies on substance use and sexual violence. The idea is to give students a way to learn all of this important information in a digestible, understandable way, that they can return to when they are looking for information. UM Essentials is available now on UM Learn. Students who complete UM Essentials by September 18, 2019 will be automatically entered to win one of two prizes of $500 toward their tuition. 

How to support your student during their first year

 More choices

The support of family members is incredibly valuable to students and contributes significantly to the success they can achieve in their studies. How can you help specifically? Support their choices by doing things with them, not for them, such as researching courses and programs, registration and meetings with advisors.  Encourage your student to explore their options and ask questions. Academic advisors, professors, career consultants and many others are here to provide support to students as they navigate the beginning of their new academic career. It’s also important to remember that what you want for your student may be different than what they want; supporting their choices is key. 

More freedom

One of the biggest differences between high school and university study is time. In high school, in class time was approximately 25-30 hours. A typical university student is in class for 12-15 hours per week; however, we recommend a 2:1 study to class time ratio. This means an average student should spend between 24-30 hours per week studying independently. Combine this with class time and this ends up being close to a full time job. Also, attendance in classes is not always monitored, so encouraging your student to attend all classes is important. Content is covered at a much faster pace in university (24 weeks per academic year versus 40 weeks in high school), so missing classes often means more difficulty catching up. 

More responsibility

Encourage your student to claim their @myumanitoba.ca email account and check it regularly to ensure important communications aren’t missed. The U of M uses only this email account to communicate with students. University students are expected to know, and abide by, a number of policies here at the U of M. It is important for you to encourage your student to review these, in particular those around academic integrity. UM Essentials is a great guide to familiarizing yourself with those policies. The University of Manitoba has a number of important dates and deadlines to which students are expected to adhere. Deadlines are not typically flexible and each student has the responsibility to follow these. Additionally, there are some boundaries to parental involvement at the U of M. Regardless of age, or who is paying for tuition, the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) allows the U of M to release any information about a student only to that same student.

More support

Possibly most important is to remind your student that asking for help is normal and that there are many places to get support on campus. You can also let them know of the many resources at the U of M that are available to students:

• Financial Aid and Awards for scholarships, entrance and continuing awards, bursaries, Campus Food Bank and Work-Study Program.
• Academic Learning Centre whose services include writing consultations, study skills strength assessment and support, exam preparation workshops, and study skills and writing tip sheets.
• Career Services for career planning workshops, one-on-one counselling, career fairs, job postings (careerCONNECT) and resumé/cover letter/interview resources.
• Recreation Services with more fitness and recreation options than any other facility in the province, programs, classes and intramural leagues (membership is included in your student’s fees).
• University Health Service is available to students for acute and minor health care problems, checkups, health and travel counselling and immunizations.
• Student Accessibility Services provides support and advocacy for students with disabilities, such as: hearing, injury-related, learning, mental health, medical, physical, visual, or temporary disabilities.
• Student Counselling Centre offers supportive problem-solving assistance for academic, vocational, emotional, personal or social concerns (all free and confidential).
• Academic Advisors in the First Year Centre are also available to assist any first year student regardless of faculty or program. Advisors help students transition to university and navigate the responsibilities and opportunities available in this new environment. Encourage your student to make the most of their time at university by regularly checking in with an advisor. 

Welcome Day and other important dates

UM Orientation 2019: Welcome Day will be held on the Fort Garry campus on September 3. Be sure to check the website to find out how your student can register and why they should attend. Registration closes August 19.

Some other important dates and deadlines include:

• First Day of Classes for Fall Term – Sep. 4, 2019
• Course Drop Date – The last date to drop a course with a refund for Fall term and Fall/Winter term spanning courses – Sep. 17, 2019
• Course Add Date – The last date to add a course in the revision period – Sep. 18, 2019
• Fee Payment Deadline Fall Term – Oct. 2, 2019

Be sure to join the conversation on our student social media channels: @umstudent, @um_student and facebook.com/UM.Student.

For more information visit umanitoba.ca/orientation. ]]> https://umtoday-wordpress.ad.umanitoba.ca/parents-guide-to-first-year-2019/feed/ 0 https://umtoday-wordpress.ad.umanitoba.ca/introducing-um-orientation-2019/ https://umtoday-wordpress.ad.umanitoba.ca/introducing-um-orientation-2019/#respond Fri, 17 May 2019 14:21:00 +0000 http://news.umanitoba.ca/?p=112820 Some new and exciting things are on the way for orienting new students to the U of M]]> Some new and exciting things are on the way for orienting new students to the U of M.  We sat down with Ali Wood-Warren, First Year Centre Coordinator, and Melissa Warden Black, Orientation and Transitions Coordinator to find out how they’re approaching orientation differently this year.

 What made you decide to shake things up?

Melissa: In the past, the U of M had a set of events and offerings that were intended to ‘orient’ students to the U of M, but they weren’t being presented cohesively.  Because of this, incoming students were taking part in certain events and not others, and not everyone was getting the same experience. We got feedback from students who had participated in our programming in the past, heard what worked and what didn’t, and made some changes.

Ali: We can’t expect these students who are coming fresh out of high school to just get with the program in a single day of Orientation right before they start classes.  We want them to take the summer, participate in our different programming, and think of Orientation as a process.

How is UM Orientation 2019 different from what’s been offered in the past?

Ali: We decided to change the focus of some of our previous events, and add some, so we can really meet the needs of the students.  This year, we are offering three main on-campus events, and a new and improved online component, called UM Essentials, plus smaller workshop-type offerings.

Melissa: The three on-campus events are: What’s Next? (June 1, 2019) which is taking the place of Head Start, and focusing more on what students told us they wanted at this phase of the process: course planning, registration, and exploring their faculty options. Then on July 17, we’re adding an event called Making the Grade! which will get students on campus mid-summer to get them comfortable, maybe get some of the administrative stuff out of the way, and show them all of the different options they’ve got for student support and getting involved. That way, when it comes to Welcome Day (September 3), they can focus more on socializing and making friends, rather than spending hours in line to get their Student ID Card.

Tell us more about UM Essentials.

Melissa: We wanted to find a way to include students who can’t necessarily take part in the on campus summer events, and also lighten the load of information we tend to throw at students in our typical fall Orientation day. UM Essentials is available to all incoming students on UM Learn starting in June, and it offers information on things like academic integrity, getting involved on campus, and also familiarizes students with some of our crucial policies on substance use and sexual violence. The idea is to give students a way to learn all of this important information in a digestible, understandable way.

 What should be the first step in getting the most out of the new UM Orientation?

Ali: Register for What’s Next? – it’s going to be a really great day on our Fort Garry campus. Students and their families are welcome to come check out their future campus home.  They’re going to learn a lot, and it’s a great opportunity to get more comfortable with this next stage in their life.

For more information, and to register for all upcoming UM Orientation 2019 events, click here.