MIT practices in this area

For an overview of MIT’s Orientation Program, see link below and the summary at the bottom of this section.

• First-Year Orientation – Coordinated and run by the Undergraduate Advising and Academic Programs office (UAAP)
  • The Office of Multicultural Programs hosts a Diversity Orientation program as a part of first year orientation. The program is run by the Office of Student Life. This session for all students includes a program of national diversity speakers, MIT speakers, and opportunities for students to share about their identities. Following the program, students are broken into groups for facilitated breakout conversations with trained faculty and staff facilitators.

For more information about the Diversity Orientation program, please contact La-Tarri Canty (lcanty@mit.edu), Assistant Dean and Director of Multicultural Programs.

• Freshman Pre-Orientation Programs FPOP
  • Incoming students may elect to participate in the Freshman Pre-Orientation Programs (FPOP). There more than 25 FPOPs that give new students the opportunity to participate in a 4 or 5-day program around a variety of topics, including leadership, service, outdoors, arts, and academic programs.

Programs of Note

• Brown University – Third World Transition Program

The Third World Transition Program is an optional orientation program that runs the 4 days prior to the general, first-year orientation week. The program is open to all first-year incoming students regardless of race or nationality. The issues discussed at TWTP focus on domestic issues faced by Third World communities and communities of color within the United States. These include issues of racism, classism, cissexism and sexism, ableism, imperialism, and heterosexism.

• Purdue University: Boiler Gold Rush

Boiler Gold Rush (BGR) takes place the week before fall classes begin. All incoming students are encouraged to participate. Participants learn about campus traditions, Purdue culture and university resources.

• Metropolitan State University

Metropolitan State University provides a required online orientation program for newly admitted students. This 6-module, orientation session must be completed prior to course registration. The orientation introduces students to academic and student services and programs, and helps students understand their role and responsibilities as part of the university community.

• Dartmouth College: Outdoor Orientation Programs - Dartmouth Outing Club – First-year Trips

“DOC First-Year Trips is a student-run pre-orientation program designed to ease the transition of first-year students to college life. The program’s goals are to facilitate meaningful interactions between first-years and upperclassmen that will give students confidence in forging their own paths and identities while at Dartmouth”.

• Wheaton College: Wheaton Passage

Wheaton’s off-site new student transition program designed to help students meet other first-year students, build relationships with current students and be mentored by a faculty member.

• Texas A&M: Fish Camp

Fish Camp is a 4-day extended orientation program that takes place at an off-site camp/conference center. The program provides an opportunity for the Freshman class to “have fun, make friends, and learn more about Texas A&M.” Over half of the entering class participates in this program each year.

MIT Orientation - Summary

The main goal of the Orientation program is to prepare students for the institution’s educational opportunities and to introduce first year students to the intellectual, cultural and social climate of the institution.

Background Information

Guiding principles of an Orientation program must be:

• Integrated into the life of the institution
• Intentional and coherent
• Reflective of developmental and demographic profiles of the incoming student population
• Responsive to the needs of individuals, diverse and special populations, and relevant constituencies

Throughout the process of reviewing the current MIT Orientation schedule, programming that is core to the mission include:

• Incoming students need to have the opportunity to gain the academic knowledge required to make registration decisions. These opportunities include having access to take Advanced Standing Exams, meet academic departments, and to understand the Learning Communities.
• Being exposed to programs that aid our first year students to navigate basic life skills and understand being part of a larger community. These topics include alcohol, diversity and conversations around sexual assault.
• Developing a sense of class identity.
• To provide the best possible experience for entering students by ensuring quality service during the orientation program through collaboration with various MIT departments.
• Assist students in moving into a residential community where they can thrive and be successful.
• To promote an atmosphere which values diversity, health and safety.
• To encourage students to participate in clubs, athletics and community service.
• To provide continued evaluation of the orientation program to continue to adapt the programs to meet the needs of each class of entering students.

Learning Objectives for Freshmen

The following are the learning objectives for the incoming students:

• Develop the knowledge of different resources to help with academic and personal challenges
• Develop a knowledge of courses and academic requirements
• Meet and create social connections with classmates