May 1st is the national commitment deadline, until May 1st the ATD is refundable.  The benefit of paying your ATD by May 1st is you will then be allowed to register for a START program.  START is where students will be able to register for their fall term classes, meet with their academic advisor, and many other events to help get them settled before the fall term.  There are several START sessions throughout the summer and below is a link with more information and dates.

START

We have an online guide to help guide students and families through the process which is included below.

Online Instructions

-GG

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Oregon State University will revise its First Year Experience program for new students over the next several years in an effort to help students succeed academically and improve retention.

A task force of OSU faculty, staff and students has been working on ways to help students thrive academically and personally during the first year. It concurs with what many national studies have found: The best way to ensure that students return for their sophomore year is to help them “connect” to campus in a meaningful way, said Susie Brubaker-Cole, associate provost for academic success at OSU and co-chair of the task force.

“What we’re seeking is a ‘high-touch’ experience for students during that first year when it becomes critical for them to interact in meaningful ways with other students, with faculty and with campus programs,” Brubaker-Cole said. “A lot of this happens in the classroom, but much of it is an extension of classroom learning that reaches into life on campus and the experiences you have as a member of campus communities.”

As an integral part of OSU’s initiative, first-year students will be required to live on campus for their first academic year beginning fall term of 2013. (my emphasis)

“If you look at top universities in the country in terms of academic success and student retention, almost all of them require students to live on campus their first year,” Brubaker-Cole said. “The learning and community-building that occur in campus residences are focal points of the first-year experience.”

OSU has done well with retention over the past few years, hovering around 82% of students returning for their sophomore year. While that is ahead of peer institutions, there is room for improvement that can be realized by tying together efforts of many parts of the student experience into a cohesive one. Concerns about ample housing offerings and exceptions for some students are addressed:

Tom Scheuermann, director of University Housing and Dining Services at OSU, says his office has assessed its overall on-campus housing capacity and will have adequate space for the live-on-campus requirement. In addition to the International Living-Learning Center that opened last year and houses 320 students, OSU’s on-campus capacity will get a boost from a new residence hall that is in design with a planned opening of fall 2014.

Scheuermann said on-campus capacity this fall (2012) should be about 4,300 spaces, which will grow by another 300 in 2014 with the new hall. And some floors in Finley Hall that will be off-line in the coming academic year, or used for office space, will reopen in fall of 2013.

In recent years, about 80 percent of the new-to-OSU freshmen have lived on campus.

There will be some exceptions granted to the new requirement, OSU officials say, though specifics have yet to be determined.

Jump to the full press release here.
-bv

This summer orientation program aids in the transition process of OSU’s new students. A parent/family orientation program runs concurrently. So if you are a new student make sure you have registered for a START session, and for all those students already at OSU make sure to help welcome the newbies to campus!

-KT

OSU’s orientation program for new students, START, will begin its first session tomorrow! START is the beginning of a students experience at Oregon State University. START sessions are a time for students to get familiar with campus, register for fall term classes and experience OSU. Families are welcome to attend, however there is an extra fee for family participation. While at START make sure to meet new people, ask questions, enjoy your time and wear comfortable clothing and shoes!

If you have not yet registered for START, make sure to register soon because sessions are filling up. If you have any questions about START please contact New Student Programs and Family Outreach at newstudents@oregonstate.edu or call 541-737-7627.

Go Beavs!

-KT

Artist's rendition of new outdoor facilities.

The Outdoor Recreation Complex project will take the place of the existing intramural playfield located between 26th and 30th Streets and between the Washington Way parking area and Intramural Way. In brief, the proposed scope of construction includes two synthetic turf fields with field lighting, the replacement of the existing tennis courts, new entries to the existing Tennis Pavilion structure, a central plaza area with a restroom/storage shelter, a running path, and areas for both active and passive park use. Highlights of the renovations to the McAlexander Fieldhouse are improved surfaces and equipment for turf and court sports, a second on campus rock climbing center and a skills-building course.

Artist's rendition of the McAlexander Fieldhouse renovations.

Together these projects will vastly improve the availability of outdoor recreational areas and create a casual park-like setting in the heart of campus for the OSU community to enjoy a variety of activities!

Construction is scheduled to be completed by the end of this summer and will be ready to welcome students this fall.

Dixon Recreational Expansion

-Mike O.

Here’s the link: Beaver Nation Migration Blog

The OSU Admissions Blog, always on the cutting edge, is thrilled to be the first to welcome Beaver Nation Migration to the OSU Blogosphere.

-jm

Back from a long blogging hiatus…Sorry for the silence. START, OSU’s new student orientation program, is in full swing right now. The newest members of Beaver Nation have been treated to some absolutely fabulous weather as the stroll the gorgeous OSU campus.

Check out the video that’s been produced for new students:

If you are an admitted student who’s planning to attend OSU, but you haven’t registered for START, time is running out! Make sure you get registered today!

So if you have been admitted and paid or are exempt from paying the Advance Tuition Deposit (ATD), you better register for START soon. Paying the ATD is the way to get invited to START.

Look for these fine folks (your START leaders) in the last issue of The Orange & Black magazine.

START leaders

See you this summer!
-bv

Please note that START dates this year are as follows:

June 23-24 (first-year students)
June 26-27 (first-year students)
June 29-30 (first-year students.) *The parent/family portion of this program will be offered in both English and Spanish (La parte para la familia estará en inglés y español).
July 9 (transfer students)
July 10-11 (first-year students)
July 14-15 (first-year students)
July 18 (transfer students)
July 21-22 (first-year students)
July 25 (transfer students)

Hopefully we’ll see you all this summer!

-jm

Spring Term 2008 Orientation flier

-bv