Mission, Goals and the Well Oriented Student
Mission Statement
In alignment with the Oregon
State University Mission, New Student Programs & Family Outreach
strives to serve as a campus leader in supporting the transition process for
new and prospective students, as well as their family members, through educational
programs and outreach.
Statement of Goals for New Student Programs
Promote and enhance first-year student success in order to increase
retention of OSU students by:
- Providing new students and their families orientation programs, publications,
and first-year courses that are intentional, informative and engaging.
- Developing supportive partnerships with parents and family members of new
students.
- Orienting new students and families to OSU resources and its community.
- Welcoming prospective students and families to OSU, in addition to providing
them tools for decision-making during their college selection process.
- Providing meaningful student employment and internship opportunities for
OSU student leaders.
- Collaborating with campus and community partners.
- Providing resources and referral for new students and the campus community.
What is Our Definition of a Well-Oriented Student?
The well-oriented student:
- Has healthy/constructive relationships with faculty and staff.
- student pursues faculty and staff with confidence
- student expresses needs clearly
- junior-senior learner relationship
- Has healthy/constructive relationships with self and other students.
- has friends
- Has career/academic direction, or is engaged in process of discovering that.
- Has a vocational/co-curricular involvement.
- Has a sense of belonging/membership.
- Cares about and has pride in the university.
- Is aware of and can access resources on campus.
- Understands the shared values of the academic community and accepts the
responsibilities of living within those values.
- Is academically successful (either self-defined OR consistent with prior
or predicted performance).
- Is a participant (not just in attendance) in the intellectual pursuit.
- Is able to make good decisions about health, personal safety, and well-being.
- Has a sense of independence.
What does the University Need to be to Orient Students Well?
OSU as a community of scholars:
- Provides a meaningful academic experience for students.
- Focuses on serving the needs of students.
- Creates an environment that provides foundational elements for academic success.
- Transmits a sense of community and ethic of care.
- Students receive full membership upon the point of entry.
- Members understand the importance of a new member and take responsibility
for welcoming new members.
- Articulates and participates in a successful orientation program.
- Exercises care for learning, growth, and development of students and all community
members.
- Takes responsibility to exceed student expectations for the university experience.
Oregon State University
Transitions Committee
Winter 1997 (Revised 3/98)
