500 new students register
for spring classes

by Sarah R. Buchholz, Chronicle staff

Sophomore Justin Meszaros assists Tapness Radebe, a junior transfer student from South Africa, during January Advising Days, held Jan. 9-10 in the Lincoln Campus Center. (Stan Sherer photo)

Deb Rose (left), systems analyst for Enrollment Services, explains registration information to an incoming transfer student. About 400 transfers attended the advising sessions. (Stan Sherer photo)

pproximately 500 newly matriculated students registered for classes during two one-day programs Jan. 9 and 10 in the Lincoln Campus Center.

     Jeanne Horrigan, interim director of the New Students Program, said about 400 transfer students and 100 first-year students attended.

     "What we tried to do was provide one-stop shopping for the students," she said. "Housing was there. The UCard Office came over and set up shop. Many of the academic advisors were there so that we didn't have to run the students around the campus to take care of business. And scheduling was there.

     "The primary focus was to do a live registration. This is unique to the spring program. Also, this year for the first time, we were able to give new students who had requested on-campus housing their assignments when they came to orientation."

     "What we did to aid the students was prep them ahead of time about what courses had 50 or more openings, and we had laptops to help them identify what discussions and labs had openings. They got a printout of their schedule before they left. The other thing we did was introduce the students to WISE [the Web information system where students can look up some of their records] so they can check their schedule, Financial Aid Office and Bursar's Office records, and in later semesters, their grades. Students can also go over credit evaluations, and the program encourages parents and students to follow up to make sure they're getting all their credit.

     "We also had a program for the parents and family members. Health Services, Public Safety and Housing, made presentations, and we answered questions about the bill or insurance. We try to prep them for what their student's experience is going to be like, where they can go for help, what the mid-year entry experience is like."

     Horrigan said entering the University at mid-year can be tough.

     "Their student might be the only new student on the hall, might have to work a little bit harder to make connections," she said. "We want parents and family members to help us encourage them to get involved right away."