Background

In recent years we have made giant strides with respect to increasing both the retention and academic success of our students.  This is particularly true for our first-year students. In an effort to facilitate this continued progress and enhance the commonality of the first-year experience for our students, we explored implementing a welcome week program during the 2003-2004 academic year. After much discussion of the issues and concerns around this large, campus-wide program it proved to not be the right time for the program to be executed. Since then, the Transforming the U initiative has built support for a welcome week program and developing one now will assist in making the University of Minnesota a leader among colleges and universities. With the support of the Provost’s Office, colleges, departments and campus community, Welcome Week will be implemented beginning in Fall 2008. 

Welcome Week will be a required program for all new first-year, first-time students on the Twin Cities Campus and will run from the Wednesday prior to Labor Day through Labor Day each fall term. The five-day experience will include academic programs as well social events and community-building activities for both residential and commuter first-year students. 

Sessions will be designed to help students set goals for their University experience, establish effective study habits, explore leadership opportunities, and participate in enjoyable (alcohol free) activities.  Welcome Week will provide a foundation that supports responsible decision-making and accountability. 

Students who have had the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the campus and the community prior to the opening of classes will be better prepared to succeed both academically and socially during their first year on campus.  Through community building activities and exposure to the University’s history and traditions, each first-year class will have the opportunity to develop a unique sense of affiliation with the University.  As a result of Welcome Week, we expect to see increased satisfaction with the overall student experience and increased first to second year retention rates.  An evaluation and assessment committee has been developed to create and measure learning outcomes, as well as, Welcome Week’s impact on retention and eventually graduation rates.

Welcome Week will not replace our successful New Student Orientation program, but by incorporating and complementing some of the content traditionally included in Orientation, it should reduce some of the “information overload” problems frequently cited by Orientation staff and participants.  The activities of the week will be developed and administered so as to minimize any increased workload for advising staff and others who are already working at full capacity during this time period.  A key element in the program will be the involvement of many upper division students as program facilitators and group leaders. The program will build upon the highly effective training currently used to develop New Student Weekend Leaders, significantly expanding leadership development opportunities available to upper division students. 

Purpose

To have students identify as a member of University of Minnesota community and understand expectations related to community membership.  This program is designed to provide opportunities to enhance student success, increase student satisfaction and retention, and improve graduation rates.

Vision

The vision of Welcome Week is to assist students in navigating their transition to college as a member of the University of Minnesota community, while enhancing their opportunities for personal development and academic success.

Mission

Welcome Week is designed to engage the campus community in creating a meaningful University experience for first-year students that will:

1. Begin to build a sense of community by encouraging a first-year class identity, fostering institutional pride and respect, acknowledging individual responsibility to the community, as well as ownership and responsibility for their college experience.
2. Assist students in their adjustment to the campus environment and campus life through academic and student development programs that enhance the capacity of students to lead and work among students from diverse cultural, ethnic, national, socio-economic and religious backgrounds and of different sexual orientations and physical abilities.
3. Provide students an opportunity to have and maintain meaningful relationships with students, faculty, staff and surrounding community that will encourage academic and personal success during their first year and throughout their college experience.
4. Allow students to navigate the campus while discovering and accessing the multitude of resources and opportunities available at the University that meet the ever-changing and diverse needs of students so they may be intentional in creating a successful college experience.
5. Provide leadership opportunities for current students to enhance their leadership development and commitment to the University.