Orientation Overhaul

The Law School has posted the Orientation schedule on their website.

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The (abridged) breakdown:

Tues, Aug 24th- LEO Orientation, (optional) & picnic @ Tenney Park

Wed, Aug 25th- Orientation starts at 8:30am

Student Org Fair from 4:30-5:30pm

(Training for small group leaders in the morning)

Thu, Aug 26th- "Community Outreach" (Service Day) starts at 9am

BBQ @ the Law School, 4:30pm

Fri, Aug 27th- Theme: "Preparing for Class"

Small section leaders and profs teach how to brief cases

Sat Aug 28th- Small Section Kickball Tournament and Parties

(optional- but why miss this??)

Mon Aug 30th- Library Tour and Book Buying

Tues Aug 31st- "Academic Enhancement Program"- Open to all

reading, organization, planning, and learning styles

Wed Sept 1st- Transfer Student Orientation

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Changes this year

I had a chance to talk to SBA's VP for Academic Affairs Jason Foster about this year's orientation, including the changes to the program from last year. Orientation is planned by a committee including Mike Hall, Ruth Robards, Professor Heinz Klug, Professor Katherine Henley, Alumni & Student Services Coordinator Kim Frank, Information Processing Consultant Karen Koethe, as well as SBA executive board members like Mr. Foster.

According to Foster, the administration "gave student input a lot of consideration" when planning for this year's orientation. I asked Foster to point out what he believes to be the most significant changes to the orientation program. Here are his top three:

1. The Academic Enrichment Program: This is designed to incorporate both the information that was presented in structured study groups this spring, as well as the information from the academic enrichment presentations for 1Ls that were held during the fall. The goal of tacking this onto orientation according to Foster is to "create better lawyers sooner. Helping 1Ls achieve more ensures that this law school continues to be a viable place to send talent."

2. "Preparing for Class" Day: This year both incoming 1Ls and small section leaders will be emailed a case to read and brief before orientation starts. On this day students will bring their briefs and go over them with both their small group professor, who can point out what he or she prefers them to do, and with small section leaders, who can help 1Ls learn what has been most helpful with other professors. This strikes this reporter as a way to add structure into the orientation process, which was lacking in our unstructured conversations at last year's orientation. This reporter also remembers that many students worried about briefing and it was never formally addressed at orientation. The fact that small section leaders are also going to be trained this year (last year this was not the case) should also help in giving orientation a structure that recognizes how precious time is for the leaders and the new students.

3. Community Outreach Day: Last year we skipped out on this law school tradition, but it's been brought back! Watch for a future article with more details.

This reporter is looking most forward to the Kickball Tournament, which will replace last year's fun but pointless (we never got to see the pictures and never found out who won!) Scavenger Hunt. Sporting events are one of the preferred methods of getting to know new people, combining competition and collaboration. As Foster points out, "this event furthers not only the 'getting to know you' process, but also the 'let's succeed here' process, since in a more comfortable environment, people will succeed at higher rates". That sentiment pretty much sums up this reporter's experience with UW Law school and the small group system in particular.

So come on everybody, its fall 2010: Let's Succeed Here Together!

Posted by Janet Mitchell