Faculty and staff, welcome and meet the class of 2018 on Thursday, Aug. 21
Campus Colleagues,
It is back-to-school time – which means faculty are working on syllabi, staff members are planning activities, rooms are being cleaned, and new signs and schedules are being posted. Our incoming freshmen and their parents are busy determining what they really should be bringing with them when they come to school.
In a few more days (Wednesday, August 20th), our new students arrive. The entire campus has an opportunity to welcome and meet the class of 2018 on Thursday, August 21st. Details about the day’s activities are listed below.
Denise Gorsline
Associate Vice President for Academic Planning
Welcome Week Information
Convocation, Department Meetings, and Faculty Lunch with New Students
Convocation
Convocation is Thursday, August 21st. It is an opportunity for the entire campus community to welcome our new students. The new students enter Nemzek Fieldhouse through a double line of applauding/cheering faculty and staff. After a welcome address from the MSUM President and others, students are escorted by Student Orientation Counselors (SOCs) to their department meetings.
We are trying something new this year with convocation. At approximately 8:15, students will gather on the Nemzek football field to spell out a ‘human’ M-S-U-M (letters are being painted on the field for this purpose). The photo shoot could go very quickly, not quite so quickly, or be rained out entirely. This could make the exact time the students are ready to walk into Nemzek (through the faculty/staff welcome lines) rather difficult to predict with precision.
We ask that faculty and staff arrive at Nemzek by 8:45 to line up for the welcome. All faculty and staff are invited to participate in the welcome line. Faculty are encouraged (but not required) to wear academic regalia. The President’s Office has some extra academic robes if you need one. A changing room will be available at Nemzek for faculty wishing to robe there.
We are encouraging tweeting during the event, so bring your phone if you are interested in participating. If you want to start early we will be using #MSUM2018.
Please join us as MSUM welcomes the class of 2018.
Department Meetings with New Students and Student/Faculty Lunch
The groups of students for each major will be escorted by a SOC to the department’s meeting location after convocation (at approximately 10:30). The SOC will remain with their student group. Each SOC will have lunch tickets for department faculty members interested in joining their new students for lunch at Kise.
As you can imagine, feeding such a large amount of people during a two-hour block of time (11:00-1:00) is a challenge for the Kise/Sodexho staff. Each department has been assigned a specific lunch time for their faculty and new students:
11:00 All departments in the College of Arts, Media and Communication
11:20 All departments in the College of Science, Health and the Environment
11:40 All departments in the College of Education and Human Services
12:00 All departments in the College Business and Innovation and College of Humanities, and College of Humanities and Social Sciences Departments of: Economics, Law and Politics; English; and Philosophy
12:20 University Studies, and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences Departments of: History, Languages, Critical Race, and Women’s Studies; and Sociology and Criminal Justice
Departments with early lunch times may continue their department meetings after lunch. If there is extra time either before or after the department meeting and lunch, department may send their students (with their SOC escort) to visit the Library. The Library has prepared a Scavenger Hunt for new students. Students participating in the Scavenger Hunt will be entered into a drawing for prizes.
If you have any questions, please contact Denise Gorsline at gorsline@mnstate.edu.