A Seamless Approach to
Orientation
Presented by:
Heather Speed, Director
Dr. Trisha Van Duser, Assistant Director
Center for Student Development
Texas Woman’s University
Presentation Outline
 History of Texas Woman’s University (TWU) &
Orientation
 3 Step Orientation Process
 Key Personnel
 Roles & Responsibilities
 Building a Team
 Seamless Approach
Texas Woman’s University
 Locations: Denton, Dallas (2) & Houston
 9,713 students
 Male population – 9%
 1,330 residential students
 35.4% minority population
 Incoming freshman class – 625 students
 Average age – 31 years
 Student to faculty ratio – 13:1
 Average class size – 25 students
 From the Fall 2003 Fact Sheet
The Effect of TWU’s History on
Orientation
Enrollment was very high
Began as a Student Life event
Minimal campus wide buy-in to the program
Enrollment began to decline Fall 1995
TWU as a university revised its mission and vision
More campus wide buy-in to the program
Communication began to develop between
departments
 Technological advances
 Increased communication between TWU and
students
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Orientation - Past
 2 day overnight program
 Technology limited to telephone registration only
 Inconvenient and time consuming
 No communication management process or
accountability
 No one present to troubleshoot problems with
registration
 Result: Delayed registration for most students, timely
registration process, and parent/student
dissatisfaction
Orientation – Present
 3 step process:
Academic Planning & Registration (APR)
 Pioneer Camp
 UNIV 1011

Academic Planning & Registration
(APR)
 2 day program designed to introduce
students and parents to the unique
educational experience that TWU has to offer
 Meet with faculty & staff to discuss academic
programs and student services
 Take placement tests, meet with an academic
adviser, register for classes via the Pioneer
Portal system
 Average time to register for classes is less
than 1 minute
Pioneer Camp
 Community-based orientation (no additional
cost)
 4 day program where students are given the
opportunity to explore our hidden treasures
that enable them to have a successful college
experience
 Before the first day of class, students will
have met new classmates, participated in fun
activities, and be comfortable with the
campus climate.
UNIV 1011
 One hour credit bearing course
 Designed to equip students with the
knowledge and tools they’ll need to make a
successful transition to college level learning
 Gain an understanding of effective learning
strategies, personal abilities, interests and
values, and their cumulative impact on
educational success.
Key Personnel
 Admissions
 Student Records
 ITS/ISS
 Registrar
 Bursar
 Academic Advising
 Student Life
 Academic Affairs
 Key Faculty
Roles & Responsibilities
 Admissions

Communication Management
 Student Records

Involved in planning & troubleshooting
 Bursar

Involved in registration process & notification
of fees due; on site bill explanation
 Academic Advising

Involved in planning & facilitation
Roles & Responsibilities
 Faculty
 Advising
 ITS/ISS
Built system for communication management
 Enabled web registration
 Hands on demonstrations at APR
 Technical support during registration

 Registrar
 Involved in planning & troubleshooting
 Closed class issues
Roles & Responsibilities
 Student Life
CSD responsible overall for implementation
and facilitation of orientation and its success
 Support and guidance

 Academic Affairs
Support from academic side/faculty
 Timely response to closed class issues

Building A Team
 Began with a charge from the President to increase
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enrollment
New vision of TWU’s enrollment management
process
Orientation committee formed to include individuals
outside of Student Life
Communicate needs to academic departments
Explore new options for registration and
communication management as a whole
More accountability among entire university rather
than on Student Life alone
Seamless Approach
 3 Step Process
Well organized APR program
 No one left behind in 2nd step – Pioneer Camp
 All encouraged to register for UNIV 1011

 Communication Management
Better communication within departments
 Better communication with potential students
 True spirit of helpfulness

Communication Management
Start
Office of
Admissions
Student is accepted
as a new
undergraduate admit
to TWU for fall
semester. (1)
Student is coded
depending on number
of hours they have
accumulated. (2)
Student is blocked
from registration
until they have
attended
Orientation. (3)
Adm Asst for VP
Student Life
Label including name
& address of new
student is printed
on same day student
is admitted & used
to send a letter
from VP Student Life
to new student. (4)
Adm Asst for VP
Student Life
Dir, Academic
Advising
Label addressed to
family of new
student is printed
seven days after
student has been
admitted & is used
to send a letter
from VP Student Life
to new student’s
family. (5)
List including email
address of new
student is printed
fourteen days after
student has been
admitted & is used
to send info about
academic advising.
(7)
Secretary III,
Center for
Student
Development
Label including name
& address of new
student is printed
fourteen days after
student has been
admitted & is used
to send an
Orientation brochure
to student. (6)
Secretary III,
Center for
Student
Development
Label including name
& address of new
student is printed
twenty-one days
after student has
been admitted & is
used to send an
Orientation reminder
postcard. (8)
A
Communication Management
A
Secretary II,
Center for
Student
Development
Label including name
& address of new
student is printed
when registration is
received & is used
to send an
Orientation
confirmation letter.
(9)
Phone list is
requested of all new
students sent an
Orientation brochure
but not confirmed to
attend. (10)
Asst Dir, Center
for Student
Development
Dir, Center for
Student
Development
Label including name
& address of new
student confirmed
for Orientation is
printed & is used to
send an Involvement
packet from CSD.
(11)
Label including name
& address of student
is printed for those
students that stated
an interest in Greek
organizations on
their Orientation
survey. (13)
Label including name
& address of student
is printed for those
students that stated
an interest in being
an Orientation
Leader on their
Orientation survey.
(14)
Secretary III,
Center for
Student
Development
Label including name
& address of new
student (FTIC only)
is printed after
they attend
Orientation & is
used to send a
Pioneer Camp
reminder postcard.
(12)
End
Seamless Approach
 ITS/ISS
 Web-based registration
 Online orientation registration
 Hands on
 Accountability
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Ultimately the entire university held responsible for
success of program
Results in increased enrollment and higher retention
rate
 Physical presence
 Actually being present during the process to take care
of problems in a timely and effective manner
Orientation - Future
 Virtual Orientation
 Adding academic components to our
communication management process
 Adding a track exclusively for parents to our
communication management process