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Salient: Victoria University Students' Paper. Vol. 25. No. 13. 1962

Orientation '63

Orientation '63

It is my pleasant duty to explain to you—the incoming student—exactly what Orientation is all about.

The purposes of orientation are four in number
  • to welcome you into the university
  • to help you find your bearings in this strange and bewildering University environment
  • to give you a little advice
  • to give you an insight into what it is that this university is offering you and expects of you.

Ultimately it is the latter purpose that is of the greatest importance. The University offers you the services of and facilities for study. You find these in the academic staff the libraries, the lecture rooms and tutorials, and in the laboratories. It offers you sporting facilities, opportunities to take a hand in the government of student affairs, and to develop tact, appreciation and skill in literary and artistic activities.

All Varsity asks from you is that you make a continuous effort to use these facilities fully and wisely. The University recognizes the transformation from High School pupil to University student. This is the basis of Orientation Week.

This is where you as a student take your cue.

Not Easy

Orientation is naturally not accomplished at all quickly or easily; it may take weeks or even months for you to find yourself at home at Varsity. However, it is our aim to complete the process in the main in one or two weeks.

Remember that Orientation Week is the best possible time to get the "feel" of a University in every way. In this way you will equip yourself to make your stay here a profitable one and be able to prepare properly for the future.

Two keywords at Varsity are "Freedom" and "Independence": Freedom to say and study what you like in order to stand on your own feet, use your judgment and question things that you may have formerly taken for granted.

I advise you, during Orientation Week to enter as completely as possible into all the activities laid on for you — the dances, the concerts, special lectures, sports gatherings and the ball. Then having made a comprehensive survey of everything you can exercise your discrimination in adapting yourself to the University environment.

You, as a fresher, are considered an important person in the University, not only during Orientation Week, but for the rest of the year.

My friends and I look forward to welcoming you in March, 1963.

—Gerald G. McKay, Orientation Controller

Social Controller, Mr G. McKay, has many progressive ideas for Orientation Week next year. The emphasis is to be on the personal approach especially during enrolment week. He aims to abolish the old system of pamphleteering, which has proved to be cumbrous and bewildering to the fresher, already inundated with a multitude of forms to fill and papers to sign.

An information bureau as a General Headquarters will be established, where an organized group of about twenty students will act as official hosts. These will mingle with the freshers and offer any information pertaining to University life. Conducted tours of the grounds and buildings during the week will enable the fresher to find his way from lecture to lecture more easily. Such tours will end in the cafeteria with coffee provided free of charge by Stud. Ass.

To prevent the older students' unscrupulous exploitation of the privileges afforded the fresher, identification buttons will be issued at the Matriculation desk on enrolment. This will prevent non-freshers from attending the many dances and other entertainments free of charge.

Dances

The dances will take place in Commonrooms in the evenings, and will be similar to the highly successful dances run by the Social Committee throughout the year.

One of the many changes and additions to the Orientation timetable, is a grand Variety Concert, planned for the Saturday night. This innovation is expected to be the climax of the Orientation activities.

Faculty evenings, which have not proved successful in the past will be dispensed with. It will be left to the faculties themselves to organize their own evenings, if so desired. Also dispensed with, is the official religious welcome in the commonroom. The religious societies may possibly hold services in their respective churches.