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Opening Weekend activities welcome new students
By SUE WUETCHER
Reporter Editor
UB's newest citizens begin arriving on campus today, and the Office of New Student Programs has planned a variety of activities this weekend to welcome incoming freshmen and transfer students to the university community.
Opening Weekend kicks off "September Welcome," a month-long, campus-wide series of special events designed to celebrate the beginning of the academic year, as well as welcome new students to the university.
Among the highlights of Opening Weekend are the New Student Picnic, to be held from 5-7 p.m. tomorrow at Baird Point, North Campus; the Welcome Back Bash, scheduled from 8:30-11 p.m. on Saturday in the field adjacent to the University Bookstore, North Campus, and the Outdoor Movie, set to begin at 9:30 p.m. on Sunday in the Student Union Courtyard, North Campus.
Faculty and staff involvement is a crucial element of Opening Weekend, and the Office of New Student Programs actively recruits faculty and staff to volunteer their time, notes Matthew J. Weigand, director of new student programs.
"The new students and their families get the opportunity to meet professors and administrators from all over campus in a very informal atmosphere," Weigand says. "It's a chance for us as a university to really welcome new students to the UB family."
Moreover, making connections with other people at UB—both peers and faculty and staff—is important for student success, he says. "The Opening Weekend activities, besides being a celebration of the new school year, is an opportunity for new students to take that first step in making those important connections in a fun, supportive environment," he points out.
Activities begin today and tomorrow when resident students begin checking into their assigned residence halls. Tomorrow afternoon, those students, as well as commuter freshmen and transfers, may check out the Student Resource Fair in the Student Union and speak with representatives from various student-service departments. Students looking for ways to earn extra money can stop by the job fair tent to check out part-time employment opportunities, both on and off campus.
Incoming students who did not receive their UB Card at orientation, or who need setting up their email accounts can find assistance in the Student Union.
The New Student Picnic offers new students and their family members a UB-style chicken barbecue dinner, served by UB faculty and staff. The Welcome Back Bash, the annual tent party held on Opening Weekend, will feature a bonfire, live music and free refreshments. Festivities will wind down on Sunday with students relaxing under the stars and watching the Outdoor Movie.
Classes for the fall semester will begin on Monday.