[Academicadvisors] Looking Ahead: A New Model for Highlander Orientation 2027

[Mona Nelson]

Dear Academic Advisors,

Please see the message below from VPDUE Rodriguez and VC Haynes.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Dear UCR Campus Partners,

On behalf of the UCR Reimagining Orientation Workgroup, thank you for
everything you've done in support of our newest Highlanders this summer.
>From placement assessments and Highlander Foundations to Student Engagement
programming and Highlander Advising Support and Registration, your time,
energy, and commitment have made a lasting impact on our incoming students
and their families. We are grateful for your partnership and for the many
ways you helped create welcoming and informative experiences throughout the
summer.

As we begin wrapping up 2026 orientation activities, we're excited to share
an important change to the way we will welcome incoming students next
year. Beginning
in 2027, Highlander Orientation will transition from a series of sessions
held throughout July and August to a comprehensive orientation experience
during a Welcome Week in September. Highlander Orientation activities will
now take place after students have moved into campus housing and continue
up until the first day of class on Thursday, September 23, 2027. Placement
assessments, Highlander Foundations, and Highlander Advising Support and
Registration sessions will continue to take place during the summer months,
as they did this past year.

This decision reflects an opportunity to better align our resources with
UCR's evolving needs, while creating an even stronger onboarding experience
for our students that moves UCR closer to meeting its strategic goals.
Specifically, moving Highlander Orientation to a Welcome Week model will:

   -

   Create a stronger sense of community among our newest students by
   allowing them to meet and connect with a much larger portion of their
   incoming class.


   -

   Continue integrating Student Engagement programming closely with Welcome
   Week programming, so students can begin learning campus traditions,
   exploring academic resources, discovering student support services, and
   building relationships with their peers from the very start of their
   university experience.


   -

   Provide a more unified, engaging transition into campus life by
   connecting orientation programming with the excitement and energy of the
   new academic year.
   -

   Strengthen students’ sense of belonging through deep engagement just
   before the beginning of the quarter
   -

   Broaden access to Highlander Family Orientation activities just before
   the beginning of the quarter recognizing the essential role that families
   play in supporting students’ transition and continued success at UCR
   -

   Aligning institutional resources and onboarding activities with
   retention and student success goals

We recognize that this represents a significant shift, and thoughtful
planning will be essential to ensuring a successful transition. To guide
this work, the Reimagining Orientation committee will explore the most
effective strategies for implementing the Welcome Week orientation model,
and work closely with campus partners to develop a program that meets the
needs of our students. Your expertise and ideas will continue to play an
important role in shaping an orientation experience that is welcoming,
engaging, and impactful for every new Highlander.  In addition, we know
that retention and persistence efforts begin the moment a student is
admitted to UC Riverside and this change will help us work toward one of
our campus strategic goals of boosting graduation rates and student
success.

As we look ahead, we see 2027 as an opportunity for innovation — a chance
to embrace new ideas, rethink long-standing practices, and explore new
approaches that better serve our students and our campus community.
Additional information about the transition process, opportunities to
participate in the Welcome Week subcommittee, and planning timelines will
be shared in the coming months.

Thank you once again for your continued partnership and your commitment to
student success at UCR.

Sincerely,

Dr. Louie Rodriguez

Vice Provost, Dean of Undergraduate Education

Dr. Brian Haynes

Vice Chancellor, Student Affairs
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