Rice University O-Week: Undergraduates

Rice University O-Week

August 16th-22nd, 2009

Please use the O-Week website throughout your first year for updates and general information regarding academics and campus resources. In particular, check out the "Helpful Info" section under the Resources menu, the checklist of important forms and deadlines under Communications and the information on the 2009 Common Reading.

Students

2009 Matriculants,

Congratulations on your acceptance to Rice University! As you read this letter, a dedicated group of students, faculty, and staff are eagerly awaiting your arrival in August and are making every preparation possible for when you finally come to campus. Orientation Week (O-Week) is one of the most well-respected and highly anticipated events at Rice. Preparations begin as early as January and continue straight through until move-in day in August. We recognize that this is almost inevitably an extremely important period in your life, and our goal is to ensure that no matter how you feel going into O-Week, be it excited, apprehensive, or simply overwhelmed, you come out of O-Week feeling comfortable and accepted in our community of diverse, intellectual, and highly motivated individuals. Nearly every student involved in O-Week has experienced to some degree the same things you may be going through right now, and the massive amount of student involvement in O-Week is reflective of the fact that we all want to make sure that your transition into Rice is as comfortable as possible.

This website provides helpful information about logistical issues you will likely consider before coming to Rice. It introduces campus services, resources, and the residential college system. In early July, you will be assigned to one of the residential colleges at Rice. Soon after that, you will receive information about your roommate and your college’s O-Week handbook. This handbook includes details about room dimensions, social life at Rice, and other answers to specific questions you are likely to have.

Furthermore, if you read through all this information and still have questions, I will be living on campus during the summer and will hold regular office hours during which I would be happy to address any questions you may have. I am enthusiastically awaiting your arrival, and I hope that you will come to share in my excitement as you begin to learn about Orientation and the opportunities available to you at Rice.

Sincerely,

Peter Steffensen, 2009 Student Director of Orientation

oweek@rice.edu

(713)348-2813

Summer office hours:

Monday-Friday: 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.