New Student Orientation

NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION PREVIEW

New Student Orientation (NSO) is required for all new students. You must be in residence by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 15, 2015.

During NSO, you will settle into your new home away from home, experience the excitement of intellectual engagement with your peers, explore academic opportunities, build new friendships, and enjoy your first days of campus life. NSO events will take place Tuesday, September 15, through Sunday, September 20. A detailed calendar of NSO events will be available online by September 1 and will be provided when you arrive on campus. You are expected to participate fully in NSO activities which will take place from morning to late evening each day. During this time, you will have opportunities to meet with academic advisors to discuss your academic plans, learn about the numerous resources available, engage in meaningful conversations with your dormmates and members of the campus community, and participate in beloved Stanford traditions. Parents may join you on the first day; however, you will be involved in NSO activities and programs the remainder of the week and should not make any additional plans on or off campus outside of NSO.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 – FIRST DAY ON THE FARM

Go directly to your residence where check-in will begin at 8:00 a.m. NSO volunteers and residence staff members will be waiting to greet you and help you move in. They will also provide you with your welcome packet, NSO events calendar, Stanford ID card, and P.O. Box key—you must have a government-issued ID on hand in order to pick these items up. If you have been previously issued a Stanford ID card, please remember to bring it with you, as you will not be provided with a new one. All transfer students should check-in at Kimball Hall.

Move-In Day details, maps, parking information, and the NSO events calendar will be emailed to you and available online by September 1. Plan to arrive and move in before 2:00 p.m. so that you and your family can enjoy the day’s activities. If you cannot arrive by 2:00 p.m., you will need to pick up your room key and welcome materials from the Housing Front Desk (HFD) in your dorm complex. Various campus offices will hold open houses and welcome programs in the afternoon. Late in the day, President John Hennessy will host the 125th Opening Convocation, a ceremony you and your family will not want to miss. You will meet your dormmates over dinner and the day will end with your first house meeting.

All new students must check in by 5:00 p.m. and participate in the first house meeting in their residences that evening. If you will not be able to check in by 5:00 p.m., please contact the Approaching Stanford team as soon as possible.

PARENT EVENTS

Your parents are invited to join you for the first day of NSO. During the summer, information will be made available regarding NSO events planned for parents on Tuesday, September 15. A detailed parent event calendar will be provided at the residences when you check in as well as at the Parent Lounge and Resource Center.

During the day, parents can visit the Parent Lounge and Resource Center to meet one another and have their questions answered by representatives from campus departments and programs. In the afternoon, open houses, welcome programs, and parent panels are available for parents to learn more about the University and its resources.

In the evening, parents are invited to a special dinner with the Provost after saying their final goodbyes to you. If your parents or other family members are interested in purchasing tickets for the Parent Dinner with the Provost, they will need to register online by Friday, August 21. Depending on availability, a limited number of Parent Dinner tickets may be available for purchase at the Parent Lounge on September 15; however, it is recommended that your parents purchase their tickets during the summer. Please note you will be having dinner with your new dormmates and should not attend the Parent Dinner.

INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES

Students or family members with disabilities requiring assistance during NSO events should contact the Approaching Stanford team as soon as possible with information about your needs.

RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES

We respect students’ religious commitments and have ensured that there are opportunities on campus for religious observance. All NSO and residence staff will be aware of the need that some students may have to arrive late or leave early from some events. For further information about religious observances, please contact the Office for Religious Life at (650) 723-1762 or visit religiouslife.stanford.edu.

In 2015, the Jewish observance of Rosh Hashanah (sundown September 13 to September 15) will occur during NSO. Students and their families are invited to observe the holiday with the Stanford Jewish community. New students unable to travel during Rosh Hashanah may submit a request for early arrival on September 13 to their residence on the basis of this religious conflict. Each request must be accompanied by written documentation from an independent (non-relative) clergy. The request form is available at orientation.stanford.edu. The deadline to submit a request is July 1. Religious requests are processed by the Office for Religious Life. 

PRE-ORIENTATION PROGRAMS

Students who are invited to attend the following pre-orientation programs will need to register in advance for them. These programs will conclude by September 15 so that you can participate fully in NSO. If you are eligible to attend these programs, you will receive more information with registration instructions and deadlines during the summer.

International Student Orientation (ISO): Saturday, September 12, to Tuesday, September 15. All new international students for whom the Bechtel International Center issues immigration documents are expected to attend the three-day ISO as part of their transition to Stanford. U.S. citizens and permanent residents living abroad may request to attend ISO but are not required to attend. All participating students must register to attend ISO on their Approaching Stanford Housing Preferences Form to ensure early arrival into their dorm rooms. Additional information will be provided in early summer. As part of ISO, Parents are invited to a reception and a Q & A session with Bechtel International Center staff. For more information, contact the Bechtel International Center at new_intl_students@stanford.edu or visit icenter.stanford.edu/students/new/orientation.html.

Stanford Native Immersion Program (SNIP): Thursday, September 10, to Tuesday, September 15. Information and registration forms will be sent during the summer. For more information, contact the Native American Cultural Center/American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian Program (NACC/AIANNHP) at (650) 725-6944.

Stanford Pre-Orientation Trips (SPOT): Wednesday, September 9, to Tuesday, September 15. Please refer to the brochure included in the first Approaching Stanford mailing. For more information, contact the Outdoor Education Program at spot@stanford.edu or visit spot.stanford.edu.