Schedule

FEBRUARY ORIENTATION 2008 SCHEDULE

 

Jump to: Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday

Wednesday, February 6

8:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.
Welcome Center/ Residence Halls Open
When you arrive at the College, please check in at the Welcome Center to receive information packets, take your Midd Card photo, register your car, and collect other useful materials. If you're registering a car, please bring your license and registration to the Welcome Center. Your Welcome Center experience will take about 20 minutes, after which you will go to your Commons office, accompanied by a Feb Orientation leader, to sign out your room key and transport your luggage to your room. Please see your early December mailing for information on registering your car and mailing a MiddCard photo in advance of your arrival.
Woodstove Lounge in Proctor Hall

5:15 p.m.
President's Welcome Dinner
President Ronald D. Liebowitz welcomes you to Middlebury College. Family members are invited to join us as guests of the College. Dress is casual; stay warm!
Proctor Hall

6:30  p.m.
Convocation
Your family members are invited to join you in taking part in this traditional event which symbolizes the beginning of your Middlebury academic journey.
Mead Chapel

7:30 p.m.
Student Meetings with Orientation Groups
After saying good night to your family, meet your Feb orientation group and your group's co-leaders.
Mead Chapel, campus

9:30 p.m.
Square Dance
Celebrate your first night on campus with a traditional square dance in McCullough. Great fun for participants and spectators alike!
McCullough Student Center

Thursday, February 7 

7:00 - 8:00 a.m.
Student Breakfast with Orientation Groups
Ross Dining Hall

7:30-10:00 a.m.
Family Breakfast/Panel Discussion
Families: Enjoy a casual breakfast from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m. Following breakfast, a panel of faculty and staff will provide an interactive question and answer session on student life at Middlebury.
McCardell Bicentennial Hall Great Space

8:00-10:00 a.m.
First-year Seminar Meetings
Welcome to your first class at Middlebury, where you will meet your classmates and your professor, who will be your adviser for your first year. This session will introduce you to your seminar's coursework and provide an overview of some important aspects of Middlebury's academic environment. The structure of this class will vary: while some professors use this first meeting to introduce Middlebury’s academic environment and community, others conduct this as a formal class, begin delving into the seminar topic, and assign homework for the next class meeting the following week.
Campus

10:00-10:30 a.m.
Students and Families: Break
This is a good time for final good-byes for family members. Please arrange your own meeting time and location.


10:30-11:30 a.m.
Families: Ten Common Concerns of First-Years and Their Families in the Transition to College: Making the Most of Phone Calls, Letters, E-mails, and Vacations
Gary Margolis '67, director of the Center for Counseling and Human Relations and the parent of two former college students, will review common issues that arise for first-year students and their parents and answer questions about supporting your son or daughter and yourself during this transition.
McCardell Bicentennial Hall 220

10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Students: Placement Exams
Placement exams are offered to determine your appropriate level in a variety of language and science courses. A detailed placement exam information chart and additional placement exam information are included in the Orientation booklet  mailed in early December.

10:30 a.m.-noon          
Pre-Advising: Looking at Spring Course Possibilities
This session is available to students who have consulted the placement exam chart and determined that they do not need to take any exams. The Center for Teaching, Learning, and Research is hosting a pre-advising session to assist new students with exploring their options for course selection and understanding Middlebury's distribution requirements. This session will help you prepare for your meeting with your first-year seminar instructor/advisor, where you will discuss your spring course selection and begin long-term planning. Join us for valuable advice from professionals and student staff—and refreshments!
Center for Teaching, Learning, and Research (Library Suite 225)

11:30 a.m.
Families Depart

12:30-1:30 p.m.
Lunch with Orientation Groups
Ross Dining Hall

1:30-5:00 p.m.
Meetings with Advisers
One-on-one discussions with your adviser about class selection and registration.
Time and location of adviser meeting to be determined at your first-year seminar.

1:30-3:00 p.m        
Pre-Advising: Looking at Spring Course Possibilities
See description above
Center for Teaching, Learning, and Research (Library Suite 225)

3:00-4:00 p.m.
Downtown Trip
All new students interested in walking into town for some shopping and exploration should plan to meet in the lobby of the Library. There will be a second trip to town on Friday.  
Library Lobby

3:00-4:00 p.m.
Drop-in Academic Q and A
A gathering of Orientation leaders and members of the registrar's staff will meet with any interested Febs to share academic advice and answer general questions during this period.
Forest Hall West Lounge

5:15 p.m.                     
Gather with Febs from your Commons
Meet Orientation leaders in the following locations to travel together to your Commons dinner:

Commons      Gathering Location              Dinner Location
Atwater          Allen Hall Lobby              275 Weybridge
Brainerd        Brainerd Office (Proctor)   132 Blinn Lane
Cook            Cook Office (Battell 150)  Forest East Lounge
Ross             Ross Dining Hall Lobby    Ross Fireside Lounge
Wonnacott     Gifford Hall Lobby           Redfield Proctor

5:30-7:00 p.m.
Dinner with Commons Team
Meet your faculty head, Commons dean, Commons coordinator, and Commons resident adviser (CRA) and get to know other Febs in your Commons. At the end of the this dinner, your CRA and Feb leaders will share information with you about residential life at Middlebury, the policies that guide it, and the resources that support it.
Commons Head houses, campus

9:00-11:00 p.m.
Clash of the Titans Trivia Night
Tap into that vast collection of useless information you’ve amassed over the years to win spectacular prizes and amass new useless information (although if any of this information allows you to win spectacular prizes, we suppose this makes it useful).  Togas optional but encouraged.
Atwater Dining Hall

Friday, February 8

7:15-9:00 a.m.
Breakfast with Orientation Group
Ross Dining Hall

8:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.
Individual Meetings with Adviser

9:00-10:00 a.m.       
Rhythms of the Semester: Time Management at Middlebury
According to one of last year's students, "This optional session was fantastic! I learned sooo many useful tips!" Yonna McShane, Director of Learning Resources, will provide a humorous and useful look at the rhythms of the semester at Middlebury. This session will help you to manage your course work, extracurricular activities, job, and leisure time to ensure a balanced schedule. If you think you won't need time management strategies at Middlebury…think again.
Library 201 (Watson Lecture Hall)

10:15-11:15 a.m. or 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Navigating Middlebury's Social Scene
Students Adams to Jackson will attend the first session, and students Janikis to Yomtovian will attend the second session. Dana Auditorium in Sunderland Language Center

12:30 p.m.
Lunch with Orientation Group
Ross Dining Hall

1:15-1:45 p.m.
Honor Code Introduction I
New students with registration numbers 1-50 must attend this session prior to registering for classes. Returning students, including your Feb leaders, will share their thoughts on Middlebury's Honor Code and the practices they've developed to adhere to it. All students will formally sign the Honor Code roster at this session.
McCardell Bicentennial Hall 220

1:45-2:15 p.m.
Honor Code Orientation II
New students with registration numbers from 51-105 must attend this session prior to registering for classes. See description above.
McCardell Bicentennial Hall 220


2:00-3:30 p.m.
Registration
Register for your courses for the spring semester. Don't forget your registration materials!
Great Hall in McCardell Bicentennial Hall

3:30 p.m.
Class Photo
Mead Chapel Steps

4:00 p.m.
Optional Activities
From 4:00-5:30 p.m. all new students will be able to choose from several different optional activities, including the option of taking some free time for yourselves or just hanging out in your Commons lounge with other students. All activities will leave from the Mead Chapel steps.

1. Campus tours. Now that you’ve registered for classes, make sure you know where they are. The Orientation leaders are available to help you to discover the secrets of the Middlebury campus, including the locations of your classes, and key places you should know about: the athletics facilities, Center for the Arts, health center, Public Safety office, Dean of Student Affairs Office, and many other important spaces.
2. Orientation Leader Office Hours. Want to extract the wisdom of those Panthers who have gone before you? Come hang out in Pearsons Lounge with some of the Orientation leaders, who are happy to answer questions, share advice, and just shmooze.
3. Downtown tours. Yet another chance to explore the many delights of downtown Middlebury and buy nifty items to help you settle into your new home.
4. Sledding and Snow Games on Battell Beach (weather permitting). Soak up the glory of a Vermont winter.
5. Free time. Whew! You’ve had an exhausting few days. Those of you who just want to grab a moment or two for yourself—feel free to do so.

7:00-9:00 p.m.
Support the Panthers on the ice and on the court as the men's hockey and women's basketball teams battle St. Michael's College and Tufts University. 
Kenyon Arena and Pepin Gymnasium

9:00 p.m.
A Night at the Grille
An evening of entertainment in which you and your Feb Leaders participate. Talents of all kinds are welcomed! Start thinking about what special skills you can showcase to entertain your class, and enjoy samples from the Grille's menu.
McCullough Student Center

Saturday, February 9

7:00-9:00 a.m.
Drop-in Breakfast 
Ross Dining Hall 

9:00 a.m.-noon
Beyond Facebook
You’ve been “friending,” “poking,” “texting” and IMing” each other for months, and now you’ve finally met in person. But how well do you really know each other, and how much of yourself have you shared? Here’s a chance to get real with each other, and to learn more about the Middlebury community and culture you’ll be contributing to.
McCardell Bicentennial Hall Great Hall

Noon-12:30 p.m.       
Prep for "Febs on the Mountain" Ski Afternoon
In the early afternoon, the entire Feb class and your Feb leaders will board buses traveling to Middlebury's Rikert Cross-Country Ski Touring Center (snowshoeing included) and the Middlebury Snow Bowl. You may choose either activity. All ski-lift and trail passes, lessons, and rental ski equipment are offered at no charge. If you did not fill out a rental form at the Welcome Center but need to rent skis or snow shoes, you will be able to do so at either location. If you have your own equipment, bring it with you. Dress in warm layers--waterproof and wind-resistant, if possible—and bring hats, gloves, extra socks and sunglasses. Informal lessons for beginners will be provided.

Not interested in skiing? Your Orientation leaders have organized a variety of great indoor and outdoor activities for you at the Snow Bowl lodge for the afternoon. Feel free to bring books, magazines, pillows, videos and music.

Between noon and 12:30, you should gather all of your gear, change into your clothes for the afternoon, and bring everything to Ross Dining Hall for lunch.

12:30 p.m.
Lunch
Bring all of your ski gear to lunch! 
Ross Dining Hall

1:15 p.m.
Buses to Snow Bowl
Spend the afternoon downhill or cross-country skiing and playing in the snow at Middlebury's very own ski mountain. No experience necessary! Equipment and lessons for beginners will be provided free of charge.
Middlebury Snow Bowl

4:30-6:00 p.m.
Apres Ski Party and Dinner
Warm up and chow down after an exciting day on the slopes.
Snow Bowl Lodge

6:30 p.m.
Torch Light Parade
Enjoy this celebrated Feb Orientation tradition.
Snow Bowl

7:00 p.m.
Depart Snow Bowl

9:00 p.m.
Winter Warm-up
Prepare for one of Middlebury's most extraordinary gastronomic experiences: the Chocolate Fountain. Also, other delicious snacks, live music from the world-famous Doughboys, and new friends; what better way to spend a Saturday evening? This event has become the hallmark and highlight of Feb Orientation.
Kirk Alumni Center

Sunday, February 10

11:00 a.m.
Brunch with Orientation Groups and Returning Students
Although you are welcome to go to breakfast from 7:00-9:00 a.m., brunch (with an expanded menu) will officially begin at 11:00 a.m.. Meet your Orientation leaders and other returning students at 11:00 for a delectable meal and a chance to meet the rest of the student body. 
Ross Dining Hall

1:00-4:00 p.m.
Optional Activities
Climb Time: Reach new heights with RD Jenkinson, Kenzie Chin, and Abe Bendheim at the rock-climbing wall.  These monkeys will show you how to climb and do all sorts of tricks on the wall.  No experience necessary! Wear comfortable clothes. Begins at 1:00 p.m. at the Nelson Arena (climbing wall).

Intro to the TAM: Come get a taste of the beautiful 14 mile Trail Around Middlebury (including a peek at the Organic Garden) with John Glouchevitch and Max Kanter. Great for snowshoeing and jogging. Meet at Adirondack Circle (outside Adirondack House) at 1:30 p.m. wearing warm clothing. No, we won’t do all 14 miles.

A Slew of Activities (including, but not limited to: finger-painting, movie-watching, baking cookies, conversation, fellowship, and fraternal proletariat love): Nothing says relaxation like snacks and arts and crafts. Join Emmy Burleigh, Jess Minton, Kristin Maletsky, and Carolyn Birsky at PALANA (Carr Hall), where you will hit the kitchen, finger-paint, and watch a movie of your choosing. Begins at 2:00 p.m.

The Pool is Fun: Let’s pretend there isn’t snow outside. Strip down, dive in and warm up with Ben Schiffer and Will Bellaimey in Middlebury’s natatorium (a.k.a. pool). There are volleyball nets, water polo gear, and many other accoutrements of fun. Begins at 2:00 p.m. at the pool.

5:00 p.m.
Final Orientation Group Meetings
At this meeting, your group leaders will share with you their considerable wisdom about transitioning out of orientation and into the semester as a full-fledged Panther, including issues to look out for in your first few weeks, and resources you can count on.
Locations to be arranged by your Orientation group leaders

6:00 p.m.
Dinner Finale, Closing Ceremonies and A Capella Concert
Enjoy a lovely dinner and the musical stylings of several Middlebury a capella groups.
McCullough Student Center