What is O-Week ?
Rice’s Orientation Week (O-Week) is a student-led program dedicated to giving New Students the information and resources necessary for life at Rice. It provides a shared experience for every Rice student and helps create the community that makes friendships at Rice, and Will Rice, so powerful. Get ready for an amazing week!
One of the most important aspects of O-Week is academic advising. During the week, you’ll meet with student and faculty advisors who specialize in your area(s) of interest and can help you choose classes for the semester. The rest of the advising team will help you understand what these resources are best for and how to use them effectively. There are also department and club fairs hosted during O-Week where you can meet professors and student leaders of different organizations and learn about activities and clubs that you’re interested in.
While academics may be one of the main aspects of Rice, college life is more than just classes. The other half of the week is devoted to student life within Will Rice and Rice as a whole. We’ll discuss extracurricular involvement, safety, diversity, the Alcohol Policy, the Honor Code, and some of the important groups around campus.
You will meet many members of the Will Rice community, from other New Students, to upperclassmen Advisors, to our A-Team. Together, our priority is to provide you with an O-Week that leaves you well-equipped and confident to tackle your first year here at Rice!
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We know this may sound like a lot, and it really is, but we guarantee that you will have so much fun!! After all, this is your introduction to your new home!!
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During O-Week you will interact with people in 3 different roles: the Coordinators (Coords), the Advisors, and the Peer Academic Advisors (PAAs).
What is a Coordinator ?
Every residential college has a team of three Coordinators, students responsible for the logistics and planning behind O-Week. For the past seven months, we've been eagerly planning your welcome and your first week on campus as a New Student. From choosing the theme and selecting the Advising Team, to finding your roommates, we've spent a lot of time with the hope that O-Week can provide a solid foundation for your time here at Rice.
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What is a PAA ?
Selected by the Office for Academic Advising, ​the O-Week PAAs (Peer Academic Advisors) are here to make sure you receive the academic support necessary to navigate through your first semester at Rice. They are responsible for planning numerous academic advising sessions throughout O-Week, collaborating with Rice faculty that serve as additional academic advisors, and guiding all incoming Will Ricers through course registration.
What is an Advisor ?
Your O-Week group will consist of you, about seven other New Students, and four or five Advisors - three from Will Rice, a Co-Advisor from another residential college, and possibly a Diversity Facilitator. They are your friends, mentors, and the people you go to when you are having a bad day. They are here to ensure that your O-Week experience is the best it can possibly be, and will continue to be a constant source of support during your first year at Rice.
