From first-year engineering, drenched in purple, marching a cardboard structure across the grass, to a trampoline park event for Computing students, Fall Orientation offers an abundance of memorable experiences.
Maddie Ronan, orientation roundtable (ORT) coordinator, wants orientation to be financially accessible, safe, and enjoyable for all participants. This year, orientation will run from Aug. 31 to Sept. 8.
In an interview with The Journal, Ronan shared her plans to Faculty Societies (FacSocs) orientations, ensure the safety of students, and deliver the ORT Mystery Concert—whose budget increased this year.
ORT Mystery Concert
Ronan is looking to secure a headline sponsorship for the ORT Mystery Concert. The sponsorship will decrease the ticket price from $45 to $40, Ronan explained during the AMS Assembly on April 9.
While ticket prices have decreased, the overall cost of the mystery concert increased from last year, jumping from $154,500 to $242,1000 according to the ORT’s statement of operations. Concert expenses climbed $87,600 to improve the event’s safety, funding ambulance rentals, fencing, and lighting, Ronan explained at Assembly.
Entertainment remains a hefty expense, totaling $111,000.
The AMS faced obstacles in booking talent last year. The artist supposed to take the stage canceled shortly before the commencement of the show and was quickly replaced by the Arkells, a popular Canadian rock band.
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To avoid a last-minute scramble to secure a performer, Ronan is working closely with their talent agency.
“We’ve been vetting out talent and really ensuring that the agencies who we are partnering with are the best representation of the University, and who can follow through on their end of the contract,” Ronan said.
She can’t reveal the artists taking the stage on Sept. 6 in Miller Hall’s parking lot, but the ORT team is diligently working to ensure the concert is enjoyable and safe for everyone.
Addressing financial barriers
Ronan’s goal is to make faculty-wide orientations financially accessible. She’s produced a guide to financial bursaries for FacSocs so students facing monetary barriers can reduce their orientation registration fee.
To participate in the Arts and Science Undergraduate Societies (ASUS) orientation, including the Grease Pole during the Engineering Society’s (EngSoc) orientation, first-year students are required to pay $270.
By securing sponsorships, offsetting the cost of equipment, room bookings, transportation, guest speakers, and other orientation expenses, Ronan helps FacSocs keep their registration fees as low as possible. ORT is accepting sponsorships until mid-August. Businesses interested in sponsoring orientation can email [email protected] for more details.
“Orientation is a large financial burden to take on during that transition period of leaving home, coming to University, and incurring a wide array of expenses,” Ronan said.
Safety and comfortability
Ronan is working with external and internal stakeholders, such as the Student Experience Office (SEO) and FacSoc orientation organizers to deliver a safe and comfortable experience.
The process of booking FacSoc specific events remains a lengthy and cyclical process, Ronan explained. This year, Ronan actively engaged with FacSoc orientation organizers to ensure guest speakers’ portfolios adhere to what they’re speaking about.
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An accommodation request form is embedded into FacSocs orientation registration to further students during an action-packed week, boasting events like the headphone disco or Computing’s Jump++ event, taking students off campus to play in a trampoline park.
For high-energy events, low-intensity zones will be present to accommodate students who are noise-sensitive or become overstimulated. As well, Ronan is in the process of receiving a provincial campus safety and security grant.
Students can visit the ORT’s Instagram for updates on events and registration.
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