Students new to Cal State Long Beach in the spring 2011 semester will have a more accelerated Student Orientation Advising Registration (SOAR) program than students before them due to increased enrollment.
In addition, the Horn Center’s computers will be reserved to register new students for classes for most of January. Therefore, current students will be encouraged to go to the library for computer access.
Director of SOAR Ken Kelly said the program will be a half day, with a morning session from 8 a.m. to noon and an afternoon session from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. He estimates to be working with about 500 students daily.
“We normally want to have a program that lasts the whole day,” Kelly said. “We are doing the best we can to make sure students get the information they need in a short period of time.”
There are nine scheduled days for SOAR in January.
Kelly said there may be a couple days added if necessary, depending on how many students will be enrolled.
According to Kelly, there will be several changes to SOAR from previous semesters.
Instead of walking around campus, students will take accelerated tours on shuttle buses with tour guides pointing out various buildings around campus.
The buses will make two stops on their route, one at the student ID center and another at the Student Recreation and Wellness Center to get students registered.
Also, SOAR will not have lunch available for the students, but will be giving out coupons to El Pollo Loco, which are valid until the first day of school.
“We are pretty well staffed,” Kelly said. “We will have professional advisers in addition to student SOAR advisers to make sure students get the counseling they need.”
Some students think that half of a day for SOAR is not enough.
“Honestly, I think the new students will be missing out on a lot,” junior psychology and journalism double major Sean O’Dwyer said. “I feel like I didn’t know enough about all of the programs and everything offered at school with a full day of SOAR, so I don’t see how they will get the information that they need.”
According to Kelly, the primary program will be quick. SOAR is trying to provide additional services, including student tours of the campus on Jan. 21 and student information booths called “lifeguard stations” for the first three days of the spring semester.
Kelly said SOAR will go back to its full day program after the spring semester.
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