Rhodes University will be officially welcoming new students during the Orientation Week, which will formally start on 6 February 2012. Students’ registration will commence on Saturday, 4 February and on Sunday, the Vice-Chancellor and Students Representative Council President will deliver opening addresses to parents and students.
The orientation week programme aims to help first year students to have a good understanding of how the University operates and provides students the opportunity to discover the various academic programmes on offer and to make an informed choice about the academic programme. Students will also have an opportunity to find out about other opportunities and support that are available at Rhodes.
The programme includes hall-based reception for new students and parents, parents orientation, including presentations by Deans of each Faculty, walking tour of the campus and the town for parents and new students, talks about Academic Departments, warden’s welcome and introduction to residence life and discipline, career development for the 21st Century and special advice on subject choices.
In order to help students make these choices, “there are a wide range of workshops, information sessions and lectures during orientation week,” says Dean of Students, Dr Vivian de Klerk. Students are encouraged to attend as many of these sessions as they can, so that they are in a good position to make decisions which will affect their future experience at Rhodes positively.
“We pride ourselves on the Rhodes motto ’where leaders learn’, and we hope that you will be one of those future leaders, by engaging wholeheartedly in your academic programme, and by joining some of the sporting and cultural societies on offer on the campus,” says Dr De Klerk.
“Our responsibility is to provide students with a stimulating and enabling environment that cultivates their intellect, and supports students to graduate as a knowledgeable and skilled professional, a critical intellectual, and a caring and compassionate person,” says Vice-Chancellor, Dr Saleem Badat. The responsibility of students is to grasp the opportunities that Rhodes provides and to develop their abilities and promise to the full.
The Rhodes academics, administrators and support staff work hard to create an environment that helps students to realize their potential. It is for these reasons that Rhodes has the best undergraduate pass and graduation rates in South Africa, outstanding postgraduate success rates, and the best research output per academic staff member. “Our low academic staff to student ration means that students are assured easy access to academics and close supervision for your projects and research, even at undergraduate level,” added Dr Badat.
For more information please visit Dean of Students website: http://www.ru.ac.za/orientation2012/name,44707,en.html