Weeks of Welcome (WoW) is a program for the Class of 2024 and new transfer students. It is an extension of our traditional Welcome Week program that all first-year students participate in. The program has been developed in response to COVID-19 and is designed to help students have a successful transition to the U. WoW is a multi-week program leading up to the first day of class. Students will engage with a student leader, have opportunities to connect with other incoming students, and learn more about the U, along with the different resources that our campus offers. More information will be updated on this webpage throughout the summer, so check back in!
Important Things to Remember
- Weeks of Welcome will begin on August 10 and go through September 7. Fall classes will start on Tuesday, September 8. WoW will consist of virtual content that is designed to help you have a successful start to your time here at the university. Some content will be asynchronous that you can do on your own time, and some content will be scheduled at certain times throughout the program.
- We’ll be focusing on specific themes each week that will help get you prepared to be a Gopher. They are as follows:
- August 10-14 Week of Welcome 1, Wellness & Finances
- August 17-21 Week of Welcome 2, Sustainability & Involvement
- August 24-28: Week of Welcome 3, Campus Resources & Academics
- August 31-September 7: Week of Welcome 4, Social Connections & Life at the U
- Each Monday, new freshmen will meet with their small group led by a Welcome Week Leader. Transfer students have the option to join a small group led by a Transfer Student Leader. These meetings will be a space to start meeting people and learn about what else is happening that week.
- There will be an opportunity to earn badges for completing certain activities within Weeks of Welcome. You can earn up to 11 badges, and if you earn 10 out of 11, you will be entered to win the Coca-Cola Sweepstakes - six students will win JBL Wireless Bluetooth speakers!
We know that Weeks of Welcome is different than our traditional Welcome Week but are confident that it will be worth your time and will help you be successful here at the U. Because things might be different than you expected, please take a look at some Frequently Asked Questions that you might be wondering about.
Weeks of Welcome Schedules
All times are listed in Central Time (CT).
When is Weeks of Welcome?
Weeks of Welcome will take place August 10 - September 7, 2020.
When is the first day of class?
The first day of class is Tuesday, September 8, 2020.
Do I have to be on campus for Weeks of Welcome?
WoW will be online in a virtual format powered through Canvas.
Is Weeks of Welcome required?
Weeks of Welcome is required for Freshman, but you will have some autonomy about how it fits into your schedule. Each of your Monday small group meetings will be required and your leader will talk through other required components that include:
- Small-Group Meetings
- Financial Wellness Workshop
- College Day
- Convocation
For transfer students, while Weeks of Welcome is not required, it is highly encouraged that you attend a Monday meeting with a Transfer Student Leader, Transfer College Day, and Convocation.
What should I do if I cannot attend an event?
If you know about a conflict in advance that will keep you from participating in any of the above items, you can contact us at [email protected]. Most "live" content will be recorded and posted to the Canvas page after it is aired live, so you will have an opportunity to make up anything that you miss, except for your Monday small group meetings. Once you determine you have a conflict with a small group meeting, you should communicate with your Welcome Week Leader to let them know. They will help you change groups to a different time or make up the content that you miss.
What should I do if I do not have access to the technology to be able to participate? (Unreliable internet, no computer, etc.)
You will need access to the internet in order to participate in Weeks of Welcome. If you have concerns about not having the technology you will require to access the internet, please contact us right away at [email protected] so we can help get you what you may need.
How do I log into my meetings & how will I know my schedule?
You will be added to a Canvas page that will be your home base for everything related to Weeks of Welcome. New students will be added on August 8 and 9. Within the Canvas page, you will find your small group page with information about logging into your small-group meetings. These meetings will be held over Zoom (video calls). It’s a good idea to locate this page ahead of time so that you can easily log in before the first meeting. The schedule for each week will be posted here on this webpage by August 7 and will also be available within the Canvas page to refer back to.
How do I use Canvas?
On August 9, you will receive an email with instructions about how to login to Canvas and a quick video tutorial so that you know what to do. This email will be packed full of important information, so be on the lookout!
What is the Gopher Transitions app?
The Gopher Transitions App is a phone app that you can download in the Google Playstore or Apple App Store. This app will allow you to access Weeks of Welcome resources and information as well as a place to do more informal interacting with other new students. You will be able to interact with those in your college and from your orientation date and join or create your own interest-based groups to find new connections!
Accommodating Your Needs
Disability
We value disability as an aspect of diversity and want to ensure that you are able to fully participate in all programming available to you. If you have a disability or health condition, or suspect you have one, and would like to have a confidential discussion about accommodations during your time as a student, please contact the Disability Resource Center (DRC) at 612-626-1333 or [email protected] as soon as possible. To make disability-related Weeks of Welcome accommodation requests, please contact [email protected] as soon as possible. Some accommodations may take time to arrange.
Accessing Weeks of Welcome
ACCESSING WEEKS OF WELCOME
Weeks of Welcome is supported by the University’s Canvas course management system. Canvas is the system faculty will use for your coursework so this as an opportunity for you to get comfortable using Canvas before classes get started this fall.
If you are new to Canvas and would like a quick overview, click here.