PROVISIONAL STUDENT ORIENTATION EVENING HIGHLIGHTS
Thursday, May 19, 2005
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EEP Director Richard Maddox welcomed all the provisional students, their parents, and thanked all the EEP volunteers - EEP mentors, EEP students, EEP alumni, and EEP parents.
Rich first introduced the Head Mentor Administrators: Herbert Lee, Samantha Hsu, Jackie L-Z and Winny Shen. They then introduced each of the nine mentor group leaders, who introduced the members of their groups - Camp EmuKid, the Squishies, Eastern Moondoggies, the Silver Beetles, Group #7, .7<h41|<0v5kY, Camp Wallaby, Project Mayhem, and Postal Service. Booklets with the 30 mentor bios were passed around, and can be accessed online here.
Rich also passed around a Safety booklet published by the CSULA Safety Office, with information on the campus police force as well as a summary of all the public safety issues addressed on campus.
All provies must email Rich (rmaddox@cslanet.calstatela.edu) with their five summer course choices. Email is critical, and is the primary method of communication used in the EEP program. So please remember to update your email address with EEP should you change it. Even the five extra-efficient provies who have already emailed Rich should remail their choices. The orientation packet included a course schedule for the summer (also available online here). It is suggested that provies pick from the list of "EEP Recommended Classes Summer 2005" which has been compiled by suggestions of EEPsters and requests by professors (such as Psych 150). However, any class in the class schedule is open for consideration. Rich will approve or disapprove the choices: disapprovals are usually due to pre-requisites. Remember that the course choice must include the department and number. The provie should be taking 8-10 units this summer. After the choices are approved, the provie may then register either online (STAR) or by phone 323/343-3900. But provies must have submitted their fee payment at least three days in advance, and have a health clearance. Provies should also get a Golden Eagle Card photo ID (cost is $5), which is used for copies, the library, etc. Both registration and the ID card require a PIN and a CIN (the University is getting away from using Social Security Numbers, for the student's protection). The school has mailed the PIN and CIN to some provies, but if you have not already received these by mail, please contact either the EEP office (Erica at 323/343-2287) or pick them up by stopping by Admin #146. The "Procedures" document, included in the packet, is the most important of all the items included in the packet, and should provide answers to many questions. Students should sign the "Release Form" (also in the orientation packet) and send it back to the EEP office.
Rich then reviewed the other items in the Orientation Packet. A summary of gifted qualities is a perennial favorite of the parents. Also included were articles about how EEPsters participate in many of the campus activities. In the newspaper that pictured CSULA Leadership Project students, about 50% were EEPsters. The article that mentioned students running for student government positions included six EEPsters, about 25% of the candidates, and all six were elected! EEPsters also run the Honors Society and are members of sports teams and sororities/fraternities. In short, EEPsters participate in all aspects of campus life.
The selection process was reviewed. There are 88 provies this summer, and approximately 25 of them will join EEP in the fall. However, it was emphasized that the entire summer process is designed for the student and EEP to mutually evaluate how suitable EEP will be for the candidate. Every year there are provies who attend at their parents' request, and do not wish to join the EEP community. Other candidates find that after the provisional summer, they wish to try a traditional high school instead. Others are told to reapply, either for maturity reasons or to strengthen certain academic skills. Some wish to defer for a year. Rich read the legal statement which advises that all decisions are final, and there is no review process available. Provies are advised to attend all Friday orientation meetings, and make their presence known in the EEP lounge, as the mentor groups are an important component of the selection process. There will be individual (by Rex Chang) and group (by the four Head Mentor Administrators) meetings for each provie this summer. Rich also stressed how there is more freedom for the provies than they will have experienced during their previous school experiences. There are only two places on campus that are strictly off-limits for EEPsters -- the dormitories and any building rooftop. Being a responsible and respectful member of the EEP community is also an important characteristic.
Rich then turned the orientation night over to EEPsters and alumni to describe their experiences and answer questions from the audience. The alumni reviewed their post-EEP lives as well as their EEP time. EEP parents were also available for questions. Questions answered included class size (generally small, 20-30 students, and smaller still as the student takes higher courses), parent involvement (we have a website, quarterly newsletter, yahoo group, and annual welcome party), safety (current EEP parents felt CSULA much safer than virtually any high school), transportation (public transportation also safe, especially if traveling during rush hour), peers (friends made in EEP still close several years after graduation), homework/hardness (more challenging than high school, but less busy work), competition (EEPsters help each other -- they are not competing with each other for class rank -- and there is free tutoring available), professors (generally love EEPsters and make themselves available during office hours and by email for any questions or help). It was stressed that this summer should be one that the provie enjoys -- both the classes (hopefully taking something different that is intriguing) and the camraderie.
Welcome to all of our 88 incoming Provies, and best wishes for a fun and rewarding summer.