Purdue News

August 7, 1998 Purdue will orient, welcome back 35,000 students WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Purdue University is nearly ready for the annual population explosion that heralds the start of classes. Many first-year students will start arriving Sunday, Aug. 16, for orientation, but most students are expected to move into the residence halls Aug. 21. Classes will begin the following Monday, Aug. 24. Enrollment is expected to equal or exceed last year's 35,715 on the West Lafayette campus. Among the numerous activities scheduled to help students become acquainted with Purdue are the Boiler Gold Rush orientation program, which begins Aug. 16 for first-year students; a welcoming parade at 6:15 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22; orientation programs in most undergraduate schools on Sunday, Aug. 23; and an activities carnival for various student organizations on Friday, Aug. 29. More than 2,300 incoming freshmen are registered for the optional Boiler Gold Rush program, designed to familiarize new students with the campus layout and traditions. They'll hear Harlan Cohen, a syndicated advice columnist, who will talk about healthy lifestyles for young adults. Purdue's DiversiTeam will present information sessions on diversity, and the first-year students will learn about Purdue's athletics and traditions during a session in Mackey Arena. Other Boiler Gold Rush highlights include a scavenger hunt and a student organizations fair on Wednesday, Aug. 19, and open house activities at the Purdue West shopping center starting at 4 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20, followed by a parking lot concert at 7:30 p.m. More information about Boiler Gold Rush is available from Marnie LaFevor, senior assistant director of admissions, (765) 494-1275 Students not participating in Boiler Gold Rush can move into university residence halls starting Aug. 17, but will have to pay a daily $31 room and board fee or a $13.75 room-only rate for each day before Friday, Aug. 21, when regular housing contracts start. On Aug. 21, staff and veteran students in each hall will be available to direct new students and parents to the students' rooms and to serve refreshments. As for parking, most buildings will have 20-minute unloading zones. After families have unloaded belongings, they can park in the garage northeast of the Purdue West Shopping Plaza or in the parking lot south of Earhart Hall. Purdue residence halls will sponsor a welcoming parade at 6:10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22, from the Windsor Residence Halls to Slayter Hill. The parade will feature Purdue's "All-American" Marching Band, the Boilermaker Special and Purdue Pete. After the parade, students and their parents will attend the President's Gala to Welcome New Students at 7 p.m. on Slayter Hill. Purdue President Steven C. Beering will address the new students. A dance on Slayter Hill will follow the gala. Most undergraduate schools will conduct orientation programs at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 23. Schools and locations are: Consumer and Family Sciences, Room 224, Class of 50 Lecture Hall. Education, Room 175, Mathematical Sciences Building. Engineering, Room 129, Electrical Engineering Building: Students with last names starting with A through F, 1:30 p.m. Students with last names starting with G through O, 2:30 p.m. Students with last names starting with P through Z, 3:30 p.m. Prepharmacy students in the School of Health Sciences, Room 114, Physics Building; other Health Sciences students, Room 112, Physics Building. Liberal Arts and Department of Health, Kinesiology and Leisure Studies, main floor, Liberal Arts and Education Building. Management, Drawing Room, Krannert Building. Science, Loeb Playhouse, Stewart Center. Technology, Knoy Hall Lobby, 2:30 p.m. Undergraduate Studies, Room 206, Stewart Center. Other orientation activities include: Older student orientation, 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 16, East and West Faculty Lounges, Purdue Memorial Union. "Recreational Sports Spectacular," an open house from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 24, at the Recreational Sports Center to show students the variety of activities available there. Black Cultural Center Boilerfest, 4 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 27, Black Cultural Center, 315 University St. This open house for new students will provide food, music and information. Main Event and Activities Carnival sponsored by the Purdue Student Union Board, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, Aug. 29, Purdue Memorial Union and Stewart Center. More than 90 student organizations will have displays and information booths at the outdoor activities carnival during the day, and a variety of entertainment will be presented. Adaptive Programs, a division of the Office of the Dean of Students, will conduct a workshop for students with learning disabilities at 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 31, and workshops for students with other disabilities at 3:30 p.m. both Monday, Aug. 31 and Tuesday, Sept. 1. All the workshops will be at Student Services Annex 1. Sources: Marnie LaFevor, (765) 494-1275; e-mail, mjlafevor@adms.purdue.edu Barbara Middleton, housing and food services director of marketing and communications, (765) 494-1000; e-mail, bamiddleton@hfs.purdue.edu Writer: J. Michael Willis, (765) 494-0371; e-mail, mike_willis@purdue.edu Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; e-mail, purduenews@purdue.edu To the Purdue News and Photos Page