Welcome to the University of Michigan! I am very excited that you are joining our community and are soon to become one of the 'leaders and best.'

You'll be arriving on campus in a few short weeks, and from that day forward, you will be participating in a wonderful journey of discovery and personal growth. The journey will lead you to new experiences, new friends and new challenges.

I encourage you to take advantage of the many programs available to you during your time outside the classroom. Consider joining one (or more) of the hundreds of student organizations; recreational sports or fitness classes, and participating in the numerous opportunities to get involved through community service, leadership training, social justice education and social action.

This is a time of transition for you and your parents. I know you're excited about moving away from home and meeting new people. This may be the first time you will be living with a roommate (or one that is not a family member), and you may find that you’re sometimes homesick or anxious about fitting into a new and diverse community. You may also be unsure about starting over in highly competitive academic environment, with unknown workload and expectations from faculty.

There are many resources in place to help you make the adjustment and become comfortable on campus. If you're living in a Residence Hall, make an effort to attend your hall meetings so you’ll know what activities are planned and can take part in them, and consider participating in the residence hall student government system or getting involved with the K-grams program to mentor elementary school students. If you find that you're having a problem, talk with your any available Resident Staff, including Resident Advisor, an Academic Peer Advisor or a Minority Peer Advisor.

I look forward to getting to know you once you've arrived on campus. You can contact me through this newsletter, by email to assist-me@umich.edu, or by phone to (734) 764-5132.

Kind Regards,

E. Royster Harper
Vice President for Student Affairs

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If the twenty minute presentation about the library during Orientation, or the brochure about RecSports was not enough, perhaps you should check out the Welcome to Michigan Program during the first week of September. A collaboration between the Office of New Student Programs (ONSP) and the Office of Student Activities and Leadership (SAL), Welcome to Michigan consists of over 200 events that offer something for everyone.

During the five days between the end of Residence Hall move-in and the beginning of classes, Welcome to Michigan offers in-depth explorations (with copious amounts of free food!) of the programs you received a crash-course on during Orientation.

While participation in Welcome to Michigan is voluntary (and you would need some super-powers to make all 200 events), new students are strongly encouraged to take advantage of everything the campus and community have to offer. It all starts with New Student Convocation on Thursday, September 3 at 7:00 pm. The Convocation features live musical performances and speeches from President Coleman and the student government president. We would also like to specifically (and cordially) invite you to the twelve other "Anchor Events" that should appeal to just about everyone, including:

• Escapade (September 3) and Umix Rock the Night (Sept 5) are evening events that include free food and giveaways, live music, lazer tag and a perfect setting to meet new people.


• A Day of C.H.A.N.G.E! (September 7) provides all students with the opportunity to connect with Michigan's commitment to diversity by bringing together students for educational and social events.


• Taste of Michigan (September 6) and Taste of Culture (Sept 13) offer live music and delicious food on a couple Sunday afternoons.

And if you were still wondering about the library or RecSports—September 6 is your day. For a Good Time Come to the Library will hopefully be the most fun you have by the "stacks" all year, and the Recreational Sports Expo opens the doors to Club Sports, Intramurals, Outdoor Adventures, and other upcoming events.

The week long transition between lectures from your parents and lecture halls is a pretty important one. Remember that you have to settle in on a new campus, in a new community, surrounded by 40,000 new people—and those are just the students! These early campus outreach efforts are designed to help you know that we care about your experience, and to connect you with the resources available to help ensure your success during the next few years.

If you want to learn more about Welcome to Michigan, email welcome@umich.edu, call (734) 764-6413, or follow live updates from events throughout the program on Twitter @Welcome2MI.

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The first few months of college are a critical time in every student's development. Going to college can bring substantial increases in stress and responsibility as students experience new levels of independence and accountability. In addition to (and as a product of) these new challenges, college students are at a higher risk for alcohol abuse and sexual assault during their initial months on campus.

The risks for personal harm can increase at this time because of unfamiliarity with the consequences of heavy drinking, new social and physical surroundings and changes in support systems. For example, in the first ten weeks of Fall Term 2008, 70 UM students were transported to the hospital for alcohol related issues. Students are also at a heightened risk for sexual assault during their first two to three months at the University. The Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center reports that they have three times more clients during the first eight weeks of school than throughout the rest of the year.

To better prepare you for your transition to college life, the University is requiring all incoming students to complete an online course called Community Matters. The course includes the module AlcoholEdu/Sexual AssaultEdu for College as a new component of our commitment to addressing these issues. This is not an over-simplified, lecture style course. It is a thoughtful educational program for adults on important issues that matter to our community. This science-based, non-opinionated course relies on proven prevention theories and educational strategies to help students understand the many aspects of sexual assault and alcohol issues.

University Health Service also provides online information that can help. One useful tool is e-CHUG (Electronic Check-up to Go), an online, personalized assessment tool that looks at how your drinking, family risk and campus norms affect your life and future. Additionally, you can contact the Health Promotion and Community Relations office at UHS to learn more about a variety of health/wellness programs and services.

Each student's physical and emotional health, now and after graduation, serves as a critical foundation in pursuing a lifetime of goals. We hope that this course and our other efforts to protect your health and safety as a new Wolverine will help you thrive as one of the leaders and best.

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During New Student Orientation, students had a chance to fill out an Interest Survey that can be helpful in sifting through the multitudes of student clubs, organizations, and opportunities on campus. The survey is easy—mostly completing a series of checklists—but the results are pretty cool because you get a personal and customized web page that tells you which groups on campus share your interests and are willing (and passionate) about helping you explore them!

When you complete the survey, you get a listing of student organizations (there were more than 1200 registered last year), with contact information and links to web pages where you can get more information.

Once you're on campus this fall, you can take a closer look at more than 400 student organizations and university programs by strolling through the Diag during Festifall (September 10 on Central Campus) and NorthFest (September 17 on North Campus). This is one of your best shots at exploring your options for fun and education outside the classroom. Stop by the tables, talk to the student leaders and student members, pick up lots of free stuff, and leave your email address to make the initial contact that is sometimes so hard to find. All this happens in a carnival atmosphere, crowded with other students and rich with more programs than you can imagine.

Speaking of student organizations, did you know there were eight student entrepreneurship groups last year that identified great ideas and developed them into viable businesses for students? One example is M-Powered—whose students held conferences and competitions, facilitated venture capital opportunities, and helped develop entrepreneurship courses last year.

Another extremely popular activity is Dance Marathon (DM) which describes itself as Philanthropic Social Entertainment Family Interaction FUN! You can choose to get involved for one day as a marathon dancer, or stay involved for your entire career at U-M. The money DM raises is used to underwrite the costs of professional programs such as dance therapy, martial arts, therapeutic massage, horseback riding, and yoga at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak (MI) and C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor.

Make the most of your years at Michigan… Get involved, be active, and make a difference!

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With 26,000 undergrads all rushing to the pick up textbooks and coursepacks, local bookstores get pretty crammed during the first weeks of September and January.

Thankfully, the University now provides a way to make the first few days of each semester a little less costly, and a lot less hectic.

Last fall UM began offering an online textbook ordering service, UBook. Through this service, students can view booklists while registering for classes, and buy and sell used textbooks to each other.

It's not everyday that students think a University program is a "great idea," but that is exactly what Kinesiology senior Cameron Cropek had to say about UBook.

"(With UBook) I get to meet the person I buy books from or sell books to, and that takes away the uncertainty of buying online," added Cameron.

Students like Cameron entered more than 3,000 textbooks into the system for Winter 2009, and this number will rise for the Fall Term. In all, students have posted 4,417 textbooks for sale on Ubook.

Using Ubook is easy. Students go to the CTools My Workspace and click Textbooks Tool in the left-hand menubar. By pulling down the menu to choose the desired academic term, you will see a list of your courses and the required reading lists entered by your instructors.

But just like any other online forum, taking safety precautions is a must. We recommend that students not include cell phone numbers, addresses or other personal information in their postings. All postings come with the seller's email address, which should be enough for making the initial contact. With so many listings available, you can find the right person and price.

So order your books in advance, and maybe you'll have a little more time to actually make it to class come September 8.

Unfortunately, if you use UBook too much, you might end up like this kid...

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Over the past eleven weeks, almost every new Wolverine has come through South Quad for Summer Orientation. And as you get ready to begin your Michigan experience, someone a little bit older has been getting used to campus, too.

After a selection process that included input from students, faculty and staff, Dr. Laura Blake Jones was recently chosen to serve as the new Dean of Students and Associate Vice President for Student Affairs. Blake Jones joined the Division of Student Affairs in July. Just like you, she has been spending her time in Ann Arbor adjusting to a new campus and a new town away from her family, until they join her in the fall.

The Division of Student Affairs strives to complete the college experience by offering students the opportunities and programs that go beyond what is available in the classroom and the lab. The Dean of Students Office oversees and directs the vital efforts that support the diverse needs of the student body, including student health and well-being and the development of an inclusive campus community.

Dr. Blake Jones is a perfect fit to take on these tasks. She comes to UM from a similar position as Interim Dean of Students and Director of the Office of Student Life at the University of Oregon. While at UO, she focused on crisis management, student engagement and well-being, and she chaired the Diversity Action Committee. Her role as Director of the Office of Student Life provided experience with direct service to students and student groups, who always found an open door and a willingness to help.

Her past experience in diversity education and support, substance abuse prevention and education, sexual and partner violence prevention, LGBT education and support, parent and family programs, and the ASUO Women's Center at UO will be invaluable as she begins her work with Student Affairs units including University Health Service, Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs, Intergroup Relations, and the Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center.

Dr. Blake Jones will not only be an asset to the University. She has always been active in her local community, including volunteering at local schools and contributing her time to community Family Centers. Blake Jones has also continued her education at each stop along her path to Michigan, holding degrees from Miami University of Ohio, University of Vermont, and the University of Oregon.

The Class of 2013 and Dr. Blake Jones are beginning their experiences in Ann Arbor together, and we hope you follow her lead as an active, successful and eternally curious member of our community.

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As a new student, you are receiving the summer issue of Family Matters so you can benefit from the information contained in this special issue and share it with your parents and family. While this issue includes articles of interest to students, later issues will focus on information especially for parents, families and friends of UM students.

Only UM students can register their parents for the newsletter. It's easy to do in Student Business on Wolverine Access. Simply go to the Alerts, Bulletins and Newsletters section and enter each individual's email address so they'll receive the August issue directly.

If you didn't do so during New Student Orientation, I highly recommend that you take a minute now to register for UM Emergency Alerts so you will receive voice and/or text messages on your cell phone in the event of a major emergency on campus. This is also easy to do, and it will make your parents happy. Again, while you are in Student Business on Wolverine Access, type "emergency" in the search bar. This will link you to the UM Emergency Alert web page to register your phone numbers.

As a large, multi-campus institution, registering for UM Emergency Alerts provides one way for the University to notify you in an emergency. Don't worry—you won't get 'spammed' after you register. The UM Emergency Alert system will be used only for significant emergencies and clear threats to public safety, such as if a person actively shooting a weapon is on the loose on campus or in the immediate area of campus, a tornado is predicted to strike the campus area, or a major hazardous material spill is impacting a large portion of campus.

This is how it works. When the system is activated, the caller ID number that will appear on your telephone screen will be (734) 647-0911. Email messages to your umich.edu inbox will arrive from 'UM Emergency Alert,' and both voice messages and emails will provide directions on what action you should take to reduce your risk of harm.

UM Emergency Alerts don't replace crime alerts, regular campus emails or our cooperation with local news outlets to help ensure community awareness of important safety issues.

Your health and safety are very important to us, so stay safe and enjoy your time on campus!

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• Mary Jo Desprez, UM Alcohol Policy and Community Initiatives Program Administrator, University Health Service


• Mark Hindelang,Coordinator, Student Organization and Special Programs
  Student Activities and Leadership


• Drew Tinnin, Assistant Director, Office Of New Student Programs


• E. Royster Harper, Vice President for Student Affairs


• Linda Hancock Green, Managing Editor, OVPSA


• Isaac Pickell, Editorial Assistant

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