Dear Students, Faculty, and Friends of the University:

Traditionally August is the time most of us think about going back to school. Certainly if you are parents of school age children, the start of the school year can be (as the song goes) one of the "most wonderful times of the year!" And even though the University of Phoenix is not on a traditional school calendar, August is generally the time of the year that we see the largest increase in new students. As we all know, however, going back to school can be an anxiety- producing event for adults as well as young children.

That is one of the reasons University of Phoenix will implement a system-wide orientation program for all students entering the University with fewer than 24 credits. The new program differs from the usual concept of college orientations in that the goal is not so much to introduce the student to the University, but rather to introduce the student to what will be required to be successful in their programs should they decide to enroll.

The pass/fail orientation consists of a three-week, non-credit bearing course taken either online or in a local campus classroom (depending on which the student has chosen for their course of study). Over the three-week period, participants will experience an accelerated learning environment. They will be required to participate as they would if it were a for-credit course and to complete assignments, turn them in on time, and receive feedback from faculty. The participants will also be required to use many of the learning assets and tools that will help them be successful such as the Center for Writing Excellence, the University Library, and the eBook Collection.

This program will encourage prospective students to make informed decisions concerning whether this is the type of institution they wish to attend and if they are ready to do so. The orientation program curriculum encourages participants to take personal responsibility for their learning and is taught by faculty who understand the complexities of orienting a new student specifically to University of Phoenix.

We hope that this new program will increase transparency about the learning process at the University, and ultimately and most importantly, better serve our students in meeting their academic and professional goals.

Look for the roll out of the new orientation program in November.

Sincerely,

Dr. Bill Pepicello
President