The University of Texas at Dallas

BIS 3390 001: Orientation Team Theory & Practice

T R 12:30 PM - 1:45 PM GR2.530

Instructor: Teaching Assistants:

Elisa Ford, Coordinator Denise Tria & Patrick Maruthmmotil
Office: SU1.406; Suite: 1.604 Senior Orientation Team Mentors
Office Phone: 972-883-2456 Office SU 1.604
Cell phone: 214-284-4079 Office Phone: 972-883-6171
E-mail: elisap@utdallas.edu E-mail Denise: ktxpinay@yahoo.com
E-mail Patrick: pats_747@yahoo.com

Course Objective:
This course provides Orientation Team Mentors with a comprehensive understanding of the
theoretical knowledge and practical skills required for assisting incoming freshmen, transfer, and
graduate students as they transition into their new university environment. The course includes
supervised, paraprofessional experiences. Enrollment is restricted to students who are selected
as Orientation Team Mentors. This is a required class for all Orientation Team Mentors.

Course Goals:
¾ Provide OTMs with the skills, knowledge, and information, they need to be effective in
executing their duties.
¾ Examine the role of the OTM in the university community, with new students, and as a part of
the whole enrollment management process.
¾ Facilitate the OTMs’ acquisition of detailed information about all services, programs, and
policies of UTD.
¾ Examine student development theories and their application to orientation and our students.
¾ Examine leadership theories, develop leadership skills.
¾ Examine counseling theory and small group processes and put them to practice.
¾ Understand and accept cross-cultural diversity.
¾ Promote the holistic growth and development of each Orientation Team Mentor.

Grading Policy:
Each student must maintain a B or better in this course to pass and to retain his/her position as a
Mentor on the Orientation Team.

Grading Scale:
A+ 1571-1620 B 1371-1420
A 1521-1570 B- 1321-1370
A- 1471-1520 C less than 1321
B+ 1421-1470 Not passing less than 1170

Evaluation of Performance: (subject to change with notice)

Class Attendance (28 classes @ 20 pts each) 560
Office Hours (13 weeks @ 20 pts each) 260
Five-Minute Icebreaker 50
Campus Tour 100
Event Report (2 @ 100 pts each) 200
Quizzes (at least 4 @ 50 pts each) 200
Project Group Work 150
Group report=75 pts
Presentation=50 pts
SOTM evaluation=25 pts
Final Exam 100
Totals 1620 pts
OTM Class Syllabus-Spring 2006.doc
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Class Participation and Attendance:
Attending class is required because being involved in class discussion enables the student to gain
maximum learning benefits. You are allowed only one excused absence, regardless of the reason.
An absence is considered excused if the Coordinator is notified prior to the class via phone or
email. Be on time because class will start even if everyone is not present. Tardiness will result in
a loss of points for the class session. In addition, being disruptive in class will negatively
impact your grade.

Office Hours
Part of being an effective and knowledgeable OTM is gaining experience in the office throughout
the year. This is an opportunity to practice professionalism and have a well rounded
understanding of all NSP does. Returning Mentors will perform 2 hours weekly due to their
previous training and already vast amount of skill and knowledge. New Mentors will perform 1
office hour a week while learning everything they ever wanted to know about UTD and more.
Missing office hours will negatively impact your grade.

Five-Minute Icebreaker
Each Mentor will be assigned a partner at the beginning of the semester and together you will
choose an icebreaker activity to teach to the team. In addition, you will turn in a written
explanation of the icebreaker to the Coordinator when you present your activity.

Campus Tour
Each Mentor will complete a campus tour offered by the Admissions office prior to the April
orientation. Campus Tours are offered weekdays at 10 AM and 2 PM and by appointment. The
campus tour lasts 90 minutes. Once you complete your tour you will turn-in proof of attendance
from the Admissions office.

Event Report
Two event papers will be assigned during the semester. You are to attend and write a 2 full-page
synopsis/analysis of 2 spring semester programs offered at UTD. Note that you may not use an
event where you are part of the planning team or are a member of the sponsoring organization,
or any event that is simply an educational booth by which you stopped to visit. Here are some
sponsoring organization ideas:
• Career Center • School event (not of your major)
• Student Development/Leadership • Club/Organization event (not for a
• Health Education group to which you belong)
• Women’s Center program • Counseling Center seminar
• Multicultural Center • International Student Services
• SUAAB or Late Night program/event program
• ASB trip/Service Learning activity • Others as approved by Coordinator
• Residence Life

Event Attendance Record

Six programs sponsored by an area of Student Life must be attended during the spring semester.
Completion of this requirement is shown by submitting the Program Attendance Record form in
the OTM training manual. These programs must be actual events, not booths visited. Programs
attended for this purpose may include an event you have been responsible for coordinating
through your role in another organization. Questions on which events/programs will count should
be directed to the Coordinator prior to attending.

Quizzes
At least four quizzes will be given during the semester. All reading material and class material is
potential quiz material.

OTM Class Syllabus-Spring 2006.doc

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Project Group Paper & Presentation:
Each Mentor will be assigned a project group related to ELP, Road Warriors, Success Camp,
Comet Camp, or Freshmen/Family Orientation. The project will be completed and graded via
working groups. Each working group will present its project to the class as part of the grade for
the project. In addition, each project group will submit a group paper and be evaluated by the
Senior OTM assigned to their group.

Other Assignments:
Other assignments will be issued as deemed appropriate.

Readings may include entries from the following or from additional texts as needed:
The University of Texas at Dallas
Undergraduate Catalog
Graduate Catalog
UTD Student Planner

Santrock, J.W. and Halonen, J.S.

Your Guide to College Success

Upcraft, M. Lee, Gardner, John N., and Associates

The Freshman Year Experience

Upcraft, M. Lee, Mullendore, R.H., Barefoot, B.O., and Fidler, D.S. (eds.)
Designing Successful Transitions: A guide for orienting students to college

Expectations for written documents:

All materials you submit must be typed. Make sure that your name and title of the assignment is
clearly identifiable. Margins should be no more than 1.25 inches on all sides. Use fonts that are
easy to read (times new roman, bookman old style, century schoolbook, arial, etc.) and not
smaller than 10 point or larger than 12 point. Please use 1.5 space or double space in the body
of the text. Use section headers between chapters or divergent ideas, etc. Headings can be
either left aligned or center aligned. Spell-check all documents and make sure that you’ve read
through them for errors before submitting them. Make every effort to avoid losing points
unnecessarily for poor grammar and spelling. Points will be taken off for not following the above
formatting requirements, and for submitting a paper that doesn’t meet the length requirement for
the assignment.

Final Notes:
• You should always bring your calendar/planner to class meetings.
• Ask questions of the Coordinator, Senior OTMs, and Returning OTMs as you have them.
We are all here to help you successfully complete the training class.

OTM Class Syllabus-Spring 2006.doc

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