After Vanderbilt launched The Commons last year with a nine-day orientation, it looks like the extended program wasn’t a success.

The university returned to a normal schedule this year, with freshmen moving in four days before the start of classes.

The shortened orientation, along with several other changes, were implemented in order to make the CommonVU orientation program a more effective way for integrating freshmen into the school community.

According to Emilie Strom, the president of VUcept, the first of three changes to the CommonVU year-long freshman orientation program was to reduce the number of orientation days before classes begin. Student Government President Wyatt Smith said the primary reason orientation is shorter this year is because of calendar commitments.

“The university wanted to keep it shorter so school wouldn't let out so late in December,” Smith said.

In order to shorten the orientation week, some of the freshman activities were altered. According to Sean Topping, VUcept Executive Board Member, Commodores in the Community was cut and put into a service and community fair to reduce the strain on the school and strain put on its partners in the community to prepare for the freshmen.

Many VUceptors see this as a positive change.

“I believe they shortened it so it’d be more impactful for the students,” VUceptor Jeremy Williams said. Last year’s freshman orientation program was so long it was like a Vandy camp, Williams added.

The second change to CommonVU, running part of it concurrent with classes, is also an improvement to the orientation program, VUceptor Rebecca Metry said.

“CommonVU occurs simultaneously with classes this year in response to student feedback,” Metry said. “Every time there is a new event planned, there are bound to be a few flaws, but these flaws are typically eliminated the second time around. This year’s CommonVU is already running more smoothly than last year.”

The third change to the orientation process is more behind-the-scenes and relates to the relationship between VUceptors and resident advisers. Both groups are responsible for mentoring freshmen through the beginning of their Vanderbilt experience, but confusion existed last year due to the overlap of their roles.  CommonVU change No. 3 was designed to eliminate that friction.

The VUcept executive board and Vanderbilt Visions, working along with the dean of The Commons and staff of the Dean of Students’ Office, decided to combine VUceptor and RA training so that the two groups could work more as a single team to aid the freshmen during the orientation process.

“Both RAs and VUceptors got a chance to both network and discover our common goals,” Metry said. “They are even building a loving community where trust can be built. I trust them to keep my fish, and I also trust them to take care of the students on their halls.”

According to VUceptor Lori Murphy, the joint-training goal was achieved through the changes to CommonVU. 

“At the end of the day, what we’re all here for is to make the first year experience the best that it can be,” Murphy said. “It’s not about us. It’s not about the RAs. It’s not about the administration. We’re all here to ensure that every first year on this campus has just as good of an experience as we all did.”

Although the freshman orientation was shortened for the Class of 2013, some freshmen are still overwhelmed with the busy orientation schedule.

“It felt more like summer camp than school,” freshman Carlyn Rosenblum said. “I wish we had a little more free time to explore the school on our own and meet people on our own.”

Freshman Michael Thomas also said the orientation resembled camp. 

“Activities would go all day from eight in the morning until eleven at night. By the end of the program, many freshmen, including myself, were eager to start class simply so we could get into a routine and do things on our own,” Thomas said. “I think CommonVU could be even more effective if the activities were condensed into just the weekend.”
According to other freshmen, the CommonVU improvements have helped students easily meet their peers and become acquainted with the Vanderbilt campus and community.

“VUcept has made the transition process easier,” freshmen Kelsey Gallo said.
Classmate Liesel Burks agreed.

“VUcept is a great way to meet people from other houses that you normally wouldn’t run into on campus,” she said.