This spring, Syracuse University will divide one
Division of Student Affairs office into
two units dedicated to specific student populations. On or about April 1, the
Office of
Orientation and Off-Campus Programs will cease to exist and its resources and staff
will be used to create the Office of First-Year and Transfer Programs and the Office of
Off-Campus and Commuter Services.
The Office of Off-Campus and Commuter Services will be responsible for focusing on
the needs of students residing off campus, as well as commuter students. It will
educate students about their rights and responsibilities as community members and
will work on a coordinated approach to communication and programming that is
inclusive of students as well as permanent residents. To maintain its connection to
non-residential students, this office will be at 754 Ostrom Ave.
The Office of First-Year and Transfer Programs will be housed at 111 Waverly Ave.,
close to the Office of Residence Life, the Office of Learning Communities and other
central services for residential students. This office's work will begin with Syracuse
Welcome 2009. Later, it will explore possibilities for building SU's nationally
recognized orientation programming into a comprehensive, yearlong experience for
all new SU students.
Before the 2007 merger that created OOCP, similar duties were performed by what
were then the Office of Orientation and Transition Services and the Office of Off-
Campus Student Services. OOCP staff were drawn largely from these predecessor
offices and will be reassigned to Off-Campus and Commuter Services and First-Year
and Transfer Programs when they open for business.
Darya Rotblat, currently interim director of OOCP, will provide leadership to SU's
orientation and off-campus functions throughout the transition. Working with the
Office of Human Resources, the Division of Student Affairs will conduct searches for
directorships in the new offices.
"As we have discussed these organizational concepts and objectives with numerous
constituents across campus, it has become clear that Syracuse University's best use of
resources is to focus separately on new students and off-campus students," says
Rebecca Reed Kantrowitz, associate vice president for student affairs. "From our
interactions with student focus groups, the Academic Coordinating Committee, and
faculty and staff across campus, plus a review of national best practices, we believe
that this model will best serve our new students as well as the large population of
students who live off campus." As head of the Division of Student Affairs' inclusion,
community and citizenship portfolio, Kantrowitz will supervise the directors of both
new offices.
"The staff of the Office of Orientation and Off-Campus Programs has done an
outstanding job of establishing national best practices in orienting and welcoming
new students, while building and sustaining SU's relationship with its valued
neighbors," says Thomas V. Wolfe, senior vice president and dean of student affairs.
"That team's commitment to students under leadership of interim director Darya
Rotblat has positioned us to take fuller advantage of collaborative opportunities."
Each office will be staffed by three people and will likely provide educational and
work experience opportunities for graduate assistants and practicum students.
Additional details, including contact information, will be announced at the time of the
offices' opening. Leading up to the transition, OOCP will help next fall's incoming
class make successful preparations and will help off-campus students navigate the
remainder of the current semester.
"We are excited by the possibilities as these two offices build on strong relationships
with Academic Affairs, Government and Community Relations, and a rich network
of student, faculty, staff and community partners," says Kantrowitz. "By focusing
each office's work on a particular population of students, we will ensure that all
students have access to intentional, effective co-curricular programming and
services."
