„‚ CONDITIONS THAT HINDER EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

develop or increase positive student attitudes toward the business school and to build
rapport among new students. Additionally, the administration and faculty wanted to
generate enthusiasm among the students for the courses and programs of study that the
students were about to begin. The orientation program that was implemented took place
over a nine-month period, with intensive efforts at the beginning of the process. The
following is a brief description of the new program:
1. Pre-arrival. The new students were called and welcomed by second-year
students from the same alma mater or home town. They were also sent extensive
information and advice about housing, parking, and transportation. In addition, the new
students were asked to complete many of the bureaucratic forms (for example, health
forms, forms for directory information, and requests for course waivers) over the
summer so that they would not have to bother with them on their first day at school. The
student organization organized crews of second-year students to help newcomers to
move into their apartments, have phones installed, and so forth.
2. First week. The new students participated in a program called “Conceptual Issues
in Management” (CIM). They were divided into small teams to play a computersimulated
business game that required making decisions in finance, marketing,
operations, human resource management, and other functional areas. Before each
decision the students listened to a short lecture from the professor who would ultimately
teach them in each functional area. With this approach the students were briefly
introduced to topic areas and faculty members in a motivating, nonthreatening way.
The program for the first week also included extensive social gatherings and
picnics. In addition, there were periods of free time scheduled so that students could
have time to buy their books, acquire last-minute furniture and clothing, and so forth.
3. Second through fifth months. The students attended a series of “Career Nights,”
which consisted of seminars that introduced them to a variety of career paths and to
alumni and executives in different functional areas. During the seminars there was
extensive opportunity for questions and answers and informal interaction.
4. Sixth through eighth months. The students participated in a series of workshops
on the subject of job-search skills. The placement director explained sign-up procedures
and school policies. The students received both group and individual instruction on
résumé writing and interviewing skills. Group and individual sessions on career
planning and job-search strategies were also held.
These orientation activities were very well received by the incoming students.
Voluntary turnover among first-year students in the graduate school was very low (less
than 5 percent), and the placement rate for summer internships and permanent positions
was very high (greater than 90 percent).
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The Pfeiffer Library Volume 6, 2nd Edition. Copyright ©1998 Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer