President Boren recently announced that all freshman English composition classes will be limited to 19 students. The format of the class will depend on the nature of the subject matter and the method of presentation selected by the professor. Some classes are small, whereas others combine a large lecture and small discussion groups. As a freshman, your son or daughter will probably have a mixture of classes in terms of size and format. In Fall 2006, only 4% of OU’s 2885 class sections taught had more than 100 students. OU also boasts a 19:1 student to professor ratio.

Getting involved is an important way for students to feel at home. Volunteer opportunities in the Norman community abound and there are more than 350 campus organizations for students. In addition to a variety of academic and cultural support services, OU has everything from the African American Artists Association to the Society of Women Engineers. For a complete list of registered student organizations, go to http://studentlife.ou.edu.

The University of Oklahoma ranks in the top 10 in the nation in the Freshman Year Experience, according to a national study by the Policy Center on the First Year of College. Recognizing that the transition from high school to college requires many adjustments, the University offers two special semester-long courses specifically designed for freshmen: Gateway to College Learning and Freshman Seminar. Other services include Project Threshold, which is an academic support program established in 1971. The primary goal of this program is to provide services and programs that will increase the persistence and graduation rates of students from educationally and economically disadvantaged backgrounds. The Housing Learning Center offers free tutoring in a variety of classes, and the Writing Center provides help with writing skills and assigned papers. Action Tutoring is also a great program in which student mentors tutor other students one-to-one in typical freshman classes...and it costs nothing! The center is even open in the evenings. Students also have access to test files and numerous workshops and success seminars throughout the year.

   From a recent survey, students remarked that they overwhelmingly felt safe both in the residence halls, and across campus.
   The OU Department of Public Safety’s police division patrols the parking lots and exterior grounds throughout the night and early morning hours. Also, all residential floors are secure-access only, which means only residents living on that floor will have a card to grant them access to that floor. Residence hall exterior doors lock at 10 nightly and only students with the appropriate card access may swipe for entrance into the building.
   Resident Advisers are on nightly duty and conduct routine rounds throughout the residence halls. These staff members also provide safety programs for residents throughout the year.
   For students who are studying or working on campus late at night, Housing and Food Services, along with the OU Police Department, sponsors a program called Safewalk, where volunteers escort students to their campus destination. This service is available free of charge from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. seven days a week.
   Outdoor emergency telephones are also located throughout the academic and housing areas. These telephones are a push button system that automatically connects to the OU Police Department.
   For more safety information, visit www.ou.edu/oupd.

Yes. If students drive to campus, they need to purchase a parking permit from the Parking and Transit Office. If students don’t have cars, they can get around Norman using CART (Cleveland Area Rapid Transit), a public transportation system that serves the campus and the surrounding area.

Most degree programs require that students meet with an academic adviser before they are given permission to register for classes. This is certainly the case for all freshmen. One-on-one advising allows the student and his adviser to explore and to select the best course options.

Don’t be alarmed if your student takes a semester or two to select a major or if he or she changes majors, as many students do. There are resources on campus to help students understand their interests, set career goals, and choose an appropriate major. University College provides computer-assisted career exploration, a professional and career library, and help in career and academic major selection. Academic advisers help students select classes that are appropriate for the majors the students are considering and suggest courses to help students explore various possibilities. Students also may find it helpful to visit with faculty in their areas of interest.