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They don't throw punches like their namesake, but they sure send freshman stress packing: Meet USU's very own A-Team By
Erika Doty The gold chains can't be found. Mr. T and the crew have disappeared. The A-team may just be a fond childhood memory to generation-Xers, but to Utah State University students, the A-Team saved them from freshman stress. "I was so nervous about college," said Sarah Hoffman, a junior at Utah State. "But after I met the A-Team and saw how things worked, I loved Utah State." The A-Team is a group of 30 Utah State students who help with new student orientation each summer. Every student at Utah State must register with the New Student Orientation office before their first semester in order to register for classes. New students can either register by mail or come to "Student Orientation And Registration" (SOAR) during the summer before they begin attending Utah State. During SOAR, students spend either one or two days at Utah State with the A-Team attending workshops on how to survive college as well as getting to know other new students. All new students have a hold put on their registration. This hold isn't removed until they attend SOAR or complete the paperwork by mail. However, this year some changes have been made, including a new online orientation, which will eventually replace registration-by-mail. "[Also] This year all incoming students will have to meet with their advisors before they can register for classes," said Aaron Andersen, the Program Administrator for New Student Orientation. "There will essentially be two holds [put on students' registration]: one with the advisor and one with us." Andersen explained that having the students meet with their advisors before they can register has gone smoothly since February, when the idea was implemented. Andersen has been a member of the A-Team since 1998 when a friend told him there was a shortage of male applicants. Since then, applicants have increased from 45 to about 100 for the past two years. Andersen was an A-Team member for two years, then a coordinator and now the Program Administrator‹basically the guy in charge. After working with the A-team for three years, the position for program administrator was open. Andersen decided not to move on to law school, applied and was fortunate to be the guy they picked, he says. This is the second year Andersen has held this position, but since 1998, Andersen has learned what an important role the A-Team has on campus. "At first it was just helping students," Andersen said. "But [the A-team's] role is more important. This is the first human contact the student has with the university. Everything that A-Team member says and does is the impression the student gets of the university." Andersen explained that the A-Team is essentially hands-on public relations for the university. "Little things make big impressions," Andersen explained. "If someone starts on the wrong foot, then they got on the wrong path. The A-Team is more important than a lot of people realize on campus." Hoffman remembers the great experience she had with the A-Team and SOAR. She made many new friends and eased her transition from high school to college. The A-Team has been a part of Utah State for about 20 years. "The A-Team actually got their name from the TV show," Andersen said. "The A-Team was just getting started around the same time that the TV show was really popular. And yes, I'm being serious." However, it wasn't mandatory and the team members all volunteered. It has existed in its current form, with paid employees and mandatory steps for students, for 10 years. The 30 members have the option of returning the following year, but Andersen explained that only about six to eight return. Andersen believes that personal contact is the A-Team's strongest quality. "The team does a good job of going out of our way to take care of students," Andersen explained. "Plus, it is like a one-stop-shopping kind of deal. The student can take care of everything in one day." However, not all new students participate in SOAR activities. About 2,000 student participate in SOAR, but 1,500 to 1,800 students register by mail and don't set foot on campus until the first day of classes. "I would like to see more students on campus register with SOAR," Andersen said. "But we can't force out-of-state students to be here." Not many changes have been made since Andersen took over two years ago. Andersen says that he tries to improve anything that needs it, but mostly he works on building student-friendly attitudes among his employees. However, Andersen has had his moments on the A-Team. "More than once, I discovered my fly was down while I was teaching a small group of students [how to register]," Andersen said with a laugh. Andersen has a history of being "the guy in charge." In high school, he says he was "little Mr. Leadership." He ran for just about every office/position and participated in debate, tennis and track. "My goal was to have the longest senior summary in the year book," Andersen said. "And I did." Andersen says he has mellowed a lot since high school. "I was a little jerk," he laughs. "I've humbled over time, but I had a pretty high conception of myself. I wonder how many people I offended." Andersen will be retiring from his position after new student orientation in the summer of 2003 and hopes to move out of Utah and attend law school. "I don't see myself as a Utah person," Andersen said. "I'll move to the west coast for school, but since the east coast is a more adult place, I'll move there then." Andersen sees himself in an administrative role in the public sector, possibly working for a not-for-profit company. Andersen says he loves working with people, but he just has to go where the day takes him. The A-Team and New Student Orientation will still be around after Andersen leaves, but people in that office aren't sure who will take over. The 2002-03 A-Team has already been selected, but applications for the 2003-04 team will be available in February 2003. Contact New Student Orientation at soar@admissions.usu.edu or call (800) 606-4USU or (435) 797-1128.
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