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USU welcomes back 17,000 students By
Matt Stephens Long lines, busy streets, mazes of concrete buildings and orange fences may be just a few reasons for the confusion and daunting fears that new and old students alike faced as Utah State University began fall semester Monday morning. "It's a big campus with over 17,000 students roaming around. It is easy for first year students to get confused," said Aaron Anderson, program administrator for new students orientation. "Seventy to 75 percent of questions have to do with finding stuff." Anderson and his staff in USU Student Services have been working dutifully to ensure new students make the transition to college life easier. "We make it our business to stay on top of things," Anderson said. "We start our contact with the first year students clear back when they are admitted. We are essentially the liaison between the students and the university." Anderson and his staff of 32 A-team members and four student coordinators conduct orientation that is geared toward all students. The different types include an overnight orientation for a casual experience, an outdoor orientation where the students spend a lot of time on the campus and in the canyon, and half-day orientations which are available for students who may already know their way around. Student coordinator Brynn Kelly said in addition to new student orientation the student services office is open for students to ask questions throughout the year. "Sometimes students overlook us after the transition period," said Anderson. "We like to make sure that they know we are the place they can turn if they have questions." Finding their way around campus is not the only overwhelming task for students. Getting through the bookstore can provide a task as formidable as trekking across the Sahara desert. Despite the appearance of seemingly infinite lines, Debbie Spackman, USU Bookstore customer service manager, suggests it is moving along well. "Last year we had about a 30-minute wait. This year the longest wait is about 17 minutes." "The setup for the registers is easier. There are signs that make it easier for people to find things. You have all the supplies right up front, and the textbooks wrap around the back side," said Spackman about the newly remodeled bookstore. The best feature about the new bookstore, according to Spackman, is the registers. She was able to bring in four extra registers to help with the rush of the first week. Spackman said, about 150 people are staffing the bookstore with 75 at any one time to cope with the masses. She expects the rush to continue into next week.
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