UW CSE Departmental Orientation
I attended the orientation on Thursday July 30, 3:30–4:30pm (in CSE 305).
Essentially they just handed out some information papers—most of which could just have been sent electronically. There were two exceptions, as far as I’m aware:
- The CSE building permit (which allows one to stay in the building after it closes to the public and non-CSE students)
- A contract one must sign that essentially states that you won’t use UW CSE resources to do illegal things. (You have to sign this and are encouraged to submit it by the time you leave orientation, which is why physical presence is important.)
There is, of course, one other “benefit”, which was that you got to see some of the new admits (there were around 43 in the room when I went), which probably satisfied many people’s curiosity (including, I must admit, mine). Although even here, since only some of the new admits were there and since UW CSE already has planned an “ACM New Student Welcome” on September 30, one could have waited just two more months; what’s the value of knowing two months earlier people you won’t work with until two months later, anyway?
The orientation wasn’t as bad as the farce that is the general UW orientation (A&O) for first-year students, though.