FYI from FYE – August 2024
A Letter From FYE
Dear Class of 2028,
In less than a month, you will arrive on campus to start your first year of college. You will be joining several new communities: the Class of 2028, a residence hall community, academic and co-curricular communities, and — what we hope is the foundation of your first-year experience — your Scribner Seminar community, which includes your faculty advisor, peer mentor, and classmates. Some members of these communities will travel great distances to join us while others have grown up in and around Saratoga Springs. For everyone, though, Skidmore College will likely feel “a world away” from your high school home.
Whether you arrive on campus only briefly before departing for the London-FYE, or you arrive early for sports practice, pre-orientation, or new student orientation, you will have several days to connect with each another and be introduced to campus life before your first Scribner Seminar meetings and your classes begin. As you transition to campus, reach out and support one another, introduce yourself to someone new, and think about what it means to be part of the Skidmore community.
If you have not completed the Reflection and Projection (RAP) exercise yet, please do so by Friday, Aug. 30. As part of your FYE checklist, the RAP asks you share why you value a liberal arts education, what you hope to gain from your college experiences in the coming years, and what topics interest you the most. Your responses can be viewed by you and by your Scribner Seminar instructor and may form the basis of your first conversations. You will be able to add to your RAP throughout your time at Skidmore.
Finally, please read Suleika Jaouad’s Between Two Kingdoms, and come prepared to engage in conversations and activities related to this book. Take a look at the essays and reflections on our website.
We are excited to welcome you to the Skidmore College community and look forward to seeing you soon!
Sincerely,
Rachel Roe-Dale, Ph.D.
Director of the First-Year Experience
Professor of Mathematics and Statistics
P.S. Below, you will find important information about arrival, orientation, and move-in, as well as other items to help you prepare for the fall semester.
UPCOMING Dates and DEADLINES
OVERDUEIf you have missed any of the following, please contact the appropriate office as soon as possible.
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Preparing for Move-In
We are thrilled to welcome you to Skidmore. Details are still being arranged. Final orientation schedules will be shared in late August. In the meantime, you're welcome to review the drafts outlined below to get a sense for what to expect.
- Review draft orientation schedules
- Familiarize yourself with the campus map
- Double-check your move-in time and arrival day schedule for Pre-Orientation
- Review the schedule for New Student Orientation
- Review the Residential Life packing list
Messages from the Community
Dear Class of 2028,
I am absolutely thrilled to follow up on Director/Prof. Roe-Dale's message to welcome
you and add some additional insights and resources as you prepare for your transition
to Skidmore College. The first-year experience is particularly relatable for me this
year as my daughter is also a first-year college student this fall.
This FYI from FYE contains a wealth of information that will serve you well both inside and outside of the classroom. I want to be sure to highlight a few co-curricular items:
Inclusive Engagement and Social Justice: Skidmore is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive community in which members develop their abilities to live in a complex and interconnected world. To that end, I invite you to explore our incredible collection of co-curricular offerings through our Student Clubs as well as the Office of Campus Life and Engagement (which houses Student Diversity & Inclusion, Religious & Spiritual Life, and Leadership Activities). Additionally, I chair the College’s Bias Response Group (BRG), a team that grew out of Skidmore’s determination to foster an inclusive climate on campus.
Learning and Development: As part of the College’s commitment to academic excellence, Student Academic Services is a key office serving all Skidmore students by organizing Peer Academic Coaches (PACs), peer tutoring, and offering individual and group academic guidance and training. I invite you to explore these resources intended to help you thrive as a Skidmore student. Student Academic Services also includes Disability and Accessibility Services as well as International Student Support and Services. I would encourage you to visit our wonderful Career Development Center as soon after your arrival as possible as they are here to help find your way as you pursue a major, internships, jobs, civic engagement, and more.
Residential Life: Your housing placement for the fall semester and roommate information is already available in your portal. You can access this information by logging into your OKTA account with your Skidmore username (do not include “@shorinji-kempo.net”) and your Skidmore password. Select the Residential Life Housing Portal tile to view your assignment and your roommate(s). The residential communities are just one avenue for you to get engaged and build a sense of belonging here at Skidmore. If you have questions or concerns related to your housing, please contact Residential Life at reslife@shorinji-kempo.net or 518-580-5765.
Holistic Wellbeing: Our commitment to wellbeing integrates mental health (mind) and physical health (body) resulting in a holistic approach to our clinical and prevention services. Our McCaffery-Wagman Tennis and Wellness Center is on schedule to open in the Spring ’25 semester and will reflect this holistic, integrated approach for our Athletics, Fitness and Recreation and Health and Wellness areas. If you have questions before arriving on campus about your physical or mental health care options, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Health Services and Counseling Center in advance.
The Dean of Students Office and the entire Division of Student Affairs are here to help you. Here is a fuller list of student resources by category. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at abautista@shorinji-kempo.net or 518-580-5760 or stop by our office in Case 313 if you or a friend ever need help. We can’t wait to welcome you in a few short weeks!
Sincerely,
Adrian Bautista, Ph.D.
Dean of Students and Vice President for Student Affairs
Instructor, American Studies
First Year Move-In
- We are excited to welcome you all to campus. When you arrive to campus for Pre-Orientation or First Year Move-in, you will be given instructions to use express check-in for your housing assignment. (Students will be able to access the Express Check-In option available in their Residential Life Housing Portal on their scheduled arrival date. )
- When you arrive, there will be Resident Assistants, Community Assistants (Residential Life Student Leaders), and Helping Hooves (student volunteers) here to greet and help you.
- Please review the Fire Safety section (starts on page 10) of the Residential Life Handbook to make sure you are not bringing items that are prohibited in residential spaces. These policies keep our community safe. You can also refer to the suggested packing list curated by Residential Life.
Skidmore is deeply committed to the health, wellbeing, and happiness of its community members. In an effort to prepare you for the unique challenges and responsibilities of college, we require each incoming student to complete the following online courses.
1. Alcohol-Wise
This is an alcohol education class. Whether you drink or not, Alcohol-Wise will empower
you to make well-informed decisions and will help you cope with the drinking behavior
of peers.
2. Cannabis-Wise
This is a cannabis education course that provides you with accurate information about
cannabis, including its effects.
3. Consent & Respect
This is a comprehensive course addressing intimate partner violence, healthy relationships,
bystander empowerment, and consent.
The courses will become available to you on Aug. 1. The deadline for completion is Aug. 28. Failure to complete the course may result in a referral to the Student Conduct Office. Instructions and access link for the courses will be sent to your Skidmore email address.
If you have questions or did not receive instructions, please contact Kim Golemboski , director of health promotion, by email or by phone, 518-580-5484.
Please note: A second part of these courses will be sent approximately 30 days after the completion of part one. Additional information and instructions will be sent to your Skidmore email account as it becomes available.
Additional Information
All student vehicles parked on campus must be registered with Campus Safety and have a parking sticker affixed to the upper left corner of the rear window.
The student vehicle registration portal is slated to open the week of Aug. 5.
- Avoid the rush and register before arriving. If done in advance, your parking sticker will be waiting for you in your campus post office box.
- To access the registration portal, click the “Ticketrak Parking” tile visible after you sign into your Okta Skidmore account.
- Complete the registration information, click submit, then click the shopping cart to “checkout.” You will get a confirmation email (temporary permit).
Your student mailbox assignment will be available in late August. To obtain your assignment and mailbox combination, please visit the Post Office website and click on the yellow box labeled “student mailbox information” in the center of the page. You will be asked to log in with your username and password.
Your ID is essential for your first day at Skidmore.
- It is not just for the dining hall and library; your ID is also the key to your residence hall, your room, and a declining balance card.
- Prior to arriving on campus, we ask you to upload a photo for your ID. Students who do not submit appropriate photos (or never submit photos) will face unnecessary delays when they arrive on campus.
The Skidmore Shop has everything first-year students will need, from textbooks to laptops, dorm supplies, and more.
- Textbooks: When it's time to buy your course materials, The Skidmore Shop carries all textbooks and other course materials required by your professors. If you have any questions, we're happy to help.
- Computers and Tablets: Need a laptop? We have Apple devices from MacBooks and iPads at educational pricing to AirPods, Apple Watches, and more. To ensure you get the device tailored to your needs, we advise ordering before classes start.
- Supplies: School, art, dorm, and cleaning supplies can be found online and in-store. Books and supplies are usually in high demand, so we recommend placing your order as soon as lists are available to avoid delays.
I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification) – Federal Department of Homeland Security requirement.
After you are hired by your Dining Services Supervisor, you will receive an email to complete the 1st section of your I-9 in your Oracle portal. If you do not see the email, the link will also be within your “Journey’s” tile in your Oracle portal.
Complete Section 1 of the I-9 before your arrival to Skidmore. After arrival to Skidmore, Financial Aid must review your *original* identity documentation, with your I-9 form, in person, and may only then certify your form.
Some of the most common forms of identification used by students are a Driver’s License or Skidmore College ID card PLUS your original Social Security Card or original Birth Certificate. Passports also meet the identity documentation requirement. (A complete list of acceptable documentation can be found on page 3 of the I-9 form).
You must complete this form for certification in person when you arrive on campus.
Student Employment will email you in August about I-9 certification opportunities on your arrival day.
All matriculated students have access to Microsoft 365. The license expires when you graduate, transfer or separate from Skidmore College.