OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
Open search box
Please check out our resources below.
Hello and welcome to all the family members of new incoming Oregon State University students! We are eager to welcome you to our Beaver family. Although we would have loved to meet you in-person, we are confident that our virtual family START program will give you all the information you need to support your student during their first year at Oregon State.
Please review the resources below. On this page, you'll find information and links to upcoming virtual family START webinars, recordings from previous webinars, links for our virtual family bilingue START program (conducted in Spanish) and content for our virtual family START folders.
Should you have any questions, we'll provide contact information for the departments that are hosting each session below. We encourage you to reach out to them with specific questions related to their content.
Finally, we encourage you to sign up for the first-year family e-newsletter! If you are interested in the ways we intentionally support new students and are curious how you can contribute to your student's success, please click here to add your email to the list. This newsletter will be sent quarterly.
Each family START webinar topic is offered twice throughout the summer. Note that the content provided by presenters will remain the same between the two webinars. Your student will be introduced to this content through their virtual START experience and in their virtual small group meeting with their START orientation leader. Please be aware that we will be recording these webinars so we can share them with families who may miss the live sessions. Live captioning will be provided for every virtual family START webinar!
Topic: Housing & Dining. OSU takes great pride in the experience our students have in living on campus. University Housing & Dining Services (UHDS) will answer all your questions about your student's housing contracts, roommates, life in the residence halls, and meal plans.
Topic: Student Finances. Admittedly, understanding the ins and outs of your student's federal and state aid can be confusing. The Office of Financial Aid, Scholarships Office, and Student Accounts will clarify everything from the various forms of financial aid to how to pay a quarterly bill.
Topic: Academic Support. In addition to world renowned faculty, OSU provides a host of resources to support a student's academic experience. The Academic Success Center, University Library, Disability Access Services and Degree Partnership Program will unveil the many ways OSU supports a student's path to their degree.
Topic: Health & Wellness. OSU is committed to the wellbeing of each student. Student Health Services and Counseling & Psychological Services will describe the medical and therapy resources available to students, as well as the university's proactive efforts to reduce high-risk behavior and acts of violence.
Topic: Student Support & Engagement. Whether living on- or off-campus, OSU works tirelessly to develop an inclusive, safe, and engaging environment. The Office of Student Life, Center for Fraternity and Sorority Life, Department of Public Safety and Recreational Sports will share how OSU creates a vibrant and safe university experience.
Topic: Community & Belonging. OSU honors the path each student has taken on their journey to Beaver Nation and wants students to feel they absolutely belong at OSU. Student Experiences & Engagement, Diversity & Cultural Engagement, the Office of Institutional Diversity, and University Housing & Dining Services will share the many ways we facilitate the development of community across campus.
Topic: Student Voices. Get the real story from the experts! Our panel of student START Orientation Leaders will share their own experiences in transitioning to OSU and answer your questions about what it's really like to be a student here at OSU.
Each START Bilingue webinar will be recorded so that families who could not access the live session will be able to watch it on their own time. After each session passes, we will upload the recording here. Please check back after our first live session for the recording!
Family handbook - this PDF is a helpful collection of campus-wide resources and information on how families can support their students
Transportation guide - students also received this PDF with information about transportation services, including campus parking permits
Student Health Services information - students also received this PDF about health and wellness resources on campus
2020-21 billing cycle - students also received this PDF with a calendar of when OSU bills are posted to a student's MyBill account and when they are due
The university continues to monitor the effects of COVID-19 and what that means for our ability to host events on campus, including for Fall Family Weekend 2020. Family Weekends have always been a campus-wide effort with many different departments planning the fun events and activities that families attend during these weekends. As an institution, we will continue to monitor COVID-19 and determine how that will impact our planning process for what activities we are able to offer families for fall 2020.
We ask that you tentatively hold November 6-8, 2020, as the dates for Fall Family Weekend. We will communicate updates on our planning processes as they become available.
Our START info desk on Zoom will be open from Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. PDT, and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. PDT. Our fantastic student START orientation leaders will be staffing this desk and will be happy to answer any questions that students or their family members may have. Visit http://beav.es/4RP to join the Zoom info desk and ask any questions!
If you have general questions about virtual family START, or if you don't know who to ask, New Student Programs & Family Outreach would love to connect with you. You can reach us during regular business hours (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. PDT) by phone at 541-737-7627 or by email at newstudents@oregonstate.edu.