You're excited to start your Renison ELI program. Now what? Our Orientation activities will focus on introducing you to your program, instructors and staff, resources, and more!
Orientation Week occurs over the first day or several days of your program.
Your Orientation Schedule
Click the button below to view the Orientation schedule for your specific language program...
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A great way to remember all of the great fun and activities happening around Renison is to follow us on social media! Start following us now and see past events that our students participated in.
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Academic Policies
The Renison English Language Institute (ELI) brings together a team of language professionals dedicated to providing the best setting and instruction for English language learners.
We are here to help make your transition to online studies as smooth as possible. Our Online Orientation webinar will help you understand what is required for you to succeed in your courses. This includes program passing requirements, which will be outlined in greater detail during the Orientation webinar.
When you start your courses, all of your instructors will give you a course syllabus (also called a course outline). You can think of your course syllabus as a contract between you and your instructor. The syllabus explains how your instructor will support you, as well as your responsibilities for completing assignments, participating in class, communicating with your instructor, and expected behaviour. If you do not receive a course syllabus on your first day of class, please contact your instructor or another ELI staff member as soon as possible.
Have questions? Please contact your instructor or an ELI staff member; we're always happy to help!
Cultural and Conduct Expectations
Renison University College is a multicultural institution. While Renison is rooted in Canadian culture and values, we welcome students, staff and faculty from all corners of the world. This is both exciting and challenging; you will have the opportunity to learn a lot about other people's cultures, but it will sometimes be difficult to understand and adjust to others' values and lifestyles.
A person who is new to Canadian culture will find many differences in terms of communication, and we don't just mean spoken language! While some differences are obvious, there are often subtle differences in our communication styles that are "unspoken". Some of these subtle differences may be related to knowledge, values and morals, as well as acceptable ways of interacting with others.
Once you meet the staff and other students, you may find that some, or all, of the above factors are different from what you normally experience in your home country. The better you understand the differences between your culture and the cultures of others, the easier it will be for you to adjust to studies at a Canadian institution.
We will go into greater detail about Virtual Classroom Behaviour later in Orientation, but feel free to reach out to instructors or ELI staff if you have questions or concerns about what to expect in the online classroom.
Harassment and Discrimination
Learn more about Renison's Harassment and Discrimination Policy.
Events & Activities
Learning online doesn't mean learning alone! Our virtual events and activities are designed to help you meet new people and practice your English language skills.
Events include:
- Virtual Conversation Hang-out: Grab a drink and get to know your classmates and peer leaders! Our Virtual Conversation Hang-outs and other conversation practice events are a great way to meet new friends and practice your English.
- Skill-Building Workshops: Our online workshops will help you build the skills necessary to succeed in college and university. Topics include: Time Management, Organizing Your Workspace, Using Microsoft Office Software Effectively, and Practicing Good Sleep Hygeine.
- Online Social Events: All are welcome to participate in fun online games and conversation in our online social events. We hope they are opportunities for you to practice your English while de-stressing and having fun. We host many social parties and games events with the goal to help you make friends and have fun.
- Leadership Committees: We also offer leadership development through our weekly ELI Vlog Volunteer team meetings. Practice your English by contributing to our ELI Some Good News web show!
Smoking is not permitted in any College building or vehicle and in areas within thirty meters (100 feet) of all buildings. The use of e-cigarettes and marijuana are also NOT ALLOWED in these places or areas.
The University of Waterloo and Renison University College will “close” due to severe weather when normal campus operations would pose a significant danger to students, staff and faculty, or would prevent large numbers of these people from coming to campus or returning safely to their homes (for example, a blizzard or bad winter storm).
Class etiquette welcomes socializing with friends and classmates before the start of lectures and during breaks. However, it is considered rude to speak while the class is taking place.
Developed by UW Police Services and the Safety Office, WatSAFE provides quick and convenient access to campus safety and emergency resources, including:
If you feel comfortable, you may shake hands and introduce yourself when meeting Canadians for the first time. It is common to shake hands firmly when meeting or departing.
