General Accountability
All Orientation Coordinators are accountable to the Waterloo Orientation Team (O-Team), the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association, the University of Waterloo, and their Faculty to ensure the successful implementation of Fall Orientation Week.
Nature and Scope
The University of Waterloo welcomes approximately 7,000 first-year students each year. All Orientation Coordinators must have a desire and passion for helping first-year students and must be positive role models both personally and academically. Orientation Coordinators will need to be flexible with the changing orientation model and possess the ability to work closely with and lead others. This requires clear analytical thinking and excellent interpersonal skills. Orientation Coordinators will work alongside their subcommittee O-Team to implement faculty-specific programming. This includes but is not limited to: academic programming, team-building activities, and faculty-specific information sessions.
Accountabilities
- Be knowledgeable about the first-year student experience and be passionate about sharing your experiences.
- Uphold the principles, mission and policies of Waterloo Orientation, the University of Waterloo, and the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association.
- Act as a strong leader and positive role model for the University of Waterloo, the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association and your faculty.
- Provide positive and meaningful interactions with first-year students.
- Assist with the set-up and implementation of events as required.
- Other duties as assigned by the O-Team and/or other Waterloo Orientation personnel.
Academic Requirements and Qualifications
- Ability to work as a contributing member of your Orientation committee and larger Waterloo Orientation team.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
- Willingness to take initiative to get things done and act as a role model.
- Must be familiar with using Microsoft Teams and other online platforms.
- Be an undergraduate student (including co-op) until the end of the Fall 2025 term.
- Be in good or excellent academic standing in your program of study when hired, and maintain a minimum Satisfactory standing throughout your time as a member of the Waterloo Orientation Team. Hold a First Aid Certification (minimum Emergency First Aid with CPR-B) that is valid through to the end of Orientation; must currently be certified or become certified prior to August 1, 2025.
- To be considered for this role, candidates must be making satisfactory progress toward the completion of their degree. Additionally, candidates should not have serious incidents or allegations of misconduct as assessed by their Associate Dean. Note that minor infractions will not automatically exclude a candidate from consideration. Each candidate is assessed on an individual basis.
Mandatory/Important Dates
- Orientation Week: August 29 - September 6, 2025
Please note that many committees run Retreats or Training in the days leading up to Orientation and would request that you attend.
Please note that students on co-op in Fall 2024 may be required to make arrangements with their employer to be available during Orientation Week (including being available for Saturday, September 7th).
- Summer Leader Retreat: July 2025 (exact date TBD)
Leader Retreats are mandatory for all leaders who are within a reasonable travel distance (i.e., within 2 hours) from Waterloo. The O-Team will provide more details in the Spring term.
Orientation Coordinator Training
All Orientation Coordinators are required to complete the mandatory online Orientation Coordinator Training (OLT). Once you have accepted your Coordinator position, you will be enrolled in the course on LEARN (approximately June 2025) where you will be required to read through the modules and complete the quizzes. The deadline to complete the online OLT course will be July 8th , 2025. Failure to complete the course will result in your Orientation position being revoked.
First Year Move-In
All Orientation Coordinators will be expected to support the first-year Campus Housing move-in experience by fostering a welcoming environment at assigned residence locations and providing support with moving luggage from vehicles to residence rooms.