Before you can say "fun done", school is looking to start again, and the first to hear those school bells ring will be the students of the University of Belize. The institution today had its orientation day as it welcomed a 10 percent increase to its student body. For many of the newcomers, this day is the first in a totally new learning experience. We today visited the Campus of Arts and Science to have a look at what the students will be going through for the next few days:
Alfonso Noble reporting,
Alfonso Noble
Some 1000 students throughout the country sat in at various campuses to gain their first and most lasting impression of university life. Running from today to Thursday of this week, orientation will be offered to new students entering the University of Belize.
Paco Smith: P.R. Officer, University of Belize
This process involves orienting incoming students with regards to the different challenges that they will face in university life. It's giving them an opportunity to find out about the different policies, regulations or what have you, which govern the University of Belize. We require the incoming students to attend all three days. I can hearken back to my university days and I know that orientation was very, very critical in getting yourself prepared physically, mentally, spiritually, what have you, for university life. Well, this is part of the university's way of welcoming in-coming students, nurturing them to a certain extent, but I say to a certain extent because you will notice that the theme of this year's orientation is, "Ã Will Make It Happen" and that hearkens a little bit towards pro-activity. Yes, we are here for the students, we want them to know the different resources that are available to them, but we also want to instill in them the essence of knowing that, okay, you have the tools, now you have to work with them. Nothing is handed to you on a silver platter.
Alfonso Noble
Indeed, president of the university, Dr. Angel Cal, says that this year they have become more discriminating in the selection of students. That means the silver platter will not even have to be contemplated, as all students should be of the highest category.
Dr. Angel Cal: President of University of Belize
More so now than before, the university is taking a more firm stand in relation to standards of admission. Probably more this year than before, we have turned back quite a few applicants who do not have the necessary admission requirements, because we have to begin there. Inevitably when you set a standard, some people will not meet the standard, and so there is no sense in fooling ourselves that we will do magic because we can't. We have to work with people that come to us and we cannot do everything under the sun. We cannot try to do the work of other institutions. Our obligation is to receive students who meet a given level of admission requirements. If they meet it, we can work with them. If they don't then we have to send them, or advise them to go to those institutions that can help them with the necessary skills that will enable them to make it good at U.B.
Alfonso Noble
And as the selection process is being fine tuned to perfection, the university is also molding itself to live up to the billing of being the country's foremost learning institution.
Dr. Angel Cal
At two, we have pretty much settled in all of our full time people, our faculty, our staff, our administrators, with a little bit of changes here and there as is normal, so those are pretty much in place. Terms and conditions, pretty much in place. The systems of academic administrations, systems of student administration and finance and admin., these are still under way. There's been quite a bit of review, there's been quite a few changes and we will take another year or so to get all of these systems pretty much in place. The university is living up to it's aspirations given the circumstances, given the resources, given the track record that we brought into this new institution. For it to deliver, as it wants to, which is based on sustained excellence, there are a number of major things that have to be done. One of those things is to invest in human capacity. We are doing quite a bit, the Government of Belize is investing significantly in physical infrastructure, but that is only part of the pie.
Afonso Noble
Just a part of the pie because Cal says that the university's research fields, and libraries need to be upgraded. But for now the focus is on Belmopan as UB's hub.
Dr. Angel Cal
This year, year three, is a third and important year of consolidation. The systems that we started with in August of 2000 should be pretty much in place by the end of this year. Another major, major undertaking is the planning for the physical move to occupy those ten plus new buildings and facilities in Belmopan. That is a major undertaking, it will be a tremendous move on the part of Belize as it tries to consolidate, as it tries to position itself to develop a national university with its central campus in Belmopan.
Alfonso Noble
So, having overcome the logistical problems that came with amalgamation, the University of Belize is setting it's eye on centralization and becoming a part of the country's capital.
Registration for new and returning students will be from the 13th - 16th of August with classes beginning on the 19th.