uOttawa News

OTTAWA, August 29, 2013  —  There are still a few days to go before the beginning of a new academic year, but the excitement and anticipation can already be felt on the largest campus in the nation’s capital. The University of Ottawa is ready to welcome more than 43,000 students for the fall session, including almost 6,000 young people who have left high school behind and are now entering the world of higher education!

The University’s main campus will really come to life early Saturday morning as move-in weekend begins. This marks the start of a full week of activities to kick off the 2013-2014 academic year.

Here is a look at just some of the things going on during Welcome Week:

• Moving into residence
  August 29 to September 1, 2013
  9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Drop off areas: Parking lot K, near the 90 University residence, and parking lot X, in front of the Social Sciences Building
  
  Move-in Weekend is a must-see! Close to 3,000 students will move into the seven traditional and apartment-style residences on campusover the long weekend. Dozens of volunteers will be onsite along with members of the Gee-Gees sports teams to give students a hand. The sound of music and smiling faces will be the backdrop to all the hustle and bustle.
   
• President's Brunch
  Sunday, September 1, 2013
  10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Lawn of Tabaret Hall, 550 Cumberland at Laurier
  
  Allan Rock, president and vice-chancellor, invites parents, all students and friends of the University to as Sunday brunch. Students and parents alike will be officially welcomed to the campus at this prestigious event. Representatives from the faculties and services will be onsite to answer questions, and special information sessions for parents will be offered by staff from the University’s Community Life Service.
   
• Shinerama
  Tuesday, September 3, 2013
  6 a.m. to 5 p.m., Downtown Ottawa streets
  
  Hundreds of uOttawa students will be up at the crack of dawn, heading out to raise money for cystic fibrosis research. Shinerama participants will wind their way through the streets of downtown, selling stickers and candies. More than 60 Canadian colleges and universities take part in Shinerama, the largest student fundraiser in Canada.

Visit the Welcome Week 2013 site for a full schedule of events organized by Community Life Service.

Students can sign into uoZone, the University of Ottawa’s student portal, where they’ll find everything they need to know to get the 2013 academic year off to a great start.

New this year

University students and staff will notice a few new things on campus this fall.

• A safer campus for cyclists
  
  Cyclists can now get around the main campus more safely thanks to a bicycle lane that was installed over the last few weeks. This lane allows cyclist to travel southbound on the campus, following the same rules of the road as cars, and avoid pedestrian walkways and routes with heavy traffic. The University has also joined the Capital BIXI family. Two self-serve bicycle stations on campus add to the sustainable transportation network in downtown Ottawa. The BIXI stations are located at the extreme north and south ends of the main University of Ottawa campus, on Waller next to Hagen Hall and on King Edward near the Minto Sports Complex, respectively.
   
• Café Nostalgica is open for business!
  Grand Opening, Tuesday, September 3, at 5:30 p.m.
  
  Café Nostalgica, owned and operated by the Graduate Students’ Association (GSAÉD) of the University of Ottawa, in back! Over the past few months, the Grad House, home to Café Nostalgica, has been completely rebuilt. Café Nostalgica, now more spacious and more accessible, is open again for business at the heart of the main campus. With improved acoustics and more space, this is the perfect spot for enjoying the many activities that take place at this campus gathering spot, such as jazz and poetry nights as well as open mic nights.

For more information or article ideas the new academic year, journalists are invited to contact a member of the University of Ottawa’s media relations team:

Néomie Duval
International Media Relations Officer
Office: 613-562-5800 extension 2981
Cell.: 613-863-7221
neomie.duval@uOttawa.ca

Kina Leclair
Media Relations Officer
Office: 613-562-5800 extension 2529
Cell.: 613-762-2908
kleclair@uOttawa.ca

Caroline Milliard
Manager of Media Relations
Office : 613-562-5800 (3087) 
Cell.: 613-240-0275 
caroline.milliard@uOttawa.ca
 

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