Welcome Back Wildcats!

Dear Students,

Welcome back! I hope each of you had a wonderful summer. We are excited for all of you to be back at the University of Arizona for the new academic year.

Whether you are a new student or well into your Wildcat Journey, there are many resources and many people here at the University to help you succeed, and I encourage you to take advantage of everything we have to offer.

Your success is our top priority, and we have people who can help you find your way. Be sure to check out the Wildcat Welcome events taking place this week and throughout the fall semester, reach out to the Advising Resource Center, or visit the THINK TANK tutoring center.

If you need quick help, reach out to our Support Outreach Success (SOS) program by texting “SOS” to 70542 or visit the Bartlett Academic Success Center in the Bear Down Building just south of the Mall.

Below are some additional pieces of information and updates that I encourage you to review as we begin the academic year. 

Destination Arizona 

New students, I hope you are excited for Destination Arizona, our in-person extended orientation experience designed to teach you the Wildcat Way through academic enrichment, self-advocacy, and community engagement programming. Our goal is to ensure you feel welcomed and that you can find your community of fellow Wildcats.

Visit the Destination Arizona website for details, including mandatory and optional events taking place today, Friday, August 18 and tomorrow, Saturday, August 19.

And, if you have family here with you, make sure they know about the Wildcat Family Conference going on at the same time!  

Student-focused Centers and Groups

I also want to remind you about the incredible communities and opportunities through student organizations and student-focused centers and groups throughout campus. These include the many student clubs through the ASUA, your student government, as well as university offices such as Veterans Education and Transition Services (VETS) and our Cultural and Resource Centers, which are part of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and have several recently-appointed interim leaders to help you.

Wildcat Safety

Finally, I ask that you help take care of each other as we head into the fall semester. Make sure you have downloaded the LiveSafe app (available for Android and Apple), which can help you quickly connect with UAPD or other safety resources.

I encourage you to read the message sent by Chief Safety Officer Steve Patterson if you have not already. He shares updates on building emergency plans, emergency procedures, and changes to the UAlert system.

You also can review the Wildcat Safety Guide, which launched this week and includes helpful phone numbers, websites, safety and wellness resources, trainings, and emergency procedures. If you have questions or feedback about public safety, please reach out to the Office of Public Safety at publicsafety@arizona.edu.

Most of all, have fun, study hard, and always Bear Down!

Robert C. Robbins, M.D.

President
The University of Arizona

This email was sent to: all students.