Class of 2025 Orientation

The Macaulay staff and faculty are excited to meet you. We’re working hard to prepare for your arrival and have designed a series of activities to help you transition to life as a Macaulay student.

Orientation is the kick-off event to your First Year Co-Curricular Experience. All Orientation activities are required and will take place virtually—and in person—August 15-19th.

BEFORE ORIENTATION

Please provide proof of vaccination by August 12th by submitting a picture of your CDC vaccination card.
Even if you’ve already uploaded your information to CUNYfirst, you must still upload to this separate form just for Orientation. See more information on the Day 1: Outward Bound Details section below.
Complete the Orientation Questionnaire by July 19th
Review NYC Outward Bound School Participation Requirements
Receive Club Macaulay and Macaulay Honors College App credentials
Check your email for log-in instructions.
Complete Pre-Orientation session and activities prior to the first day of Orientation August 15th
Log-in credentials have been emailed to you.
Get to know your peer mentors and Macaulay Crew
Starting in early August, you will be assigned to your Macaulay Crew, a group of other incoming students, and a peer mentor, who will help you transition into college and stick with you during your time at Macaulay. You will be able to chat with the group through Club Macaulay or the Macaulay Honors College App.
Receive Your Macaulay Laptop
Your Macaulay laptop will be shipped to the address that you input on the Orientation Questionnaire.
Get to know your Cultural Passport
More information on issuing of IDs forthcoming. Learn about your Cultural Passport here.

Pre-Orientation Sessions

Complete Pre-Orientation session and activities prior to the first day of Orientation 8/15. Details will be provided to you in early August.

Day 1: Outward Bound

Macaulay Mountain Lion Sunday, 8/15 or Monday, 8/16
at John Jay College, 524 West 59th Street
3 1/2 hour session; time and date will be assigned to you in early August. Complete schedule will be available on Club Macaulay or the Macaulay Honors College App.

View details

The emphasis of Day #1 of orientation is on community building, skills building, class bonding, as you meet your Macaulay Crew, led by trained Outward Bound staff as well as returning Macaulay student peer mentors.

To participate in this in-person orientation, you must be vaccinated.

#VaxUpCUNY. To be fully vaccinated by August 15, 2021, you must have received the second jab of a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or the Johnson & Johnson vaccine by August 1, 2021.

Maybe you already submitted documents to CUNYFirst or Excelsior Pass? Unfortunately, John Jay College currently requires a separate and additional submission just for Orientation.

Please provide proof of vaccination by August 12th by submitting a picture of your CDC vaccination card to this form (Because the CUNYFirst system is not yet available, we must ask you to also submit this information. It will be treated as confidential and will not be used for any purpose other than permitting you to participate in the Outward Bound Day.
As an an extra precaution, please bring a your vaccination card, copy, or photo, OR a negative test with you to your session.
If you were vaccinated with a different vaccine (outside of the United States), please email orientation@macaulay.cuny.edu with details.

If you are seeking a medical or religious accommodation to the vaccination requirement, please email orientation@macaulay.cuny.edu as soon as possible.
You will be asked to provide proof of a negative PCR COVID-19 from a sample taken no more than 7 days prior to the in-person event (that is, you must be tested no earlier than August 9, 2021). For information about free testing: https://www.nychealthandhospitals.org/test-and-trace

We will also be taking these precautions at our in-person orientations:

The program will take place outdoors after you are screened to enter the building.
Within the building, there will be 6 foot social distancing.
All participants must wear masks at all times.

Location:

John Jay College – Jay Walk
524 West 59th. Street
New York, NY 10019

How to get there:
By Subway
Take the 1, A, B, C or D to the 59th street – Columbus Circle

Please enter through the W 59th street entrance, 20-30 mins before your scheduled session.

You will be walking in small groups of students at John Jay College throughout the day. For most of the day you will participate in team building activities that may include running, lifting, jumping, and maybe even dancing. Be prepared for a fun, active day!

What to wear during the event:
This is a rain or shine event. You will be spending all day outside. Dress appropriately for the weather (bring sunblock) and for a physically active day. It’s best to wear comfortable, loose fitting clothing that may get dirty and sneakers or athletic shoes. No sandals please! Bring lots of energy, a sense of adventure.

It is very important for our staff to know about any medical issues that might affect your participation in any way. Please include any medical concerns in the Orientation Questionnaire. All correspondence will be kept private.

For more information email Jeff Grinnell, Course Director, Adventure and Team Building Programs at Jgrinnell@nycoutwardbound.org

You can also visit the Outward Bound website.

What to expect?

Day 2: Community Resources

Tuesday, 8/17
11 AM – 4 PM (1 – 2 PM Lunch)
Virtual Event

Complete schedule will be available on Club Macaulay or the Macaulay Honors College App.

View details

Day #2 is your Community Resources Day, and on this day you will meet the Macaulay staff; your Macaulay campus Advisors; representatives from the Macaulay Scholars Council and our numerous Macaulay student organizations; as well as representatives from a select number of our community service partner organizations.

Day 3: IDEA Sessions

Wednesday, 8/18 or Thursday, 8/19
Virtual Event
8/18, 11:00-1:00: Baruch and Lehman
8/18, 2:00-4:00: Hunter and John Jay
8/19, 11:00-1:00: CSI and Brooklyn
8/19, 2:00-4:00: Queens and CCNY

You will receive an email close to the date of the event with information about how to join your session.

View details

Get ready for an exciting end to Macaulay orientation that will prepare you for the semester ahead. Gather (virtually of course) with your new classmates, and meet members of the Teaching and Learning Collaboratatory Fellow (TLC). The TLCs–doctoral candidates from the CUNY Graduate Center–will be an important source of information and mentorship, and is here to help you take control of technology and help you along your intellectual journey. The directory linked above has contact information for TLCs, as well as a schedule of support hours for the Macaulay community. You are always welcome to reach out directly to the TLCs working with your class, or any member of the team.

In this interactive session, you will have a chance to look at and analyze artworks together, get acquainted with Macaulay eportfolios, and get answers to any remaining questions you have about your new laptop and the digital accounts you need. You will leave feeling ready for your first day of classes!

You will receive an email close to the date of the event with information about how to join your session.

Learn more about IDEA Day, your TLC, and what to do when you get your laptop.

For questions about orientation, please email:
orientation@macaulay.cuny.edu

*if not applicable, due to medical or religious reasons you will be asked to provide a negative COVID-19 test result. We don’t know all of the specific health and safety requirements at this time and information may change but will communicate them shortly.