FASET director moves to CoC

The director of FASET orientation, Amy Stalzer, is moving to an academic advising position in the College of Computing. Current assistant director of FASET, Meredith Ray, will be moving up to the director position.

"It's time to get a new perspective. Someone with new ideas can take it to the next level," Stalzer said.

FASET, Familiarization and Adaptation to the Surroundings and Environs of Tech, has been under the direction of Stalzer for the past six summers. All incoming Tech students are encouraged to attend FASET orientation, and over 3,000 incoming students attended FASET in 2004.

"I'm excited where the program is right now. It has become very stable and is in a good place," Stalzer said.

FASET cabinet members say Stalzer has made a big impact on the program. "Look at where FASET is today-it would not be there without Amy," said Josh Mallett, fourth-year Industrial Engineering major and FASET cabinet member. "She turned around what was a good program and made it one of the best in the country," Mallett said.

"Amy has certainly improved the program since I was in it as a freshman," said Carly Westcott, third-year Industrial Engineering major and FASET cabinet member.

Several changes have been made to FASET since Stalzer has worked with the program.

These changes include a flexible schedule, extended academic programs, and the addition of an assistant director. "Students and parents can choose from different sessions instead of how it was before with one speaker after another. It's more conference-style than lecture," Stalzer said.

A change in the academic programming of FASET addressed one of its stated purposes: to better acquaint students with the academic environment at Tech. "The advisement model changed to be an academic program with each major having more flexibility. Now they have up to three hours to explain the major and even career options to students and parents," Stalzer said.

"There are so many freshmen that it was hard to focus on the transfer students. We added a professional position, assistant director, to make sure transfer students get the full experience," Stalzer said. FASET hosted 2,470 freshmen and 648 transfer students in 2004.

Current assistant director and Tech graduate Meredith Ray will step into Stalzer's director position. A new assistant director has not been named. "To do this job you have to really love the program. It takes a lot of nights and weekends. There are so many details and such collaboration," Stalzer said. "[Ray] can take it to the next level."

FASET cabinet members expressed confidence in Ray's ability. "I think Amy reached a point where she got FASET as good as she could. It's time to pass on the reins to Meredith," Mallett said.

An external review of FASET last spring suggested improvements that are being considered.

"They suggested incorporating more academic topics and to increase communication before and after FASET," Stalzer said.