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<DOCID>youngblood-welcome.doc.txt</DOCID>
<AUTHOR>Betty Youngblood</AUTHOR>
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New students, welcome to LSSU!  Returning students, welcome home!  The faculty and staff join me in welcoming you to the 2006-07 academic year.  We look forward to an exciting year and the opportunity to assist you in reaching your personal, academic, and career goals.



You will notice a number of changes this year:



Several new faculty and staff have joined the University.  They are here because of their commitment to your education.  Please welcome them to LSSU!



The Galley has increased its offerings and has made more physical renovations that we hope you will enjoy.  Come see for yourself.



The gallery in the Arts Center is open on a limited basis.  Check the LSSU web pages for more information. During the year, students will have many opportunities to enjoy performances in the Arts Center auditorium. The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra will be perform the evening of September 16, and Old Blind Dogs, a Scottish pub band, will perform on September 22.  A laser light show is possible for the holidays.  The Cultural Affairs Committee is sponsoring several programs during the academic year. Those scheduled to date include: Persian Turkish Improvisation on October 9 or 10; a Martin Luther King program entitled Dream Alive by Joe Rogers on January 24; the African Guitar Summit on March 22, and Kiyoshi Nagata (Japanese drummers) Ensemble on April 19. The Sault Symphony Orchestra will be in concert in the Arts Center on April 21. And there will be other concerts and speakers featured at various times throughout the year. Watch the LSSU website for details.



Many LSSU websites have been upgraded or changed in a positive manner.  This includes many academic sites as well as those for various offices and departments on campus. 



I would like to share just a few additional thoughts with you:



Keep up with your academic work.  A college education is very important to your future.  Please resist the temptation to put studying off until some later time in the semester.  The time to start down the road to academic and career success is now!



You will find many clubs, activities, and organizations on campus.  Getting involved is a great way to meet new people, to learn, and to have fun.  Many of these opportunities may also help you academically.



Enjoy Laker athletics!  Take pride in the Blue and the Gold!  Support the students who represent the University in athletics.  This fall, the Laker men will compete in cross country, hockey, and basketball.  Laker women will compete in cross country, volleyball, tennis, and basketball.   



Please remember that your educational experience provides an important opportunity to learn about and to appreciate the contributions and values of people from different cultural backgrounds.  This opportunity is truly an integral and necessary part of a quality education.  People of all backgrounds are very welcome at LSSU.  I expect every member of this community to help ensure an environment that values individual and group differences and respects the dignity, rights, and perspectives of others.



If you have personal or academic difficulties, please let us help.  Academic advisors, a learning center, and personal counselors are available.  The Health Center is ready to assist you with medical concerns.  Your education is important and we have expert staff here to assist you with lifes various challenges.  Addressing problems is an important part of being successful in college, so please make use of the many resources that are here for you.



Best wishes for an enjoyable and productive fall semester!  Go Lakers!       



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