Source: News Center, Student Affairs Office, SYSU Youth Association, Graduate School, University Dean’s Office, Logistics Group,  
             University Logistics Office, Party & Administration Joint Office of Zhuhai Campus, Party & Administration Joint Office of East Campus, 
             Office for International Students’ Affairs
Written by: News Center
Photo by: News Center, Party & Administration Joint Office of Zhuhai Campus, Zhang Danyan
Translated by: Zheng Sida
Edited by: Wang Dongmei

On August 15, the SYSU 2013 work of welcoming new students was carried out simultaneously on four campuses. Secretary Zheng Detao, Executive Deputy Secretary and Vice President Chen Chunsheng, Deputy Secretary and Vice President Zhu Kongjun, Vice President Li Shanmin went to four campuses respectively to inspect the work and visit the staff on site. President Xu Ningsheng, who was on a business trip, specially asked relevant departments to take necessary measures to respond to typhoon and rainstorm, ensure the safety of teachers, students and parents.

On August 10, the work of welcoming new students started. As early as in May, the University set up a leadership group headed by Deputy Secretary and Vice President Zhu Kongjun to make arrangements for the work. With proper planning, the registration went on smoothly in spite of Typhoon Utor.
The international students registered first on August 12. The Office for International Students’ Affairs invited Agricultural Bank of China, insurance companies and photo studios to the site, enabling the students to go through the registration procedures on site.
At the South Campus station — Ted Sioeng Student Activity Center, central air-conditioning was installed to provide a more comfortable environment. The volunteers guided the students to the registration area and the parents to the waiting area.

This year, over 1,400 new postgraduate students will come to North Campus. Zhongshan School of Medicine provided “1V1 Volunteer Service” for every new student, which means that a volunteer acted as their guide on campus.

The Student Affairs Office launched a new Admission Guide this year to include the “public service capsule” and “happy reading report”, which required the freshmen to participate in public services and write a reading report of Standards for Being a Good Student and Child. The Admission Guide also added an introduction to the idea of “dedication to teaching, students and learning”, the three projects of “respecting teachers and loving the university, strengthening class cohesion, and improving self-cultivation”, and the stories of SYSU Persons of the Year. Meanwhile, The Student Affairs Office opened financial aid hotline in the summer holiday to help the freshmen from low income families.

The University Dean’s Office compiled the 2013 Students Handbook to introduce the courses, programs, innovation and entrepreneurship training, inter-university exchanges, and delivered the handbooks to the schools and departments in humanities, sciences and engineering on August 12.
To deal with the rainstorm brought by Typhoon Utor, the University Logistics Office put up tips in the student dormitory areas, reminding the students to close doors and windows. The Office also increased inspection on campuses and cleaned the drainage outlets.

The Graduate School and relevant units set up waterproof canopies at the registration station and provided umbrellas for postgraduate students and their parents to use. The Graduate School and the Office of Security studied the issue of directing the traffic on campus to ensure security and order.

The freshmen look forward to the upcoming college life, but some of them may feel a bit confused. As for growth and success, responsibilities and undertakings of university students, President Xu Ningsheng’s talk with the graduates from Liberal Arts College at the graduation ceremony in June is inspiring. He said that, the students might not realize all their dreams during college life, and the study in university is to lay a solid foundation for their future. Meanwhile, their worldviews are mainly shaped in the college years. It is touching that SYSU students have a strong sense of social responsibility and the University needs such socially responsible "bookworms". SYSU students should pursue high ideals. President Xu Ningsheng encouraged the students to have the resolution to "do something big". In addition to their academic pursuit, they should make up their minds to become leading figures in their fields. It is very important for the students to lay a solid foundation in college years. The country and society has put forward higher requirement for talents. The “bookworms” should meet the modern requirement with Chinese characteristics and have a strong sense of social responsibility. The "bookworms" can do big things in all aspects. The students should work hard in academic and professional fields, aim high and make great achievements to live up to the expectations of the university and the country.

It is learned that 7,724 undergraduate first-year students registered on August 15, with the registration rate at 95.44%. The opening ceremony for the 2013-2014 academic year will be held on August 17 on four campuses.