FAQs

Brescia's orientation offers a variety of programming that will help you as you build new friendships, get acquainted with campus, explore the experiences and opportunities available at Brescia/Western, and prepare for your courses. 

To ensure the safety of our incoming students and the greater Brescia community during this time, all programming will adhere to local and provincial COVID-19 guidelines. 

As our programming and schedules develop we will be updating our "Schedule and Highlights" page. 

Learn More

Our goal is to ensure that all incoming Brescia students have access to the supports and resources needed to be successful in their first year. 

The O-Pass fee will ensure that you have access to all available Brescia and Western Orientation programming and that you receive your O-Kit.

An OKit is your official "welcome to Brescia" gift. It includes a bunch of Brescia swag, important Orientation Week information, contributions from various departments at Brescia, and some additions from Western. 

Those students living in residence and off-campus will be able to pick-up their OKit on:

• Sunday, September 3rd from 2pm-7pm from the Bottega in Clare Hall 
• Monday, September 4th from 10am-1pm from the Bottega in Clare Hall 
• Tuesday, September 5th from 10am-1pm from the Bottega in Clare Hall 
• Wednesday, September 6th from 10am-1pm from the Bottega in Clare Hall 

If you're unable to make it onto campus for the above pick-up dates and times, starting on Thursday, September 7th, 2023 you will be able to pick-up your OKit at The Hive.

Don’t quite know your way around campus yet?  No problem – you’re not the only one! Thankfully, you can utilize a Brescia campus map, the Sophs, and the Brescia community to help you get around.  

During Orientation Week, parking fees are waived for those not purchasing an annual pass in an effort to eliminate any barriers to participation. Those students who have not purchased a reserved parking permit are to park in LOT A (RED). This parking lot is the lower lot, east of the Mother St. James Building which can be accessed from Brescia Drive (entrance off Western Road).

As stated in the Residence Handbook, no guests will be permitted to be signed-in to residence throughout Orientation Week (September 3-September 10). 

The remainder of the week’s activities and events will be restricted to students who have an O-Week bracelet (O-Pass). 

Those assessed the O-Pass fee are all traditional new-to-Brescia students.

Note: Incoming students who were in Preliminary Year in the previous year have also been assessed the O-Pass Fee. Those who are not assessed the O-Pass Fee include any student admitted after August 15, 2023, and those who opted-out of the fee prior to the August 15, 2023 deadline. 

New-to-Brescia students can opt-in to participate in New Student Orientation until Friday, September 8, 2023 at 4 pm. To opt-in, please fill out the O-Pass Opt-In Form. Your eligibility to participate will be assessed during business hours. 

Please note that by submitting the O-Pass Opt-In Form the O-Pass Fee will be added to your student account. The O-Pass grants you access to additional Western Orientation programming, and you will be sent the appropriate O-Kit. The Business Office will be processing changes to student accounts due to opt-ins/opt-outs during the month of September.

All events being hosted by Western and the Affiliates will strictly adhere to current indoor and outdoor event capacities and guidelines as outlined by the Ontario government. As such, events at Western and the Affiliates may have limited capacity. That being said, Brescia students have access to all Western Orientation Programming.

Every Orientation event is organized and attended by trained Orientation Staff, Soph volunteers, and security (for larger late-night programs) to ensure the safety and security of all student participants. Sophs will also be available at the end of late night programming to accompany students back to Brescia campus. All events hosted during Western and Brescia’s Orientation Week are dry and do not involve the sale or consumption of alcohol thereby promoting a safer and more inclusive community for all participants.

Brescia Student Ambassadors will be distributing Western OneCards at the Bottega in the Mercato on the following days/times:

• Monday, September 4th from 10am-1pm
• Tuesday, September 5th from 10am-1pm
• Wednesday, September 6th from 10am-1pm

Starting Thursday, September 7th, your OneCard will be available for pick-up at The Hive.

Out-of-Province and international students need to contact Lissette Ochoa, International Program Coordinator (lochoa2@uwo.ca), as she has their OneCards.