Welcome Week is designed to introduce students to the Harris School curriculum, academic support resources, Harris student life opportunities, campus systems, the city of Chicago, and University resources.

However, the most important element of the new student orientation experience is fostering a sense of community among our diverse student body.

One essential component of community building during orientation is the Polis Program. All incoming students are assigned a Polis, carrying the name of a Chicago neighborhood, that is comprised of a smaller subset of the incoming class and led by an Orientation Leader. You will have the opportunity to engage virtually with your Polis before you arrive on campus and through in-person sessions held during Math & Coding Camp and Welcome Week.

We also offer a variety of information sessions and social programming throughout Math & Coding Camp and Welcome Week, designed to introduce you to your university, Harris, and Chicago, community.

Prepare to be Inspired

During orientation, students are introduced to essential conversations about diversity and inclusion, leadership, personal development, and career development. Students will also have the opportunity to hear from faculty and Harris leadership about the philosophical basis of the Harris academic experience and hear from key policy leaders and practitioners about the impact policy can have on the world. 

Welcome Address

The Welcome Address kicks-off the new student orientation experience. This annual address is chance for you not only to engage with other incoming students, but also to learn more about the impact of public policy and the academic journey you are about to embark on. 

Chicago Principles, Policies, and Perspectives (CP3)

Chicago Principles, Policy, and Perspectives (CP3) offers Harris students the opportunity to share in a common co-curricular experience and engage in the practice of civil discourse, while gaining an appreciation for diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and policy areas. Starting during orientation and continuing throughout the year, the Office of Student Engagement & Belonging facilitates a number of opportunities, events, and activities, leaving participants with the ability to:

  • Have prolific knowledge of practices and skillsets associated with effective civil discourse
  • Recognize and respect the Chicago Principles and their role in obtaining a Harris education
  • Engage in critical discourse on topics related to public policy
  • Have a broad appreciation for, experience with, and understanding of the multiplicity of viewpoints across identities and experiences

Aims of Public Policy

A signature moment of Harris New Student Orientation, the Aims of Public Policy address builds on the University of Chicago’s storied Aims of Education tradition—inviting incoming students to reflect on the purpose, responsibilities, and impact of their policy studies. Delivered by a member of the Harris School faculty, the talk explores what it means to pursue public policy as a science: grounding decisions in evidence, engaging in respectful dialogue across differences, and applying rigorous analysis to society’s most pressing challenges. Students are encouraged to think deeply about the values and skills they will develop at Harris—critical thinking, open-mindedness, skepticism, and pragmatism—and how they will use them to lead with seriousness, integrity, and lasting impact.

 

Schedule 

Orientation programming will take place throughout the weeks leading up to the start of the autumn academic quarter. In addition to orientation-specific programs, there will be other programming hosted by Harris Student Organizations (HSOs) and other UChicago departments. A detailed overview schedule will be released during the summer. Please register for programming through the Event Digest and HarrisHub.

In-person orientation programming will start on Monday, August 31, coinciding with the first day of Math & Coding Camp. While it is not required to attend Math & Coding Camp, we highly recommend participating in the orientation programming. As a reminder, all incoming Harris master's students, with the exception of those in the MACRM program, are required to take the in-person mandatory math exam on September 21, 2026.