Renée Biss has nothing but praise for the new faculty orientation program.

Since taking up an appointment earlier this summer as an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology, leaving behind a teaching position at York University and her clinical practice in Toronto, she has been “slowly making” her way around her new home.

She said the orientation hosted by the Office of the Provost this week helps newcomers make connections for research collaboration and personal support.

“It’s really well thought through,” she said Tuesday in the student centre Commons, one of more than 30 instructors touring an information fair of campus services. “The University and the city — everyone is just so friendly and welcoming.”

That welcoming feel is exactly what organizer Bev Hamilton, academic initiatives officer, was hoping for.

“We hear from the attendees how excited they are to meet everybody here,” she said. “It’s great to see staff and services turn out to share what is available.”

The effort was appreciated by Mir Munir Rahim, a new assistant professor of biomedical science. He comes to Windsor from Halifax, where he was a research associate at Dalhousie University.

“Coming in as faculty, we have to deal with granting agencies, research funding, the learning management system,” he said. “They have been very helpful giving us information about the systems here. Every place has subtle differences in how things are done.”