The Use of Ritual and Ceremony in Strengthening Institutional Affiliation Among First-Year Students

This paper advocates the use of a cultural frame of reference for organizing programs, policies, and procedures in the first year of college. It examines the way in which colleges and universities invoke elements of campus culture, primarily through rituals and ceremonies, to socialize students and strengthen bonds in the campus community in the first year. Discussing two primary rituals types--Rituals of Induction and Rituals of Affiliation--the paper highlights and discusses examples of the practice of using campus culture to acclimate first-year students at select institutions and offers suggestionss for identifying and celebrating rituals and ceremonies on campus.