By Thursday the five new freshmen living at the Spearfish Lake House had more or less completed the paperwork they had to deal with, and made all the arrangements required. Each of them had taken some time looking at their electronic texts for their upcoming classes, and while there was a lot there, they were comfortable with the prospects – nothing seemed too advanced over what they already knew, at least in the beginnings of the texts, but they could see that there was still plenty there to learn a little further in.

Since they’d gotten onto the campus early, they managed to sign up for the first orientation session, scheduled for Thursday. When that was over with, they’d be through the worst of getting ready; they’d only have to wait for Monday and the start of classes, with the weekend to tie up any loose ends and a short time to relax before things got serious. Each of them was eager to find out how hard it was really going to be.

Even though they’d known their housemate Susan was working on the new student orientation, they were a little surprised to see her on the podium in the largest lecture hall in the Wyndham Science Center as they sat down that morning. “Good morning, new students,” she said by way of opening. “My name is Susan Langenderfer-McMahon, and I’m the Southern Michigan University Student Relations Coordinator and University Ombudsman, and the big thing I want to say to you is, welcome to Southern Michigan University!

“You are embarked on what may be the greatest adventure and learning experience of your lives. I can say that, because a few years ago, I was sitting out in that audience where you are now, listening to this same speech. I can tell you from my own experience that my time here was some of the most challenging and rewarding of my life. But nothing comes easily, and that is the real message we have for you for today. I’m not going to sugar-coat that message. In your time here, you will be giving up a good deal of what Winston Churchill once called in a different context, ‘blood, toil, tears and sweat.’

“Bluntly, if you are not challenged here, if you are not worked hard here, then we have failed as an institution. Our intent is to have you leave here as well prepared as we can for the next challenges you will face in your lives, and we do not like to fail. We will not fail if you work with us, and work hard.”

Charles deRidder was one of the people sitting on the podium, waiting for his turn to speak. The girl was doing all right, but she could easily be less harsh. That was probably a mistake, he thought; she could scare some students right out the door before they got started on their classes. “Not much sweetness and light in that,” he snorted, just loud enough that Dr. Thompson could hear it.

Thompson just rolled his eyes, and said nothing, preferring to listen to Susan’s words as she went on, “Southern Michigan University has a reputation for being a tough place to do well, and we take pride in that. You are not here to party, you are not here to cheer on the football team, and you are not here to goof off. You are here to learn, to study, and to make the best you can be of yourselves. While it may seem like we’re being pretty hard-nosed about it, we actually want to help you to succeed. But you will have to work with us to accomplish it, so we will all have to work together.

“There are a number of important things we need to cover today,” she went on. “Before we get into them, there are some people here who deserve to be introduced. You will see many of them around campus, and you will deal with some of them from time to time. To begin with, I want to introduce our president, Dr. Mark S. Thompson. The reality that Southern Michigan University has become is largely the result of his vision. If you have to deal with him very much, you will discover he can be as infuriating as he is inspirational.”

“She got that right,” deRidder snorted again as Dr. Thompson stood up, waved his hand at the students, then sat back down.

“You’ll be hearing more from Dr. Thompson a little later,” Susan went on. “There are others I need to introduce.” She went on to make brief introductions of the several people sitting on the podium.

As the introductions went on, Jack leaned over to Vixen. “She really seems like a hard ass about it,” he whispered.

“That’s the message we’ve gotten right along,” she replied in the same low voice. “But let’s pay attention. We don’t want to miss anything.”

Jack knew she was right in saying it, but he was a little distracted. A row ahead and to one side was the tall, dark-haired girl he and Vixen had seen wearing her chastity belt on Monday. They’d encountered her a couple other times since, and while she hadn’t been as blatant about showing the belt, there had been no doubt that she’d had it on. He couldn’t help but wonder if she was wearing it right now – and, for that matter, if she ever took it off. There was no way of telling; she was wearing a good-looking sundress that gave no hint of what she had on under it.

Jack and Vixen had talked about it quite a bit, between themselves and with Alan and Summer. It seemed like such an unlikely thing! The four of them had come up with half a dozen theories why the girl might be wearing the chastity belt, starting with her parents insisting on it, and running on through the idea that she might have a serious kink. Whatever the reason really was, they had little more than theories to go on.

Jack and Vixen were not the only persons to see her wearing the chastity belt – many people had over the last few days, and she may have been the most talked-about new student on campus. No one else knew any more than Jack and Vixen, but the story got around that she was already known as “The Steel Virgin,” for whatever reason. Jack would have liked to know where that had come from, and the story behind it. Maybe someday he’d find out, he thought.

One of the things he had been looking forward to at Southern was meeting different people, or at least people with different ideas, different interests. As a small town kid, he realized that he didn’t have a huge range of experience, and that was one of the things he was trying to fix at Southern. He wouldn’t be surprised to meet people who were a little goofy – and in fact, if he had to bet, he would not have been surprised if the Steel Virgin wasn’t the goofiest person he’d be coming across in the next few days and years. He looked forward to seeing what would happen next.

He tried to tear his mind off the girl wearing the chastity belt, and back to the introductions Susan was making on the podium. That could be important, damn it! He didn’t need the distraction – but still, he couldn’t help but wonder …

The presentations went on much of the morning. Mostly they were pretty dry, although there was the occasional laugh. It wasn’t just a lecture; there were a couple short videos on the big screen in the room, and a lot of the presentations had some interesting PowerPoint graphics. They covered a wide range of topics, including things like campus policies, plans for the future, and especially the computer system.

Southern was very computerized. New students kept hearing that but hadn’t quite realized the degree. Class attendance would be recorded by computer, just to save a professor a minute or two of administrivia at each class. They were told to check the school’s main electronic bulletin board not just daily, but several times a day – announcements of class changes or cancellations would be posted there, and might not even be noted on the classroom door. Assignments would be given electronically, and tests would be taken the same way. Papers would be submitted electronically, rather than on paper – Southern Michigan University was trying to minimize the use of paper, though they couldn’t get away from it entirely.

In addition, there was an emergency signal that could be sent automatically to every student computer, including an audio alarm that would alert them to things such as weather emergencies or many safety issues.

Susan herself made a quick presentation about interpersonal policies, the gist of which was “No means no.” There were some hard and fast rules about behavior, and some of them could get a student kicked off campus without any warning. “Neither you as students, nor we as an administration, have to put up with that kind of thing,” she said flatly. “We will not tolerate it. We want and expect students to feel safe on campus. That means it’s the responsibility of everyone. If you have problems, report it to the Dean of Students, Mr. deRidder, or, if he’s not available, to me or your department chair.”

There were a couple more brief presentations by other administrators before Susan came to the podium again. “We’re close to wrapping up the morning session,” she told the crowd. “In a few minutes, we’ll break for lunch. At one-thirty, most departments will be holding a department meeting to go over things from their viewpoint. Some of these meetings may be brief, and others may not be. Even if you haven’t declared a major – and I know most of you haven’t – you do know what your primary department is, and you’re expected to be at those meetings. If you have any questions, you should be able to find out where your meeting is in your briefing materials. Failing that, come see me after we break up.

“Now, I want to take a few minutes before we end this session to take on a slightly different note. While we’re concerned about your education and intend to work you until your brains run out of your noses, we also realize there are other things to life than work and studying. We don’t have much in the way of organized activities, but there are plenty of unorganized ones to help you relax, and you’re welcome to partake of them.

“The first thing I want to mention in that regard is the Friday Night Party Down, held weekly starting next week in the SMU Auditorium. That’s the building over on the southwest corner of the campus that looks a little like a church, and it was one for over ninety years, so there’s every reason for it to look the part. However, it hasn’t been a church since Southern took over the campus, so if you’re not religious there’s no reason to avoid it. The Friday Night Party Downs are organized by a committee of students that receives a small budget for activities. Sometimes they’re skits or games, sometimes Karaoke, and sometimes there’s a band, and sometimes there are dances. Sometimes an outside entertainer or two come in, and once in a while they are fairly big names. If you’re country music or light rock fans, you might be familiar with the name of Jennifer Easton Walworth. We’ve managed to bring her here a couple times, and I’ll be the first to admit I was involved in convincing her to come, partly because she’s from my home town and my father knows all the dirt on her.”

There was a laugh spreading over the audience at that statement. The kids were responding to Susan’s lighter touch, after the heavy program that had preceded it. “I’m not promising Jennifer Easton Walworth this year,” Susan went on. “But the final word on that isn’t in yet. However, I have been asked to announce that we’re going to have rockers and balladeers Dayna Berkshire and Sandy Beach at next week’s Friday Night Party Down to kick off the season. They are old friends of Southern Michigan University. They’re best known for their hit a few years ago, Experience of Survival. They also wrote and performed a special composition, Up From The Ashes at Southern’s dedication ceremonies when the school opened. They may not be the latest hot pop group, but I will tell you they put on a hell of a show and you don’t want to miss it.”

“Woohoo,” someone yelled from the audience.

“If I might add a more serious note,” she went on. “Like other campus activities, the rule at the Friday Night Party Down is no drinking and no drugs. Please honor that. I can’t tell you to not get blasted, at least not if you’re over twenty-one, but if that’s what you want, please take your party elsewhere.”

“Awwww,” someone said – it may have been the same voice as earlier, but Susan didn’t much care.

“Beyond that,” she went on. “There are a lot of other campus activities. Mostly they are student organized, although occasionally a faculty member or administrator may join in out of pure interest. They are not advisers, unless they’re asked to be. They are participants who share in the fun. You are aware of the bulletin board on the website. If you’re looking for something to do, check out the subsection marked ‘Activities’. That’s where meeting announcements are made. I won’t even try to list everything that shows up on that list, because it changes continually. If you’re interested in some odd activity, you think others might be, and you’d like to meet someone who shares that interest, put a notice on the Activities page. There’s a good chance you’ll find someone.

“In addition to these ad-hoc groups, there are other groups that are a little more solidly organized, although still not directly sponsored by the University. These are called ‘Special Interest Groups’ or ‘SIGs’. There are not many listings by SIGs on the page right now as to meeting dates and times, but there should be some showing up very soon as the upperclassmen who are the organizers begin to filter back onto campus starting today and tomorrow. In a week, some of those groups will be going full swing. Again, there’s a huge range of interests represented. For instance, there’s a Gay-Lesbian-Bi-Trans group that’s been ongoing since the first year at Southern. There’s a role-playing game SIG that’s pretty active. There are a couple different car clubs, so if you want to sit around and talk about your Mustang or other vintage car, there you go. I’m not going to get into the details, but log onto the Activities page as there’s a standing post that names the SIGs and known contact information. Also, in a few weeks there will be an Activities Day, when several of the SIGs will set up tables in front of Tottenhaven Hall to invite newcomers to join in their activities.

“There’s a good chance that you are here because you are not interested in college athletics. Many people agree with Dr. Thompson’s famous statement that athletics are a pimple on the backside of education. You’re also probably aware that this building stands on what used to be the Hawthorne College football field. Sorry folks, if you’re into college football, this isn’t the place for it. However, if you are interested in it, I’d point out that Notre Dame is only about thirty miles away, and anything we lack in football, they make up for.” There was a laugh at that, and she went on as the noise died down. “Sometimes, though rarely, Notre Dame will make student tickets available to us at reduced prices, on a first-come, first served basis. If and when they’re available it will be on the main page of the student bulletin board, another reason you should check it daily, if not more often.

“While we at Southern are not interested in organized athletics, we do suggest you keep in shape. There is a Student Fitness Center available to you at no charge. It has exercise machines, an indoor running track and a small pool you’re welcome to use. There are a few special rules, most just commonsense, all very easy to understand, and you’ll be informed of them when you sign in at the Student Fitness Center for the first time. Use it. You’ll be glad you did. Sometimes it helps to just turn away from the books and do something physical. You’ll find it helps you with your studies. I know it helped me when I was a student here, not all that long ago.

“While I’m at it, I need to say something about religious services. Of course, you all know that this campus used to be a religious college, but it isn’t any more. The administration does not officially sanction any religious services, in fact, by charter as a state school we are not allowed to. However, there are religious SIGs of various denominations and interests. If you’re of a mind to check them out you are welcome to do so, and several of them will have tables set up on Activities Day as well. If you wish to participate in a more formal form of worship, there are several churches within reasonable walking distance, and you can find a listing of them in a standing post on the Activities page. The listing of these churches does not in any way mean that Southern endorses them or recommends them. Their only qualification for being listed is being within reasonable walking distance of campus, and that’s all I’m going to say on that topic.

“I could talk some more about activities available here for you, but checking the Activities board or the tables on Activities Day is your best bet. It’ll be more up to date than I could ever be.

“I have one more topic to mention to you, and that topic is my job. As I mentioned in the beginning, my job title is Student Relations Coordinator and University Ombudsman. They actually refer to separate functions, but the University Ombudsman part of it is the part I need to draw to your attention. As the Ombudsman, my job is to be a referee and contact person if you have problems with the school administration. There are times that you and the administration will be pulling in different directions. In most cases I won’t be in the direct line of decision, so you are welcome to come to me with problems you have with the administration, school rules, or other things of that nature. I have the option of stepping outside the normal process, and my job is to reach an equitable solution to such problems. Be forewarned that any decision may not be in your favor, but there are times when extenuating circumstances allow for bending the rules. While my position here is new, I did much the same thing unofficially while I was a student here, so I’m not exactly new to the concept. My office is on the ground floor of Tottenhaven Hall, and you are welcome to come by and see me if you think you need help. I may set up in a corner of the snack bar once in a while to do the same thing.

“I want to point out that I’m not a ‘Dear Abby’ with the intent of helping you with problems with your boyfriends or girlfriends, or with your parents, or whatever. If a problem gets too knotty, I may be able to help with a suggestion, but that’s not my job. My job is to help you clear away problems that will keep you from studying efficiently. Come and see me if you have a problem. I promise I won’t bite your head off, and it could well be I’ll be on your side. I can’t help you solve a problem if I don’t know about it.

“Now, our time here is drawing to a close, and I don’t want to keep you from your visit to the dining hall, the snack bar, or your apartments, whichever you may be interested in. I hope we’ve been able to give you information this morning that will be of use to you during your stay here. Once again, I wish you the best of luck here at Southern, but what you get out of this place will reflect what you put into it. Now that I have you bored to tears, I’ll just remind you of your departmental meetings in a little over an hour and a half, and wish you a pleasant day and a pleasant stay here at Southern Michigan University. You are dismissed.”

“Holy shit,” Jack shook his head as people began to get up and leave. There was something of a crowd by the door, and he decided to let it clear up a little bit before he joined them. “They sure shoveled a ton of stuff at us in short order.”

“I took a lot of notes,” Vixen said. “I see you did, too.”

“Right, and much of it is things we’ll probably need,” he replied. “I guess they don’t believe in fooling around.”

“We knew that when we first started looking at the place,” Alan said – he’d been sitting on the other side of Vixen. “That’s why we’re here, after all.”

“We just need to buckle down and do it,” Summer added. “None of us are slackers, and we all wanted the challenges.”

“Well, we’re going to get them,” Jack agreed. “But we’re going to appreciate having a few breaks to rest up, too. I haven’t had time to look at the Activities board, but I wonder if there’s a birding SIG? It would be fun to meet and hang out with some other serious birders.”

“I don’t know,” Vixen shook her head. “I haven’t had a chance to look either, but Susan didn’t mention anything about it.”

“If there isn’t you can organize one,” Alan smirked.

“Vixen and I probably ought to check, but it’s not impossible the topic may come up when we’re in the departmental meeting. We’ll just have to see.”

“I know we’re going to check out that role playing games group,” Summer smiled. “If we’re going to find someone to play our game, that’s probably where they’re going to come from. As it is one she mentioned, I wouldn’t be surprised that it’s one of the busier SIGs.”

“Yeah, we probably ought to look for a Wiccan SIG, too,” Alan added. “I’ll bet there’s one here somewhere.”

“It wouldn’t surprise me,” Jack said. “Looks like the crowd is thinning out a little, so we could take a run at getting out of here.”

“I have a question,” Summer said. “What would you think of going to the snack bar for lunch rather than back to the apartment? I think it would give us opportunities to meet a few of our new fellow students informally.”

“Not a bad idea,” Alan said. “I’m for it. We can’t afford to do it every day, but this isn’t every day.”

Jack and Vixen quickly agreed. It would be one of the few times they would all be together during the day, and a good chance to meet others. In the future, Jack and Vixen would be sharing many of the same classes, but Alan and Summer would be going in vastly different directions, both to each other and to their friends.

It took a while to get out of the building, which was still pretty new and modern, in contrast to the faded and tattered older buildings left over from Hawthorne College. The four of them would have most of their classes in this building, though some would be in the Community Services Center. There was a solid line of people heading across the campus to the dining hall and snack bar, and the four of them followed along. Somewhere along the way they caught up with Nancy, who hadn’t been sitting with them.

“So, Nancy,” Vixen asked. “What do you think of this place now?”

“It sounds like the place I want to be,” she smiled. “I knew right from the beginning that on my first day here I’d be way ahead of where I would be if I’d gone to Meriwether, like Mary Lou wanted. Boy, that would have been a waste.”

“Actually, I think we’re all pretty much with you on that,” Vixen agreed. “I don’t think I’d want to be anywhere else.”

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