One lucky student won’t have to pay tuition for spring 2008. Called the University Fee Waiver, it’s the grand prize at today’s second annual SAFARI Day here on campus.

The Student Affairs Fair and Resource Information (SAFARI) Day is an event designed to help students become more aware of the services California State University, Fresno has to offer them.

Unlike Welcome Week, which is more geared toward introducing students to clubs and student run organizations around campus, SAFARI Day informs students of the particular services the Fresno State campus has, where they̢۪re located, how to reach them and what those services are for and how they can be used.

All 24 different programs associated within the Student Affairs department has their own booths set up, including financial aid, admissions, records and evaluations, career services and health and psychological services. The Henry Madden Library, Associated Students, Inc. (ASI), Public Safety, and Global and Continuing Education will have also have booths at the event.

Paul Oliaro, Ph. D., vice president for Student Affairs and coordinator of SAFARI Day, said the goal is to get students acquainted with places they can go to seek guidance and answers for any pressing concerns they might have.

“SAFARI Day was created a year ago to make sure students understand all the services and programs that are available to them throughout the year,â€Â said Oliaro.

Oliaro said the first SAFARI Day held last fall was such a huge success that many students asked him when there was going to be another one.

“The response was so universally positive,â€Â said Oliaro, “that students wanted a SAFARI Day once a month, instead of once a school year.â€Â

Fresno State students were given the chance to leave comments and suggestions after attending last year̢۪s event. The Student Affairs department compiled the results to get a general overlook of how the event was received. An overview of the collected comments shows that SAFARI Day was met with great acclaim.

“I found out a lot of information that I didn’t know,” one student wrote in their commests. “I would definitely recommend this to other students.â€Â

Not surprisingly, prizes and giveaways were very popular last year based on students̢۪ comments, and so back by popular demand this year is the passport.

With the passport in hand, the student must visit at least 10 booths at the fair. Each time they visit a booth they get a stamp on their passport. Once they have 10 stamps those students are then eligible to enter the raffle.

When students attend the event they can register for a passport. Students are encouraged to arrive early and register because at 1:30 p.m., passport registration will close.

This year’s raffle contains some big prizes. Besides the grand prize—the University fee waiver for spring of 2008— the other prizes include, but are not limited to, an iPod Nano, a digital camera, a Nintendo Wii and a portable DVD player.

“We really tried to assemble the best assortment of prizes this year,â€Â Oliaro said. “We at Student Affairs wanted this event to be fun as well as informational.â€Â

Vivian Franco, director of Admissions, Records and Evaluations and a member of SAFARI Day̢۪s planning committee, really hopes this event will help students learn about and use the services Fresno State has to offer.

“This event will have booths from all areas of concern for students,â€Â Franco said, “from parking to the Women’s Resource Center, students should not just come for prizes, but take advantage of the opportunity to ask questions and voice their concerns.â€Â

Franco said that at each booth there will be experts on hand to assist students with any issues they might have. She encourages students to not only have fun but to learn from this event.

“The most important thing I want students to take from SAFARI Day is to realize that Fresno State is here for them,â€Â Franco said. “That we are a campus that cares.â€Â