New Charles Sturt University (CSU) students living off campus will receive a helping hand in the initial challenging weeks of university life. First trialled in 2007, a mentor scheme aims to help new students settle into University and their accommodation in the wider community. The Off campus Student Community Advisors (OSCA) Scheme will be trialled on CSU’s Bathurst and Wagga Wagga campuses during the first six weeks of the 2008 Autumn Session. “This scheme mirrors the long running and highly successful Residential Advisers (RA) scheme for students living on campus,” said OSCA supervisor Chris Roche. “It will help new students living in the wider community to find their way through the maze of early days at university,” he said. The scheme aims to improve retention rates in the critical first session of a student’s study. The Off campus Advisors are recruited from existing CSU students. In addition to being the first point of contact for support, the Advisers will offer the new students a six week program of social activities. Orientation 2008 at CSU began on Monday 11 February.