Ohio University Southern is in its final weeks of registering new students for the fall semester, a fresh crop that has already grown from last year.

Dr. Kim Keffer, director of admissions as OUS, said students who are just beginning will have a full range of activities to keep them busy as school starts once again.

"We want our students to know that this is their campus," Keffer said. "The buildings are beautiful and the classrooms are beautiful, but it's the people that make a campus. That includes that freshman as much as it does that graduating senior."

The new students will get to meet the dean, Dan Evans, at an upcoming barbeque. Evans will be offering up greetings, even if he isn't serving up the food.

"I don't know if he'll be cooking," said Keffer with a laugh. "He'll be here, and they'll all have an opportunity to meet them, and he always tries to welcome all of the students. He let's them know that he's there for them, and has an open-door policy."

Students will follow up their meeting with the dean with a mixer that will allow them to get to know each other and some current students.

"It's about just welcoming them to the campus, and making them feel a part of our campus family," Keffer said.

These activities go beyond helping students start school, Keffer said, it also may help them finish.

"Students who feel a sense of belonging and a sense of 'fit' on a campus are much more likely to stay in school than those who feel that they don't fit," Keffer said. "If that they don't have a connection with anyone, that makes it much easier for them to walk away."

Keffer said that registration looks to be increase over last year's, by almost 200 students at this point.

Although around 1,400 have already signed up, registration will continue until the end of the first week of classes.