Dear reader, 

Summer has come and gone, first-years have moved in, and classes are about to start. Welcome back to campus, UChicago!  

You can read this year’s Orientation Issue online here or grab a print copy at one of our distribution sites on campus. 

News 

The University has begun a multiyear restructuring of the undergraduate writing program. Instead of following the former writing seminar curriculum, 20 percent of this year’s incoming class will be part of a pilot Core writing course called Inquiry, Conversation, Argument (ICA). Over the next three years, all incoming students will transition from the writing seminar model to ICA. The restructuring has already led to multiple layoffs, with more expected in 2026 and 2027.

This fall, the University will launch a new entrepreneurship and innovation minor, supported by the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and led by faculty at the Booth School of Business. 

The University quietly rolled out a new application round for the 2024–25 admission cycle, allowing Summer Session participants to apply on an accelerated timeline. 

Researchers at UChicago’s AI for Climate Initiative are applying artificial intelligence to weather and climate research to produce faster, cheaper forecasting. 

New to campus? Not sure what an alderman does? The Maroon has a rundown of local officials, upcoming elections, and how to vote in Hyde Park. 

Since January, the Trump administration has taken aim at higher education. The Maroon kept track of how UChicago has been hit with federal research funding cuts, international student visa revocations, and pressure to discontinue pediatric gender-affirming care at UChicago Medicine. 

Grey City

To some, International House—nicknamed I-House—is the worst student dorm. To others, it’s I-Home. Grey City Reporter Jack Rich spoke to alumni, staff, and resident deans to find a “wealth of good in UChicago’s ‘worst dorm.’” 

Is UChicago really the “last bastion of people who do read things,” as the Atlantic frames it? Students and instructors say the answer is complicated. 

“From high-stakes buy-ins and intense corporate finance recruiting to casual, late-night camaraderie, it’s competitive, and maybe even a little seedy,” writes Grey City Reporter Kaci Sziraki about the College’s thriving poker scene.

Viewpoints

Viewpoints Editor Sofia Cavallone makes the case for studying both STEM and the humanities in a new column. 

“Offloading writing to LLMs simultaneously offloads the critical thinking that allows us to adapt our thesis given new evidence and analyze counterarguments as they arise,” writes Viewpoints Editor Camille Cypher in her column about why academic writing still matters in the age of LLMs. 

Arts

Looking for the perfect first-date spot? The Maroon’s arts editors have you covered with a list of Hyde Park cafés, parks, bookstores, restaurants, and more.  

Sports

As the UChicago Varsity Wrestling team prepares for a new season, athletes and coaches say they are working on fostering a strong team culture. The strategy seems “set to power the Maroons in their pursuit of greater heights,” writes Sports Editor Josh Grossman. 

Crosswords

Check out Head Crosswords Editor Eli Lowe’s new puzzle, “Disorientation Week,” and play the Maroon’s new daily mini puzzle.