Promising a "fresh look at what we're about," Dean of Freshman Elizabeth S. Nathans yesterday announced major changes for next year's orientation week schedule.

The new plan will expose first-years to race and gender issues and includes a chance for students to explore the surrounding communities, Nathans said.

And in an effort to schedule events around the Rosh Hashanah holiday, which will fall at the end of the week, Nathans said events will extend into the first week of classes.

"Certain pieces which have traditionally fallen later in the week will need to be rethought," Nathans said. "We need to get away from assuming orientation ends after the first few weeks."

Nathans said required placement tests will be moved to the first three days of the week, before the Jewish holiday, so that observing students will not have conflicting obligations.

Despite time constraints, Nathans said students will also have more time to meet with proctors and advisors, prefects and upper class students. Nathans said a host of new programs will provide students with a "different perspective" of Harvard, adding she hopes entering students will come away with "a sense of whom to ask."

Nathans said one full day will be devoted to issues of race relations and diversity. She said issues of sexual orientation would also be discussed in "small group meetings and experiential meetings."

Shai A. Held '94, former chair of the Hillel coordinating council, called the focus on such issues a "critical step."

"If we can gather to talk about plagiarism, we can gather to talk about race relations and diversity issues," he said.

And Natosha O. Reid '93, former Black Student Association officer and co-chair of the Harvard Foundation's Student Advisory Committee, said the plan to devote a day was "very positive and very necessary."

"Students need to be aware that they may need to confront these issues on campus," Reid said.

"There are things in this [orientation] program that haven't been looked at in a long time," Nathans said, adding that some of the changes she hopes to implement "are probably overdue."

Nathans attributed some of the stasis to required events, like placement testing. "Things tend to get set because of things which must get done," she said.

The Freshman Dean's Office (FDO), Nathans said, worked in conjunction with Harvard-Radcliffe Hillel to insure "Harvard's very distinguished observant Jewish community" is "made comfortable" during the orientation period.

Nathans said no required events would occur during the Rosh Hashanah holiday, but final plans were still "under discussion."

Acting Hillel Director Rabbi Sally R. Finestone, who worked with the FDO on scheduling, said "They were a wonderful help and assistance. I'm delighted with the amount of foresight they have shown."