Welcome Parents

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Welcome Parents!

• Bloomsburg University Orientation
• June 2006

Presented by Dr. Jessica Kozloff, Bloomsburg
University President Dr. Jonathan Lincoln,
Assistant V P of Academic Affairs Mr. Joseph
Kissell, University Registrar
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Bloomsburg UniversityParent/Guest Information
SessionGoals of this session

• Share information
• Answer questions
• Email communication
• Establish a partnership

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The Transition

• Differences between H.S. and College academic
  experience
• More material at a faster pace
• More independent reading
• More independence
• Getting acclimated to college life
• Student tips
• Invest in a day planner Time management is
  the key!
• Spend time in Library
• Locate other campus resources Academic
  Support, Counseling, Health Center, Campus
  Ministries, etc.
• Explore extracurricular opportunities
• Locate campus recreation facilities

4
Academic Advising

• All students assigned an Academic Advisor
• Course scheduling
• Declaring a major
• Academic Policies
• Advice
• Internships/Graduate School
• Successful Advising requires 2 people

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General Ed. Requirements. Why?

• Goals
• 1. To learn how different disciplines
  acquire and organize knowledge
• 2. To develop analytic, linguistic and
  computational skills useful for lifelong learning
• 3. Provide a basis for an examination of
  values
• 4. In short, to prepare students to develop
  a more critical and inquiring attitude to respond
  more fully and effectively in an increasingly
  complex world.

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Campus Policies and Procedures

• Institutional Organization
• Follow the chain of command
• - Professor/Advisor
• - Chair
• - Dean
• - Provost

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Class Scheduling

• How are classes chosen for Freshmen?
• Block scheduling
• 15 credits Fall, 12 credits Spring
  
• How classes are chosen
• Department requirements
• General Education requirements
  
• Typical freshmen schedule

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Academic Progress

• Academic Catalog online
• GPA requirements
• Mid-semester grade reports
• Academic good-standing
• Calculating the GPA
• quality points number of credit hours
  
• A 4.0 C 2.33
  
• A- 3.67 C 2.00
• B 3.33 C- 1.67
• B 3.00 D 1.33
• B- 2.67 D 1.00
• C 2.33

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Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

• Only students can share or give permission to
  share academic records. We cannot release grades
  to YOU without the students permission.
• Student financial information can be made
  available to parentsfor more information visit
  www.bloomu.edu/admin/fees/fees_billing.htm or
  visit the Business Office staff at the
  information fair today.
• The Financial Information Release form can be
  found at http//departments.bloomu.edu/businesso
  ffice/documents/FERPAReleaseForStudentandParent.pd
  f
• You should begin working out any
• arrangements with your student now.

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Parenting a College Freshmen

• Some tips
• Stay in touch letters, cards, email
• Dont ask if they are homesick
• Ask questions, but not too many
• Dont worry (too much) about less than
  exuberant calls or emails. In fact, expect them.
  They could be subtle

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• Dear Dad,
• chool i really great. I am making lot of
  friend and tudying very hard. With all my
  tuff, I imply cant think of anything I need,
  o if you would like, you can jut end me a
  card, a I would love to hear from you.
• Love,
• Your on

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• Dear Son,
• I kNOw that astroNOmy, ecoNOmics, and
  oceaNOgraphy are eNOugh to keep even an hoNOr
  student busy. Do NOt forget that the pursuit of
  kNOwledge is a NOble task, and you can never
  study eNOugh.
• Love,
• Dad

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Parenting a College Freshmen

• They might be less subtle and you will
  often hear about whats wrong, not whats right.
• Let them take the lead
• Expect change
• Trust them
• A great resource
• Dont Tell Me What to Do,
  Just Send
• Money The Essential
  Parenting Guide to
• the College Years
• by Helen E. Johnson ,
  Christine Schelhas-Miller

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Freshmen Stress Periods

• September Homesickness, loneliness
  Excitement Doubts about choice of school
  Tendency to test new limits and boundaries
  Frequent calls or visits home Anxiety about
  roommates and professors First round of tests
  possible at the end of the monthOctober
  Roommate problems begin to arise Concerns about
  social climate (Do I fit in here?) Midterm
  exams occur Romantic relationships from home
  still going strong Students begin to realize
  that life at college is not as perfect as they
  thought
• November Academic pressure is beginning to
  mount because of procrastination, difficulty of
  work
• Economic anxiety, funds from parents and
  summer earnings begin to run out

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• December Extracurricular time strain seasonal
  parties, concerts, religious activities all drain
  student energies. Anxiety, fear and guilt
  increase as final examinations approach and
  papers are due. THEY LOOK TIRED!
• Financial strain because of Christmas gifts
  and travel costs.January Post-break
  depressionhomesickness part 2 Loneliness for
  romantic relationship from home Seeing this as
  a time to make a fresh start Relief at being
  away from home or back at schoolFebruary
• "cabin fever
• Breakup of romantic relationships from home.
  Near Valentine's Day, feelings of loneliness,
  (lack of purpose or
• March Anxiety over midterm exams Worry
  begins about summer employment Anxiety begins
  over choosing roommate(s) for the following
  academic year

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• April Nervousness about registering for
  courses End of semester pressure begins
  Anxiety over choosing room and roommate(s) for
  next yearMay Anxiety over final exams
  Apprehension about returning home for the
  summer Sadness over losing touch with new
  friends Sadness over losing contact with
  romantic relationship Feeling left out of
  decision-making family matters, important or not
  (buying a new car, putting a family pet to sleep,
  getting a new pet, reassigning bedroom space,
  making choices about vacation)

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Finally

• Letting go is hard, but rest assured they/you
  made a good choice
• Encourage them to seek out and take advantage of
  campus resources

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Questions???