Blugold Nuggets - November 2006

Welcome to November! Midterms are behind your Blugold now. For some students, it is time to breathe a sigh of relief and for others, it's time to rededicate to their studies. We hope this issue of Blugold Nuggets will give you information to support your student through the end of the semester.

Mid-semester Grades

Mid-semester

Students with freshman classification will get mid-semester grades emailed to them on Nov. 6. The grades will come from each individual professor. It is a good time to check-in with your son or daughter about how things are going.  If the student does not receive a mid-term grade, encourage him or her to ask the professor for one. University policy states that all freshmen should receive such reports.

Withdrawing from Classes

Nov. 13th is the last day to withdraw from a class or to withdraw totally from the university. All students should realistically assess their chances of success in all their courses before this time. While we encourage students to work with their professors to find ways to successfully complete their courses, sometimes withdrawing from a course is the most prudent course of action.

Students are required to talk with their professor and their advisers before withdrawing from a course. This should be more than a perfunctory discussion. Students should discuss whether it is possible to be successful in the course and what help is available. They should also discuss the consequences of withdrawing from the course.

A brief discussion of issues related to withdrawing from a class can be found at http://www.uwec.edu/advising/withdrawing.htm

What parents can do?

Help the student realistically assess how he/she is doing in the course.

• How much of the total grade for the course has been completed? 
• Does the course build on previous content? 
• Does the student understand the material being covered?
• Is extra credit available?
• Has the student sought out help or tutoring?

Make certain the student understands the consequences of withdrawing from a course.

• If the student is withdrawing from a second course, do they understand how it will affect academic standing?
• Have they taken the course before? Note - A course can only be repeated once.
• Do they understand how all of this will affect financial aid or scholarships?

If the student is going below full time, a parent should check on the whether health insurance will be affected.

Try to be supportive of whatever decision the student makes. Particularly for new freshmen, having to admit that they are not successful in a course can be extremely upsetting. Parental understanding and reassurance can be crucial in minimizing the effect on the student’s academic confidence. Remind them that no one is successful at everything.

Tutoring Services

Tutoring

If your student is struggling or not doing as well as they had hoped, encourage him or her to seek help.  The Academic Skills Center provides a variety of resources for students experiencing difficulty.

 

 

Diagnostic testing in the Academic Skills Center gives students information about their academic strengths and weaknesses. Evaluations are available in the following areas

• English as a second language
• Mathematics and analytical thinking
• Reading comprehension and rate
• Learning styles
• Learning strategies and study skills
• Written communication

Additionally, a walk-in writing center is available for students.

Thanksgiving Break

Thanksgiving Break

Students living in the residence halls should be aware that all halls will close on Wednesday, Nov. 22 at 6 p.m. with the exception of Towers, Katharine Thomas and Chancellors Halls. A UW-Eau Claire student who plans to stay in the halls during the Thanksgiving recess must register to stay in Towers, Katharine Thomas or Chancellors. He/she can do this by completing an online registration form by 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 21. If a student wishes to stay on campus during the break but does not reside in one of the three halls that are open, that student must stop in the Housing Office before Tuesday, Nov 21 at 4 p.m. to fill out a form and get permission/signatures from a student(s) to use their room.

The residence halls reopen on Sunday, Nov. 26 at noon.

Safety

You may have heard concerns about student safety from your student. We have had some reports from students about incidents of violence off campus. While both the city of Eau Claire and the University campus have very few reports of violence, it is always important for our students to use precaution. Students are encouraged to think about safety issues. University Police has prepared a web site with safety tips your student may want to check out.

Additionally, Housing and Residence Life provides a Resident Escort Shuttle Service for the residence hall students. The service provides a shuttle van during limited hours each evening to and from the places listed in the time table below. The hours of operation are Sunday 8 p.m. until 1:08 a.m. and Monday through Thursday, 10:20 p.m. until 1:08 a.m. Students will need to present their Student ID in order to ride the shuttle.

Student should report crimes off-campus to the Eau Claire City Police. Information about on-campus security concerns should be reported to the University Police.

Looking Ahead to Winter Break

Winter Break

Your student may want to be thinking now about winter break plans. If employment is part of the plan, your student should visit Career Services for information about job searching.  Students can also utilize the online job board to find jobs in Eau Claire.

 

It might also be a great time to do some career exploration. Students can job shadow, conduct informational interviews or tour job-sites during the winter break to help them move closer toward a career choice.

Some students have found that winter break is a good time to complete their service-learning project. All candidates for the baccalaureate degree must satisfactorily complete 30 or more clock-hours of approved service-learning activity. This requirement is intended to provide students with an opportunity to serve their community, apply knowledge gained in the classroom and enhance their critical thinking skills.

Service-Learning promotes student learning and development through participation in thoughtfully organized service experiences. These experiences are defined, planned, implemented, and coordinated collaboratively by students, the university, and the community. They offer students opportunities to apply their education in service to the community, which enhances their appreciation, understanding, and respect for others.

Students can create their own service-learning experience or they can select a project that has been posted by The Center for Service-Learning. Thanksgiving Break is a great time to begin thinking about plans for winter break. If service-learning is a part of your Blugold's winter plans, encourage them to look into service opportunities now.

National Student Exchange

Students interested in learning about national exchange opportunities are invited to attend a National Student Exchange Informational Meeting on Monday, Nov. 6 Eagle Room, Davies Center, at noon or Friday, Nov. 10 at 1 p.m. in the Potawotomi Room, Davies Center. The application process, requirements and timelines for participating in a 2007-08 exchange will be explained. Students who have participated in the NSE program will be available to discuss their experiences and answer questions. For more information, contact Mary K. Ryan-Miller at ryanmk@uwec.edu or 836-2003.

Registering for Spring Semester

Registration for second semester takes place from Nov. 8 – Dec. 8. With a few exceptions, students register according to the number of credits they have, with seniors registering first. Second semester freshmen will start registering around Thanksgiving.

Here is some important information you can share with your students.

• During the week of Oct. 16 students were e-mailed their registration materials, including their exact registration time as well as a degree audit that lists all the requirements for their degree. 
• All students must pay a $100 deposit for spring semester prior to registering. This goes toward the spring semester tuition.
• All students with fewer than 60 earned credits and all students in academic difficulty must see an adviser and receive their PAC (personal advising code) prior to registering. In reality, all students should see an adviser before registering. Please encourage your students to make these appointments early.
• Students who want to change their major should do it before they register so they can talk with their new adviser. Information on how to do that can be found on the Registration Web site.
• Students who are considering changing a major can get a “What-if degree audit” for the major they are considering.

For answers to most registration related questions, see “Steps to a Successful Registration.”  

Flu Shot Clinics

Cold and flu season

With the cold and flu season just around the corner, we encourage students to practice healthy lifestyle habits to remain as healthy as possible and protect themselves from colds and flu. Healthy behaviors we promote to students include frequently wash hands, cover mouth and nose when sneezing, eat wisely and nutritiously, get adequate sleep, exercise regularly, and avoid smoke. These protective behaviors help maintain and strengthen one’s immune system.

The Student Health Service offers the flu vaccine to all UW-Eau Claire students for a cost of $15.  Students can check the SHS web site for a schedule of flu shot clinics.

Students who are absent from class for three consecutive days or more because of illness should contact the Student Development and Diversity office. Students can call 715-836-2003, stop by Schofield 240 or complete the online absence form. SDD then sends electronic correspondence regarding the illness to student's instructors.

Off Campus Living

Off Campus Living

Now is the time when many students start thinking about renting for next year. Students should be sure to check out our off campus living web site to learn more about selecting a rental house or apartment. First year students are encouraged to wait until after House Day on January 30 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Council Fire Room, Davies Center to begin apartment hunting. More than 60 landlords representing an estimated 500 Eau Claire rental units will participate in the event. The Student Senate organizes the annual event to increase communication between students and landlords in an effort to reduce complications associated with signing leases.

With winter quickly approaching, it is important for students to know rules regarding parking and snow removal. Calendar parking is enforced from Nov. 1 to May 1, from midnight to 7:00 a.m. On odd numbered days (the date after midnight), residents must park only on the side of the street displaying odd numbered addresses. On even numbered days, park on the even side of the street. Additionally, cleaning of snow and ice is required. Sidewalks must be cleared of snow and ice within 24 hours after snowfall.