Blugold Nuggets - August 2007

We are pleased to annouce the creation of the Blugold Parent and Family Office at UW-Eau Claire. Jennifer Lee has been hired as Director of this Office which opens Aug. 1. As Director of the Blugold Parent and Family Office, Lee will oversee an information and welcome tent staffed by university faculty and staff members during residence hall move-in day, this monthly Blugold Nuggets e-newsletter, a parent and family advisory council, and an online interactive calendar that will include information about upcoming campus and community events as well as tips for parents and families to ensure their students have the information necessary to participate.

August is a month of transition for many UW-Eau Claire students as they wind down their summer activities and start to get ready for a new semester. We hope the information in this August edition of the Blugold Nuggets helps as you assist your student with these transitions.

Residence Hall Move-In

Move-In Day

All packed up!

All new (first year and transfer) students may move in Thursday, Aug. 30, during their assigned times. All other residents may move in during their assigned times on Saturday, Sept. 1. Move-in day is an exciting, yet stressful time. As such, returning students called Hall Raisers are available to help our new students move in.

We polled current UW-Eau Claire students to develop a list of tips for a successful move-in day.

This is what they had to say:

• Pack your vehicle the night before.
• Use as few vehicles as possible because of limited parking.
• Pack items so they are easily transported - closed boxes or plastic storage containers with lids work well.
• Pay attention to the weight of the boxes- you’ll likely have to carry them up the stairs!
• Remember to bring a carpet knife, carpet tape, tools, etc.
• Bring a cart or a dolly if you have one. The Residence Life staff provide a limited quantity of move-in carts, but you may want to bring one from home to make move-in run more smoothly.
• Encourage your student to eat a healthy breakfast; move-in can get long.
• Wear comfortable clothing - on move-in day, it’s better to feel good than look good!
• Pay attention to parking guidelines and postings.
• Have your student check-in and get the door combination as soon as you arrive. You’ll get instructions there to begin your move.
• Hall Raisers are there to help - USE THEM!
• Most buildings have side stairwells- use them to avoid congestion in the main lobbies.
• Be patient and have fun meeting other parents and families!

Don’t forget to mark off all the items on the family member checklist provided during orientation: www.uwec.edu/orientation/freshmen/preparing/FamilyChecklist.pdf.

Also, be sure to make plans to stop by the Parent and Family Welcome Tent during move-in to pick up your welcome packet, get your last minute questions answered and enjoy refreshments. The tent is sponsored by the UW-Eau Claire Foundation and the Blugold Parent and Family Office.

Healthy Choices Education Program

Healthy Choices Education Course

Reminder to all first year students and student athletes! All new students and student athletes will take an online education program called My Student Body. All UW-Eau Claire students can take the course by logging on at: http://www.uwec.edu/case

The myStudentBody® Comprehensive College Health Suite provides reliable college health information in a customizable format. Working together with college students and nationally renowned experts, the myStudentBody® suite tackles the most relevant health-related issues on college campuses today.

MyStudentBody® Alcohol addresses the many high-profile issues associated with high risk college drinking. This program helps students identify and track individual drinking behaviors and risks.

Prizes will be awarded weekly to students completing the course. Grand prizes will be drawn during Convocation on August 31st.

New Student To-Do List

To-Do List

We want you and your student to feel prepared for move-in and Phase II Orientation. If you have questions about UW-Eau Claire, please don't hesitate to call or email! You can also check out the frequently asked questions page on the New Student Orientation web site.

We have developed a checklist for families to help prepare for Fall:

• The parent has recorded the student’s address, phone and e-mail address for easy access.
• The student knows his I.D. and P.I.N. number and university password.
• The student has a copy of his/her social security card, birth certificate or passport for employment purposes.
• The homeowners’ insurance policy has been checked for coverage of personal belongings at school or a renter’s policy has been purchased. A list of belongings has been made, with serial numbers and approximate value of more expensive items. (Photos are always good.)
• The student has copies of all warrantees and/or service agreements.
• If the student is bringing a car, the student has a copy of the insurance card and knows what coverage you have.
• The student has been briefed on health insurance coverage (including where to go for care when Health Services is not open) and given a copy of the insurance card. You have checked to see what the consequences are of going below full time.  If you do not have health insurance, you have looked into student health insurance offered by the Student Senate.
• If the student takes prescription medications, he/she has a supply for the first month. If insurance covers prescriptions, the student knows where to go to refill them.
• You have made a decision about immunizations recommended and have gotten the immunizations or made plans to do so. You have returned the health forms, including immunizations records, to Health Services.
• All financial aid forms have been completed. Make sure you send back your signed award letter. Complete your direct loan master electronic promissory note on line. If Perkins loan has been awarded, sign and return Perkins promissory note to the Business Office.
• You have discussed who is paying for what and how parents are going to obtain copies of the bills, if the parent is paying.
• Move-in day has been marked on your calendar and reserved.
• The student has completed the “healthy choices” online education program at http://www.uwec.edu/case/ by August 29.
• Parents’ Weekend has been marked on your calendar (September 28 - 30). Be sure you make your hotel reservations soon.

Parents' Weekend 2007

Parents' Weekend

Parents' Weekend 2007 will take place September 28-30. Mark your calendars now for this exciting family weekend. All family members (including siblings and grandparents!) are invited and encouraged to attend.

We encourage families to reserve your hotel in the summer to make sure you have a room for Parents' Weekend. View a list of Area Hotels for more information about lodging in Eau Claire.

The weekend will feature an Entertainment Showcase with The Comedy of Pete Holmes and the Moody Magic of Nate Staniforth, Saturday, Sept. 29, 8:30 p.m., in Zorn Arena. Tickets are $5 for UW-EC students and Parents' Weekend participants. Also featured during the weekend is local favorite- The Thundermen- who will entertain guests with their 50's and 60's music during a family dance.

Families can register for Parents' Weekend at: http://www.uwec.edu/housing/Activities/ParentsWeekend/index.htm

Watch your mailbox! Families will also receive a mailing with information about registration in August.

Job Searching for Fall

Job Searching for Fall

With Fall quickly approaching, many students may be looking for employment. Research indicates that students who work on campus are more likely to stay in school and complete their degree. An added bonus to a paycheck is the fact that students work with University staff, who understand student issues and who can connect student employees with valuable campus resources. Students should check out the online job board for a complete listing of on- and off-campus jobs available for the Fall Semester. A visit to Career Services will help your Blugold prepare for the job search process.

The Housing and Residence Life Office hires student employees in the following areas: front desk receptionists, mail sorters, security staff, weekend custodians, maintenance, recycling, ResCom Help Desk (computer support) and upholstery. Convenience, flexible hours, supervision and training make these jobs appealing to residents. Students who are interested in employment should apply with their Hall Director for front desk, mail, and security positions; the ResCom Help Desk for computing positions, or at the Housing and Residence Life Office for the other opportunities. Positions are available to students regardless of their financial aid status. Applications are available for download in Adobe PDF format, and may be filled out and printed for signature and submission for most of the job opportunities.

Additionally, Financial Aid will host an Employment Fair on Wednesday, Sept. 5 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. in the Council Fire Room of Davies Center. Students interested in obtaining employment either on-campus or in the community, should plan to attend the job fair. Employers will have information on available positions, employment applications, and some will even hold an interview on the spot. Students should bring a resume for convenience.

Bookstore Information

Instructional Resource Rental

All required course materials requested by faculty for the fall 2007 term are available in the Bookstore, located in Davies Center. UW- Eau Claire has a rental program that is funded with your student’s segregated fees. Usually the main textbook is available for rental, and any supplemental materials requested by the instructor will be available for the student to purchase.

If your student would like to have his/her texts prepackaged and ready for them when they arrive on campus, the Bookstore offers a Textbook Reservation Program. Your student may visit the web site at www.uwec.bkstore.com/ and click on the link for “Buying Your Textbooks.” Doing this allows students to choose which titles they would like prepackaged. Your student’s Blugold ID number is required to package any rental texts. If they would like the purchase materials boxed with the rentals a credit card number also is required. To take advantage of the reservation program, students must submit their information via the web by Aug. 23.   Students may pick up their reserved textbooks between Aug. 13 and Sept. 7. If you have any questions about this site, please call the University Bookstore at 715- 836-2171.

If your student plans to pick out his/her own textbooks at the Bookstore, a Blugold ID is required for the rental textbooks. The student should also bring a copy of his/her class schedule that lists the books needed.

Phase II Orientation

Phase II Orientation Picnic

Phase II Orientation is the second step in the orientation process. It is designed to help answer your student’s remaining questions about University life and to increase his or her comfort and belonging. It is our hope that it will also help students feel confident as they begin classes. Phase II Orientation will take place on Friday, Aug. 31 beginning with a small group meeting with a faculty member and a returning student mentor at 10 a.m. Students will also participate in a Student Services Fair, advising meeting with the department of the students’ major or undeclared advisors and have an opportunity to find classrooms for their classes. The day will conclude with a picnic on the campus mall beginning at 6 p.m. and convocation featuring Dr. Joe Martin, founder and president of RealWorld University, at 7:30 p.m. in Zorn Arena.

 

CUBEfest 2007

CUBEfest

Creating the Ultimate Blugold Experience (CUBE) is a program designed to welcome residence hall students and help them make the very most of their experience as UW-Eau Claire Blugolds. CUBEfest begins on at 9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 31, and spans the first two weeks of school. Events range from concerts and tie-dye to sporting events and social activities. Encourage your student to take advantage of as many events as possible! The complete schedule of events will be in your student’s welcome packet when he/she arrives on campus.

Summer Conversations

If you have put off having those important summer conversations, there is still time! Whether your student is new to campus or a returning student, we encourage you to talk about these important issues. Students have shared with us that it is helpful when parents talk about the follow things:

• Healthy choices related to alcohol and drug use
  • Remember students are to complete the online education course before Aug. 30 at www.uwec.edu/case. After they complete the course you may want to talk about what your student learned and how he or she will use information learned to guide their decision making when at UW-Eau Claire.
• Illegal downloading of copyrighted materials
• It is important for all UW-Eau Claire students to know that they can be found in violation of copyright laws when they illegally download or share copyrighted material. It is a very costly lesson to learn if a student is charged through the legal system. You can help your Blugold consider the consequences by reminding them of that fact!
• Social networking
  • These sites can be valuable communication tools. Students will want to maximize the good uses and avoid the pitfalls of wasting time, sharing too much information, connecting with people they cannot trust, etc.
• Finances
  • Who pays for what? Are credit cards okay? If so, what is a reasonable limit? What happens if the student gets in debt? etc.
• Time management
  • Students will have lots of time on their hands. How will your student budget his or her time? What are time wasters? How can those time wasters be avoided?
• Getting involved
  • How will your student find involvement opportunities?
• Maximizing resources
  • There are dozens of resources available to assist your student. The key is for your student to seek out those resources and make sure he or she is utilizing the appropriate resource when needed.
• Communication
  • How often will the student call home? When should they call? How often will the student come home?

Paying Fall Semester Tuition

An electronic bill is scheduled to be emailed to all students to their UW - Eau Claire email address on Aug. 9.  If the Board of Regents have not finalized costs, this bill will still reflect estimated costs.

Another electronic bill with financial aid applied will be emailed to all students to their University of WI-Eau Claire email address on Aug. 30.  A final electronic bill will be emailed on Sept. 19.  Payment is due in full by Friday, Sept. 28, to avoid finance charges.

If the students elected to participate in our partial payment plan, one half of the bill is due on Friday, Sept. 28 to avoid the $72 administrative service fee. The remaining half, plus finance charges, are due on Friday, Oct. 26.  An electronic bill will be emailed to students at their UW - Eau Claire email address on Oct. 3.

For more information about billing go to: http://www.uwec.edu/bussvs/busoff/index.htm

Transition Month

We hear all the time from parents of new students that August is a difficult month. Students are eager to practice their independence, while parents want to make sure that all of the information bases have been covered- squeezing in every last bit of advice possible. Obviously this is also a time of family transition.

While your student may not be eager to hear advice, we have heard from students that knowing how to do these things is helpful:

• laundry
• open a bank account and balance a check book
• make a medical appointment, use insurance information, and get prescriptions filled
• change a tire, jump start a car battery, and/or get roadside assistance

There is still time this month to make a check list of things your student might need to know and schedule "dates" to work on those things. Finding ways to fit last minute advice into your relationship is hard since your student may not be interested in listening. We've heard from students that when parents make the advice "fun" it is easier to listen. So, plan a laundry date and then use the month of August to let them practice!

Letting Go

For those families looking for more information about how to get through this transition time, here is a list of books that might be of interest:

Bringing Home the Laundry: Effective Parenting for College and Beyond, Janis Brody, Taylor Publishing, November 2000

Don’t Tell Me What to Do, Just Send Money: The Essential Guide to Understanding The College Years, Helen E. Johnson and Christine Schelhas-Miller, St. Martin’s Griffin, 2000

Helping Your First-Year College Student Succeed: A Guide for Parents, Richard H. Mullendore and Cathie Hatch, National Resource Center for The First Year Experience & Students in Transition, University of South Carolina

Higher Learning: Reading and Writing about College, Patti See and Bruce Taylor, Prentice Hall, 2001

Letting the Journey Begin: A Parent's Monthly Guide to the College Experience, Jacqueline Kiernan Mackay and Wanda Johnson Ingram, Houghton Mifflin Publishing, 2002

Letting Go: A Parent's Guide to Understanding the College Years, Karen Levin Coburn and Madge Lawrence Treeges, Harper Collins Publishing, 1997

You’re On Your Own, (But I'm Here If You Need Me), Marjorie Savage, Simon Schuster, 2003

The following list of books, also available in the University Bookstore, you might suggest to your student:

Arco College Survival:  A Crash Course for Students by Students, 5th Edition, Greg Gottesman and Daniel Baer, Arco Publishing, 1999

Been There, Should’ve Done That II: More Tips for Making the Most of College, 2nd Edition, Suzette Tyler, Front Porch Press, May 2001

Confessions of a College Freshman:  A Survival Guide for Dorm Life, Biology Lab, the Cafeteria, and Other First Year Adventures, Zach Arrington, River Oak Publishing, March 2001

Majoring in Success: Make College Easier, Fire Up Your Dreams, and Get a Very Cool Job, Patrick Coombs and Jack Canfield, Ten Speed Press, 3rd Edition, April 2000

The College Board recommends a list of 101 books for the college bound reader. If your student is bored this month, you might suggest that they check out the list! Better yet, you could read one together!