Blugold Nuggets - March 2008

This March edition of Blugold Nuggets includes timely reminders for the month and some topics for discussion with your student. We hope the information shared in this newsletter is helpful!	March Survey Question: If available, what type of gift items would you purchase online for your Blugold student?

 

Parent/Family Organization Meeting

Friday, March 14th | 1:00 - 3:00pm

Presidents Room | Davies Center

Mark your calandars and plan on attending our first Parent/Family Organization Group meeting. All Blugold Parents/Families are invited to come and share thoughts on the experiences you and your student have had at UW-Eau Claire this year over cookies & coffee. We will also discuss starting a parent/family organization. We hope you can join us! Please RSVP to pyykolsk@uwec.edu.

Registration for Fall 2008

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Registration for fall semester will take place from April 7 through May 2 with most appointment times based on the number of credits a student has. It is, however, important to start thinking about registration much sooner than that. Here is some information you can share with your students.

• During the week of March 8 students will be 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 prior to registering. This is applied to fall 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. Ideally, all students should see an adviser before registering. Please encourage your students to make these appointments early.

Registration time often focuses students’ attention on their major. It is a good time to talk with your students –particularly freshmen and sophomores--about whether they are still happy with the major they have chosen. If they are undeclared, they should be encouraged to talk with their adviser early, so they can do some major/career exploration before registering.

• 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.
• Students who are uncertain about what they want to major in can talk to a counselor in Career Services. They can call 836-5359 or stop by Schofield 230.

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

Summer Session

Students can now register for Summer Session 2008. Students should check out the Summer Session Class Schedule now to see if a course or two will fit into their plans for this summer.

Summer Session allows you to ...

• Complete your undergraduate or graduate degree program more quickly.
• Catch up on missed courses and/or lighten your workload for fall and spring semesters.
• Enhance your career opportunities.
• Make new friends in small, interactive classes.
• Earn while you learn. Our flexible scheduling options and online local job listings make it convenient for you to find a summer job while taking classes.
• Enjoy the beautiful Chippewa Valley and all it offers during the summer.

$100 down payment not required until April 25, 2008

Spring Break Housing

All halls will close on Friday, Mar. 14 at 6 p.m. with the exception of Towers, Katharine Thomas, and Chancellors Halls. If your student will be staying in the residence halls during the break, he/she can do this by completing an on-line registration form by 4 p.m. on Thursday, Mar. 13. All students, including those living in Towers, Katharine Thomas and Chancellors, must register to stay in the halls during the break. The halls reopen on Sunday, Mar. 23 at 12 noon

Februarys Survey Question

We asked “What would you be most likely to contact the university about?” Thank you for your responses – it is very helpful when designing a newsletter to have information about what you are interested in reading about.  Here are some of the top things you said you might contact the university about and some resources for you:

• Finances - we’d like to point out the FINANCIAL AID WEBSITE for information on forms and deadlines and the JOB OPPOTUNITES for students on and off campus.
• Depression, alcohol, and wellness issues – COUNSELING SERVICES has a wealth of information on their web site including a free SELF ASSESMENT INVETORY, a DEPRESSION INVENTORY, and COLLLEGE ALCOHOL USE INVENTORY.  Your student (or anyone) can use these online tools to help determine if their concerns need additional attention.
• Course Information – several of you mentioned class availability and questions about whether a student is taking the right classes.  A student’s best resource for answering these questions is their academic advisor.  The advising web site also has a wonderful online HELP resource to answer questions.  Students considering changing majors can also complete a WHAT IF DEGREE AUDIT to determine how the classes they have already taken fit into a potential plan.
• Study Abroad opportunities - the STUDY ABROAD web site lists all of the steps to take, deadlines, prerequisites, which programs have language requirements, how financial aid applies, and much more.

It is important that you know the responses to the monthly survey are anonymous and sometimes we get specific comments that we’d like to respond to but cannot.  If you ever have a specific comment or question you’d like addressed please let us know via email at family@uwec.edu or give us a call at 715-836-5110 and we’ll be happy to work with you to find answers or direct concerns.

Mid-Semester Grades

Students with freshman classification will get mid-semester grades emailed to them on Mar. 31. Students can also go to MyBlugold. A student should enter a username and password to login. Then select the My Info tab, choose Grades, Midterm/Final. 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.

Names in the News

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UW-Eau Claire's News Bureau shares information about student accomplishments with newspapers that serve students' hometowns. Examples of news sent to hometown newspapers include: dean's or academic distinction lists; commencement; scholarships; honor society inductions; musical or theater performances; and distinction in forensics competitions and other activities.

The following are questions we often hear from families regarding information shared with hometown newspapers:

1. Where do you send student news? During their first semester, student's hometown and hometown ZIP code is based on the student's permanent address provided to the Registrar's Office. The News Bureau uses that information to determine where information should be sent.
2. How can students change their hometown listing? At the beginning of each semester, the Registrar's Office sends a notice via e-mail to all current students requesting verification of information – including updates to hometown news. PLEASE NOTE: Only students can change their record since it is part of their confidential information. To request a hometown change, students are instructed to contact the News Bureau.
3. When is information sent to newspapers? The News Bureau typically sends information within days after it's provided to the office. But it sometimes takes time for the News Bureau to receive information. For example, dean's and academic distinction lists aren't available for several weeks after the semester ends because final grades must be calculated.
4. What if nothing appears in the newspaper? Contact your hometown newspaper. Sometimes newspapers misplace information, don't use it or forget. The News Bureau will follow up with newspapers and send information again if necessary.
5. Must newspapers print the information? Newspapers decide what they will print. Many newspapers publish news about students from their area, particularly commencement and dean's and academic distinction information. But we cannot dictate if, when or how they print what we provide.
6. What if students don't want information released? Students must contact the Registrar's Office at 715-836-4524 to request a form, which they must file to place restrictions on their information. If restrictions are in place, information will not be sent to newspapers. PLEASE NOTE: Only students can change the restriction since it is part of their confidential information.

More questions? Contact the News Bureau at 715-836-4741 or newsbur@uwec.edu

Little Sibs Weekend

The Housing and Residence Life Office of UW-Eau Claire proudly offers Little Sibs’ Weekend 2008, April 18 - 20. Little Sibs’ Weekend gives 5 to 15 year-old brothers and sisters (or nieces, nephews, cousins, neighbors, etc.) of UW-Eau Claire residence hall students the opportunity to experience a little bit of “college life.” Little Sibs’ Weekend activities cover a variety of ages and provide enjoyment for the entire weekend. Comfortable, student-chaperoned coach buses are available for transportation to and from Green Bay/Wausau, WI, and Milwaukee/Madison, WI.

Registration packets will be sent to the student’s permanent addresses shortly, with more information. Housing also offers the opportunity for UW-Eau Claire students to ride the coach buses to Green Bay/Wausau, WI, and Milwaukee/Madison, WI for this weekend. If your Blugold is looking for a ride home this weekend, encourage them to stop by the Think Tank in Towers 137 to sign up for the bus. Parents can contact Maigan Wipfli, Student Programs Coordinator of Housing & Residence Life, at 836-4438 or wipflim@uwec.edu for more information. Cost is yet to be determined.

What's Happening on Campus?

The Artists Series presents excellence in the performing arts, which uplifts the spirit and enlivens the mind. On Thursday, March 27th in Zorn Arena at 7:30 pm. An artist of the highest caliber, Nnenna Freelon will present an Artists Series concert backed by our award-winning Jazz Ensemble I. This concert will kick off UW-Eau Claire’s 41st annual Jazz Festival, one of the oldest and largest festivals in the nation.

Since 1942 The Forum lecture series has presented many of the world's greatest minds and imaginations. Believed to be the oldest such continuous program in the United States, The Forum informs, enlightens and inspires through the spoken word. On Monday, March 10th in Schofield Auditorium at 7:30, the Forum welcomes Ingrid Mattson. An elegant and gracious speaker, Ingrid Mattson is deeply committed to fostering understanding between religions. She is professor of Islamic studies and director of Islamic chaplaincy at the Macdonald Center for Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations at Hartford Seminary in Hartford, Connecticut.

Tickets for The Forum and Artists Series can be purchased at the Service Center located in Davies Center. Please call 715-836-3727 for more information

The UAC (University Activities Commission) Presents - RAINING JANE

- The Los Angeles-based independent, eclectic rock-folk band will perform in concert at UWEC Tuesday, March 11. doors will open at 7 p.m. in Schofield Auditorium. The music of Raining Jane finds its roots in rock and folk, with songs further shaped by funk, hip-hop and world music influences. All four members contribute to songwriting and crafting and all four are well versed in multiple musical instruments.

The Foster Art Gallery presents New Orleans Artists in Exile - The loss from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita was devastating. Countless artists lost their homes and studios. Jonathan Ferrara Gallery's traveling exhibition of work by displaced New Orleans artists., 1 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., Foster Gallery, Haas Fine Arts Center.

41st Annual Jazz Fest

41st Annual UW-Eau Claire Jazz Festival
March 27-30, 2008

The Jazz Festival at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire is one of the oldest and largest festivals in the nation offering outstanding performances by professional musicians and college and high school bands. Featured artist include; Nnenna Freelon, Benny Golson, Dave Weckl, and Chris Brubeck.

For more information on the Annual UW-Eau Claire Jazz Festival and the Jazz Studies Area at UW-Eau Claire please go to http://www.uwec.edu/mus-the/JazzFestival/index.htm.