The Convocation: An E-Newsletter for Parents and Families
Archived: February 2007
Archived: October 2006
Archived: August 2006
The Convocation
February 2007
In this issue:
From the Laptop of JoAnn Schrass...Important Policy Implementation or Bureaucratic Detail?
Conversation Starters from the Parents' Academic Brochure
Policy of the Quarter: Repeats
Parent Book Club: My Freshman Year: What a Professor Learned by Becoming a Student
Lori Plants: Discussion Forum Leader
A Day in the Life of...Courtney Rice
Advice For Parents, From Parents
Spotlight On: Dr. Janet Asper, professor and advisor
Dr. Yoshimura's Talk Available as a Webcast
FRom the Laptop of JoAnn Schrass…Important Policy Implementation or Bureaucratic Detail?
What is it called when a dean in Academic Services won’t approve adding a class two weeks late? Are we implementing an important policy by not allowing a student to enter an established class two weeks late or is this a bureaucratic detail that prevents students from making progress towards graduation? My institutional point of view sees this as detrimental to the individual student as well as disruptive to all the other students who have been attending the class for two weeks. The student may see it as a bureaucratic detail that we should approve and let them deal with making up the work they missed. Enrollment is one of the most basic ingredients of college.
How about allowing a student to forego one of the General Education goals because she signed up for a class she “thought” met the goal in the last semester of her senior year? Are we being kind and sensitive to the student or unfair to the other 900 graduates? Are we diluting the value of all degrees conferred at UMW?
In Academic Services we have the delicate job of trying to work with individual students when they want an exception to our stated policies. Each student has unique reasons for needing to forge a slightly different path from the established one to graduation. Sometimes we can find a detour that meets their needs and keeps them inside the university rules. Other times we weigh the effects on all of the other students who are managing to stay within the guidelines and cannot approve an exception to our policies. Students and their parents sometimes complain about bureaucratic (nonsensical) details while we see these as important policies that must be uniformly and fairly implemented. We will make exceptions when the individual circumstances are unanticipated, unique, or are an emergency such that we are not making arbitrary or capricious decisions. This is why we require all students to provide verifiable documentation to support requests for exceptions. Often the deans consult one another for insight. We ask: Who will we hurt if we allow Suzie Q to withdraw two weeks after the deadline from a class that she is failing? Answer: 1. Suzie. She learns that she can quit rather than make an all out effort to succeed. 2. All of the other students who aren’t doing well in classes and wish to protect their GPA. OK, but what if John M. broke his leg and cannot complete his soccer class? This is certainly a different scenario and we would certainly approve this late withdrawal. What would we do if a student asks for an incomplete grade in a class because she slept through a final exam on the Thursday of exam week and has a ride home on Thursday afternoon? We would help her reschedule the exam for Friday as well as help her find another way to get home.
Students are our priority, not books of rules. We want to help every UMW student. If your child is experiencing difficulty meeting their academic commitments, they have several avenues to take for assistance. Instructors are the first resource for help with a specific class. Academic advisors are able to discuss specific courses as well as more general, overall issues. Both instructors and advisors have posted office hours and your student can just drop in and have a discussion. Students are also able to make an appointment to meet with one of the deans in Academic Services so that we can assist them. If your child calls you with an academic concern, encourage them to meet with the instructor, their advisor or Academic Services so that the matter can be addressed while many options remain open. The later in the semester, the more difficult it is to find an easy, equitable solution.
Tutoring Services
It seems that midterms and spring break are just around the corner, though I don’t know how that happened! As your student starts to think about the academic challenges of exams, homework, and other assignments, don’t hesitate to direct him to Tutoring Services. It’s sometimes difficult for a student to ask for help, feeling that it’s an admittance of defeat or a blow to the pride. That’s not at all what tutoring is about! It’s a service available to those who need to brush up on material learned a year or two ago, those who missed a concept in class and need to become familiar with it before the class moves on, and for those who are struggling with new concepts or with courses in areas that have never been in their field of expertise.
Our tutors are students who have taken the courses for which they tutor at UMW and received a grade of B or better. This means that they’re familiar with the course content, the textbook, and the professors’ teaching styles. Tutors must also have a UMW GPA of 3.0 or better, and must come highly recommended from faculty who have taught them. They must also interview with me. The tutors are people who have a great interest in their subject. They have often gone above and beyond the UMW curriculum requirements for the subject, such as studying abroad in Germany or conducting internships in Business. They also have a true desire to assist fellow students.
Appointment tutoring can be arranged by filling out an online request form. These sessions are scheduled on Sunday and Wednesday evenings from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. We do offer walk-in tutoring in Math. No appointment is necessary, a student can meet with a tutor any time between 4:00 and 6:00 pm on Monday afternoons, and between 5:00 and 7:00 pm on Thursday afternoons.
For those students who can’t make tutoring times, or may be working on homework late at night or away from campus, we have online tutorials. Perhaps a student has taken his Biology homework home for the weekend and comes across a topic that he needs help with. We have a link to Biology tips and websites that offer lessons, exercises, and quizzes to help the student learn. All of the tips and websites on our page are provided by, or recommended by, UMW faculty.
For more information about submitting a request for a tutor, when the request must be submitted, the location of walk-in tutoring, the courses in which we offer tutoring, and our online tutorials, please see http://www.umw.edu/cas/acservices/services/tutoring/default.php.
Conversation Starters from the Parents’ Academic Brochure
We have spoken with our student and confirmed that s/he attended his/her fifth meeting with the Freshman Advisor. We have asked if s/he has made any revisions to his/her Degree Plan and/or looked further into a prospective major(s) following the meeting. We have also asked if s/he has made an appointment to have his/her proposed schedule reviewed by the advisor so that s/he may register.
We have spoken with our student and confirmed that s/he attended his/her sixth meeting with the Freshman Advisor. We have asked if s/he feels prepared for finals and if s/he will have 28 credits at the end of this semester. We have encouraged him/her to discuss his/her choice of major(s) with us.
We have reviewed the Academic Planning Guide with our student, have discussed possible majors, and have encouraged him/her to plan and discuss the General Education and prospective major requirements with his/her Academic Advisor.
We have discussed the general registration process with our student and have made sure that s/he is aware of the current year’s dates and deadlines. If s/he is confused about any part of the registration process, we have encouraged him/her to contact the Registrar’s Office, Academic Services, or the Freshman Academic Advisor as appropriate.
We have discussed the topic of grades with our student and made sure that s/he understands the importance of mid-term evaluations, final examination times, and how final grades are received. We have reminded our student that if s/he wishes to have the University send us a copy of final grades, s/he will need to fill out the Release Form in the Registrar’s Office.
Important Dates
| Spring Break begins at 5:00 pm | March 2 |
| UMW closed | March 5 |
| Classes resume | March 11 |
| Advising period | March 12-23 |
| Summer session registration begins | March 12 |
| Individual courses cannot be withdrawn from after this date | March 16 |
| Registration (click here for appointment times, updating soon) | March 26-April 6 |
| Classes end, last day to withdraw from university | April 27 |
| Final exams | April 30-May 4 |
| Residence halls close | May 5 |
| Commencement | May 12 |
| Residence halls close for seniors | May 13 |
Policy of the Quarter: Repeats
Summer session registration begins at UMW next month. This prompts students to think about their summer plans, which may include taking courses at another institution. While any student considering enrolling in non-UMW courses should talk to the Registrar’s Office about transferring credit back, this course of action can also have another effect on a student’s GPA.
When a student earns a grade of C- or less in a course, she has the option of repeating that course. There are some rules to keep in mind however. If a student repeats a course at another institution, it will not improve her GPA. She will receive the hours she transfers back to UMW, but the original credits attempted will still be used to calculate her GPA. For example, if she failed the course at UMW, a zero is being used in the GPA calculation, regardless of what grade she achieved elsewhere. Therefore, it is best to repeat courses at UMW to affect the GPA.
A student has seven opportunities to repeat a course during her career at UMW. Two repeats are allowed per semester and one repeat is allowed during an entire summer (NOT one per individual summer term). A course may not be repeated more than once. If a course is failed twice, it is considered a permanent failure. A repeated course should always be taken as graded credit, rather than pass/fail. This is due to the fact that no grade is issued in a pass/fail course to offset the first unsatisfactory grade.
While the first grade will remain on the student’s transcript, the new grade is the one used to calculate GPA. It is best to repeat lowest grades first; changing an F to a B has a greater impact on GPA than changing a C- to a B, for example.
Parent Book Club Book: My Freshman Year: What a Professor Learned by Becoming a Student
Our next book for the Parent Book Club is both a fun read and an interesting one! The author of My Freshman Year: What a Professor Learned by Becoming a Student decided that she needed to reconnect with what the life of a college freshman is like. She didn’t understand why her students weren’t participating in class, why they wouldn’t do the readings, and why they wouldn’t come to her for help during her office hours. She decided that in order to fully understand the student experience, she would need to become a student. Hiding her identity as a professor, and to a certain extent that she was doing any sort of research, she registered at her own institution as a college freshman and participated in student life in every way possible – from living in the residence hall to eating in the cafeteria to attending orientation! The book discusses what she learned about what it means to be a college student in the 21st century. The findings are interesting and pertinent to those who work at colleges and those who have students going through this experience.
The bibliographical reference follows:
Nathan, R. (2005). My freshman year: What a professor learned by becoming a student. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.
Our moderator, Lori Plants, will be online to discuss the book on Thursday, April 12, 2007 at 7:00 pm EST.
Lori Plants: Discussion Forum Leader
On April 12 at 7:00 pm EST Lori Plants, Assistant Director of Residence Life at the University of Mary Washington, will be available on the discussion forum to talk about My Freshman Year: What a Professor Learned by Becoming a Student. Lori received her Bachelor of Science in Education from Slippery Rock University in 2001. She specialized in Social Studies at the secondary level. She received her Master of Arts degree in Student Personnel from Slippery Rock University in 2004. She is now in her third year as Assistant Director of Residence Life and oversees two upperclass and two freshman residence halls while also coordinating the GOLD I and GOLD II programs. GOLD I is a freshman residential leadership program while GOLD II is a similar program for sophomores. Lori is an avid Pittsburgh Steelers fan and will be joining us five days before her birthday.
A Day in the Life of…Courtney Rice
In keeping with our theme of learning more about what it means to be a college student in 2007, Courtney Rice agreed to give us a glimpse into what comprises a typical day for her. Courtney is a senior International Affairs major from Havertown, Pennsylvania.
Monday, February 12, 2007
Morning
- 8:30-10 am: work at Academic Services
I head over to George Washington Hall with my coffee to help with filing, copying, answering phones, or other office tasks. I do some work and then have free time, so I manage to finish reading for my 11 am class.
-10-11 am: Eagles Nest
I spend about an hour at the Eagles Nest reading The New York Times and skimming The Washington Post before class. I also run into a few people I know- chatting/catching up for a few minutes.
-11am -12 pm: Political Geography- Monroe Hall
A required class for my International Affairs major- with Professor Paterson
Afternoon
-12-1 pm: Seacobeck – Dining Hall
Meet up with friends to eat lunch.
- 1-2 pm: Free
I have an hour before my next class, so I check my mail, call my Mom, stop in a computer lab to check my e-mail, and review notes/readings for my 2 pm class in Monroe Hall. I end up seeing my Latin American Politics professor from last semester- we talk and I bounce a few ideas off him for an upcoming paper in my International Relations Theories class.
- 2-3 pm: Theories of International Relations- Monroe Hall
Another required class for my IA major- with Professor Davidson.
- 3-4 pm: Gym
An hour at Goolrick.
-5-6 pm: Meeting
I attend the weekly meeting for Circle K International- a community service group.
Evening
- 6-8 pm: Dinner
Since it is my turn to cook for the apartment (the four of us take turns cooking every Monday night), I realize that I need to run to Giant to buy a few things- then come back and cook dinner. We all eat together.
- 8- 11 pm: Homework, call my sister at the College of Charleston, write e-mails to my sister in Iraq, do reading and assignments for the next day, hang out in my apartment.
- 11:45 pm: Bed- it was a long Monday
Advice for Parents, From Parents
Talk honestly about alcohol. Have realistic expectations. Make sure your student knows how to be safe.
-Kenny and Sherri Allwine
Spotlight On: Dr. Janet Asper, professor and advisor
Dr. Asper loved college when she was an undergraduate. She was the first member of her family to attend and paid her tuition by working during the school year, adding a second job during the holiday breaks. And her hard work paid off. She describes her education as “phenomenal”, even “Ivy League quality from a state university”. It’s this love of learning, and being no stranger to hard work, that makes her an integral component of the UMW community.
Dr. Asper graduated from Ohio University in 1994 with BS degrees in Biochemistry and Biology. She received her PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh in 2001. She joined the faculty of UMW in 2005 and teaches General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and will add Experimental Methods to that list next year. She’s also a freshman advisor. Dr. Asper says that she enjoys move-in day and the beginning of school more than New Year’s Eve because it signifies a new start for everyone on campus. She loves seeing the excitement on the faces of the parents and students, even as they go through this overwhelming transition. It’s this sense of excitement, and the feeling that she’s able to help students figure out how to be successful, that made her decide to be an advisor.
When she works with students Dr. Asper most enjoys the “ah-ha moment”, both in the classroom and in advising sessions, whether this means a student is finally understanding a chemical problem or has realized what he wants to major in (or doesn’t want to major in). It is this experience that leads her to say to parents, “Trust your students enough to let them make their own decisions, especially about their majors”. She has recently worked with four students who have realized that either Chemistry or pre-med is not for them anymore, and she says “That’s OK”. Dr. Asper herself was once pre-med and remembers how long it took her father to accept the change.
On top of her advising and teaching load, Dr. Asper is also conducting research. She is currently supervising two undergraduate students as they develop new reactions that take place on the surface of sand and other solid catalysts. This research may have applications in the pharmaceuticals field and also may lead to more environmentally friendly chemical reactions. This student involvement is made possible by two undergraduate research grants that were awarded to Dr. Asper, along with a professional development grant, by the University of Mary Washington. Dr. Asper talks about the experience this is providing her students in the process of conducting research and how she hopes that the opportunities available through the undergraduate research program will continue to be enhanced in the future. She herself still collaborates with her undergraduate research coordinator and knows that a good experience can have long-lasting benefits.
Got a Question?
Students aren’t the only ones who may find college confusing. The Chronicle of Higher Education ran an article within the last year about the conflicting messages that the judicial system has been sending in their rulings about the type of responsibility colleges have to their students and their students’ parents. (See http://chronicle.com/weekly/v52/i17/17b01601.htm if you’re interested in reading more.) Should colleges act as a substitute parent? Or should colleges be treating students as adults, with all the rights and responsibilities adulthood entails?
In such an environment we know that questions probably arise that parents aren’t sure how to address. We are in the process of creating a question form on our For Parent’s page. The form will allow you to send us your question or concern at any point when you have the time. You can fill it out at home or work, during the day or late in the evening. Once you submit the form, it will come to Dr. Hoffmann, who is the Parent Liaison for Academic Services.
There will be a brief paragraph above the form, explaining our limitations. Essentially the law that we work under restricts us from sharing any personal details, unless a student has filled out a Release of Information form specifying exactly who we may speak with. However, we will certainly do our best to address your question in the most informative way allowable. If the question involves an issue not handled by our office, we’ll direct you to people who can help. Don’t hesitate to ask!
Parent Resources
As Parent Liaison, I’ve been working to collect resources that may be helpful for parents. I haven’t reviewed all of the items listed below, but I have gathered them all with the intent to review them because they came well recommended or seemed to be relevant to parents today. I’ll add more to the parent blog as I read them!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCC-omSwQ_Q&NR - Yes, this is on YouTube, but it’s actually a clip from a news program, discussing the phenomenom of “helicopter parents”; what that means and how it affects students and colleges.
http://chronicle.com/weekly/v52/i17/17b01601.htm - Mentioned in the article “Got a Question?” in this newsletter, this link is to an article about the judicial issues surrounding colleges and universities and how they can cause confusion and sometimes frustration.
Letting Go: A Parent’s Guide to Understanding the College Years, by Karen Coburn and Madge Treeger – This book was read by the Parents Book Club in the fall of 2006. Feedback has been very positive in terms of its pertinence and ability to hit home. You can view Dr. Yoshimura’s Family Weekend talk on this book here.
You’re on Your Own (But I’m Here if You Need Me), by Marjorie Savage – This book is on my pile of books to read. The author is the director of the University Parent Program at the University of Minnesota and has become an expert in the area of parent/student relations, and also on making the transition from student as child, to student as independent person.
My Freshman Year: What a Professor Learned by Becoming a Student, by Rebekah Nathan – This is our Parent Book Club book for discussion in April. The author is a university professor who felt out of touch with her students and so decided to return to college, undercover, as a freshman to learn about their lives. It’s a good reminder that even if we feel we have a handle on what “college” is, it’s different for those who are living it.
The Small Room, by May Sarton – We’re reading this as part of the Parents Book Club for discussion in July. This is a work of fiction – some lighter reading for the summer! – and examines the relationship between students and faculty, the pressures students face, and how to support students without taking over their lives.
FERPA and Parents, by Clifford Ramirez for College Parents of America – College Parents of America is a national organization comprised of parents of college students. They are an advocacy group for parents in legislative issues. This article explains FERPA, the regulations that limit the information a college or university can share with anyone besides the student.
Some Parents Add Themselves to College Packing List, by Beth Quimby for MaineToday.com – An article about the changing role of parents, from people who once dropped students off and left, to the helicopter phenomenom of today.
Psychosocial, Cognitive, and Typological Perspectives on Student Development by Nancy Evans, in Student Services: A Handbook for the Profession, 4th ed., by Susan Komives and Dudley Woodard Jr. – This chapter was the Parent Book Club’s reading for discussion in December, 2006. The book itself is a well-respected text book used in graduate programs. The chapter discusses various student development theories.
Dr. Yoshimura’s Talk Available as a Webcast
Dr. Christina Yoshimura kicked off the Parents Book Club for us in October, 2006 by giving a talk on the book Letting Go: A Parent’s Guide to Understanding the College Years, at Family Weekend. Dr. Yoshimura currently teaches at the University of Montana and specializes in the field of family communications. She reviewed not only the book, but applied communication theory to prepare parents for what they may experience with their students, and shared research she has conducted on the frequency and ways in which students prefer to be contacted by parents. We videotaped her presentation and it can now be viewed in its entirety on the parent blog.
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