The Convocation: An E-Newsletter for Parents and Families
Archived: February 2007
Archived: October 2006
Archived: August 2006
The Convocation
October 2006
In this issue:
From the Laptop of JoAnn Schrass, Associate Dean of Academic Services
Revamped Study Skills Workshops for the 2006-2007 School Year
The Parents’ Academic Brochure
Conversation Starters from the Parents’ Academic Brochure
Policy of the Quarter: Registration
Parent Book Club Book: Chapter 9 in Student Services: A Handbook for the Profession
Christine Porter: Discussion Forum Leader
FINALS!! The Ins and Outs and How to Survive
Advice for Parents, From Parents
Spotlight On: Dr. Daniel Hubbard, professor and advisor
From the Laptop of JoAnn Schrass, Associate Dean of Academic Services
As the trees lose their leaves my thoughts turn to the holidays, the aroma of roasting turkey and baking pies, sparkling lights, and final exams. We are preparing a web site and a podcast for our students to provide them with suggestions about preparing for and taking final exams. Our suggestions include:
- An assessment of each course:
- What is the current grade?
- How solid is the grade?
- How much work remains to be done for the final grade?
- What needs to be done to maintain the current grade vs. to raise the grades
- Exam planning for each course:
- What is the format of the final exam?
- What will be covered on the final exam?
- What portion of the final grade is determined by the final exam?
- When is the final scheduled?
- Use a daily (hourly) planner to plan the final three weeks of the semester.
- Schedule the time and place for each final exam.
- Allot time for writing outstanding papers. Include blocks for each stage of writing from brainstorming to the final draft.
- Study for each course such that you finish the evening prior to the exam.
- Schedule time to eat, sleep, and for recreation.
- Schedule parties AFTER all the final exams are complete
We recommend that students seek help in Academic Services or with their Academic Advisor if they are having difficulty with any of the above. The deans in Academic Services can assist students with time management, tutoring, or unexpected issues that arise during the final few weeks of the semester.
What can parents do? Do not plan any visits or events during the last few weeks of the semester. Be supportive and encourage your student to eat well, sleep regularly, and avoid cramming. Parents, you are welcome to contact us if your child experiences unusual problems that will prevent them from participating in their final exams. Otherwise just be prepared to welcome them home and enjoy the brief holiday before the spring semester starts on January 15, 2007!
Revamped Study Skills Workshops for the 2006-2007 School Year
Time goes quickly when you’re following a college calendar and the beginning of school abruptly gives way to preparation for mid-terms. Students are now working on their first tests and papers of the semester. Whether students are new to college or new to their fresh load of courses, there are challenges that they may need help with. For that reason Academic Services has offered study skills workshops for the past several years. This year however, after a review of assessment data collected from students, we have created new workshops, entitled From Folly to Focus: Studying for Success!
The workshops have been created and are being led by successful UMW peer tutors who are maintaining at least a 3.0 GPA. In partnership with Dean Hoffmann they have been working since last spring to create workshops that they feel will most benefit their fellow students. They have come up with creative ways to present material that has the potential to be a little dry. They have mined resources and created hands-on activities to make the workshops interesting and informative.
Topics include time management, note taking, educational etiquette, working in study groups, reading strategies, test preparation and taking, learning styles, and paper preparation. Each workshop will be offered twice during the semester at times that are synced with the semester calendar. For example, test preparation will be offered in early October, as students get ready for mid-terms.
Students will find these workshops helpful for a variety of reasons. Maybe your student is complaining about the stress and pressure of classes, or has difficulty making it to class or organizing him or herself to get work done. Perhaps the adjustment from a high school grading system to a college grading system is creating worry. Or maybe the amount of homework seems large. Whatever the reason, suggest they try a study skills workshop!
More information about From Folly to Focus: Studying for Success can be found on our web page. Students may sign up to secure a spot, but sign up is not required.
| Date | Time | Topic | Location |
September 19 |
7-8:30 pm |
Time Management |
Chandler 201 |
September 27 |
2-3:30 pm |
Etiquette and Study Groups |
Chandler 201 |
October 8 |
8-9:30 pm |
Note Taking and Reading Strategies |
Chandler 201 |
October 9 |
6-7 pm |
Test Preparation and Taking |
Chandler 201 |
October 12 |
12:30-2 pm |
Etiquette and Study Groups |
Chandler 202 |
October 24 |
7-8:30 pm |
Time Management |
Chandler 304 |
October 25 |
2-3:30 pm |
Learning Styles |
Chandler 203 |
October 30 |
1-2:30 pm |
Paper Preparation |
Chandler 301 |
November 6 |
1-2:30 pm |
Note Taking and Reading Strategies |
Chandler 301 |
November 9 |
12:30-2 pm |
Learning Styles |
Chandler 202 |
November 19 |
8-9:30 pm |
Paper Preparation |
Chandler 201 |
November 27 |
6-7 pm |
Test Preparation and Taking |
Chandler 301 |
The Parents’ Academic Brochure
Every year the Office of Academic Services publishes the Parents’ Academic Brochure. The Brochure is designed to condense the important information parents need to know into an easily readable and understandable resource. Parents first receive this brochure when they accompany their child to Preview. If parents are unable to make it to Preview, the Brochure is available online.
Included in the Brochure is a magnet with important university dates. Parents have called and shared with us how much they appreciate this resource, as they can stick it on their refrigerators and have the information they need at a glance. But aside from important dates, the Brochure includes information on topics such as FERPA, the Freshman Advising Program, academic support services, registration, grades, probation and suspension, and transfer credit to name a few. While information about each one of these topics is available in a variety of university publications and the website, the Brochure includes them all in one place.
Besides the serious policy information, the Brochure also offers ideas and tips on how to maintain open communication with your student and what sorts of questions to ask. The section that describes the Freshman Advising Program includes suggested questions you can ask your student to make sure that he or she is on-track with his or her responsibilities and that also allow you to be a part of the advising experience. The Brochure’s appendices contain questions to ask your student to learn more about his or her academic and social lives, phone numbers to refer to if you have specific questions, and tips to share with your first year student.
Conversation Starters from the Parents’ Academic Brochure
- We have spoken with our student and confirmed that s/he attended his/her second meeting with the Freshman Advisor. We have asked him/her if s/he had any concerns and if s/he now knows how to deal with them. We have also asked if s/he has prepared his/her proposed schedule to be approved by the advisor so that s/he may register.
- We have discussed the administrative offices and resources available on campus with our student and have encouraged him/her to make use of them.
- We have spoken with our student and confirmed that s/he attended his/her third meeting with the Freshman Advisor. We have asked him/her if s/he feels prepared for finals and what s/he discussed with the advisor.
- We have explained to our student that s/he is an adult, and as such has control over his/her personal information. We have explained to him/her that if s/he would like us to be able to speak with anyone at the University of Mary Washington, s/he will have to fill out a Release of Information (ROI) and return it to the Office of Academic Services. We have also explained that if s/he would like to allow us to receive a copy of his/her final grades each semester, s/he will have to fill out a separate Release form and return it to the Office of the Registrar.
- We have spoken with our student and confirmed that s/he attended his/her fourth meeting with the Freshman Advisor. We have asked him/her if s/he would like to share his/her ideas for prospective major(s) and what s/he has in mind for the Degree Plan.
Important Dates
Fall break – October 14-October 17, 2006
Advising Period – October 18-October 27, 2006
Last day to withdraw from a course – October 27, 2006
Spring registration begins – October 30, 2006
Thanksgiving break – November 22-November 26, 2006
Last day to submit request to reschedule exams – December 1, 2006
Last day of classes/last day to withdraw from the university – December 8, 2006
Final exams – December 11-December 15, 2006
Residence halls close for winter break – December 16, 2006
Residence halls reopen – January 14, 2007
Classes begin/drop and add period begins – January 15, 2007
Last day to add courses – January 19, 2007
Major declaration cards due (must have 28 credit hours to declare) – January 25, 2007
Last day to drop courses – February 2, 2007
Last day to change grading option (to or from pass/fail) – February 23, 2007
For more dates, see the Academic Calendar.
Policy of the Quarter: Registration
Registration for the spring semester begins October 30. It seems like school just started but it’s already time to look ahead and make decisions about the upcoming semester. On October 2, freshmen will have a group advising meeting with their advisors to discuss how things are going so far and to begin thinking about courses for the spring. Between that meeting and October 30, each student (including upperclassmen) will have an individual meeting with his or her advisor.
There are several ways in which students can prepare for that meeting. Students should set aside some time to sit down with the University Catalog (available in hard copy and on the web ) and the semester’s course offerings list (available only in electronic format ). The course offering list shows what’s available for that semester, while the catalog offers a description of the courses. Using a scheduler of some sort (there is one available on the Academic Services website), students should choose available courses that have a description that interests them and that also fits into their schedule. Remember not to schedule courses during work, sport, club, practice, or other sorts of commitments! It is advisable to choose a few extra courses that can be inserted into the schedule if the first course choices are taken by the time the students’ registration session arrives.
Another tool that can greatly assist in the choosing of courses is the degree evaluation feature available on Banner, UMW’s registration program. The degree evaluation is personalized to each student and shows him or her all the requirements he or she needs to meet to graduate, which ones are already fulfilled, and which ones are left to go. If a student has declared a major, those requirements will be included. If a student has not declared a major, or wants to see how many requirements his or her courses would fulfill in a different major, he or she can use the “what if” feature. This lets students choose any major at UMW and runs a degree evaluation for them as if they had declared that major. Students can do this as many times as they like with as many majors as they are interested in.
Once the student has a rough schedule that works for him or her, he or she should transfer it to a Course Registration Request Form. This form, and the materials that led to the creation of this form, should all be taken to the individual advising appointment. After the advisor and advisee have discussed the course choices, the requirements the student needs to fulfill, his or her goals for the future, and experiences he or she wants to have while in college among other things, the advisor will give the student a PIN that the student will use to access Banner during his or her assigned time. Access to the system is based on seniority (seniors are first, juniors are second, etc. Registration times are available here.) At this point course selections are not set in stone! The add/drop period will begin in January.
Parent Book Club Book: Chapter 9 in Student Services: A Handbook for the Profession
The next Parent Book Club book will be an excerpt from Student Services: A Handbook for the Profession. The book is actually a text book well known to anyone who has taken graduate courses in higher education or the student services field. It is edited by one of the leaders in the field of student services, Susan Komives.
Don’t let the words “text book” scare you! We will be reading only chapter nine in the book. This chapter is entitled Psychosocial, Cognitive, and Typological Perspectives on Student Development. What it addresses in a very comprehensive manner are the different theories and research regarding student development. Not only does it describe the theories, but it’s a good overview of the different types of development college students are going through. This takes the surprise out of changes you will see in your student and gives you the knowledge to anticipate and work through those changes with your child.
Amazon.com has the following to say about the book:
Since it was first published in 1980, Student Services: A Handbook for the Profession has become a classic reference in the field. In the fourth edition of this important resource the contributors'— a stellar panel of student affairs scholars— examine the changing context of the student experience in higher education, the evolution of the role of student affairs professionals, and the philosophies, ethics, and theories that guide the practice of student affairs work. Comprehensive in scope, this book covers a broad range of relevant topics including the development of student affairs, legal and ethical foundations of student affairs practice, student development, learning and retention theories, organizational theory, dynamics of campus environments, strategic planning and finance, information technology in student affairs, managing human resources, multiculturalism, teaching, counseling and helping skills, assessment and evaluation, and new lessons from research on student outcomes.
Following is the complete bibliographical reference:
Evans, N. J. (2003). Psychosocial, cognitive, and typological perspectives on student development. In Komives, S. R., & Woodard, D. B., Jr. (Eds.), Student services: A handbook for the profession (4th ed.) (pp. 179-202). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Our moderator, Christine Porter, will be on-line to discuss the book December 6, 2006 at 7:00 pm EST.
Christine Porter: Discussion Forum Leader
The on-line discussion for our next book club book, Student Services: A Handbook for the Profession, will be led by Christine Porter, M.A., Director of Residence Life at the University of Mary Washington. Ms. Porter received her B.A. in Political Science from the University of Tampa, in Tampa, Florida in 1986. She says that her “journey as a Student Affairs professional began my first day of classes as a freshman at The University of Tampa. I showed up for my work-study job in the Student Activities Office and was hooked for life!”
Ms. Porter went on to receive her M.A. in College Student Personnel from Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio in 1991. Of her professional life she states “While I have worked with Student Activities, Leadership Development, Admissions, Public Relations, University Advancement, and teaching during my career, Residence Life is my passion. This year I am celebrating my 20th year of working with "dorms".”
Ms. Porter resides in Spotsylvania, Virginia with “my husband, Mike, and our daughter Rachel. We also have two cats and numerous fish. We love to travel, especially to New York and Canada where our relatives live.”
Chris Porter will be available on-line on December 6, 2006 at 7:00 pm EST to lead a discussion about the chapter on student development and to answer any questions you may have. Mark your calendar!
FINALS!! The Ins and Outs and How to Survive
This issue of The Convocation is the last that will be published before finals, so it is wise to take a moment to discuss those exams that lurk at the end of the semester! Finals will be given December 11th through the 15th, 2006. Taking the final exam is considered finishing the course, so not taking the exam would result in failing the course. However, finals can go very smoothly with the right preparation!
Students need to be aware of their final exam schedule. Should a student have more than two final exams in a 24 hour period, he or she has the option to reschedule exams so that he or she has only two in that 24 hour period. These changes must be made by the Friday preceding the last day of class. December 8th is the last day of classes this semester so changes would need to be made by December 1st.
Should a student encounter a serious illness or unexpected emergency that could not be foreseen and planned for prior to exams, there are provisions in place for the student to receive an incomplete. This request must be placed with Academic Services before the exam time. Academic Services will require some sort of official documentation regarding the student’s situation, such as hospital admittance papers, funeral announcements, police reports, a note from a doctor on letterhead, etc. (Please note that travel arrangements and previously purchased transportation tickets that conflict with an exam do not constitute grounds for an incomplete.) Once Academic Services has investigated the situation, and if an incomplete is granted, it is the student’s responsibility to contact the professor to discuss make-up options.
So what else should you know to survive finals? Senior English major Emily Slough recommends beginning to study for finals at least two weeks in advance. Her experience has been that there are too many distractions in the residence halls, so she likes to study in Trinkle Hall or Simpson Library, where she can gather all her materials and focus. It is a good idea for students to prioritize their studying. Plans should be made to allow plenty of study time for difficult classes and less study time for classes they feel more confident in. If such prioritizing and scheduling is difficult for a student, the study skills workshops include discussion of time management.
If your student experiences test anxiety, or is worried about a big final or the first finals in college, the study skills workshops also cover test preparation and taking. Another great resource is the Psychological Services’ website which has links to relaxation exercises and information on dealing with test anxiety.
Emily also recommends buying blue books ahead of time (they sell for 20 cents in the UMW book store) and asking the professor how he or she suggests studying. Emily likes using index cards to keep facts organized or to use as flash cards. Her advice for parents is to expect phone calls from upset students, offer support, and then send care packages full of comfort food!
Advice for Parents, From Parents
"Don’t believe everything your student tells you."
- Kenny and Sherri Allwine
Spotlight On: Dr. Daniel Hubbard, professor and advisor
Dear Parents,
By this point, your children are seasoned veterans, having dealt with snoring roommates, cold showers, mess hall chow, and demanding professors for over a month. You have passed the “crisis” calls dealing with first exams, lost keys, “broken” budgets, and may even have handled the first “dorm flu” or ER run of the season.
Congratulations, you too are survivors!
Now comes the seasonal ritual know as “advising,” where your children must confront “us” face-to-face and one-on-one to discuss their current academic situation, future course selections, and plans of action. This is often a time of great anxiety for them, so what can you do to help?
First, tell them that “advising” comes to us from the French for “that’s my opinion.” (For those of you who are fond of etymology, one can literally discern the ancient Romans peering at us across the centuries, as “ad visare” describes the “view from my side.”) Please emphasize that an opinion is NOT a fact!! They do not have to agree with me, or even with you for that matter. Our job is to honestly describe what we see, given the evidence before us. The decisions must rest with them, where they belong.
Remember that you, too, are advisors as well as parents, and here is where my second point comes in. Unlike you, I can be a reasonably objective observer of your children’s progress. I am not burdened by your memories and love, and the ties that bind me to them are neither as firm, as long, nor as strong as yours. This allows me the freedom to speak bluntly, when necessary. However, I can only do this if your children trust me.
This leads me to the third, and probably most important, point that I can make. I am your children’s advisor and not yours. Yes, I know that your interests are intimately invested in your particular daughter’s or son’s success, but my students must know that my advice is geared to them and not to you. While I am always happy to discuss an advisee’s progress with parents, I will only do so when that advisee is present. My students must be absolutely certain that I will protect their confidences in order for them to open up and express their true selves and their hopes and fears for the future. Ironically, you and I can work best together by being kept apart, at least until that joyful moment when we meet at graduation.
Much like the Mary Washington whose name we bear, we are “in the business” of nurturing the leaders of tomorrow. I cannot thank you enough for your courage and for the confidence you have expressed in the future by allowing your children to join our community. They are what makes this institution a very special place. I often tell people that I see the future every day. I say this, not because I have any special insights or visions, but simply because I work with your children, and they are the best medicine for what ails the world.
Above all things, I hope these brief remarks find you rejoicing in their growth.
Sincerely,
Dan Hubbard
Dan Hubbard is an Assistant Professor of Business Administration. Dr. Hubbard has an A.B. in French from Georgia State University, a B.S. in Applied Physics from Georgia Institute of Technology, an MA in French from Middlebury College, an M.Acct. from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and a Ph.D. in Accounting from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Since 1979, he has been teaching subjects like Accounting, Finance, and French. He has been an advisor since 2000.