May 2007
The monthly e-newsletter for members of the UNCG Parent/Family Association
This is the last edition of Family Connections for this academic year. Good luck on exams to all our students; enjoy a wonderful summer!



The tragic events at Virginia Tech last month have united the nation and all college campuses in mourning for the loss of life and sympathy for those who were left behind.

Last month, students, faculty, staff and Greensboro Community members joined together at the Elliott University Center for a service of remembrance sponsored by UNCG's Associated Campus Ministries. A candle was lit in memory of each person who died and readings from a spectrum of world belief systems were shared. The Counseling Center also offered opportunities for students who wanted to process their feelings related to the tragedy.

As parents and family members of current college students, you may have many emotions, questions, and concerns about the shootings on the campus of Virginia Tech. Listed below are various resources to assist you as you communicate with your student in response to the tragedy:

Stress Management Tips for Parents of College Students in the Aftermath of the Virginia Tech Shootings:
http://www.apahelpcenter.org/articles/article.php?id=153.

Tips for College and University Students: Managing Your Distress in the Aftermath of the Virginia Tech Shootings:
http://www.apahelpcenter.org/articles/article.php?id=151.

Virginia Tech Tragedy: Tips for Educators, Students and Parents:
http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/go/coping-virginia-tech.

How to Talk to Your Children About Violence:
http://www.hr.vt.edu/downloads/resources/talkingtochildren.pdf.

After the Shooting: What Parents Can Do:
http://www.hr.vt.edu/downloads/resources/ParentVTechBrochure.pdf.

The UNC System schools are reviewing safety policies and reinforcing current plans and efforts to ensure student safety. UNCG has safety plans in place through multiple resources on campus including UNCG Police, Student Affairs, Housing and Residence Life, and Student Health. You may wish to browse our website for more information on campus safety. The UNCG Police webpage also posts safety updates and provides an anonymous tip line for students who may have information related to any suspicious activity they may observe: http://police.uncg.edu/.



Don't forget! Beginning in the Fall 2007 semester, all UNCG students in degree-seeking programs who are taking 6 or more credit hours must be able to demonstrate proof of health insurance to avoid a required health insurance fee being charged to their account. Students already covered by their own or their family's plan will simply verify the policy through a secure online system by providing a current valid health insurance policy number. Students will receive information about this process when they complete online registration for the Fall 2007 semester. For those without health insurance, UNCG has negotiated an illness and injury plan with Pearce and Pearce. While this plan is an option, students are free to purchase any verifiable health insurance plan of their choice. The UNCG-endorsed plan will cost $730 per year (August 1, 2007 - July 31, 2008). The insurance premium charge of $365 per semester will appear on the student's bill along with tuition and fees; summer coverage is included in the spring term charge. For more information on the Student Health Insurance Requirement, please visit: http://studenthealth.uncg.edu/insurance.

Special thanks to Jeanne R. Irwin-Olson, Assistant Director for Wellness Programs, Student Health Services, for contributing information to this article.




Betty Ray McCain, former North Carolina Secretary of Cultural Resources, will speak at the May 11 Commencement Exercises. McCain was appointed Cultural Resources Secretary in 1993 by Governor Jim Hunt and held the position until 2001. In addition to several honorary degrees, McCain holds an undergraduate degree from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a graduate degree in music from Columbia. Among McCain's numerous accomplishments and posts, she has served as a former member of the UNC Board of Governors, the UNC Chapel Hill Board of Trustees, and as a former chairman of the NC Democratic Party. For more information on McCain and a link to Commencement Central, UNCG's graduation information website, please visit:

http://www.uncg.edu/ure/news/stories/2007/April/SpeakerMcCain0403097.htm.




Is your student heading home for the summer? You may be apprehensive about how your relationship may have changed over the course of the school year… and if these changes will affect life at your home this summer. Try to keep the focus on compromise and communication. For insights into what may be going through your student's head as he or she returns home, please refer to: http://www.ecampustours.com/campuslife/livingonandoffcampus/goinghomeforthesummer.htm.
(Although students represent the intended audience, this article provides valuable information for parents and family members as they prepare for their students to return home.)




Parking Permit purchases for the 2007-2008 school year began May 1 and will run through July 15. Students have the option of renewing their current permit or opting to purchase a different permit. Students have various options for parking on campus, including deck parking, commuter permits, on-campus resident permits, park and ride, and motorcycle permits. Prices for permits vary, depending on which type of permit students choose. For more information on the types and pricing of permits, please visit: http://parking.uncg.edu/permitpricing_students.html .




Just a reminder, if you need to cancel your student's Fall 2007 Housing application for any reason, it must be cancelled by August 1 to avoid any penalty and to receive a refund on the $150.00 prepayment. If applications are cancelled after August 1, a $500.00 contract liquidation fee will be billed to your student's account. To access the application cancellation form, please visit:
http://hrl.uncg.edu/apps/cancellation/cancel_application.html.
If you have further questions, please contact the Office of Housing & Residence Life at hrl@uncg.edu.




Mark your calendar for Family Weekend 2007: September 28-29. Family Weekend, part of UNCG's Annual FallFest celebration, provides a relaxing opportunity to visit your student and participate in various campus homecoming activities. For more information on Family Weekend, please visit:
http://ori.dept.uncg.edu/families/weekend/index.html .
To learn more about UNCG's FallFest, see: http://www.uncg.edu/ure/fallfest.




We asked and you responded!
Thank you to all family members who sent in the best advice
- they had ever given their students,
- advice that they wished they had given their students, and
- advice that they would give other parents of college students.

Listed below are edited highlights of the responses we received:

• Assume your student will change majors 3 times… don't get wrapped around the axle. Better that they learn their way and are happy with their major than feeling pressured to stay in something they don't want. They'll be OK. After all, how many people do you know who are still employed in what they majored in at college? Only con is that if they wait too long, they might have to graduate later.

• My son graduated in May 2006 from UNCG with a 4.0 GPA and is scheduled to graduate from UNCG's MBA program in May 2007. He told me that the way he maintained his straight-A average was to work extra hard at the beginning of the semester, so that by mid-term he had the highest grades possible. That way, when the end of the term came [with] many papers due and exams looming, he didn't need to scramble to try to bring up his grades. It's so much easier if you only need an 80% on the final exam to maintain your "A" average.

• The best thing we did was to stay in contact with our son. Not to try to tell him what to do, but to be an ear so he could talk through his choices and make his own decisions. He's the one who will have to live with those decisions, so he has to "own" them. We certainly encouraged him to think about this or that, but ultimately he made the choices. Keep the door of communication open - remember your son or daughter is an adult, and you are both embarking on a new phase in your lives.

• My advice to my freshman daughter was: don't be afraid to ask for help. Get to know your professors and your advisor. If you are not sure of something, don't wait until the last minute. Speak up for yourself.

• Before my daughter went to college, she was reluctant to even move 40 miles to live in a dorm. I encouraged her to make "living away from home" a part of her college experience, so she moved into a dorm as a freshman and it became a great experience. Then, she inquired about taking a semester abroad. I not only approved but was really excited for her about that. She ended up in Lyon, France… (and) traveled around France, Italy, Spain, and Switzerland during that semester. After returning to Greensboro, she returned to Europe for summer vacation, and has since moved to France to teach English to French high school students, working for the French government. Talk about a life-changing event/experience!

Thank you again to all families who responded to our request! We hope this information will be helpful to all family members of college students.




The UNCG Baseball Team lost a close game, 9-8, to Wofford on April 22. Although Scott Schneider (pictured at left) hit his first career grand slam in the sixth inning, it wasn't enough to hold off the late rally by Wofford. This season, UNCG is 21-19 overall and 8-7 in the Southern Conference. The Baseball team has several games left this season. Make plans to attend a game with your student and cheer on the Spartans! For a list of remaining games, please visit: http://www.uncgspartans.com/SportSelect.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=5300&KEY=&SPID=2217&SPSID=28599.




Ever wonder why there is so much construction on campus? Check out UNCG's Plan 2003-2008, the blueprint for the direction of the University for the future. The plan includes UNCG's mission, vision for the future, core values, strategic directions, cornerstones, and metrics for measuring the success of the plan. To access the plan, please visit: http://www.uncg.edu/cha/uncg_plan/.







The Weatherspoon Art Museum exhibit, "Figured/Out: Contemporary Art from the Permanent Collection," strives to connect viewers to the idea that art does not have to simply look like something recognizable in real life. Rather, art can be an abstract expression of free form ideas and emotions. This exhibition is free, open to the public, and runs through July 8. For more information about the exhibit and the Weatherspoon Art Museum, please visit: http://www.uncg.edu/the/index.html .





As Assistant Director of Orientation & Family Programs since 2005, I'd like to take a moment to thank the UNCG community including the Parent Family Advisory Council and Parent/Family Association for the opportunity to serve this vibrant, caring, service-oriented Spartan family. It has been a privilege meeting many of you through e-mails, phone calls, SOAR sessions, and Family Weekends. I know that what I have learned here will help me continue to serve families to the best of my ability in my new position in the non-profit sector. Special gratitude goes to the award-winning Office of Orientation & Family Programs and the Division of Student Affairs for an experience that has been enriching and educational, both personally and professionally. All the best to the new Assistant Director, the Spartan Orientation Staff, my dedicated colleagues at UNCG, and especially to you, your family, and your stellar UNCG students.

Thank you for allowing me to be a part of such an outstanding program!
Beth Waterson



We are here to serve you, the parent and family members of UNCG students. If you have suggestions for future articles in Family Connections or any general suggestions, comments, or concerns, please email us at families@uncg.edu . We look forward to hearing from you!


If you have some words of wisdom to pass on to other parents, please send your responses via email to: families@uncg.edu . Thanks!



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