Supporting Your First Year Student Beth Froeba

Welcome to the UNC Pembroke! We know that the entire family attends college with the student. We know that you will stay connected with your student via cell, Skype, and we want to invite you to become a part of the experience for your student.

If you are a parent, join the listserv! You will get notifications of activities on campus as well as s regarding inclement weather, issues for your student, etc. Also register for S.A.F.E Alert at uncp/administration/departments/office- environmental-health-and-safety/campus-safety to be notified in an emergency. uncp/administration/departments/office- environmental-health-and-safety/campus-safety

Some Ways to Support Your Student Bookmark the link to the academic calendar and other resources. Knowing the dates of importance and places to receive help will ease stress for your student. Encourage them to ask questions.

Freedom is the biggest challenge to the first year student Many of our students report that the hardest part of the adjustment to college is the freedom to choose if and when to go to class and to study. This does not meant they party. Many of our students that do poorly cannot account for how they spent their time.

The Coursework is Tougher Than High School! Encourage them to work harder than high school. Don’t let them get discouraged after the first test. We have resources for them.

Student Support Services Tutoring Supplemental Instruction HAWK Alert Resource Learning Lab Academic Resource Mentors Writing Center Student Involvement and Leadership Community and Civic Engagement Advising Center Library Services DOIT Help Desk

Advisement Your student will declare their major today after the majors fair and will have a faculty or staff advisor assigned to them within the first week of class. Encourage them to make sure that their major is correct in Braveweb in September. They can find it in their student information page. If it is not correct, they can ask their UNV 1000 instructor to show them how to change it.

Advisement (continued) Advisement is a partnership. The student is expected to come prepared for the session and the advisor is expected to be prepared as well. The student is ultimately responsible for course selection so it is imperative that your student knows their catalog requirements and asks questions if they do not understand. We are explaining the basics at NSO and they will learn more in UNV 1000.

FERPA and You The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of We cannot release any data except directory data about your student even to you. There is a process and a form that your student can complete and sign in the Registrar’s office. They must fill it out there in the presence of a UNC Pembroke employee.

Logging in to check grades Please do not ask your student to provide their password so that you may check their grades, financial aid, etc. It is a violation of FERPA and UNCP’s computer use policy. Grades are only updated in Braveweb twice a semester and there is campus break in which your student will be home. Ask them to log in. If you do need access in order to get reminders about billing, pay bills, see how much was credited to the account, your student can set up an authorized user account.

Ways you can help this summer Remind them to complete the speech assessment and alcohol.edu and the haven course. Ask them to explain their schedule to you. Remind them that their schedules will be different from other universities, including other UNC system schools. Talk about their concerns, strengths and weaknesses. Today, one of our deans met with them and discussed taking responsibility and ownership of their education. Work with them to make sure that they know why they are attending college and that they are the ones responsible for their education. Give them the last few “living on their own” skills. Have a discussion about creating a routine that suits them.

Questions If I am unable to answer any questions now, I will be available at the Parent Social this evening. Contact information: Advising Center DF Lowry