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About the University Parent Program
Mission Statement
The University of Minnesota Parent Program provides communication
between the University and parents of our students in order to
support student success, generate goodwill for the University,
and promote an appropriate role for parents within the campus community.
Desired Outcomes for Parent Involvement
The University Parent Program, in collaboration with offices and
departments throughout campus, works with parents to help them
understand the student experience, support student learning, and
empower students to take personal responsibility for their social
and academic choices.
Families contribute to student success by
- Understanding the student experience and knowing about
resources available at the University of Minnesota.
- Be aware of the unique challenges and opportunities facing
today’s
college students, including the academic and non-academic expectations
for students at the college level
- Learn about student support services and understand how students
can access services; encourage student to identify and obtain support
from appropriate resources (see “U Resources” at http://onestop.umn.edu/onestop/)
- Supporting the University’s goals for student learning
and development outcomes (www.osa.umn.edu/outcomes/index.html)
- Challenge student to identify, define, and solve problems independently
- Encourage student to set and achieve personal goals and
make responsible decisions related to academics, career planning,
social interactions,
and community engagement
- Understand and support the University’s commitment to
academic excellence and integrity, ethical behavior, diversity,
and civility
- Empower student to examine personal values; encourage student
to learn about and respect the values and beliefs of others
- Support student as he/she faces conditions of uncertainty and
learns to perform in complex environments and challenging situations
- Allow student to accept consequences of his/her actions and accept
responsibility for personal errors; urge student to examine disappointments
and unexpected experiences in order to assess what caused them,
what can be done about them, and how to avoid them in the future
- Knowing when to step in to help their student and when to empower
their student to take responsibility
- Understand the role parents play as mentors to their student
- Know and understand limitations to access student records, as delineated
by federal requirements outlined in FERPA (www.parent.umn.edu/ferpa.html)
and HIPAA (www.ahc.umn.edu/privacy/hipaa/home.html)
- Promote self-advocacy by allowing student to make decisions independently
- Be alert to signs that student is under significant stress, is
taking unhealthy risks, or is ill; discuss concerns openly with
student and assist student in developing a plan to address the
problem
- If student’s physical or mental health is endangered, contact
appropriate campus or community authorities (www.osa.umn.edu/resources/stress.html)
- Developing an affinity for the University of Minnesota
- Understand that parents are part of the University community
as prime supporters of their students
- Participate in campus events; support and encourage all students
as they learn, perform, lead, or serve through campus and community
activities
- Assist other parents in understanding the student experience
- Promote goodwill on behalf of higher education at the state
and federal level
Methods
The Parent Program provides several communication
methods:
University Parent, a quarterly newsletter, is
mailed to the parents of full-time undergraduates. The newsletter
is mailed to the "home address" that students list on
their University registration information. If you move, or if your
student
changes his or her home address to a campus or apartment address,
the newsletter may not reach you. You may contact us and ask to
be
put on the newsletter mailing list. In addition, we only have one
home address listed for each student; parents with a different
address
from the primary contact also should contact us in order to receive
the newsletter. Send your address to parent@umn.edu;
phone 612-626-9291; or mail your address to Parent Program Office,
University
of Minnesota, 109 Appleby Hall, 128 Pleasant Street S.E., Minneapolis,
MN 55455.
University Parent Web site provides updated information
online. Our News Updates section
changes frequently with links to news stories and Web sites of
particular
interest to parents. Timely Issues offers
seasonal tips related to the time of year. Each month features a
new Question of the Month so
that you can give us feedback on a topic related to the University,
your student, or you, and we regularly search the University of Minnesota
Web sites for links that will help you understand the University
and
support your student through his or her academic career.
Parents E-Mail Alert List delivers the most current
information to you on a regular basis. We send an e-mail message
about
every two weeks with information about pending deadlines, campus
news, and special notices. Sign up by sending your e-mail address
to parent@umn.edu.
To change your e-mail address, please send both your old address
and the new one to parent@umn.edu.
Question/Answer Service is provided by our Parent
Program Director. E-mail your questions or concerns to Marjorie Savage
at parent@umn.edu, call 612-626-9291,
or mail questions to Parent Program, University of Minnesota, 109
Appleby Hall, 128 Pleasant Street., S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455.
Parent Events include parent receptions on Move-In
Day, when students move into the residence halls before fall semester,
and A Place for Parents at Homecoming, our Parent Weekend. Check
the Events section of the Parent
Web site for upcoming parent events.
History of the University Parent
Program
In 1993, then-vice president for the Office for Student Affairs,
Marvalene Hughes, wanted to improve communications between the University
of
Minnesota and parents of undergraduates. She asked Student Affairs
communications staff to develop a parent newsletter, to be mailed
quarterly.
Parents responded favorably to the newsletter, but in focus groups
and on newsletter surveys, they requested more—they wanted
parent events and a contact person on campus. Student Affairs and
University Relations, in response to parent requests, committed
additional time and resources to the program. Today the University
Parent Program is staffed by Marjorie Savage, Parent Program director;
Mary Julie Pierce, assistant to
the Parent Program; with continuing technical and editing support
from University Relations staff.
Parent Program staff
 Marjorie
Savage is Parent Program Director and works in the Office
for Student Affairs. She has a bachelor's degree in sociology
from the University of Michigan and a master's degree in business
communication from the University of St. Thomas.
Carol Bjorklund is the Communication
and Training Program Director in the Office for Student Affairs and
assists with the Parent Program.
She has a bachelor's degree in geography and social studies from
St. Cloud State University and has worked in student affairs for
25 years.
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