Parent E-mail—August 7, 2009


—Parents of Incoming Freshmen
—Seeking Parent Input
—Financial Aid Update
—Financial Literacy
—Gopher Gifts
—Miscellaneous

Even on a rainy morning, the sounds of construction, renovation, and repairs are echoing across campus. The University is getting ready for students to arrive, with first-year students showing up in less than four weeks. Classes begin on September 8. New faculty are settling into their offices and learning about the U; Welcome Week leaders are being trained; and residence hall staff are dreaming up door decorations. We're anxious to see students back on campus, but we're not waiting quietly.

—Parents of Incoming Freshmen
Welcome Week 2009 is right around the corner, and it is time for first-year students to select their events for this required program that takes place September 2-7, 2009. While some events for Welcome Week are pre-assigned, each student has the opportunity to select several of his or her own events to personalize the Welcome Week experience. The Welcome Week Event Selection process is currently underway, and e-mails have been sent to students' university e-mail accounts instructing them to complete the selection process. Students have until August 12 to make their selections. After that date no changes can be made, and students who do not select anything will be automatically assigned to events. Please encourage your student to complete this process as soon as possible.

Once students complete this process they will receive an email confirmation with an attachment that outlines their Welcome Week schedule. Students should read this attachment and bring it with them when they check-in for Welcome Week. For more information on Welcome Week and an overview of the schedule, please visit www.welcomeweek.umn.edu.

—Seeking Parent Input
The University of Minnesota is making a commitment to boosting financial assistance for middle-income families, and the U has recently added a low- and middle-income tuition aid program. As this is being introduced, we are seeking feedback from key audiences on their understanding of this program. We would appreciate parents' responses to a very short (three-question) survey about the program. The data collected through this survey will help us determine the best name for the program and ensure that the messages used to promote the program are simple and clear. Whether you think you qualify for the program or not, please take a moment to respond.

Take the survey.

Any questions about the new program can be directed to the OneStop office at helpingu@umn.edu; phone numbers are 612-624-1111 or 1-800-400-8636 (call between 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday).

—Financial Aid Update
Students receiving financial aid for this year should have recently received an e-mail notice of their award. They need to respond to the e-mail to confirm any funds they wish to receive. Students with questions can contact the OneStop office at helpingu@umn.edu or call 612-624-1111 or 1-800-400-8636 between 8 a.m and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Billings for Fall Semester will not be posted until September 12, with the first payment due October 7. Complete schedule of billing and due dates for the semester.

Bills and other official notices related to student finance are sent to the student. Although parents want—and sometimes need—to see their student's financial records, federal data privacy regulations stipulate that college students are adults and that they control who sees those records. For an explanation of those federal privacy laws, see www.parent.umn.edu/ferpa.html. We also have an online guide for parents describing data privacy restrictions.

Although the records are controlled by the student, the University provides means for students to release that information to their parents. Students can grant access online. Please talk to your student about any information you will need, and arrange for access.

For parents of upperclassmen, if your student previously granted release of information to you, that release remains in effect. Students may, however, withdraw access if they choose to.

—Financial Literacy

This is not rocket science, but recent national research has shown that when parents talk to their children about sound financial practices, college-aged students are more likely to manage their finances responsibly. University of Minnesota research reveals that when our students practice risky money management, have high credit card expenses, or engage in gambling,it's not only their finances that suffer, but also their academics and their health.

The University Parent Program has worked with faculty in the University's Department of Family Social Science to produce an online seminar about college student finances just for parents. The course includes information related to our campus and our students, and it provides talking points for working with your U of M student. It is a lengthy course, but we encourage you to review the material and consider talking with your student about any information that will be helpful as he or she begins a new academic year. You can find the course at http://cehd.umn.edu/fsos/finance.

In addition, the University provides a one-credit class, "Cash or Credit: You Need to Know," for first- and second-year students and for post-secondary students (PSEO). This is an interactive course, taught online, and topics include money management, why people use credit cards, the multiple costs of having a credit card, what happens when credit goes bad, and credit laws and individuals' rights. The course number is FSoS 1301, and information about the course is online. Students who are registered for 13 or more credits will end up taking the course for free because of the University's 13-credit policy.

Juniors and seniors are not eligible for the class, but upperclassmen can take a different, three-credit course, Personal and Family Finance, FSoS 3101. It can be taken as a traditional lecture course or online. The three-credit course covers budgeting and personal finance in addition to credit card and money management. Students can find details about both classes on the OneStop Web site's Course Guide under the heading of Family Social Science.

All students will find information on money management at the One Stop Web site .

—Gopher Gifts
The aunt of an incoming student asked this morning if it's possible to purchase a gift card for her nephew to use at on-campus restaurants. The answer is yes. Parents (or other relatives) can order a gift card for campus restaurants by calling 612-624-0558. And the aunt's question is a reminder to note that students actually make the transition to college much more successfully when they know they have the support of their family—both the immediate family and the extended family. (No, gifts are not necessary, but phone calls, e-mails, and cards from grandparents, siblings, neighbors, and others brighten a student's day and let them know their education matters to the entire family.)

If you want to send a birthday cake, care package, or gift during the year, take note of the University Parent Gopher Gifts page. For a special day, a holiday, a bad day, or a case of the sniffles, items on that page will cheer your student. You can even plan a party by arranging for a Bowling Party at Coffman Memorial Union or the St. Paul Student Center.

As a gift for themselves, parents often ask how to get a copy of this year's Gopher Guide. This calendar/planner/handbook is available through the University Bookstore for $5.95, and it includes information about and contact information for most campus offices. Parents can pick one up at the Bookstore or order online.

—Miscellaneous
The Back-to-School sales have begun. For parents moving their student into an apartment this fall, you might consider adding "fire extinguisher" to your student's shopping list. Six years ago this fall, three University of Minnesota students died in a house fire near campus just a few weeks after school began, and we never want that to happen again. For all parents, and especially for parents of students moving into apartments or houses near campus, please talk to your student about fire precautions, and when you move your student into new accommodations, point out smoke detectors and fire extinguishers—and while you're at it, check for carbon monoxide detectors. Take a tour of the room or rooms and look for potential fire hazards. Ask your student to take a few minutes before going to sleep that first night to think about two escape routes from all areas of the house or apartment. Also, please ask your student to talk with roommates about fire exits and designated meeting places a short distance from the building. Thank you.

Each month we post a parent question on our University Parent Web site and invite you to respond. Please check out this month's question at www.parent.umn.edu.

Most recently, our Question of the Month asked if this year's economy had affected your student's choice of major or career. Sixty percent said their student is still committed to the same career; another 29 percent said their student is staying in the same major but is more anxious about the job market. See the complete results at www.parent.umn.edu/previous.html.

I hope you enjoy the rest of the summer! It's going fast, which means the Minnesota State Fair is coming soon. (Non-Minnesota residents: the State Fair is adjacent to the University's St. Paul campus, and it's simply a big part of our Minnesota culture: www.mnstatefair.org/).

Sincerely,
Marjorie Savage
Parent Program Director
University of Minnesota
www.parent.umn.edu