Parent E-mail—October 23, 2009


—Student Health
—Planned IT Outage October 24
—Thanksgiving Break
—Welcome Week "M" Posters
—Parents' Role in Student Success
—Miscellaneous

Despite persistent rainfall, some snowflakes, and chilly weather this week, there are pockets of coziness on campus. The fireplaces in Coffman Union are lit, and students are scoping out study lounges in buildings around campus for their between-classes studying. This is a good time to consider sending your student some cookies, a care package, or a simple card saying you're thinking of her or him. Parents' suggestions for homemade care packages are posted online. Or there's a Trick or Treat care package available from the Gopher Express.

—Student Health
The end of October and early November are traditionally a period of letdown for students as the weather changes and the sun sets earlier. Colds and flu are common when the seasons change, and this year's flu season is more challenging than ever. When your student calls home with a raspy voice to let you know, "Mom? Dad? I'm sick," what they really want to hear is the advice you've always provided: stay in bed, take it easy, drink juices, watch your favorite videos, and keep a box of tissues nearby. They also want to know how soon they'll feel better. Boynton Health Service has an online Self-Care Guide that provides basic information about common health issues among college students. On that page is a link to cold and flu information that helps students determine which of the two they might have.

We would appreciate having parents initiate a discussion with your student about your expectations for his or her use of alcohol. This fall, a number of U of M students have ended up in the hospital or in detox with alcohol poisoning. Among those who have been transported, many are unaware of how much they drank or even what they drank. These students—and others who have not been as severely affected—are behaving in ways they would never consider if they were sober.

Underage students are obtaining alcohol with fake identification or from older students providing alcohol—both methods are illegal and can result in significant fines and legal charges. The consequences of an arrest record include negative effects on a student's future employment, graduate school prospects, and the family's cost of auto insurance. The next couple of weekends are particularly worrisome as Halloween parties ramp up. The University has reminded students about the policies and laws related to drinking and about the dangers of over-consumption, and University staff and police are monitoring behaviors in residence halls, around campus, and in the neighboring community. Students will receive more information about consequences this week, but messages from parents about their expectations are powerful. Research has shown that parent communication can mitigate peer pressure when it comes to drinking and drug use.

—Planned IT Outage October 24
Beginning at 4 a.m., Saturday, October 24, some University e-mail accounts and Web sites will be unavailable due to scheduled maintenance and updates. The One Stop Web functions, University Parent e-mail (parent@umn.edu), and the Parent Web site are among those that will be affected. All services are expected to be back in service by noon, Sunday, October 25. About a third of University e-mails will be affected by this outage; students who will be affected have received an e-mail notifying them. That said, many of us don't take in messages like these until we're actually affected. Information on the outages are online, and will be updated throughout the outage.

If you send a message to parent@umn.edu during the outage, it will not be received until the services are reinstated. Please be patient.

—Thanksgiving Break
The University will be closed for Thanksgiving Break on Thursday, November 26, and Friday, November 27. Residence hall dining centers will not serve meals November 26-29. Meal service resumes with brunch on November 29, 2009.

Classes remain in session all day Wednesday, November 25. Students are responsible for any coursework presented, whether they are in class or not. If students are planning to miss a class, they should talk to the instructor in advance.

For those seeking transportation home for Thanksgiving weekend, a private bus service, GoferBus, operates between Minneapolis, Madison, and Milwaukee on U of M holidays. Check the Web site at www.goferbus.com. Other transportation services are listed at www.parent.umn.edu/transport.html.

Rideshares can be worked out through the new Zimride rideshare community (www.zimride.com/umn). Students register for a Zimride account with a valid U of M e-mail address, then look for rides where they need to go. Students who have cars can find other students headed the same way to split costs and provide some company.

—Welcome Week "M" Posters
First-year students were among the first students to set foot on the new football field during Welcome Week this year. A video of the Class of 2013 joining with the Marching Band to form an M on the field is posted here: www.ofyp.umn.edu/fystudents/welcomeweek/index.html.

Students can purchase a poster of the M at several U of M Copy Centers for $2. They also can order mouse pads and T-shirts featuring the M. Encourage your student to pick up a poster in the Coffman, Carlson School, St. Paul, or West Bank Copy Centers.

—Parents' Role in Student Success
In our recent parent e-mails, we have been discussing the University of Minnesota's Parent/Family Outcomes, which are intended to facilitate discussion about appropriate and successful family involvement during the college years. We believe that parents play a significant role in student success, but parents of college students do not always know what is appropriate involvement at this stage of their student's life. Throughout childhood, a parent's job is to protect and support their child. During the college years, however, the parent's role is generally to empower their young adult. Parents still remain an important part of their student's life. They act as mentors to their student, serving as an adviser and counselor. As a mentor, parents develop deeper respect for their child's individuality and personal responsibility. They promote their student's self-advocacy by encouraging her or him to identify problems and work toward solutions independently.

A common frustration among college parents is that they no longer have open access to their student's academic records. This limitation is based on federal law, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which stipulates that college students control their own academic records. Students certainly can provide their records, including billing information, financial aid, and grades, to their parents, and the University has made it possible to release that information online, but access requires an agreement between the student and the parent. For more information about FERPA, see www.parent.umn.edu/ferpa.html.

Parents should remain appropriately involved in their child's life, particularly regarding the student's health and welfare. We encourage parents to be in regular contact with their child and be alert to signs that the student may be under significant stress, is taking unhealthy risks, or is ill. Parents who suspect their student is in trouble will naturally want to address those concerns with the student. It helps to discuss your observations openly and work with your student to develop a plan to address any problems.

There are times when parents must take back that role of protector. If a student's physical or mental health is endangered, please contact appropriate campus or community authorities. For a list of resources, see: www.osa.umn.edu/resources/stress.html.

The full set of parent outcomes is listed here: www.parent.umn.edu/about.html.

—Miscellaneous
The Walter Library Webcam reveals that a few leaves are turning gold on Northrop Mall, but it's still predominantly green: http://it.umn.edu/dashboard/webcam/.

Every month has multiple designations for special causes or recognitions. October happens to be Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a special cause of the University's Aurora Center for Advocacy and Education (www.umn.edu/aurora/). Students who have experienced sexual assault, an abusive relationship, stalking, or other forms of harassment, assault, or violence will find support at the Aurora Center on the fourth floor of Boynton Health Service.

Please respond to the October Parent Question of the Month on the Parent Web site.

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