Office of
First-Year
Experience
April-May 2017
Inside this Issue:
Finishing Strong 1
Acing Final Exams 2
Summer Housing 2
Sophomore Year Resources 3
Parent Survey 3
Move Out Process 4
End of Semester Checklist 5
At This Time, Your Student 6
Parent Newsletter
It’s a big deal. The first year of college can be a year of tumultuous change,
uncertainty, and anxiety. It can also be a year of unparalleled intellectual, social, and
emotional growth. The noted scholar Vincent Tinto identified three stages of
development that occur during the first year of college. The first stage is separation, in
which students physically and/or emotionally move away from their former
environment. Second, the transition stage is characterized by students feeling torn in
their allegiances between their old environment and their new one. Finally,
incorporation is the stage in which students now feel a full-fledged member of their
new environment. In short, the first year can be a roller coaster ride for both students
and their families.
As this first year of college comes to a close, take time to recognize what you and
your student have accomplished. Ragin’ Cajuns love a good celebration, so now is the
time to take a few moments to reflect and celebrate. Here are some of topics you may
wish to discuss with your students in wrapping up the first year and preparing for the
second:
Let your student know that you recognize the changes that have occurred.
Reinforce that completing the first year is an accomplishment. This can help
remind your student that education is important in your family’s values.
Talk with them about the classes they have taken this year. What were their
favorite courses? What classes gave them trouble? Help them to put this into
the context of the greater issue of their future life’s work. How certain are they
about their choice of major? Changing majors after the first year can often be
done without substantially increasing the length of time they will be in school.
Ask your student how he/she feels about their level of engagement with UL
Lafayette. Have they found students clubs or activities in which they feel comfortable?
Have they discovered student organizations that may help them to develop résumé
building skills and experiences or to network? Have they found a circle of friends? If
not, encourage them to look at the UL Lafayette Get Involved website for a list of
student groups and/or attend activities such as Get on Board Day in the fall.
These and other celebrations and family discussions over the summer months may help
your student to continue to feel connected to UL Lafayette and return for their
sophomore year refreshed and focused.
FINISHING STRONG
1
2
SPRING 2017
ACADEMIC CALENDAR
Apr 26—30: Dead Days
Apr 28: Last Day of Classes
May 1—5: Final Exams
May 12: Spring
Commencement
May 12: Semester Officially
Ends
TIPS FOR PASSING
FINALS
Make a study schedule
and stick to it.
Use mnemonic devices.
Choose study locations
wisely.
Don’t reread the entire
course textbook.
Actually look at class
notes again.
Make sure to get enough
sleep—no all-nighters.
Study socially by
organizing groups.
Don’t assume that you
already know the
material.
ACING FINAL EXAMS
Your student has now been in college for roughly nine months and you probably
feel pretty proud of him or her. However, the academic
calendar is ten months, not nine. A tendency amongst all
college students when returning from spring break is to
“check out” until summer hits. Passing finals is a pretty
important step in making it to summer. One of the top things
you can do to help prepare your student for finals is simply
ask them when their finals are. The last few weeks are filled
with project and paper deadlines, so studying for finals tends to be pushed to the back
burner. Asking them about their finals schedule makes them begin to think about it and
plan out their study schedule. The schedule for final exams can be located on the
University Registrar’s website. Passing finals is one of the most important things your
student will have to do each year. Help us give them the tools they need to succeed!
SUMMER HOUSING
Summer housing will be available in Huger Hall, Legacy Park Apartments, and the
Conference Center for all students. Students do not need to be enrolled in summer
classes to live on campus for the summer as long as your student has applied for
housing for the upcoming academic year. Students will not be considered for a
reservation unless you submit a residence hall application and contract and all housing
debts from any previous semesters/sessions are paid in full. Summer rooms do require
a meal plan.
In addition, due to occupancy expectancy for the summer, no Summer Storage is
available.
3
RESOURCES FOR THE SOPHOMORE YEAR
Many first-year students spend the summer months away from academics, working
summer jobs or relaxing. This is often a necessary break from the rigors of academia.
Come August, encourage your student to reconnect and re-engage right away by
utilizing any of these campus resources.
1) Career Counseling and Career Services:
If your student remains uncertain about his or her major, there are plenty of
resources available to help your student explore and decide.
For those who have made the decision, Career Services can help identify
internships or part-time job opportunities in your student’s field of study.
Networking! This is the year to start attending on-campus career fairs and
networking events.
2) Academic Advising:
Your student can meet with an advisor to ensure that he or she is on track to
graduate on time.
3) Academic Success Center:
The place to go for tutoring or supplemental instruction. For those with strong
GPAs, consider looking here for a position as a tutor.
4) The Office of Student Engagement and Leadership:
Sophomore year is the time to take an active role in leadership and service
opportunities. These kinds of experiences lead to greater satisfaction while in
college and better jobs upon graduation.
PARENT SURVEY
Parents, keep an eye out for a survey headed your way. UL Lafayette’s Office of
First-Year Experience would love to hear your feedback on these monthly Parent
Newsletters. We have enjoyed this year with you and your students and we look
forward to hearing from you.
Click here for the parent survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Q3RHP99.
FALL 2017
TENTATIVE
ACADEMIC CALENDAR
Aug 9: Deadline to pay
tuition/fees
Aug 14: Student classes
dropped for nonpayment of
tuition/fees
Aug 21: Classes begin
Aug 25: Last day for adding
classes
Sept 4: Labor Day Holiday
Oct 4: Last day to drop
class with a grade of W
Oct 5-6: Fall Holiday
Oct 16-27: Advising session
for Spring begins
Nov 23-24: Thanksgiving
Holiday
Dec 1: Last day of classes
Nov 29: Dead days begin
Dec 4-8: Final Exam week
Dec 8: Semester ends
Dec 15: Fall
Commencement
4
Students moving off campus must properly check-out by express check-out or with
the hall staff by filling out pre-scheduled check-out form found in the email sent to
students from the Housing Office on April 19, 2017 (this email subject was “Important
Information concerning check out”). Your student must make plans to properly check-
out after their last final exam. Students may check out any day prior to the deadline,
BUT EVERYONE MUST BE CHECKED OUT BY NOON ON
SUNDAY, MAY 7, 2017. Unscheduled or late-scheduled checkouts will be
“improper” check-out and will result in the forfeiting of the deposit and a $25 per hour
fee will be assessed to your student’s account.
Express Check-Out
Express Check-Out is available to all students living on campus. By choosing
express check-out, students agree to pay all damages, missing furniture, cleaning
charges, etc. and waive the right to dispute any charges under $500. Express Check-
Out is the process by which students are able to deposit their key enclosed within an
express check-out envelope into the express check-out box located near the front desk
of the residence hall. P.O. Box keys may be turned in when turning in their room key;
simply place the key in the envelope and fill out the required sections. An express
check-out envelope can be retrieved from the front desk of their residence hall. Stu-
dents are required to remove all belongings from their rooms (an item removal fee can
be
assessed if items are left at the hall). Students are also required to remove command
strips carefully; any damaged caused by a command strip will result in a $75 repair
charge for each damaged wall. Your student must adequately clean their assigned
room, bathroom, and common area to pass inspection at the time of check out (floors
must be swept, tub and toilets scrubbed, etc.). If these areas do not pass inspection, a
cleaning charge may be placed on their account.
Students must move all of their possessions out of their room and clean all rooms,
bathrooms, and common areas. They must sweep and mop floors and clean their
bathtub, shower, toilet, stove, drip pans, microwave, refrigerator, furniture, counter-
tops, tables, etc. All trash must be taken out and all belongings need to be removed. If
your student does not abide by these rules, cleaning and disposal fees can be assessed
on your student’s account.
RESIDENCE HALL CHECK-OUT
RESOURCES ON
CAMPUS
Office of University
Housing
Buchanan Hall, 2nd Floor
Suite
111 Boucher Street
(337) 482-6471
oncampusliving
@louisiana.edu
UPCOMING
FESTIVAL
Festival International de
Louisiane is one of the
most exciting and fun
festivals around the
Lafayette area. The
Festival is completely
free and includes many
shows from artists all
over the world! In
addition to music, there
are many vendors selling
art, clothes, and other
things. Many Lafayette
restaurants set up booths
to sell their classics and
even some off-the-menu
items. For more
information and the
Festival schedule, click
here.
Just keep in mind,
Festival falls on the week
immediately before Final
Exam week, so make sure
your student prepares!
END OF SCHOOL CHECKLIST
5
RESOURCES ON
CAMPUS
Academic Success
Center
Lee Hall
Rm. 115
(337) 482-6818
asc@louisiana.edu
Writing Center
H.L. Griffin Hall,
Rm. 107-108
(337) 482-6447
Counseling & Testing
Center
Saucier Wellness Center
O.K. Allen Hall
(337) 482-6480
counseling@louisiana.edu
Office of Disability
Services (ODS)
Conference Center,
Rm. 126
(337) 482-5252
ods@louisiana.edu
STEP Computer Labs
on Campus
Student Affairs
Division
Martin Hall
Rm. 211
(337) 482-6266
studentaffairs@louisiana.edu
Make a To-Do list (including due dates) with everything
that needs to be done so you don’t forget to do it.
Study hard for finals.
Finish exams.
Pack up your belongings (clothes, books, furniture, etc.).
Clear out your room.
Clean everything (sweep, mop, and vacuum floors, scrub
bathtub, shower, and toilet, etc.).
Remove command strips from walls carefully.
Dust and clean cabinets, closets, desks, and countertops.
Make an appointment with your RA or get an express
check-out envelope from the front desk.
Make sure your classes are scheduled for next semester.
Return any rented textbooks or checked-out library
books.
Look for summer jobs or internships.
Make sure summer housing is in order (if needed).
Sell textbooks back.
Contact Information
Visit us at our office:
230 Hebrard Blvd.
Lee Hall, Room 106
Monday-Thursday
7:30am-5:00pm
Friday
7:30am-12:30pm
firstyear.louisiana.edu
(337) 482-6599
ofye@louisiana.edu
Follow OFYE on
Social Media
6
YOUR STUDENT THROUGHOUT THE SEMESTER: APRIL & MAY
During the month of April, students begin to feel the pressure and stress of final exams and final projects. At
UL Lafayette, our spring break falls late this year leaving only two short weeks of school when students return.
The first week back includes dead days, while the second week is the Final Exam week. Summer plans, summer
jobs, housing arrangements for Fall, and dealing with course scheduling issues are all things that your student
will be thinking about during the last weeks of school.
As parents, here are a few things that you can do to help them.
1. Remind them to take care of themselves by eating healthy, exercising, drinking plenty of water, and getting
enough sleep.
2. Respect and appreciate who your student has become; they will likely be more independent, self-reliant, and
mature so it is important to appreciate them.
3. If your student will be moving home for the summer months, it is important to communicate your expecta-
tions to them ahead of time. This will allow them to be respectful of your expectations when scheduling va-
cations, social activities, and summer jobs.
4. Encourage your student to manage their time wisely as the summer months go by quicker than expected and
Fall classes begin soon.
Click here to see what freshman go through during each month!