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 - November-December 2017 Inside this Issue: ’                            Upcoming Calendar Dates Dec 1  Dec 4-5   Dec 6   Dec 7-8  Jan 4 Jan 10 1 Parent Newsletter The end of the Fall 2017 semester is upon us and your first-time freshman is probably exhausted at the end of their first semester in college. It is a big adjustment from high school, as well as a lifestyle change. They have endured a long 14 weeks of lectures, quizzes, assignments, presentations, and group projects, and they still have finals. When they return home, they might be quite a different person than who they were just 4 months ago in August. (expect an exhausted student when they arrive home for their extended stay during the winter break). They will need and appreciate sleep, and want to be allowed to just relax for a couple of days. Be sure to inform them of any family plans in advance so that no surprises interrupt their time to unwind. Listen and communicate. One of their critical needs at this point is care and comfort that can only be offered by family. They might be reserved with telling you their stories and their experiences, but it is your responsibility to ask them to share. Be supportive and assuring. As you know, course grades will be submitted after finals week. While some students may be ecstatic to receive their grades, others may not be. Sometimes changing their major may be necessary if your student is unhappy with where they are. Finding their interests is part of the process that each college student goes through, and choosing a major that they are passionate about is one of the keys to future success. ’ University of Louisiana at Lafayette office hours: HOLIDAY CLOSURE: 12:30 pm on Friday, December 15, 2017 RE-OPENS: 7:30 am on Wednesday, January 3, 2018

2 Your student, if at risk, has already received their second Grade Check of the semester. The next grade they receive will be the final grade that will count towards their GPA. With just a few weeks left of the semester, it is still important for your student to be diligent in their studies. Final projects will be due – many of which might make up a large portion of the grade for that class. Final Exams are approaching quickly; they are the last week of the semester. After Thanksgiving break, your student has only a week of classes left before Final Exams. Encourage your student in these last few weeks to plan their time well and seek out assistance from both a tutor and their professors. It is important for your student to spend their time studying. In planning for Final Exams, it is important for your student to remember to eat healthy, exercise, and get sleep. Planning their time will enable your student to achieve a level of healthy stability during a stressful time. Here are twelve tips to help your student get a handle on Final Exams. Also keep in mind that the Academic Success Center offers individual tutoring, study groups, supplemental instruction, and online tutoring to all students, and that the best time to make use of their help is before students realize they need the help. If you have noticed your student is struggling in some area, please encourage him/her to contact the Academic Success Center by phone at 337-482-6818 or by email at asc@louisiana.edu.  SPRING 2018 ACADEMIC CALENDAR Jan 4: Deadline to pay tuition Jan 10: Classes Begin Jan 15: Mar tin Luther King Day (offices closed) Jan 17: Last Day to Add or Drop a Class Feb 12-14: Mar di Gras Break Mar 1: Last Day to Dr op with a “W” Mar 12-23: Academic Advising Period Mar 30-Apr 8: Spr ing Break/Easter Break Apr 9: Class Resumes Apr 25—29: Dead Days Apr 27: Last Day of Classes Apr 30-May 1: Final Exams May 4: Semester Ends Academic Probation occurs when a student’s cumulative grade point average is below a 2.0. A student may attend the University while on academic probation, but with the following stipulation: they must earn a 2.0 semester or better GPA. This means that a student who is placed on probation at the end of the Fall 2017 semester must earn a 2.0 GPA for the Spring 2018 semester. If on academic probation, your student will remain on probation until a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or better is achieved. When your student has earned a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or better, he/she will be placed in academic good standing. If your freshman student is on Academic Probation after this Fall semester, they are required to enroll in the class: ACSK 100, Fundamentals of College Learning. If your student is put on academic probation, they will be contacted by the University through their University email. For more information contact the Academic Success Center, or email asc@louisiana.edu. 

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 Student Support Services DeClouet Hall Rm. 106 (337) 482-6828 specialservices@louisiana.edu STEP Computer Labs on Campus Student Affairs Division Martin Hall Rm. 211 (337) 482-6266 studentaffairs@louisiana.edu 3 The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (sometimes referred to as the Buckley Amendment) was designed to protect the privacy of educational records and to establish the rights of students to inspect and review their educational records. It also provided control over the release of educational record information. The original intent of this legislation was to keep elementary and high school records private and to give parents access to their student’s school records. Once a student turns eighteen, or attends school beyond secondary school, the rights of access to the student’s records transfer to the student. This means that all academic information regarding your college student goes directly to the student unless the student has given specific, written permission to release that information to someone else. The exception to this law occurs if parents document in writing that the student is still claimed as a dependent for income tax purposes. The college may require you to submit your most recent tax forms in order to support this claim. What does FERPA mean for you as a college parent? Generally FERPA rules mean that student academic information such as grades or academic standing (GPA, academic transcript, academic warning, academic probation, or discipline records) will be given to the student and not to the parents. College students are considered responsible adults who may determine who will receive information about them. College representatives are prohibited from discussing information about the student’s academic record with parents. For more information please see here. 

MAJORS OFFERED AT UL LAFAYETTE        WHAT CAN STUDENTS DO WITH A PARTICULAR MAJOR?        4 The career development process can be brand new to most UL Lafayette students when they arrive on campus and the options and pressure can be overwhelming. As your student begins to explore and establish their major goals and career interests, here are a few ways you can help and support your student: 1. Encourage them to visit the Major and Career Exploration Center in Career Services. We provide:  Career Assessments  Major and Career Counseling  Career Planning Direction  Majors Fair  Career Fairs  Workshops and Seminars 2. Be there:  Talk to them about their interests, skills, and values.  Listen to what your student might be considering and try to be receptive to hearing what makes their considerations compelling.  Help them recognize their strengths and career possibilities without letting your personal biases carry much weight. 3. Foster connections:  If you know someone in a field related to their interests, mutually facilitate an informational interview or “shadow day.”  Inspire them to investigate majors and careers based on their strengths. Career Services Major & Career Exploration Center 337-482-1444 explore@louisiana.edu

 5 One reason your student may decide to double major is because they are having difficulty deciding on a single major in which they are interested. Or there may be difficulty in narrowing their choices down to one major. Whether double majoring is a good choice or not depends on the student and their reasoning for double majoring. Your student will want to be sure to gather all of their information before making a decision to double major. Double majoring will require a lot of work, coordination and time management. Keep in mind that it is possible that completing two majors may add extra time to your student’s college career. It will probably also involve summer classes or winter intercession classes. Your student will need to consider whether that extra time is worth it and whether it is financially feasible. Because of the extra work involved in a double major, and the potential sacrifices involved, one should be completely committed to the decision. Your student should speak with their academic advisor about all of the requirements involved in double majoring. They should also discuss whether or not the same thing can be achieved with one major and one minor. Your student also might talk to several professors in the chosen fields of study. This will help the student to understand what the professionals in the field will be looking for in a college graduate, or what graduate schools will want to see on a transcript. Participating in some informational interviews with people working in their chosen field might also help your student in making the decision. Weighing the advantages and disadvantages, your student should consider their reasons carefully and honestly. An informed decision requires knowing the reasons, the pros and cons, the implications and sacrifices, and the potential benefits. Adapted from www.collegeparents.org. To Double Major means your student will complete two majors in one baccalaureate program. This means that when your student graduates they will have one bachelor degree, but comprised of two fields of study. To earn a degree as a Double Major, the student is required to complete all requirements of their primary degree program. In the secondary degree program the student is required to complete all major courses (including all pre-and-co-requisites and other designated courses). More information can be found in the UL Lafayette Online Catalog, or via a representative in the Academic Success Center. You may also see the student resources page for academic strategies and topics. The University offers students a wide variety of minors that enrich their course of study while at the University. Minors may expand a student’s knowledge and skills in an area that increases preparation for a particular career. Other students may choose to enroll in a minor simply to learn more about an area of personal interest. One of the most popular minors offered by the university is a Leadership Studies minor. The Leadership Studies minor became available in Spring 2014, and is available to students of any major. The minor was student-developed with the goal of creating well rounded students who can communicate effectively. To learn about the requirements for the Leadership minor click here. Students wishing to declare a major must go to Academic Success Center in Lee Hall room 115.   ACADEMIC COLLEGES AT UL LAFAYETTE College of the Arts College of Business Administration College of Education College of Engineering University College College of Liberal Arts College of Nursing & Allied Health College of Sciences EXAMPLES OF MINORS & CONCENTRATIONS OFFERED AT UL LAFAYETTE Accounting Biology Computer Science Economics Human Resources Linguistics Music Political Science Public Relations Sociology Click here to see the full list of minors offered.

Here is some advice from parents to parents to help you and your student get through the months of November and December. - “Let go but be their safety net if they need you. Reassure them that you will always be there for them and that this is a way of living on their own without having to have all the responsibilities of a job and bills. This is a step toward independence. Enjoy it while it lasts.” - “It is difficult to let go, but in the end it is worth it. Students at UL get amazing support!” - “Give them space, listen (let them talk) and encourage, encourage, encourage!” - “The first semester will be a wake-up call to students. No one will make sure they get to class on time, or tell them they need to study. They will figure it out as they become more responsible and self-confident. - “Be prepared for your student to distressed and overwhelmed at times. This is natural in the new surroundings.” - “Help your student de-stress. Don’t add to their stress. No matter how disappointed you may think they are, your student is even more disappointed.” - “Don’t hesitate to ask questions or contact employees whether via phone, email, snail mail, or personal visit.”  6 HOLIDAY CLOSURES FOR UL LAFAYETTE CAMPUS OFFICES     Friday, December 15, 2017 at 12:30 pm  Wednesday, January 3, 2018 at 7:30 am. Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is the term used to denote a student’s successful completion of coursework toward a degree. Students who fail to achieve minimum standards for Grade Point Average (GPA) and completion of classes could lose their eligibility for all types of federal and state aid (includes grants, work-study, Direct, PLUS and Perkins loans). For more further information please visit the Office of Financial Aid website. To see how the SAP evaluation affects your student click here. TOPS: To maintain TOPS eligibility, a student must earn a cumulative Fall GPA of a 2.0 and be registered as a full-time student by the 15th class day of the Spring semester. 

 If your student parks on campus via a parking permit, whether residential or commuter, access to purchasing all parking permits for the Spring 2018 semester will be made available through Ulink. Students will purchase permits identical as those they purchased at the beginning of the Fall 2017 semester. Should you have any questions regarding on-campus or commuter parking, please contact the Office of Transportation Services directly by phone at 337-482-6858 or by email at parking@louisiana.edu. Here are the residential Permit Zone Maps.  Students are reminded that they have signed a 10 month contract and do not need to move out after the end of the Fall Semester. Students, unless they request a room change will stay in their same assignment for the Spring 2018 semester. Spring 2018 housing and meal charges have already been placed onto the student accounts and they need to pay their bill or sign up for the payment plan by January 4th. For any questions or concerns regarding student contracts or assignments, please contact the Office of University Housing by phone at 337-482-6471 or by email at oncampusliving@louisiana.edu.  Meal plans for students who live on campus will auto-default onto their fee bill for the Spring 2018 semester. Any commuter students who wish to purchase a meal plan, are more than welcome to do so at any time during the semester by visiting Sodexo’s Dining Plan webpage. Should you have any questions or concerns please contact Dining Services directly at 337-482-1087 or by email at katelyn.leblanc@sodexo.com.  7 HELPFUL QUICK LINKS: Spring 2018 Academic Calendar 2017-2018 Academic Catalog (course offerings and course descriptions) Office of Student Involvement (info about clubs and organizations on campus) Student Services The Ragin’ Cajuns Store You can support your son or daughter and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette by wearing red each Friday! Encourage your son or daughter to wear red on Fridays as well. It shows support for our university. Still need that Ragin’ Cajun gear? Check out the wide array of apparel available at the University Bookstore. Bookstore locations include the Student Union, the Tent on St. Mary Blvd, and the Red Zone on Johnston Street.

 Thinking about Changing Your Major? It is not uncommon for students to realize during their freshman year that they are in what feels like the wrong major. Don’t worry, your student is not alone! Freshman change their major in the Academic Success Center in Lee Hall, room 115. Even if your student is unsure, they can meet with an academic advisor to review possible options. How to Calculate a Grade Point Average/GPA A grade point average is calculated every semester as well as cumulatively after a student has more than one semester of academic history. To calculate a semester GPA, first assign quality points to the course grade, and then multiply the total quality points by the total graded credits. Divide the new total by the total number of credits. Quality points are assigned to grades as follows: A = 4, B = 3, C = 2, D = 1, F = 0. Course Grade Hours Quality Points UNIV 100 A 3 12 ENGL 101 B 3 9 HIST 101 A 3 12 MATH 105 C 3 6 12 39 Calculate Semester GPA average – 39/12 = 3.25 Academic Status Students are required to maintain a minimum overall GPA of 2.0. Students who earn less than a 2.0 overall GPA will be placed on academic probation. While on academic probation, students must maintain a 2.0 semester GPA to avoid being placed on suspension. The complete policy is available in the 2017-2018 University Catalog. Course Schedule Adjustment Period If your student is looking to make changes to their Spring 2018 schedule, changes can still be made. The Schedule Adjustment Period allows students to add and drop classes on their class schedule through the 5th day of class (3rd day for summer session). After that time, students may not drop or add classes through ULink. Final tuition and fees owed will be based on the registered hours at the end of the Schedule Adjustment Period. Students should always review eligibility requirements for their classes. Course requirements are listed in the 2017-2018 University Catalog (catalog.louisiana.edu). First-time Freshman Academic Probation Student Requirement: ACSK 100: Foundation of College Learning The University of Louisiana at Lafayette will facilitate a 1 credit hour course focusing on essential academic techniques for all first-time freshman on probation in Spring 2018. We, at the University, believe that many first time freshman on Academic Probation are capable of making minor changes that will have a big impact on their academic success. The purpose behind this class will be to equip those students with new study strategies, develop time management skills, and check on their academic progress throughout the semester. As per University policy, probation status is defined as any student with a cumulative GPA below a 2.0. All first-time freshman on probation are required to enroll in ACSK 100: Foundation of College Learning for the spring 2018 semester. Students can check section availability via ULink and will be required to self-register under “Register for Classes”. If you have any questions regarding ACSK 100 and how your stu-dent can register, please contact academicprobation@louisiana.edu. Important Dates and Deadlines for Spring 2018 Payment Deadline 4:00 pm Tuesday, January 4 Classes Begin 7:30 am Wednesday, January 10 Last Day to Add Class 4:30 pm Wednesday, January 17 8

 9 Student Government Association (SGA) of UL Lafayette has a main purpose to serve the needs of students. SGA is made up of the Executive Branch, the Legislative Branch, and the Judicial Branch. The organization functions as a typical governmental body and seeks to enhance the experience of students at UL Lafayette. Each fall and spring semester, elections are held to fill open positions. This fall, there were four freshman who were newly-elected as Freshman Senators and they have been chosen for the Freshman Spotlight! From left to right (in the photo above) the senators are: Hailey Boutte, Kyle Dupre, Jessica Nolan, and Yancy LeGrande.  Hailey Boutte is a freshman senator who is majoring in Public Relations.  Kyle Dupre is a freshman senator who is majoring in Business Marketing.  Jessica Nolan is a freshman senator and she is majoring in Music Business.  Yancy LeGrande is the SGA Freshman President, and he is majoring in Economics and Finance. To be elected for Freshman Senate, each student needed to apply for the position, be in good standing with the University, have a cumulative GPA of 2.25 out of 4.0, and have a minimum course load of nine credit hours. On top of keeping up with their academic work, they also must be available to attend Senate and committee meetings during throughout the semester. Congratulations to the newly elected Freshman Senators!

Contact Information    - -  -  -  Follow OFYE on Social Media 10 During the months of November and December, students will be anticipating the holidays and may get caught up with excitement. It is important to encourage your student to keep an eye on their academic finish line! Academically, students will begin to understand final exam expectations and they should begin finalizing final projects. As parents, here are a few things that you can do to help them: 1. Encourage your student to make a final exam and study schedule. This will help them to plan ahead and avoid cramming at the last minute. Time management is something that students, especially freshman, struggle with—encourage your student to know deadlines and final exam schedules for each scheduled class. 2. Encourage your student to take care of their personal needs. Returning from Thanksgiving break brings the start of finals and they may lose sleep, nutrition needs, and exercise which does not lead to your student being productive. Click here to read an article on how to help your student with their personal health. 3.Your student may go home for the holidays. This could cause unexpected stress for you and your student as your student is used to being independent. Keep this in mind over the holidays to allow your student to keep their new independence. Click here to read an article with conversation starters!   Click here to see what freshman go through during each month!