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TIMES OF CHANGE College = Change. Whether your son or daughter is going to continue to live at home or whether they have moved into a residence hall, college is a big change for everyone who lives under the same roof. You are a family unit and when there’s a big change to one member of the unit, it reverberates throughout the family. It is important to recognize that change is not an event but a process. It evolves over time. If you were to plot out a curve for the process of change it would look like the letter W. In the beginning, at the top of the W, a big change is exciting! It’s all new, all fresh. Think of the last big change in your life: a new job, a new house, a new relation-ship, etc. You were excited to begin your new adventure! But a few days, or maybe even weeks later there’s a slump – a slide down to the bottom of the W. You think, “What made me think this job would be so great,” or “This house is much more work than I thought.” When it comes to your students, you may hear comments like, “I hate it here. This place stinks. Everybody’s so different.” This can put you into a full-blown panic! You will want to grab your car keys, buy a plane ticket – whatever it takes to help your child. Chances are, however, that this is part of the change process and in a few hours or a day or two, your student will adjust and feel fine again. Then the pattern may repeat all over again. That is the second V in the W. This is all a natural part of the process of change. It is likely that your student is reaching out to you in the down times, not because they want you to “solve” it for them, but because they rely on you to be there for them. So what can you do? Take a deep breath, listen carefully, and perhaps make a suggestion or two. Try to encourage them to meet new people with similar interests or be open to change. Office of First-Year Experience September 2017 Inside this Issue: Times of Change Money Matters Rave Guardian App Transition Tribulations Grades First Emergency Notifications Parent Advice Bursar Survey Getting Involved Your Student-September Fall 2017 Calendar Sept 22-23 Fa m ily Weekend Oct 4 Last day to drop classes with a “W” Oct 5-6 Fall Break Oct 16 Academ ic Advising for Spring 2018 Begins Nov 23-24 Thanksgiving Break Dec 1 Last Day of Classes Dec 4-5 Final Exam s Dec 6 Mid Exam Study day Dec 7-8 Final Exams 1 Parent Newsletter 1 2 3 4 5 6 6 6 7 8

MONEY MATTERS To retain financial aid, each student must meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress standards, otherwise known as SAP. At the end of each semester your student will be evaluated according to the SAP requirements. To meet the SAP requirements for the purpose of financial aid, your student must first have a minimum 2.0 GPA at the end of the semester. Secondly, your student must complete at least 67% of all credit hours attempted. At the end of the semester your student may use this simple calcu-lation to check their completion rate: Credit hours registered for during the semester x 0.67= Hours that must be completed (round up if the number is a decimal- 12x0.67=8.04~9). Hours completed do not include classes that the student has with-drawn from, or these in which they receive an F, or has received an incomplete. A student who is enrolled in 12 credit hours must complete 9 of those and receive a minimum GPA of 2.0 to meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements. 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 & state aid. SAP information can be found here. For questions please contact finaid@louisiana.edu or call (337) 482-6506. During your students’ first semester it can be difficult to balance school, activities, and friends. But school is the top priority, especially if your student is receiving financial aid, a scholarship, or TOPS. Here is some technical information that you need to know for your student to retain their financial aid, scholarships, or TOPS. TOPS FINANCIAL AID Remaining eligible for TOPS: - Students must have continuous full-time enrollment. - Students must be registered for 12 or more hours as of the 15th day of the semester to receive TOPS for that semester (fall & spring). - A student must earn 24 hours between the fall, winter intersession, spring, summer intersession, and summer semesters with a “D” or better in order to keep TOPS. - Dual enrollment in high school and advanced placement do not count towards the required 24 hours. - Students must have a 2.0 cumulative GPA at the end of the fall semester to receive TOPS in the spring. This applies to all three awards. - Students must meet cumulative GPA requirements at the end of the spring semester: Opportunity Award - 2.3 Cumulative GPA (1st academic year) - 2.5 Cumulative GPA (all subsequent academic years) Performance Award - 3.0 Cumulative GPA Honors Award - 3.0 Cumulative GPA 2 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

The Rave Guardian app for mobile devices is a joint safety project between the Student Government Association, University Police Department, and Rave Mobile Safety company. It is aimed at providing custom security to each user. Should your student ever feel unsafe, the app offers a Panic Button, which when pressed automatically connects that mobile device with the campus police and provides them with their information and GPS location. It also allows students to anonymously text information to campus police should they see something occurring on or near campus. Lastly, if stu-dents have to walk across campus late at night, the app works as a timer, alerting programmed contacts that the user did not make it to his or her destination. We ask you to encourage your student to download the Rave Guardian app. THE RAVE GUARDIAN APP 3 THE RAVE GUARDIAN APP: HOW IT WORKS Rave Guardian profile data is stored privately and securely within Rave’s redundant and geographically diverse databases. Guardian profile data is provided by the members of your community through Rave’s secure web-portal. Watch our video about the Guardian app. Read more about the Guardian app on Louisiana.edu. This service is provided by the Student Government Association and the UL Lafayette Police Department.

classes don’t seem all that hard. never takes roll and we never talk the assigned Students often underestimate the difficulty of the college curriculum. Encourage your son or daughter to make sure they are taking notes in class, completing assigned reading prior to class, participating in study groups, and making academics their top priority. Often, professors expect students to absorb reading material outside of class. feel so stupid in class. I’m afraid to talk to professor but I don’t what is Students often feel intimidated by professors. Encourage them to ask questions in class or after class, to go to the professor’s office hours, and to participate in study groups. Students can also receive tutoring assistance for free at the Learning Center, located in Lee Hall. Tutoring schedules are available on studentsuccess.louisiana.edu/tutoring. TRANSITION TRIBULATIONS wonder how that person believe that or live that UL Lafayette has students from all over the state, country, and world. Students often meet people with different religious, political, or moral beliefs, as well as people from different backgrounds. Encourage them to think with an open mind and to clarify their own values, beliefs, and lifestyle. I would have free time, but I can’t find time to do anything. I’m by the amount of Time management may be one of the biggest challenges facing new students. Encourage your student to use a planner and schedule their lives. Before classes began, each student was provided an academic planner that includes campus events as well as room to schedule class, work, and study time. Click here to open The Learning Center UL Lafayette website. The first few weeks of college offer tremendous challenges for new students. Adjusting to new time schedules, academic and social demands, and school/life balance issues can create some stresses and anxiety that you can coach your student through. Here are some typical issues students face and some insights on how you can help your student successfully navigate through them. 4

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 5 GETTING THE YEAR STARTED: GRADES FIRST Your student will be getting feedback during the semester on attendance and grades. This will come to students through Grades First. Students who have grades below a C and/or excessive absences will receive an email from the Academic Success Center encouraging the student to contact the instructor immediately about seeking help. The first grade checks will take place between September 13-20, October 18-25, and November 15-22. Academic progress is an important focus of the University. While your student’s academic journey is their own, you can support them by knowing about the various support resources on our campus that help students academically and encourage your student to take advantage of these resources. The Academic Success Center, located in Lee Hall, provides academic counseling, career information and tutoring. Counselors also assist students with dropping classes and changing majors. Tutoring is held in the Learning Center where students can get assistance with academic problems. The Center offers free one-on-one tutoring, study group tutoring, supplemental instruction, computer lab assistance, and other services. Tutoring is available for most 100 and 200-level math and science courses as well as for accounting, economics, engineering, French, psychology, Spanish, and statistics courses. The Academic Success Center also offer a DIY Workshop Series. These workshops have many different topics. A few of these are: - Work Life Balance - I Failed a Test, Now What? - Find Out Your Learning Style - Top 5 Ways to Master Your Time The DIY Workshops have already begun and will be continued throughout the semester. Encourage your student to take advantage of the workshops which are pertinent to their struggles. The English Writing Center is also a great place to receive academic assistance, particularly for any writing assignments. The Center will assist students at any stage of the writing process, including: - Helping students enhance their writing skills - Focusing on writing processes and the value of creating multiple drafts - Helping students see strengths and weaknesses in their writing - Helping students learn to proofread their writing - Empowering students to own their writing - Nurturing creative ideas in students Studies have shown that students who seek academic assistance receive benefits such as higher academic achievement, improved personal and social development, and increased motivation. If your student is struggling academically or expresses that he or she is overwhelmed, encourage them to seek out assistance.

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 EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM The University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) is designed to provide immediate alerts for emergencies and threats on campus. All students and employees must opt in to the Emergency Notification System to receive the messages. The ENS system is designed to provide immediate notification for emergen-cies on campus. Even though the University may utilize the ENS for all emer-gencies, it is not designed for incidents such as hurricanes, in which there are days to prepare. The University has the ability to send text messages with its ENS to any and all of the following technologies: To register for the Emergency Notification System, your student must register under the Campus Services tab under the Safety & Emergency Notification System section in ULink. 6 PARENT ADVICE Here is some advice from parents to parents to help you and your student get through the month of September. - “Every child is different. Listen to your children. If you were listening as a parent you would hear what they need and let them make decisions. Make sure the child understands that decisions have consequences. If you pick them up every time they fall they will never learn to walk. A child doesn't need as much as you think they do to be successful and productive.” - “Stay involved. The students need to learn how to ask what to do, but parents knowing can still guide them in a direction. They are learning.” - “Let your freshman work part-time, they have a lot of time on their hands! Have them join clubs. Go to Family Weekend, it was so fun.” - “Encourage your child to get socially involved in school activities and to take advantage of the help offered at the Academic Success Center.” BURSAR SURVEY The University of Louisiana at Lafayette Office of the Bursar is looking to improve and get feedback on their website’s accessibility and ease of use. If you would like to participate, click here. The Office of the Bursar would greatly appreciate your participation. - Text messages - Cellular telephone calls - Campus landline telephone calls - University website - University social media sites - University hotline

Class of 2021 7 GETTING INVOLVED Student involvement on campus and in the community is an important aspect of college success. Research shows that students who are engaged perform better academically than those who are less involved. As such, we do all that we can to offer a variety of opportunities for UL Lafayette Students to find their comfort zone. Below are some examples of on campus organizations for your student to get involved with:  Americorps  Campus Cats  Filmmaker’s Society  Peer Mentors  College Democrats  College Republicans  The Vermillion  The Big Event (TBE)  Video Game Club These are just to name a few! There is an organization for everyone! Encourage your student to look at the many student organizations ranging from sororities and fraternities to governing to pre-professional societies to special interests! If your student is unsure of how to get involved with campus organizations, have them find an organization listed in the link above and get in contact with the president of that organization. Your student can do this by logging onto OrgSync with their UL logins. The Emerging Leaders Summit will be held on October 29, 2017. This is an excellent opportunity for freshmen and sophomore leaders. Participants will build a foundation of leadership development from the very beginning of their career at University of Louisiana at Lafayette. In addition, participants are challenged to think beyond positional leadership and are given the opportunity to explore what leadership means to them, to assess their personal behavioral style, and to tackle such topics as personal values, happiness, branding, body language, and communication. Click here for more information!

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 8 During the month of September, students may begin to have roommate issues. September might bring some uncertainty within your student, they have been a college student for a few weeks and they might be questioning things or experimenting with new things. Your student may have joined a campus or-ganization. One major thing that will be new to students is football season and tailgating. Especially being in the south, tailgating is a very fun and popular thing to do on the weekends. Encourage your students to plan ahead and stay safe (and hydrated) during football home games. As parents, here are a few things that you can do to help them: 1. Encourage your student to stay on top of their school work and to get ahead. While September may not be as academically challenging as other months, many students will have their first tests or projects due soon. 2. Be there for them when they need to rant or vent. If your student is having roommate problems, encourage them to talk to their RA’s (resident assistants). 3. Encourage your student to step outside of their comfort zone. It is easy for them to continue to hang out with their high school friends. Part of college is to meet new people and join different organizations. YOUR STUDENT THROUGHOUT THE SEMESTER: SEPTEMBER Click here to see what freshman go through during each month!