In this issue:

Old Main from the South

Important Dates for March 2007

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From the
Parents and Family Association Director

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From the
Parents and Family Association Co-Chairs

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Are you a PLUS parent?    

Are you a PLUS parent?

Your UA Parents & Family Association is proud to announce its new membership program – the Parents Plus program! The Parents Plus program helps make the costs of college more affordable by offering UA parents and family members national and regional discounts on some of the services you use most. Parents Plus members will be able to save at over 40 locations around the country including national hotel and car rental chains, Ticketmaster, Brooks Brothers clothing stores, UA Presents, and the UA BookStores. At $65 for a one-year membership and $150 for a four-year membership, Parents Plus members will be “making money” when they join! A complete listing of benefits is available online at www.uafamily.arizona.edu.

Parents Plus memberships will help the UA Parents & Family Association expand its programs and services in support of parents and family members. Even more important, the Parents Plus memberships will support the campus programs and services that we know are important to parents – everything from campus safety to alcohol-free activities.

Joining is easy! Simply visit our website: www.uafamily.arizona.edu and visit our membership section.

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Your Student’s Chance to Evaluate Us!    

Your Student’s Chance to Evaluate Us!
By Gwen Johnson, Ph. D.
Director, Office of Institutional Research & Evaluation

At the conclusion of every class at The University of Arizona students have an optional opportunity to evaluate the course and instructor via a Teacher Course Evaluation (TCE). These forms will be presented to the students at one of the last class meeting periods and the instructor will leave the room while students are completing them. It is important that students complete these to provide accurate and honest feedback to their faculty.

Student ratings of instruction, properly constructed and administered, provide valid and reliable data for improving teaching as well as for documenting teaching performance for administrative review. This claim is supported by a large body of research. Student ratings are currently used in more than 95% of postsecondary institutions, including The University of Arizona.

Although ratings are necessary and valuable to both students and instructors, they are only one method of evaluating classroom teaching. Teaching is a multidimensional activity comprising course planning, classroom instruction, mentoring and advising of students, assessing student work, etc. Student ratings are only a part of the complete picture because students are unable to observe and judge many aspects of teaching (e.g., the instructor's content expertise and instructional design skills).

At The University of Arizona, Teacher-Course Evaluations give students the opportunity to provide feedback on instructors and courses. Questions are asked about the instructors’ teaching effectiveness, aspects of course design and effectiveness, and student perceptions about how much they have learned in the course. TCE results are available online to the University community at https://aer.arizona.edu/ASUA/. The Ratings Results Report shows TCE results for most UA courses taught during fall and spring semesters over the previous three years. The Report is presented in cooperation with the Associated Students of The University of Arizona (ASUA).

As the end of the semester approaches, please encourage your student to take the time to fill out the TCE’s completely and honestly.

Dr. Gwen Johnson can be contacted via email at gwj@email.arizona.edu.

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A Letter from Campus    

A Letter from Campus
By Sylvia Mioduski
Director, University College

Dear Mom and Dad,

Can you believe I’m going to graduate from the UA in just six weeks? I know there were times when you wondered if this day would EVER come … me too J

It’s been quite a journey since I started at the UA. I came here certain of my major and the direction I wanted to pursue. I threw myself into that first semester taking the required freshman courses convinced that “Gen Ed classes” were something to endure on my way to taking the courses I was REALLY interested in and that would lead to the career I was planning on – the one that would start with a job where I made good money.

I was more than a little surprised when I found myself really liking this one Gen Ed class. I always looked forward to reading and preparing for it and to going to class -- and it was an 8am class!! The professor really knew the material so well and always had interesting ways to get the class involved. I realized that this class made me think ... and sometimes that was really hard because it challenged my ideas and the ways I thought about the subject.

That experience began to open my way of thinking about what I thought I wanted to study. I wasn’t sure who to talk to or how to go about looking at options. I remember I talked to both of you when I came home for Spring Break that year … you did two things. First, you pulled out your Parents Orientation binder and helped me look for information. We found the address, phone and email for University College which does a lot of work with undecided students. You watched while I sat down and sent them an email to find out how to make an appointment. Second, you made it really clear that your financial support wasn’t endless!

I did follow up with a University College advisor who assured me it was really OK to be an Undecided major – but that I had to develop a plan of action to be prepared to declare a major before I reached Junior status. University College has a great 2 unit Major Exploration course (and it counts toward my units to graduate!) and that helped me focus on my interests, skills, abilities and how those fit with UA majors and potential careers. I unofficially changed my mind about possible majors at least four times before I made my final decision. Through that class I learned about and attended several free events that also provided a lot of information – Pizza with a Professional, the Meet Your Major Fair, and the Fall Career Fair sponsored by Career Services. I checked out internships as a way to both get experience and to confirm my major and career path – which was behind my decision for the internship I completed last summer.

Bottom line – I had a major and then I didn’t. I was unsure and undecided and you helped me remember to look for resources right here at the UA. I checked them out and discovered that there are many people – including my professors and advisors – who are willing to help. I’m very satisfied with the major I finally selected and the opportunities it has opened up for me. AND … I made it through in four years!

SO … thanks, Mom and Dad, for your love and support through two official and four unofficial major changes and four years of college. I’ll see you at graduation in just six weeks!!

Love ya!

Sylvia Mioduski can be contacted via email at miodusks@email.arizona.edu

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Winning the Health Race    

Winning the Health Race
By Lee Ann Hamilton, MA, CHES, Health Educator

Spring Break is long gone and, as in the Kentucky Derby, UA students are in the home stretch to finals. How can your student increase their chances of finishing strong in the race? To make it to the “winner’s circle”, thoroughbreds, and students alike, need common “horse sense”: training, plenty of rest, nutritious food, and water.

Common sense
It seems so simple, but we sometimes we overlook the common, obvious, low-tech practices proven to prevent illnesses: wash your hands, keep hands away from your mouth, nose and eyes, and avoid sick people. Spring is a time when many students suffer from colds, strep throat, influenza, gastrointestinal illnesses, and mononucleosis. Get in the habit of giving your hands a good washing (scrub for as long as it takes to sing the “A-B-C” song) with soap and water. You don’t need to use antibacterial soap.

Training
Regular exercise can do wonders for mind, body, and spirit. Physical activity can reduce blood pressure and stress, raise levels of “good” cholesterol, improve mood and digestion, control weight, increase self esteem, and program your VCR or TiVo! (o.k., maybe not the last one!). Research is finding more positive evidence linking regular exercise and immune response. Encourage your student to schedule time in their week to exercise. In addition to the classes and facilities offered by Campus Recreation, the UA campus is perfect for walking and running. Tucson also abounds with wonderful hiking opportunities within 30 minutes of campus. It’s easy to get out and enjoy some activity while the weather is wonderful.

Rest
You’ve been telling your student to “go to bed” for years. It’s still good advice. Pulling “all-nighters” often makes our mental and physical health worse in the long term. The consequences of sleep loss among college students include increased levels of minor medical illnesses (colds and flu), increased rates of depression and anxiety, poor academic performance, and a higher incidence of automobile accidents. Sleep is important for learning, memory, and performance: three things students really need for final exams. Encourage your student to go to bed early a few nights a week and they’ll probably be amazed at how much better they feel. If they are having trouble sleeping, encourage them to see a medical provider at Campus Health.

Food
The link between nutrition and health is clear: our bodies perform better when we eat a healthy, balanced variety of foods and are sure to get essential nutrients. Spring is a great time to eat more seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables. A fast food diet can be improved easily just by substituting one junk food snack with fresh berries, melons, grapes, carrots, broccoli, etc.

Water
“It’s a dry heat”, as they say. When the humidity is low (sometimes below 10% in the desert) our bodies easily become dehydrated. Drink plenty of water, especially if you like to drink caffeinated beverages (colas, Dr. Pepper, tea, coffee), alcohol, or use caffeinated, stimulants or pain relievers (No-Doze, Excedrin). These products have a diuretic effect and cause the kidneys to eliminate extra fluids. Signs of dehydration include headache and fatigue (which are not conducive to studying!). Experts recommend drinking at least 64 ounces of water per day - juices, milk, and other non-caffeinated fluids count, too. That’s about eight glasses of fluids a day. As the temperature rises or exercise increases, so should fluid intake.

On behalf of the entire staff at the UA Campus Health Service, we wish your student a healthy Spring. Please let us know if we can be of assistance. You or your student can reach us at www.health.arizona.edu or by calling our main number at
(520) 621-6490. We hope you will share a few of these proven training tips with your student and help them finish the “race” to finals in fine form.

Lee Ann Hamilton can be contacted via email at Hamilton@health.arizona.edu

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Academic Success Strategies - Staying the Distance    

Academic Success Strategies - Staying the Distance
By Beth Harrison, Ph.D.
Director, University Learning Center

It’s the most difficult time of the academic year—springtime, the last month of the semester, the end of the school year. Remember what that felt like for you, whether in high school or in college (or both)? It’s the last 6 miles of the marathon when everything in you says “I can’t do this any more!”

But the reward for finishing comes at the end, not just for trying. The finisher’s medal in the marathon, the final grades and credit for completing the course at the university. So it’s important that your student find a way to stay the course and finish strong. “Bear Down!” really is the most appropriate motto here.

What can you do to help from the sidelines?
Help your student understand that making a schedule of work left to do and planning how to do it a little everyday will make the whole process of finishing the semester more doable. And having a schedule of small tasks to be done each day can help your student focus on one day at a time with the confidence that it will add up to strong products at the end.

Keep reminding your student that the end is in sight: May 2 is the last day of classes, May 11 the last day of finals. And remind your student that there is plenty of time to get organized for the end of the semester and for finals if she or he starts soon. Taking the time now to think about the material in a course and how to study for the final will make studying at the end much easier.

Perhaps most important of all: Remind your student that staying healthy while following those schedules is the best way to do their best work. For most people that means getting enough sleep and eating healthy foods, both at regular hours, and getting some kind of regular exercise. It also means scheduling in time to relax and have fun.

Too “parental” for you or your student? Try this:
Send a care package, something that will surprise and brighten your student’s day. Maybe that’s food, or a poster, or a photograph, or a poem. Or send a card or letter, maybe one each week, to show that you are cheering her or him on. In this day and age when it is so easy to call or email, we sometimes forget how an unexpected piece of mail can boost the spirits.

What about you?
As a parent, you are probably deeply, vitally interested in seeing your child succeed. But this is your child’s race, not yours. Marathons build strength of body, of mind, of character. Help your child finish this academic marathon by being their cheerleader on the sidelines. And don’t forget to congratulate him or her for a job well done when they cross the finish line!

Short Bits
For parents of current freshmen: Priority Registration for freshmen starts Saturday, April 14. Please remind your student to register on that day or during the following week. Students should talk with their Academic Advisor if they need help thinking through their plan for next semester.

For end-of-semester academic help: Students can go to MASTR for free tutoring in 100-level Math, Chemistry, Biology, and Physics, Accounting 200 & 210, and all levels of Spanish. MASTR is open 5:30-9:30pm Sunday through Thursday in ILC 119. Help with writing is available from the Writing Center in Bear Down Gym,
(520) 621-3182 or
http://english.web.arizona.edu/index_site.php?id=287 

Dr. Beth Harrison can be contacted via email at eharriso@email.arizona.edu

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From the Parents and Family Association Director  

Greetings Wildcat Parents & Family members!

Keith B. Humphrey, Ph. D.

April is an exciting month on the UA campus...our last full month before finals and graduation. Temperatures are rising outside (we have already hit 90 degrees several times!) and things will only get hotter as final papers and exams grow near. Students really benefit from the extra love and support of their parents and family members in the home stretch. Keep those cards, letters, and care packages coming!

If you are in Tucson April 12-15, plan on attending Spring Fling. Spring Fling is the largest student-run carnival in the nation and is packed with fun for the whole family. I plan to be there with my family, so I look forward to seeing you there.

Your UA Parents & Family Association is always here to serve you. Please call us anytime at (520) 621-0884 or via email at uafamily@email.arizona.edu.

Sincerely,

Keith B. Humphrey, Ph. D.
Interim Assistant Dean of Students
& Director, Parents & Family Association
(520) 621-0884
uafamily@email.arizona.edu

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From the Parents and Family Association Co-Chairs  

Greetings,

Lionel and Ellen Kier