Talking points – Week 10

A lot gets packed into the month before Thanksgiving break, a period which this week begins.  Once students return from Thanksgiving, there is one week of classes and one week of finals, so the bulk of academic courses gets squeezed into these next weeks.  Expect stress to be high among students as test, paper and project deadlines come and go and new ones replace them almost immediately.

As plans are made for Thanksgiving, make sure to include students away from home in the planning.  Some students will be delighted to make visits to every relative within shouting distance.  Others will want to cocoon for a few days and catch up on sleep and leisure before engaging in holiday activities.  Be sensitive to how your student’s break needs fit in with family holiday plans to provide for the best experience all around.

Matthew

This week’s talking points:

• After midterms, students will have a pretty good idea, for better or worse, where they stand academically.  For some students, this will be the first time they have struggled in a class, or truly had to invest effort in their studies.  For high-achieveing students who find themselves in academic distress, embarrassment, fear or denial can lead them to skip class, decrease contact with faculty and procrastinate on coursework.  First Year Academic Advisors can provide advice, perspective and direction to struggling students.  IWU Counseling and Consultation Services can also provide study and academic skills development.  Residence Directors and the Dean of Students Office are also excellent places for students with academic distress to begin to seek out assistance.
• Have they met any students from different cultures or backgrounds?
• What sorts of diversity or multicultural events or organization groups are available?
• Have they had any first impressions of people change since the first week of school?
• How is the balance on the checking account?  How much money do they estimate they are spending on a weekly basis?  Do they have enough money for the upcoming holidays?  Be careful with credit cards, especially during the holidays.
• Discuss budget adjustments as necessary.  Cost cutter ideas: buying used books vs. new books, microwave or frozen pizzas vs. ordering out, renting or borrowing movies instead of going to the theater.

Celebrity Jeopardy

Celebrity Jeopardy last night was a BLAST!  Contestants included Billie Holliday, Jordin Sparks, Will Ferrell, Sara Palin (2 of them!), Lady GaGa (also 2 of them!), Kate Middleton, David Hasselhoff, and many others.  Our hosts were Marisa Tomei, Selena Gomez and, of course, Alex Trebeck.  What a great way to test out a Halloween costume and have a great night of fun at the same time.  Enjoy the pictures!

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Pizza Taste of Bloomington

Yesterday evening, almost 500 students, and a few faculty and staff, lined up in the Hansen Student Center to sample some of Bloomington’s finest pizza creations.  The Residence Hall Association sponsored and planned the event as a kick-off to Homecoming 2011, and gathered pizza from 8 establishments.  As students progressed through the line, they were able to sample from the basic cheese, in some cases, to the Lucca Grill’s speciality — A La Baldini, described as “The first. The best. Loaded with savory sausage, pepperoni, ham, onions, mushrooms, green peppers and pepperoncini.”  Also announced were Homecoming court members and the winners of campus decorating contests.  At one point, and consistently for a while, the line stretched all the way to Beecher Street outside the Hansen Student Center.  In all, 160 pizzas and 225 calzones were demolished.  What a saucy way to start off Homecoming!  Go TITANS!

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Homecoming decorations

There are a couple of contests afoot to decorate IWU’s campus for Homecoming.  One of them invites different administrative offices to show their spirit.  These are some of the first spaces on the campus to get dressed up in green and white, and it’s always a pleasure to walk around as a part of the judging process, which I’m lucky to coordinate.  Here are a few of the office decorating highlights.  Residence hall and chapter house decorations will follow later in the week!  Go TITANS!

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Talking points – Week 8

For those of you with students at home this weekend, I wish you a fantastic visit and the opportunity to reconnect.  Campus will be quiet this weekend because of the break, but students who remain will find plenty to keep them occupied.  And upon their return, a full schedule of Homecoming Activities awaits.  Here’s a preview of the schedule of events:

Homecoming 2011

Sunday, October 16th & Monday, October 17th

• Lobby and Banner Decorating

Tuesday, October 18th

• 5:00-7:00pm- Pizza Taste of Bloomington in Hansen Student Center

Wednesday, October 19th

• 7:30pm- Celebrity Jeopardy in Hansen Student Center

Thursday, October 20th

• 7:30pm- Lip Sync Competition in Hansen Student Center

Friday, October 21st

• 5:30pm- 4th Annual Titanium Pep-rally & Fireworks Show at Wilder Field at Tucci Stadium
• 8:30pm- Special Movie Screening of Puss ‘n Boots with Executive Producer and IWU Alum Bill Damaschke of DreamWorks in Hansen Student Center 

Saturday, October 22nd

• Noon to 2 PM, Spirit Street on Titan Drive
• 1:30pm- Football Game, IWU vs. North Central College

Cheer on your Fightin’ Titans to victory

This week’s talking points:

• This week is Homecoming, and students may want to focus on the social aspects of the planned events to the detriment of academic preparedness.  How are they making decisions about when to work and when to play?
• What do they do when they are feeling stress?
• Have they been to the Shirk Center?  Walked the Constitution Trail?  Taken a fitness class on campus?  How are they attending to their physical wellness?
• What do they like about dining services?  What do they dislike?  What favorite food(s) do they want when they next visit home?
• Send a care package with healthy snacks (fruit leather, raisins, fresh fruits, microwave popcorn, juice boxes, etc.).  It should arrive just after Homecoming when students will again engage their studies in earnest!

Time for a flu shot

My arm hurts and CVS is $25 richer today–But I got my flu shot, and I know that when many around me are hacking and coughing and feeling low in November, December, January and February, I’ll be smiling inside, because my resistance to the flu will be heightened.  On a campus, students live together, they dine together, they share the same classrooms, study spaces, and recreation spaces.  They pass video game controllers, computer mouses and cell phones.  They don’t wash their hands nearly enough, and spending what little money they have on antibacterial wipes is unthinkable.  Which means the flu is ever-present.  Couple this with little sleep and high stress, and it’s no wonder students often find themselves falling ill when they need to be at their best.  Debra Adams, our Director of Health Services reminded me in our staff meeting today that a little pain today can lead to a lot less strain in a few months.  So I’ll live with a day’s pain in my arm, and encourage you to make sure your student does the same.  More from Deb on the availability of flu shots at IWU below!

Matthew

Soon enough cold and flu season will be upon us. At IWU and in Central Illinois flu season is usually late January into March. Parents may want to talk with their student regarding the free flu shots available at Health Service beginning October 12th. Vaccinations are on a first come first serve basis and are in a limited supply. Remind your student that stress and fatigue are major factors in reducing their immune systems’ ability to combat illnesses and the typical influenza illness will put them out of commission for up to 7 – 10 days.Another important reason for advocating the flu vaccine is so your student does not bring the virus home to you and to others in your family.

Hope to see your student at Health Service soon,

Debra Adams, RN, Director of Health Service

Qs & As about academic advising

We loved having Chandra Shipley, the Director of Academic Advising, as a guest on the First Year Frequency.  What a great conversation about the process of course selection, which is a highly anxious one for many students.  We did not have time in the studio to answer all of the questions that were submitted, but we promised to post both questions and answers here on the blog.  Please find them below!

Matthew

1.     My son wants to knock out his math requirement at our local community college – will IWU accept the credit from a junior college, and will it diminish his transcript when applying for graduate school?

 Wesleyan does accept transfer credit from community colleges.  The important note I want to make here is that students must submit the correct paperwork called the “Transfer of Credit” form which can be found in the Registrar’s Office before they take this class.  On that form they will receive approval that the specific class that they want to take will transfer in the way they want it to. 

Taking a couple classes at a community college in no way diminishes a student’s transcript when applying to graduate school, especially when the majority of classes are completed at IWU.  However, I will say that it is very rare for students to take courses for their major and minor outside of IWU – it’s typically just general education or elective courses.

2.     Our daughter’s Gateway instructor is also her advisor right now – he is a professor from the School of Music, but my daughter is a math major.  Will she get good advising from him in the next several weeks?

Fall break, the last day to drop a class, and D/F slips

Friday is Fall Break Day at IWU, a day without classes, and one of the happiest days of the semester.  Many students who are within driving distance will head home for the weekend, but a considerable number of students will remain.  An extra day in the weekend will mean a chance to catch up on projects that have fallen off the radar, for some.  For others, it will be an extra deep breath, a day of rest and relaxation, and, I think for all students, a much needed break.

Fall Break day is followed by the last day to drop a class – the Monday following.  Students who must drop a class after October 17 would receive an ‘F’ grade for the course, rather than just a notation on the transcript that the class was dropped late.  This is the end of a week marked also by the arrival, for some students, of a D or F slip, indicating unsatisfactory performance in a class.

For students who receive a D or an F slip, it may be that the report of the low grade reflects early work and has since been sufficiently raised.  Other students will have already connected with their professor and be well on the way to restoring a passing grade.  They may also have made contact with their academic advisor to discuss the best strategy to find success this academic term.  And hopefully, they will have made you aware of their academic distress, as well, for advice and support and encouragement.

At the same time, a common reaction to academic difficulty for many students is withdrawal or avoidance.  These are less healthy reactions that can make an initially recoverable situation more difficult to resolve.  When I talk to students, I strongly suggest that if they have not connected with their professor and advisor–two critical academic resources–that they do so as soon as possible.

In addition, I suggest that students reach out to as many additional academic resources as they can, including staff in the Dean of Students Office, the Office of Academic Advising, their Residence Director or another student affairs colleague in the Offices of Multicultural Affairs or Fraternity and Sorority Life, for instance.  Any or all of these connections are positive for students, both in and outside the classroom, and allow students, faculty and staff to troubleshoot this speed bump together.

In addition, Student Affairs, in conjunction with Academic Affairs is offering a second Academic Skills Series.  Please send your students our way!! Feedback we received from the first run of the series was positive; students didn’t expect to get as many helpful tips about studying, time management and library resources as they thought they would. Programs are offered over the lunch hour with free pizza for the students; it couldn’t be more convenient for them.

October 3 Podcast: Student Advising and a Visit from the President

fyf week 7

Our last podcast of the series was timed just as students are preparing for mid-terms, anticipating fall break day (October 14) and getting ready for a week of activities leading to Homecoming beginning October 17.  Hosts Matthew Damschroder and Derrick Rohl welcomed two guests this week–President Richard Wilson and Chandra Shipley, Director of the Advising Center.  We appreciate their involvement in the show and enjoyed the lively conversation that ensued. 

We were very happy to bring President Wilson into the studio to talk a bit about his work at Illinois Wesleyan.  President Wilson is in his eighth year at IWU and under his leadership, the University has written an ambitious strategic plan and has undertaken the largest capital campaign in the history of the institution.  During the livecast, President Wilson gave insight into the work of a college president, explained why he chose to come to IWU and reflected on his experience as a father who sent two children off to college not too many years ago.   You sent us great questions for President Wilson, and his responses were as enlightening as his candor was engaging.

First-year students will be meeting with their advisors in the next several weeks, and Chandra talked about how parents might prepare their students for this important meeting.  Some students may go into the meeting on a steady course in a chosen major.  Others may be uncertain about what they want to study, but more sure about what they don’t want to pursue.  Still, some students will be unclear about declaring a major and wondering what direction to go.  At whatever place your student is at with the choice of a major, the advisor is a good person to connect with to begin to solidify courses for next semester and as well as formulating a plan for the next three and a half years leading to graduation. 

It is important that students prepare for their meetings with advisors–looking at the schedule of classes for spring semester and reviewing the Catalog to check course descriptions as well as pre-requisites should be done before the advisor meeting.  Students unsure of what they want to major in should consider going to the Hart Career Center for assistance with this important decision.  There, students can meet with career specialists, peruse an extensive library or take some self-guided assessments to gain a deeper understanding of their interests and strengths.  The general education requirements also expose students to an array of disciplines, courses and potential majors.  One of the strengths of the liberal arts lies in its breadth, and it is always inspiring to watch a student become engaged in a class only to find a passion in a subject that leads to a major.  In the first year, this is a process that need not be hurried but supported, and there are many at IWU who can provide assistance to students–their advisor, others in the faculty, the Advising Center, the Hart Career Center, the Dean of Students’ Office, internship sites, and even other students among other supports.

Our musical moment this week featured the IWU Symphonic Orchestra’s rendition of Alma Wesleyan, our beloved school song–here are the lyrics:

From hearts aflame, our love we pledge to thee
Where e’er we wander over land or sea
Through time unending, loyal we will be
True to our Alma Mater, Wesleyan

When college days are fully past and gone
While life endures through twilight gleam ’til dawn
Grandly thy soul shall with us linger on–
Star crowned our Alma Mater Wesleyan

As beautiful as the music is, it is the lyrics which stir our hearts, and we sing this song at our most important campus functions.  Your students sang it for the first time at their first-year convocation as they were welcomed into our academic community of scholars and artists.  In less than four years, your sons and daughters will walk across the stage at graduation and sing Alma Wesleyan for the first time as graduates.  It is a fast four years–and all of us at Illinois Wesleyan are here to support your student–and their families.

 Please forgive the delay in the posting of this show–in some ways, I think I lingered over it because I wasn’t quite ready for it to be completed.  This seven-week series has been a pleasure for us to present to you and we welcome your thoughts and suggestions for future podcasts.  To say that we’ve enjoyed connecting with you in this manner is an understatement.  Working with your students is our life’s work, and they provide challenge, vigor and great reward as we watch them grow, mature and embrace their educational opportunities and promise.

Talking points – Week 8

IWU is gearing up for Homecoming on October 22.  But there are a ton of events that lead up to it.  Here’s the official IWU press release.  The IWU Homecoming brochure is also online.  I’ll be sharing more details in the next week about what’s planned and organized.  And then, of course, pictures from the events themselves the week of.  Stay tuned!

Matthew

This week’s talking points:

• Homecoming activities begin next week; it is easy to fall behind in classes due to the number of activities planned—this is a good week to get ahead (or catch up) and prepare for a busy week ahead.
• Revisit the issue of time management.
• Where does the student stand in each class?  By whose standards, the student’s or the professor’s?
• Midterms are beginning in some classes and will run the next several weeks.  Students should begin to assess their performance levels based on first papers, tests and other projects.  Students uncertain of their performance or in need of assistance should contact instructors for assistance.  Some departments have tutors that are available at no additional cost to the student.  The Writing Center provides assistance with papers.  The last day to drop a class without academic penalty is Monday, October 17.  Encourage effort and well-informed decisions regarding academic performance.
• Friday, October 14 is Fall Break Day, which makes for an extended weekend for students.  For those who have stayed on campus since New Student Orientation, this is a good weekend to travel home.  Are there out-of-state roommates or international students who your son/daughter might invite to accompany them home?
• Some students may choose to apply for a travel course for May Term 2012.  May Term travel can be less disruptive to some student schedules, and a brief international experience can help students overcome anxieties associated with longer study abroad commitments.  Yet some of these courses are accompanied by considerable fees or travel costs.  Is this an interest for your student?  Is it possible for your family, given budgetary and other considerations?  If financial considerations rule out travel for May Term 2012, could summer or break work earnings be saved and applied to a future trip?