AU Family A publication for families of Aurora University undergraduate students
Dear Friends, It’s time to start thinking about a new academic year at Aurora University. We look toward 2016–2017 with optimism as we prepare to welcome large freshman and transfer classes as well as large new cohorts of graduate students to our campuses and classrooms. Our online program also is growing as busy adults combine learning with their many work and family duties. This is a complicated time for many of us who’ve made our lives in higher education. Americans continue to express genuine concern about the escalating cost of earning a bachelor’s degree. Indeed, too many students graduate with excessive loans and uncertain professional prospects. Frankly, we agree with this critique and continue to control carefully our price increases.
SUMMER 2016
As a requirement of graduation, our full-time undergraduates must participate in our new “junior mentoring process.” Each AU junior will be invited to engage in a series of conversations with key faculty. Discussions will focus on career aspirations and post-graduation planning. To put it simply, this program is intended to help students make the most of their last 18 months on campus. The purpose of our new requirement is to designate a specific moment for “taking stock” and developing an intentional plan for the future. We are excited about this idea and hope that you will be also. The mentoring requirement is distinctive to AU and represents yet another effort on our part to ensure that students realize real value from their college investment.
We are proud that Aurora University offers an excellent education at an affordable price. This year we will be implementing a new program, designed to ensure that our students truly are ready to compete successfully for graduate and professional school admission or to gain good jobs in their fields of interest. I hope that you will hear about this program soon from your son or daughter.
Rebecca L. Sherrick, PhD President
A weekend to welcome the Class of 2020 More than 600 new freshmen will arrive at the university Thursday, Aug. 25 to make AU their new “home away from home.” Welcome Weekend includes an opening session for all first-year residents and commuters. Students get reacquainted with their peer advisors, have some fun on the Quad and attend a nighttime social. On Friday, students will receive tips for academic success from AU faculty and learn about resources that will help ease their transition to college. Saturday focuses on growth and learning outside the classroom. Students will hear tips from peer advisors who have already made a successful transition. On Sunday, students will have time to relax and explore campus on their own. Returning residents will also be moving into the residence halls. The next day classes begin, marking the official start of the 2016–2017 academic year!
There will be plenty of time for fun during Welcome Weekend.
New mentoring program gives juniors a jumpstart The Junior Mentoring Program will be launched this fall at Aurora University. This distinctive program will assist students in clearly identifying their academic, career and life goals, help them to make the most of their last 18 months of college, and prepare them for life after graduation. All juniors will enroll in major-specific programs and work alongside faculty to develop the skills necessary to achieve their goals. During the program, students will engage in » one-on-one and group mentoring sessions with faculty; » career-skills workshops focused on resume writing, effective interviewing skills, professional dress and networking; » workshops focused on creating effective application materials for graduate school; » academic skills exercises (e.g., effective verbal and written communication, critical thinking); and » university-sponsored activities (e.g., internships, study abroad, career workshops, service learning and volunteerism) that can help them achieve their goals.
Aurora University’s distinctive new program will help juniors derive academic, career and life goals.
“The mentoring program is designed to provide students with effective vocational guidance in support of the university’s core values of integrity, citizenship, continuous learning and excellence,” said Jessica Thurlow, associate professor of history and dean of general education. “These values guide the AU community in developing and graduating responsible citizens who discover and reflect, communicate effectively and think critically.”
A safe place to discover what matters Creating a safe environment where students can live and study is one of the primary goals of Aurora University. “This is a very safe campus,” said Lt. Joe Brankin of Campus Public Safety. But even so, students do need to be proactive in avoiding crime, like theft, by locking cars and residence hall rooms. AU employs its own dispatchers and uniformed Campus Public Safety officers, several of which are sworn state-ofIllinois-certified police. The department is staffed around the clock, seven days a week and officers patrol the campus. “We want our students to feel comfortable in coming to our office [1408 Southlawn Place], talking to officers they encounter on campus and calling us,” Brankin said. Other on-campus safety resources include: Classroom Security Classrooms and labs are equipped with deadbolt locks. Maps are located in each room on campus and include a floor plan highlighting the building’s name and address, emergency exits and where to go in case of severe weather. Code Blue Emergency Phone System Ten Code Blue emergency call boxes are located across campus. Calls go directly to Campus Public Safety dispatch with the push of a button.
Emergency Text Messaging Emergency text messaging alerts subscribers to canceled classes or closed offices due to bad weather or a critical situation on campus. Students are automatically enrolled. Family members can subscribe at aurora.edu/alerts. Alerts are also posted at aurora.edu. Residence Life Staff A full-time residence hall director resides in each building, and residence assistants — intensely trained student staff members — live on each floor. These employees are responsible for assisting and acting as resources for residents. Safety Escort For any reason, Campus Public Safety will escort students 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Tips for student success Amy Gray, assistant vice president for student life, has this piece of wisdom for parents sending their students off to college this fall: “They don’t want you to fix it, they want you to listen.” Sounds easy enough, but for some parents, it’s tough to resist the desire to swoop in and help — especially after a panicked late-night phone call about too much homework, a disagreement with a roommate or just a bad day. “Parents may worry all night after a call like that, but their student is probably off having fun somewhere hanging out with their friends,” she said. “Most of the time, students just need to vent. They aren’t saying, ‘Please, please, come fix this for me.’”
Brynn Landwehr, academic advising director in the Crouse Center for Student Success.
That’s not to say that Aurora University takes students’ difficulties lightly. AU offers a number of resources to students who may be vexed by academic decisions, timemanagement issues or adjusting to college life. Gray advises that parents encourage students to take advantage of one of the on-campus resources listed below to help them address any challenges they may experience as they navigate the transition to college. Academic Support Center | aurora.edu/academicsupport The center provides free professional and peer tutoring to all students as well as helps students develop effective study and test-taking skills. Career Services | aurora.edu/career Career Services staff assist undergraduates in the transition from student to professional. They coordinate on-campus student employment and help students explore career and major opportunities, write resumes, prepare for interviews, and apply to jobs and internships.
Counseling Center | aurora.edu/counseling The center provides a safe place to talk through personal matters with professionally licensed clinicians, including psychologists and social workers. Crouse Center for Student Success aurora.edu/crousecenter Academic advisors guide and mentor students as they plan, build and complete their bachelor’s degree. Disability Resource Office | aurora.edu/dro Staff members assist students with disabilities and their faculty in solving access issues. Wellness Center | aurora.edu/wellness The center provides free nursing services and promotes health, wellness and preventive care for students.
Summer projects bring campus enhancements Despite students being home for the summer, the campus remained active with the completion of several enhancement projects. In the fall, students can expect a refurbished Dunham Hall Atrium, creating a comfortable spot for studying and socializing. Stephens Hall will be home to a new black box theatre, providing performance space for smaller campus productions. A new nursing simulation lab will be part of Alumni Hall, which will also gain new equipment for the exercise science program. Some residence halls will be repainted and have new flooring as well.
Dunham Hall Atrium hosts many student events, including the popular therapy dog visits during finals week each semester.
Campus Connections CONTACTS
SPECIAL UPCOMING DATES
Campus Public Safety 630-844-6140 | cpsafety@aurora.edu Office of Financial Aid 630-844-6190 | finaid@aurora.edu Office of Residence Life 630-844-5446 | reslife@aurora.edu Office of Student Accounts 630-844-5470 | student.accts@aurora.edu
August 25–28 | Welcome Week for First-Year Students August 29 | Classes Begin September 5 | Labor Day (no classes) October 21–23 | Fall Weekend (no traditional day classes) November 23–27 | Thanksgiving Holiday
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AU Family
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A publication for families of Aurora University
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SUMMER 2016