Aggie Quick Connection August 2010
Welcome Family Members,
GIG ’EM WEEK
Message from the Office of New Student and Family Programs
Howdy! A warm welcome to all new subscribers, many of whom are parents of new students! Summer sessions are coming to a close, and the University is humming with activity as departments gear up to welcome more than 46,000 students for the fall semester. We are looking forward to the coming year and the opportunity to keep you connected to what’s happening on campus. We encourage you to visit the Aggie Family web site for additional updates and helpful resources. You can visit us at http://parents.tamu.edu/. Please feel free to contact the Office of New Student and Family Programs at (979) 845-5826, or email us at nsp@tamu.edu if you have any questions. Thanks and Gig ’em!
Family Edition
August 22 - 29, 2010 Gig ’em Week is Aggieland’s official Week of Welcome. This week is full of events and opportunities for new and returning students to become familiar or reacquainted with campus, fellow Aggies, and the Bryan/ College Station community. Gig ’em Week is coordinated by the Office of New Student Programs and takes place just before the Fall Semester at Texas A&M University. • Aug. 22-29: Student Family Fun Days at the Rec • Aug. 22: All Day Residence Hall Move In Day • Aug. 24: 3-6 pm AggieFest • Aug. 24: 7-8 pm Gig ’em Week GatheRING • Aug. 24: 8-10 pm Yell Practice • Aug. 25/26: All Day Canoe Day Trips • Aug. 25: 11 am-1 pm Ice Cream Carnival • Aug. 25: 8:30 - 10:30 pm Movie Night • Aug. 26: 11 am - 1 pm Pizza Taste Off • Aug. 26: 11 am - 1 pm Cards for Kids • Aug. 26: 1-3 pm Veterans Orientation Social • Aug. 26: 6-9 pm ExCEL In Living Color Extravaganza • Aug. 26: 9-11:30 pm Campus Dance • August 27: 11 am - 2:00 pm Aggieland Market • August 28: 1 - 6 pm Free 1-Time Climbs at the Rec •August 29: 11 am - 1:45 pm Freshman Convocation Lunch • August 29: 2:30 - 3:30 pm Freshman Convocation • August 29: 6 - 7:30 pm Class Schedule Tours Visit http://studentlife.tamu.edu/nsp/gew for the complete Schedule of Events and Brochure.
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Department of Multicultural Services 3-4 Upcoming Events 5 General Resources
...Family Calendar The 2010 Family Calendar is now available online at
http://parents.tamu.edu/publications. Please feel free to download it for more information!
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Aggie Quick Connection Featured Services: Multicultural Services
The next to do checklist for your student in Aggieland
The Department of Multicultural Services offers a wide variety of services such as diversity education programs that foster inclusive learning environments for all students and support services for current and prospective students from underrepresented populations. Below is a checklist for you to assist your student during their college years. Don’t let your student be a couch potato! Tell them to get up and meet new people. • ExCEL, a freshman orientation program, is a good venue for freshmen to plug-in. ExCEL will help your Aggies find academic, social, and personal balance throughout their freshman year. The kick-off Conference is on August 26-27, 2010. Register online at http://excel.tamu.edu/registration. Cost is $40, but if they attend Fish Camp, they (or you) don’t have to pay the registration fee! Encourage your student to find a niche where they can share experiences in Aggieland together and, at the same time, build their leadership skills. • We offer many opportunities for your student to feel a part of the Aggie family. Wanting to do community service projects, learn different cultures, be a mentor for high school kids, or have a hands-on leadership experience to boost their resume? Your Aggies can check out our website at http://dms.tamu.edu/ and click the leadership section for a list of student organizations in our department. • Inform your student about our Welcome Social on August 26th from 2:00 3:30 pm at Koldus 110. We will have all of our student leaders from different groups share how to get involved. Plus, FREE finger food will be provided! Please RSVP online to http://dms.tamu.edu/welcomesocial . For more information, contact Cruz Rios at crios@dms.tamu.edu Make sure your Aggies know who to call when they need help in Math and Science classes. • We offer FREE one-on-one Tutoring Services for all Aggies! Yes, it’s FREE and there is no catch to it! Go online to http://tutor.tamu.edu/ (be sure to have NetID and password handy). Do not know where the world’s trend is taking your student? It’s good to encourage your student to be more inclusive and global minded. • Our Diversity team offers several services such as diversity certificate, social justice courses, and CommUnity Conversation presentations. Contact Dr. Marisa Suhm at msuhm@tamu.edu for more information. * Information overload and don’t know where to start? Stop by our Office in Koldus suite 227 or call us at 979.862.2000. Tech savvy students can go online to http://dms.tamu.edu.
August 2010
Family Edition
Stay Connected with the latest Campus News The Battalion“The independent student voice of Texas A&M since 1893.” www.thebatt.com Texas A&M News and InformationAggie Hotline The Division of Marketing & Communications produces Aggie Hotline, an email news brief service that is distributed to subscribers each weekday. News briefs may also be found online at: tamunews. tamu.edu. Subscribe to Aggie Hotline: Send an email message to listserv@tamu. edu. Leave the subject line blank and type the message: SUB Aggie-Hotline your-real-name.
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Aggie Quick Connection Upcoming Events & Programs AMPLIFY Encourage your student to attend Amplify, a year-long series of programs and workshops designed to assist freshmen, transfer and sophomore Aggies develop skills and make them aware of resources that will enhance their Texas A&M experience. Some example sessions offered this semester include: Cooking on a Budget, Time Management and Procrastination, and Career Assessment Workshop: Using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to Help Identify Personality Characteristics. To view a complete listing of this semester’s workshops, please visit: http://amplify.tamu.edu/workshop. Every program offered through Amplify is completely FREE so we hope your student will take advantage! This month in Amplify: • August 31, 2010 1:00 PM ELI Classroom and Conversation Partner Program
FIRST YEAR SEMINARS Has your student heard about First Year Seminars? Each First Year Seminar is a one hour elective credit course, in which 15 students are given the chance to build a personal connection with a faculty member to help ease the transition into Texas A&M in a seminar-style class. Through the academically enriching course work, such as reflection in journals, field trips, or discussion, your student will gain a well-rounded education. Register quickly because these courses are filling up fast! Check out First Year Seminar descriptions at firstyear.tamu.edu. • The deadline to add a First Year Seminar is September 3 at 5pm • Listed as UGST 181, Sections 501 to 551 • Low stress, small classes (12-15 students) • Opportunity to have contact with and support from a faculty member • Provide information about university processes • Ease transition from high school to college life • Help build foundation for life-long learning skills • Academically enriching and reasonably challenging
COLLEGE HEALTH 101 As you are out and about getting everything your student needs to start the new school year, don’t forget to have some conversations about alcohol and your expectations around their behavior. For more information about talking to your college student about alcohol, check out our Parent Guide at: http://studentlife.tamu.edu/adep. Student Health Services and Alcohol and Drug Education Programs will be presenting College Health 101 on August 24th @ 11:30am in Rudder 302. Encourage your student to come learn about staying in shape, getting good sleep, and health resources on campus. There will be food and prizes for all who attend!
August 2010
Family Edition
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Aggie Quick Connection More Upcoming Events & Programs AGGIELAND MARKET
Identifying a place to get a hair cut, purchase groceries, and obtain automobile maintenance are just a few of the hassles of adjusting to a new community. Aggieland Market is a vendor fair where local businesses come to campus to showcase their merchandise and services. It is designed to assist students with getting acclimated to the Bryan/College Station community by connecting students with those essential services they will need during their tenure in Aggieland. The Market will be held Friday, August 27, 2010 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the Sul Ross Plaza. Students can come browse the booths, pick up information, coupons, discounts, free give away items and leave more knowledgeable about their surroundings. Please visit http://studentlife.tamu.edu/agoss/community/AggielandMarket for more information.
MSC OPEN HOUSE Students have the opportunity be a part of hundreds of student organizations representing a multitude of interests while at Texas A&M. Student organizations are listed and described at http://studentactivities.tamu.edu/online/search/index (Organizations can be searched by name or key words.) These organizations provide valuable opportunities to develop leadership skills, academic and career interests, as well as social ties. MSC Open House, Texas A&M’s largest student organization recruiting event, provides students with the opportunity to meet and talk with hundreds of student organizations. MSC Open House will be in the Reed Arena on Sunday, September 5, 2010 from 1:00-5:00 p.m. For more information, please go to http:// mscopenhouse.tamu.edu/.
AGGIE FOOTBAL Aggie Football games can be exciting times for the entire family. The Aggies have eight games at Kyle Field this season (game times may change when televised):
• 09/04 vs. Stephen F. Austin 6:00 p.m. @ College Station • 09/11 vs. Louisiana Tech 6:00 p.m. @ College Station • 09/18 vs. Florida International 6:00 p.m. @ College Station • 09/30 vs. Oklahoma State 6:30 p.m. @ Stillwater, Oklahoma • 10/09 vs. Arkansas Southwest Classic TBA @ Arlington, Texas • 10/16 vs. Missouri TBA @ College Station (SAVE THE DATE FOR NEW FAMILY WELCOME! Please visit http://studentlife.tamu.edu/NFW for more information!) • 10/23 vs. Kansas TBA @ Lawrence, Kansas • 10/30 vs. Texas Tech TBA @ College Station • 11/06 vs. Oklahoma TBA @ College Station • 11/13 vs. Baylor TBA @ Waco, Texas • 11/20 vs. Nebraska TBA @ College Station • 11/25 vs. Texas 7:00 p.m. @ Austin, Texas
More information about the football schedule, tickets, and Aggie athletics can be found at: http://www.aggieathletics.com/sports/m-footbl/tam-m-footbl-body.html.
August 2010
Family Edition
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Aggie Quick Connection General TAMU Resources THE MONEY WISE AGGIE The Money Wise Aggie is Texas A&M University’s free personal finance counseling and education program. Their mission is to help students make smart personal finance decisions while pursuing their academic degrees and to lay a foundation for financial success throughout life. Workshops on topics such as credit cards and credit scores, creating a budget, financial aid, and identity theft are offered throughout the year. For more information on workshop schedules or setting up a counseling appointment, please visit http://moneywise.tamu.edu.
FINANCIAL AID The Student Financial Aid website has a wealth of information about how to pay for college, including tips on how to apply for financial aid and how to avoid scholarship scams. For more information, visit their website at http://financialaid.tamu.edu/. It is important that bills are paid on time or that other arrangements are made - doing this will ensure that your student’s schedule is not dropped.
UPDATING DIRECTORY INFORMATION Your student enters specific information about themselves when they set up their computing access accounts. Students have the option to have any or all data elements restricted from release as directory information. To select this option or to modify/update information, students should log in howdy.tamu.edu, go to “My Record”, and click on the “Directory Hold Information” link. It is important for both students’ and parents’ contact information to be accurate in the event of an emergency.
IMPORTANT DATES IN AUGUST Aug. 9 (Monday) - Last day of second summer term and 10-week summer semester classes. Aug. 10-11 (Tuesday-Wednesday) - Second term and 10-week summer semester final examinations for all students. Aug. 12 (Thursday, noon) - Grades for degree candidates from departments due in Office of the Registrar. Aug. 13 (Friday) - Commencement and Commissioning. - 5 p.m. Last day for August undergraduate degree candidates to apply for Tuition Rebate. - 2009-2010 parking permit expiration date. Aug. 16 (Monday, noon.) - Final grades for second term and 10-week semester due in Office of the Registrar. Aug. 22-29 (Sunday-Sunday) – Gig ’em Week - Aggieland’s Week of Welcome, event and opportunities for new and returning students to become acquainted with the campus. Visit http://studentlife.tamu.edu/nsp/GEW for more information. Aug 27 (Friday, 5 p.m.) - Last day to register for fall semester classes and pay fees. August 29 (Sunday) - Freshman Convocation. August 30 (Monday) - First day of fall semester classes.
August 2010
Family Edition
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