Parent & Family Office
CARE. COMPASSION. CONCERN.
Dear Families, We are excited that you are part of the Gonzaga family, and we look forward to sharing in your student’s college experience at Gonzaga University. Moreover, we understand this will be a time of great discovery and growth. Our primary objective is to assist you and your student during this important chapter of his or her life. Gonzaga has established the Parent and Family Office to help families help their students be successful at college. Studies show that parental involvement improves the chances that college students will graduate and enhances their college experience. This office is fully committed to making these objectives a reality. We are so pleased you are a part of the Gonzaga community, and we understand the integral role parents and families play in making this new chapter of your student’s educational journey a positive one. Our hope is to make the Gonzaga campus a “home away from home” by offering you a full range of services. We are available to answer your questions, provide resources, and offer guidance throughout the years. I invite you to contact our office with any questions or concerns. Again, we look forward to welcoming you and your student into our Gonzaga family! Amy Swank Director, Parent & Family Office
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Take comfort in the foundation you have provided for your student. This foundation will accompany your son or daughter across the miles and throughout the years.
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Discuss academic goals & expectations ahead of time. Many freshmen do not do as well academically first semester as they did in high school, and many change their minds about their proposed course of study. Ask your student what they hope to accomplish academically during their first year. It is important for them to take ownership of their education. Remember, though, that grades are not the only indication of learning.
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Talk to your son or daughter about how, and how often, you’ll keep in touch. Do you want a planned time to talk or do you want to be more spontaneous? A cell phone can be a wonderful way to keep in touch, or it can be, as one student described, an “electronic leash.” Encourage your student to use it with discretion and not just to fill time. Email and social media are also great ways to stay connected. Just don’t count on a reply to every message!
Coach your student to solve his or her problems, rather than solving them yourself. You’re likely to hear more than your share of problems. College students usually call their parents for reassurance when things aren’t going well, and call their friends with the latest exciting news. When you get those late night phone calls (and you will), encourage your student to use the appropriate campus resources — visit the health center or career center; talk to an advisor or dean; seek help from a counselor or tutor. Read resource information sent to you by the Parent & Family Office so you can be an informed coach for your Zag.
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Be an anchor. Keep your Zag informed about changes at home. Students often want their families to accept all the changes they are making, yet want everything at home to stay the same. It’s important to keep them informed about changes at home, whether it’s moving younger siblings into their room, or, on a more serious note, an illness in the family or the death of a pet. They need this from you in order to feel secure and maintain a sense of trust.
Don’t overschedule. Tell your child ahead of time about family plans, especially over the holidays, so that he or she can make plans accordingly.
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Acknowledge that college today is different. Although century-old buildings look untouched by time, college life today is very different from the campus scene 25 or 30 years ago. Think twice before beginning a sentence with “When I was in college...�
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Send care packages. Early in the year, sharing popcorn or chocolate chip cookies is a wonderful way for a student to meet floor mates. Photographs are personal reminders of home. Holiday decorations, baskets of treats at exam time, and even everyday necessities like shampoo and school supplies are reminders that say, “I’m thinking of you.”
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Renegotiate expectations. When your Zag comes home for long weekends or breaks, remember they have been making decisions on how to spend their time for many months. You, however, may have strong feelings of your own when they come in late at night, sleep late in the morning or arrive late for dinner. Most students respond well if parents treat them with respect. For example, you might say, “I know at Gonzaga you’re used to being out until all hours of the night, but I can’t sleep when I wake up at 2 in the morning and you’re not here. Let’s talk about how to handle this so that we’ll both feel good about it.” It takes flexibility and communication to find common ground.
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Understand that the college years are a time for exploration. Your son or daughter may come home with a new look–someone else’s clothes; new politics, philosophies, or eating habits; or even a new major and career goals. Most of these changes are temporary. Take a step back, have a sense of humor, and pick your battles. They need you to stick with them, have patience when they are uncertain and support them as they chart the course of their own lives.
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Ask questions– but not too many First year students are “cool” (or so they think) and have a tendency to resent interference with their new-found lifestyles. Still most desire the security of knowing that someone is interested in them. Parental curiosity might seem obnoxious and alienating, or could seem relief-giving and supportive...depending on the attitudes of the persons involved. Questions tinged with ulterior motives (“I have a right to know”) should be avoided. However, honest inquiries and other communication and discussion will do much to further the parent-new student relationship.
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Encourage your student to visit his or her professors. Every professor sets aside three or four hours per week for office hours. Office hours are meant for oneon-one conferences to help students with papers, test prep, and other questions. Encourage your student to avail him or herself of this service as often as possible.
Important Dates AUGUST 2014
26-28 Pre-Orientation Freshmen Retreat 29 Residence halls open (new students) 31 Residence halls open (returning students)
SEPTEMBER 2014 1 2 5 10 12 13 26
First payment due for 2014-2015 8-month payment plan Classes begin Last day to change meal plans Study Abroad Fair Last day to drop a class Pilgrimage Retreat Labor Day observed (no classes)
OCTOBER 2014 1 10-12 10-12 20 24
Spring Study Abroad application deadline Freshmen Retreat Cardoner Retreat Founder’s Day (no classes) Fall Family Weekend
NOVEMBER 2014 7-9 7-9 14 14-16 21-22 26-28
Freshmen Retreat Montserrat Retreat Last day to withdraw from a class SEARCH Retreat Career Discernment Retreat Thanksgiving Holiday
DECEMBER 2014
13-15 16-19 20 22 24 25
Reading/study days Finals week Residence halls close Christmas Holiday begins Christmas Eve Christmas Day
JANUARY 2015 2 9 11 12 13 16 21 23 30-Feb. 1
Spring semester 2015 payment in full deadline Christmas Holiday ends Residence halls open Monday-only classes begin Classes begin Last day to change meal plans Last day to add a class Last day to drop a class Montserrat Retreat
FEBRUARY 2015 1 6-8 18 20-22 20-22 27-Mar. 1
Summer Study Abroad application deadline Cardoner Retreat Ash Wednesday Freshmen Retreat SEARCH Retreat Men’s Retreat
MARCH 2015
JUNE 2015
1 8 9-13 20-22 22-26 27 29
1 21 26 29
Fall Study Abroad and Study Abroad 2015-2016 academic year applications deadline Daylight saving time begins Spring vacation Women’s Retreat Busy Students Retreat Last day to withdraw from a class Palm Sunday
APRIL 2015 2 3 5 6 10-12 28 30
Holy Thursday Good Friday (no classes) Easter Sunday Easter Holiday (no classes) SEARCH Retreat GRADitude Night GRADitude Night
MAY 2015
2 5-8 9 9 10 18 18 25
Reading/study days Finals week Residence halls close Commencement Mass Commencement/ Mothers’ Day Summer Session I begins Full Summer Session begins Memorial Day
Last day to sign up for 10-month payment plan for 2015-2016 Fathers’ Day Summer Session I ends Summer Session II begins
JULY 2015 1 26
Last day to sign up for 2015-2016, 10-month payment plan Parents’ Day
AUGUST 2015 3 7 7
Last day to sign up for 8-month payment plan for 2015-2016 Full Summer & Summer Session II end Fall semester 2015 payment in full deadline
SEPTEMBER 2015 3
First payment due for 2015-2016 8-month payment plan
For additional important dates, and downloadable calendar files, visit: gonzaga.edu/parentcalendar
Parent & Family Office
(509) 313-4154 | parents&family@gonzaga.edu
| gonzaga.edu/parents