2016-2017 PARENT & FAMILY CALENDAR
WELCOME to the
ZAG FAMILY!
GREETINGS FROM GONZAGA’S PARENT AND FAMILY RELATIONS OFFICE! We are excited that you are part of the Gonzaga Family, and we look forward to sharing in your student’s college experience at GU! We’re here to assist you and your student during this important transition in your lives. It will surely be a time of great discovery and growth. Parent and Family Relations is here, especially for you. Studies show that parent and family involvement improves and enhances the college experience for students, and our office is committed to providing the guidance and support you need to help your student be successful. We understand the integral role parents and families play in making this new phase of your student’s educational journey a positive one, and we have created several resources to keep you involved and informed. The Parent and Family eNewsletter, the Parent and Family Guide and our website at gonzaga.edu/parents are all full of helpful tips and information. In addition, our Parent and Family Advisory Council serves a crucial role by keeping us in touch with what you need to know, and how best to keep you informed. Our intent is to make the Gonzaga campus a “home away from home” by offering you a full range of services and resources. We are available to answer your questions, big or small. If we don’t have an answer, we will certainly find one for you! Please feel free to call or email our office any time, or stop by if you’re in Spokane. We are located in Crosby, Suite 101. We sincerely hope that this journey, for you and your student, will be fulfilling and successful. Welcome to our Gonzaga Family!
GO ZAGS! Amy Swank, Director Parent and Family Relations swank@gonzaga.edu (509) 313-4154
SEPTEMBER 2016
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
Residence Halls open – first year students (Aug. 26) New Student Orientation (Aug. 26-29) Residence Halls open – returning students (Aug. 28) President’s Reception and Welcome Mass (Aug. 28) Monday-only Classes Begin (Aug. 29) Classes Begin (Aug. 30)
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY First payment due for the 2016-2017 8-month payment plan
Labor Day - no classes
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
Last day to change meal plans
1 2 3 Last day to add a class
Study Abroad Fair Service Fair
Last day to drop a class † St. Peter Claver
4 5 6 7 8 9 10 CCASL mentoring applications due
Eid al-Adha
† Mass of the Holy Spirit - no classes
Pilgrimage † St. Robert Bellarmine
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 International Day of Peace
Native American Day CLC Leader Retreat (Sept. 23-25)
18 19 20 21 22 23 24 † St. Vincent de Paul
Men’s Retreat (Sept. 30 - Oct. 2)
25 26 27 28 29 30 Take comfort in the foundation you have provided for your student. This foundation will accompany your student across the miles and throughout the years.
AUGUST 2016
OCTOBER 2016
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OCTOBER 2016
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
1 Rosh Hashanah (Oct. 3-4) New York City Trek (Oct. 3-4)
† St. Francis of Assisi
Fall Family Weekend (Oct. 7-9)
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Columbus Day † St. Francis Borgia
Yom Kippur
First Year Retreat (Oct. 14-16)
Add Bulldog Bucks for mid-term study break Spring Study Abroad application deadline
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Sukkot (Oct. 17-23)
Spokane Trek
16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 Diwali † St. Alphonsus Rodriguez
Founder’s Day - no classes Sh’mini Atzeret
Simchat Torah
Search Retreat (Oct. 28-30)
Halloween Week of Prayer (Oct. 31-Nov. 4)
30 31 25 26 27 28 29 Discuss academic goals and expectations ahead of time. Many first-year students do not do as well academically in their first semester as they did in high school, and many reconsider their proposed course of study. Ask your student what they hope to accomplish during their first year and help them take ownership of their education. Remember, though, grades are not the only indication of learning.
SEPTEMBER 2016
NOVEMBER 2016
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NOVEMBER 2016
SUNDAY
MONDAY RESIDENT ASSISTANT (RA) APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE
TUESDAY † All Saints Day
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
† All Souls Day
FRIDAY Cardoner Retreat (Nov. 4-6)
SATURDAY † All Saints of the Society of Jesus
1 2 3 4 5 Daylight Saving Time ends
Election Day
Last day to withdraw from a class Veterans’ Day
6 7 8 9 10 11 12 International Day of Tolerance
Montserrat Contemplative Retreat (Nov. 18-20) Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice (Nov. 12-14)
13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Thanksgiving Holiday (Nov. 23-25)
Thanksgiving Day
† St. John Berchmans
20 21 22 23 24 25 26 † First Sunday of Advent
27 28 29 30 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.”
OCTOBER 2016
DECEMBER 2016
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DECEMBER 2016
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY Tell family and friends about the perfect Christmas gift: Bulldog Bucks
FRIDAY Search Retreat (Dec. 2-4)
SATURDAY † St. Francis Xavier
1 2 3 † St. Nicholas
† Immaculate Conception
Add Bulldog Bucks for a finals study break
Reading/Study Days (Dec. 10-12)
4 5 6 7 8 9 10 † Our Lady of Guadalupe
Fall 2017 Study Abroad applications open
Finals Week (Dec. 13-16)
Residence Halls close for break
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Christmas break begins
† St. Peter Canisius
18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Christmas Day Hanukkah begins
Kwanzaa begins
25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Don’t overschedule. Tell your student ahead of time about family plans, especially over the holidays, so that he or she can make plans accordingly.
NOVEMBER 2016
JANUARY 2017
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JANUARY 2017
SUNDAY
MONDAY
† Mary, Mother of the Society of Jesus New Year’s Day
TUESDAY Spring Semester 2017 payment in full deadline
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
† St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
† Epiphany
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Justice in January (Jan. 8-14)
Portland Trek
Seattle Trek
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Residence Halls open for spring semester
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - no classes
Classes begin
Last day to change meal plans
15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Monday-only classes begin
Last day to add a class
Last day to drop a class Montserrat Contemplative Retreat (Jan. 27-29)
Chinese New Year † St. Thomas Aquinas
22 23 24 25 26 27 28 2017-2018 returning resident housing applications due
29 30 31 Encourage your student to visit his or her professors. Every professor sets aside three or four hours per week for office hours. This time is meant for one-on-one conferences to help students with papers, test prep, and other questions. Encourage your student to take advantage of this opportunity, as often as possible.
DECEMBER 2016
FEBRUARY 2017
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FEBRUARY 2017
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
Sophomore, Junior & Senior student housing sign-ups begin
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
Summer Study Abroad application deadline
1 2 3 4 † St. Paul Miki and Companions
Search Retreat (Feb. 10-12)
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 † St. Valentine’s Day
First Year Retreat (Feb. 17-19)
12 13 14 15 16 17 18 President’s Day - no classes
Women’s Retreat (Feb. 24-26)
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 Coach your student to solve problems, rather than solving them yourself. Your student may call for help or reassurance when things aren’t going well. Encourage your student to utilize campus resources—visit Health and Counseling Services; talk to an advisor or dean; seek help from a counselor or tutor. Parent and Family Relations offers resource information so you can be an informed coach for your Zag.
JANUARY 2017
MARCH 2017
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MARCH 2017
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
Freshman student housing sign-ups begin
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
† Ash Wednesday Add Bulldog Bucks for mid-term study break 2017-2018 second year student living-learning community (LLC) applications due
1 2 3 4 International Women’s Day
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Daylight Saving Time begins Purim Mission: Possible (Mar. 12-18)
Spring Vacation (Mar. 13-17)
Silicon Valley Trek
† St. Patrick’s Day San Francisco Trek
12 13 14 15 16 17 18 † St. Joseph
Cardoner Retreat (Mar. 24-26)
19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Search Retreat (Mar. 31-Apr. 2)
26 27 28 29 30 31 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 your age...”
FEBRUARY 2017
APRIL 2017
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APRIL 2017
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
1 Last day to withdraw from a class
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 † Palm Sunday
† Passover begins
† Holy Thursday
† Good Friday – no classes
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 † Easter Sunday Emancipation Day
† Easter Holiday – no classes Tax Day
16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
Yom Hashoah
Add Bulldog Bucks for a finals study break
30 24 25 26 27 28 29 Talk to your student about how, and how often, you’ll keep in touch. Do you want a planned time to talk, or are you more spontaneous? A cell phone can be a wonderful way to connect, or it can be, as one student described, an “electronic leash.” Encourage your student to use it with discretion. Email and social media are also great ways to stay connected. Just don’t count on a reply to every message!
MARCH 2017
MAY 2017
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MAY 2017
SUNDAY
MONDAY 2017-2018 first year student living-learning community (LLC) applications due
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
Yom Haatzmaut
THURSDAY † St. Jose Maria Rubio
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
Cinco de Mayo
1 2 3 4 5 6 Reading/Study Days (May 6-8)
Finals Week (May 9-12)
Social Justice Missioning Ceremony Spring 2018 Study Abroad applications open
Commencement Mass Graduate School Commencement Residence Halls close for those not graduating
7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Undergraduate Commencement Mother’s Day Lag B’Omer
Residence Halls close for those graduating
Armed Forces Day
14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Summer Session I begins Full Summer Session begins Summer Session 2017 payment/payment arrangement deadline
† Ascension
Ramadan begins
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Memorial Day
Shavuot (May 31-Jun. 1)
28 29 30 31 Renegotiate expectations. When your Zag visits home, remember they’ve been making decisions on how to spend their time. You, however, may have strong feelings when they come in late at night, sleep in, or arrive late for dinner. Most students respond well if you treat them with respect. Start the conversation by being flexible and seeking common ground and solutions that will work for both of you.
APRIL 2017
JUNE 2017
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JUNE 2017
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
Last day to sign up for 10-month payment plan for 2017-2018
1 2 3 Pentecost
4 5 6 7 8 9 10 † Trinity Sunday
† Corpus Christi
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Father’s Day
Juneteenth
† St. Aloysius Gonzaga
† St. Thomas More
† Sacred Heart of Jesus
18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Ramadan ends Eid Al-Fitr
Summer Session I ends
25 26 27 28 29 30 Understand that the college years are a time for exploration. Your student may come home with a new identity—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 and support them as they chart the course of their own lives.
MAY 2017
JULY 2017
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JULY 2017
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY Canada Day First payment due for the 2017-2018 10-month payment plan
1 Summer Session II begins
Independence Day
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 † St. Benedict
† St. Kateri Tekakwitha
9 10 11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Parents’ Day
23
24 † St. Ignatius of Loyola
30 31 25 26 27 28 29 Ask questions—but not too many. First year students can resent interference with their new-found lifestyles. Still, most desire the security of knowing that someone is interested. Parental curiosity might seem obnoxious, or it could offer relief and support depending on the attitudes of the people involved. Avoid questions tinged with ulterior motives in favor of honest inquiries and discussion.
JUNE 2017
AUGUST 2017
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AUGUST 2017
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY Last day to sign up for 8-month payment plan for 2017-2018 Tisha B’Av
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
Fall Semester 2017 payment in full deadline † St. John Vianney
1 2 3 4 5 Summer Session II ends Full Summer Session ends
6 7 8 9 10 11 12 † Assumption of Mary
13 14 15 16 17 18 19 New Student Orientation (Aug. 25-28) Residence Halls open – first year students (Aug. 25)
20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Residence Halls open – returning students President’s Reception and Welcome Mass
Monday-only classes begin
Classes begin
First payment due for the 2017-2018 8-month payment plan (Sept. 1)
27 28 29 30 31 Be an anchor. 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 updated about changes at home, whether it’s moving younger siblings into their room, an illness in the family or death of a pet. This will help your student feel secure and maintain a sense of trust.
JULY 2017 S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
SEPTEMBER 2017 S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Parent and Family Relations 502 E. Boone Avenue - MSC 2464 Spokane, WA 99258-2464 (509) 313-4154 gonzaga.edu/parents
Photos by Rajah Bose, Austin Ilg, Ryan Sullivan, Matt Weigand, and Shelby Wells.