Volume 11, Number 1 ▪ Fall 2017
Welcome Back!
Zuri White – Parent and Family Programs Manager
In This Issue Welcome from PFPO ....... 1-2 Welcome from Illini Union Director, Jamie Singson ...... 2 Welcome from UIPD .......... 3 Dads Weekend 2017........... 4 Settling Into Your Empty Nest ...................... 5-6 Getting Involved on Campus .......................... 7 Scholarship Raffle Tickets on Sale ................................ 7
We are about to embark on another exciting year at the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign and I am looking forward to welcoming our returning students and their families. We spent a majority of the summer welcoming our new parents and families to the Illini Family, and we look forward to seeing our new and returning Illini families throughout this year. Our current Illini Family Resource Guide can be found online at union. illinois.edu/PFPO. We publish an updated version of the guide every summer with parents and families in mind, and we encourage you to read it and keep it handy. You also still have an awesome opportunity to be part of the Moms or Dads Association where you can work many of the events during Moms and Dads Weekends, or even apply to serve on the board of directors. These are all great opportunities for you to be an active member of the Illinois community. For more information about the Moms or Dads Association visit IlliniMoms.com or IlliniDads.com. No matter their year in school, we know that this is an exciting time in your student’s life, and we want it to be an
union.illinois.edu/PFPO
exciting time for families, too. The more you know about the university and your student’s place in it, the better prepared you are to be of help and support to your student. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us via phone (217) 333-7063 or via email at iuparentfamilyprograms@illinois.edu. Go Illini! __________________ This year we welcome Dr. Danita M. Brown Young, who joins the university as Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs. During a national search, the search committee recognized Brown Young’s potential to strengthen Student Affairs at Illinois by way of her experience at two land-grant universities and at various smaller universities with diverse demographics. Brown Young provided student affairs leadership at the University of Minnesota and Purdue University. She also held student affairs positions at West Virginia University, Ohio University, and Loyola University. She earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Kent State continued on page 2
Web Addresses
continued from page 1 University, a master’s in community counseling from Loyola University and a Ph.D. in higher education administration from Ohio University.
Illini Union
union.illinois.edu • Illini Union Parent and Family Programs Office union.illinois.edu/PFPO • Illini Union Board iuboard.illinois.edu • Illini Union Office of Volunteer Programs union.illinois.edu/ovp
• Illinois Union Tech Zone techzone.illinois.edu • Illini Union Hotel union.illinois.edu/hotel • Illini Union Bookstore bookstore.illinois.edu
Student Affairs Campus Recreation campusrec.illinois.edu The Career Center careercenter.illinois.edu Counseling Center counselingcenter.illinois.edu Dean of Students odos.illinois.edu Disability Resources & Educational Services disability.illinois.edu Division of Public Safety - UI Police police.illinois.edu Financial Aid osfa.illinois.edu Housing housing.illinois.edu Inclusion and Intercultural Relations oiir.illinois.edu • 0Asian American Cultural Center • 0African American Cultural Center • 0Diversity and Social Justice Education • 0La Casa Cultural Latina • Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Resource Center • Native American House • Women’s Resources Center McKinley Health Center mckinley.illinois.edu Study Abroad Office studyabroad.illinois.edu Student Affairs studentaffairs.illinois.edu Tenant Union tenantunion.illinois.edu
“Dr. Brown Young is an accomplished ambassador for students, a strategic leader, and a collaborative colleague,” Chancellor Robert J. Jones said. “She understands the critical role Student
Affairs must play in successfully meeting our land-grant promises of educational access and opportunity. I’m excited to have her join the leadership team here at Illinois.” Brown Young succeeds C. Renée Romano, who recently retired. Join us in welcoming Dr. Young to the University of Illinois!
Welcome to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign! Jamie Singson – Illini Union Director Welcome to the Illinois family. We are happy for the decision your son or daughter has made to attend the University of Illinois. By choosing to enroll at Illinois, they have made one of the most important decisions of their life to attend this world class institution. We appreciate your contributions and sacrifices to their education and we are equally committed to their success. This year we are especially excited for your student’s arrival during the 150th year of the university’s founding. Celebration of the Sesquicentennial started last spring and will continue into this academic year. You share a special moment with the thousands of parents and families before you, the day your student arrives on campus. We know there may be a mix of emotions during this momentous occasion ranging from excitement to anxiety, and even melancholy. Know that as you say your goodbyes, many great faculty and staff are here to enrich and ensure a reward-
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ing academic experience. More than 1,200 Student Affairs staff members are working around the clock to provide the help, support, and encouragement your student needs to grow and thrive during their complete collegiate experience. We want to help families continue to build on a strong foundation by establishing a productive parent-university partnership. As the parent/family liaison, we promise to connect with Illinois families through regular communications, our website, and to provide volunteer opportunities that encourage healthy participation in campus life. The Illini Union Parent and Family Programs Office supports the Moms and Dads Associations’ activities that improve the well-being of all students and provide resources for families. We are proud of the tradition that the Moms and Dads Associations established more than 90 years ago. We are committed to continuing that tradition and to being the leader in parent-university partnerships. Please feel free to contact our office any time you have a question, comment, or suggestion. Again, welcome to the Illinois family. We look forward to getting to know you.
Welcome from UIPD
Patrick Wade – Communications Specialist, University of Illinois Police Department The University of Illinois Police Department (UIPD) is constantly evolving to meet the needs of its campus community, and public safety officials are providing a number of tools to make sure students and others have all the information and resources they need to take control of their personal safety. The University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign is a very safe campus. But it is also a very large campus, with tens of thousands of students, faculty, staff, and visitors every day. Like any community of its size, the campus community will never be entirely crime-free — making it essential that students and others take advantage of the available resources to look out for themselves and each other. UIPD is a full-service department, which provides all the traditional police services and some additional resources uniquely-tailored to a college environment. The department maintains a campus security network, which includes about 1,700 cameras, and its staff of 65 sworn police officers is supplemented by additional patrols from the Champaign Police Department, Urbana Police Department, Champaign County Sheriff ’s Office, and Illinois State Police. Between the various agencies, the Urbana campus is the most-densely patrolled area in the region. “Still, students’ active participation in taking steps to ensure their own and others’ safety will always be the most effective tool in curtailing crime,” said U. of I. Police Chief Jeff Christensen. “It has to be a community effort.”
public safety issues in their area and have honest conversations with students and others about crime and what everyone can do to minimize their risk of being targeted by a criminal.
‘At Illinois, We Care’ Sexual violence and misconduct is a concern for law enforcement agencies across the nation – particularly on college campuses. All students are required to attend educational sessions during The following are just a few of the avail- their first year on campus, but sexual able resources. Police encourage campus assault remains pervasive with 1 in 7 community members to visit police. women reporting that they have expeillinois.edu/safety for more information rienced an incident during their time about campus safety tips and programs. on our campus. Nationally, studies have shown as many as 1 in 5 women and 1 SafeWalks in 16 men will experience sexual assault. Criminals look for the right opportuThere are a number of resources and nity to act. By walking in groups and reporting options available for students using well-lit, high-traffic areas, we can who have experienced sexual assault. At eliminate that opportunity and reduce Illinois, we care and we support surour risk of being targeted by a crimivivors. Anyone wanting to learn more nal. SafeWalks is a free service offered about reporting methods, confidential by trained Student Patrol Officers to resources, or other options should visit ensure their fellow students always have wecare.illinois.edu. someone to walk with. Anyone who needs to travel on campus between 9 Social Media p.m. and 2:30 a.m., seven days a week, UIPD continues to make use of social is encouraged to call 217-333-1216 to media to ensure students and others request a walking escort. Requests can are informed of public safety issues in also be placed through the SafeWalks a timely and effective manner. Social mobile app. media is one of the most important communication tools used by collegeIllini-Alert age people, and UIPD takes a proactive Illini-Alert messages are notifications approach in talking to students about sent via email, text message, and social their safety. The department is encourmedia to our community members duraging everyone to follow @UIPD on ing a campus emergency like fire, severe Twitter or Facebook at facebook.com/ weather, or if someone is trying to hurt UIpolice. others. The messages include crucial instructions on which areas to avoid or “It’s important that we engage our how to protect yourself. Everyone with students in an honest, realistic conversaan illinois.edu email address automatition about crime and public safety issues cally will receive Illini-Alert emails, but because they truly are our most effective everyone should go to emergency. crime-fighting tool,” Christensen said. illinois.edu to sign up for text mes“We need our community supporting us sage notifications. Students can enter by reporting crime and suspicious activmultiple email addresses and phone ity and by taking steps to reduce their numbers, and they can also sign up fam- own likelihood of being targeted ily members by visiting go.illinois.edu/ by a criminal.” illinialertmyfamily.
That is why police go to great lengths to inform the campus community of
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Campus Phone Numbers (area code 217) Asian American Cultural Center................................. 333-9300 Bruce D Nesbitt African American Cultural Center.................. 333-2092 Billing................................... 333-2184 Career Center...................... 333-0820 CITES Help Desk................. 244-7000 CITES Help Desk........ (800) 531-2531 Counseling Center.............. 333-3704 Dial-A-Nurse........................ 333-2700 Disability Resources and Education Service ............. 333-1970 Emergency Dean................. 333-0050 Financial Aid........................ 333-0100 Health Insurance, Student... 333-0165 Housing Residence Halls................. 333-7111 Private Certified Housing.. 333-1420 University Apartments....... 333-5656 Illini Union............................ 333-4666 Illini Union Hotel............... 333-1241 La Casa Cultural Latina........ 333-4950 LGBT Resource Center........ 244-8863 Library.................................. 333-2290 McKinley Health Center...... 333-2700 MTD Safe Rides................... 265-7433 Parent and Family Programs.......................... 333-7063 Police, University................. 333-1216 Records Service Center....... 333-0210 Registration Assistance ....... 333-6565 Student Employment .......... 333-0600 Student Patrol/SafeWalks.... 333-1216 Student Programs and Activities............................ 333-3660 Study Abroad...................... 333-6322 Tenant Union....................... 333-0112 Women’s Resources Center.333-3137 University Directory............. 333-1000
Dads Weekend: November 10 -12, 2017 Tickets on Sale Now! Each fall, the Illini Union Parent and Family Programs Office and the Dads Association co-sponsor the Dads Weekend events with a variety of programming for families. Major events for Dads Weekend 2017 include: • • • • • • •
Friday night Club Hockey game vs. Ohio University at 7 p.m.
Friday night basketball game vs. Southern University, time TBA
Saturday pre-game BBQ at the ARC (limited tickets available)
Saturday football game vs. Indiana University and crowning of King Dad Saturday evening concert: The Dads Association and No Comment A Cappella Present: A Tribute to Dad Sunday morning Dads and Students Brunch at the Illini Union
And a large variety of university-approved events, such as men’s and women’s sports, campus events, theatrical productions, music concerts, and many others.
Dads Association event tickets are available on a first-come, first-serve basis and all events usually sell out. Please note that all attendees at events, regardless of age, must have a ticket to enter, including Illinois students and all children. Students with their own season or individual football tickets will need to purchase a new ticket if they wish to be seated in the Dads Association section. Ticket Purchase: All tickets are to be purchased online. Tickets are on sale now. Complete information about Dads Weekend and ticket purchasing is available online at union.illinois.edu/PFPO. Football Ticket Pick-Up: Tickets may be picked up during designated pick-up times that are yet to be announced. Be sure to check the Parent and Family Programs website for ticket pick-up information. Tickets WILL NOT be mailed in advance! Deadline for purchasing tickets: October 13, 2017. Ticket Prices
11/10 Hockey Game
11/10 Basketball Game
$10 per person
$15 per person
11/11 Single Game Ticket Only
$45 per person
11/11 Pre-game BBQ & Football ticket 11/11 Dads Weekend Concert 11/12 Dads Association Brunch
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$65 per person $10 per person
$20 per person
Parent and Family Events
Settling Into Your Empty Nest
Lisa Hefferman and Breheny Wallace – From “How to Thrive in an Empty Nest,” New York Times. August, 2017. Although college drop-off is a moment of triumph and pride, it can also be one of the most painful transitions in parenthood. Perhaps the sadness and anxiety come from the seemingly contradictory emotions of wanting your child to have independence and yet remain close as a family. Experts and experienced parents say families can do both. Here are some suggestions for ways to manage this mix of emotions and strategies for building a new, exciting chapter for both of you. Cope with the empty chair at the table “Parents really do grieve, but there is also an upside to your kids mov-
ing into this new stage of life, a real sense of freedom for the parents,” says Jeffrey Arnett, a developmental psychologist and the author of the book “Getting to 30.” In a national survey of over 1,000 parents of young adults, done with Clark University, Dr. Arnett found that while 84 percent of parents missed their kids once they moved out, 60 percent were glad to have more time with their spouse or partner or for themselves and 90 percent were happy their kids were
independent. Accept your feelings If you feel sad, don’t berate yourself with reminders of how proud you should feel or how well other parents are adapting. Know this feeling will lift and give yourself time. If you don’t feel sad, don’t let the outpouring of other parents impact you.
Dads Weekend
Make plans now for Dads Weekend, November 10-12, 2017. Be sure to check the Parent and Family Programs Office website for complete information about Dads Association events and purchasing tickets.
Make plans to see your student Firm up plans for Dads and Moms Weekends, fall break, and winter break. Schedule some fun Plan a special activity for right after drop-off, whether it’s for an afternoon, a weekend, or a real vacation. Having something to look forward to can take the edge off of saying goodbye. Stay close when they’re far away Parents can feel confused about how often and in what way to communicate with their college students because so much has changed since they left home. “We have a cultural lag,” says Karen Fingerman, a professor of human development and family sciences at the University of Texas, Austin. Our beliefs and norms haven’t kept up with the changes in the ways parents and grown kids relate today. “And that can create the stress for parents,” says Dr. Fingerman. Her research shows that grown children benefit from parental involvecontinued on page 6
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Moms Weekend
Scheduled for April 13-15, 2018. Bring the whole family to campus for this fun-filled weekend celebrating mom! Check the Parent and Family Programs website for more info. And don’t forget to book your hotel room today!
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ment and help in their lives, as long as their parents are responsive rather than intrusive and don’t feel helping is a burden.
for special events, or FaceTiming for birthdays and family occasions, allow parents to share but not intrude on college life.
While experts say that there is no right answer about how families communicate, they do suggest some guidelines:
“My freshman needed, and received, less actual advice and how-tos, and more general confidence boosting reassurance,” says Melissa Fenton, a mother of four children from Dade City, Fla. “Our phone calls weren’t filled with, ‘This is what you need to do,’ but more of ‘I know you will be able figure it out on your own,’ and ‘You’re more capable than you think.’” She says, “Eventually the calls asking for advice became few and far between and were replaced by, ‘This is what happened and this is how I handled it.’” Make the most of this new chapter As the father of 17-year-old twins, Dr. Arnett knows firsthand the ambivalence many parents feel. “On the one hand, it will be so hard not to see them everyday,” he says, “but on the other, my wife and I are actually excited about this newfound freedom, like being able to travel more as a couple.” Children, too, relish in seeing their parents building a life that doesn’t always revolve around them. It also takes the pressure off. With the extra time you now have, give yourself guiltfree permission to: Reconnect with long-lost friends Social media makes it easier to look up old high school and college friends that you’ve fallen out of touch with because of demanding schedules. It’s likely that they have children leaving for college soon, too.
Follow your students’s lead Some kids crave daily calls, texts, or contact on social media, while others need more space to exert their growing independence. “As excruciating as it can be, especially in the beginning because you want to hear all the details, try to exercise some restraint and allow your child to navigate their new life without you,” says Julie Burton, a parent of four children from Minnetonka, Minn. “Trust that you will be there when they’re ready to share with you, but that you will no longer understand the full scope of their life the way you once did.”
Set a long-term goal Long-term goals provide direction, can offer a new sense of purpose, and practically, they force you to commit time to something each week that’s just for you. Take college courses online, train for a marathon, get a boating license, or finally write that book.
Grab a seat at the digital dinner table Family group text threads take up where the real dinner table left off. Leverage technology to keep siblings in communication and the entire family connected. Conversations can be as serious, casual, or funny as they were in the kitchen.
Create new weekend routines Remember those cold, rainy days sitting on the sidelines or through all-day chess tournaments? If you ever dreamed of spending your Saturday morning sitting in a coffee shop or just catching up with a friend, now is your chance.
Create new family traditions around college Sending personalized care packages, visiting campus
As Ms. Stiles’s son settled into freshman year, her feelings changed. “When your kid shows you what he’s made of, that he is all right in his new life, even if he no longer lives down the hall, you are beholden to respect that and move on, and that’s what we did. He was flourishing without us and we needed to flourish without him,” she said.
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Getting Involved On Campus
Important Dates
Samantha Killough – PFPO Student Employee
Many people might believe the only reason to go to college is academia, and anything outside of the classroom is a waste of time. However, the college years are also about other kinds of learning. College offers students opportunities to pursue old interests and to discover new interests in the form of Registered Student Organizations (RSOs). Continue a past interest or find something new. Oftentimes a student has an interest they enjoyed in high school, but didn’t consider making it into a career or field of study. Instead of tossing it to the side, your student can continue as casually as they would like with the help of an RSO. Increase leadership and teamwork skills. Joining an organization means meeting a lot of new people from many different walks of life. Gain career preparation experience. Activities like student government, studentdirected media, professional clubs, volunteer work, and internships can provide jobrelated skills and experience. Become more successful. Besides making amazing connections with both students and staff, joining an RSO is scientifically more successful. Several studies have shown that students who are active in campus activities, who do more than focus solely on their studies, are more engaged in the campus community, and succeed more academically. With more than 1,400 organizations at Illinois, your student is sure to find one that excites them and matches their interests and hobbies. For more information visit the Office of Registered Organizations at union.illinois. edu/RSO.
Fall 2017
Instruction Begins
Labor Day (no classes) Sept. 4 Moms/Dads Board Meetings
Sept. 10 Fall 2017 Tuition Due Sept. 28 Dads Weekend
Nov. 10 - 12
Instruction Resumes
Nov. 27
Thanksgiving Break Instruction Ends Reading Day Final Exams
The Moms and Dads Associations are currently selling tickets for their annual scholarship raffle. Once again this year the raffle will be a 50/50 split. One winner will receive 50% of the net proceeds of the raffle, up to a maximum of $25,000. All proceeds benefits Moms and Dads Associations projects and scholarships and are strictly used to benefit students and families at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Tickets are just $10 each, or $50 for six tickets. All tickets must be received by noon on Sunday, November 12, 2017. Winners will be announced no later than November 30, 2017. For a complete list of the official rules, visit the Moms Association website at illinimoms.com/50-50-raffle/. If you have any questions you can e-mail iuparentfamilyprograms@illinois.edu or call (217) 333-7063.
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Nov. 18 Dec. 13 Dec. 14
Dec. 15 - 21
Spring 2018
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Jan. 15 Instruction Begins
Jan. 16
Spring 2018 Tuition Due Feb. 28 Spring Break Begins
Mar. 17
Moms Weekend
Apr. 13 - 15
Instruction Resumes Instruction Ends
Scholarship Raffle Tickets on Sale
Aug. 28
Reading Day Final Exams
Commencement
Mar. 26 May 2 May 3
May 4 - 11
May 12-13
Illini Families Quarterly
NON-PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT # 75 CHAMPAIGN, IL
Illini Union Parent and Family Programs Office 1401 W. Green Street 227 Illini Union Urbana, IL 61801
Jamie Singson Director, Illini Union singson@illinois.edu
Becki Salzman Assistant to the Director, Illini Union rsalzman@illinois.edu
Zuri White Manager, Illini Union Parent and Family Programs zuri@illinois.edu
Consider a Gift to the Parent Fund
Your unrestricted gift to the Parent Fund helps Student Affairs augment existing and new programs. You can help provide the services and resources that are vital to the overall learning experience of our students. To learn more on how you can give to the Parent Fund visit
uofiparentprograms.illinois.edu/Annual_Fund/Giving.html.