Table of Contents Welcome 4 Useful Phone Numbers 6 Academics 7 Student Life 13 Study Abroad 16 Financial Aid 18
Business Office
Academic Calendar
Lyon College Parent Guide
21
25
Page 3
Welcome, parents...
Stay in Touch—Get Involved! Even though you may not be taking classes at Lyon College, you are an important part of our community, and you will be an essential part of your son or daughter’s success here. You can help your student make the most of the college experience by encouraging him or her to become involved, to study, to make new friends and to use the numerous support systems that are available at Lyon College. We also encourage you to become involved by attending events like our annual Family Weekend, staying apprised of the latest College news via Lyon.edu and becoming active in P.A.L.S. (the Parents Association of Lyon Students). The P.A.L.S. card you just received has the telephone numbers of frequently needed College offices such as the Registrar and Business Office. One of the biggest ways you can assist Lyon College through P.A.L.S. is to refer students to us and us to students. If you know of a student who is a good fit for Lyon, please let us know! You can fill out a referral form at http://tinyurl.com/ReferToLyon (or call or mail us). Anytime you recommend a student, we take it seriously. You can help more people discover the top-tier education and personalized attention your student enjoys at Lyon! This marks an important chapter in your student’s life, one full of change and opportunity. You will be an important part of that adventure. Your sons and daughters come to Lyon full of talent, ambition and enthusiasm, and we are delighted to welcome them. As faculty and staff, our mission is to help them realize their dreams. We Lyon College Parent Guide
Page 4
encourage them to explore, to take chances, and to make the most of the extraordinary educational opportunities they will find here at Lyon College! Sincerely,
Taryn Duncan, ’91 Director of Alumni and Parent Services
Lyon College Parent Guide
Page 5
USEFUL PHONE NUMBERS
Dean of the Faculty
870-307-7332
Dean of Students
870-307-7314
College Nurse
870-307-7425
Business Office
870-307-7322
Financial Aid Office
870-307-7250
My child’s Mentor
870-_________
Lyon College Parent Guide
Page 6
ACADEMICS From the Academic Dean’s Office Virginia F. Wray Vice President for Academic Services and Dean of the Faculty Bringing and leaving a child at a residential college must be a difficult task. And I don’t mean merely the labor of hauling refrigerators, TVs, bikes, sound systems, and clothes in the usually blazing August heat here in Arkansas. Even though I have no children of my own, I have seen this “delivery” now for almost four full decades, and I believe I can vicariously experience the depth of emotions you will feel as you drive away one child light. These emotions will be especially intense if you are bringing and leaving your first child to go off to college, your last child to leave home, or especially your only child. We thank you for trusting Lyon to educate your son or daughter and to help shape him or her into the mature, responsible, educated young person Lyon prides itself in graduating. With your child’s hard work and commitment, and with your support, Lyon will not fail to send out into the world in four years a young adult of whom we will all be most proud. That support from you—especially in the next weeks of transition—is, however, essential. In addition to the normal demands of moving away from home for the first time, first-year students are going to encounter greater academic rigor and higher expectations at Lyon than they were used to in high school. Life for them will initially be exciting, but also tough: almost all first-year students will earn grades lower than they are accustomed to earning in high school. In our experience Lyon College Parent Guide
Page 7
at Lyon, however, those first-year students who avail themselves of the help and support we provide quickly recover and go on to successful college careers here. Please don’t fuss at them for a C—or even a D or F—on an early quiz. Encourage them as strongly as you can to get help with their academic work at the very first sign that they might need it. Lyon offers new students a variety of help in making their adjustments to the higher expectations of college coursework. Occasionally first-year students are a little embarrassed by their early, less than perfect performance, or they simply don’t know how to ask for help. Here is where you come in. Encourage them to seek the help that abounds here at Lyon: COR 100, First Year Experience Seminar Each first-year student has a faculty mentor who serves as an academic advisor and who, with assistance from an upperclass student mentor, leads a required weekly seminar designed to help new students find their footing in college. Encourage your sons and daughters to participate fully in that seminar and, as needed, to seek additional help from their faculty and student mentors. Supplemental Instruction (SI) Lyon has identified first-year courses that historically have been difficult for students. These courses offer an additional weekly meeting run by students (SI Leaders) who have taken these courses and done well in them. They attend the regular class sessions and consult regularly with the professors teaching the courses, letting them know when students are not grasping some lecture material. SI leaders are not teaching assistants like those you would find in a university; they are coaches of sorts Lyon College Parent Guide
Page 8
who work with first-year students on study skills appropriate to the courses they are helping students with, and they are facilitators of collaborative learning. SI sessions are optional unless faculty require them. Encourage your son or daughter to take advantage of SI. Faculty Office Hours Faculty hold posted office hours and will arrange to see students at additional times as needed. Faculty teaching first-year students want and expect students to come to them for help outside of class if they don’t understand a lecture, an assignment, or their grade on a returned paper or test. As a faculty, we pride ourselves in our low faculty/ student ratio and enjoy the one-on-one help that ratio makes possible. Sometimes, however, faculty can’t know that students need additional help. Please encourage your sons and daughters to ask for that help from their instructors the first moment they feel even a little bit adrift in a class. Best not to wait for a failing grade on a test or paper. Encourage them to be proactive, seeking that help as early as possible. Spragins House Faculty Mentor Dr. Patrick Mulick is the Resident Faculty Mentor who, along with his wife, two daughters, and dog, lives in Spragins House, adjacent to the quad area where most first-year students live. Dr. Mulick teaches psychology and has much experience in helping students adjust to the demands of college-level work. He is available to consult with them about their study habits and management of their daily schedules, and he occasionally, in consultation with course instructors and SI Leaders, will schedule help sessions before tests in Lyon College Parent Guide
Page 9
a range of courses. He is an excellent resource for academic help and even for a warm, friendly conversation in a living room that students are sometimes starved for during the first weeks away from home. To encourage your sons or daughters to seek help outside of classes, you obviously need to know how they are doing in classes. It’s my hope that you and they will talk honestly and openly about their grades. Neither I nor their faculty can talk with you about their performance unless they have signed the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) release form giving us at Lyon permission to talk with you. If they have not signed, you may override their wishes if they are still your dependents. To override, contact the Registrar (870-307-7203) for the appropriate form, or, better yet, persuade your son or daughter to do the mature thing of signing the release so you have the knowledge to provide important familial support when he or she needs it. Many students and families worry unnecessarily about losing scholarships. The first worry often is about course loads. Lyon limits new, first-year students in the fall term to taking only 4 academic courses and no more than 15 hours unless granted an exception. Arkansas Governor’s Scholarships, Challenge Grants, and lottery scholarships allow a 12-hour minimal load for a student’s first, full-time semester in college, as do all of the Lyon College scholarships. We want them to begin slowly so that they can build a solid record the first term before they take 5 academic courses per semester. They need an average of 15 hours/term to graduate; they will easily make up this small, first-semester deficit with PE courses and one 4-hour course they are required to take for graduation. Don’t worry about the high-school buddy at a state university taking 15, 16, 17, or even 18 hours. Lyon College Parent Guide
Page 10
Your son or daughter is getting a carefully planned beginning to college in order to help him or her hone the skills essential for subsequent fuller, more demanding semesters. A second worry about losing a scholarship is maintenance requirements. The Arkansas Governor’s Scholarship, Challenge Grant, and lottery scholarships allow student to go to summer school after the first academic year to raise their GPAs to the required level. Lyon students with named academic scholarships have specific GPA requirements and will be reviewed annually. Lyon students with other Lyon scholarships retain their scholarships so long as they remain eligible to continue at the College. Lyon students in danger of losing their scholarships at the end of a spring semester may use summer school to raise their GPAs and retain their scholarships. Students with additional off-campus scholarships are responsible for knowing and keeping up with their maintenance requirements. Some first-year students and their families also worry unnecessarily that they don’t have a major or a career path. Relax. A liberal arts college like Lyon does not expect a first-year student to know precisely what he or she will be doing in 5, 10, or 30 years. In fact, Lyon knows that statistically new students who think they know what their major will be will, in the main, change their minds once or twice. Our curriculum is built to accommodate these switches and to make possible exploration of lots of possibilities. To help with this exploration, our Career Center will assist students in their curricular/career decision, all the time reminding them most people today will switch careers at least once. Lyon’s primary goal is to transform her students into thoughtful, responsible, and flexible adults capable of success in numerous careers and desirous of building and enjoying a life well led, not Lyon College Parent Guide
Page 11
merely to provide vocational training that may be outdated even by the time of commencement. The ability to think never loses value. In accord with the Americans with Disability Act, Lyon provides reasonable accommodations to students who request accommodations and who present documentation of their disabilities. Students with documented needs should make an appointment with me to request accommodations. I look forward to meeting you and working with your sons or daughters over the next four years. Please do your best to come to Lyon for Family Weekend in September. It’s an excellent time to check on your student’s transition to college life and to meet and talk with his or her instructors. In the meantime, if I can assist you in helping your child adjust to and go on to shine at Lyon, don’t hesitate to call me. And please remember to help without hovering so your child makes the successful transition to adulthood.
Lyon College Parent Guide
Page 12
STUDENT LIFE Bruce Johnston, Ed.D. Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students
Student Life Student Life is where the action is on campus. It includes the Honor System (matters related to academic integrity), residence life (the community developed in each campus residence), student activities (what there is to do in addition to studying), campus organizations (everything from Greek life to honor societies to other clubs and denominational fellowships), campus ministry (faith development, spirituality, and service to others), counseling and health and wellness (for those needing medical treatment, or wanting to work constructively on life issues), career development (everything from resume preparation to selecting a major and skill development for the future), and outdoor recreation (rock climbing, canoeing, biking, disk and water sports). Lyon students learn and grow in environments intentionally designed to challenge and support them. Each Student Life staff member is an educator committed to the holistic development of students.
What to expect The Honor and Social Systems provide the foundations for collegiate life at Lyon. We expect students to respect themselves and others and to be open to those who are somewhat different from them. Leadership skills and character are important for each student’s future, and active student involvement in leadership and service opportunities results in strengthening and affirming the Lyon College Parent Guide
Page 13
positive character traits which will serve each student well at Lyon and beyond. We expect students to be diligent about their academic and co-curricular pursuits and to model behavior which reflects positively on themselves, their family, and the College. We understand, and strive to communicate to students that the quality and amount of time on task (whether in the classroom, the laboratory, the library, the residence hall, or the playing field) often results in the best outcome. We also urge students to seek assistance when having difficulty. This can come from professors, supplemental instructors, professional staff members, and peers. We expect students to take the initiative and to respond when others express concern.
Growing up isn’t easy, but it’s rewarding You should also expect that grades at a challenging college like Lyon will probably be somewhat lower than those achieved in high school. This should come as no surprise because the expectations are higher and the quality of the competition is increased over what nearly every student experienced before arriving at Lyon. Over time we hope you will witness gradual growth in your student’s ability to manage time more effectively, in strengthened communication skills, intellectual openness, personal self-discovery, leadership skills, civic engagement, and a commitment to life-long learning. These learning outcomes are the goals of our student life program and our effectiveness in helping students achieve growth in these areas is frequently assessed.
Letting go… We expect parents to give students time and space in which to grow and mature. You have provided them with wonderful and sound advice to this point in their Lyon College Parent Guide
Page 14
journey, and you may expect that your efforts will bear the fruit of observable development. Maturity will not happen all at once, but we believe you will be pleased more often than not by what you witness during holiday breaks, visits home, telephone conversations, and e-mail messages.
…but still supporting It is important to listen carefully to the messages conveyed and to ask open ended questions (‘Can you say more about what you’ve just told me?’ or ‘Tell me what else is happening in this situation?’) when they express a frustration or concern. Another appropriate question to pose is ‘Who at the College have you talked with about this?’ While you may be tempted to make the call for your student, the best result for their continued growth and development is to urge them to make the call themselves and inquire later how the conversation went.
We’re listening We encourage you to communicate with a member of the Student Life Staff if you observe behavior which you think is unusual or uncharacteristic of your student. We can sometimes respond or help you to respond to situations which are of great concern to your family. Although our college counselor and college nurse are bound by the strict confidentiality standards of their professions, they may be able to help you work through issues you hear your student express or to suggest effective ways of communicating with your student about issues which are of concern to you. Lastly, the Student Life Staff at the College is committed to helping students grow and develop to their fullest potential. That is our daily challenge and one we will engage with energy and enthusiasm. Lyon College Parent Guide
Page 15
STUDY ABROAD Lyon College believes that exposure to diverse places, cultures, and language is an important part of a liberal arts education. In order to accomplish this, the Nichols International Studies program offers two opportunities to study abroad: one-credit Nichols courses and summer/ semester or year-long study abroad programs.
Nichols Courses Nichols courses are one-credit courses on different topics taught by members of the Lyon faculty that include about two weeks of travel abroad. Students get to travel around the world—Europe, Asia, South America, Central America—accompanied by the professor who teaches the course. In order to qualify for a Nichols course, students must have a GPA of 2.5 and 60 credit hours. The Nichols stipend pays for airfare and lodging. Students are responsible for meals and personal expenses.
Semester & year study abroad
Lyon has established tuition exchange agreements with Akita International University (Japan), the University of Poitiers (France), and to Belfast Metropolitan College, Queens University, St. Mary’s University College, Stranmillis University College, and the University of Ulster, all in Northern Ireland, through the Association of Presbyterian Colleges and Universities. Lyon is also a member of the Consortium for North American Higher Education Collaboration (CONAHEC), which allows student exchange with schools located in Canada, Mexico, Spain, Chile, Argentina, Guatemala, Honduras, Colombia, Iceland, Brazil, and South Korea. In most cases, exchange is for a semester, but some schools offer summer exchanges as well. Students normally participate in semester and yearlong study abroad exchange programs during their junior year or the following summer. Applicants are reLyon College Parent Guide
Page 16
quired to have attended Lyon full-time for the academic year preceding their study abroad, have a Lyon cumulative GPA of 3.0, be in good financial standing, and have appropriate foreign language skills to be eligible to participate in these programs.
Lyon College Parent Guide
Page 17
FINANCIAL AID Lyon College Aid
The main source of aid for most Lyon students is their institutional, or Lyon College, scholarship. These are 4-year, renewable scholarships that do not have to be repaid. These scholarships are merit-based (need-blind). The second main source of aid comes from the federal government. In order to be eligible for any federal aid, a student must file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) every year. This can be done free of charge at www.fafsa.gov. Lyon’s FAFSA code is 001088.
Federal Government aid Pell Grant (gift aid) Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (gift aid) TEACH Grant (gift aid, post-grad commitment required) Subsidized Direct Loans (self help aid) Unsubsidized Direct Loans PLUS (Parent Loan for Undergraduate Student) Loans
Need based Need based Need blind Need based Need blind Credit based
State Government aid
For students who are Arkansas residents, the following State aid is available to qualified students: HEOG (GO) Grant Need based Arkansas Challenge (Lottery) Need blind Scholarship Governor’s Scholarship Min. GPA & Standardized Test req. Governor’s Distinguished Min. GPA & StandardScholarship ized Test req. Lyon College Parent Guide
Page 18
Private Sources of Aid Outside scholarships Personal funding Alternative (private educational) loans Credit-based
Scholarship Maintenance
Make sure you and your student know and understand any and all scholarship maintenance requirements for his or her academic scholarship(s). Maintenance requirements for Lyon scholarships are found in the online Lyon Catalog under the Financial Aid section titled “Lyon Scholarships for 2012-13.” Maintenance requirements for state scholarships are listed on the Arkansas Department of Higher Education website www.adhe. edu. While the Financial Aid office and academic advisors monitor all students’ academic progress, it is primarily each student’s responsibility to know and meet the maintenance requirements for his or her academic scholarship(s). Parents and/or students may call the Financial Aid Office if they have questions concerning these requirements.
When to apply for financial aid
File the FAFSA as soon as possible after January 1. Programs with limited funding go to those who apply earliest. The FAFSA serves as your one application for all federal aid. Also, Arkansas students should complete the YOUniversal Application at www.adhe.edu as soon as possible after January 1. This is your one application for all state scholarship and grant aid. This application only has to be filed once. Students who are eligible for the Governor’s Scholarship and the Governor’s Distinguished Scholarship must complete the YOUniversal Application no later than February 1. All other students applying for the AR Lyon College Parent Guide
Page 19
Challenge Scholarship or the GO Grant must complete the application no later than June 1.
How to apply for financial aid
Complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) online at www.fafsa.gov. We strongly urge students to file online. Before doing so, students (and parents of dependent students) will need a PIN to sign the FAFSA. PINs (Personal Identification Numbers) can be obtained at www.pin.ed.gov. Also, turn in any additional documents requested from the Financial Aid office. Lyon’s FAFSA code is 001088.
How will I know I’ve been awarded financial aid?
Your student will receive a Financial Aid Award Letter from Lyon shortly after we receive his or her FAFSA.
Divorced Parents
If you are divorced, your student should report the income of the parent with whom s/he lived more during the 12 months preceding the date s/he completed the FAFSA. If s/he did not live with one parent more than the other, give answers about the parent who provided more financial support during the 12 months preceding the date s/he completed the FAFSA. If that parent is remarried as of the date your student filled out the FAFSA, the stepparent’s income (if any) should be reported as well. If you have other questions regarding your student’s financial aid, please call us at 870-307-7250. For questions regarding your student’s account balance, call the Business Office at 870-307-7322.
Lyon College Parent Guide
Page 20
BUSINESS OFFICE Lyon College bills a student’s account for tuition, fees, and (if a campus resident) room and board twice equally per academic year, half in the fall and the other half in the spring. Financial aid (scholarships, grants, and loans) is applied to a student’s account in the same manner, half in the fall and half in the spring.
Payment Plans If a student’s charges for the semester are greater than his/her total financial aid for the semester (including loans), that balance can be paid in two different ways. Nelnet Payment Plan Lyon College partners with Nelnet Business Solutions (NBS) to offer payment plans to students for tuition and fees. These payment plans make paying for your education more affordable as they offer you the opportunity to spread payments over time. These plans are interest free; however, there is a $30.00 per semester administrative fee payable to Nelnet. Several plans are available so you can choose the one that best fits your needs. Payment Plan Enrollment Deadlines Fall 2012
Full payments may be made on Nelnet’s e-Cashier through August 20, 2012.
Last day to enroll online July 1 Aug 2 Aug 20
Required down payment None None 25%
Lyon College Parent Guide
Number of Payments 5 4 3
Months of Payments July – Nov Aug – Nov Sept – Nov
Page 21
Spring 2013
e-Cashier available on November 15, 2012. Full payments may be made on e-Cashier through January 9, 2013.
Last day to enroll online Dec 3 Jan 3 Jan 9
Required down payment None None 25%
Number of Payments 5 4 3
Months of Payments Dec – Apr Jan – Apr Feb – Apr
NOTE: All down and full payments are processed immediately! Lump-sum Payments Of course, term bills may always be paid in a lump sum at semester’s beginning. These payments can be made through the Lyon College cashier (870) 307-7322 or via Nelnet. There are no additional fees with this option. As an additional note, in April, students will need to pay a $100 deposit to register for the next fall’s classes. That deposit is then rolled onto the next semester’s bill.
Student Insurance Tuition, Room & Board Reimbursement Insurance Tuition, Room & Board Reimbursement (TRBR) insurance is billed to each student every semester. However, this insurance is completely optional. TRBR insurance protects students’ investments in their educations in the event that they have to withdraw from classes during a semester due to injury or illness. Brochures and more detailed information regarding the TRBR insurance plan are available in the Business Office. Only a signed waiver form is needed at the Business Office in order to waive this insurance, and it is also needed within a week of the Lyon College Parent Guide
Page 22
start of classes. If a waiver is submitted, a credit equal to the charge will appear on the student’s account, and if a waiver is not submitted, the charge will remain on the student’s account. A new waiver form must be submitted each year. Lyon College remits this insurance premium to an outside company, so these deadlines are very important. Be sure to waive the TRBR insurance if you don’t want it!
Student Account Balances Lyon urges parents of all Lyon students to monitor their student’s account and to understand the charges and credits that appear on the statements. If a charge or credit shows up that you or your student don’t understand, it would be better to ask sooner rather than later. One way to keep up with your student’s account is to look at his or her statement. Lyon mails statements each month to students. Another way to monitor your student’s account is to log onto their myLYON account by going to https://my.lyon.edu. For your convenience, you may dispute any charges within 30 days of the change in question. You will need your student’s ID number and PIN to log in and view his or her account information. If you have other questions regarding your student’s account balance, please call us at 870-307-7322. For questions regarding your student’s financial aid, call the Financial Aid office at 870-307-7250.
Lyon College Parent Guide
Page 23
Lyon College Parent Guide
Page 24
2012-2013 ACADEMIC CALENDAR Fall 2012 18 Aug.
Sat.
Freshmen arrive
20 Aug.
Mon.
Registration
21 Aug.
Tues.
Classes begin
29 Aug.
Wed.
Last day to add a class
3 Sept.
Mon.
Last day to enroll pass/fail
Last day to drop without record of a course
4 Sept.
Tues.
President’s Convocation
15-16 Sept.
Parents’ Weekend
17 Sept.
Mon.
Constitution Day
25 Sept.
Tues.
Service Day
11-14 Oct.
FALL BREAK
15 Oct.
Mon.
Classes resume
Midterm grades due
Deadline for removal of incompletes 19 Oct.
Fri.
Board of Trustees meeting
23 Oct. Tues. Last day to drop a course with a “W” Oct. 29-Nov. 2
Mon.-Fri.
Advising Conferences
Nov 2-4
Homecoming
5-12 Nov.
Mon.-Mon.
Registration
21-25 Nov.
THANKSGIVING BREAK
26 Nov.
Mon.
Classes resume
7 Dec.
Fri.
Last classes
10-11 Dec.
Mon.-Tues.
Final Exams
12 Dec.
Wed.
Review Day
13-14 Dec.
Thurs.-Fri.
Final Exams
17 Dec.
Mon.
Final Grades due
Lyon College Parent Guide
Page 25
Spring 2013 7 Jan.
Mon.
Registration
8 Jan.
Tues.
Classes begin
16 Jan.
Wed.
Last day to add a class
21 Jan.
Mon.
MLK Day: no classes
22 Jan.
Tues.
Last day to enroll pass/fail
Last day to drop without record of a course
22 Feb.
Fri.
Board of Trustees meeting
1 Mar.
Fri.
Midterm grades due
Removal of incompletes
2-10 Mar.
SPRING BREAK
Mon.
Classes resume
11 Mar.
18 Mar. Mon. Last day to drop a course with a “W” 25-28 Mar.
Mon.-Thurs
Advising conferences
29 Mar.-1 Apr.
EASTER VACATION
2 Apr.
Tues.
Classes resume
2 Apr.-9 Apr.
Tues.-Tues.
Registration
12 Apr.-14 Apr.
Fri.-Sun.
Scottish Festival
16 Apr.
Tues.
Honors Convocation
18-19 Apr.
Thurs.-Fri.
Board of Trustees Meeting
26 Apr.
Fri.
Last day of classes
28 Apr.-1 May Sun.-Wed. Final exams for graduating seniors 29-30 Apr. Mon.-Tues Final exams for non-graduating students 1 May
Wed.
Review Day
2-3 May Thurs.-Fri. Final exams for non-graduating students 2 May
Thurs.
Senior grades dues by noon
3 May
Fri.
Baccalaureate
4 May
Sat.
Commencement
6 May
Mon.
All grades due
Lyon College Parent Guide
Page 26