Families of Minnesota State University, Mankato Students,
Thank you for the overwhelming support of the Office of First Year Experience newsletter, Family Connection. It is our sincere goal to provide timely information and strategies for you to consider when working with your Minnesota State University, Mankato student.
The Family Connection newsletter was a direct result of feedback from participants in the Family Orientation program. This week we will be sending you a link to access an online survey requesting your feedback on the Family Orientation program.
I would like to ask for you to complete this survey, offering your candid feedback. Your opinion is appreciated and your suggestions will be used to further develop programs that benefit families of Minnesota State University, Mankato students.
Thank you in advance for completing this important survey.
Sincerely,
Nikki Dose
Assistant Director
Orientation and Transition Programs
The newness of college is starting to wear off. What was once an exciting opportunity to meet friends and gain new experience has gone the way of an endless cycle of exams, papers, assignments and group projects. Some students do well with planning their time to efficiently accomplish school work, while others flounder with the seemingly constant strain on time and motivation.
As a family member, you can take an active role in encouraging your student to perform at a high level of achievement. Sometimes students do not willingly discuss academic performance with family members. Effective communication is further challenged by FERPA (Family Education Rights and Privacy Act), whereas family members do not have access to their student's records.
Instead of interrogating your student about their academic performance, you can try these strategies to encourage them to excel academically:
All students enter Minnesota State University, Mankato with the desire to earn a college degree, however a significant number of students have not decided on the field in which they would like to study. This indecision can be difficult to deal with especially if a student feels pressure to choose a major. Here are five strategies undecided students can use to help determine a major:
Knowing what you want to major in is one thing, but being a part of that major is a whole different ball game. Read below and find out the particulars about declaring a major, and being admitted to a program.
Declaring a Major - The first opportunity your student has to declare a major comes early on in the application process. If your student indicated an intended area of study, they will be assigned an academic advisor in that college. If your student specifies no particular area of interest, they will be assigned an advisor for undeclared students in the Office of First Year Experience.
When your student decides what they want to major in they will need to declare their major. This process entails your student going to the Department of which they are planning on enrolling and informing them that they wish to declare their major. At this time the student should also ask for the contact information for both a Faculty Academic Advisor and the Student Relations Coordinator for that department and make an appointment with them to discuss their academic plan. A complete list of majors and minors offered at Minnesota State University, Mankato can be found in the 2005–2006 Undergraduate Bulletin, pages 1–3.
Declaring a major allows your student to receive advising from their specific college of interest. The specialized advising will enable the student to choose classes that serve as pre-requisites for major specific courses, increase their awareness of expectations and requirements for admission into the college, and discuss their future academic plans with faculty and staff involved in their chosen field of study.
Declaring a major is significantly different from being Admitted to a major.
Being Admitted to a Major - In order to be admitted to a major of study, your student must apply to the college that houses their specific major. Criteria and timelines for admission vary from department to department so it is important that your student contacts an Academic Advisor in that major to determine what course of action they need to take. Additional information can be gained from the Student Relations Coordinator of their college. Information on Minnesota State University, Mankato colleges may be found in the 2005–2006 Undergraduate Bulletin, pages 15–21.
Admission to a college and major of study allows your student to register for 300 and 400 level courses. It also enables them to continue with major specific advising and ensure they are on the road to successful graduation.
It is our hope that every student finds their academic path with ease. That being said, we here at the Office of First Year Experience are willing to offer assistance to any student with questions or need for guidance in their time here at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Please feel free to contact us, and encourage your student to do the same!
| November 10, 2005 | First Day of Spring Term 2006 Registration |
| November 16, 2005 | Deadline for withdrawal of individual full-term classes |
| November 24-25, 2005 | No classes for Thanksgiving holiday |
Comments and questions about the Family Connection can be directed to Darin Dredge at darin.dredge@mnsu.edu.
