Minnesota State University, Mankato will undergo a comprehensive evaluation visit February 6 – 8, 2006, by a team representing the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Minnesota State University, Mankato has been accredited by the Commission since 1929.
For the past year and half, Minnesota State University, Mankato with the leadership of Drs. Joan Roca and Don Larsson has been engaged in a process of self-study, addressing the Commission's requirements and criteria for accreditation. The evaluation team will visit the campus to gather evidence that the self-study is thorough and accurate. The team will recommend to the Commission a continuing status for the University; following a review process, the Commission will take final action.
You are invited to make comments regarding the University to:
Public Comments on Minnesota State University, MankatoComments must address substantive matters related to the quality of the University or its academic programs. Written, signed comments must be received by January 6, 2006. The Commission cannot guarantee that comments received after the due date will be considered. Comments should include your name, address, and telephone number. Comments will not be treated as confidential.
Sincerely,
Richard Davenport
President
Dr. Kari Much, Director, MSU Counseling Center
karen.much@mnsu.edu
Your student is returning home for the holidays! Now that your not-so-new college student has been gone for a couple of months, you have missed them and are eagerly awaiting their return. You are looking forward to spending some quality time with your student, hearing all about how college is going, how well they are doing in their classes, and learning about the new friends they have made.
While your student might be at the top of your priority list this holiday season, your son or daughter might have slightly different priorities. Instead of deep one-on-one chats with you, your student will likely be far more interested in spending profuse amounts of time reconnecting with high school friends, asking for money to hang out, staying up late, sleeping in a lot, and instant messaging their friends. In more drastic cases, some students may have their cell phones surgically attached to their face. In addition, your son or daughter may not be as open to talking about college as you had hoped, and may only offer a few general comments instead of giving you every detail of what their college experience has been like.
If that weren't enough, you have one more thing going against you: rules. Your son or daughter has been living in an environment now for several months in which there are no curfews, no picking up after oneself, no chores, and no consequences for abundant use of four-letter words – and now that your college student has successfully figured out how to live in, and likely enjoy their new environment, coming back to "family rules" will not be something they are looking forward to (and may not expect to have to adhere to). Additionally, many college students equate going home with relaxing, and you may find that your previously responsible son or daughter now expects maid service, home-cooked meals, and round-the-clock transportation without so much as a "thank you."
In the event that your son or daughter returns home eager to spend time with you and you catch them doing the laundry for the entire family, pitching in to help with dishes, meal preparation, and cleaning the house without being asked, volunteering to walk the dog, and asking for a 10:00 curfew, consider yourself extremely lucky. For the rest of you, consider initiating a conversation about your expectations as well as your student's expectations before he or she returns home. Discussing collaboratively in advance issues like who will do your student's laundry, how many meals a day your student is expected to eat at home, whether or not your student will be helping out with chores, and what qualifies as a reasonable time to come home at night will help you and your student enjoy your time together (well, the little time you will be allotted) rather than fighting about it.
Keep in mind that your son or daughter has likely changed since they lived with you last. Although your life has resumed as usual, your student has not only adapted to a new environment, but is also going through many age-appropriate developmental changes as well. Some parents feel like the student who arrives home for break is nothing like the student they sent off to college a few months ago. Instead of relating to your son or daughter like you would have back in August, give your student some space and acceptance to be their "new" self, whether that is physical changes, personality changes, preference changes, or all three.
Even though you are probably not going to be a top priority for your student over break, make sure you schedule time to do something together. A common complaint we hear from students is that their break went by too fast and they did not end up spending any time with their families. Encourage your student to talk with you about what kinds of family things they would like to do while they are home. Make plans to do something you both enjoy, such as eating at a favorite restaurant, having a movie night, shopping, bowling, taking a hike, family game night, etc., even if your attempts are met with rolling eyes and a nonchalant "whatever" or disinterested "lame." Don't make the mistake of assuming what your student likes, as what use to be their favorite things in August may have changed.
The first extended break home from college can be the hardest one for parents and students alike; if you find yourself feeling like you can't wait for your student to return to school, you are not alone! Take heart in knowing that your student will not return for another extended break until May; by then, you and your student will have had plenty of opportunities to work out what did not go as planned this holiday season.
Pam Weller-Dengel, Director, MSU Career Development Center
pamela.weller-dengel@mnsu.edu
Being the parent of an almost college student myself, I am beginning to understand first-hand how it is that many of you are feeling as you consider the life choices and career paths of your own students (!). Like me, you may have had thoughts like "How can I save my child from making the same career path blunders that I made as an undergraduate student?" or "How can I convince my child that a major in ______________ is really the way to go?"
The good news is that for the most part, they WANT to hear from us and know what we think about their plans! I recently attended a workshop session entitled "Parents as Partners" conducted by Marjorie Savage, Parent Program Director at the University of Minnesota. Among other things, Ms. Savage discussed the fact that research on the "Millennial Generation" (those born 1980-2000 or so) suggests that in general, students of this generation like and trust their parents and often consider their parents to be their best advisers. In fact, a 2002 Ferris State University survey of 800+ high school students showed that a full 78% of students said that "one or both parents" were their "primary" career advisors.
Could there possibly be a downside to this? Until very recently I thought "no way...what kid would NOT benefit from an involved 'helicopter (hovering) parent' such as myself?!" As I have listened to my colleagues in higher education discuss the impact of parental/family involvement on the development of traditional-aged college students (18-22) over the past couple of months, I have come to realize that some parents and other family members, while almost always well intentioned, may be depriving their college-age students of learning important life lessons by being too involved in intervening in their lives. Therefore, we need to strike a balance which allows us to make the most of our positive impact without depriving our students of the ability to manage their own lives. Easier said than done to be sure!
That said, what are some of the ways in which we can assist the students in our lives with their career development? For starters, the National Association of Colleges & Employers (NACE) suggests the following specific strategies:
In closing, I thought I would share with you a quote that I find meaningful that captures well what I believe most of us hope for our children as they navigate their lives and careers:
The road to happiness lies in two simple principles: find what it is that interests you and that you can do well, and when you find it put your soul into it – every bit of energy and ambition and natural ability you have.
- John D. Rockefeller
Pauline Genter, MS, RD, MSU Student Health Services/Health Education
pauline.genter@mnsu.edu
You've heard the ominous prediction – all freshmen will pack on a hefty 15 pounds during their first year of school. But is it true???
Several recent research studies conducted on campuses around the country found that not all first-year college students gain weight and, for those who do, the average weight gain is about 4 to 6 pounds during their first semester. In fact, about 1/3 of the students in the studies lost weight during the first 12 weeks of classes.
Why do students gain? The researchers found that stress, too much choice (also known as the "cafeteria diet"); late-night munching, too little sleep and too little physical activity all contribute to weight gain.
A 4 to 6 pound weight gain is not that big of a deal. But if the trend continues over the college years your student may be at risk for developing health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and cancer in the near future. Here are a few strategies to use when working with your MSU student to help them be well:
Jennifer Bruns, Program Coordinator, Office of Campus Recreation
Physical activity is a proven way to reduce stress and the benefits of regular exercise for all ages are limitless: improved sleep, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, improved mood and overall health, superior concentration and better time management skills, increased energy and productivity, healthier and happier people, the list goes on and on. What better way for your student to reap these benefits than by exercising the mind while exercising the body?
MSU's newly renovated Otto Recreation Center not only serves as an exercise hub for students, but as a learning center as well. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of Information and Technology Services, Human Performance, and Campus Recreation, students are able to access their e-mail and post comments to class discussion groups all from the comfort of their exercise bike seat! Each piece of cardio equipment at the Otto Recreation Center has its own computer that also serves as a television, DVD player, and on-line learning tool. MSU is the first institution in the country to offer this type of technology in the recreation center.
Starting next semester, a few Human Performance classes will be offered on the "TechRec" equipment. So instead of sitting at a desk, a treadmill will be the classroom. Need to do research for your sociology paper? No problem, surf the MSU library's database right from your elliptical machine. Need to record your exercise and eating behaviors for a Health Science class? No problem, enter your statistics in a customized journal on-line. Students are often concerned about completing all their homework and still having time to work out. In today's fast paced world of multi-tasking, combining learning and exercise is a winning combination.
These services, equipment and facilities are offered at no additional cost to current fee-paying MSU students. Encourage your student to get the most out of his, her, or your money and utilize Campus Recreation programs to meet friends, relieve stress, and become more productive, healthy and happy students. Studies show that students involved in activities outside the classroom are more likely to stay in school and graduate and will earn higher GPA's. It is exciting to know that health and wellness is a University priority, and Campus Recreation is playing a key role in your student being able to achieve that goal through access to state-of-the-art facilities and equipment.
| November 10, 2005 | First Day of Spring Term 2006 Registration |
| November 16, 2005 | Deadline for withdrawal of individual full-term classes |
| November 23, 2005 | No Evening Classes |
| November 24-25, 2005 | No classes for Thanksgiving holiday |
| December 2, 2005 | Deadline for Official Withdrawal of All Full-Term Classes |
| December 10, 2005 | Final Examinations for Saturday Classes |
| December 12-16, 2005 | Final Examination Week |
Comments and questions about the Family Connection can be directed to Darin Dredge at darin.dredge@mnsu.edu.
