 Getting settled in A welcome from the President Dear Parents and Family of UA Students: New Roo Weekend and Convocation marked a new beginning as thousands of students were welcomed to our campus as new Zips. UA has broken several records this year with respect to the entering class — with the highest number of applications, the highest average GPA, the largest entering Honors freshman class, the largest Honors College enrollment overall, and the highest number of minority entering freshman honors students. This all occurred in a highly competitive market with a decreasing population of traditional age college freshmen. The fall semester is off to a promising start and the new freshman class is larger and even better prepared than last year’s entering class. In a sense, I, too, am a “freshman” at UA, having started as president on July 1. I have been deeply impressed by the intensity of support for our University I have encountered among the business, government and community leaders in our region. You can feel confident in your student’s choice of The University of Akron for their higher education. There are many, many people, both within and outside of our institution, who want your student to succeed, and are committed to helping them do so. And that begins with me. If you have any concerns or questions during the academic year, please feel free to contact me at president@uakron.edu. Sincerely, Scott L. Scarborough, Ph.D. In this issue:
SoctoberFest Join Zips Men’s Soccer along with the Parents and Family Association at Soctoberfest, taking place Friday, Oct. 17, from 5 to 7 p.m. on Coleman Common at the UA campus, as our Zips battle against West Virginia. Soctoberfest is a perfect way to spend time with your family. Enjoy delicious German cuisine, such as ale-cooked bratwurst, sauerkraut, German potato salad, Bavarian pretzels and a beer-only cash bar will be available throughout the event to attendees age 21 and over. For parents and family members, $15 covers food and a match ticket. For season ticket holders and students, food is $10. Students simply show their Zip Cards to attend the match for free. For more information, contact the Athletics Ticket Office at 1-888-992-5766 or at tickets@uakron.edu. The Athletics Ticket Office is located in InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field at 375 East Exchange St., Akron, OH 44304. Business hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Vote for Zippy! Voting is now under way as Zippy looks to add to her list of accomplishments a second Capital One Mascot of the Year award. Fans are encouraged to visit Zippy's Mascot Challenge Headquarters to find how to vote. Zippy is up against 15 of the top mascots from across the nation and is already 2-0. Fans can help her win head-to-head matchups each week. There are four ways to help:
Save the date – Homecoming 2014 UA’s Homecoming celebration is Saturday, Oct. 4. To purchase a ticket to see the Zips take on the Eagles of Eastern Michigan University at 2 p.m., call the Athletics Ticket Office at 1-888-992-5766. Learn more and see a schedule of events at uakron.edu/homecoming. As with all athletic events, students get in free! Who stole my Cheerios? Living together with your family and friends can sometimes be a challenge. But living together with someone you just met can be a bit of a shock! Simple questions, like “Did my roommate steal my Cheerios?” and responses such as, “Oh no… he did not just accuse me of stealing Cheerios!” can turn into difficult conversations quickly. Help is available for students with roommate struggles. If your son or daughter needs help, direct him or her to the resident assistant for their floor, or the residence life coordinator responsible for the building. The Department of Residence Life and Housing is happy to help, and well-practiced at navigating bite-sized conflicts and those that are more serious. For students living off campus, mediation services are available for free through the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards and also through the Center for Conflict Management. MAP-Works Self-Assessment UA has an array of services available to help students who are struggling academically or with the adjustment to college life. To be as proactive as possible, all first-year students are invited to complete the MAP-Works online survey to help us identify those who may need assistance. The MAP-Works survey asks questions about students’ academic and social habits. Once the survey is completed, students can see a personalized report that identifies their strengths and weaknesses by comparing their responses to general averages of what’s required to succeed in college. For instance, a first-year student may discover that she is not putting in enough study hours to earn the grades necessary to be successful. The report also lists resources and support services for your student to take advantage of on campus. Advisors and faculty will also have access to your student’s survey results so they can recommend specific strategies and resources to meet your student’s individual needs. All first-year students are asked to complete the survey before Monday, Oct. 6. A survey link will be sent to their University e-mail address on Sunday, Sept. 14. Please encourage your student to take advantage of this opportunity! Author of ‘Orange is the New Black’ visits UA Piper Kerman, author of “Orange is the New Black,” will speak at the First Year Lecture on Tuesday, Oct. 14, at 7:30 p.m. at E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall. Learn more and see ticket prices. Upcoming events and programs for students Students are invited to take part in many exciting events throughout the fall semester.
It’s never too early for career development Encourage your student to utilize Career Center resources as a freshman to be well equipped to begin a career journey upon graduation.
Academic encouragers help show the way Academic encouragers are part-time UA employees who are retired educators and business people that care deeply about student success. If your student was assigned an encourager, he/she will contact your student at least once a week during the semester, in person or via email. Encouragers will work closely with faculty and academic advising to help your student excel academically, keep them focused on attendance and punctuality, and help them develop the discipline it takes to thrive in the University setting. The academic encourager will be a friend and mentor who assists your student in navigating the first critical year of college life. While participation is mandatory, the program will only be successful if students are willing to fully engage. Please urge your student to meet regularly with their encourager throughout the semester. If your student is struggling and you believe he/she would benefit from an encourager, or if you have any comments or questions about this program, please contact Cassie Verardi at cjv8@uakron.edu or 330-972-8488. A free tool to register or update voter records UA provides a free service to the public called TurboVote, which allows individuals to register to vote for the first time, or update a name and/or address. If your student moved to be closer to campus and does not plan to return home to vote, there is still time to register in the area with a change of address. As November approaches, take advantage of this service. Learn more or get started at uakron.edu/turbovote. |