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A GUIDE
As your students begin their college careers at Keene State College, we are eager to join you in providing support and direction.
The purpose of this guide is to make available some information, resources and perspectives that should make students' transitions easier and more successful for everyone concerned.
There is also a student workbook version of this guide which includes ample details about all the steps that students need to complete before starting at KSC along with many other resources. Take a look!
Your student is beginning college which is a transition for both parents and students. As a parent, you have seen your son or daughter every day; you know their teachers, their friends, where they are going and when they come home. You have seen their grades each marking period; you know their class schedule; you feel comfortable going to their school.
A new chapter begins when your son or daughter comes to college. For many, this means moving out of the house (they'll come back – with lots of laundry!) and out of daily contact. For those who are commuting to classes from home, there is still a change.
All of us at Keene State College pledge to support you and your student as you move through this exciting time of your lives. We hope the information in this workbook is helpful not only in your efforts to support your student but also in addressing some of your needs.
Throughout the summer, students will be contacted by trained student Orientation leaders, each of whom is responsible for supporting approximately 30 new students. Orientation leaders will communicate via the e-mail address provided to all KSC college students.
Students will be notified about the particulars of that e-mail address early in May. The first message from their Orientation leaders will land in their KSC mailbox May 20-24. The primary focus of the sStudent orientation leaders is to support students in completing ten essential tasks that need to be taken care of before they start college at KSC.
Student Orientation leaders are also available to you should you have questions or concerns that you'd like to discuss with someone. If they don't know the answer, they'll refer you to someone who does. You can also contact the Student Orientation Coordinators, two new alumni, at orientation@keene.edu.
TASKS
- Support your student in completing assigned tasks on time.
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Pay the bill by August 5.
Bills will be sent out around the first week of July. The process of securing loans and scholarships usually takes a considerable amount of time. START EARLY.
If you need to know exactly what your bill will be for fall semester in order to begin the loan process, be sure to contact Student Financial Services for that information.
If you wait until you receive the actual bill before beginning the process, you may miss the bill payment deadline, which would mean your student would lose their housing space and course schedule.
- If your student has a documented disability for which they will be seeking support from the Office of Disability Services, make sure the paperwork is submitted as soon as possible.
RESOURCES
Parent Relations and Parents Association
The Parents Association has developed a list of KSC resources which many parents will find useful as they support their students during their transition. Our Parent Relations Office is also available to you.
Residential Life
Our Office of Residential Life has developed a comprehensive collection of information that includes information about how parents can assist students with their transition, what residential students should and shouldn't bring when they move in, the conduct system, how to handle roommate conflicts, etc.
Parent Resources
The next two pieces are taken from the Residential Life guide for parents.
Family members often regret leaving unspoken the things they want to say. Dorothy Hutcheson, for many years the college advisor at the prestigious Packer Collegiate School in Brooklyn, has organized parents' and students' thoughts to help them understand each other. The following are a few of the parent remarks that she uses in her college transition program for students. If you haven't already done so, perhaps you might find them worth sharing with your children when they come home this Thanksgiving.
- It is OK to make mistakes. You will learn by them.
- I want you to have a happy and healthy life and make your own decisions, and I will always be there to help.
- I have lots of confidence in you.
- I am very proud of you.
- I trust you.
- Even though it appears sometimes that I don't believe in your ability to make wise choices, deep down inside I know that your head is on straight.
- I have confidence in your ability to make a success of your college career.
- I think you are terrific and seeing you grow and develop has been one of the greatest experiences of my life.
- I miss you.
- I love you.
Adapted from College Smarts: The Official Freshman Handbook by Joyce Slayton Mitchell. Published by Garrett Park Press.
Families and Keene State College administrators have something in common - we all want to see your students succeed in college. With that in mind, we offer the following tips to help you and your students make the best use of your hard-earned educational dollar.
1. To assist your student in learning self-sufficiency, try to resist the temptation to do everything for him or her. Instead, encourage your student to talk with an academic advisor, call the professor, find a tutor, talk with the RA regarding a roommate problem, and visit the offices which provide the services needed.
2. Remember that each of your children is unique. Your first-born child may have gotten straight "A"s at a college which was more or less competitive than Keene State. Or, a child who previously attended Keene State may have had better time management skills or personal discipline to get good grades. Siblings may need different kinds of assistance academically, emotionally, and in other ways. Just because one daughter was a student leader does not mean that her sister will pursue that avenue. One son's expertise in calculus may be an irritant to his brother who is failing the course. Although parental comparisons are meant to motivate, for many students they are seen as denials of their individuality and symbols of their failures. Even when unspoken, comparisons can add to a student's frustration. The bravado and independence of students often cover up tremendous needs for encouragement and validation.
3. Many students are convinced that if they get in trouble, get bad grades, or change their career goals that "my parents will kill me." Students often agonize over decisions, problems, and crises on their own because they are afraid to tell their parents. In almost every case, the student needs parental guidance and support to best resolve the situation. After the fact, almost every student finds that mom or dad came through after the initial disappointment or anger. It is very important to tell your child that you are there for him or her, no matter what happens. After saying this, you must be sure to be understanding, rational, non-judgmental, kind and loving, should your child tell you that he or she has failed to meet your expectations.
4. Realize that you have a tremendous impact on your student. Keene State students are responsible young adults who worry about and feel responsible for helping their families. Your child will feel the impact of family arguments, financial setbacks, serious illness in the family, and problems of younger siblings. When there is a family crisis, keep your student on academic track if at all possible. If a student needs special academic consideration, get him or her to the Student Development Office for assistance.
5. Realize that not all students are ready to be in college at the age of 18. Likewise, some who were ready at 18 may change their minds at 20. Rarely is a student successful academically and personally if he or she does not want to be in school. Students may need time off to sort out goals, to grow up, to try other avenues, or to regain motivation. To be in college because "all my friends are" or "my parents wanted me to come" is not a good beginning for success. If your student needs to take a semester to a year off, encourage him or her to contact the Student Development Office for advice on procedures, feasibility of the idea, and alternative options for the time away.
6. Many young people behave in ways to hurt themselves precisely because their parents have made an issue of the behavior. Extreme concern about drugs, pre-marital sex, alcohol, dating, etc., does not help the parent's peace of mind or the student's ability to make rational choices. Discuss concerns and exceptions but don't smother or preach. It takes a great deal of self-control, but keeps communications open.
7. Realize that there are times when the College will have to take action concerning a student's behavior. Standards of conduct, academic standards, and regulations are set up for community welfare, as well as for each individual student situation. Keene State must balance the student's situation against community standards when making exceptions in order to be fair to both the College community and the individual student. Exceptions may be made only for extremely extenuating circumstances. If a student's behavior has caused sanctions, parents should consider the student's responsibility for the situation.
8. You are very important in your student's growth process and success in college. If possible, attend student athletic events, concerts, or other events in which your child participates. Help your student make major decisions by reviewing the pros and cons of options rather than making the decision yourself. Work with your student to balance independence and dependence. Keep the lines of communication open so that both of you can enjoy the college experience.
We hope you find these tips helpful. We would also like to thank the Office of Advancement at the College of William and Mary, from whose publication, Parent's Perspective, this was adapted.
Health and Safety on Campus
The health and safety of our students is of paramount importance to all of us.
If your student feels ill, they should call or go to the Center for Health and Wellness in Elliot Hall. If it's during the weekend, they can go to the emergency room.
If your student needs to miss a class due to illness, they need to let their faculty member know, in advance if possible, that they're missing class due to illness. The faculty member will work with the student based on their attendance policy (usually found in the course syllabus) and the number of any previous absences. Many professors permit a certain number of absences before any penalty is applied to the student's grade or status in the class. Some students jeopardize their standing in the class by missing the allowable number of courses and then needing to miss a class due to illness. If you can, help your student to understand that the allowable absences should be saved until they're really needed.
If your student has a major health crisis and might be out of school for an extended period of time, they should contact the Dean of Students at (603) 358-2842. The Dean can help the student make decisions about whether or not to continue their course work, and the dean can assist in notifying faculty about the student's situation.
If you have a family emergency and need to make contact with your student, you can contact the office of Campus Safety at (603) 358-2888, and they will assist in locating your student and having them make contact with you.
Students may also encounter a variety of personal challenges and can experience differing levels of stress. The Counseling Center at KSC offers a variety of short-term, emotional health services to support students.
If your student contacts the Counseling Center, s/he will meet with a counselor to determine what resources best match your student's concern. These may include personal counseling with a professionally-trained counselor, group counseling, or referral to other offices on campus.
If appropriate, students will be referred to outside clinics or therapists in the community to address a specific issue.
In case of a crisis, students can contact our 24-hour, on-call crisis counselor. A part-time psychiatrist also is available to conduct initial evaluations and to provide and monitor prescriptions for psychiatric medication. Because our psychiatric services are very limited, we encourage students to see a doctor at home to get psychotropic medications and to have those medications monitored by their home doctor. More information about the Counseling Center and our services.
Many key offices work together to keep the campus as safe as possible and to support our students and all other members of our community in taking the reasonable steps necessary in order to achieve a safe campus.
For detailed information, visit:
In the event of a campus emergency, any urgent information will appear on the KSC homepage. – please check there first.
Student Rights and Responsibilities
All students have certain rights and responsibilities, which are explicitly outlined in the Student Handbook [PDF].
Jobs and Banks
Job fair: This is where all the offices on campus that will be hiring students for work study jobs gather together in one place so that students can see what kinds of positions are available that match with their interests and their schedule. This event is held during the first week of classes in the Student Center. Additional information.
Banks: there are several banks within walking distance of the college. The ATM on campus is associated with TD Bank North. List of local banks as identified by the Keene Chamber of Commerce.
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ACADEMIC SUPPORT SERVICES
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ASPIRE
The ASPIRE program provides students with academic support services designed to enhance success. The program attempts to help students improve their performance in classes, and increase the likelihood that students will graduate.
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Advising
Students are registered for three courses based on what they've told us about their area of academic interest. Whether a student is undecided or has an area of interest, faculty members have defined appropriate courses in which to register students that will help them to explore their areas of interest and beyond. The professional advising staff, in conjunction with faculty, have developed a Family Guide to Advising [PDF] which is intended to serve as a resource to family members of students attending Keene State. While it may not answer every specific questions you may have about your student's situation, it will give you an understanding of our advising processes.
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Career Planning
An important step in making the most of a student's college experience is for them to begin, day one, in thinking about where they're headed in term of their future. The early part of the process involves helping the student to consider their areas of interest, what they think they're good at that they'd like to do more, where they think they're underdeveloped and could use some improvement. Students can make an appointment with a career advisor or stop by the Academic and Career Advising center to explore available resources.
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Supplemental Instruction
Supplemental Instruction (SI) is a peer facilitated learning assistance program designed to improve learning and to provide academic support for students enrolled in historically challenging courses. Throughout the semester a trained SI student leader attends all classes and models appropriate learning practices within the classroom. The SI Leader attends trainings throughout the semester to learn strategies for effective study sessions for all learners. Outside the classroom, the SI leader conducts weekly group study sessions for students wishing to improve their understanding of course material. Consistent participation in and regular observation of the course allows the SI leader to effectively augment classroom instruction during study sessions. Motivated students who regularly participate in SI study groups have often increased their grade one-half to a whole grade, or more.
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Tutor Program
Peer tutoring is offered for many introductory level courses. Tutoring brings together an individual student or a small group of students with a trained tutor to improve the skills essential for the course, address questions about the course content, organize a study plan, and build confidence. Tutoring is open to all students, subject to the availability of tutors.
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Math Center
Our goal is to provide a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere for learning mathematics. Tutoring, Peer Course Assistant, Math Review for Praxis I, and Testing programs can help students succeed from the very beginning of their math study at Keene State.
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The Center for Writing
The Center for Writing, located at 81 Blake Street, promotes effective writing and thinking by offering a variety of services for both students and faculty. We work with students to improve their writing and with faculty to support their effectiveness as teachers of writing. This combined effort strengthens the role of writing in our academic community.
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FAQs
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Does KSC offer a safety escort service?
Yes, personal safety escorts are available on campus before and after shuttle hours. Escorts may walk or drive and are provided on a staff-available basis.
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I understand I can't see my student's grades without having my student sign a form – how can this be when I'm the one paying the bills?
It's important to have a conversation with your son/daughter about their academic records and your respective expectations about sharing this information.
There are federal regulations concerning the information parents are entitled to once a student turns 18 years of age - even if you are paying the tuition. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA; also known as the Buckley Amendment) is a federal law that protects the privacy of a student's education records once they are 18 years old.
Students are the only ones who can request a transcript of their grades, for example. The student must give written permission for his/her grades to be shared with anyone else (including parents).
Forms are available at the Registrar's Office in the Elliot Center and online for students to sign which will give their parents access to their records. Personnel here at the college have access to grades because of the need to see the students' progress as we advise them.
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Will offices be open on move-in day?
Yes, though not necessarily fully staffed, as many staff members will be assisting students and their families in the move-in process.
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Can first-year students have cars on campus?
Due to limited parking spaces, the value of having first-year students remain on campus during the weekend, and the greater likelihood that older students need cars for off-campus commitments, first-year students are not allowed to park on campus.
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When is Parent Family Weekend?
September 30 - October 2. The schedule of events will be posted. If you plan to stay overnight, make your hotel reservations early.
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How can my students get information about transferring credits they earned at another institution?
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WELCOME TO KEENE!
On behalf of the entire campus community, I extend a warm welcome to all members of the Keene State College class of 2015 and their families. We believe that Keene is a great college for students to pursue their dreams, and we look forward to supporting them on their journey. Keene is a college on the move, providing outstanding academic programs and an exceptionally strong sense of community.
This site provides information about us, especially how to access the services that we provide. For even more resources geared to the families of our students, please visit our Parent Relations page.
I look forward to meeting you.
Welcome to Keene State College.
Sincerely,
Helen Giles-Gee
President
