Dec. 12: Residence halls close at 7 p.m. 

Dec. 13: Commencement, Fall semester ends

Dec. 16: Fall semester grades available through GoWMU late in the day

Dec. 20: Bronco Football vs. Airforce in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl 

Dec. 25-Jan. 2: Holiday closure

Jan 1: Time to start the 2015 FAFSA 

Jan 9, 12-14: One-Stop Convenience Center open 

Jan. 10: Residence halls reopen at 10 a.m.

Jan. 12: Spring semester classes begin at 8 a.m. Tuition and Fees due

Looking Ahead

Jan. 16: Last day to drop/add classes. Last day to receive 100% refund. 

Jan. 19: MLK Jr. Day, No classes

 Jan 21: $100 Late Add fee begins. Withdrawals recorded as "W" on transcript.

Jan. 22: Last day to receive 90% refund for complete withdrawal

Jan. 26: Last day to receive 50% refund for partial withdrawal  

Feb. 2: Deadline for June graduation applications 

Feb. 8: College Goal Sunday  

March 6: Spirit Day, No classes

March 9-13: Spring Break, No classes. (Residence halls open with limited services.)

March 16: Classes resume

May 2: Commencement   

Waldo Library photo taken by Aniruddha Chavan

Reminders 

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Gold'n Brown Bakery  

      

Click here to order online.

Products purchased online are available for pickup at the Bernhard Café and Market. Delivery is available to main campus buildings, including residence halls, for an additional $5 on most Fridays between 2-4 p.m.

 

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Request your free MyWMU Concierge Card for discounts for hotels, restaurants, and retailers. This is a personalized card that takes a few weeks to print, so please order soon!  

Things to know...  

Healthy Stocking Stuffers from the Student Recreation Center

 

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Bronco Football is headed to Boise, Idaho to play in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl on Dec. 20. If you are interested in attending the game, complete information is available on the Bronco Athletic website.

A number of watch parties are being planned around the country and we encourage you to join us in cheering our team to victory!

Kickoff is at 5:45 p.m. EST and the game will be televised on ESPN.

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"Final" Thoughts...

This message is a repeat of information that I send out at the end of each semester. Even "seasoned" college students occasionally have a challenging semester and for those of us with students struggling academically, it's important to think about effective ways to approach the situation.  

 

Next Tuesday in the late afternoon or evening, students will be able to access their fall semester grades through their GoWMU accounts. If you have authorized user access to semester grades, you also will be able to view your student's academic progress. Students will be notified through their WMU e-mail account if their academic standing changes to probation, extended probation, final probation or dismissal. The e-mail will explain what the standing means and what impact it has on future registration. If the student has been academically dismissed, a hard copy letter will also be mailed to his or her permanent/home address. 

 

Most students are quite confident as they log in to view their final grades. They stayed on track, consistently attended their classes and kept up with their coursework. Unfortunately some students lost their academic focus somewhere along the way during the semester and seeing those final grades is a cold splash of reality. Facing the end of a less than positive semester can cause regrets, self-doubt, and discouragement. 

 

When grades are posted, we hope to celebrate our student's success and offer well-deserved praise...but that may not be the case for some of us. Despite your disappointment, this can be an opportunity to forge a strong bond between you and your student; recognize your student as an adult, allow your student to take full responsibility for the choices made during the semester, and create a plan for the future. So here are some thoughts to consider:

 

1. Before you discuss the semester with your student, take a deep breath and try to calm your emotions. Your conversation will be much more fruitful if you can approach it with thoughtfulness and purpose.

2. Your student likely feels worse than you do. Not only is he or she dealing with the consequences of poor academic performance, there is also the added stress of having disappointed you. These are powerful feelings and even more challenging than the sense of personal failure from a bombed out semester.

3. If you approach the situation as a tough but valuable learning experience, your student may become stronger, both academically and personally. We learn much from our failures and even more from having the chance to rise above them. Everyone occasionally needs a "do over" and this may be your opportunity to encourage that option.

4. Talk to your student about what went wrong during the semester (preferably with a calm approach). Did he or she get caught up in the social scene? Attend class regularly? Need help with study skills? Have other issues that overshadowed the focus on academics? A conversation from the heart can be most helpful at this point - especially if you can find ways to approach your student as a young adult taking responsibility for his or her actions - and not just as your child who may have let you down.

5. Talk about next semester and next steps. This may be a fresh start; an opportunity to begin again with a stronger sense of purpose and focus. Encourage your student to take advantage of campus resources that will prove beneficial in improving academic performance. Ask how you can help prepare for the return to college and provide helpful support during the spring semester. What does your student need from you? What does your student need from us?

 

6. And please remind your student how much you love 'em! He or she may have really messed up this semester, but your love doesn't go away. Your trust and support are essential in moving towards positive change.