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December 2012    

Calendar at a Glance 

  

December 5

Last day of classes

 

December 6-12

Final Exams

 

December 13

Residence halls close for winter break at 5 pm

 

December 17

First day of classes for Winter Intersession

 

January 10

Final exams for Winter Intersession

 

January 11

Residence halls reopen for spring semester at 8 am

 

January 14

First day of classes for Spring 2013 term

 

January 21

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Holiday

 

February 8

Spring Maverick Parent & Family Association scholarship deadline

Final exam schedule

The Fall 2012 final exam schedule can be found here.

Tutoring resources available for students

As final exams approach, remind your student about all of the tutoring resources available on campus. These include:

Free study sessions through Supplemental Instruction (SI)
Supplemental Instruction (SI) is a series of peer-assisted, weekly study sessions designed to help students succeed in traditionally difficult courses. During SI sessions, students can compare notes, discuss readings, and work together to master course material. SI is free and open to all students in the supported course. The SI course list and schedule can be found here. All students are encouraged to attend SI, though the program is voluntary. It has been proven that regular participation in SI can help students raise their course grades by one-half to a full letter grade. SI helps students succeed and meet their goals!
Don't forget to use your P&F Association ID card to take advantage of the Maverick Discount Program!
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Applications open for the Parent & Family Association spring scholarship
Encourage your student to apply now for the Maverick Parent & Family Association spring scholarship. The Association awards two, $800 scholarships every fall and spring semester. One scholarship is awarded to a freshman student, while the other is awarded to an upperclassman student. All students who have a parent or family member in the Association and are in good standing with the university are eligible to apply.

Students can find the scholarship on the Parent & Family Association website. Applications can be submitted online, or students can also download the paper application and turn it in to the Parent & Family Center office (located in the basement of the University Center, B150).

The deadline to apply for the spring scholarship is February 8, 2013.
Coming soon: Parent & Family Association membership directory

The Maverick Parent & Family Association will begin working on a membership directory this month. The directory will be an electronic document that is only available to members. It will include the following information for each family:

 

  • First and last name of parents/family members
  • Hometown
  • Email address
  • Student name(s) and classification(s)

The purpose of the directory is for parents to be able to connect with one another. For example, two families from the same area may want to work out a carpool arrangement when their students travel home. 

 

There are currently 850 member families in the Association. We hope that each member finds value in the Association, and that this directory will prove to be helpful. 

 

If you would like to be included in this directory, email parents@uta.edu and simply type "opt in" in the subject line. Also, please provide your preferred email address(es) to include in the directory. Please RSVP by January 6, 2013. 

Home for the holidays
For many families, winter break will be the first time students will spend an extended period of time back home. While parents and students are no doubt excited to spend time together, it is not uncommon for parents and students to have different expectations about what the winter break will look like. Discussing your expectations ahead of time can help you and your student plan for the transition during the first long visit home. 

Here are some common expectations of students to get you started with your conversation. Expect students to:

  • Want to sleep a lot
  • Want to reconnect with friends
  • Want to spend time with significant others
  • Want a new curfew
  • Want to eat a lot of home cooking
  • Want to hang out at night with other people than you
  • Want to have some space to do nothing
  • Be surprised with what has changed
  • Want you to do laundry
  • Want you to keep their things as they left them
Residence hall closing information for winter break
If your student lives on campus in a residence hall, make sure they are aware of the closing procedures. All residence halls will be closed for winter break and no residents will be allowed back in the residence halls until January 11, 2013.

Residence halls close: December 13 at 5 pm
  • Students should take all valuables, medication, or other belongings they might need during the break. Leave all other non-necessities in the room.
  • Residents returning for the spring semester must complete the "Fall Checkout List" and post it on their room suite door. This checklist tells them everything they need to complete before leaving for winter break.
  • Failure to follow proper check-out procedure may result in check-out fines.
Residence halls open: January 11 at 8 am. All residents must check into their rooms and with their RA by 5 pm on January 13. 
Considerations for apartment living
Is your student currently thinking about moving off-campus or out of the house into his or her own apartment next year? If so, winter break may be the perfect time to begin discussing this transition. There are many elements to consider when making a housing change:  
  • How much can your student afford? 
  • Does your student want to live with roommates? If so, how much is each roommate willing to pay?
  • Does your student want a furnished or unfurnished apartment?
  • If unfurnished, how will each roommate contribute to furniture, decorations, etc.?
  • How will your student commute to campus?
  • Are all roommates equally committed to the rental agreement? Remember that when you sign a lease, you are legally responsible to fulfill the requirements.

Savage, M. (2003). You're on your own (but I'm here if you need me). New York, NY: Fireside.
Happy holidays!
The Parent & Family Center wishes you and your family a healthy and happy holiday season!
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