Tips For Families
WELCOME
Anna Carey
Director – New Student Services/Family Outreach
STUDENT PROFILE &
FAMILY TIPS
Steve VanderStaay
Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, Professor of English
Tip #1
Relax!
Your student has chosen a great school!
Recent
Assessment Data
Top 2% of 560 US Masters Granting Universities
(Survey of Earned Doctorates)
72% Graduation Rate (2011-2012)
“Value Added” is “greater than predicted”
(Collegiate Learning Assessment)
84 %
84% of Graduating Seniors report they would “go
to Western” if they could start their higher
education experience over again.
Tip #2
Be confident:
You have done your job.
Tip #2
“I know you will make good decisions.”
Tip #2
“Everyone makes mistakes: your job is to
learn from them.”
Tip #3
Let them go but stay in touch.
Tip #3
Don’t say
“Are you homesick?”
Say
“Tell me about . . .”
Tip #4
Support their exploration but…
Tip #4
Encourage progress toward major
declaration
Tip #4
 Explore and Research Interests
 Complete prerequisites
 Declare a Major
Milestone
Major declaration by end of sophomore year.
Tip #5
Let them know of your sacrifices.
Tip #6
Help them learn from the past.
Difficulties
Successes
Our Students
#1 Difficulty
Time Management
Other Difficulties
we can Anticipate
• The pace and difficulty of course work
• Winter blues
• Illness
• A difficult class
What to Say?
“That’s tough.”
“That happened to me…”
“That eventually happens to everyone…”
Successful Students:
• Get involved/work/volunteer/participate
• Form study groups
• Use a calendar and set deadlines
• Use their professor’s office hours
Successful Students use
campus resources:
• The Outdoor Center
• The Tutoring Center
• The Advising Center
• The Math Help Center
ACADEMIC
ADVISING
Tina Loudon
Director – Academic and Career Development Services
Advising Day One
• Advising session with faculty or staff advisor
• Introduction to GUR’s and WWU graduation
requirements
• Course selection as related to major interest or to explore
potential areas of interest
• Advising Resources
• Online Registration System
• Staffed labs in afternoon for students to start planning fall
class schedule
Advising Day Two
• Class registration with assistance from faculty/staff
advisor and ASA
• Schedule modifications possible up to noon of next day
(noon Monday for those registering on Saturday)
General University
Requirements
• Class registration with assistance from faculty/staff
advisor and ASA
• Schedule modifications possible up to noon of next day
(noon Monday for those registering on Saturday)
Graduation
Requirements
• DTA or completion of WWU General Education
requirements
• Complete a minimum of 180 credits
• Complete an approved academic major
• Complete a minimum of 60 upper division credits
• Satisfy the writing proficiency requirements
• Complete a minor, if required
• Meet minimum grade point average requirements
(scholarship standard required by major and cumulative
WWU GPA of 2.0)
How it Adds Up
GURs:
Major coursework:
Electives:
65 credits (approximately)
60 – 105
10 - 55
Advising at WWU
• Undecided/undeclared students are advised in Academic
Advising Center or Student Outreach Services
• Once declared, students are assigned a faculty advisor
• Students are not required to see an advisor to register
for classes (except students with 105 or more credits)
• Students need to be proactive in seeking advising
ACADEMIC and CAREER
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Academic Advising, Old Main 380, 360.650.3850
Tutoring Center, Old Main 380, 360.650.3855
Career Services Center, Old Main 280, 360.650.3240
www.wwu.edu/advising
www.wwu.edu/depts/tutorialcenter
www.careers.wwu.edu
COUNSELING,
HEALTH &
WELLNESS
Emily Gibson, M.D.
Medical Director – Student Health Center
Dedicated to helping students be well,
get well, and stay well
life long.
First Things First
MMR Vaccination requirement for enrollment
• MMR is the only required vaccination at WWU
• Meningococcal vaccination is strongly recommended but
not required. Students are required to sign an online
information sheet prior to initial registration. Vaccine is
available at the health center on campus $15 under age
19, $85 for age 19 or older
• Other vaccinations strongly recommended: TDAP (tetanus,
diphtheria, pertussis), HPV, Hepatitis A, influenza (starting
in October)
Students Under 18
• If a student will be under 18 at any time they will be
on campus, we need parental/guardian permission
before treating minors in our clinic. Form available
on our website.
• Exceptions: we treat without permission in cases of
emergencies or legally protected conditions such
as mental health, sexually transmitted diseases,
pregnancy and contraceptive visits
Student Health Center
Located at the south end of campus in the Campus
Services Facility above Parking and Police
Student Health Center
• Open weekdays during the academic quarters
• Closed for appointments during intersessions, evenings,
weekends and holidays
• Year round 24 hour free telephone consulting nurse with
WWU physician back up
• Refills, emails, electronic messages available year round
Student Health Center
• $72 Mandatory Quarterly Counseling, Health and
Wellness Fee provides free unlimited visits in the health
center, free brief counseling in the Counseling Center
• Additional fees may be charged for dispensed
prescription medication from our formulary, durable
goods, procedures, vaccinations and laboratory testing
Student Health Center
• We do not currently directly bill insurance plans-- ONLY
Group Health/Kaiser Permanente. A billing sheet with
appropriate codes will be emailed to the student on
request to facilitate self-billing of insurance for
reimbursement.
• Insurance is strongly encouraged but not required by
WWU. It will be federally mandated under the Affordable
Care Act (ACA) starting in January 2014 and various
individual plans will be available through the Washington
State Insurance Exchanges with potential for
government need-based subsidy.
• Option to stay on parental health insurance to age 26
Student Health Center
• Optional quarterly or annual coverage available to
enrolled WWU students offered through Wells Fargo
through our website
• https://studentinsurance.wellsfargo.com
• Plan premiums for 2013-2014 are anticipated to be
under $170 per month with marked increases over the
next two years as the full mandate of the Affordable Care
Act takes effect.
Student Health Center
• Online services: all electronic paperless clinic for the
past 10 years
• online past medical history and symptom specific surveys
• password protected secure patient web portal with access
to chart notes, labs and xray reports and patient education
materials
• online refill requests and direct secure messaging to health
care providers
• Ask the Doc anonymous question and answer service with
over 4000 in our archives
Student Health Center
• Telephone Services—24 hour free access to consulting
nurse with physician back up
• Some illness can be treated by protocol over the phone
without being seen –i.e. viral upper respiratory infections,
viral gastroenteritis, uncomplicated influenza and urinary
tract infections
• In-clinic formulary of 60 of the most common prescription
medications available for purchase, including antibiotics,
contraceptives and antidepressants
Student Health Center
Cold Self Care Packs
Access to free over the counter pain relievers, lozenges,
cough syrup, tea, chicken soup, etc at the Health Center
Triage Nurse
In person evaluation by Registered Nurse with ability to
assess and treat per protocol, i.e. viral upper respiratory
illness, strep throat, conjunctivitis, uncomplicated urinary
tract infection, some STI screening
Student Health Center
• Unlimited appointments per quarter without co-pays
• Over 100 Same Day Appointments available every day –
we see today’s ill students today
• Schedule ahead appointments for routine mental health,
women's reproductive health, sports medicine, travel
clinic, physicals
• Acute illness, injury, chronic disease monitoring and
management, minor surgery, colposcopy services
• Lab Services including outside doctor orders
Student Health Center
Specialty Services
• Free unlimited access to mental health providers,
including psychiatry consultation and chemical
dependency expertise
• Free unlimited access to dietician (in the Rec Center)
• Free unlimited access by referral to athletic trainer (in the
Rec Center) for injury rehabilitation
• Travel Clinic and vaccinations (charges for services)
Counseling Center
• Located in Old Main, fifth floor
• Doctoral and Master’s Level therapists with expertise in
college-age emotional issues
• Brief one-to-one counseling model with referral to private
therapists in the community for longer term counseling
• Group classes and support groups
• Urgent appointments available every day and always 24/7
on call telephone consultation
Mental Health Concerns
During their years in college:
• Studies indicate 25% of college students experience
anxiety and/or depressive symptoms that interfere
significantly with their academic progress
• Over 10% experience significant suicidal thoughts
• 1-2% attempt suicide
• Abuse of alcohol and recreational drugs significantly
increases risk of completed suicide
Prevention & Wellness
Services
• Wellness Outreach Center in Viking Union for health
information
• Alcohol and Other Drug Counseling Services (ADCAS) for
students who have concerns or who are mandated for
consultation due to violations
• Crime and Sexual Assault Services (CASAS) for support
and advocacy
• Men Against Violence Against Women
• Peer Health Educator Program
CAMPUS
SAFETY
Michael Sledge
Assistant Dean of Students
Community
Everyone plays a role in creating a safe community
• students
• police
• faculty and staff
• residence hall staff
Crime & Emergency
• Clery crime statistics
• Theft
• Western Alerts
• Emergency 3-day kits
Alcohol & Drugs
• Campus policies are more restrictive than the law
• Policies are enforced
• Educational focus
What to tell your
Student About Safety
• Secure their belongings
• Sign up for Western Alerts
• Trust their instincts
• Know the resources
• 650-SAFE
• Residence Life staff
• Police
• CASAS
Tip #1
Relax!
Your student has chosen a great school!