Family Focus
2012-2013 vol. 2
Dear UAB Family Members:
Stressed or homesick kids…we’re three weeks into classes (and three weekends as well) and
the reality of college – lots of reading, strong academic expectations, being responsible – is
setting in. For a student to express a feeling of being ‘homesick’ or ‘unhappy with college’ at this
stage is very normal! Remember to LISTEN CAREFULLY for what they are ‘saying’. Offer
suggestions for engaging in the campus and with other students. Some ideas to suggest are:
 Ask someone in each class if they’d like to form a study group.
 Organize a grocery shopping trip with your roommates.
 Attend EVERY college activity offered where there is free food!
 Study for a while at Starbucks in the Sterne Library.
 Investigate a club or organization that you were a part of in HS.
 Investigate a club or organization that holds interest for you.
At this point, the worst thing a new student can do is go to class and go
straight back to his/her room or straight home…and it may take some firm
prodding from a parent to get them over ‘what am I doing here hump’ that
often happens in the first month. But KEEP PUSHING THEM to explore and to take advantage
of the dozens of opportunities available to them each week. They’ll get through it-PROMISE!!
By now, you’ve probably ALSO heard how hard (or easy!) a particular class is and you’ve also
probably listened to your student talk about class preparation, papers that are due and how
much more reading college classes require! Perhaps your student has taken their first college
exam and learned a bit about how to study better and more productively. Keep reminding
them to GO TO CLASS – EVERY CLASS - and utilize every support mechanism available!
If your student is experiencing academic difficulties of any kind, he/she should:
1 - Make an appointment to talk with the professor(s) during office hours
2 - Make an appointment to talk with his/her advisor
3 - Access the many academic support services available to them.
For academic assistance, students can call 205 / 934-6139 to reach
the Academic Success Hotline. For other student support services,
students can Google “Student Success Center” at www.uab.edu
Remember…many issues can be solved if your student will ask for help
and access support services quickly, so keep reminding them that every new student has
questions and everyone here wants to assist them toward success!
Phone Numbers Your College Student Should Have Saved in His/Her Cell Phone
Your student may have hundreds of family members’ and friends’ phone numbers saved to
his/her phone, but here are some numbers they definitely SHOULD have saved:
12345678-
Home (saved as ‘Home’ in the cell phone)
ICE (stands for “in case of emergency”; put in a # that an emergency responder could call)
MARS (the AAA of UAB) 205 /975-6277
UAB Escort Service (after dark campus van) 205 / 934-8772
Campus Police Emergency Number 205 / 934-3535
Roommate(s) numbers (if your student is living on campus)
His/her academic advisor
A friend or two from class (to clarify a homework assignment or arrange a study session)
If you haven’t done so already, please be sure to
save as a “favorite” or “bookmark” the UAB website
specifically for PARENTS on your computer(s).
www.uab.edu/parents was designed WITH parents
and FOR parents, and is VERY helpful as a first-stop
for questions!
B-Alert! UAB’s Emergency Notification System and Hurricane Season
Hurricane season often leads to phone calls regarding whether classes will be held at UAB if the
power goes out. Because UAB is both a fantastic university AND the home of multiple hospital
facilities, generators are quick to kick in and provide power. Thus, UAB will rarely be closed for
a power outage.
For questions regarding closure, students and parents may access multiple sources including
the UAB website (www.uab.edu) and local area news sources, but should assume classes are
in session *unless* they receive a text or phone message from UAB’s Emergency Alert
system, B-Alert. Want to know when there is a warning going out on B-Alert? Your student can
add parents and family members contact info (text and/or e-mail) to the B-Alert system via their
BlazerNet accounts.
Job and Internship Fair - September 25th from 10 am until 3 pm
In today’s economy, college students should begin utilizing UAB’s Office of Career Services
in the first semester. UAB will host a Job and Internship Fair on September 25th from 10 am
until 3 pm in the Campus Recreation Center (CRC). For more information and a list of
jobs/internships that will be represented, go to www.uab.edu/careerservices
For new students, especially freshmen, pursuing an internship early may well lead to
employment opportunities down the road, so please encourage your student to attend!
UG Admission Counselors Are “On The Road Again” and Coming to YOUR Area!
UAB Admission staff members are traveling to college fairs and high school visits across the
southeast throughout the fall semester. Always remember to share information with us about
any outstanding prospective high school student from
your area!! Your influence and encouragement toward
UAB may prove to be the life-changing tipping point for
a future UAB grad. To recommend a student (especially
if it’s your own child!) e-mail me at parents@uab.edu and
we will make sure that student receives ‘green-carpet
VIP attention’ from us!
Get Ready for FALL BREAK in October!
I know September has just begun, but UAB’s Fall Break is just around the
corner and your students will be able to enjoy a long weekend starting
October 11th through October 14th. Classes will resume on Monday morning,
October 15th. Mark your calendar now!
Applications for 2012 Goin’ Green Orientation Leaders available NOW!!
Please encourage your son or daughter to consider applying to be
a Goin’ Green New Student Orientation Leader for the 2012 year!
Freshmen who had at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA in high school may
apply (sophomores and juniors must have at least a 2.50 GPA to apply),
and we want to pick the very BEST and most ENTHUSIASTIC and
ENERGETIC and COMMITTED students we can find! The position pays
stipend and provides uniforms, training and a fantastic leadership
experience. For outstanding performers, it also provides the opportunity
for those all-important scholarship and job recommendation letters and
the potential for future promotion as an Orientation Leader Coordinator.
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Applications are available on-line at www.uab.edu/OL or paper applications are available in Hill
University Center 531 or at the University Boulevard Office Building (UBOB) 110. Applications
and supporting documents are due in UBOB 110 (University Boulevard Office Building) no later
than October 10th at 5 p.m. Encourage your student to help thousands of new students learn
that…
“It’s a GREAT DAY TO BE A BLAZER!”
DeeDee
DeeDee Barnes Bruns
parents@uab.edu
The University of Alabama at Birmingham
UBOB 110
Birmingham, AL 35294-4562
Phone: 205.975.7999
Fax: 205.975.9016