Dear CSU Parents and Families:
Fall is our favorite time of year on the Colorado State University campus. The leaves are turning and the shades of bright gold, green and orange light up the campus. What perfect timing for Homecoming & Family Weekend! We hope many of you will visit! If you have not yet registered, please go to the website to check out the schedule and register in the green box on the right hand side (under “Event Registration and Tickets”). There are many special events planned just for you, including special event seating for the Homecoming Parade on Friday afternoon before the big Festival, Pep Rally and Bonfire. We also want to recommend the Housing Options After the First Year session scheduled for Friday, October 9, 2009 from 2:00 – 3:30 pm in the Lory Student Center. It’s full of useful information on your student’s housing options and we’ll be posting all handouts on the Parent and Family website after the session. We’ll be sure to do another Housing Options section, complete with handouts in the November e-newsletter!
This month's RAMFAM Association meeting will be held on Saturday, October 10, 2009 from 10:00 a.m. - Noon, in the Cherokee Park Ballroom in the Lory Student Center. Please tune in via webcast if you are unable to attend in person – the agenda is jam-packed with information about academic resources on campus!
Due to the number of Parents and Families registering for Homecoming and Family Weekend, we’ve had a few logistical changes. This is fantastic news that we needed to find larger venues for each event! Please check the Parent and Family website on October 8, 2009 for the most up-to-date room information.
We hope you find our monthly e-newsletter enjoyable and full of helpful information for Colorado State's parents and families. Sometime in the next two months, you may receive a call from a current Colorado State University student. This is our "Call-A-Ram" program and they’ve written an article below to help inform parents and families about their purpose on campus. When the Call-A-Ram students call parents and families, they will be asking for donations for the Parents Fund and/or scholarships. The Parents Fund was created a number of years ago for the following purposes:
- To create or enhance the Division of Student Affairs programs that lead to the academic and personal success of Colorado State University students.
- To provide financial assistance to the Division of Student Affairs programs that expands the sense of community at Colorado State University, where all students feel welcome and important.
- To support University-wide programs and projects outside of the classroom.
- To enrich educational opportunities for Colorado State University students.
- To support Parent and Family Programs and Services.
Many of the out-of-class experiences at Colorado State University as well as all of the Parent and Family Programs and Services are funded through the Parents Fund. If you have questions or would like more information about the Parents Fund, please don't hesitate to contact us – we love to hear from you! In closing, Happy Homecoming & Family Weekend and please stop to introduce yourself if you have the opportunity!
Sincerely,
Jody & Kacee
Jody Donovan, Ph.D.
Associate Dean of Students/
Executive Director of Parent and Family Programs
Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs
Colorado State University
201 Administration Building
Fort Collins, CO 80523
(970) 491-5312
jody.donovan@colostate.edu
Kacee Collard Jarnot
Assistant Director of Parent and Family Programs
Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs
Colorado State University
201 Administration Building
Fort Collins, CO 80523
(970) 491-5312
kacee.collard@colostate.edu
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Homecoming & Family Weekend
Homecoming & Family Weekend will be held on October 9-11, 2009 on the CSU campus. Below you'll find links to all of the events and registration sites. Hope to see you here!
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It's Never TOO Early! Housing Options After the First Year
By Jeannie Ortega, Director of Off-Campus Life
It’s hard to think right now about where your student might live next year, when the semester has just barely begun, but…it’s never too early to be prepared!
As part of Homecoming & Family Weekend, parents and their students can explore the topic of “Housing Options After the First Year.” On Friday, October 9, from 2:00-3:30 in the North Ballroom of Lory Student Center, representatives from Residence Life, Greek Life, Off-Campus Life and a local realty company will share their respective information on the topic of living on- or off-campus.
Topics covered include:
- Benefits of and options for living on campus
- Sorority or fraternity housing
- Renting and living in the community
- Purchasing a home in Fort Collins
If you are unable to attend the session as part of Homecoming & Family Weekend, all handouts provided will be downloadable on the Parent and Family website following the event. All contact information will be given if you have further questions.
One of the questions parents often ask us is, “When is the best time to start looking for housing?” Well, that depends. If your student plans to live in the residence halls, then early spring semester is the best time to renew. Watch for announcements in the spring. If your student is considering a move out into the neighborhoods, then mid-spring is the best time to start a search. Many leases have renewal dates of March 15, so landlords and managers will know their availability more accurately around then. Don’t get caught in high pressure tactics though by signing a lease too early. Many students get caught by signing early then finding a better place a few days later. Once you sign a lease, you are committed to it! So, encourage your students to shop around.
To aid in your student’s housing search, Off-Campus Life will host the annual Housing Fair on Wednesday, March 10, 2010, 9am-4pm in the LSC Main Ballroom. Tell your student to mark his/her calendar. It’s a great time to do one-stop shopping for available housing in the community.It’s never too early to have thoughtful conversations with your student about what housing options are available for consideration. In the meantime, Off-Campus Life is here to provide you any information you need to make the best decision for you and your student. Happy fall!
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October RAMFAM Association Meeting
October tends to be are largest RAMFAM Association meeting, as it coincides with Homecoming & Family Weekend. In fact, we have over 110 parents and families registered to attend! We meet monthly to discuss issues, learn more about University developments affecting students, and assist in planning programs and events that involve CSU parents and families.
Our next meeting will be held on Saturday, October 10, 2009 from 10:00 to noon (Mountain Standard Time).
On-Campus Logistics:
Webcast Logistics:
Just before the meeting, please click on this link: http://www.cope.colostate.edu/ramfam and it should take you directly to the streaming video. If you run into trouble with this link, just go to the Parent and Family website to participate.
Tentative Agenda:
- Welcome & Introductions
- Overview of the RAMFAM Association
- Suggestions for RAMFAM Association Directory businesses
- Small Group Discussion on Student Issues and Campus Interests
- Panel on Academic Resources
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Call-A-Ram Is Calling You!
By Shannon Medlicott & Caitlin Carlson,
Call-A-Ram
Like most colleges and universities, Colorado State conducts an annual "phone-a-thon" to contact alumni, parents and friends of the University. Dubbed "Call-A-Ram" at CSU, the phone-a-thon is a student-staffed fundraising and communication effort. The program's goal is to let current students connect with past students, gather critical information, and give our constituents a chance to donate to CSU.
Call-A-Ram callers, also known as Call-A-Rammers, serve as the front line representatives of CSU, its student body, and its administration to the greater CSU family. They represent students from every demographic- each of them with their own unique story to tell. Semester after semester, students come back to the call center- located near the historic Oval on campus- put on their headsets and get ready to make over 70,000 contacts.
Each of the callers exhibit their own style when they engage with one of our constituents. Some are more casual, some are very professional. Some of the callers balance 21 credit hours, two part-time jobs and extracurricular activities; and others are slowly making their way through their undergraduate program with lots of free time to pick up extra calling shifts. But one thing remains consistent- every one of them understands the significance of their contribution to this great University. Call-A-Rammers are making a difference. And they’re doing it one phone call at a time.
So the next time the phone rings and it's a Call-A-Ram caller, don't hang up - take the opportunity to connect with one of our students and help them make a difference at Colorado State.
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Take a SLiCE...Getting Involved on Campus
By Kayla Huddleston, SLiCE Marketing
The transition into a new semester can often be difficult for students. Settling into classes, mastering time management and deciding on co-curricular activities to get involved in can be stressful.
The Student Leadership involvement and Community Engagement (SLiCE) Office is a resource for students thinking about participating in a student organization, volunteering in the community or building leadership traits.
Located in the Lory Student Center, the office employs 11 professional and 30 student staff members, dedicated to bringing people together to make the CSU campus a better place.
A great example is Cans Around the Oval, one of the community service projects hosted by the SLiCE office. This 22-year-old tradition held September 17-October 14 is the largest one day food drive in Northern Colorado. Students and groups can sign up to hold a mini-food drive, drop off cans at local places or give to a CSU student canvass who will visit neighborhoods, with all donations benefiting the Food Bank of Larimer County.
“The need is growing at a dramatic pace,” Keith Colton, Volunteer Programs Coordinator for SLiCE said. “We all have an opportunity to lift up those who need it the most. There is no end to what can be accomplished when a community comes together, and Cans Around the Oval is the perfect opportunity to demonstrate our ability to care for one another.”
In addition to service projects, the SLiCE office offers Alternative Spring Breaks for students to be immersed into different cultures, environments and socioeconomic communities across the world. Available trips include Panama, California, Utah, Florida, Tennessee, Louisiana, New York, New Mexico, Washington D.C. and Arizona.
“Alternative breaks are a great way for students to learn more about social issues – everything from homelessness to environmental sustainability,” Jen Johnson, Assistant Director of SLiCE said. “Alternative breaks provide practical, real world experiences which compliment academic learning at CSU.”
Trips are being offered over extended weekends and summer or winter breaks. While application due dates for alternative winter break trips and extended weekend trips have already passed, applications for alternative spring and summer break trips are due by October 21, 2009.
“They are a great way for students to learn more about themselves, the world around them, and interact with other socially conscious peers,” Johnson said.
Additional information about the SLiCE office and applications can be found online at www.slice.colostate.edu or by calling 970-491-1682.
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