Welcome to your first edition of Colgate’s Parent & Family Newsletter. This quarterly email will provide you with information and resources relevant to you as you support your student in their Colgate journey.

We are so excited for your students to arrive! I hope to meet many of you in the coming weeks and years.

Best wishes,

Preparing for Fall 2023 Arrival

Family Preparation Guide

Your student’s The Road to Colgate brochure and their online New Student Checklist outline all the things they need to do to prepare for Colgate. As your student gets ready, be sure to refer to our Family Preparation Guide to help support them.

You can also refer to the New Students’ Parents and Families page and the Parent & Family Resource Guide. If you don’t find what you are looking for there, feel free to email parents@colgate.edu.

Preparing for More Independence

What can parents, family members, or guardians do to help their student prepare for the independent environment they will experience at college?

This Colgate Family Talk video features Dr. Melissa Sporn, a clinical psychologist with a speciality in developmental adjustments in adolescents and emerging adults (and mom of Samantha, Class of 2022!) and Dawn LaFrance, assistant vice president of counseling and psychological services.

Teaching Independent Life Skills

The summer before college is a perfect time for families to help their students gain valuable practical knowledge and prepare for a productive semester. For example, “adulting” involves mundane activities like grocery shopping, cooking, money management, even making one’s own appointments. Kimberly Yavorski’s Collegiate Parent article “Teach Your College Student Independent Life Skills” provides tips on inviting them to help or look on ­— it doesn’t have to be obvious you’re trying to teach a lesson!

Getting Ready for the Residence Hall

We recommend that family members encourage their students to take ownership of their preparations, such as shopping for room supplies. These are ideal moments for students to build the independence that will help them succeed in college. Our move-in guide offers helpful information and tips; be sure to have them check out the Dos and Don’ts in particular.

As you support your student in their preparations, take note of the following:

• Room layouts vary widely, so we recommend they wait to purchase any items that would be room layout–specific (such as storage items) until after arrival. It is often beneficial for them to have a few days in the room to determine any additional needs. They will be able to find items locally or have them shipped.
• We suggest that roommates connect prior to arrival to coordinate shared items such as microfridges, fans, etc., to avoid duplication.
• There are a number of prohibited items that students must not bring, including candles, halogen lamps, appliances with open heat sources like hot plates, air conditioners, space heaters, and other items.
• Live Far Away? Your student is welcome to send packages, catalog, or online orders to campus. They can find their CU box number in their student portal. Mail Services is extremely busy at the beginning of the semester; therefore, we recommend all essential items (bedding, towels, toiletries, medicine) be brought with your student.
• Learn more on the Residential Life Policy page.

Discuss The Red Zone

In the welcome packet sent to your student, we included for parents a letter sharing the University’s efforts to educate students about alcohol and other drug use and to prevent sexual violence. As a follow-up, we share this article from Psychology Today, “Talking to College Students About ‘The Red Zone’. (The “Red Zone” refers to the first six weeks of the semester, when there is a statistically heightened chance of sexual assault occurring (national statistics), which we hope will assist your family in having important conversations before your student begins college.

Summer Reading

Have you noticed your student reading How to Stand Up to a Dictator by 2021 Nobel Peace Prize Winner Maria Ressa? That’s because over the summer, all incoming students have a shared reading assignment. The Summer Reading gives them their first experience with the liberal arts, in dialogue with faculty and staff members on questions that transcend disciplinary interests and that require independent analysis. As part of the assignment, your student will introduce themself to their faculty adviser (who is their First-Year Seminar (FSEM) instructor) and administrative dean so that they can get to know them better; they will also write an essay that responds to a prompt. The reading (due on August 7) also provides a foundation for a variety of related events throughout their first year at Colgate. The cost of the book is included with tuition.

Supporting First-Generation Students

Every year, there are more than 300 first-generation students pursuing their degrees at Colgate — the first in their families to attend college. Recognizing that the experiences of first-generation students can present unique challenges, Colgate’s First@Colgate program offers them support and guidance.

In this video, RaJhai Spencer, director of the First@Colgate program, and Tabisha Raymond, assistant director of First@Colgate — both first-generation themselves — discuss the resources that Colgate has in place with First@Colgate. They also share thoughts on the things that parents, family members, guardians, and other caregivers can do to partner with Colgate in supporting their students.

Success On Campus

New Student Orientation — What to Expect

New Student Orientation (August 20–23) prepares students to begin their college experience. During orientation, students will:

• Get acquainted with their roommates, classmates, and staff of their Residential Commons
• Develop a sense of home in their residence halls
• Become familiar with the campus
• Meet their academic advisers
• Learn about Colgate’s community expectations
• Be welcomed into Colgate’s community of scholars at Founders’ Day Convocation

The program is designed and led by professionals in the Dean of the College division and trained student Orientation Links.

Family members sometimes ask if they will have time to visit with their students during orientation, and if they should stick around to help their student to get settled into their rooms. Setting up their own space is an important step in gaining new independence.  As well, your student will be busy from early morning through late in the evening — so family goodbyes should take place before orientation begins.

Housing and the Residential Commons Assignment

Living on campus provides opportunities to develop skills for living and learning, relationship and community building. Living in residence is integral to the Colgate education your students will receive.

Students are assigned to their Residential Commons according to the First-Year Seminar (FSEM) they are taking. This helps to bridge the living and learning parts of the experience. They will be notified of their room assignment and roommates in late July. Students are encouraged to communicate with their roommates to get to know them before arriving on campus.

The Office of Residential Life’s professional staff members are trained in student development, mentoring students, conflict mediation and resolution, and providing a safe and inclusive living environment for all students.

Advising

Colgate provides layers of support for students and a variety of people to help them achieve their goals. Two of their primary contacts will be their academic (faculty) adviser and their administrative dean.

Incoming students are notified of their academic advisers when they receive their fall course schedule. They will also receive an introductory letter from their specific dean over the summer. Encourage your student to build relationships with their administrative dean and faculty adviser early on by contacting them with any questions or concerns.

Important To-Dos and Dates

It’s important that students check their Colgate email frequently; all summer, they are receiving regular emails with action items and deadlines on their New Student Checklist. Here are some of the most important:

August 1, 2023

• Deadline to set up InfoShare to share select records online with parents or guardians
• Deadline to enroll or waive Student Health Insurance 
• Deadline to submit Financial Responsibility Form
• Fall Term Student Account payment deadline

August 7, 2023

• Complete Summer Reading Assignment

Any time

Remind your student they can designate a parent, guardian, or other Authorized User on their student account (TouchNet). Authorized users can receive e-billing notifications; view student account information; and make payments on the student’s behalf. (Please be aware that the Office of Student Accounts can only share and discuss details of a student’s account with individuals they have named on the Student Account Information Release Form or established as an Authorized User.

Academic Calendar

The academic calendar is the official listing, organized by semester, of important dates and academic-year milestones. The schedule is established and approved four years in advance.

Events

Parent & Family Orientation

Family members are warmly welcomed but not required to attend Parent & Family Orientation. This program will explain Colgate’s student development philosophy and introduce family members to experiences their students will likely encounter in the first weeks of college. We’ll also provide tips for supporting your student, and explain the resources Colgate has to support you. Available sessions:

• Tuesday, August 15, 2:30–3:30 p.m. (Wilderness Adventure II arrival)
• Wednesday, August 16, 4:30–5:30 p.m. (other pre-orientations arrival)
• Sunday, August 20, 1–2 p.m. (Arrival Day)

Families who will not be coming to campus may request a recording of the program, which will be emailed shortly after Arrival Day.

Your Input

As your student prepares to come to campus, what is your number one question or concern? Share it here and we will do our best to address it at Parent & Family Orientation or in upcoming communications. (If you have a specific question about your individual student, please email parents@colgate.edu.)

Family Weekend 2023, October 27–29

Save the Date! We look forward to welcoming families to campus October 27–29, 2023, for Family Weekend. Details will be released early in the fall semester. Meanwhile, hotels and other lodging establishments fill up quickly, so we recommend making reservations as soon as possible; you can research options on the Hotels & Accommodations page.

Resources for Incoming Families

Glossary of Colgate Terms

Sometimes words used in a college setting can be confusing. This glossary outlines common terms that would be helpful to know.

Advice from Family Members

We asked current parents, “What is one piece of advice you would share with a parent/guardian of an incoming first-year or transfer student?” Their helpful responses ranged from practical to metaphorical.

Books for College-Bound Families

This list of books was recommended by the parent program professionals of AHEPPP: Family Engagement in Higher Education.

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