Happy Holidays from the Office of New Student and Parent Programs! The holiday break
is quickly approaching and I know your student is looking forward to an extended period
of time where he or she can unwind from the pressures of school and reconnect with
family and friends.
In this edition of Eagle Family Connection, we are highlighting preparation for final
exams and some suggestions for families as their students return home for the holiday
break. For many families, this will be the first extended time you will have with
your student since they began classes in August at Winthrop. This can often be an
exciting and challenging time for you and your student as you reconnect. Make sure
to clearly communicate and set expectations for both of you to enjoy and make the
most of your time together.
Please note that all Winthrop offices will be closed from Monday, December 24 through
Wednesday, January 2 for the holiday break.
As always, please feel free to contact our office if we can be of any assistance at
803/323-2387 or via e-mail at familyprograms@winthrop.edu. I wish you and your family a happy and safe holiday season!
Carrie Brunt Whiteside
Program Director, New Student and Parent Programs
Every December, college students all over the nation will begin finals week. Studying,
stressing, and ultimately succeeding on their exams is the typical routine your student
will encounter. Though it will be a demanding time for your child, it will be surpassable.
Fortunately, there are some small, yet significant actions you can take to help to
support him or her during this crunch time.
What you can physically do for your student:
Care-Packages: Nothing extravagant by any means! Maybe some cookies and crackers,
a few odd and end school supplies or possibly even a $5 gift card to Starbucks. Anything
and all things purchasable at your closest grocery store show your student that you're
thinking of them.
Check-In: Give your student a short, meaningful call every few days (but not every
day). Offer a few nice words of encouragement and praise for the effort and time they
are putting forth to prepare for their upcoming exams. Send an e-card or card.
Encourage your student to P.A.C.E. themselves during exam time:
Plan out your exam week: Set up a game plan of when your exams are scheduled, when
you are studying, when you can meet with your professors, when there are planned study
groups and when you can take time to relieve stress. Using an agenda during this time
would be more valuable than ever! Having everything planned out and organized will
help relieve stress because you won't have to worry about missed opportunities or
appointments.
Alternate study spots: Don't hibernate in your room, change locations once in a while.
If your room is noisy, distracting or has bad lighting, it is easier to procrastinate
or forget what you've already studied. Changing your scenery can help you gain a new
perspective, focus or even be inspired, plus it helps you retain information as well.
Chunk your studying: It's easy to put off studying and cramming the night before, but
you are more likely to forget the majority of what you've studied if you approach
it this way. Instead of procrastinating, try to study in set time intervals, i.e.
read for 50 minutes, and then post, tweet and text for 5 or 10 minutes. This is a
much more efficient use of your time!
Exam drop-in tutoring through the Academic Success Center: Use drop-in tutoring to
your advantage. It's free help from fellow students who have already taken and passed
the same subject you're worried about. It has no strings attached, just come in during
certain times when your subject is offered, ask your questions, and leave! It's as
simple as that!
If you have any future questions regarding study tips or the Academic Success Center, please contact the Center at 803/323-3929. Happy holidays!
Fall 2012 Final Examination Tutoring Schedule
Exams are scheduled Wednesday, December 5, at 8:00 a.m. through Tuesday, Dec. 11, at 6:30 p.m. according to the first day of the week the class meets. For example, a 12:30 TR class first meets on Tuesday; therefore, the exam time can be found by looking in the "Tuesday" column below. Examinations for 12:30 p.m. Tuesday classes are given at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 7.
This is the official examination schedule for the fall semester. Examinations may not exceed 2 hours in length. Legitimate conflicts are defined as follows: more than one scheduled exam per period; more than two scheduled exams per day; and more than three scheduled exams in any four consecutive periods. A student with a legitimate conflict should work directly with his/her instructor to resolve the conflict. It is the student's responsibility to initiate the resolution of any conflicts. Personal conflicts such as travel plans and work schedules do not warrant a change in examination times.
Fall 2012 Final Examination Schedule
End of semester exams will begin shortly and students will anxiously wait for their
grades to appear.
Once grades are entered by the faculty, several processes have to occur before students
see "official" grades. While they may be able to view grades at some point during
the week of exams, non-graduating student grades are not considered official until
Tuesday, December 18. (Students who are graduating in December will be able to see
official grades on Friday, December 14.)
Students can check their grades through Wingspan, the online student portal. When
they click on the "Student" tab, then on "Records Menu", they will see a link to "Final
Grades". Choose the Fall 2012 term from the drop-down box and the grades for the semester
will display along with the student's semester and cumulative GPA.
If a student has a hold on their record, they can see their grades in DegreeWorks,
the online Degree Progress system. To access DegreeWorks, students will go to Wingspan,
click on the "Student" tab, then on "DegreeWorks". Students will have to enter their
username and password a second time.
If a student thinks there has been a mistake with a grade, he or she should contact
his or her instructor. Any other questions about grades may be referred to the Office
of Records and Registration (126 Tillman Hall, 803/323-2194, RecandReg@winthrop.edu).
Residence halls will close for winter break promptly at 9 a.m. Wednesday, December
12 for all students not graduating in December or involved with graduation. Halls
will close for graduating seniors and those involved with the ceremony Saturday, December
15 promptly at 6 p.m. Students will not be able to get into their Residence Hall room
after the 9 a.m. Wednesday closing. If a student must stay for graduation, special
permission may be granted by the Residential Learning Coordinator of your student's
Residence Hall.
After students depart, Residence Hall staff will check every room for general health
and safety. These inspections are plain view searches. Staff will check for prohibited
items, such as fire hazards (extension cords, candles, etc) and will also check the
general cleanliness of the room. Residence Hall Contracts state that health and safety
inspections can occasionally occur. Students are expected to keep up general cleanliness
in their rooms and suite bathrooms. Failure to do so may result in judicial action.
All students will receive a break notice with more information. Students can also
call their Residential Learning Coordinator (RLC) or Residence Life at 803/323-2223
with further questions.
The holiday break will be the first time your student will be home for an extended
period. Remember your student has been living on "college time" and the old high school
curfew of midnight is unrealistic. Here are some tips for you and your student to
help ease the transition home.
Discuss expectations before your student's first night out during the holiday break.
Encourage your student to text or call to keep you informed of their plans.
Do not plan every minute of your student's vacation. For important events, we recommend
a family calendar and schedule dates/events on the calendar. This makes your student
aware of the family schedule ahead of time.
Realize students want to relax. We've found that our students want some time to relax
at home during the holidays. This is a great time to visit with your college student.
Happy Holidays from Dining Services! It's hard to believe the year is half way over.
We have enjoyed your student dining with us and hope to continue the services over
the spring semester. There are only a few days left in the semester and students are
starting to get low on Caf Cash. It is very easy to add more from home! You can log
on to our website and follow the steps to purchase Caf Cash to get your student though exams. Remember,
Caf Cash DOES roll over to spring semester, so if they have some left over it will
be waiting on their account for spring. All Caf Cash expires on June 30, 2013.
It's that time again to purchase Commuter Meal Plans! It's easy, simple and saves
money while dining on campus. We have six plans commuters may choose from — two being
created specifically for commuters. To purchase, your student can log onto their Wingspan
account and choose the Meal Plan of their choice — this will be charged to their student
account. For more information please check our website and click on "Meal Plans" — if you have any questions, please feel free to contact
the Dining Services at 803/323-2119.
Have a safe and wonderful holiday!
Winthrop University's December 2012 Undergraduate Commencement exercises is scheduled
for Saturday, December 15, 2012 at 11 a.m. at the Winthrop Coliseum. All August 2012
and December 2012 graduates are invited to participate! The procession will begin
promptly at 10:50 a.m.
Degree candidates should report to the check-in area, located just inside the north
entrance of the coliseum, in academic cap and gown by no later than 9:30 a.m. Please
note that all students must be in proper graduation attire: black robes, black caps
with garnet and gold tassel. (Ladies do not have to wear the white collar which may
come with the gown.) Caps may not be decorated and only Winthrop-issued honor cords
may be worn. Sorority/fraternity stoles may not be worn over the gown during the ceremony.
You may purchase your cap, gown and tassel at the Winthrop Bookstore.
Family and guests of the degree candidates are invited to enter the Coliseum through
the upper concourse level and be seated by 10:40 a.m. Parking for the ceremony is
available on university property only. Those who park off of university property may
be towed. Guests are asked not to bring balloons into the coliseum. Balloons obstruct
views and make it difficult to see the graduates.
The commencement ceremony will be video streamed on the web. There will be a link
on the Winthrop University homepage on the day of Commencement with the link to the
stream and instructions for optimal viewing.
For more information regarding the December 2012 Commencement Ceremony please visit
our website. If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Records and Registration
(126 Tillman Hall, 803/323-2194, RecandReg@winthrop.edu).
Last Class: December 3
Study Day: December 4
Final Examinations: December 5-11
Residence Halls Close (non graduating students): December 12 @ 9 a.m.
Graduate Commencement: December 13 @ 7 p.m.
Undergraduate Commencement: December 15 @ 11 a.m.
Residence Halls Close (graduating students): December 15 @ 6 p.m.
Holiday Break: December 12- January 6
Offices Closed: December 24- January 1
