December Edition

Fall Semester 2013 Final Examination Schedule

Exams are scheduled Wednesday, December 4, 8 a.m. through Tuesday, Dec. 10, 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 3 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 5.

 Monday                                                                      Tuesday

Class Time     Exam Assignment                            Class Time     Exam Assignment

8 a.m.              8 a.m. Sat., 12/7                                8 a.m.               8 a.m. Thurs., 12/5

9 a.m.             8 a.m. Mon., 12/9                               9 a.m.               11:30 a.m. Wed., 12/4

9:30 a.m.         8 a.m. Mon., 12/9                              9:30 a.m.          11:30 a.m. Wed., 12/4

10 a.m.            8 a.m. Wed., 12/4                             12:30 p.m.        3 p.m. Thurs., 12/5

11 a.m.            8 a.m. Fri., 12/16                               2 p.m.              11:30 a.m. Thurs., 12/5

12:30 p.m.       11:30 a.m. Tues., 12/10                    3:30 p.m.          11:30 a.m. Fri., 12/6

1 p.m.         11:30 a.m. Tues., 12/10                         5 p.m.              11:30 a.m. Sat., 12/7

2 p.m.             3 p.m. Mon., 12/9                               6:30 p.m.          6:30 p.m. Fri., 12/6

3 p.m.             3 p.m. Tues., 12/10                            7 p.m.              6:30 p.m. Fri., 12/6

3:30 p.m.         3 p.m. Tues., 12/10                               

5 p.m.             3 p.m. Sat., 12/7                                 

5:30 p.m.         3 p.m. Sat., 12/7

6:30 p.m.         6:30 p.m. Mon., 12/9

Wednesday                                                                Thursday

Class Time     Exam Assignment                             Class Time     Exam Assignment

8 a.m.             8 a.m. Sat., 12/7                                  8 a.m.              8 a.m. Thurs., 12/5

9 a.m.             8 a.m. Tues., 12/10                             9:30 a.m.         11:30 a.m. Wed., 12/4

9:30 a.m.         8 a.m. Tues., 12/10                           12:30 p.m.       3 p.m. Thurs., 12/5

11 a.m.            11:30 a.m. Mon., 12/9                       2 p.m.              3 p.m. Fri., 12/6

12:30 p.m.       11:30 a.m. Tues., 12/10                    3 p.m.             11:30 a.m. Fri., 12/6

2 p.m.             6:30 p.m. Tues., 12/10                       3:30 p.m.        11:30 a.m. Fri., 12/6

3:30 p.m.         3 p.m. Tues., 12/10                           5 p.m.             6:30 p.m. Thurs., 12/5

4 p.m.             3 p.m. Tues., 12/10                            6:30 p.m.        6:30 p.m. Thurs., 12/5

5 p.m.             6:30 p.m. Wed., 12/4             

6:30 p.m.         6:30 p.m. Wed., 12/4

8 p.m.             3 p.m. Wed., 12/4

Friday                                                                         Saturday

Class Time     Exam Assignment                             Class Time     Exam Assignment

8 a.m.              8 a.m. Sat., 12/7                                  9:30 a.m.         6:30 p.m. Sat., 12/7

9 a.m.             8 a.m. Tues., 12/10

9:30 a.m.         8 a.m. Tues., 12/10

10 a.m.            11:30 a.m. Mon., 12/9

11 a.m.            11:30 a.m. Mon., 12/9

12:30 p.m.       11:30 a.m. Tues., 12/10

5 p.m.             6:30 p.m. Sat., 12/7

Common exams will be given in the following course:

MATH 150: Wednesday, Dec. 4, 3 p.m. (students with documented conflicts should contact their instructors about taking the MATH 150 makeup final exam on Saturday, Dec. 7 at 11:30.)

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.

Checking Semester Grades

In just a few short weeks, end of semester exams will begin 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 17.  Students who are graduating in December will be able to see official grades on Friday, December 13.

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 2013 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, they should contact their instructor.  Any other questions about grades may be referred to the Office of Records and Registration, 126 Tillman, 803/323-2194.

Residence Halls Closed for Holiday Break

Residence halls will close for holiday break promptly at 9 a.m. Wednesday, December 11 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 14 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. Suites that have a space in them must make every attempt to fully clean their bathroom in preparation for a new student. 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.

Welcoming Your College Student Home for Break: What to Expect

As published in Collegeparentcentral.com

As college parents we worry about our student's transition when she heads off to college. We know that it will be a big adjustment and that she will be facing challenges and undergoing changes. Sometimes, however, we forget that there will also be a big adjustment and some challenges when our college student returns home again for her first real vacation. Whether it is Thanksgiving break or winter break, the first longer visit home will be a time of readjustment and reaquaintance for everyone.

In this post, we'll consider some of the things you might expect when your college student returns home for a first visit. In our next post, we'll consider some specific things that you might do to help that first visit go more smoothly.

Your student is probably anxious to come home and settle in, but she may also be worried about what things will be like when she gets home. You are excited about having her home, but you may also be nervous about what to anticipate. Parents who expect that everything at home will return to the way things were before your student left for college may be caught off guard and will have difficulty. Here are a few things to consider before your student comes home for her first visit.

• Holidays are a stressful time. Remember that everyone may be feeling the normal stress of the holidays in addition to the transition of readjusting. Try to encourage everyone to have patience with each other.
• Remember that not only has your student changed over the past few months, but the family dynamic may have changed as well. You have become accustomed to differences at home - perhaps having fewer disruptions or responsibilities, perhaps having a quieter house or not having to share the car. Siblings have readjusted their place in the family. A younger sibling may now have moved to "oldest child" status. Your student's room may even have been appropriated by a younger sibling.
• Your student has been independent at school. He has not had to report to anyone. He has been free to sleep when he wanted, eat when and what he wanted, come and go as he wanted, and do what he wanted. Reentering the family routines may feel restrictive and will require compromise on everyone's part.
• Your student will probably come home exhausted from the last few weeks of classes and final exams. She may need to spend more time than usual catching up on sleep - and eating comfort food. Home is her sanctuary right now and she may need significant down time before she is ready to socialize.
• Remember that the final few weeks of the semester are busy with school papers, projects and exams. Your student may not yet have focused on the holidays or family. She may come home needing to adjust, shop, prepare. She may need to be reminded of family visits or social obligations. She is stepping from one world into the other.
• Your student will want to catch up with his home-town friends. He's anxious to tell them about his new life, hear about theirs, and spend time reconnecting.
• Your student may or may not feel like talking about her life at school. She may feel that she wants to keep that portion of her life private. That doesn't necessarily mean that she is hiding anything, she may not feel that her college routine is noteworthy. Right now she may just want to be home, taking a break, and not thinking about school.
• Expect some amount of disruption in your household. Student hours do not always coincide with family hours. Your student may be used to coming and going, sleeping and eating at very different times. You will need to negotiate a compromise and set clear limits.
• Recognize that in many respects this may be a difficult time for your college student. He may feel that he no longer fits in anywhere. He has not yet fully adjusted to school - he doesn't yet feel completely "grown up", yet he no longer feels as though he can step back into his accustomed place in the family - nor does he want to. He longs in some ways for the nostalgia of his old family life, yet he wants to be an adult with complete independence. Your student is continually negotiating who he is - and who he wants to become - and for the time being may not be comfortable anywhere. He is not necessarily pulling away from the family; he is trying to find his new place in the family structure.

The family dynamic will be "interesting" when your student returns home. It is an exciting, and disconcerting time. Being prepared for some disruption and possible uneasiness on everyone's part will help. In our next post, we'll consider some things you can do to help to ease the transition for everyone.

December 2013 Commencement Ceremony

Winthrop University's December 2013 Undergraduate Commencement exercises is scheduled for Saturday, December 14 at 11 a.m.  at the Winthrop Coliseum.  All August 2013 and December 2013 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 that 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 2013 Commencement Ceremony please visit our website. If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Records and Registration located in 127 Tillman Hall at 803/323-2194 or e-mail us.

December Dates to Remember

Last Class: 12/2

Study Day: 12/3

Final Examinations: 12/4-10

Graduate Commencement: 12/12 @ 7 p.m.

Undergraduate Commencement: 12/14 @ 11 a.m.

Holiday Break: 12/11-1/12

Offices Closed: 12/23-1/1