Did you know that Winthrop students agree that the university has delivered on the promise of a quality education? An overwhelming number — 89 percent — of Winthrop first-year students and seniors rated their educational experience in college as excellent or good, according to a recent national online survey. Winthrop's participants — 440 first-year students and seniors — were among students from 622 institutions in the United States whose university experiences were reflected in the 2014 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) report, "Fostering Student Engagement Campuswide." The survey asks first-year students and seniors about five key areas: academic challenge, learning, interaction with faculty, educational experiences and the campus environment. Read more Winthrop highlights from the report, including student participation in community service, research projects and internships, faculty availability to students, and more.
We are in the process of improving Winthrop's Family Day! We would love for all family members, regardless if you have attended Family Day or not, to take a minute to complete our survey. Thank you to all the families that came out to Family Day this past October. We loved having you all on Winthrop's campus and hope you will return for our next Family Day! Click here to take our survey. Thank you!
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 23. (Students who are graduating in December will be able to see official grades on Friday, December 19.) Students can check their grades through Wingspan, the online student portal. When students click on the Student Tab, then on Records Menu, they will see a link to Final Grades. Choose the Fall 2014 term from the drop-down box and the grades for the semester will display along with the student's semester and cumulative GPA.
If students have 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, 803/323.2194.
Fall break has come and gone for students, and it is time for them to think about
final exams. Final exam week begins on Wednesday, December 10 and ends on Tuesday,
December 16. The final exam schedule is different from your student's normal class
itinerary. You and your student can find the Exam Schedule here . Study Day is Tuesday, December 9, and no classes are held so students may focus
solely on exams.
Finals week can be a source of anxiety for many students and is considered a normal
part of the college experience, but what students don't often realize is that this
stress can be counterproductive to studying. Using the Learning Zone Model (Senninger,
2000), students can self-assess if they have found the right balance of stress and
relaxation during exam week to make the most of their study time.
The Comfort Zone is where the majority of students' time is spent during an average day. This is where they are most familiar with their surroundings and the skills and abilities needed to operate day to day. However, little learning or skill building ever occurs while in the Comfort Zone because there is little exposure to new stimuli or unfamiliar concepts. So while reading over notes from lecture may feel like an effective study habit, it is important to remember that the brain may already be familiar or bored with the information and therefore unable to make progress toward developing a better understanding of the material.
The Panic Zone is where many students reside during exam week as well as various critical points in the semester. While in the Panic Zone, students may become so anxious that they can barely think. Feelings of discomfort, discouragement and frustration often accompany the Panic Zone and, similar to the Comfort Zone, it is difficult to learn in the Panic Zone because anxiety prevents our ability to focus on the material that needs to be learned. This is especially common during exam week when many students experience some form of test anxiety. Students should remember not to overemphasize the importance of the test and to concentrate on slowing their breathing when they feel themselves becoming anxious. Taking study breaks to relax and unwind from hours of studying is important too!
The Learning Zone is between the Panic Zone and the Comfort Zone and is the only zone where real progress can be made while studying! The Learning Zone includes using skills and abilities just beyond the Comfort Zone, but that are not so unfamiliar that they bring you to into the Panic Zone. Getting into the Learning Zone means taking exam studying to the next level and interacting with the information in new ways! Examples include creating flash cards, writing practice essays, or discussing the topics with other students.
To aid students with staying in the Learning Zone, the ASC hosts Exam Drop-In tutoring for a number of courses and the sessions are open to all Winthrop students! These sessions will occur on Study Day (December 9) and the first day of exams (December 10) and a full listing of sessions will be posted on the main ASC website.
By making a conscious effort to stay in the Learning Zone leading up to final exams, students can effectively prepare for a successful finals week!
Residence halls will close for holiday break promptly at 9 a.m. Wednesday, December
17 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
20 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 an open bed space in them must
make every attempt to fully clean their bathroom in preparation for a new student.
Additionally, of the room must be clear for a new student at move in; this means 1
bed, 1 dresser, 1 closet, 1 desk and 1 chair should be in a useable configuration.
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.
Winthrop University's December 2014 Undergraduate Commencement is scheduled for Saturday, December 20, 2014 at 11 a.m. at the Winthrop Coliseum. All August 2014 and December 2014 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 2014 Commencement Ceremony please visit
our website.
If you have any questions please contact:
OFFICE OF RECORDS & REGISTRATION
126 TILLMAN HALL
ROCK HILL, SC 29733, USA
803/323-2194
803/323-4600 (FAX)
RecandReg@winthrop.edu
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 run low on Caf Cash.
It is very easy to add more from home! You can log on to www.winthrop.edu/dining 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 he or she has some left over, it
will be waiting on their account for spring. All Caf Cash expires on June 30.
And we are running a special Caf Cash BONUS promotion. Visit our website and select
the $300 Caf Cash and pay just $275! That's $25 free Caf Cash just for signing up.
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 his or her choice — this will be charged to his
or her student account. If you would like to pay it immediately, you can go to the
Cashiers office and pay — otherwise it will be placed on your next bill from the university.
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!
Monday, December 8
Last day of fall classes
Tuesday, December 9
Study Day
Wednesday-Tuesday, December 10-16
Exams
Wednesday, December 17 - Sunday, January 11
Holiday Break
Thursday, December 18
Graduate Commencement 7 p.m.
Saturday, December 20
Undergraduate Commencement 11 a.m.
