Hello Parents and Family Members!
The semester is coming to a close, but we've got plenty of important information in this edition to keep you connected as students finish up the semester. The Department of Residence Life has provided an article outlining all of the holiday break closing information for our residence halls. With colder weather quickly approaching, Dining Services provides some tips for staying healthy during final exams. If your student is looking for a way to get involved on campus, check out the fraternity and sorority recruitment article provided by Student Engagement & Diversity for more information about the Greek organizations on campus. Lastly, check out the December Commencement Ceremony article for details on this semester's Commencement exercises.
As always, the Office of New Student and Family Programs is here to keep you connected and informed. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns.
The Office of New Student and Family Programs
248 DiGiorgio Campus Center
803/323-2387
Residence Halls Closed for Holiday Break
Residence halls will close for holiday break promptly at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, December
13 for all students not graduating in December or involved with graduation. Halls
will close for graduating seniors and those involved with the ceremony on Saturday,
December 16th at 6 p.m. Students will not have access to their residence hall room after the 9
a.m. closing on Wednesday. If your 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 will periodically occur. Students are expected to maintain the general
cleanliness of 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, half of the room must be clear for a new student at move in; this means one bed, one dresser, one closet, one desk and one chair should be in a usable configuration. Failure to do so may result in student conduct charges and/or fees applied to the student account. All students will receive a break notice with more information.
The halls will re-open at 8 a.m. on Sunday, January 7.
During a period when the residence halls are closed, staff and campus resources are
very limited or unavailable. Student safety is of utmost importance to us, so it is very important that students
adhere to our opening/closing policies and not arrive on campus earlier than the posted
residence hall re-open date and time.
For your convenience, our residence hall opening/closing dates are posted on our
website. Students can also call their Residential Learning Coordinator (RLC) or Residence
Life at 803/323-2223 with further questions.
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. During this time in the semester, students are starting to get low on Café Cash. It is very easy to add more from home! You can log on to /dining and follow the steps to purchase Café Cash to get your student though exams.
We are running a Café Cash special from December 1 to December 18, for every $100 of Café Cash that you purchase we'll give you an extra $10!
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, and two are created specifically for commuters. To purchase, your student can log onto their Wingspan account and choose the Meal Plan of their choice which will be charged to their 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. The Winthrop Dining Services site has more information pertaining to meal plans. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Dining Services at 803/323-2119.
Have a safe and wonderful holiday!
Getting Involved in Student Organizations
We are very excited in the Office of Student Engagement & Diversity to welcome students back for another year at Winthrop. Our office has the opportunity of providing our students with numerous opportunities to build friendships, develop leadership potential, and have lasting contributions in our community. By getting involved in one of our 160+ registered student organizations, we believe and have found that our students make connections, make a difference and make Winthrop their home.
Part of the college student experience is having the ability to get involved in what
truly matters to you. The Spring Involvement Fair, which will be held on January 18
in Richardson Ballroom, is an excellent chance for our students to meet our student
organizations and find opportunities to become engaged. We know that students who
get involved tend to make lasting connections with one another and the university,
leading them to have a more positive college experience.
Another benefit of our student organizations is the chance for students to continue
learning outside of the classroom. Students have said that by getting involved their
ability to solve problems and think critically has improved. Through joining a student
organization, our students are exposed to different people and ideas that enhance
their educational experience.
We encourage our students and family members to visit Student Organizations, where they can find a listing, contact information and description of all of our
organizations. While not all of our organizations will interest a particular student,
we encourage everyone to pick one or two that look interesting so they can get involved.
Also, if a student can't find an organization that appeals to their interests, we
encourage them to start their own. In 2015-2016 alone, we had 14 new student organizations,
everything from service groups to multicultural groups, to club sports! For more information
on getting an organization started or getting involved visit Student Engagement & Diversity.
If you have any questions, the Office of Student Engagement & Diversity is always
here to assist you or your student. Please feel free to e-mail us or call 803/323-2248.
December 2017 Commencement Ceremony
Winthrop University's December 2017 Commencement Ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, December 16, 2017 at 11 a.m. at the Winthrop Coliseum. All August 2017 and December 2017 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. Winthrop-issued honor cords as well as Sorority/Fraternity stoles may 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 2017 Commencement Ceremony please visit our Commencement Ceremony website.
The Parent Portal allows Winthrop students the ability to grant access to their information to parents, guardians, or another third party. Depending upon the level of access granted by the student, authorized users may view addresses, grades, unofficial transcripts, class schedules, financial aid, and emergency contacts.
For your lodging needs please contact the Inn at Winthrop located in the heart of campus in Joynes Hall.
The Inn at Winthrop features 12 elegantly-appointed suites and is certified by the South Carolina Green Hospitality Alliance as a Two Palmetto facility for green practices that protect and preserve the environment.
Contact Kelly Shelton at 803/323-2300.
December 4 - Last Day of Classes
December 5 - Study Day
December 6 - 12 - Final Examinations
December 16 - Undergraduate and Graduate Commencement, 11 a.m.
December 13 - January 7 - Holiday Break for Students
December 24 - January 1 - Campus Offices Closed
