Hello Parents and Family Members!
It is beginning to look a lot like spring here at Winthrop. As the weather gradually
gets warmer, our students will be experiencing some changes on campus as well. The
Office of Records and Registration has highlighted the course registration process
in their article. We hope that this information will help you support your student
as they begin registering for their fall classes. With spring break right around the
corner, this edition of the Eagle Family Connection discusses important safety tips
and provides information about residence hall closings. Dining Services has also included
exciting information about an upcoming Café Cash special. Finally, Winthrop strives
to provide meaningful opportunities for students to become involved in engaged with
their community. We have highlighted Winthrop's Relay for Life event in this edition
to showcase a way for both you and your student(s) to get involved and positively
impact others' lives. 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
familyprograms@winthrop.edu
www.winthrop.edu/familyprograms
April will be here before you know it, and that means it's time to register for fall
classes. If your student is a new freshman or transfer this semester, this will be
a new experience: no sitting in a computer lab with 50 other new students, surrounded
by Orientation personnel to help. So, what do they do?
The first step to a successful registration is to be advised. All degree-seeking students
must meet with their academic advisor in order to be cleared to register. Advising
begins March 22 and lasts for two weeks. (Summer registration starts on this day but
does not require advisement.) Students should look through the course offerings (found
in Wingspan and on the Records and Registration page) to plan their fall schedule. Students should also be prepared to discuss their academic
plan with their advisor. DegreeWorks, the online degree progress system, clearly lays
out the student's degree requirements with what they have completed and what they
have yet to complete.
Second, the student should make sure they have no "holds" on their account. Are there
any outstanding financial balances? Have they provided the Center for Student Wellness with appropriate immunization information? Students can view all holds via their
Wingspan account. The student will be unable to register until all registration holds are
removed.
Third, the student should make note of their time assignment. Because Winthrop cannot register 6000 students at the same time, times are staggered
throughout a six-day period. Graduate students and seniors register first. Freshmen
are on the last day.
Finally, what do students do if they cannot register for several of their classes
because they are already full? Students should always have alternate classes picked
out, but if that doesn't work, they can contact the department chairperson to request
an override. Students should keep in mind that other students change their schedules
all the time and seats may become available later in the summer.
The Registrar will send an e-mail to all students and place an announcement on Wingspan before registration begins that will outline all the items above. We understand that
the registration process can sometimes be a frustrating time for students, and the
Office of Records and Registration is available to assist students with this. Please make sure they understand they
can call, e-mail, or come by the office for any issues they may be having.
Gina G. Jones, Registrar
Winthrop University
Office of Records and Registration
Spring break is a great time to have fun and make lifelong memories. Most college
students will use spring break as a time to visit family and friends, work, study,
or catch up on school work. Some will help build communities by participating in alternative
spring break programs. Others will choose to use it as a well-deserved vacation from
the stressors of college life. The possibilities of how your student will spend his
or her spring break are nearly endless. No matter what your student plans, you can
help to ensure he or she remains healthy and safe while having fun with the following
tips.
Encourage your student to plan ahead. Your student should know where he or she will
be staying and have the directions or travel itinerary to the destination easily accessible.
If driving, your student's vehicle should be inspected before hitting the road. Minimally,
encourage your student to have the oil, tires, battery, fluids, and lights checked.
Talk with him or her about any additional maintenance or inspection that his or her
vehicle may require.
Most likely, your student will tell you about spring break plans. Ask your student
to share his or her travel information, names of his or her travel companions, and
your student's itinerary.
Your student may need identification during his or her travel. Whether it is a passport
(if traveling out of the country), driver's license, photo identification, or other
documentation, he or she should have it available when necessary and secure it appropriately
at all times. Most hotels have an in-room safe to store these and other valuables.
Advise your student to drink plenty of water while laying out or sitting in a hot
tub.
Sunburns are no fun! Encourage your student to wear sunglasses, a wide brim hat, and
a sunscreen of at least SPF 15 to protect his or her skin and eyes from the sun's
ultraviolet rays. Sunscreen is beneficial for all skin types and should be reapplied
often to the full body.
Encourage your student not to get into a vehicle with a stranger or someone he or
she has just met. Your student should excursion out as a group or with a buddy and
always keep an eye out for each other.
Social media is great for keeping us connected and sharing information quickly. However,
it should not impede our safety. Advise your student to check the privacy settings
on his or her account and to avoid posting his or her location.
As a parent or family member, you probably know your student best. If there are other
concerns that you believe are important for your student to know, you should talk
with them openly and honestly. Encourage your student to attend the Safe Spring Break:
Spring Fling event in the DIGS Lobby on March 7, 2017 (10:30 a.m.-noon) to learn some
safety tips they can utilize during their break.
As with every extended break, residence halls will close for Spring Break at 6 p.m.
on Friday, March 10 and will reopen at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 19. Students will not
be allowed to enter their residence hall room after the 6 p.m. closing. The last meal
on Friday, March 10, will be dinner from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
As students depart, residence hall staff will check every room for general health
and safety. These inspections are plain view searches. Staff will be checking for
prohibited items including fire hazards (extension cords, candles, etc.) and will
also check the general cleanliness of the room and suite bathrooms. Residence hall
contracts state that health and safety inspections periodically occur.
Special arrangements for students to stay can be made for those students who are student
teachers, participating in an internship, athletes whose names have been submitted
by the Athletic Department, students with Rock Hill area jobs, and students that live
more than 300 miles from the Winthrop campus.
A Break Stay form, which is passed out to all students with more instructions, must
be submitted online via Wingspan and the Eaglesnest Housing link for review and approval. Students who are staying for the holiday break must make
their own arrangements to stay in Lee Wicker, Phelps, Richardson, Roddey or The Courtyard,
if not currently assigned. All other halls will be closed.
All approved students will be able to print a permission form that they must keep
throughout the break. Students are not allowed to have room guests during the break.
Students are able to call their Residential Learning Coordinator (RLC) or Residence Life at 803/323-2223 with further questions.
You made it through another month of the spring semester! We have had many new things
happening here with Winthrop University Dining Services.
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 visit our website and follow the steps to purchase Café Cash to get your student though exams. We are
running a Café Cash special from March 13 to March 31, for every $100 of Café Cash
that you purchase we'll give you an extra $10!
Commuter students still have time to purchase a meal plan! We have six meal plans
commuters may choose from — two being created specifically for commuters.
Our Commuter 25 is the perfect fit for commuter students. This meal plan offers 25
meals per semester and $150 Café Cash for just $365! Sign up TODAY!
To purchase, your student can log onto his or her Wingspan account and choose the Meal Plan of his or her choice — this 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.
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.
Hope to see you dining on campus this spring!
Relay for Life is the signature fundraiser for the American Cancer Society (ACS).
It is staffed and coordinated by volunteers in more than 5,200 communities and 20
countries. The purpose of the event is to raise awareness and take action against
cancer. These events bring communities together to remember loved ones lost, honor
survivors of all cancers, and raise money to help ACS make a global impact on cancer.
At Winthrop University, the student Executive Planning Committee partners with the
American Cancer Society and hosts an overnight event from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. This year
the event is on March 31 on the Campus Green right outside of the DiGiorgio Student
Center. Student organizations, individuals, and local Rock Hill businesses register
teams and each team is asked to have a member on the track at all times to signify
that cancer never sleeps. Cancer patients don't get to stop because they are tired,
and for one night, neither will we.
Each team fundraises throughout the year and on the night of Relay for Life. They
collect donations by offering food, games, and fun activities. We highly encourage
our local Rock Hill community to sponsor Relay at Winthrop as well as get involved
during the event. All the money raised goes to help with cancer research and any program
offered by the American Cancer Society for cancer patients.
During the event, we invite our survivors and caregivers to attend and take a special
lap that recognize and support those individuals. We also have a special Luminaria
Ceremony after sunset. Darkness is symbolic of the fear that a patient feels when
diagnosed. We remember those who have lost, celebrate cancer survivors, and to show
those affected by cancer that they are not alone. Luminaria Bags are a special way
to honor and remember our loved ones. We sell them to fundraise even more for the
cause, by donating the $3 for 1 bag and $5 for 2 bags, we truly honor these people
in our lives. We think it is extremely important to remember why and for whom we Relay.
If anyone wants to get involved or make a donation, all you have to do is click HERE. You can create a team, join a team, or sign up as an individual. If you would like
to become a sponsor or donate to Relay for Life at Winthrop University, please contact
relayforlife@winthrop.edu for more information. We want everyone to get involved in Relay for Life at Winthrop
University and help find a cure for cancer.
Wednesday, March 1
FAFSA Priority Deadline
Tuesday, March 7 from 10:30 a.m. to noon in the DiGiorgio Campus Center Lobby
Wednesday, March 8
Withdrawal Deadline
Monday, March 13 - Friday, March 17
Spring Break (no classes, offices closed)
Tuesday, March 28
Women of Excellence Brunch from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Tuttle Dining Room
