Residence Life

Residence Life
Cosgrave Center 102
Office Hours: 8:30 -5:00 p.m.
(814) 886-6407

We realize that sending your student to college is a time of tremendous transition for your family. All students go through an adjustment period and experience many ups and downs while living away from home. There are many resources here on campus available for your student to manage this transition successfully.

In Residence Life our preference is to work directly with students. This enables us to establish a relationship with your student and helps us to identify issues more effectively. We do welcome parent input and questions at any time. Our goal is to provide parents with resources which they can pass on to their student to help them to help themselves.

It is important that students have support and encouragement from home while being allowed to mature through their own experiences. By all means be there for your student as a sounding board, but let him or her handle his or her own problems as much as possible. Your student’s success is dependent upon his or her own ability to function independently.

Advice For Parents

The First Few Weeks on Campus
The first few weeks on campus are an exciting time for students. They meet new people, test the boundaries of their new found freedom and begin a new and challenging academic experience. These first few weeks can be the biggest highlight or the biggest struggle of your student’s college experience. Your student has a lot on his or her mind: living with a roommate, finding the right classroom or sharing bathroom facilities with others for the first time. Whatever the case, the journey through these first few weeks sets the course for your students’ college career. Many of these experiences will test your student’s ability to balance their academic and social lives. Our staff is available to answer questions and guide them through this transition period and provide assistance throughout the year.

What to Expect this Semester
New students face many challenges as they adjust to living on campus. For some, it may be the first time they have ever shared a room. Others may be struggling with the approach college professors take and the realization that they really are responsible for managing their own time. Though it doesn’t happen with every student, most parents should expect an occasional worrisome call home from their student. Your student may say, “I want to come home,” “I hate it here,” or “I don’t fit in.” Or your student may be more specific and tell you
“I was up all night studying for a test,” or “My roommate’s boyfriend is over all the time.” For the most part, your student just needs to vent. Although you may be tempted to dive in and troubleshoot, we encourage you to listen to your student and allow him or her to work it out for him/herself. Direct your student to our staff and faculty, who will help them, help themselves.

What does my Student Need to be Successful Living in the Residence Halls?

Self-Care
Students should be conscientious about eating healthy balanced meals and getting regular exercise. It is also important that they are aware of and are attending to their emotional needs. If your student needs to talk with someone, the Counseling and Disability Services Department can help.

Time Management
Effective time management skills are important to your student’s success. It is important that your student has a basic understanding of his or her parameters (i.e., class schedule, wake-up time, sleep time, time for socialization, time for work) and ability to set priorities.

Making Connections
One of the most important things you can encourage your student to do when he or she arrives on campus is to make connections. Not only should students attempt to meet a variety of people to find out what the campus has to offer but they should also make an effort to meet and build relationships with at least one faculty and staff member on campus. Having this one connection can make all the difference for your student.

Knowledge of Campus Resources
Encourage your student to get to know their resources on campus. There are many specialized offices that can be a great connection for first year students. These include Residence Life, Student Activities, Academic Advising and Academic Support Services. These offices can also serve as a resource to your student if he or she has any questions or concerns.

Academics
It is important that your student meets all of his or her degree requirements but college is also a time of exploration and a time to begin testing other disciplines. By choosing a combination of classes that allow students opportunities to interact with and make connections with faculty and other students, many students find a more fulfilling academic experience. It is also normal for students to be unsure about their major. Some students may even change their minds as they develop new interests or find out more about emerging careers and fields of study to which they were never exposed. The Career Services Department can be a great resource for students in helping to choose a major.

Being Proactive with Academics
Campus life can be pretty busy. It is important that you encourage your student to look at the big picture now before he or she becomes overwhelmed with their academic course load. Advance planning is key. Utilizing faculty office hours to discuss progress, giving a professor advance notice when they are going to be absent from class, or forming study groups are just a few ways to be proactive. If your student mentions that he or she is having trouble in a class at the beginning of the semester, encourage him or her to speak to the professor as soon as a problem is detected. Waiting until the last minute or until your student is in serious academic trouble is only going to be a recipe for disaster.

Financial Management Skills
College may be the first time your student has ever had a personal checking account, credit card, or control
over a bank account or paychecks. It may also be the first experience your student has ever had in paying his or her own bills. It is important to discuss budgets, financial expectations and practices, and good credit with your student now before they get in over their heads. Many credit card companies solicit college students without requiring permission from a parent or guardian.

Important Notes About Living in the Residence Halls:

• All students must be financially cleared or have payment arrangements established with the Controller’s Office in order to move into the residence halls.
• All students living on campus must have completed a health form with a meningitis vaccine or waiver and a photocopy of their health insurance card.
• Freshmen and sophomore students are required to live on campus unless they are within the
  commuting distance (a 45-minute radius of campus).
• On occassion a student’s roommate changes rooms or leaves the residence halls. The remaining student will need to select a new roommate or purchase their room as a single.