Parent and Family Relations

Vol. 11  Issue 5                                                Parent and Family eNews -May 2012

In this issue...

News and Important Dates

Academic Information

Student scholarship and employment opportunities

Extracurricular Activities

Texas Tech Parents Association

 



 Senior recognition ads now available in the Daily Toreador


Family members and friends now have the opportunity to purchase congratulatory ads for publication in special graduation editions of the Texas Tech student newspaper, The Daily Toreador.

"Parents now can honor their Red Raider in their own personalized way," said Dawn Zuerker, associate director for Student Media. "Through our special recognition ads you can tell the world just how proud you are of your graduate, using your own words and photos. It¹s a really fun way for friends and families to spotlight their graduate as they finish their college years at Texas Tech."

Five ad sizes are available, with prices beginning at $75. Visit www.dailytoreador.com and click on the Honor Your Red Raider box near the top of the page to purchase an ad and submit a congratulatory message and photo/photos.

The Honor Your Red Raider editions will be published on May 10 to recognize spring and anticipated summer graduates. Deadline for ad space is May 1.
For more information call 806-742-3384 or e-mail dawn.zuerker@ttu.edu.

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 Graduates invited to take photos at Jones AT&T Stadium

We are excited to announce that Jones AT&T Stadium will be open for graduates to take photos with family members and friends on Friday, May 18 from 8am-5pm and Saturday, May 19 from 8am-3pm.

Graduates may enter through the top of home tunnel on the Southwest side, by Gate 1. A golf cart will also be made available for members of the graduation party who may need access. Parking will be available outside the Athletic Training Facility (White Bubble).

For more information, contact Elvis Moya at elvis.moya@ttu.edu or 806 742 1196.

 

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 Spring 2012 official ring presentation ceremonies

Official ring recipients will be honored at two special ceremonies on April 30 and May 1 at the McKenzie-Merket Alumni Center where they will be presented with their class rings by university dignitaries. Much like a commencement ceremony, family and friends are invited to attend this special tradition that serves to honor each ring recipient and to pass on the importance of all that the Official Class ring symbolizes: loyalty, tradition, service, honor and lifelong relationships.

For more information, contact the Texas Tech Alumni Association at 806-742-3641.

 

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 Save the date for Family Weekend - September 14-15, 2012

Mark your calendars for September 14th and 15th, 2012 for Family Weekend! There will be an entire weekend of activities for the whole family, including a Friday evening event, a Saturday morning pancake breakfast, the Parent & Family Tailgate Party, and the Texas Tech Red Raiders vs. New Mexico Lobos football game. Football ticket ordering and event registration will begin in June--instructions will be posted www.parent.ttu.edu then.

Hotels fill up quickly, so make your reservations now. A complete list of Lubbock hotels can be found here: http://www.visitlubbock.org/business/Accommodations.

We hope to see you then!

 

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 Midland-Lubbock shuttle information

The Tech Express is a round trip non-stop student shuttle service from Texas Tech University directly to your home in Midland or Odessa. In cooperation with the Texas Tech Parent's Association, Midland based My Shuttle Home will begin service on March 30, 2012. Shuttles will depart from the south area of the Student Union Building (service drive between the Music Building parking lot and the Library parking lot) at 2:00 p.m. every Friday through the end of the Spring semester. Passengers will be picked up the following Sunday, beginning at 1:30 p.m. (Odessa) and 1:50 p.m. (Midland). For more information, to make a reservation or complete a survey on this service, visit www.myshuttlehome.com or call 866-614-8889.

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 For your complete Texas Tech news, visit Texas Tech Today

Keep up-to-date about everything Texas Tech by visiting Texas Tech Today, a complete news source for Texas Tech University.

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 May 2012 academic and event calendar

May 1, Tuesday
Last day for graduate degree candidates to submit to the Graduate School final corrected PDF copy of thesis/dissertation.

May 2 – May 8, Wednesday – Tuesday
Period of no examinations except for makeup exams or scheduled lab exams.

May 3, Thursday
Last day to withdraw from the university.

May 4, Friday
Last day for undergraduate degree candidates to remove grades of I and PR and to complete final examinations in correspondence courses.

May 7, Monday
Raiderlink available for grading (degree candidate grades due at noon May 16).

May 8, Tuesday
Last day of classes.

May 9, Wednesday
Individual study day. Late night breakfast available for residents living on campus.

May 10 – 15, Thursday – Saturday / Monday – Tuesday
Final examinations. For exam schedules see www.depts.ttu.edu/officialpublications/ClassSchedule/FinalExams.php.

Tuesday, May 15 – Spring semester ends.

May 16, Wednesday
Last meal (breakfast) served in residence halls.
10 a.m., residence halls close. Degree candidates may occupy residence hall rooms until 10 a.m. Saturday, May 19. Noon, grades due for graduating students via Raiderlink.

May 18 – May 19, Friday – Saturday
Commencement. Schedule of ceremonies can be found at www.depts.ttu.edu/provost/commencement/index.php.

Saturday, May 19 – Degree candidates may occupy residence hall rooms until 10 a.m.

May 21, Monday
8:00 a.m., final grades due via Raiderlink.

 

For the complete 2011-2012 Academic Calendar, please visit
http://www.depts.ttu.edu/officialpublications/calendar/11-12calendar/11-12detailed.php

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 The Learning Center offers finals survival tips

Is your student ready for finals? Share this tips with him or her.

10 Tips on How to Survive Finals

1. Know WHEN and WHERE your finals will be
You would be surprised how many students miss their exams because they mix up their finals
schedule.

2. PLAN your study time
Use your time to your best advantage. Make a study chart. Designate specified amounts of time to each subject.

3. Break up study time according to subjects
You can’t concentrate on one subject for hours on end, so drop it and spend time on another
subject. Return to the original subject with a fresh mind.

4. REWARD yourself
For every hour of studying, give yourself a 10 minute break. It may help to set a reminder on
your phone or use a timer.

5. Be good to YOURSELF
Eat well, dress well, and sleep well. On study breaks, do whatever it is that you enjoy doing:
read, work out, listen to music, meet friends for lunch, or walk your dog.

6. DON’T depend on study groups
Designate plenty of independent study time.

7. Study what is IMPORTANT
Use your syllabus, prior tests and your impressions of the professor/instructor to help you
decide what will most likely be on the final.

8. ASK yourself questions
Make up questions as you go. This will help you retain the information.

9. Study BACKWARDS
You are most liable to forget what was taught at the beginning of the semester, so start with
the most recent material and move backwards. This will give you a chance to study the earlier
material just before the test.

10. RELAX for the half-hour or hour before the test
Do ANYTHING to help you relax and take your mind off the test for a half-hour or so.

We wish all of your students good luck on finals!

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 Preparing for a productive summer

Preparing for a Productive Summer

Now it’s May and that means that summertime is quickly approaching.  The first year away at school normally entails quite a few changes for the average student.  That means that both interpersonally and academically, your student probably won’t be the same person you remember from August.  As academic advisors, we understand that the first year at a university does not determine everything about a future academic career, because personal growth is only just beginning.  However, it is important that each student continues to grow, explore and confirm choices being made during the summer months.

For many, this will mean taking classes back home at a local community college or university.  Every situation is unique, so summer school may not be a good fit, but opting to do it is a great way to either catch up or get ahead on a TTU degree plan.  We generally caution our students about taking too many courses over the summer because it is important they not return burned out in the fall.  When returning home for the first summer break, we recommend taking a maximum of 3 classes throughout the entirety of the summer (2 courses in one term and 1 in the other) assuming that the institution has only two summer terms.  Here’s our reasoning:  each class expects 2 hours of class attendance each day (5 days a week), homework assignments almost every night and a test or major assignment due every week.  You may have other factors to consider in making this important decision about summer school, but those are our two cents.

The other frequent question we get from students and parents is about whether the courses they take elsewhere will transfer back to Texas Tech.  The answer is almost always “Yes” because Texas Tech will accept credit from any accredited institution of higher learning.  Unfortunately this is the wrong question to ask; the better question is, “What course(s) can I take at my local institution that will fulfill a requirement for my degree at Texas Tech?”  To help you answer the second question, we will offer three main avenues of exploration. 

  1. The first is the Transfer Equivalency Search website (http://j.mp/ttutransfercredit) which will show the exact transfer equivalencies of classes from other institutions to Texas Tech.  Once you select the course from your local institution on the website, you will see the Texas Tech equivalent of that course if one exists.  That means that if you don’t see a clear course number on the Texas Tech side, then you may need to contact your assigned advisor at the institution for guidance toward the TTU equivalent that your degree requires.
  2. The second avenue your student should pursue is the TTU Undergraduate Catalog.  Every TTU student is given a hard copy of the catalog when they arrive at orientation, but the catalog can also be found online at http://j.mp/ttucatalog.  The catalog will not only show your students the exact courses TTU will accept for each Core Curriculum category, but it also outlines all the specific courses for every degree on campus.  The great thing about the course catalog is that it is available to anyone at any time.
  3. The final resource is a tool called Degree Audit.  This is available only to students in the Raiderlink interface, but it is an incredibly useful tool.  When students run a Degree Audit, the system will show exactly which courses they have completed toward their degree plans thus far as well as those that remain.  A degree audit is no replacement for an academic advisor, but it does show a comprehensive list of courses required for any degree offered at TTU.  You can watch this video to see step-by-step instructions on how to run a degree audit:  http://j.mp/ttudegreeaudit.

We know you’re wanting to ask the right questions and we hope this advice helps you accomplish just that.  So when your students start to transition back home this summer, you should now be ready to help prepare them for a productive summer.  If you have further questions about anything related to academic advising, please contact us at 806.742.2189 or advising@ttu.edu.

Your Friends at University Advising

 

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 May 2012 Commencement details

If your student is graduating in May, congratulations! Below are details for the Spring Commencement ceremonies at the United Spirit Arena on May 18th and 19th.

Friday, May 18, 2012
3:00 p.m. Art & Sciences
7:00 p.m. Graduate School

Saturday, May 19, 2012
9:00 a.m. Architecture, Education, Engineering, Human Sciences, Visual & Performing Arts
1:30 p.m. Agriculture, Business Administration, Honors (NHH and HAL Majors ONLY), Mass Communications, University College
6:00 p.m. Law School

PLEASE NOTE: The colleges are listed below in alphabetical order and NOT necessarily in the order in which they will be recognized

Hotels fill up quickly. If you haven't already, make your reservations ASAP. You can find a complete listing of Lubbock hotels here.

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 SOAR Learning Center empowers students in pursuits of success

The SOAR Learning Center’s mission is to empower students in their pursuit towards academic success while providing an encouraging and safe learning environment. The Learning Center works to enhance the academic endeavors of all currently enrolled Texas Tech students by offering a variety of free services such as Peer & online tutoring, Academic mentoring, and Supplemental Instruction. Tutoring and Academic Mentoring is available Monday thru Thursday from 8am-8pm and Friday 8am-5pm. 

An additional resource available to students at the Learning Center is access to a licensed professional counselor with over 25 years in education. Stacy Elliot, M.Ed., LPC is a LEARNING SPECIALIST/SENIOR COUNSELOR available to work holistically with students striving to be successful in college. As a counselor, she works to help students resolve personal issues that may hinder their academic success. The Learning Specialist is available Monday through Friday 8am-5pm by appointments and accepts walk-ins. 

The SOAR Learning Center is located in Holden Hall Room 80 and our office number is (806)742-3664. Visit us at www.lc.soar.ttu.edu. 

 

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 Tutors needed at the TECHniques Center

Does your student need a job? The TECHniques Center is hiring tutors for the Fall Semester. Apply at www.techniques.ttu.edu. Click on tutor application on the left hand side.

Pay:
Undergraduates earn $9.00 an hour
& Graduates earn $9.50 an hour

Requirements:
40 credit hours earned & GPA of 3.0 or higher (we match you with students based on classes you have received an A or B in)

Must be in town August 24th and 25th for training.

 

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 Student Union and Activities Calendar

Student Union and Activities always makes sure there is plenty for your Tech students to do! If your student complains that he or she can't find any fun activities or meet many people on campus, tell him or her about these exciting, FREE activities.

Click HERE for the complete Activities Calendar.

 

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 Road Raiders success story

Below is a Road Raiders success story a parent shared:

"Over a year ago our daughter, a Texas Tech Freshman at the time, and her boyfriend were driving home to Conroe, Texas for the Christmas holidays . When outside of Snyder she had a car problem and after calling Triple A it was obvious that she could not head another seven hours home that night. A call was made to a Snyder Road Raider who graciously dropped everything and went to pick these kids up. They feed them, gave them a place to sleep and even went with them to assure their car was fixed properly the next morning before sending them on their way. We will always remember the kind, generous spirit of this family and each time we drive through Snyder we think of them and say a Big Thank-you!"


Thank you to all of our Road Raiders! We appreciate your making our students' travels safer.

Do you have a Road Raiders success story? Please send it to parent@ttu.edu.

 

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