Parent Listserv Weekly Updates Nov 15-21

Important Dates:

 Nov 24-27 – Thanksgiving holidays (classes resume Nov. 28)

Nov 29 – Cougar Countdown begins!

Dec 6 – the last day of fall classes

Walk-In Tutoring Labs close and Individual Tutoring will end on MONDAY, DEC. 6

Dec 8-15 – Final Exams (see the fall exam schedule for exact time and day for exams)

Most (but not all) residence halls will close over the holiday break at 6pm on Dec 16th

Dec 22 – fall final grades are posted

Jan 6-7- orientation for new students admitted for the spring semester

Jan 10 – spring 2011 classes begin

Friday, January 14 is the last day to add or drop classes for the spring 2011 semester

Campus Websites of Interest:

Parent Information & Resources: www.cofc.edu/parents.

Spring 2011 Academic Calendar: http://registrar.cofc.edu/calendars/spring2011ac.php

Fall exam schedule: http://registrar.cofc.edu/pdf/Exam_Schedule_Fall2010.pdf

College of Charleston Academic Calendar: http://registrar.cofc.edu/calendars/index.php

Students who are depressed, overwhelmed, relationship issues, need to talk to a counselor:

o Counseling Center – http://spinner.cofc.edu/~counseling/?referrer=webcluster&

Talk with other students experiencing feeling the same way:

o Support Groups – http://spinner.cofc.edu/betterthingstodo/support_groups.html

Student needs to talk, thinking about withdrawing, academic probation, unsure of options:

o Undergraduate Academic Services – http://undergrad.cofc.edu/

Cougar Countdown:

This is a program for students to support their mind, body and spirit during the final days of each semester and during final exams. It is a mix of academic support, physical and emotional support, student activities programs. These events occur in various locations on campus and are supported by many campus offices, students groups and academic departments. The fall 2010 Cougar Countdown schedule at http://cougarcountdown.cofc.edu/index.php will be updated with activity dates in the near future.

Read about the Center for Student Learning and their services at: http://csl.cofc.edu/?referrer=webcluster&

Feeling extra stress regarding exams, the holidays, the end of the semester in general? Take advantage of one of the many support services on campus, including Counseling http://spinner.cofc.edu/~counseling/need.html , an Academic Advisor, the Center for Student Learning http://spinner.cofc.edu/studentlearningcenter/?referrer=webcluster&, or the Undergraduate Academic Services office http://undergrad.cofc.edu/

Using DegreeWorks!

DegreeWorks is a web based degree audit application and academic advisement tool that provides a clear and convenient method for students and advisors to track degree progress. Note: DegreeWorks is designed to aid and facilitate academic advising, but is not intended to replace face-to-face advising sessions, the Academic Catalog or the Registrar’s Office. DegreeWorks is neither an official academic transcript nor an official notification of completion of degree requirements.

To access Degree Works: Login to MyCharleston – go to the Academic Services Tab – Open DegreeWorks

Academic Advising & Planning Center:

Degree worksheets, advising contacts, student resources, general education requirements:

http://advising.cofc.edu/

http://advising.cofc.edu/degree-worksheets/index.php

Spring bills:

The spring 2011 bill due dates are now posted on the Treasurers website at:

http://www.treasurer.cofc.edu/. If you have questions please send inquiries directly to the Treasurer at Treasurer@cofc.edu. Specific questions will require full name and CWID.

How to become an Ebill Authorized User for your student:

You can receive eBills by having your son/daughter sign you up as an Authorized User on the eBill system. This allows you to receive a copy of the bill/statement when we bill the student through the email system. To become an authorized user visit the website at: www.treasurer.cofc.edu. All billing information is sent to the student’s campus email account – to receive the student’s bill you must be an Authorized User! If you have any questions email treasurer@cofc.edu.

Undecided about a major? Students need to declare by the time they reach 60 hours!

Students unsure about what to major in can complete free career testing available from the Career Center. The student can review these results with a career counselor. This can be helpful to students who need help narrowing down an area of interest or figuring out which direction to take. The Strong Interest inventory compares interest to others in various fields to help identify interests. The Myers-Briggs Personality Inventory matches personality to work and the learning environment. I’ve included the websites below about the Career Center and the self-assessment tools they have available. The Career Center also provides help with resumes, interviewing, internships, graduate schools as well as part time and full time employment on and off campus. Encourage your student to visit the Career Center – the office is open 8:30-5 M-F and is located on the 2nd floor of the Lightsey Center.

http://careercenter.cofc.edu/ – Career Center

http://careercenter.cofc.edu/getstarted.html – self assessment tools available

MyCharleston Help:

If you receive error messages when accessing MyCharleston or your eBill call the IT Department Helpdesk (843.953.3375) to report problems between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. You may also report problems to the Helpdesk via e-mail at helpdesk@cofc.edu.

College Reduces Tuition for spring 2011:

The College of Charleston Board of Trustees voted to decrease in-state undergraduate tuition to $4,808 for the spring 2011 semester, which reduces tuition to the threshold set in a moratorium placed on higher education construction projects by the South Carolina Budget and Control Board. The Board’s action means that the College’s 2010-11 tuition now represents a 7 percent increase over 2009-10. “The Board of Trustees understands the concerns that have been expressed by our legislators and the difficult choices that have to be made in our current economy,” said Board of Trustees Chair Greg Padgett. “The timeline for implementing certain strategic initiatives will now have to be extended, but the Board recognizes the need to be proactive and collaborative in working with our elected representatives to find solutions that will make high-quality, affordable education available to South Carolina families.”

In June 2010, the College of Charleston Board of Trustees voted to increase tuition by 14.75 percent for the 2010-11 academic year. Included in the original increase of 14.75 percent was a 7.92 percent increase to partially restore reductions in state funding and a 5.08 percent increase to partially fund strategic plan initiatives. The remaining 1.75 percent of the total was designated for inflationary budget costs. “In making its original decision on tuition for the current year, the Board of Trustees very carefully considered the need to provide funding for important priorities within the College’s new Strategic Plan, which is designed to enhance the educational experience of our students, and to restore a portion of the $16 million in state funding cut since 2008,” Padgett added. “This year’s tuition was initially set at a level that would allow the College to achieve these objectives. The debate about higher education funding, however, caused the Board to reconsider this decision. The Board will continue to work to find long-term solutions to the budgetary issues facing higher education institutions in our state.”

The tuition reduction will result in a mid-year budget cut of $2.3 million, and a potential annual cut of $4.6 million. In addition to postponing Strategic Plan initiatives, the leadership of the College, which is conducting a comprehensive quality and efficiency study, will undertake an analysis to identify areas in which budgets can be cut. Mission-central areas that will be affected by the decrease in tuition include ability to fund faculty and staff positions, ability to enhance financial aid, ability to pursue new capital projects, and ability to fund technology improvements. http://news.cofc.edu/2010/11/college-reduces-tuition-for-spring-2011/