Newsletter Feb 2017
Inside February 2017 Edition
Upcoming Events
February 17-18:
Parent Appreciation Weekend
March 24-26:
Siblings Weekend
April 21-23:
Join the Parents Association Today!
Parents Appreciation Weekend
We value and appreciate the partnership that parents have with the university to promote student success. Join us for a special weekend as we celebrate an important group – YOU!
The weekend highlights include the ECU Excels celebrations, a Parent Pre-Game Mixer, and the Men’s Basketball game, with a special discount offer on tickets for Parent Association members.
We hope to see you there.
Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences
Home to 16 academic departments and 16 interdisciplinary programs spanning the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and mathematics, the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences leads the way with inspirational teaching, impactful research, and transformative service. To learn more, view the college’s Driven to Discover video.Harriot College Honors Scholarship Recipients, Thanks DonorsInaugural Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences Scholarship Luncheon
ECU’s Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences hosted its inaugural scholarship luncheon Sept. 23, 2016. At the event, 156 scholarship recipients for the 2016-17 academic year were honored, and 68 donors who provide the financial gifts that fund the scholarship were formally thanked.”The college is dedicated to student success and growth, and scholarships allow us to attract the best and brightest and enhance our educational experiences,” said Dr. William M. Downs, dean of the THCAS.
Taylor Forbes, a recipient of the Franklin Kizer Scholarship and one of the students given the opportunity to make formal remarks at the event, said she is awed that someone donated their money to help a stranger.”I am able to pursue my dreams and make a difference in other people’s lives like the Kizers have done in mine. I am humbled and eternally grateful,” said Forbes. Follow the links to read the full article and view the photo gallery.Pictured below, recipient Taylor Forbes with donor Helen Kizer
Spring Family Weekend
Save the date for the upcoming Spring Family Weekend held on April 21-22, 2017. Exciting events include: Grandparents Day, Tailgate, Purple/Gold Spring Football Game, Corporate Leadership Awards, and much more.
Information and ticket details will be forthcoming.
Family Fellows Program
Embrace this moment FOREVER and join the Family Fellows program.
Pirate families can leave a lasting legacy through an unrestricted gift to the Parents Fund named or endowed that provides an annual award in your graduate’s name. This fund will support ECU’s parents fund and/or a program of your choosing. It can be a student organization, undergraduate scholarship, academic program, or a gift to the parents fund to support scholarships.
This program is a unique way to honor and celebrate your graduate through giving. This symbol of recognition allows you to stay connected with your Pirate family and provide resources and tools for future generations of students.
Benefits of Family Fellows program:
- Families, including the graduating senior, will be honored as members of Family Fellows Program
- Engraved Cupola Brick
- ECU Diploma Frame as Family Fellows special gift
- Recognized as a member of the Chancellor’s Society by ECU Foundation
- Invitation to annual Family Fellows reception
- Reserved limited seating and parking at University commencement
- Special presentation at Senior Celebration (sponsored by the Alumni Association)
- Personal interaction and seminars with university leadership, professors, and staff
- Opportunities to network with other philanthropic East Carolina families
- Family Fellows gifts will count towards annual Senior Parent Campaign totals
For more information please contact Zack Hawkins, Director of Student Affairs Development and Parent & Family Programs. Zack can be reached by phone at 252-737-4970 or via e-mail: parentgiving@ecu.edu
2017 ECU Spring Career Fairs and Events
ECU career fairs and events serve as the university’s primary point of connection for students with potential employers and allow students to explore job opportunities as well as discover how their academic majors relate to career options.
Below is information regarding the spring 2017 ECU career fairs and events. Please encourage your student to save these dates and attend the events.
Career Leadership Series
The career leadership series is a comprehensive sequence of workshops that seek to better prepare students in their professional development endeavors.
Career Leadership Series – Translating Your Experience
February 8, 2017
6:00-8:00pm
Croatan Building, Green Room
Translating Your Experience – This workshop seeks to assist students in identifying the experience that they’ve gained in undergrad, and how to add it to their resume. It is an interactive workshop that helps students know how to cultivate leadership and soft skills that will ease their transition in the professional world.
There is no cost for students to attend and business dress is not required. Career Services can help prepare students for this event with resume review and mock interview practice.
Students should dress in business professional attire and bring their ECU OneCard.A full list of attending employers and additional career fair information is available on the Career Services website at www.ecu.edu/career.
Student Health Services
Flu, Flu, Flu!
Influenza (flu) activity is now widespread in North Carolina, including on campus.\~Student Health is seeing multiple cases per day.
Your student can help themselves stay healthy by getting vaccinated, washing their hands often or using hand sanitizer, and staying away from sick persons if possible.
Does your student still need a flu shot? It is not too late. They can call us at (252) 328-6841 to set up an appointment.
Symptoms occur suddenly with flu and can include fever, body aches, cough, runny nose, sore throat, and possibly nausea or vomiting. Flu hits fast, and usually feels much worse than a regular cold.
Most people do not need medical attention, as flu is viral and will run its course within a few days to a week. Over the counter medications (Tylenol or ibuprofen, cough drops, etc) and home remedies like warm soup, rest, and salt water gargles help symptoms. If your student has underlying health conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, heart problems, pregnancy, or immune compromising issues such as cancer or HIV, they should contact their health care provider for further advice. Symptoms such as shortness of breath, inability to hold down fluids, or chest pain should be evaluated urgently by calling 911 or visiting the ER or local urgent care center.
If your student is sick, encourage staying away from others until fever free for 24 hours without taking fever reducing medicine. Students should communicate early on with professors about illness-SHS cannot give class excuses for missed days or assignments. A couple other helpful flu tidbits:
- Does your student need a friend to pick up food for them at the dining hall? Have your student fill out this form and let a buddy grab them a meal.
- Does your student need to let professors know of the illness? Students can onto Pirate Port and use the “Flu Self Reporting Form”. Be advised: this is NOT an excuse-it is merely an official notification that saves the student from having to individually contact professors.
- Does your student need help or have flu related questions? Have them call us at (252) 328-6841, or email us at GotQuestions@ecu.edu. If our office is closed, they always have access to our free, 24hr nurseline for medical advice.
- A few FAQ:
- Does SHS test for flu?Yes, we can. It is done by swabbing nasal secretions. However in many cases, it is not helpful since the treatment for flu is based on symptoms, not test results, so treatment is the same whether the test is performed or not if the provider suspects flu.
- Should my student come to SHS? In most cases, if healthy and no underlying major medical issues like asthma, pregnancy, diabetes, HIV, heart conditions, cancer, etc, it is not necessary to see a health care provider since flu typically resolves on its own. However, if your student has severe symptoms or feels symptoms are not improving after several days, have them call their doctor or if an emergency, call 911.
- My student has the flu. Does Student Health give Tamiflu? The Centers for Disease Control issues annual guidance on prescribing Tamiflu; learn more here. Student Health, following those guidelines, considers prescriptions for Tamiflu for those with a severe case, or for someone at high risk for complications. However, low risk otherwise healthy people do not need prescription medication for flu.
Stay healthy, Pirates!!!!
The Importance of the First Year
From the Office of Student Transitions
www.ecu.edu/studenttransitions
Has your student had difficulty getting back into the swing of classes this semester?
With a delayed start followed by a holiday at the beginning of the semester, many students have experienced trouble regaining their focus for their spring semester. Here are some questions you can ask your student to gauge if he or she is falling into this category:
- How are your classes going?
- Have you received any grades yet in your courses? If so, what are those grades?
- How do those grades fit into the final grade?
- Did you receive a Starfish notification?
Starfish is an early academic alert tool whereby faculty can inform students of their academic performance within a course. If a faculty member raises an alert notification to a student, an email notification will be sent to the student’s ECU email account. Starfish notifications can be raised by faculty in the areas of Academic Difficulty, Positive Reinforcement (Kudos), or Attendance Related Issues. Please note that NOT all instructors will be using Starfish. There may be instructors who do NOT raise flags/kudos. If your student does not receive a Starfish notification, it does NOT indicate good/poor academic performance. Students should always speak with the instructor if they are unsure of their academic status in a course. They may also use the Pirate Academic Success Center or other resources such as the Math Lab, the Writing Center, etc. to help them in the courses.
Students should make sure that they do not wait too long to ask for assistance in courses! Now is the time to ask for help to make sure they are on the right track.
On another note, you may think it is too early to begin thinking about the summer and next fall, but it is not. Students will begin registering for summer and fall 2017 in late March, and many will begin meeting with their academic advisors this month.
Next month we will discuss housing for your student next year. As always, if you have suggestions for our newsletter article, please contact the Office of Student Transitions at ostfyp@ecu.edu.
As your student did for the spring semester, he or she will be registering for summer and/or fall classes in March. The advantage of registering early is getting classes before new students register during the summer orientation programs. Below is a review of the registration process.
Advisors appreciate students who come to the advising meeting prepared. Advisors are there to advise, but the student is ultimately responsible for his or her own academic progress. Using the course catalog, students should check the Foundations Curriculum to see what areas they have left to complete. They should also check their major/program requirements to determine what needs to be taken.
Registration officially begins on March 24th. However, to make the process more efficient, the Registrar’s Office establishes registration windows based on the number of credit hours a student has completed. Because the system is based on credit hours, first-year students will typically register during the latter part of the registration period. A student may register at any time after his or her registration window opens. Your student should be aware that professors do not excuse students from class because they are registering for class. The registration schedule is available by visiting www.ecu.edu/registrar and clicking on the Students’s link.
Academic Pressures– Projects and exams for spring courses are approaching. Students will begin to feel more stress about their academic performance and getting all assignments done.
Spring Break– Some students will choose to travel for spring break. They may feel excitement or anxiety about these plans. They may have no plans and feel left out if their friends are planning a big trip. Remember, they may not be excited about staying at home during spring break, but not because they don’t want to see you.
Major/Career-As students are beginning to think about future classes, first-year students may have second thoughts about their major or career choices.
Relationships– Couples may strengthen their bond or notice that their relationship is weakening. Also, Valentine’s Day brings its own anxiety for many people, whether they are in a relationship or not.
Health problems– Seasonal illnesses, such as the flu, can be found on a college campus too. Stress can also cause students to have poor eating and sleeping habits, which leads to poor health. Some students may be tempted to turn to excessive drinking as a stress outlet.
Summer– Have you discussed summer plans with your student? Some students will plan to return home for the summer, while some will want to remain at school, even if they will not be taking classes. There are many opportunities for students in the summer, from summer school to internships to education abroad.
Summer and Fall Registration
Spring semester is just starting, but the academic advisors are already meeting with students concerning course needs for summer and fall semesters! (Early course registration for summer/fall 2017 opens March 27 and continues through the first day of summer and/or fall).
Your student will have an enjoyable registration experience if she/he:
- Schedules an advising appointment now or very soon! Professional advisors’ schedules fill up quickly and students who wait until March to contact their advisor may have to wait several weeks for an available appointment. If your student works with a faculty advisor, they also can schedule an appointment early or meet with their advisor during office hours to discuss their academic plan and questions they might have.
- Prepares for meeting with their advisor by reviewing curriculum plans and creating potential course schedule and alternatives. Students who are knowledgeable about their course needs and 4-year plans are better prepared to construct a great course schedule.
- Regularly checks and reads advisors emails. Advisors keep students up-to-date regarding course information, important dates, and opportunities.
- Contacts their assigned academic advisor when they have advising/registration questions or concerns
- Uses Schedule Planner to plan out their registration strategy. (https://registrar.ecu.edu/)
Once students have met with their advisors and have obtained their summer/fall registration PIN code, they may register for courses based on their earned hours (courses for which they have earned a final passing grade including ECU credits plus any transferred or placement credits).
Best wishes for a fantastic spring 2017 semester to your student and all of Pirate Nation! Arrgh!
The Academic Advising Collaborative
advising@ecu.edu
2017 Siblings Weekend
Greetings Parents,
On the weekend of March 24th-26th, 2017, the Residence Hall Association at East Carolina University will be hosting a Medieval them
ed Siblings Weekend 2017. This event will be a great time for your college student (the Sorcerer) to bring his/her younger sibling (the Apprentice) to campus and give the Apprentice a glimpse of what it can be like to be an ECU Pirate and experience campus living. During this weekend, we will be hosting multiple events providing fun and games for our Sorcerer to begin training their Apprentice in becoming a Pirate!
The age range for the siblings allowed to participate is school age (9 to 14 years). If during this academic year (August 2016-May 2017) your child was 14, we will allow them to participate in Siblings Weekend. Also, if your child was 8 during this academic year, we will allow them to participate. The fee for the weekend will be $30. The late fee will be $40. The preferred payment method is by a debit/credit card. You can pay with a debit/credit card by clicking here. The fee for the weekend will cover; a meal card for the sibling to use for the weekend, t-shirts, souvenirs, and more.
There will be exclusive access to the activities in the Student Recreation Center and Mendenhall Student Center as well as many things added to these venues just for the weekend.
Additional information can be found at the following website: www.ecu.edu
If you have any questions, please contact RHASiblingsWeekend@ecu.edu
Thank you,
Residence Hall Association
enroll in the Leadership Studies minor, be recognized for involvement on campus, build community with a cohort of students, and develop relationships with campus mentors. ECU Leads is built on ECU’s leadership definition that leadership is a relational process of inspiring, empowering, and influencing positive change. The program supports the university’s mission to be a national model for student success, public service, and regional transformation. Any student that has at least 3 years remaining at ECU is encouraged to apply online for ECU’s premier leadership program. Please encourage your student to consider this unique leadership development opportunity. Specific questions about ECU Leads can be directed to Tara Kermiet, Associate Director in the Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement, at kermiett16@ecu.edu
Return Housing for On-Campus Students
The decision to live on-campus or off-campus is often a discussion the student and their family have together. There is a lot of items to consider such as the type of housing, location, budget, and how these all fit into the students’ academic and personal goals.When reviewing the student’s budget for housing and food costs, don’t forget most off campus housing contracts are 11 month, namely the cost of summer rent will need be factored in even if the student does not plan to attend summer classes. Also, students often underestimate the cost of food living off campus, so have a good discussion about the cost of cooking and eating out, along with consider a the choice of a commuter meal plan for eating on-campus.
For students and families wanting to learn more about off campus options- ECU’s Off Campus Student Services (OCSS) is a valuable resource. ECU Off Campus Student Service web site is a great resource.
ECU Campus Dining – https://dining.ecu.edu/
Dowdy Student Stores
Pictured to the right, Addison and Kathy Siemon, along with Dowdy Students Stores Director Bryan Tuten. Addison won free textbooks for spring semester through a drawing by the Parents Association. Kathy Siemon, a member of the ECU Parents Association was in attendance at the fall Parents Council meeting, and her name was drawn from the attendance list as the winner. “You have no idea how much we appreciate the opportunity,” Kathy said on winning the prize. The textbooks were donated by ECU Dowdy Student Stores. The campus bookstore is one of the top providers of scholarship funds and contributors to student programs at ECU.
By shopping at Dowdy Student Stores, customers are helping to give back to the University!
Support for Writing on Campus
Writing effectively is vital to student success here at ECU and beyond. While writing is an important mode for communicating with others, it is also a primary tool for learning and thinking. Writing helps us discover new ideas, think more clearly about concepts and problems, and make meaning for ourselves in a complex world.
Here at ECU, we are committed to helping students develop effective writing skills right from the start. As part of the Foundations Curriculum, students typically take two composition courses, English 1100 and 1200/2201, to learn about college-level writing, writing about the disciplines, and research. As they move toward graduation, students are required to take a minimum of two additional writing-intensive courses, one of which must be in their chosen major, that will foster more advanced writing skills. These writing-intensive courses help prepare students to actively and knowledgeably participate in their chosen majors and disciplines, while providing opportunities to practice the kinds of writing they will be expected to do in graduate school or in their future careers.
While students and graduates are expected to write well, we know that writing well means developing flexible strategies to meet the needs of different audiences at different times and for different purposes. This development can be challenging, which is why ECU offers support for all its student writers through the University Writing Center.
The University Writing Center (UWC) has two physical locations across campus: one in Joyner Library and one in Laupus Library. The UWC also has an online writing lab (OWL) that provides two types of online appointments. Students using the OWL can select to “meet online” and use our video/audio/chat features to have a synchronous appointment, or students can select to “e-tutoring” and use our asynchronous feedback option. All locations of the UWC are staffed with a group of undergraduate and graduate peer consultants who work with students in any course on campus. The consultants are familiar with writing in a variety of disciplines and can assist writers at any stage of the writing process. The consultants can also help them learn a language for talking about their writing while developing flexible writing strategies that are useful beyond the end of a single session. Peer consultants work with student writers one-on-one to support learning in composition courses and later applying and building upon that learning in upper-level courses.
Adventure Spring Break Trips
March 4-11, 2017
$550
Pirates who want to enjoy a week in the warm Florida sun will love the Florida Adventure trip hosted by Campus Recreation & Wellness (CRW). The trip will begin with your Pirate floating down the crystal blue rivers of the Ichetucknee River with Manatees. Then they will venture to the southern portion of Florida for a kayaking excursion with exciting wildlife in the Big Cypress National Preserve. To wrap up the trip your Pirate will explore the southern most portions of Florida with a day of camping and snorkeling/kayaking the reefs of Key Largo concluding with a trip to the southern most portion of the Continental United States and wave at Cuba from the Key West!
Don’t forget to encourage your Pirates to participate in the Intramural Sports and Club Sports provided by CRW. Currently Pirates are participating in the always popular intramural basketball league season which will continue until February 26, other intramural sports in progress are Bowling (January 23 until February 5) following with dodgeball which will begin January 30 and conclude February 12. Keep an eye on our social media pages for updates to see if your Pirates won the ‘ship in their intramural sports! Registration for several sports will begin in February, if your Pirate is interested in 5v5 soccer (February 13-March 15) and kickball (February 13- March 23) or Water Polo and Walleyball (February 20 – March 3) be sure to remind them to sign up through the ECU IMLeagues page during these registration dates! Steer your Pirate to the Club Sports contact page if they wish to participate in a more competitive environment while there are still clubs recruiting new members!
The School of Theatre presents 1776
1776 is a funny, insightful and compelling drama with a striking score and legendary book.
Performance times and ticket information can be found at www.ECUARTS.com
ECU Psychological Assessment and Specialty Services Clinic (ECU PASS)
The PASS Clinic is associated with the ECU Doctoral Health Psychology Program and provides low cost behavioral health care services to ECU faculty and staff as well as citizens in the broader Greenville community. A particular service important to the university’s mission of maximizing student success is the Psycho-Educational Evaluation Service. We provide comprehensive LD/ADHD assessments for ECU students who may have challenges to learning, working closely with ECU Disabilities Support and other University Student Services. The evaluation involves completing 3-4 testing sessions after an extensive interview, and results in individual student recommendations. Cost of the evaluation for ECU students is greatly reduced from community rates. There are current openings for psycho-educational evaluations. For more information, have your student contact ECU PASS clinic at 737-4180 or email ecupass@ecu.edu
Tony Cellucci, Ph.D., ABPP
Clinical Professor and Director of ECU PASS Clinic
East Carolina University
Psychology Department
Course-Adopted Textbook Program
According to ECU’s Estimated Cost of Attendance, students will pay about href,280 for books and supplies during the 2016-2017 academic year.1 Students and faculty may be able to curtail some of these costs through two textbook affordability programs at Joyner Library. The library’s Course-Adopted Textbook Program offers select electronic textbooks for students, if available. This semester, Joyner Library is providing free electronic access to textbooks in at least 60 subjects. To view available textbooks, please visit the Course-Adopted Textbook Guide. Additionally, you will also find information about Dowdy Student Store’s textbook affordability options. Our second initiative is the Alternative Textbook Program that aids faculty in substituting a high-cost text with a no-cost replacement. These new texts may include Open Educational Resources, library materials, and other free resources. In the first year of our initiative, fifteen faculty were selected for the program, with disciplines ranging from history and dance to biology and psychology. We are now accepting applications for our second round of adopters in order to expand the program for students. For more information, please visit the program site. Questions about either program can be directed to Joyner Library’s Research and Scholarly Communication Department at scholarlycomm@ecu.edu. 1.East Carolina University. (2016). ECU’s Estimated Cost of Attendance. Retrieved from https://financialaid.ecu.edu/”>ECU’s Estimated Cost of Attendance, students will pay about $1,280 for books and supplies during the 2016-2017 academic year.1 Students and faculty may be able to curtail some of these costs through two textbook affordability programs at Joyner Library.
The library’s Course-Adopted Textbook Program offers select electronic textbooks for students, if available. This semester, Joyner Library is providing free electronic access to textbooks in at least 60 subjects. To view available textbooks, please visit the According to ECU’s Estimated Cost of Attendance, students will pay about $1,280 for books and supplies during the 2016-2017 academic year.1 Students and faculty may be able to curtail some of these costs through two textbook affordability programs at Joyner Library. The library’s Course-Adopted Textbook Program offers select electronic textbooks for students, if available. This semester, Joyner Library is providing free electronic access to textbooks in at least 60 subjects. To view available textbooks, please visit the Course-Adopted Textbook Guide. Additionally, you will also find information about Dowdy Student Store’s textbook affordability options. Our second initiative is the Alternative Textbook Program that aids faculty in substituting a high-cost text with a no-cost replacement. These new texts may include Open Educational Resources, library materials, and other free resources. In the first year of our initiative, fifteen faculty were selected for the program, with disciplines ranging from history and dance to biology and psychology. We are now accepting applications for our second round of adopters in order to expand the program for students. For more information, please visit the program site. Questions about either program can be directed to Joyner Library’s Research and Scholarly Communication Department at scholarlycomm@ecu.edu. 1.East Carolina University. (2016). ECU’s Estimated Cost of Attendance. Retrieved from https://financialaid.ecu.edu/”>Course-Adopted Textbook Guide. Additionally, you will also find information about Dowdy Student Store’s textbook affordability options.
Our second initiative is the Alternative Textbook Program that aids faculty in substituting a high-cost text with a no-cost replacement. These new texts may include Open Educational Resources, library materials, and other free resources. In the first year of our initiative, fifteen faculty were selected for the program, with disciplines ranging from history and dance to biology and psychology. We are now accepting applications for our second round of adopters in order to expand the program for students. For more information, please visit the program site.
Questions about either program can be directed to Joyner Library’s Research and Scholarly Communication Department at scholarlycomm@ecu.edu
1.East Carolina University. (2016). ECU’s Estimated Cost of Attendance. Retrieved from https://financialaid.ecu.edu/
Campus Dining
ECU became the first University in the nation to welcome Olio. The restaurant features a new Mediterranean diet inspired menu with fresh and healthful options in partnership with Cat Cora, the world’s first and only Iron Chef!
Campus Dining Events for the month of February:
You can reload Gold Bucks HERE.
