Residence Life

Living on campus has many benefits that enrich the university experience and impacts student lives.  Students who live on campus tend to be more involved in campus activities, earn better grades and are more likely to graduate than their peers who live off campus.  Students also report that living on campus provides an opportunity to meet new friends or to live near friends, seek help with coursework, and living close by campus classroom buildings.

Some strategies you can discuss with your student to enhance their success are described in the remainder of this article. It is never too late to have these conversations!

Getting Involved in Campus Life
There are many on-campus events and activities for your student.  Resident Assistants (RAs) plan activities in each building and promote student participation in larger campus events. Participation helps promote a sense of belonging, will help your student meet other students, and learn new things.  Students who are involved in campus life report being more satisfied with their college experience.  Ask your student if they are attending any events and activities.

Help Your Students Develop a Budget
For many students, this may be a “first” time they are truly in charge of their own spending. Many are not very good at it stretching their money out between paydays, not to mention, the entire semester! Discuss developing a budget with your student and assist them in doing so. Have periodic detailed conversations (weekly or monthly) about how they are doing with their finances. Many student go to fast food places or have food delivered to them, which is more expensive than learning to make your own food at home or having a campus dining plan.

Sending a Student to College is An Adjustment for Families
Many of the parents we speak with mention this adjustment. Parents may under-estimate the sense of “loss” they feel when sending a student to college for the first time. This is a normal transition. Encourage your child to engage in their experience and reach out to meet people on campus instead of coming home often. Students need your support to make their own decisions while at college.

Discuss How Often Your Student & You Will Talk
Students need to be responsible for their own decisions at college. Consider stepping back just a little to let your student learn to work things out for themselves. Yet, don’t step back too far that they feel you have abandoned them.

One parent suggested using FaceTime or Skype to communicate because one can notice non-verbal and verbal cues to how your student is doing. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t hear from your student as often as you would like. This is most likely a good sign that they are adjusting to college, meeting friends, and getting involved in campus life. On the other hand, don’t be afraid to reach out to your student if you haven’t heard from them in a while. If you talk with them about the expected frequency of contact, if may save both of you some frustration.

Anticipate What Coming Back Home Will Be Like For Your Student
Things may not feel the same for your student when they come home. They may change – their hair, their dress, their music, their expectations, etc. They may have a different type of friend group. Don’t be alarmed, this may be very good for them! Several parents have recommended leaving their bedroom as is, so they have a comfortable and familiar place to return home. You may want to discuss which “house rules” apply when they come home the first few times, now that your student is a young adult who has been living with different rules while at college.

Ask About Roommates
Having a roommate is most often one of the best and most positive experiences a student can have while away at college. For some students it can also a challenging experience. Ask your student about their roommate relationships. Offer tips and advice about adjusting to a new roommate. Please encourage them to speak with their student Resident Assistant if they have any issues with their new roommate and not to wait too long. They are also welcome to speak with the professional staff member who oversees their building, the Area Coordinator.

Encourage Your Student To Use Campus Resources
There are many offices and people who are here to help students. Encourage your student to use campus resources such as the Dean of Students Office, Counseling and Health, Academic Advising, and the Office of Residence Life, just to name a few. Contact information can be found on the University’s web site using the directory.

Encourage Your Students To Use Faculty Office Hours
Faculty have scheduled office hours which are available for student visits and questions about assignments, course content, and just establishing a positive relationship with faculty and instructors.

We Are Here To Help!
You may contact the Office of Residence Life, (920) 465-2040, housing@uwgb.edu  with questions.  Although we are not able to share private information, a question you can ask is “if a student is in need of help regarding a particular issue, what would you recommend they do?”

It is that time again! Students who currently live in housing will soon need to decide if they are living on-campus for the 2020-21 academic year.

Students who choose to return next year will be able to take advantage of the following:

• • A 0% increase in room rates for 2020-2021
  • Safe and conveniently located housing which includes high-definition cable television and wired/wireless high-speed Internet access in every room.
  • Living in close proximity to a variety of university programs, services, and leadership opportunities that contribute much to your experience as a UWGB student.
  • Staff who provide programming and other engagement experiences, and who foster a strong and connected community

The re-contracting process opened on Monday, November 18 and ends on Wednesday, March 18 at 11:59PM. On March 24 – March 27, students who have contracted will be able to select their apartment or residence hall room. The time and date for students to select their room or apartment is determined by a student’s number of semesters on campus and academic credits earned.

Students may retain their current room or apartment for 2020-2021 by the deadline of March 2, 2020 in retention eligible buildings (Liebl, Haevers, Pamperin, and Harden Halls).

Regardless of accommodation type, students enjoy the following amenities: private bathrooms, furnished rooms and apartments, high-speed internet access including Wi-Fi, high definition cable television service, and laundry facilities in each building.

We hope that your student has had a positive living experience on campus, and chooses to return to campus housing for another year. Many of our students remain on campus through graduation due to the variety of living options, and the many opportunities to grow and learn in a residential setting.

If your student has questions about the re-contracting process, please have them visit the Office of Residence Life, call (920) 465-2040, email housing@uwgb.edu or visiting our web site.

Happy New Year! My salutation is a little late-in-coming, but I really do hope that 2020 is treating you well. January regularly gets off to a slow start for us here in Residence Life, as our students spend most of the month enjoying the remainder of their winter break. However, their absence gives us a lot of opportunity to prepare for what always turns out to be a busy and exciting spring semester. We were happy to welcome everyone back as they safely returned to life on campus, and officially get things started.

In this edition of our newsletter you will find much of the information that your UWGB student will be receiving in the coming weeks. It may seem early, but our residents will soon need to finalize their plans to contract for housing for the 2020-2021 academic year. Space is always at a premium, so it’s good to have a conversation with your student now about where they intend to live in the coming year. We will also be looking to fill many summer and fall student employment positions, which is an excellent opportunity for those students who want to both live and work on campus.

Over the winter break period, students also received their fall semester grades. For some, that was a reason to celebrate, but for many others it was likely a time to reflect on an academic performance that could have been better managed. For those of you working with a student in that situation, there are valuable resources in this newsletter that will assist you in working with them to be more academically successful. I encourage you to read the entirety of this edition, and be sure to reach out to the Office of Residence Life at 920-465-2040 or by sending a message to housing@uwgb.edu, if there’s anything we can do to assist you or your student this spring!

Sincerely,

Gail Sims-Aubert
Office of Residence Life, Director

Housing at UW-Green Bay is open year-round so residents can come and go as they please throughout the semester break. The Hendrickson Community Center will remain open as a resource for students. The Community Center offers free games to check out, an unlock code if they locked themselves out, shovels if there is a bad storm, and a car booster pack if they are unable to get their car started in the cold.

The Office of Residence Life and Community Center will remain open during the semester break. Beginning December 23, hours of operation are Monday-Friday 7:45 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. and on weekends and holidays from 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. Students may contact our office by calling (920) 465-2040, by visiting our office, or by email: housing@uwgb.edu.

The Student Mailroom, located in the lower level of the Community Center is also open during the semester break. Beginning December 22, the hours of operation are Sunday 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., Monday – Thursday 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., and Friday 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. The Student Mailroom is closed on all legal holidays. Student mailboxes are accessible to students during the hours of operation for the Community Center.

Regular semester hours for the Community Center and Student Mailroom will resume on January 23, 2020.

Is your student talking to you about how their room is too cool or too warm?  Here are the top 3 ways your student should get their room ready for Wisconsin winter temperatures!

1.  Make sure the storm window is closed to prevent excess cold air from entering the room.
2.  Keep the window(s) closed and do not place a fan by the window.
3.  Submit a maintenance request online or by calling the Community Center
front desk at (920) 465-2040 to report issues in a timely fashion.

The thermostats are set to approximately 68 degrees, but will vary from 67 degrees to 72 degrees depending on where the system is in the heating cycle.  Students should not open windows to regulate heat. If the temperature drops too quickly, windows left open can cause pipes to freeze,  causing significant damage.  The person who left the window open would be held responsible for damages, so it is important to keep windows closed and allow the room to maintain a consistent temperature on its own.

If your student is experiencing issues please tell them to report it immediately!  Students should also report issues with exterior doors that are beeping or not latching completely because of ice buildup.  We want to keep the buildings comfortable and also ensure the safety of residents.

It is that time again! Students who currently live in housing will soon need to decide if they are living on-campus for the 2020-21 academic year.

Students who choose to return next year will be able to take advantage of the following:

• A 0% increase in room rates for 2020-2021!
• Safe and conveniently located housing which includes high-definition cable television and wired/wireless high-speed Internet access in every room.Living in close proximity to a variety of university programs, services, and leadership opportunities that contribute much to your experience as a UWGB student.
• The option of retaining your room or apartment for the upcoming academic year.
• Staff who provide programming and other engagement experiences, and who foster a strong and connected community.

The re-contracting process opened on Monday, November 18 and ends on Wednesday, March 18 at 11:59PM. On March 24 – March 27, students who have contracted will be able to select their apartment or residence hall room. The time and date for students to select their room or apartment is determined by a student’s number of semesters on campus and academic credits earned.

Regardless of accommodation type, students enjoy the following amenities: private bathrooms, furnished rooms and apartments, high-speed internet access including Wi-Fi, high definition cable television service, and laundry facilities in each building.

We hope that your student has had a positive living experience on campus, and chooses to return to campus housing for another year. Many of our students remain on campus through graduation due to the variety of living options, and the many opportunities to grow and learn in a residential setting.

If your student has questions about the re-contracting process, please have them visit the Office of Residence Life, call (920) 465-2040, email housing@uwgb.edu or visiting our web site.

Not everyone is accustomed to driving significant distances in inclement weather. Please make sure you are prepared for winter and weather/road conditions that can threaten safety.

Following are a few simple driving habits such as planning ahead, driving at a safe and legal speed, driving alert and sober, and buckling up could ensure that you make it to your destination safely.

If you must use your car during a storm:

• Plan your travel, selecting both primary and alternate routes.
• Let someone know your travel routes and itinerary so that, if you don’t arrive on time, officials will know where to search for you.
• Check latest weather information on your radio.
• Try not to travel alone – two or three people are preferable.
• Travel in convoy (with another vehicle) if possible.
• Drive carefully and defensively. Watch for ice patches on bridges and overpasses.
• Take note of your odometer and coordinate it with exit numbers, mileposts, or crossroads so if you are in a crash or slide off the road you’ll better be able to identify where you are and summon law enforcement officers, rescue workers, or tow truck operators more quickly to your location.
• If a storm begins to be too much for you to handle, seek refuge immediately.
• If your car should become disabled, stay with the vehicle, running your engine and heater for short intervals. Be sure to “crack” a window in the vehicle to avoid carbon monoxide build-up.

Be courteous to those awaiting your arrival:

• Call ahead to your destination just as you are leaving.
• Let someone at your destination know the license number of your vehicle, what route you’ll be traveling, and give a realistic estimate of your travel time.
• If you have a cell phone, give that number to the party at your destination.
• If you have friends or family at your place of origin, you should call when you arrive to let them know you have arrived safely.
• If road conditions, tiredness, etc. delay or postpone a trip, make a phone call. Let people on both ends know of the delay.

Prepare a safety pack for your vehicle:

• Blankets or sleeping bags
• Flashlight with extra batteries
• First-aid kit
• Shovel, booster cables and windshield scraper
• Non-perishable food like raisins and energy bars
• Water
• Sand or cat litter for traction
• Cell phone adapter

Additional Tips:

• Encourage your student to register for GBAlert.  The Snow Emergency text function is used to update students and faculty regarding changing campus conditions.
• Check online for driving conditions from the Department of Transportation
• Make a family emergency plan

Finals week is coming…all the hard work and stress UW-Green Bay students have experienced this semester will come to a head in a matter of days. How can you help brighten their day? Send them some love from home in the form of a care package or letter. Getting an unexpected package or letter is always exciting!  You do not even have to create it from scratch.

If you’d prefer, you can contact UWGB’s preferred care package provider, On Campus Marketing, and buy directly from them. They have multiple options you can choose from and they are customer friendly. You can contact Customer Service by calling 1-877-942-7887. On the other hand, if you have your student’s favorite cookie recipe no one can beat, send them your own care package filled with goodies from home. Have you already stocked them with food to last awhile? Send them an encouraging letter! Support for your child can be shown even from far away. Stressful times are when you need loved ones the most.

Many parents and families recently enjoyed having their college student at home for the Thanksgiving holiday. This was more than likely a good time to reconnect and to learn all about the student’s college experiences thus far. However, some may have been left feeling less joyous about this reunion. Most of these instances probably occurred because the student who returned home for the holidays was noticeably different from the one families moved to campus a few short months ago.

For many students, some of the most intense and obvious personal growth occurs during the first year of college. This often means that the student who comes home to visit might be a new (and improved?) version of the student their families have known and loved their entire life. Meer weeks ago, family structure, curfews and house rules were nothing to balk at. Now having gained a sense of independence, loved ones may have been surprised to find these same individuals staying out until the early morning hours, sleeping until noon and cringing at the thought of having to assume former house chores.

The student likely viewed their time at home as a reprieve from the rigors of academics. They regarded their ‘days off’ as a time to rest and refuel before returning to campus to face the challenges of final exams. Given the experience from Thanksgiving or other visits home, families may either be left feeling excited because a few weeks from now they will get to spend the month-long Winter Break with their student or they may be wondering how everyone involved will be able to survive for that long under the same roof.

It’s a challenge, but families should try to remember that in all likelihood, their student was sent to college so that he or she would grow, learn, and develop in all kinds of ways. This new growth and awareness will occur in both academically and personally.  As a parent or family member, it’s important to be patient during this time of evolvement, but it’s also important to keep up with some kind of structure when the college student returns home to visit. In preparation to welcome the student home for the next break period, families should try considering the following:

Communication of Expectations

In the coming days, have a conversation with your student that begins with, ‘These are the family plans for the holidays – tell me your plans. What were you thinking you’d do?’ At the same time, it’s completely reasonable to expect the student to participate in family plans and traditions. One just has to remember that the student is probably a much more independent person coming home than they were before they left and they may have formulated their own plans without first consulting with the family.

Be Open-Minded

College students are exposed to new information and knowledge on a daily basis from faculty, staff and peers, much of which challenges many of their values and beliefs; often causing them to reconsider core values and sometimes change position. When this happens, families should try their best to listen and then reflect back what the student is saying. Keep in mind that they are trying to find their own way in life and become the person they believe they should be.

Make Memories

Families may find their college student resistant of ‘old’ house rules, and they may find a variety of ways to express their new found freedom that life on campus has afforded them. However, most still enjoy the comforts of home; things like sleeping in, enjoying their favorite home-cooked meals and time with siblings should be thought of as memories in the making. It’s appropriate to set boundaries, but also try to understand that these moments may be fleeting. Enjoy the time remaining with the student as further separation may lay ahead.

A small amount of friction may be inevitable in welcoming college students back into their family homes, but a little compromise, respect and love will go a long way to ensure time together is both meaningful and memorable. Best wishes for a happy holiday season!

If your student is in need of job for next academic year, make sure they check out the upcoming RA selection process starting soon!

The Resident Assistant (RA) position is among the most respected student employee opportunities on the UWGB campus. Being an RA is more than a job for most, it is a self-development opportunity. Residence Life strives to build leaders, not just hire student employees. If your student is ready for a great experience, send them our way! The RA selection process will begin for candidates soon after the February 4, 2020 deadline.

RAs work 15 hours a week during the academic year and up to 40 hours a week during 2-3 weeks of pre-semester training. They receive training, support and mentoring by professional staff unparalleled in the student employment arena. For the 2020-2021 school year, it is expected that RA benefits will include waived housing costs (ranging from $4100 – $5200 per academic year), a Chartwells meal plan, and a stipend of $900/year.

Successful RA candidates will have a minimum of 2 semesters living on a campus (which includes Spring 2020), a grade point average of 2.4 or better, a passion to learn about themselves and others, and a commitment to serve students. More information, including applications and a job description can be found online on our web site.  For initial consideration, applications including references should be completed by February 5^th.

Our primary RA selection process begins in early February, but we accept applications all year long in case we have vacancies throughout the year. The benefits of being a RA truly complement the academic experience and give students transferable skills that are applicable to their new careers after graduation. For more information, please contact Nicole Kurth, Coordinator of RA Selection, at RA_Selection@uwgb.edu.