Harnessing the Helicopters: Parents as Liaisons for

Student Curiosity and Success

Lina Kaji, Academic Advisor

Elizabeth Boretz, Director of the Calvin E. Bright Success Center

Session Overview

1. Warm-Up Discussion: common issues

2. Themes on managing and harnessing parent input:

a. Orientation

b. Student Success

c. Assessment and Evaluation

3. Revisit Warm-Up: Best Practices

Warm-Up Activity

What are some of your most common issues with intervening parents?

Helicopter Parents

• Today’s traditional-aged college students are not entering the doors of higher education institutions alone.

• “Recruiting a student really means recruiting a family”

March 2006 National Survey of College Parent Preparation & Expectations conducted by

College Parents of America

• Of the 525 parents surveyed: 88% expect to go on campus visits 85% have helped or expect to help their child decide to

which schools she will apply 77% expect to be heavily involved in their child’s selection of

a college 69% have helped or expect to help draft their child’s college

applications 49% have arranged or expect to arrange for a SAT/ACT

preparation course or tutoring for their child before the SAT/ACT test

Campus Goals

• Advisors must partner with specific offices to come alongside parents as their students develop a new sense of autonomy.– Collaborating with Admissions, Financial Aid & Scholarships,

New Student Orientation

• Consistent messages to parents can provide academic advisors with vehicles to educate parents about the goals, objectives, and processes of academic advising long before students arrive on campus.

Campus Goals Continue…• Academic Advisors, within FERPA guidelines, can create

partnerships with parents, including them in their student’s personal, social, and academic development.

• Through these partnerships, parents encourage students to discuss their experience with their advisors and take advantage of campus resources.

• Advisors should partner with their campus parents programs office, if available. These offices, designed to create positive relationship between parents, students, and the institution, can provide many unique outlets for advisors to be heard.

– Publish handbooks, calendars, newsletters, sponsor parents weekends, and other events during welcome week activities.

Where to begin?

• SFC– Communications & Publications

• Orientation– Phone messages– E-mails– Session Day

Excerpt from an Academic Dismissal Appeal

“. . . I had to order my textbooks for class on Amazon.com, and by the time that they came, I already had 2 mid-terms, and so I failed them, and then I could not catch up on the reading for class. If given a chance to come back, next semester I will buy my books early and not change classes. . .”

Excerpt from a Reinstated Dismissal Freshman’s Essay

“I learned that one’s Inner Defender . . reminds me of my mom, who always says ‘it’s ok, son’ and she lets me just blame my problems on other people and things. But I learned that making excuses does not move a person’s life forward. . . Now my Inner Guide lays out what has happened, the good and the bad, and I lay out possible solutions and resolutions, and all in the form of positive actions.”

A. I am smart, so I am fully equipped to succeed.

What should a high-school superstar say when they enroll at UC Merced?

B. I never had to do the readings in high school, so I will wait

to see if I really need the books before I buy them.

C. I should visit learning.ucmerced.edu to

check times for tutorials and workshops.

D. I’ll just ask my roommates for tips on how to succeed.

What should a high-school superstar say when they enroll at UC Merced?

C. I should visit learning.ucmerced.edu

to check times for tutorials and workshops.

A. I’m smart, so I am fully equipped to succeed.

B. I never had to do the readings in high school, so I will

wait to see if I really need the books before I buy them.

D. I’ll just ask my roommates for tips on

how to succeed.

A. Ask their mom or dad.

What should a student do when they have questions in class, need other

help with academics, or need guidance on what classes to take?

B. Visit their academic advisor or professor, and

go to learning.ucmerced.edu for more ideas.

C. Don’t tell anyone that they need help.

D. Drop the class, and retake some other time.

What should a student do when they have questions in class, need other

help with academics, or need guidance on what classes to take?

B. Visit their academic

advisor or professor, and go to learning.ucmerced.edu

for more ideas.

A. Ask their mom or dad.

C. Don’t tell anyone that they need help.

D. Drop the class, and retake some other time.

Academic Advising and Success

• Parents’ Newsletter Content

• Family Weekend Session (Elite and Prestigious Competitions Recruitment)

• Communication with Parents is Key!

Communicating with Parents• Provide parents (whether in person or by mail) written

information they can refer to when curious about academic advising services.

• Be sympathetic but not apologetic – students must take responsibility for their actions.

• Clearly outline the students’ options.

• Do not get in the middle of family situations.

• Remember that parents always have their children's best interests at heart.

Assessment and Evaluation• 83% Orientation website, brochures & communications were helpful to my

student in registering & preparing for Orientation.

• 91% The Faculty Academic Expectations Session was helpful in understanding university expectations.

• 92% The Academic Success Session helped me to understand the resources available.

• “ I learned what communication must take part between my child and me to help me further his studies”

• “Kudos to event planner/organizers of the orientation. This experience has been very well put together. I walked away very informed, equipped and confident that UC Merced is well prepared and eager to help my child reach his educational goal. Thank you!”

Conclusions: Best Practices

What are some best practices to harness those parental intervening behaviors to use to our

advantage?