Working with Parents

T10 Working with Parents Jennifer Joslin

Abstract Academic advisors must continue to address the variety of issues related to working with our students’ parents. With the emergence of the “proactive parent” and the increased media and literature attention devoted to them, academic advisors need to develop effective, meaningful strategies that allow us to focus on our students, yet acknowledge the critical role of parents. Equally as critical for advisors is knowing effective strategies for working with the parents of first generation students who comprise 1/6 of the entering freshman class.

The presenter wishes to recognize NACADA colleagues Jo Anne Huber, Terry Musser, Rich Robbins, and Casey Sel, for their significant contributions to this presentation.

Outline

Key question: Is there a choice about working with parents?  Student preferences  Parent preferences  Higher Education Administrators  FERPA/Legal issues  Right thing to do

I. Overview of the millennial student & current media coverage

Special Tech savvy Sheltered Mutli-taskers Confident Impatient Team-orientation Skeptical Conventional Blunt and expressive Pressured Image-driven Achieving The “Me” Generation

1. What advisors need to know: a. Know how to cut through red tape b. Explain academic protocol (compare to health care) c. Emphasize existing processes and appeals, especially for grade grievances d. Identify “hot button” issues

2. What should schools do? a. Language is important: student vs. child; professor or faculty vs. teacher; college vs. school; young adult vs. kid b. E-mail “bursts” before important deadlines, events c. Focus intervention efforts on personal issues with students d. Communicate with parents: i. Newsletters ii. Blogs iii. Website ‘Strictly for Parents’ iv. More communication is usually better e. Manage situation: i. Identify campus expert on parents ii. Housing (RA’s) iii. May not be the Vice President for Students iv. Look for common problems v. Review best practices/share across campus f. Stop problems before they happen: i. Letters/e-mails ii. Newsletters at least twice in academic year to parents/families iii. Identify problem processes, offices, staff iv. Continual training in dealing with parents v. Solve policy and process issues that cause problems

II. Characteristics of today’s parents (2007 College Parents of America -- 1,722 college parent responses)

1. Finances top the list of college parent worries a. Publish accurate and complete financial information b. Create parent information for financial aid offices

2. Conversations/Communication with students a. 7.9% talk more than once a day b. 22.8% talk daily c. 41.8% talk two or three times per week d. 22.4% talk weekly e. Nearly all are cell phone or e-mail convos f. 8/10 parents initiate conversation 50% or more of the time

What do high school students think about their parent’s/family’s involvement during the college search process? (College Board/Art & Science Group: http://bit.ly/khu2ci)

“Providing opportunities for parents to participate in the college experience can pay huge dividends in terms of increased student success, institutional financial support, and enhanced public relations.” (Keppler et al., 2005)

What are the consequences of not working with parents?

IV. Parent Dos and Don’ts 1. Parent and family activities 2. Regular Communication 3. Provide current Information 4. Be responsive 5. Provide specifics at Parent Orientation

Don’ts: 1. Do not “dismiss” them after they leave their students 2. Do not indicate you care the way that they care 3. Do not pretend you know their son/daughter better than they do 4. Try not to pass them off to another office 5. Never be flip or curt with them!

V. Resources for working with parents 1. NACADA FAMILY GUIDE 2. NACADA Clearinghouse 3. Current bibliography

VI. Are all parent populations the same?

Participants are encouraged to share their successes and challenges in working with the parents of our advisees.

NACADA Academic Advising Summer Institute 2011 Copyright 2011 Selected References Capriccioso, R. (2006). Aiding First-Generation Students. Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved from http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2006/01/26/freshmen .

College Parents of America. Retrieved (May 2006) from www.collegeparents.org http://www.collegeparents.org/sites/default/files/2007-current-parent-survey.pdf

Dungy, G. D. (2004). About students today. Net Results, NASPA.

Haar Clark, D. (2006). Heliparents & E-Kids. In Pomona College Magazine 41(2). Retrieved from http://www.pomona.edu/magazine/pcmsp06/FSheliparents.shtml

Howe, N., & Strauss, W. (2000). Millennial rising: The Next Great Generation. New York: Vintage Books.

Howe, N., & Strauss, W. (2005). Millennials go to college. Washington, DC: American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions officers.

Keeling, S. (2003) Advising the Millennial Generation. NACADA Journal, 23 (1 & 2), 30-36.

Keppler, K., Mullendore, R. H., & Carey, A. (2005). Partnering with the parents of today’s college students. Washington, DC: NASPA.

Menezes, M. D. (2005). Advisors and parents: Together building stronger advising relationships. Retrieved from the NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources Web site: http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Clearinghouse/AdvisingIssues/Advisors-Parents.htm

NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources. (2005). Working with Students’ Parents. Retrieved from http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Clearinghouse/AdvisingIssues/Advisors-Parents.htm#bib

Oblinger, D. (2003). Boomers, Gen-Xers, & Millennials: Understanding the new students. EDUCAUSE Review, 37-47.

Smith, D.C. & Gordon, V.N. (2008). A Family Guide to Academic Advising, 2nd Edition. Columbia, SC: National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience & Students in Transition and NACADA: the Global Community for Academic Advisors.

Smith, L. (2000, November 28). Understanding our students. Net Results. Washington, DC: NASPA

Survey of Current College Parent Experiences. (March 2006) Retrieved from http://www.surveymonkey.com/Report.asp?U=189438261639.