Kennesaw State Athletics

2015–2016 A GUIDE FOR PARENTS & FAMILIES produced by in partnership with For more information, please contact Kennesaw State University Parent and Family Association Orientation and Transition Programs 395 Cobb Avenue, N.W. MD#0504, Bldg. #5, Rm. 156 Kennesaw, GA 30144-5591 Office: (470) 578-6219 Fax: (470) 578-9156 About this Guide UniversityParent has published this guide in partnership with Kennesaw State University with the mission of helping you easily navigate your student’s university with the most timely and relevant information available. Discover more articles, tips and local business information by visiting the online guide at: contents www.universityparent.com/kennesaw The presence of university/college logos and marks in this guide does not mean the school endorses the products or services offered by advertisers in this guide. Kennesaw Guide Comprehensive advice and information for student success 2995 Wilderness Place, Suite 205 | Boulder, CO 80301 www.universityparent.com 6 | Welcome Parents & Families to Kennesaw State University Advertising Inquiries: 8 | A Message from the Dean of Students (866) 721-1357 10 | Academic Advising: The NEST [email protected] 12 | University College 16 | Financial Aid 20 | Safety First! 24 | You’ll Want to Give a ‘Hoot’ About These 28 | Kennesaw State Athletics: It’s Owl Time SARAH SCHUPP PUBLISHER 31 | Parent and Family Association MARK HAGER DESIGN 32 | A Parent’s Guide to On-Campus Living Culinary Services: Feeding the Owl Nation Connect: 34 | 38 | Kennesaw State University Campus Map facebook.com/UniversityParent 40 | Kennesaw State University Marietta Campus Map Campus Resources twitter.com/4collegeparents 42 | 50 | Other Resources for Parents: Recommended Reading Academic Calendar: 2015–2016 © 2015 UniversityParent 52 | 53 | Kennesaw Area Resources 4 Kennesaw State University 5 www.universityparent.com/kennesaw 5 PARENTS & FAMILIES to Kennesaw State University! Welcome to the NEST! We are so excited that you have chosen Kennesaw State University. Your student’s college experience is an exciting time for the whole family, and your role in your student’s life will be integral in the coming years. Research shows that family involvement is critical to student success. We hope that you know parents and families are valued as partners in education here at KSU. Students benefit when their family supports and participates in their university experience while also encouraging the student to take responsibility for that experience. The Parent and Family Association is committed to providing support for you throughout the college experience. Read further into the guide to hear more about our PFA and how you can participate in our upcoming Parent & Family Weekend! Also, please don’t hesitate to contact my office if you have any questions, ideas, and even stories of success anytime! Go Owls! Sincerely and Supportively, Sharon Brownlow, M.Ed. Director of the Parent and Family Association (470) 578-6219 [email protected] 6 Kennesaw State University www.universityparent.com/kennesaw 7 KSU is a special place, and we appreciate how great our students and their families are. In a few short years we look forward to greeting you at graduation as your student crosses the stage into a new and exciting life as a member of our KSU alumni. In the meantime, we hope to see you at PFA events and Parent and Family Weekend. If you ever need to reach us, just email [email protected] or call (470) 578-6310. All my best, Michael L. Sanseviro, Ph.D. Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students A Message from the Dean of Students Welcome to the Kennesaw How a student connects with an institution Navigating a large university can be State University family! We during the first few weeks on campus is challenging for both students and parents. critically important to long-term success. When in doubt, think of my office as a at KSU know that students As the Associate Vice President for Student concierge to the university. We cannot and parents have many Affairs, my most important role is helping resolve every issue a student may face, great choices available to students and their families navigate the but we can guide the student in the right challenges of the collegiate experience and direction to find the help the student them to meet their higher connecting you with the myriad resources needs. No matter how large KSU grows, educational needs, and we KSU has to offer. Just as the academic every student matters to us. Ideally, we are honored that you chose deans of each of the colleges lead and want our students to feel empowered to us as your college home. support the in-class experiences of our reach out to us, and during the transition, students, Student Success helps to support we partner with parents and families to the co-curricular experiences that support encourage students as they develop their all of the ways and places that students own sense of independence. learn and grow. 8 Kennesaw State University www.universityparent.com/kennesaw 9 of coursework as well as registration information, academic calendars, etc. New transfer students should make an advising appointment with the advising staff in the major of their choice, or with a NEST advisor. Contact information for all advising departments is available at www.kennesaw.edu/nest. Semester Schedule of Classes and Undergraduate Catalog Each semester the schedule of classes is posted online in Owl Express and on the Registrar’s website. Once a student’s registration time has begun, he/she accesses the registration system through Academic Advising Owl Express. The KSU Undergraduate Catalog is also posted online at the Registrar’s website at catalog.kennesaw.edu. The NEST The undergraduate catalog provides detailed information regarding KSU degree requirements and policies and procedures. Students should become familiar with the catalog in effect when Office for New, Exploratory, Each academic college has its own registration if they do not attend a transfer they enter KSU and should review future and Students in Transition advising center and advising process. orientation session. For information versions for program changes, additions, Students who already know their intended regarding transfer credit policies visit etc. Contact your academic advisor should major should seek out the advising the Registrar’s Office website at the you have questions about university First-Year Students services in the respective department. main KSU web page. This site provides policies, registration issues, or other KSU believes that quality academic The center for New, Exploratory, and detailed information on transferability advising-related questions. advising is critical to student success. Students in Transition (the NEST) serves Therefore, students are required to those students who are still deciding meet with an academic advisor prior to on a major and those who need a little registration each term until they have extra help. earned 30 hours. Beyond that point, academic advising is no longer required A complete list of advising contacts but still highly recommended. by department is available at www.kennesaw.edu/nest. These meetings take place at the following points: Transfer Students • During an orientation session Students transferring to KSU should • Prior to registering for classes in the quickly identify the appropriate academic coming semester. advising contact and meet with an academic advisor prior to orientation or 10 Kennesaw State University www.universityparent.com/kennesaw 11 What is a learning community What is a first-year seminar? and how is it beneficial? A first-year seminar is a course especially A learning community is a cluster of two to designed to help first-year students four academic courses designed around transition successfully into higher a specific major or a general interest education. Kennesaw State University’s theme. A cohort of 20-25 students enrolls nationally-recognized, award-winning in each learning community, allowing seminars are limited to 25 students, them to take classes together, form study allowing students the opportunity to groups, integrate their learning from one get to know their professor and interact class to the other, and get to know a small closely with their peers (colleges.usnews. group of like-minded students during rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/ their first semester. There are clearly rankings/first-year-experience-programs). documented social and This three-credit-hour academic benefits to course is intended for learning communities. students with fewer Many, but not all, learning We than 30 credits and communities include a counts for graduation first-year seminar. encourage credit as a free elective in most degree Is my student required students to programs. to take a learning community? If your first-year student review is coming to KSU with If your first-year student fewer than 15 semester is coming to KSU with learning credit hours, he or she fewer than 15 semester will enroll in a learning credit hours (from AP, communities community or in one of IB, joint-enrollment, or our first-year seminar transfer credit), he or she courses. KSU offers four will enroll in a learning descriptions versions of the seminar: community or in one of KSU 1101, KSU 1111, KSU University College our first-year seminar prior to 1121, and KSU 1200. courses (KSU 1101, KSU Each version has a 1111, KSU 1121, or KSU orientation. slightly different focus, 1200). These choices but all are designed to will be clearly explained help students grow in during orientation. four key areas: life skills, strategies What is University College? their first day of college until graduation. How will my student know how to for academic success, campus and Its degree programs include the first-ever choose a learning community? community connections, and foundations KSU created University College in 2004 Master of Science in First-Year Studies and for global learning.

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