FIRST-YEAR TRANSITIONS 2021 A GUIDE FOR FAMILIES OF Providence College Students Mission Statement rovidence college is a Catholic, Dominican, liberal arts institution of higher education and a community committed to P academic excellence in pursuit of the truth, growth in virtue, and service of God and neighbor. Providence College was founded in 1917 by the Dominican Friars at the invitation of Bishop Harkins to provide a Catholic education in the arts and sciences. Faith and Reason Providence College is confident in the appeal of reason, believes that human beings are disposed to know the truth, and trusts in the power of grace to enlighten minds, open hearts, and transform lives. Providence College maintains that the pursuit of truth has intrinsic value, that faith and reason are compatible and complementary means to its discovery, and that the search for truth is the basis for dialogue with others and critical engagement with the world. Academic Excellence Providence College is committed to academic excellence, and holds itself to the highest standards in teaching, learning, and scholarship. Its core curriculum addresses key questions of human existence, including life’s meaning and purpose, and stresses the importance of moral and ethical reasoning, aesthetic appreciation, and understanding the natural world, other cultures, and diverse traditions. Providence College honors academic freedom, promotes critical thinking and engaged learning, and encourages a pedagogy of disputed questions. Community and Diversity Providence College seeks to reflect the rich diversity of the human family. Following the example of St. Dominic, who extended a loving embrace to all, it welcomes qualified men and women of every background and affirms the God-given dignity, freedom, and equality of each person. Providence College promotes the common good, the human flourishing of each member of the campus community, and service of neighbors near and far. Veritas and Providence Providence College brings the 800-year-old Dominican ideal of Veritas (truth) to the issues and challenges of today. It seeks to share the fruits of contemplation in an increasingly global and diverse society, and to praise and bless all that is good and vital in human endeavors. Providence College supports the Dominican mission of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to a new generation of students and helping them discover God’s providence in their lives. 2 ROVIDENCE IS SO MUCH MORE THAN A PLACE — it is a promise of God’s protection and the fulfill- ment of His loving plan. It’s a word we don’t Ptake lightly. The name Providence College reflects its deepest mission: to provide an environment where each person comes to understand his or her identity and role in that plan. That promise is a source of comfort in these uncer- tain times. More than that, it’s a reminder of the great responsibility we share at Providence College. It is our life’s work and our mission to guide our stu- dents to make the best possible decisions for fulfill- ing their roles within God’s plan. This is a great time of transition, both in your stu- dent’s personal life and in the world. We are com- mitted to helping your student navigate the com- plexities of college and the unprecedented demands of today’s world. First-Year Transitions is designed to help you un- derstand and help your student get the most out of the academic and extracurricular opportunities at PC. Here, we educate the whole person — mind and body, heart and soul. I invite you to join with us in supporting your student’s own path to Providence. — REV. KENNETH R. SICARD, O.P. ’78 & ’82G PRESIDENT 3 Introduction OLLEGE STUDENTS MATURE at different rates and bring a variety of different coping skills to their situation. As with any C process, there are certain tendencies that occur for first-year students of which parents should be aware. The “ebbs and flows” of each semester tend to follow certain cycles. College provides a unique opportunity for parents and the institution to collaborate as partners in the development of first-year students. Identifying issues, encouraging use of support systems, and recommending new strategies are appropriate roles for both a concerned parent and a caring institution. This collaborative effort requires all of us to review our expectations about personal responsibilities. Our common goal is to advance students’ problem-solving skills, not to solve their problems or to make decisions for them. Given the investment parents make today in higher education, this can be a particularly difficult challenge. This parent guide contains two parts. Part one is comprised of Reference Sources information on resources and a for this Document: glossary of common terms. Part two is a calendar of typical student Let the Journey Begin: and family issues and important A Parent’s Monthly Guide deadlines. Some of the issues to the College Experience, identified in this guide may not J. MacKay and W. Ingram, occur at the times indicated here, Houghton-Mifflin, New York, 2002 may never occur, or may occur in entirely different ways than Residence Life Programs and described here. the First-Year Experience, This guide can provide a wealth Zeller, Fidler, Barefoot, 1991 of knowledge and a unique perspective of a student’s first year. This informational booklet was prepared Hopefully, it will assist parents with by Director of Parent & Family Program possible challenges their son or Jacqueline F. Kiernan MacKay. daughter might encounter. 4 Confidentiality of Student Educational Records The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974, as amended, is a federal privacy law that, generally, prohibits disclosure of personally identifiable information from the educational records of students without prior written consent. Educational records are any records maintained by the College that are directly related to a student; they include financial aid, academic, and disciplinary records, and other personally identifiable information. There are a number of exceptions that permit disclosure without consent, including one for health or safety emergencies. Specifically, a school may disclose personally identifiable information from an education record “to appropriate parties in connection with an emergency if knowledge of the information is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other individuals.” “Appropriate parties” may include parents, law enforcement authorities, emergency responders, and other members of the community. Additionally, consent is not required for disclosure of information from education records to “school officials” who need the information to perform a professional, job- related task. A school official is a person employed by the College in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position (including Public Safety staff and Student Health Center staff); a person or company with whom the College has contracted as its agent to provide a service instead of using College employees or officials (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving as a trustee; or, a student serving on an official committee (such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks). If a student wishes to authorize disclosure of confidential information to parents/ guardians or any other designated individual, institution, or entity, a student would complete and sign a specific authorization form; such authorization would remain in effect for as long as the student is enrolled at the College or until the student revokes consent in writing. Additional information, including the College’s full policy, is available at: https://registrar.providence.edu/policies/ferpa-guidelines/ . Students may obtain more detailed information about FERPA, including the procedures for exercising their rights, from the Office of the Registrar, Harkins Hall, Room 310. 5 Glossary of Terms Academic Advisor: faculty member administrative, disciplinary, and/or responsible for helping a student explore financial obligations to the College academic alternatives; assists in choosing have been fulfilled. Students who wish courses, goal-setting, and referrals. to receive a final grade mailer every semester or in any given semester must Academic Dismissal: disqualification complete a “Final Grade Mailer Request” from continued matriculation which form in the Office of the Registrar. can occur in several ways: academic probation for two successive semesters, Hall Director: professional who or cumulative quality grade point average coordinates services and staff of each (GPA) less than 1.58 at the end of the residence hall; serves as a resource second semester of the first year. person and referral source for students. Academic Probation: a warning of Internships/Experiential Education: a severe academic danger: cumulative supervised work experience that exposes quality grade point average at the end students to professional responsibilities of the first semester of the first year is in a career field of interest. An intern- below 1.60 and/or between 1.58–1.799 ship can be paid, volunteer, or for cumulative at the end of the second academic credit. semester of the first year. Majors: area of specialization consisting AP Credits: course credit for AP exams of a cluster of related courses drawn with a score of four or greater. Students from one or more departments; usually are still expected to meet the College’s requires a minimum of 30 credit hours. requirement of eight full-time semesters. Minors: cluster of thematically related Dean’s Honor List: a 3.55 GPA or better courses drawn from one or more attained at the end of a semester with no departments; usually 15–18 credits. grade less than a “C,” full-time status, and in good standing. Promissory Note: written agreement to repay student loans. GPA: grade point average is obtained by dividing the total number of quality Proxy Access: Feature within grade points by the total number of credit CyberFriar that allows students the hours attempted.