Your phone will be ringing!

Annual Parent and Family Phonathon, Wednesday, 12/1
On Wednesday, Dec. 1, from 6-9 p.m., members of the Parent and Family Association (PAFA) Advisory Council, along with faculty and staff at the University, will be contacting parents of our first-year students on the St. Paul campus and parents of our Associate of Arts students on the Minneapolis campus.

We want to check in with you to see how well the University is meeting the needs of your student and to see how the experience is going for you. We appreciate and value the parents' perspective.

The information we gather will be used to improve programs and address any issues of concern. We will provide a summary of what we learn in a future issue of Parent Update.

Thanks in advance for your responses. We're looking forward to talking with with you on Dec. 1.

January courses for your student to consider

Although many students elect to work during January, a number of students will use this time to conduct an internship, study abroad or enroll in a course. Students who enroll in a course may do so to catch up on academic credits or to stay focused on academics during the extended break.

Students on the Minneapolis campus may choose a range of courses offered both online and on-campus. In addition to Exercise Science courses, St. Paul students may want to consider the following:

Personal Financial Fitness, INDI 2992. 2 credits, January 3-27, (M/W, 9 a.m.-12 noon)
In this course, students will learn practical, lifelong skills of budgeting, developing savings plan, identifying and setting financial goals, organizing and creating a personal financial filing system, understanding credit report and ways to improve one's credit score, understanding insurance and much more.

Career Development for Women, INDI 2000, January 3-27, 2 credits (M/W, 9 a.m.-12 noon)
This course is especially encouraged for students who are still deciding on a major or who want confirmation about their academic major. Students will assess their values, interests and skills as related to potential academic majors and careers. Interest assessments include the Strong Interest Inventory as well as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Students will learn about internships, write a resume and learn important life skills about a job search.

Applied Trigonometry, Math 2992, January 3-27, 2 credits (TWR, 9-11:15 a.m.)
This course will cover topics such as right triangle and unit circle trigonometry, trigonometry identities, solving trigonometric equations, vectors, cross product, dot product and other vector mathematics. The course will also make connections to applications of trigonometry in physics and other mathematics courses. This course is recommended for the student who has not had trigonometry in high school or the student who needs to review trigonometry before taking a physics or calculus course.

See the Registrar's home page for more detail: http://minerva.stkate.edu/offices/administrative/studrecord.nsf

You are invited: 2010 Annual Charity Ball

It's the season to celebrate! Please join us for the annual Charity Ball event, where St. Kate's students raise money for Sara's Oasis for Women.

This event takes place on Friday, Dec. 10, starting at 7 p.m. in Rauenhorst Hall, Coeur de Catherine (CdC). We invite St. Kate's parent and family members to donate themed gift baskets, gift cards or services for the silent auction and door prize drawings. Silent auction donations can be delievered to the Student Center and Activities offices, CdC 270, by Wednesday, Dec. 8.

The Charity Ball is a festive, semi-formal social event, and all students and parents are welcome. View this welcoming invitation from the student chairs: Cristie Young and Janelle Taggert. Contact Brigette Marty with questions: studentcenter@stkate.edu or 651.690-6213.

Home for the holidays: Tips for parents by Heide Malat, Director of Counseling Center

This is the time of year when first-year students are making plans for Christmas break. Many students who live on campus will choose to spend the six-week break living at home.

If this is the case for your family, it will be important to talk ahead of time about expectations. Why? Because your daughter most likely has evolved into a slightly different person since she left your home four months ago. She has had many opportunities to grow intellectually, socially and personally. She has been practicing her independence skills and has developed a lifestyle that involves more personal freedom.

Because of these changes, you may each have different ideas about how she will fit back into your home and family life. If you both want things to go smoothly over the break, it will be important for you to talk with her ahead of time about how your family can recognize and honor those changes while asking her to respect family rules. Effective communication and building an atmosphere of mutual respect are key to enjoying your holiday break.

The December page of the Parent & Family Association Resource Calendar contains some wonderful suggestions for parents who are welcoming their daughters home for Christmas break. I am listing them here as a reminder. I hope you and your daughter’s break is filled with joy, laughter and lots of opportunities to relax and reconnect.

HOW TO ENJOY THE HOLIDAY BREAK
* Your student most likely will expect to find everything just as she left it.
* She will want parents and family members to notice and respect that she has changed and become more independent.
* She might be trying out new things like hair styles, clothing or body art.
* Stay calm and keep communication lines open by talking and really listening.
* Be ready to compromise on details.
* Recognize that changes are important to your student's development.
* Keep your sense of humor and find a balance about expectations.
Source: Letting Go: A Parent's Guide to Understanding the College Years

Residence Hall holiday closings

Happy Holidays from Residence Life
The end of the semester is quickly approaching. If your student lives on campus, please review the following information.

• The residence halls, with the exception of Alberta and Georgia Apartments, close at 10 a.m. on Friday, December 17. If your student needs to stay on campus at any time during the December break (Dec. 17-Jan. 2), she must complete the Break Housing Request Form. This form is available on our internal website, and your student will receive a link to the form via email on November 30. Forms are due by December 10.

• Students who are not approved for break stay will not have access to their living space between Dec. 17 and Jan. 2. Although your student does not need to pack all her belongings, she should bring the items she’ll need while away on break.

• The residence halls re-open on Sunday, Jan. 2, at noon. Residents can stay in their room during the January term, even if they are not enrolled in a January class. If it’s mid-January and you’re ready to send your student back to campus, she’s welcome to return to her room; no prior arrangements need to be made with us.

• Winter semester begins on Monday, January 31.

Also
There is no charge to stay on campus for both December break and J-Term. However, all dining areas are closed during December break, and hours are limited in January. Fall meal points may be used until Jan. 13. Winter meal plan points will be active on Jan. 14.

We truly hope your student enjoyed living on campus this semester, and we look forward to her return and another fantastic semester in 2011.

Did you know? PAFA resource website

Did you know that the Parent and Family Association (PAFA) has its very own website? This site is full of helpful information for parents.

Check out our 2010-2011 PAFA Speaker Series events, listed under the "events" link on the left-hand side of the page.

Of special note: Our fall speaker Nathan Dungan's talk, From Allowances to Financial Independence, can be viewed via podcast here. If you missed seeing him in person, be sure to view this engaging and informative presentation.

To view this website: Start at the St. Kate's home page, scroll to the bottom of the page and link to "Parents/Families."

We always are interested in your feedback. If you have suggestions for what you would like to see included in this website, contact Ellen Richter-Norgel via e-mail at erichter-norgel@stkate.edu or by phone at 651.690-8730.

Crime Alert from the St. Paul Dept. of Public Safety

To Parents and Family members,

We wanted to update you on a couple of recent incidents that have occurred on the St. Paul campus.  The safety of our students is a number one priority for us.  The following announcement was posted this weekend to entire campus community on the Daily Update and a “crime alert” email was sent to all residents as well as posted on buildings throughout campus.  Students have been reminded to visit the internal Public Safety website and follow the suggestions for Crime Prevention Tips.  Notices include what to do if a student encounters suspicious activity. The complete crime alert notice can be viewed at the end of this email by following the link.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Public Safety at 651.690-8888.

The Department of Public Safety would like to inform the St. Catherine University community of three recent reports of men trying to lure St. Kate’s students.

Two incidents occurred off campus in the area of Randolph and Fairview. In the first incident, the student was asked questions about St. Kate’s and was followed. In the second incident, the student was asked if she would come with the suspect to have her pictures taken. In the third case, the student was on campus by the tennis courts and the men asked her to come with them to have some fun. In the last two cases, one man tried to grab the student's arm, but she pulled away and ran.



The descriptions are: 1st Incident: Caucasian male, 6’2”, late 20’s, athletic build, short (shaved head but grown out) dark hair, facial hair, dark raincoat; 2nd Incident: Short, Asian male, jeans; 3rd Incident: First Suspect—White male, 6’3”, buff build, average hair length, baggy sweatshirt, dark jeans; Second Suspect—White male, 5’11” 5’10” – 5’11”, white male, skinny baggy sweatshirt, blue jeans.



1) Make sure you're not alone. If you're leaving campus early in the morning or during the night, try to find a friend who will accompany you.



2) Be aware of your surroundings. Exercise the same caution you would when traversing any isolated city street during odd hours.



St. Catherine University believes that descriptors alone are not a valid reason to profile or cast suspicion on any individual. They are included here because they may reasonably assist in identifying the perpetrator of this incident.



For safety tips and steps to visit Public Safety or contact directly at x8888. Note: Tghe Public Safety Website is only available to St. Kate's staff and Students.

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