1. Welcome Parents! W H A T H T A R S T AH T S E C R E N G EASNT H E T H ER L DO R L D . W S AT TS R ER HE HA CH GES WO W .

2. Parent Orientation Purpose: Educate and Answer Assist parents in this transitional time Parents still have an important role Parents are not eliminated from the process Redirect parental involvement Sensitive to cultural differences Source: NACADA webinar, Brian Nossaman, OU W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

3. Welcome to the Cockrell School of Engineering! UT is a nationally recognized university known for its outstanding programs, faculty, students, and alumni. It is the flagship university in the State of Texas! Congratulations on joining the UT Austin family! W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

4. What is engineering? Engineering is essential to our health, happiness and safetyfrom the grandest skyscrapers to microscopic medical devices, it is impossible to imagine life without engineering. W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

5. What do engineers do? Engineers make a world of differencefrom new farming equipment and safer drinking water to electric cars and faster microchips, engineers use their knowledge to improve people's lives in meaningful ways. Engineers are creative problem-solversthey have a vision for how something should work, and are dedicated to making it better, faster or more efficient. Engineers help shape the futurethey use the latest science, tools and technology to bring ideas to life. W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

6. What can you do with an engineering degree? Anything you want!! Work in industry Do research Go to law school, medical school, or other professional school Do graduate work in engineering Become a professor Open your own business Work in public policy, government Join the Peace Corps W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

7. Engineering Departments AEROSPACE ARCHITECTURAL BIOMEDICAL CHEMICAL CIVIL ELECTRICAL & COMPUTER GEOSYSTEMS & HYDROGEOLOGY MECHANICAL PETROLEUM W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

8. Engineering Departments Enrollment for Fall 2009 Undergraduates 5, 675 Undergraduate Men 78% Undergraduate Women 22% Underrepresented Populations 18% Ranked 9th overall in the country W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

9. Our Focus is the Student Student Advisor Parent W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

10. Letting Go is A Process It is important to start thinking about and working toward this process now. Letting your son/daughter begin to problem solve for themselves is critical to their development. Coaching them on what questions to ask is goodasking the questions yourselfnot so good. W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

11. Vocabulary Change Child vs. Student We vs. your student Always yes vs. Sometimes no Access vs. Confidentiality Customer vs. Professional Service Office Source: NACADA webinar, 2009, Brian Nossaman, OU W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

12. Dialogue between Advisors and Parents I will not be able to provide specific information about your student. However, if students are in this particular situation, this is what I would recommend. This is what I need for you to do. Please have your student contact me or come in to see me, because I want to assist him/her with this situation. Student becomes the communicator W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

13. Parental Encouragement 1. Communicating about their progress, experiences and difficulties 2. Support by listening and serving as a sounding board as THEY try to problem-solve 3. Help identify resources Tutoring/study tables Advisors EOE, WEP offices Health/Counseling Center 4. Encourage use of campus resources Source: WEP, Cockrell School W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

14. Student Orientation College Meeting Academic Advising Orientation Advisor SAO Advisor TAMS Advising Honors Advising W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

15. Student Expectations Students are responsible for: their behavioral choices following campus policies academic honesty personal integrity developing healthy study, eating, and sleep habits seeking academic and personal assistance when needed being a positive member of the UT community Source: TLU 2003 W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

16. Common First Year Issues Students struggle with what it actually means to be an engineer Students are flooded with opportunities Students are in constant transition: social issues, academic pressures, emotional growth, time management, and money management Source: WESP, K-State W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

17. Common First-Year Academic Issues Students realize that studying and taking exams in college is VERY DIFFERENT from high school Students are enrolled in a variety of courses designed to lay the foundation for engineering. These courses are Calculus, Chemistry and engineering physics which are given in a large lecture format. Source: WESP, K-State W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

18. Adjusting to UT in Five Stages Source: WESP, K-State W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

19. FERPA Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act Federal Law Protects privacy of student education records Restricts release of information W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

20. Cockrell School of Engineering Student Support Programs Student Affairs Office Engineering Career Assistance Center Office of Student Life Equal Opportunity in Engineering Program Women in Engineering Program Scholarships W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

21. Office of Student Affairs We help students succeed! Advising, resource referral, etc. W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

22. UT Austin (ECAC) ranks #4 for Best Career/Job Placement Services according to the Princeton Review 2009 Best 366 College Rankings Job search counseling Workshops On-campus interviews Online job board Summer internships Co-op Program Extern Program Michael Powell, Director Resource library http://ecac.engr.utexas.edu W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

23. Developing Leaders. Building Community The Office of Student Life seeks to: Provide opportunities outside the classroom for engineering students to develop skills in leadership, teamwork, and communications. Involve students in the life of the Cockrell School of Engineering. Create a sense of community in the Cockrell School. W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

24. Created to recruit & retain African American, Hispanic & Native American engineering students Creates opportunities that encourage students to interact with peers, faculty, alumni & industry Builds a supportive network for advancement Strives to increase the diversity of UT engineering graduates Services are free & open to all http://www.engr.utexas.edu/eoe/ W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

25. Connecting women in engineering to. Peer mentors and faculty Campus and community resources Research, career and volunteer opportunities Industry engineers, recruiters and mentors Through Workshops, seminars, camps and hands-on activities Mentoring programs, online communities, tools and resources W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

26. Academic Learning Communities Free Tutoring in Math, Chemistry, Physics and Engineering intro courses Full time advisor (Jester) All advising services Free drop-in tutoring and study groups 4 days/week 8:3010:30pm (Fall and Spring Semesters) W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

27. GE Supplemental Instruction Courses Offered for Chemistry, Math and Physics Key Program Elements Grading and Class Structure Reasons to Take a GE Course W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

28. Scholarships Currently enrolled engineering students complete the Engineering Scholarship Application by February 1, each year to be considered for scholarship awards and renewals the following year. The Cockrell School also offers scholarships throughout the year from companies, organizations and external groups. The Current Scholarship List changes frequently, so check it often. Most internally awarded corporate scholarships are due each October 1. Remember fill out the FASFA every year! W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

29. Campus Resources: Freshmen Interest Groups (FIG) Key elements 2 courses with FIG group Weekly FIG seminar Why enroll in a FIG? Connect academic and social experience Regular contact with peer and staff advisors Intro to academic resources W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

30. Campus Resources: International Engineering Education (Study Abroad) What is study abroad? Why study abroad? Does it mean graduating late? Is it expensive? W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

31. Campus Resources: Changing Your Major Not all students keep the major they began with! Dont Worry, Be Happy! This is where your advisor comes in to help your student during this process! W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

32. Campus Resources: Getting Involved Encourage your student to participate in various activities and to explore different options during their freshman year! Departmental activities, college organizations and university- wide participation Source: WESP, K-State W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

33. Campus Resources : Will I Need a Computer? The decision to purchase a computer is a personal one. We recommend that you buy a laptop that your student is most comfortable with; either a MAC or PC. It is highly recommended that students purchase their software needs at our Campus Computer Store in the Flawn Academic Center (FAC). Note: For engineering software, Professors will give this information to students if they will need to purchase software for a class. Also all computer labs in engineering have the needed software on their computers. W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

34. Campus Resources: Campus Safety Emergency phones around campus (they are yellow) UT Austins emergency text messaging alert system SURE Walk- Located at the ITS help desk on the first floor of the Flawn Academic Center (FAC) Days: Monday through Thursday Times: 9 p.m. 1 a.m. Behavior Concerns Advice Line (BCAL)- 512-232- 5050 Use good judgment! Be Safe, Texas : http://www.utexas.edu/besafe/ W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

35. Campus Resources: Getting a Job Working on Campus: http://www.hirealonghorn.org/index.ht ml Division of Housing and Foods Texas Union Perry Castanada Library UT Austin Recreational Sports Departmental jobs in your major W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

36. Remember .When your schedule hands you lemons Student schedules will not be ideal during their first semester here. Wait-listing is an option for your student when scheduling a class. Is your student interested in other topics outside engineering? Students are encouraging to get a well- rounded education. If your son or daughter wants to play in the University Band encourage them to do. The undergraduate experience is a once in a lifetime experience. Students should attend their wing meeting and should be the one registering. Engineering staff will be on hand to help your students with registration help. W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

37. Top Questions Parents Should Ask 1. Are you going to class? Skipping class is the #1 reason students fail. 2. Are you studying at least 35 hrs/wk? College is a FULL-TIME job. 3. Are you reviewing the material in each class weekly? Preparing for an exam is easier if you have been reviewing each week. Source: WEP, Cockrell School W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

38. Top Questions Parents Should Ask 4. Have you been to office hours yet? You have to find help; your professor is not going to seek you out. 5. Are you going to tutoring? Its free and a great place to do homework. 6. Have you formed a study group? Studying complex material is more efficient with a study group. Source: WEP, Cockrell School W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

39. By the end of Freshman Year. A resume Gone to an Engineering Career Fair (Fall or Spring semester) Meet with an academic advisor twice during the semester Apply for Engineering and UT Austin scholarships Joined a departmental club or university organization Have a course schedule for Fall 2011 (for summer if taking summer classes) W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

40. What you can do: Join the UT Austin Parents Association To keep parents informed, the organization publishes Texas Parents, the official parent magazine, mailed to all UT Austin parents each fall semester. The Texas Parents Web site, www.texasparents.org, is another important tool parents can use to access information, advice and programs throughout campus W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

41. What you can do: Get involved with P2 (Partnering with Parents) Give us your contact information and we will put you on our mailing list to receive information about campus life and engineering events and how you can support your new Longhorn engineer! Please go to our Parents Page and sign up for our newsletter. W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

42. Future Parent Initiatives Parents Weekend October 15 17, 2010 W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .

43. Any Questions? Please call the Student Affairs Office at 512-471-4321. W H A T S TA R T S H E R E C H A N G E S T H E W O R L D .