Parents as Partners: The What, Why, and How of Designing an Effective Parent Orientation Program

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Parents as Partners The What, Why, and
How of Designing an Effective Parent Orientation
Program
Presented by Katie Granholm, M.S. University of
Minnesota, Twin Cities granh013_at_umn.edu
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Todays Students

• Todays students are
• Respectful of social conventions institutions
  authority oriented
• Financially dependent on their parents
• Close to their parents
• Initiating communication with parents parents
  are their best advisers
• Savvy in technologyand use it all the time

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Todays Parents

• Todays parents are
• Accustomed to guiding their students activities
• In close contact with their students
• Frequently college grads themselves
• Experienced in changing institutions
• Technologically savvy

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College Costs

• Rising college costs
• Families finance the cost of a college education.
• GenX parents are a consumer-drive generation-
  have options, used to shopping around for best
  value.
• Parents expect a high return on investment.

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Parent and Student Relationship

• 70 of students say they communicate with their
  parents very often. (National Survey of Student
  Engagement, 2007)
• Most students perceive their parents involvement
  to be just right. (Higher Education Research
  Institute, 2008)
• Students who frequently communicate with their
  parents and follow their advice are more likely
  to participate in college activities and are more
  satisfied with the college experience. (National
  Survey of Student Engagement, 2007)
• A healthy student-parent relationship is
  positively linked to overall college adjustment,
  including academic achievement and affective
  health, and these issues are all clearly
  demonstrated factors in student retention.
  (Austin, 2003, p. 138)

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Views on Parental Involvement

• Effectiveness of letting go messages
• Helicopter Parents
• Stereotypes and realities
• Parents as partners

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Parents Role in the Transition Process

• Changes over time
• Parents role during the senior summer
• Parents role in first-year student success
• Parents role long-term

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Who Works with Parents

• Admissions
• Orientation
• New Student Programs
• Financial aid
• Housing.

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What is the Role of Parent Orientation?

• In the absence of meaningful connections on
  campus, students will turn to parents for advice
  and guidance.
• Familiarize parents with the resources available
  to new students and parents
• Educate parents on issues related to student
  development and the adjustment process
• Acknowledge the adjustment process that exists
  for parents/family members
• Build an affinity with the University need for
  parents to feel connected to the institution

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Best Practices in Parent Orientation

• Benchmark programs successfully achieve balance
  with the following goals
• Educating parents on first year academic and
  social transition issues
• Identifying that consistent, trustful, and
  respectful communication helps with separation
  issues and supports attitudes and motivations
  helping students meet expectations
• Parental encouragement and interest with student
  experiences helps them optimize college
  opportunities
• Providing information on programs and services
  helpful to learning. (Hatch, 2004. p.44 )

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What makes Parent Orientation Effective?

• Clear Goals and Objectives
• Collaboration
• Institutional Commitment
• Based on assessment of parent, student, and
  institutional needs
• Assessment and feedback are shared

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Questions to Consider

• When developing a parent orientation schedule,
  ask
• What do parents need to know about the college
  experience?
• What support do your students need from their
  parents during their transition?
• What information do parents need to know in order
  for their students to be successful here?
• What are parents most concerned about at the time
  of orientation?
• How do we want parents to be involved in the
  college transition process?

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Needs of Parents at the Time of Transition

Changing Relationships
Academics
Safety and Wellbeing
Finances
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Needs Assessment

• Institutional Feedback
• What are your partner departments telling you?
• Survey of Parents
• Predict their students adjustment to college
  life issues
• Main anxieties and concerns at this time
• Survey of Students
• What role does your parent play in your
  transition into college life?
• How can your parent better support you?
• Parent and Student surveys can be conducted
  before on-campus orientation, at admissions
  visits, by mail or email, at or following
  on-campus orientation.

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Additional Considerations

• Key Players
• Program Design Logistics
• Program Content
• Implementation
• Determining Success

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Key Players

• Who has a stake in Parent Orientation?
• What key departments provide services related to
  parents concerns, anxieties, questions, and also
  provide timely and relevant information?
• Who can be most helpful in getting your program
  off the ground?
• Your office, parents, college/academic
  constituents, departmental partners, sponsors,
  others?

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Program Design Logistics

• What are your desired outcomes?
• What is the ideal format for your program?
• Time-frame program concurrent to student
  orientation or separate
• Weekday vs Weekend program
• Budget
• Space

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Program Content

• Health, Safety and Wellbeing
• Residence Life or Commuting Information
• Campus Tour
• Academic and Social Support Resources
• Financial Resources
• Academic Expectations, Requirements Policies
• Faculty/Staff Interaction
• Campus Involvement
• Freshmen Seminars or Extended Orientation
  Programs
• Student Development Transitional Issues
• Interaction with other Parents

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Implementation

• Staffing and oversight
• Presenters/Facilitators
• Consistency Reliability
• Dynamic presentation style
• Relevancy
• Program Format
• May depend on space time considerations
• Passive vs. active programs
• Interaction with other parents, students, staff
• Promotion Marketing

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Program Evaluation Assessment

• How will you determine success?
• Accomplishment of learning objectives, active
  participation, attendance?
• Program Evaluation
• Go beyond demographic and satisfaction based
  questions.
• Eg After attending Parent Orientation, I have a
  better understanding of the student experience
  and resources available at the University.
• Post-Orientation Follow-up
• Web polls, online survey, focus groups

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Overview of U of M Parent Orientation Program

• Program for the parents/guests of incoming
  freshmen and transfer students
• Concurrent with student program
• Saturday program option
• Costs
• Freshmen 25 (advance registration) 35
  (on-site) 25 evening program
• Transfer No charge
• Promotion and Communication

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Learning Objectives

• By participating in Parent Orientation, parents
  will
• Have a better understanding of the U of M student
  experience and the resources available to
  students and parents.
• Feel more connected to the University.
• Feel better able to support their student and
  empower him/her to take responsibility while
  enrolled at the University.
• Understand the academic expectations of their
  student.

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Parent Orientation Schedule

• 830-1030 Optional Morning Activities (with
  student)
• 1030-1050 University Welcome (with student)
• 1050-1105 Overview of Parent Orientation
• 1110-1145 One Stop Student Services (financial
  aid, billing, registrar)
• 1150-1220 Health Safety
• 1220-115 Lunch
• 130-220 College Meeting
• 235-255 Break
• 255-340 Housing/The Commuting Life
• 350-405 Pieces of the Puzzle Campus Life
  Issues Preview
• 405-430 Coaching Your Student
• 450-515 U Card/ Reconnect with Student

Changing Relationships
Academics
Safety and Wellbeing
Finances
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Lessons Learned

• After participating in Parent Orientation,
• 98 report feeling better prepared to assist
  their student in his/her transition into the
  University.
• 98 report having a better understanding of the
  student experience and the resources available.
• 96 report feeling more connected to the
  University.
• 78 of parents understand what is expected of
  their academically.

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Lessons Learned

• Parents who did not attend Parent Orientation
• Are less satisfied with universitys
  communications, services, and programs
• Feel less connected to the university community
• Visit student in person more often
• 53.8 of non-PO parents visit one or more times a
  month
• 31 or PO parents visit one or more times a month

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Filling in the Gaps

• Underserved Populations
• Parents of commuters
• Parents of transfer students
• Parents of first generation college students
• Parents of students with disabilities
• Non-Traditional parents single, guardians,
  foster
• Parents of students of color
• Parents of high-need students

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Orientation Groundwork for the College Years

• Consistency in message and policy
• Clarified expectations
• What comes next?

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Tips for Success

• Consistency in tone and messaging
• Address first-fears first
• Listen to your audience
• Draw on your resources

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Next Steps

• Find out what parents need
• Find out what the institution needs
• Pull together your campus partners to begin the
  discussion
• Decide what is realistic and take action!

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Additional Resources

• University of Minnesota- Orientation First-Year
  Programs www.ofyp.umn.edu
• U of M Parent Program www.parent.umn.edu
• Colorado State University Parent Orientation
  Schedule http//www.orientation.colostate.edu/pre
  view/familyschedule.cfm
• University of Michigan- Ann Arbor Parent
  Orientation http//www.onsp.umich.edu/parents_fam
  ily/orientation.html
• NODA FYE Parent Guide Empowering Parents of
  First-Year College Students A Guide for Success
  http//www.nodaweb.org/about/publications/parentha
  ndbook.html
• Administrations Promoting Parent Involvement-
  Annual March Conference in Boston- contact
  S.Brown_at_neu.edu.
• NODA Parent Family Network http//www.nodaweb.o
  rg/networks/parentfamily.html

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References

• Austin, D. (2003). The role of family influence
  on student success. In Ward-Roof, J. Hatch, C.,
  Designing successful transitions A guide for
  orienting students to college. Columbia, SC The
  National Resource Center for the First-Year
  Experience and Students in Transition.
• Hatch, C. (2004) Parent and Family Orientation.
  In Fabich, M.J., Orientation Planning Manual
  2004 Edition. National Orientation Directors
  Association.
• Higher Education Research Institute. (2008). The
  American freshman National norms for fall 2007.
  Retrieved February 9, 2009, from
  http//www.gseis.ucla.edu/heri/PDFs/pubs/briefs/br
  ief-012408-07FreshmanNorms.pdf
• National Survey of Student Engagement. (2007).
  Experiences that matter Enhancing student
  learning and success. Retrieved February 9, 2009,
  from http//nsse.iub.edu/NSSE_2007_Annual_Report/