Extra! Extra! Read all about New Student Enrollment
NSE activities help both parents, students
adapt to trials, tribulations of college life
By Deb McAdams
Editor
his fall, more than 5,000 new
Uni versity ofNebraska-Lincoln
students will begin their edu
cation by learning the ropes—many
with the help of New Student Enroll
ment programs.
Students who are enrolling at a
university for the first time face deci
sions about class schedules, living
arrangements, parking and finances.
The NSE program is designed to help
incoming students make decisions and
settle into university life, said Deb
Dohmen, an NSE coordinator.
Throughout June, NSE will offer
day-long orientations for new students,
including nontraditional and transfer
students, and their families.
Students and their guests will then
follow separate schedules. Students
will take math and language place
ment exams while their families learn
about campus life.
Parents see presentations and get
a general overview of UNL and some
things that students might encoun
ter,” Dohmen said, like incompatible
roommates, illnesses, fears and mon
ey problems.
Family members will be able to
attend information sessions about
housing, health services, safety, fi
nancial aid, and others. They also will
have an opportunity to meet an ad
ministrator from their student’s col
lege.
Students’ families will literally get
a taste of college life if they stay for
lunch. Volunteers from faculty, staff
and administration will accompany
guests to Selleck Quadrangle where
they will have “dorm food” for lunch.
“All food served at NSE is the same
type of food served during the year,"
Dohmen said.
After lunch, family members will
tour the campus before returning to
Wick Alumni Center for a presenta
tion on the transition to college life.
“The presentation is gcareatoward
the separation and changing relation
ship between parents and students,”
Dohmen said.
It will be followed by a panel dis
cussion with orientation leaders, who
are typically students.
“It’s about getting a student’s per
spective,” Dohmen said. “Parents ask
about money, safety and what it’s like
to go to UNL.”
While parents learn about students’
life at UNL, students become a part of
UNL life.
Skits and discussion groups will
cover issues faced by people who are
becoming adults as well as tackling
college. Topics range from time man
agement and goal setting to relation
ships and date rape.
Nontraditiona! students frequently
have questions about childcare and
family housing.
“We know we’re not meeting the
needs of students who are parents,”
said Peg Blake, assistant vice chancel
lor for the Office of Student Affairs.
UNL offers childcare through the
Lincoln YWCA, she said. There is a
waiting list for childcare openings
and for family housing, which con
sists of 80 units on East CamDus.
“We will expand family housing,”
Blake said.
The Office of Student Affairs has
also been working with Family Ser
vices to locate a satellite clinic for its
services on campus.
Nontraditional students must also
learn some of the same processes as
traditional students. Everyone must
enroll for classes.
Advisors from the different colleg
es will be available during NSE regis
tration sessions to help students choose
their classes.
“Every student leaves NSE with a
completed schedule of classes,”
Dohmcn said.
NSE orientation sessions begin
Wednesday, June 8 and continue until
Wednesday, July 6. Some colleges
aren’t represented at each session, so
students should check with the Office
for Student Involvement for an appro
priate schedule.
I A a a
Jason Levkulich/DN
Hitting the Books
Keith Cade, a senior in business administration, studies near the sculpture, Ouramous,
located east of Architecture Hall.
James Mehsling/DN
Association educates parents on university me
From Staff Reports*
The UNL Parents Association helps par
ents stay informed about university
schedules, activities and resources. As
sistant Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Peg
Blake said.
Some parents find it difficult when their kids
leave for college, Blake said. Families can meet
others in the Parents Association who have
gone through the transition of letting go of their
children.
“The separation process begins at New Stu
dent Enrollment,” Blake said.
While parents may be coping with an empty
nest, students may be juggling classes, home
work, extracurricular activities and part-time
jobs.
The Parents Association Handbook offers
tips to help parents encourage their student. The
handbook suggests that parents stay in touch
with students through care packages and phone
calls. It also suggests that parents don’t drop in
on students unannounced.
Some parents may feel they have a right to
their kids’ records, but academic information at
the university level is confidential. According
to the handbook, all student information is
confidential except directory information. Oth
er information can be released only with the
student’s consent. Students may also request
that directory information remain confidential;
The Parents Association can help parents
learn when to respect kids’ privacy and when to
become involved in their lives. The Parents
Association stepped in when the Lincoln Chris
tian Church became active at UNL.
“They were a very fully committed group,”
Blake said of the church, “and they encouraged
members to put the group before the family.”
The church is no longer very active at UNL,
she said.
