Parent Resource Center
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It can be a challenge to find the right resources when you need them. Here you can access information on visiting campus, ways you can send a little encouragement to your student and much more. Take a few minutes to explore, we think you'll be glad you did.
Important Updates & Recent Information (Click the links below for more information)
Judging the Credibility of College Honor Societies
Academic Advising and DARS Information
Information on Measures to Improve Campus Safety
Judging the Credibility of College Honor Societies
The following article was published in the Fall 2007 edition of the Tennessee Family Magazine, which was sent to all members. It has been reposted here in response to an increasing number of questions regarding the credibility of honor societies.
Recently, we have received many inquiries from you, our Parents Association members, regarding various honor societies. Although each student must make his/her own decision, we think the following article, adapted from College Parents of America by James A. Boyle, provides insight that might assist you in helping your student determine which honor societies are right for him/her.
We've all seen the bumper stickers. "My child is honor student at fill-in-the-blank middle school." Some of you may have even had the chance to slap one of those bumper stickers on your own car fender. My rising 7th-grader has a couple more years to give me that option. I thought you would find it useful to learn more about college honor societies and how you - and your student - can judge their credibility.
After doing some research, including speaking with officials from various college honor societies, I believe that the single most important criteria in judging the credibility of a society is whether it is an approved member - and therefore meets the high standards - of the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS).
ACHS has created the Honor Society Standards of Excellence. The standards are the best single way to judge the quality of an honor society and, most important, the meeting of those standards is the only way that a society can be approved by ACHS. The standards are available for your review at www.achsnatl.org.
If your student has been invited to join an honor society that has not been certified as meeting the high
standards of ACHS, then you should examine whether it has at least met some of the ACHS-required criteria such as:
-Scholastic requirements (i.e. undergraduate specialized
rank in the upper 35 percent of a class, which converts to about a 3.2
or 3.3 GPA.) Honor societies that promote a minimum 3.0 are more appropriately
labeled "recognition societies," a definition that has been around since
the 1920s. If the rank is among general undergraduate students, then the
eligible student should be in the top 20 percent.
-Governance standards such as membership participation
in setting authority for control of the affairs of the organization, and
selection of officers and board members by the membership.
-Campus chapter activity up to and including the formal
chartering of the chapter by the institution and/or relevant department
of the school, with concurrent approval by the governing body of the national
organization.
-An accessible Web site with information available to
the public on national officers and headquarters staff, as well as national
office mailing and e-mail addresses, along with telephone and fax numbers.
Adam Brown, former President of the UT chapter of Mortar Board National College Senior Honor Society, explains that honor societies are important because, "They recognize some of the best and brightest students on our campus. It really is an honor to be a part of these groups, and it's important to recognize those students who have excelled in their academic, service, or leadership endeavors."
Brown wants parents to understand that "[Not all] honor societies are just a waste of money. They really are out there to recognize students for their grades, leadership, and other accomplishments. They are also active on campus and in the Knoxville community."
For more information about honor societies at the University of Tennessee, please visit the Dean of Students webpage.
Academic Advising and DARS Information
The following article was published in the Summer 2009 edition of the TENNESSEE Family magazine.
With more than 26,000 enrolled students, 8,300 faculty and staff, more than 300 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, and 220 buildings on 550 acres of land, UT Knoxville boasts countless opportunities for academic success. In such a large, bustling environment, students must task themselves with ensuring they meet their academic goals. As a parent, here are a few ways to help your student take responsibility for his or her academic success.
Deciding a major course of study can be a daunting task. With hundreds of choices for majors, minors, concentrations, and collaterals, how is your student to know which one is right for him or her? To start, encourage your student to set academic, career, and personal goals. Students should consider their interests, hobbies, previous coursework, and work experience in establishing their goals. These goals can serve as the catalyst in deciding on a major—or simply which courses to take. There are also on-campus resources like Career Services, the Student Success Center, and academic advisors available to help with goal setting and pursuit.
Once your student has set some goals, remind him or her (and yourself) that goals and choice of major can change. Maybe your student will take a class that will spark an interest and lead to a new major, minor, or career field. Alternately, a class may identify an area in which your student is disinterested. Sometimes “marking things off the list” can be just as beneficial as finding new areas of interest.
Academic program guides serve as great resources for determining how your student’s personal, academic, and career goals may line up with specific majors. In each academic program guide students will find a descriptive definition of the major, career opportunities, salary trends, requirements for the program at UT, special opportunities available in the major, and a sample curriculum. Guides are available to all students through the Department of Undergraduate Academic Programs. Encourage your student to visit www.utk.edu/academics/programs and click on “Major Guides.”
Academic advising is also crucial to the academic planning process. Students who have completed less than 30 hours at UT or who are on academic probation are required to meet with their advisor each semester in order to register for the following semester. Upon completing 30 hours at UT, students are required to be advised only once per academic year. The semester in which a student is advised is determined by the last digit of his or her student ID number. The Office of the University Registrar outlines the advising policy under the “Registration” tab at http://registrar.tennessee.edu, and the Student Success Center contains valuable information about advising at http://studentsuccess.utk.edu.
Dulcie Peccolo, director of Student Services in the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences, says, “Academic advisors on our campus are trained to provide a range of holistic advising services to students. Our goal is to assist students in becoming self-directed, adult learners.” Advising is much more than selecting courses for the next semester; it is an opportunity to develop and evaluate the academic plans that will enable your student to reach his or her goals. Achieving this requires a collaborative effort between the student and the advisor. To ensure that personal and academic needs are met, students will want to articulate their values, goals, and career objectives to their advisor.
You also can encourage your student to access a DARS report often. DARS, short for Degree Audit Reporting System, is an automated system that compares coursework that students have completed with the courses required for their degrees. DARS reports can be run for any major or minor, so they are a great “what if” tool to assist students in exploring other majors and minors. DARS is accessible to students via Circle Park Online at www.cpo.utk.edu. Students also can obtain a DARS report from the Office of the University Registrar, located at 209 Student Services Building, during regular business hours.
While numerous tools are available to aid students in achieving their academic goals, persistence, motivation, and followthrough are necessary for accomplishment. As a parent, you can be armed with knowledge of the resources available at UT to assist students as they achieve their goals and successfully navigate toward their “fUTure.”
Information on Measures to Improve Campus Safety
The University of Tennessee is committed to promoting safety on and around campus for all students, faculty, staff, and guests. Services such as the UT Alert text messaging system, broadcast email communication, emergency blue phones, and UT's new safety website are dedicated to improving safety on and around campus. For more information on UT's safety website, visit http://safety.utk.edu.