Generations - March 2021

A Letter from Parent Council Member Marian Meier

I cannot believe it’s already March! Mid-semester is when many thoughts run through our students’ minds: graduating for some; completing assignments; and for others, putting finishing touches on pieces or performances. Though many of those thoughts are optimistic, there are some students wondering if they will be able to continue their education in the fall.  

With that in mind, the Parent Council would like to remind you of the second annual UArtist Day of Giving on March 23. This year’s donations will go toward scholarships intended to help those who are coming up a little short in meeting their tuition and housing financial obligations. It’s a day of giving back to a community that inspires, creates and fosters the talents of young artists so they can achieve their dreams.  

The members of Parent Council are passionate about the UArts community. They are volunteers who know the true meaning and value of “giving back.” They give their time and talent generously, and I am proud to be a part of this exceptional group. They have shared with me the reasons why they give back, which capture the true essence of the UArtist Day of Giving. 

Kathy Guerin: “Giving to causes I believe in makes me feel like I am contributing to a larger purpose than myself, and that, perhaps, I can make a difference. It makes me feel good to give.” 

Bill Provine: “We actually don’t see it as giving back, as we believe it is a responsibility for us all to support causes that make our communities stronger, whether it’s with our time and talents, financial support or both. Our community is only as strong as its members, and we all need to do our part.”  

Doug Kreitzberg: ”I give to causes that support my passions or make it possible for others to support their passions. I have [given] to UArts to promote its annual Polyphone Festival of New and Emerging Musicals, to help expand and extend the art form partially because of my love of theater. The other reason is that my daughter is a Musical Theater major, and [giving is] my small way of supporting her and keeping up with what’s going on in her program.”

Eric Fisher: “My support centers around educational campaigns that have been developed to provide incremental support that impacts either my alma mater, or universities that my children have or are currently attending. I am most attracted by programs that enable me to specifically assign where my donation will be used. For example, last year, I contributed directly to the UArtist Day of Giving by earmarking my donation to the food pantry program, which serves and provides food assistance to qualifying students who live off campus. My son, who is now in his senior year, has personally benefited from that program several times since his move from the dorms.”

Lynne Sullivan: “John F. Kennedy said, ‘One person can make a difference, and everyone should try.’” Giving back feels good, and I often choose to give to schools. Sometimes my gifts are financial; other times I give my time and volunteer a service. Either way, I like knowing that I am helping others achieve their goals. The money from this year’s UArtist Day of Giving will go to scholarships to help students close the gap on tuition and housing. I plan to donate; I hope others will give, as well.  Individually our gifts may be smaller, but collectively, we have the potential to make the difference between students attending UArts next year or not. Let’s each give what we can.”

Please support this effort and help UArts give our students in need the ability to continue their education, pursue their passions and advance their human creativity.

Warmest regards,
Marian Maier

A Parent’s Guide to Advising & Registration  

Advising and registration for fall 2021 will begin in April! All current students plan and register their fall and summer courses in Student Self Service with the help of their advisors. New incoming students will be registered by their advisors and departments. 

Advising: April 12 – 25, 2021
Registration: April 26 – Sept 10, 2021

This semester, advising begins April 12, and registration begins April 26. Students’ registration start times are assigned based on class level and the number of credits they’ve completed. For example, most rising senior students begin registration on Monday, April 26. Registration is open until Sept. 10, 2021.

Every student is assigned two advisors: one academic advisor from the Advising Center assigned to their school and one faculty advisor from their major program. Students can find their advisors listed in Student Self Service.

Major program advisors and center advisors contact students about advising. Students may reach out to their advisors anytime. 

Summer 2021 courses are already posted, and students can register for them now through July 9.  Summer is a great time for students to catch up, get ahead or spend some extra time learning and earning credits. Courses in Art History, Critical Dialogues, Literature, Psychology, Sociology and Written Composition are available and offered at the special rate of $615 per three-credit course. (Summer courses are not included in the academic year tuition). Classes begin July 7 and end Aug. 17. 

A complete guide to advising, registration and degree planning is available in the university catalogue.

Advising & Registration Steps

• Students review the academic plan for their individual programs and catalogue year. (Academic plans provide a term-by-term recommended course sequence.)
   
• They review their degree progress and course plan in Student Self Service.
   
• Registration or academic record holds are resolved. Some holds prevent students from being
    able to register.
   
• Students plan their schedules for the upcoming term. 
   
• They then schedule to meet with their individual advisors. 
   
• Degree progress and course plans are reviewed by advisors.
   
• Finally, students register for planned course sections on or after their registration appointment time.
   

If your student has questions, encourage them to contact the Advising Center at advising@uarts.edu. 

Fall 2021 Tuition Billing

The fall 2021 billing cycle will begin May 30, 2021, with a deadline of July 8, 2021. Students can view the fall term bill by logging in to the Student Self Service portal. They can also view their semester bill, make a payment or set up a payment plan. Further, they are able to share their student billing accounts with parents or other third parties by granting access to their account.

To grant access to the student billing site

• students should log in to the Student Self Service portal and click the Financial Information tab on the right-hand side.

• they should then select the Manage Payment Plan and Refunds tab, and then proceed to the processor. 

• once their account has loaded, they can select the Add Authorized Party tab. Students then provide the name and email address of the party, who will receive an email with a PIN (personal identification number) to access the account. They can add as many parties as they wish and can cancel that access at any time.

Students/families that plan on using a monthly payment plan can choose from the following plans.

• The five-month plan begins June 10, 2021, and ends Oct. 10, 2021.

• The four-month plan begins July 10, 2021, and ends Oct. 10, 2021.

• The three-month plan begins Aug. 10, 2021 and ends Oct. 10, 2021. 

Note: All payment plans must be current to prevent disruption in a student’s academic schedule. 

Parents applying for a federal Parent PLUS loan for the fall term should complete both a Parent Plus application and a master promissory note at studentaid.gov (if the loan was not included when applying for the fall term). Note: The Department of Education will open the Parent PLUS loan applications at or around April 19, 2021.

The financial aid staff is not permitted to discuss or disclose academic or financial information—which includes, but is not limited to, academic standing, financial aid eligibility, grades, grade-point average, probationary status or scholarship eligibility—to anyone other than the student, except the federal and state agencies responsible for processing the student's financial aid or having authority under FERPA to access such information without the student's written authorization. Students who wish to share any information with parents or third parties must complete a FERPA disclosure form.

FERPA Disclosure Instructions

• Students should visit the UArts portal and log in.

• Once on the portal, they should click the Forms & Requests link, located on the right-hand side. This link will bring them to the Office of the Registrar: Forms and Requests Page.

• On the left-hand side, there will be a list of electronic forms, including the FERPA Consent to Release form; students should complete the data requested.  

• There will be a dropdown box, in which students will need to select Authorize Access to Protected Educational Records. Note: Students can also revoke prior granted access through the dropdown box.

• Students can then check off which records they would like to share and can choose one or as many as they wish.

  • Academic Information

  • Educational Accessibility and Disability Accommodations  

  • Student Billing and Financial Aid

  • Student Conduct

• They will then be able to add a parent or third party to release their information to. Each person they add to their authorizations must include an email address. 

• Once the form is submitted, the parent or third party will be sent an email that includes a PIN number that must  be provided when calling an approved, authorized office.