Generations Newsletter January 2023
Letter from the Editor
Dear UArts families,
Welcome back, everyone, and Happy New Year! With a new year comes the opportunity for fresh starts and new inspiration! Soon, the students will be back on campus, generating the creative electricity that makes UArts so special! Be sure to read on for further information about returning to campus.
Over winter break, I came across the December 2022/January 2023 issue of Harper’s Bazaar, which also happened to be the Art Issue. Each page I turned featured a beautiful display of fashion, jewelry design, photography, writing and in this issue, music. When I saw the letter from the editor, Samira Nasr, was titled, “On the Value of Artists,” I read on. There were two thoughts from her letter that stuck with me. She wrote, “The work artists do is vital. They bear the responsibility of telling our truth, helping us understand our own existence and often healing our trauma or giving us hope.” I found these thoughts to be powerful and wanted to share them with you as a community that appreciates the value of artists and their work.
I cannot think of a better way to support UArtists and their work than by donating to the fourth annual UArtist Day of Giving on Feb. 28. Please save the date and consider participating. Gifts can be designated to a specific school or program, to assist UArts’ students in receiving a high-quality arts education.
In this issue, you’ll find information about inclement weather guidelines, enrolling for campus alerts and other important information.
As we begin 2023, I wish our artists new inspirations, new purposes and fresh ideas to continue their vital work!
Respectfully,
Marian Maier
Returning to Campus
The residence halls reopen for returning students on Sunday, Jan. 22, at 8 a.m. Students should remember to bring their keys and ID back to campus with them when they return, in order to access their space. Students may sign in guests to assist them with settling in. Students and families may park in the Juniper, Spruce or Furness parking lots to unload their belongings. Pine residents may pull up to the front of the building for street parking, but someone should stay with the vehicle at all times, as there are no designated parking spaces at Pine Hall. Parking in university lots is limited to 15 minutes to ensure spaces are available for other students who need to move in. Get more information about parking near campus.
Terra Market will open for dinner service on Jan. 22 at 4 p.m., and students with meal plans can begin accessing their meal plan dollars at that time. Normal dining hours will resume on the first day of classes, Jan. 23.
UArts Alerts
In our September edition of Generations, we talked about all the ways we use UArts Alerts. As we move through the winter season, we will use the UArts Alerts system to notify community members of inclement weather closings and delays.
Parents are encouraged to sign up for UArts Alerts. The UArts Alerts system sends notifications about emergency situations at the university, including closings, via email, SMS text message and the portal homepage. Students can add additional phone numbers and emails to receive our alerts. Details on how to sign up for UArts Alerts are listed below.
To sign up for UArts Alerts
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Have your student log in to the UArts portal with their UArts username and password.
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Students can access the link for Emergency Alerts in the left-hand menu.
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Your student will automatically be signed into the UArts Alerts system and directed to the site to register phone number(s) and additional email addresses. When they add phone numbers, they will have to check the text option to receive text messaging. Your student should save their edits when they’re complete.
If your student has any issues accessing the UArts Alerts system, contact the HelpDesk at 215-717-6677 or helpdesk@uarts.edu.
Contacting Campus Resources
University offices have opened again following the winter break for staff. To connect with an office on campus, we encourage you to email. See the contact list at the bottom of this email for a list of offices and email addresses.
Note: All offices will be closed, Monday, Jan. 16, 2023, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Residence halls remain closed. Residential students can return Sunday, Jan. 22, 2023, for move-in. The spring semester starts Monday, Jan. 23, 2023.
View the full academic calendar.
Student Leader Applications
Is your student interested in being hired as a student leader? Campus Life is now accepting applications for resident assistants and first-year guides for the next academic year. These positions are a great way to get involved in the UArts community, learn invaluable leadership skills, and build friendships and connections with fellow student leaders.
Resident assistant (RA) position: The RA position is a one academic year, on-campus leadership opportunity. RAs encourage and support residential students in their academic, social and personal growth, while working to facilitate a safe, caring and inclusive learning community. RAs gain experience in community building, marketing, administrative responsibilities, event planning and more, all with support from Campus Life staff. Not only do our RAs find a lot of value in the skills they learn through the position, but they also enjoy the community they become a part of when they join the RA team. RAs often say that they’ve made some of their best friends at UArts through the position. Learn more about becoming an RA at UArts, including compensation and application details.
Students can also learn more by attending Campus Life’s RA info sessions. Dates and times will be advertised via Campus Life’s weekly email, Keepin’ Up with Campus Life. Applications are due by Feb. 12, 2023.
First-year guide (FYG) position: FYGs are responsible for helping welcome our new students every year at Orientation. They are assigned a group of new students at the start of Orientation, and it is their role to help ensure that these new students feel welcomed and get connected on campus. They reach out to their respective groups throughout the semester and participate in first-year student programming, as well as serve as UArts Day leaders and help make UArts Day a success!
Students can also learn more by attending Campus Life’s FYG info sessions. Dates and times will be advertised via Campus Life’s weekly email, Keepin’ Up with Campus Life. Applications are due by March 1, 2023.
Save the Date: Day of Giving 2023
In March 2022, 921 members of the UArts community came together and raised $253,290 in support of students. This marked an increase of 44.36% over 2021’s totals in the number of donors and an additional $105,313 in funds raised to support students. Thank you for making a difference in the lives of young artists!
Mark your calendars for the fourth annual UArtist Day of Giving, which will be held Feb. 28, 2023. More information will be shared via email leading up to the event. There are several surprises in store for you this year!
Share Your UArts Stories
“We recently attended a UArts School of Music Hip Hop Ensemble concert, held in the Caplan Center for the Performing Arts. The event was free and open to the public. Registration was encouraged but not required. The event experience was facilitated by UArts students, teachers and other support staff sharing collective talents, as well as their unique perspectives, with an active and attentive audience. The performances were all professional, creative, and a lot of fun.” – Vicky and David Kelly
We want to hear about your University of the Arts experiences! Use the form linked below to share your positive stories with fellow parents, families and support systems. Selected stories will be included in upcoming editions of the Generations newsletter and other parent/family communications. Thank you!
Parent and Family Council
The Parent and Family Council is a group of parents and guardians of current UArts students who are dedicated to advancing the university’s educational mission through enrollment efforts, fundraising, and fostering awareness among all parents of the university’s needs and programs.
Welcome to our newest council members!
Joy Allen P '26
Andrew Kleeman P '26
Concetta Mattioni P '26
Elizabeth Rainville P '26
Gia Rosenblum P '26
Eduardo Sanchez P '26
David Timberline P '26
Holly Timberline P '26
To learn more about joining the council, email Andrew Pack, vice president for development and alumni relations, at apack@uarts.edu.
UArts Cares
“The UArts Cares program has been fundamental in supporting my education all four years at school, and I do not think I would have been able to finish my degree without the support. Even in freshman year, I was definitely in over my head and wildly underprepared for some of my more illustration-heavy classes, and they were able to give me a giftcard so that I could go to Blick and get some art supplies. The program has really been a well-needed safety net for me by reducing my mental anxiety of my financial situation.” – Graphic Design ’23 student
Please consider supporting other students with emergent needs through UArts Cares.
uarts.edu/about/donate-now