Generations - October 2020

In this issue

A Letter from Parent Council Member Marian Maier
Voting Resources for Students
Emerging Leaders Programs
Midterm Grades & Advising

A Letter from Parent Council Member Marian Maier

As we enter October, I hope your students are adjusting well to their “home-based” dorms, classrooms, study halls, theaters, orchestra pits and studios! This will be a year of interesting memories and many “firsts” for our students and their families. Another big “first” for the students this year is a presidential election! 

How does your student feel about this? Are they excited, nervous or confused about how to cast their vote? I asked Parent Council members how they were supporting their students in their right to vote. 

Lynne responded, “This will be Shannon’s first presidential election. She is home with us, so she will be voting in Maryland. She has requested a mail-in ballot due to COVID but has said she would prefer to take her completed ballot to a voter drop box when they are available. She is eager to vote and understands the importance of voting.” 

Jerry shared, “Our student will be voting in her first presidential election. As a family, we are all living and working together during the pandemic, so we have had the opportunity to discuss the dynamics of the campaigns, watch the debates and plan our voting options for the day of the election, i.e., mail-in or in-person voting. We will vote as a family, and we are prepared for a slow determination of who wins. This expectation of a delayed result as mail-in ballots are counted is one of many scenarios we have discussed in this highly unusual and volatile first election for our student. We are also prepared for other atypical election developments.”

I asked my daughter, Jessica, how she feels about voting and she replied, “It is important to vote, because it is what separates us from other countries. People fought for the right, and it allows you to be part of the process to support the change you want to see.” We live in Pennsylvania, and she prefers to vote in person. I also have a son who’s living on a hybrid campus in Pennsylvania, and he plans to come home to vote.

It is uplifting to see that our students understand the importance of voting and that they are eager to cast their votes. In the unique environment in which we currently live, I wish them a positive first voting experience. I hope they know that they are making a difference; letting their voices be heard; and that by participating in this right, they are truly shaping the future of our country.  

Respectfully,
Marian Maier

Voting Resources for Students

Voting is one of the most important responsibilities we have as U.S. citizens and gives us the opportunity to take part in shaping our communities.

Throughout the fall semester, we have taken steps to inform our students about the importance of voting—highlighting registration deadlines, creating a voting plan, learning how to apply for vote by mail or absentee ballots, how to check polling places, applying to become a poll worker, and learning how to find out what will be on the ballot and how to make informed decisions. We want to help you have these kinds of conversations with your student about why voting is important, whether it’s their first federal election or not. Here are some online resources that can help your student understand the issues on the ballot this November. 

UArts Votes assists students in checking their voter registration, registering to vote and finding their polling place. 

For students and families local to Philadelphia and Pennsylvania, visit the Committee of Seventy’s interactive ballot guide. They have questionnaires filled out by candidates and clear explanations of ballot measures. 

For families living across the U.S., Vote Smart provides free, factual and unbiased information about candidates. 

Vote 411 shows what's on your ballot, allows you to compare candidates and more. 

Our very own UArts Library can also share relevant resources, like e-books and documentaries, with your student about voting rights and more. 

As an institution, we do not want to create any barriers to having student voices heard. Election Day during federal election years, as well as the state of Pennsylvania and the city of Philadelphia general elections, will be observed as university holidays beginning this November. This means classes and all university-sponsored activities will be suspended on Tuesday, Nov. 3. 

Please vote, and talk to your student about their voting plan.

Emerging Leaders Programs

With the transition to remote learning this semester, Campus Life is providing opportunities for our students to connect in consistent and meaningful ways. Therefore, we turned to our highly successful leadership seminars, which not only help students gain newfound confidence and skills in the realm of leadership, but also because students always report that the program makes them feel more deeply connected to the UArts community. The program also gives them chances to collaborate with students across disciplines and majors. 

This fall semester, Campus Life has been running its Emerging Leaders program, an eight-week program open to all UArts students that uses the five practices of exemplary leadership from the Student Leadership Challenge to explore various concepts related to leadership. Through group activities and class discussions, each class aims to be dynamic, social and fun, while building bonds and a sense of community. This semester, 22 students have participated and are set to complete the program by the end of October. 

Campus Life has expanded its leadership series by developing the Social Justice Leadership program. The Social Justice Leadership program is an eight-week experience that empowers students to engage in socially conscious leadership to promote equity and achieve justice. This program follows the Social Action, Leadership and Transformation (SALT) model devised by the National Institute for Transformation and Equity and the National Center for Institutional Equity. Students apply their knowledge of the SALT model through healthy discussions, in-class activities and self-reflection. We proudly welcome 27 participants, ranging from first-year to graduate students in this inaugural class! 

Next month, we will highlight and celebrate the accomplishments of the students who have completed both of these programs. Campus Life will host these programs again in the spring, so if your student is interested in getting involved, let them know to be on the lookout for more information at the end of this semester.

Midterm Grades & Advising

All UArts undergraduate students receive midterm grades. This year, midterm grades will be available beginning Oct. 7, and all midterm grades must be submitted by faculty by Oct. 23. The grades are visible to students as soon as they’re entered, so your student might not see all their posted grades on the same day. They remain posted until they are replaced by final grades at the end of the semester. To access midterm grades, students should log in to Student Self Services using their portal username and password and click Grades. 

Midterm grades do not factor into a student’s term or cumulative GPA. Each course syllabus includes a clear description of how the midterm and final grades will be determined. For a midterm grade to be meaningful, the grade should be based on completed and graded assignments, tests, papers or projects that comprise 30 to 50% of the final course grade. Student participation may also be graded at midterm. If your student has any questions about their midterm grade, they should contact the course instructor.

Academic advising for the fall semester begins Nov. 9, 2020. Your student will be contacted by their academic advisor before that date to schedule a time to discuss their spring 2021. If your student has questions about registration, they should contact the Advising Center at advising@uarts.edu or their academic advisor.