Assessing the Assessing the Expectations, Concerns, Expectations, Concerns,

& Needs of College & Needs of College Parents & FamiliesParents & Families

Kacee CollardKacee CollardJody DonovanJody DonovanKeith LopezKeith Lopez

Colorado State UniversityColorado State University

CSU Research & Assessment CSU Research & Assessment Symposium Symposium 3.26.083.26.08

Welcome!Welcome!

• IntroductionsIntroductions• A Few QuestionsA Few Questions• Importance of Parents and FamiliesImportance of Parents and Families• Parent/ Family Programs at Four-Year Parent/ Family Programs at Four-Year

InstitutionsInstitutions• Assessing Parents and FamiliesAssessing Parents and Families• What We Found at Colorado StateWhat We Found at Colorado State• Implementing ChangesImplementing Changes• DiscussionDiscussion

A Few Questions…A Few Questions…

• How often do you communicate How often do you communicate with parents and/or family with parents and/or family members?members?

• What are their concerns?What are their concerns?

Profile of Today’s Profile of Today’s Parents & FamiliesParents & Families

22ndnd Annual National Survey on the Annual National Survey on the Current College Parent Experience – Current College Parent Experience – March 2007March 2007

How often do you typically communicate with How often do you typically communicate with your son or daughter while they are at college or your son or daughter while they are at college or university?  university?  

• More than once a day More than once a day 7.9% 7.9% 136 136 • Daily Daily 22.8% 22.8% 393 393 • 2 or 3 times a week2 or 3 times a week 41.8%41.8% 720 720 • About weekly About weekly 22.4% 22.4% 386 386 • 2 or 3 times a month 2 or 3 times a month 4.2% 4.2%

72 72 • About once a month About once a month 0.5%0.5% 8 8 • Less than once a month 0.4% Less than once a month 0.4% 7   7  

17221722

Roughly how often do you or your spouse Roughly how often do you or your spouse initiate the communication with your son initiate the communication with your son or daughter in college?   or daughter in college?  

• 100% of the time 100% of the time 4.0% 4.0% 68 68 • 75% of the time 75% of the time 26.1% 26.1% 449 449 • 50% of the time50% of the time 56.5%56.5% 972 972 • 25% of the time 25% of the time 12.7% 12.7% 218 218 • 0% of the time 0% of the time 0.8% 0.8%

13  13  • 17201720

How would you compare the level of How would you compare the level of involvement/ communication you have involvement/ communication you have with your student to the with your student to the involvement/communications your parents involvement/communications your parents had with you during college?   had with you during college?  

• Much more involvedMuch more involved 43.1%43.1% 741 741 • More involved More involved 28.5% 28.5% 490 490 • About the same About the same 13.6% 13.6% 234 234 • Less involved Less involved 2.7%2.7% 46 46 • Much less involved Much less involved 1.0% 1.0% 17 17 • Not applicable Not applicable 11.1% 11.1% 190  190  

17181718

Powerful Images & AnalogiesPowerful Images & Analogies

Helicopter = HoveringHelicopter = Hovering

Bulldozer = PushingBulldozer = Pushing

Umbrella = CaringUmbrella = Caring

Helicopter, Bulldozer or Helicopter, Bulldozer or Umbrella?Umbrella?

Importance of Importance of Parents & FamiliesParents & Families

• The biggest influence on students The biggest influence on students seeking a college educationseeking a college education

• The biggest influence on retaining The biggest influence on retaining students semester to semesterstudents semester to semester

• The biggest influence on graduationThe biggest influence on graduation• Therefore, it is incredibly important Therefore, it is incredibly important

to partner with parents and to partner with parents and families!families!

Assessing Parents and FamiliesAssessing Parents and Families

• Why Assess Parents & Families?Why Assess Parents & Families?• Assessment MethodologiesAssessment Methodologies

- Student Voice- Student Voice

- - Roundtables on campusRoundtables on campus - RAMFAM Association- RAMFAM Association - Website Polls- Website Polls- Emails, Calls, Visits- Emails, Calls, Visits- Events/Programs- Events/Programs

What We FoundWhat We Found

How Often Do You Communicate With Your Student?

12%

13%

47%

0%

5%3%

20%

Multiple Times A DayOne Time a Day2-4 Times a WeekOnce a WeekTwice a MonthOnce a MonthOther

What We FoundWhat We Found

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Student/ FamilyTransitions

Helping YourStudent Cope

With Challenges

Current Issues inHigher

Education

Campus Safetyand Security

Issues

CommunicatingWith Young

Adults

AvaliableResources on

Campus

The CollegiateExperience

Health Issues forYoung Adults

Other None of TheAbove

Which Topics are of Interest to You as a Parent/ Family Member of a CSU Student? (Check All That Apply)

What We FoundWhat We Found

Please Identify the Format in Which You Would Like to Receive Information Regarding Your Topics of

Interest?

83%

7%

9% 1%

E-mail NewsletterArticles

Sessions Provided DuringRAM Welcome BeforeSchool BeginsSessions During FamilyWeekend/Homecoming

Other Method/ Time

What We FoundWhat We Found• What Type of Relationship would you, as a parent/family What Type of Relationship would you, as a parent/family

member like to have with Colorado State University?member like to have with Colorado State University?

– ““I would like the school to provide I would like the school to provide information that gives parents an idea of information that gives parents an idea of how life on campus is going. If we are how life on campus is going. If we are aware of activities or issues on campus, aware of activities or issues on campus, we could discuss those with our student.”we could discuss those with our student.”

– ““I would like to be kept informed of I would like to be kept informed of campus/student issues, contribute my campus/student issues, contribute my opinions of the student climate, and be opinions of the student climate, and be kept knowledgeable about career kept knowledgeable about career guidance support.”guidance support.”

– ““You have the most precious person I have You have the most precious person I have raised in the world. We are moving this young raised in the world. We are moving this young man from a young adult to a responsible and man from a young adult to a responsible and productive member of society. Let’s not be productive member of society. Let’s not be having a 22 year old teenager at the end of four having a 22 year old teenager at the end of four years.”years.”

– ““We’ve been very pleased with the level of We’ve been very pleased with the level of planning and openness we’ve experienced at planning and openness we’ve experienced at CSU in contrast to the University our other child CSU in contrast to the University our other child attended. Although it hasn’t been necessary, we attended. Although it hasn’t been necessary, we always felt that we would be welcome to contact always felt that we would be welcome to contact faculty or officials if necessary. We felt welcome faculty or officials if necessary. We felt welcome both in person and via email and other both in person and via email and other communications. As out of state parents, this communications. As out of state parents, this has been most important.”has been most important.”

RoundtablesRoundtables

• International Scholar Services & Study International Scholar Services & Study AbroadAbroad

• CSU PDCSU PD• Conflict Resolution & Student Conduct Conflict Resolution & Student Conduct

ServicesServices• Resources for Disabled StudentsResources for Disabled Students• Advocacy OfficesAdvocacy Offices• Lory Student CenterLory Student Center• CSU BookstoreCSU Bookstore

Website PollsWebsite Polls

• What is your student doing over What is your student doing over Winter Break/Spring Break?Winter Break/Spring Break?

• How will you show your student you How will you show your student you love him/her?love him/her?

• What is your student’s favorite care What is your student’s favorite care package item?package item?

• What is your biggest concern about What is your biggest concern about your student at CSU?your student at CSU?

RAMFAM AssociationRAMFAM Association

• Created structure & organizationCreated structure & organization• Wrote their own mission statement & goalsWrote their own mission statement & goals• Developed RAMFAM BrochureDeveloped RAMFAM Brochure• Assist with Parents Fund Allocation & Assist with Parents Fund Allocation &

Fundraising Fundraising • Four Committees:Four Committees:

--Fundraising & DevelopmentFundraising & Development -Programs & -Programs & EventsEvents

-Recruitment & Retention-Recruitment & Retention -Student Issues -Student Issues

Implementing ChangesImplementing Changes• Scheduling (RAM Welcome, Scheduling (RAM Welcome,

Parent/Family Programs)Parent/Family Programs)• Parent & Family Learning OutcomesParent & Family Learning Outcomes• Content for Newsletters, Calendar, Content for Newsletters, Calendar,

& Other Publications& Other Publications• Website DevelopmentWebsite Development• Homecoming/Family Weekend Homecoming/Family Weekend

ProgrammingProgramming• Justification for Staffing & Funding Justification for Staffing & Funding

LevelsLevels• RAMFAM AssociationRAMFAM Association

CSU Parent & Family CSU Parent & Family Learning OutcomesLearning Outcomes

– Understand transition models as they relate to students Understand transition models as they relate to students and family members’ transition experiences when and family members’ transition experiences when students enroll in higher education. students enroll in higher education.

– Become aware of the variety of concerns and behaviors Become aware of the variety of concerns and behaviors related to students transitioning to college and employ related to students transitioning to college and employ developmentally appropriate strategies to effectively developmentally appropriate strategies to effectively support students through this process. support students through this process.

– Support students’ academic endeavors by celebrating Support students’ academic endeavors by celebrating exploring new interest areas, engaging in conversations exploring new interest areas, engaging in conversations about learning, and pursuing life long learning. about learning, and pursuing life long learning.

–

– Learn about Colorado State University’s student Learn about Colorado State University’s student support services, resources and programs, and support services, resources and programs, and empower students to access these services when empower students to access these services when seeking assistance. .seeking assistance. .

– Develop new relationships with their students Develop new relationships with their students that acknowledge and support the that acknowledge and support the developmental process of becoming mature, developmental process of becoming mature, productive, and engaged citizens of a global productive, and engaged citizens of a global society. society.

– Recognize that many students will make Recognize that many students will make mistakes and use poor decision-making while in mistakes and use poor decision-making while in college, and must be held accountable for their college, and must be held accountable for their choices in order to learn how to be more choices in order to learn how to be more successful in the future. successful in the future.

– Balance students’ need to be independent with the Balance students’ need to be independent with the need to contact appropriate campus or community need to contact appropriate campus or community resources if students’ physical or mental health is at resources if students’ physical or mental health is at riskrisk

– Encourage their students to learn about others’ Encourage their students to learn about others’ diverse cultures, values, beliefs, and practices while diverse cultures, values, beliefs, and practices while also exploring their own unique backgrounds and also exploring their own unique backgrounds and ideologies for improved awareness of self and others. ideologies for improved awareness of self and others.

– Develop a positive relationship with Colorado State Develop a positive relationship with Colorado State University through participating in campus events, University through participating in campus events, supporting student involvement, giving to the supporting student involvement, giving to the University through outreach, service or fundraising, University through outreach, service or fundraising, and advocating on behalf of Colorado State at the and advocating on behalf of Colorado State at the local, state, and federal levels. local, state, and federal levels.

Assessing Your ProgramsAssessing Your Programs

• What do parents & families think What do parents & families think about your office, services, about your office, services, programs, and resources?programs, and resources?

• How are you currently assessing How are you currently assessing parents & families?parents & families?

Questions?Questions?

•*Photo Credits: Bill Cotton, Colorado *Photo Credits: Bill Cotton, Colorado State UniversityState University