A letter from Parents Association President Susan Beck Bates - Parent Times







Winter 2009-10 IN THIS ISSUE Working class: Student employees pick up more than a paycheck Mason: Tackling challenges ahead continues to be a team effort Degree by design: Interdepartmental Studies Program allows students to fine-tune majors A letter from Parent Association Board President Sue Beck Bates All the extras: University initiative aims to engage students outside the classroom Community centered: New program organizes students for volunteer projects It's time to start thinking about your student's 2010 housing needs Why live on campus? Compare the costs UISG president: Opportunities abound for Iowa undergrads Mom and Dad of the Year Accurate census data important for school funding, loan programs A snowy day Important dates University calendar

A letter from Parents Association President Susan Beck Bates

Greetings again from the Parents Association Advisory Board. And it is always great to be a Hawkeye! Truth be told, I am writing this column in early November and the Iowa football team is sitting on a 9–0 record and on the front cover of Sports Illustrated. Go Hawks!

The beauty of The University of Iowa goes well beyond our athletics programs, superb academic programs, and wonderful facilities; it’s a campus beauty that includes everyone coming together to provide a top-notch education and experience for all students. That honesty, pride, and hard-work ethic are great characteristics of The University of Iowa and are part of what makes me proud to be an alumna.

A benefit of being an advisory board member is hearing from various UI spokespeople such as President Sally Mason, Tom Rocklin, Chuck Green, and countless others. Their sincerity and dedication to our students makes me certain that our children’s decision to attend this wonderful institution was the right one.

This issue of Parent Times references the Pick One campaign and the benefits of student employment. Pick One is a subject near and dear to my heart. Both of our children, who are first-year students at Iowa, chose STAT (Students Today, Alumni Tomorrow) as their starting points with Pick One. The program helps students make friends and discover new interests and skills. To date, STAT has proven to be a success.

This is a good time of year for an academic assessment with your student—it’s helpful for parents and students to talk about and plan the next phase of the student’s academic career. It also is the time to make living arrangements for next year. To return to the residence halls, students must reapply by Feb. 5; for details, check out http://housing.uiowa.edu/departments/housing/sas.htm.

If you visit your student in Iowa City this winter, keep in mind that there are many events to enjoy on campus—Dance Marathon, basketball games, and various cultural arts programs, just to name a few. See the University web site, www.uiowa.edu, for event updates and locations.

Also, please visit our web site at www.uiowa.edu/~parent or contact the on-campus liaison Belinda Marner at parents-association@uiowa.edu or 319-335-3557 to let us know how we can help you.

Best regards to each of you. On Iowa! Go Hawks!

Susan Beck Bates (BA ’77)

In Memoriam: Joseph “Joe” Alemao, 55, of Cedar Falls, Iowa, died Oct. 1. He and his wife, Luann, have been members of the University of Iowa Parents Association Advisory Board since 2006. Joe is survived by his wife and also his son, Andrew, an Iowa senior. We would like to express our most sincere condolences to Luann and Andrew and their extended family. Joe was an active member of our board and most valued for his contributions. We will miss Joe and his ever-present smile and spirit.