• News and Deadlines
  • Seeking Parent Feedback
  • Solar Eclipse
  • 2024 Commencement Cermonies
    
  • Get in the Game Athletics Campaign
• Let’s Talk About It…
  • Academics—Time Management Tips
  • Campus Engagement—Spirituality and Religious Life
  • Campus Living—Dining Locations
  • Wellness—BakerFIT
• Information and Updates
  • Lost and Found Procedure
  • Emergency and Family Contact Information
  • FERPA Reminder
  • RIT Neurodiverse Hiring Initiative
  • Parent Poll
  • Featured Photo

It’s extra quiet on campus this week as your students enjoy Spring Break. The time between Spring Break and finals is always the busiest on campus as we wrap up the year. There is so much to look forward to this spring, including the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of being in the path of totality for the upcoming solar eclipse! 

Seeking Parent Feedback
The Parent and Family Programs office seeks your input as we assess our services and plan for future communications and programming for families of RIT students. Please take a moment to respond to our 2024 RIT Parent Survey. Your responses will help us better understand how you use family resources to support your student. This survey will close on March 29.

If you have multiple students at RIT, please respond with the youngest in mind.

Solar Eclipse
On April 8, Rochester will be in the path of totality for the solar eclipse−offering a view of the sun as it becomes totally obscured by the moon. Campus will be open on this day. Faculty members have been asked to use their discretion in managing their classes, including the option to transition to online formats, reschedule, or cancel classes, particularly those taking place between 2-5 p.m., to allow students to go outside and experience this once-in-a-lifetime event. 

RIT has purchased one pair of certified solar glasses for every student and employee on campus. Solar glasses will be distributed across campus in late March or early April; more information will be shared with students about the glasses distribution plan. Encourage your student to attend RIT Eclipse Fest, a student-only celebration of this once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon. Activities like glow dodgeball, a neon dance party, space-themed crafts, and food will be offered in the Gordon Field House and Activities Center and the Hale-Andrews Student Life Center from 2:30-5:30 p.m. Students are encouraged to bring their RIT-provided certified solar glasses to the event to watch the eclipse from designated outdoor viewing areas. A limited number of commemorative RIT Eclipse Fest t-shirts will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Students can register for RIT Eclipse Fest via CampusGroups.

2024 Commencement Ceremonies
The RIT Community is looking forward to celebrating the achievements of the Class of 2024! Commencement will be held on Friday and Saturday, May 10-11. Ceremonies include Friday morning’s Academic Convocation at 10 a.m. in the Gordon Field House and Activities Center, a celebration of graduates from all nine colleges and two degree-granting units, and individual commencement ceremonies on Friday afternoon and Saturday. Please check the commencement schedule to see when your graduate's ceremony will be held. More information can be found on the Commencement website.

Please remind your student to check their RIT email frequently and to follow instructions for applying for graduation (deadline to be included in the Commencement Book: April 1) and ordering their caps and gowns (deadline: March 25 to ensure size availability). These messages can also be found on the FAQs page.

Get in the Game Athletics Campaign
The Get in the Game campaign, March 18-22, supports RIT Athletics through financial gifts in support of RIT's teams. RIT Athletics is committed to providing an outstanding student-centered athletic experience through the relentless pursuit of academic and athletic excellence. In order to support your (or your student's!) favorite RIT team, visit the Get in the Game website to make a gift by March 22. 

Academics—Time Management Tips
Time management is a skill that many college students struggle with, particularly around midterms and finals when assignments and exams are due. Managing time wisely not only makes tasks more approachable, but can decrease feelings of stress and anxiety. Here are some time management tips to share with your student:

• Set goals each morning so you know exactly what needs to be accomplished that day.
• Establish a routine and stick to it.
• Schedule breaks and down time. Participating in activities or working out will help you focus during work time.
• Use time between classes wisely. It can be easy to waste time in between classes by scrolling on your phone or napping, but those hours add up!
• Use a calendar or download a time management app to keep track of all classes, assignments, study times, activities, jobs, etc.
• Create a to-do list. Whether electronic or on paper, the satisfaction of crossing off items can be motivating.

Conversation starters

• How often do you set goals for yourself? Daily? Weekly?
• How do you spend your time when you have a long break between classes?
• What system do you use to keep track of your schedule and appointments? 
• What time of day are you the most productive? 

Campus Engagement—Spirituality and Religious Life
Students come to campus from a variety of religious and spiritual traditions. Many will seek out the support and shared values of the religious community with which they identify while others may explore new traditions and communities. Although it might be difficult for you to see your student explore spirituality and religious expressions different from your own family history, keep in mind that college is a time for your student to learn about the world. Improving religious literacy can often help students deepen their root faith and gain cultural competencies that will serve them well in the workplace and life. 

If your student is seeking a familiar or new religious or spiritual community, direct them to Spirituality and Religious Life. 

Conversation starters

• Have you attended any services this year at RIT?
• Are there any religious/spiritual clubs that seem interesting to you? 
• What have you learned about other religions or cultures this year? 

Campus Life—Dining Locations
Let’s be honest—college dining has a bad reputation, no matter the school. When your student complains to you about dining options on campus, remember that they are likely just venting, and it’s easy to get tired of a place if you are eating there multiple times a week! There are several dining options at RIT, and you can help your student find variety when they’re in a mealtime rut. There are options for a quick coffee break, convenience store needs, grab and go sandwiches, salads, etc., and dining halls that offer a variety of regular and rotating options. On the RIT Dining website, you and your student can find locations, hours, and daily menus. Did you know we even have a registered dietician to help your student navigate health and allergen information and options?

Check out Parent and Family Programs staff experiences with campus dining through our video series Eat Around RIT on our YouTube channel. You can follow RIT Dining on social media on Facebook or Instagram.

Conversation starters

• What is your favorite coffee shop on campus and why?
• What dining locations haven’t you gone to this year? 
• Have you ever tried [insert location here]? 
• Did you know there are visiting chefs from local restaurants on campus weekly? 

Wellness—BakerFIT
RIT provides students with access to three fitness facilities on campus-the Wiedman Fitness Center, our main gym located in the center of campus in the Student Life Center, the smaller Global Village gym on the academic side of campus, and our 24-hour facility, BakerFIT, located on the dorm side of campus. One of the great things about BakerFIT is that students do not even need to go outside to get there! It is housed in the tunnels of Baker Hall, and accessible from the dorms via the tunnel system. This facility has cardio machines, weight machines, a large selection of dumbbells, and a private studio room that can be reserved in advance or on a walk-in basis. The studio room is equipped with a large screen TV that students can use to hook up their laptop and stream a workout class, or just get together with a small group of friends to exercise in the space together. BakerFIT is a perfect place to get in short workout between classes, to hit up in the off hours when the Wiedman Fitness Center is closed, or the perfect place to go if your student prefers a facility with smaller crowds and more privacy!

Conversation Starters:

• Have you had the chance to visit any of the fitness facilities on campus?
• How do you make time in your schedule to get some exercise in?
• Did you know there is a fitness facility located right in the dorms?

Lost and Found
Any student who has lost an item on campus should submit the Report a Lost Item form on the Public Safety website as soon as they realize it is missing. Public Safety will match any lost items they have to the forms submitted and will send an email to students when a match is made. When submitting a form, students should use as much detail as possible to make the match easier (e.g., logos, colors, brands). Students who find missing items on campus should bring them to Public Safety so they can try to match the item to the form. Public Safety does not accept found water bottles or clothing. If a student loses their RIT ID card, they should go to the Registrar's Office.

Emergency and Family Contact Information
Please remind your student to update family and emergency contact information in SIS (Student Information System) by going to www.rit.edu/studentcontact. This official record must be updated by your student and does not impact your email preferences for this newsletter. To change your email address for the Parent Newsletter, please do so on the Parent and Family Programs website. 

FERPA Reminder
Early responses from the RIT Parent Survey indicate some confusion about why parents do not have access to their students' accounts, including billing and financial aid. Student records are protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which governs who has access to students’ educational records. Under this law, students enrolled in a postsecondary institution at any age are in control of their records and must grant access for others, including parents, to view these records. Educational records include academic records, testing data, disciplinary records, and financial information. 

Even if you are paying the bill, your student controls these records, which is why it is important to have open conversations regarding FERPA, your expectations, your student’s responsibilities, and what information your student will release to you.

For more information, including tips and conversation starters, visit the Parent and Family Programs website.

RIT Neurodiverse Hiring Initiative
The RIT Neurodiverse Hiring Initiative (NHI), which is part of the Spectrum Support Program, strengthens the graduation and employment outcomes of neurodiverse students by connecting them with employers who are seeking to diversify their workforce. Parents can support this initiative by talking with students about the job search process, ensuring they have interview attire with them on campus, and opening your networks to NHI. Last January this initiative was featured nationally in the Chronicle of Higher Education for one of the many fantastic resources tailored for the neurodiverse student community at RIT.

Parent Poll
Each month, we ask parents to respond to our Parent Poll and provide feedback on a topic related to RIT, your student, and you. In February, we asked what is the most important thing your student looks for in an RIT education? Most of you (61%) said acquisition of real-world marketable skills; another 25% said a first-rate academic experience. Please take a moment to answer our March question.

Featured Photo
In case you don’t follow the Parent and Family Programs Facebook page, here’s what you’ve missed: we had an unseasonable warm and sunny February!