• News and Deadlines
  • Study and Work Abroad Fair
  • Fall University-Wide Career Fair
  • Flu Shots
  • Brick City Homecoming and Family Weekend
  • Insurance Reminder
  • My Bus Home
• Let's Talk About It
  • Academics—Feedback and Alerts
  • Campus Engagement—Visiting Your Student
  • Campus Living—Roommates
  • Wellness—Preparing for an Emergency
• Information and Updates
  • Bern's Closet
  • Religious Holidays Accommodations
  • Essential Study Techniques
  • Into the ROC
  • Parent Poll
  • Featured Photo

Students are back and there's a nip in the air this week...fall is just around the corner! As you can see, there is a lot going on at RIT this month including the Fall Career Fair, Into the ROC, and other opportunities for students to get engaged.

Study and Work Abroad Fair
The Study and Work Abroad Fair will be held on Sept. 15 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. in the Student Alumni Union Lobby and Fireside Lounge. This fair gives students the chance to meet organizations that will jump-start a study abroad experience and learn about opportunities for co-op abroad. Representatives will also be available from each college to help your student best understand program options for their major.  

Students can visit the Study & Work Abroad Fair website for more details about the fair.

Fall University-Wide Career Fair
The Fall Career Fair will be held on Sept. 21. The Career Fair, held in the Gordon Field House, draws a variety of companies, ranging from small tech firms to Fortune 500 companies. Students can prepare using the information and checklist found on the Get Career Fair Ready website.

Flu Shots
RIT is partnering with Wegmans to provide on-campus flu vaccine clinics for RIT students. Flu vaccine clinics will be offered:

• Thursday, Sept. 29, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Student Alumni Union 1829 Room
• Friday, Oct. 7, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Student Alumni Union 1829 Room
• Wednesday, Nov. 9, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Student Alumni Union 1829 Room

If your student’s insurance is not accepted by Wegmans, they can get the vaccine at the Student Health Center for $20. Students must register on the Student Health Center website.

Brick City Homecoming and Family Weekend
Brick City Weekend is on Oct. 14-16. This RIT tradition features events for the whole family:

• An Evening with Dustin Tavella: America's Got Talent season 16 winner Dustin Tavella will perform his magic show.
• No Voice Zone: Experience an RIT tradition and Deaf culture, and learn a few basic signs.
• A Conversation with Seth Meyers: Seth Meyers, comedian and host of Late Night with Seth Meyers, will be the Brick City Weekend and Student Government guest speaker.
• Men's Hockey at Blue Cross Arena: RIT’s Men’s Hockey Team takes on Union in downtown Rochester. Be sure to also check out the free shuttle to downtown from campus. 
• Brick City 5K: Take one last lap around the RIT campus before leaving for the weekend.
• And much more including concerts, fireworks, college programming, athletics, and food trucks! 

Information, events, and registration can be found on the Brick City Weekend website. 

Insurance Reminder
RIT expects all students to have health insurance. Health insurance coverage ensures that your student receives the appropriate medical care in the event of an injury or illness that requires prescription medication, a referral to a specialist, or even hospitalization. Health insurance may be obtained through the university, or through family or individual policies.

If your student will use a family plan, please contact the company to determine what coverage your student has in Rochester, as many companies have limited out-of-network coverage. If your student currently has insurance through a Medicaid based plan, please know that most Medicaid based insurance plans only provide emergency level coverage outside of the area they are issued in. If your student will not be on a family plan, RIT offers a robust student health insurance plan with an expansive provider network across the U.S. and out-of-network benefits. Learn more about health insurance requirements here.

Additionally, there is an elective insurance plan that provides coverage for tuition, fee, and housing charges in the event of an unexpected withdrawal from classes due to an illness or accident.

My Bus Home
My Bus Home arranges round-trip and one-way transportation for all academic breaks in private, fully-insured motor coach buses with restrooms, Wi-Fi, and a DVD player. The buses pick up on campus and go to/from central locations in:

• Plymouth Meeting & Allentown, PA; Bridgewater, NJ  
• NYC; Jericho & Islandia, Long Island  
• White Plains & Albany, NY  
• Ludlow & Newton, MA; Londonderry, NH  
• Mechanicsburg, PA; Elkridge, MD; Arlington, VA  

The estimated round-trip fares are between $199.00 and $249.00 depending on the stop and the number of students who take the bus. A one-way fare is always half of a roundtrip fare. The deadlines to reserve a spot for upcoming breaks are:

• Thanksgiving break: Oct. 21
• Winter break home: Nov. 18
• Winter break return: Dec. 2
• Spring break: Feb. 14
• End of year: April 15

Please sign up at My Bus Home for more information and to reserve seats.

Academics—Feedback and Alerts
This is a common time in the semester for faculty to begin offering feedback to students about course performance. Many, but not all, use the Starfish system, which allows instructors to offer feedback in the form of alerts or kudos. It is also a convenient way for students to schedule an appointment with their advisor. Parents are important supporters of students’ academic success, and you can encourage your student to pay attention to feedback and meet with their advisor and professors as needed.

 Conversation starters

• What types of feedback have you been getting about your coursework? Have you received any Starfish alerts or kudos? Any other communication from instructors?
• Have you talked with your instructor and academic advisor about any recommendations they have for you?
• What strategies are you using to be successful in your classes?
• Where will you seek help if you are struggling in a class?

Campus Engagement—Visiting Your Student
We know you are excited to come back to campus to visit your student this fall. Before you do, however, you should check in to make sure it’s a good time for them. You don’t want to visit during a time when they have a big assignment due or a social event they don’t want to miss! Brick City Weekend is a great time to return and participate in campus events. If they ask you not to visit, don’t take it personally and know they are making their home on campus.

Conversation starters

• What kinds of things do you want to do when we visit?
• What assignments/ exams do you have coming up?
• Do you have plans with your friends over Brick City Weekend? 

Campus Living—Roommates
Meeting a new roommate in August is very exciting for most students. Over time, the novelty can wear off and conflicts can arise. This typically will subside over time as roommates learn how to live with one another. As a parent, you should support your student by listening and helping them think of strategies to handle their roommate relationship, but let them handle their own roommate conflicts or with the help of an RA.

Conversation starters

• How are you and your roommate compromising about how you use your space?
• What do you and your roommate do together for fun?
• What is your RA like? How have you been meeting other people on your floor?

Wellness—Emergency Planning
You don’t want to think of the worst happening to your student, but it’s good to have conversations so that in the event of a wellness-related emergency, you’re all on the same page. Make sure your student understands how to use their insurance, campus resources and who to call in an emergency, and how to support friends and roommates if they need help.

Conversation starters

• Who have you put down as your emergency contact?
• Who would you call if your roommate was too sick to leave the room?
• If you need a prescription, how will you get it filled?

Bern’s Closet
Bern’s Closet is a service through the Center for Leadership & Civic Engagement which provides clothing for RIT community members in need of professional clothing and winter clothing. Items available include suits, dress shirts, blouses, dress pants, jackets, and shoes, as well as winter coats, hats, scarves, and gloves. Bern’s Closet is a great resource for your students who might need clothing to wear to the Career Fair or for interviews.

Bern’s Closet is located within the RIT FoodShare Center at 113 Kimball Drive in the Riverknoll apartments on campus, near Global Village. Appointments are available for sign-up on the Bern’s Closet website and are recommended though walk-ins are welcome.

Religious Holidays Accommodations
Fall is a season of many holidays for those of Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, and Pagan traditions, in addition to many others. These holidays may be important events for your students. Please note that RIT’s attendance policy does not automatically excuse absences for religious reasons, but students can make arrangements with professors ahead of time if they must miss class. For more information about spring holidays, visit the Spirituality and Religious Life page.

Essential Study Techniques
Some students find once the semester starts that their current study habits are not adequate for college success. The Academic Success Center (ASC) is offering Essential Study Techniques, a free course, to help students in this situation. Essential Study Techniques meets twice a week for seven weeks. Classes begin either Sept. 19 or Oct. 13. Students can contact the Academic Success Center for more information and to register for either section. 

Into the ROC
Into the ROC gives students the opportunity to explore the unique challenges, cultural treasures, and diverse communities in the greater-Rochester area. Participants have the opportunity to spend time getting to know Rochester through volunteering, attending unique events, and learning about the people who have historically and presently call Rochester home. Interested students can register on the Center of Leadership and Civic Engagement Campus Groups page.

We recently toured the Erie Canal with Sam Patch Tours and had a blast. Throughout the semester we will be offering a myriad of opportunities for students, including invasive plant removal in Rochester’s old growth forest, increasing equitable food access with Flower City Pickers, and having a great time taking in the sights of sounds of CollegeFest and FringeFest. We cannot wait to see our RIT community there!

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 August, we asked what was your biggest concern regarding your student’s upcoming year at RIT. Your biggest concerns were career/co-op planning (23%), mental health/wellness (20%), and time management/study skills (19%). Please take a moment to answer our September question.

Featured Photo
In case you don’t follow the Parent and Family Programs Facebook page, here’s what you’ve missed: We were excited to continue the tradition of creating a class photo of our newest Tigers during Orientation!