September 1, 2010

Family Weekend Registration Closes September 10

Registration for Family Weekend ends one week from Friday, on September 10, 2010 at 5:00 PM. More than 2,400 members of the Tennessee Family are already registered to attend this year's Family Weekend on September 24-26. You won't want to miss this fun-filled weekend in Big Orange Country! The weekend is jam packed with programming, events, tours, and fun for the entire family. There are even still a limited number of spots available in the Parent Wine Tasting Reception and Education Session! Click here to register for Family Weekend.

Also, it's not too late to donate items for the Silent Auction! If you are interested in donating, call our office or click here for more information. We need all items by September 10.

Family Weekend Schedule Available Online

To assist with travel plans for the weekend, you can access a full Family Weekend schedule of events here. Currently, we are finalizing printable documents including parking information and a printable schedule of events. If you have any questions, please call our office at (865) 974-4546. All families registered for Family Weekend by September 10 will receive an email confirmation and additional details regarding the weekend.

'Mountains Beyond Mountains' Author Visits UT Knoxville to Talk to Freshmen

Tracy Kidder, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of this year's Life of the Mind book, "Mountains Beyond Mountains," will visit the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, on Thursday for a lecture and book-signing. The event is open only to university freshmen and will take place at 7:00 PM in the Alumni Memorial Building's Cox Auditorium. Non-freshmen interested in seeing the lecture can view it via webcast. For more information and to view the webcast, click here.

2nd Annual Volunteer and Service Corps Fair

Is your student looking to get involved at UT or seeking ways to continue serving (and get paid) after graduation? Encourage him or her to visit the Volunteer and Service Corps Fair happening Wednesday, September 15, from 2:00-5:00 PM in the UC Ballroom. TeamVOLS and Career Services are offering this chance to explore numerous volunteer and Service Corps opportunities all in one spot. Don't miss out! For questions regarding Service Corps, contact Shawna Hembree at [log in to unmask]. Questions regarding student volunteering? Contact TeamVOLS at [log in to unmask].

Tutoring Options for Students

UT offers students many options for tutoring and academic assistance in select courses. While your student's professor should always be a first stop, there are additional resources available. The Student Success Center (SCC) has two locations on campus to offer students academic assistance, and houses many important resources including the "Tutoring & Study Help" resource on their website. Also, the Office of Minority Student Affairs offers students tutoring in a range of subjects. Finally, many academic departments offer assistance centers such as: the Math Tutorial Center, the Physics Tutorial Center, the Chemistry Tutorial Center, the Language Resource Center, and the Writing Center. For more information on Tutoring options, visit page 21 of your 2010-2011 Parents Association Handbook.

Residence Hall Closures

Throughout the Fall Semester, classes are not held during different holidays and breaks. Fall Break is October 7-10, 2010, Thanksgiving Break is November 25-26, and Winter Break will officially begin on December 10 and end on January 9, 2011. The Residence Halls will remain open during Fall Break and Thanksgiving Break. Halls will close at 5:00 PM on Friday, December 10 for Non-Graduating Students and at 8:00 PM on Saturday, December 11 for Graduating Seniors. The Residence Halls will reopen on Sunday, January 9, 2011 at 1:00 PM. Please refer to the calendar section of your 2010-2011 Parents Association Handbook and Calendar for all dates and information.

Attention: Parents of Students Residing on Campus

If you were on campus for the 2010 Move-In Weekend, University Housing has made it possible for you to give feedback on your moving in experience. They would appreciate any feedback that you could provide to help improve the University Move-In's in the future. Please click here to take the survey.

Nutrition 101

The University of Tennessee Campus Dining has created a monthly feature of different nutritional topics. Nutrition 101 highlights Menus in the Residential Locations, Convenience Stores, and the National Brands. This information serves as a great resource for parents and students. For more information, click here.

Arts and Sciences Pre-Game Showcase

The College of Arts and Sciences continues its Pre-Game Showcase series this week on Saturday, September 4, and will feature Cathy Leach, Professor in the School of Music, and is entitled "Sound the Trumpet! Why This Versatile Instrument Is So Popular." Each presentation is free and open to the public and begins two hours prior to kick-off in the University Center Ballroom. Complimentary light refreshments are provided.

Albrecht to Lead Top 25 Pursuit

Effective September 1, Mary Albrecht, Associate Dean for Academic Programs and Professor in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, will oversee the Top 25 project and serve as associate vice chancellor. Becoming a Top 25 university is a top priority for UT Knoxville, and to make sure the campus stays on task, Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek has appointed a project director to oversee the effort. For more information, click here.

UT College of Law Named a Best Value Law School

The College of Law at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, continues to be recognized nationally for giving students more "bang" for their tuition bucks. The UT College of Law has been selected as a 2010 Top 20 Best Value Law School by PreLaw Magazine, run by the National Jurist, a leading news source in the legal industry. For more information, click here.

Safety Series: Theft Prevention Part III

In continuing the UT Police Department's series of brief articles to Parents Association members dedicated to keeping your child safe at UT, the following are areas we feel important to address with your son or daughter regarding theft prevention:

GOTCHA!!! The UT Police and its safety partners are enacting a 'GOTCHA' program in fall 2010. Through this program, UT Police and safety officials will, among other things, actively seek out unsecured valuable property and leave an information card with the property that identifies that the item could have been easily stolen had they been a thief. The card will also supply resource information for the property owner to reduce their risk for property crime victimization.

Student Gathering Areas There are several areas on campus that students gather for various activities including Hodges Library, TRECS, etc. Some students leave their valuables unsecured in study areas or 'cubbies.' We strongly encourage students not to leave any valuables unsecured.

The UT Knoxville campus is a 'small city' averaging approximately 30,000+ individuals daily. Reporting crimes to the police department immediately, not leaving property unattended or in plain sight, and reporting suspicious activity all have a significant impact on reducing crime on campus. We are not immune to crime; however, if we all do our part we can greatly increase overall safety on campus.

For more information on campus safety, visit http://safety.utk.edu and www.utpolice.org.

THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE OFFICE OF THE PARENTS ASSOCIATION
412 STUDENT SERVICES BUILDING, KNOXVILLE, TN 37996
http://parents.utk.edu  ::  [log in to unmask]

Important Dates

September 1: Last Day to Adjust Hours for Financial Aid Awarding

September 6: Labor Day (No Classes)

September 14: Last Day to Change Fall Meal Plan Option

September 16: Last Day to Drop with a Grade of "W" (First Session Fall Courses)

September 24: Last Day to Drop with a Grade of "WP/WF" (First Session Fall Courses)

September 24-26: Fall Family Weekend

September 28: Career Services Annual Fall Job Fair

October 1: Fall 2010 Deferred Payment Due Date

October 6: First Session Fall Classes End

October 7-8: Fall Break (No Classes)

October 11: Second Session Fall Classes Begin

October 15: Last Day to Add, Change Grading Options, or Drop Without a Grade of "W" (Second Session Fall Courses)

October 19: Last Day to Drop with a Grade of "W" (Full Term Fall Courses)

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Please let us know if you have recently changed, or are planning to change your mailing and/or email address. Just email us at [log in to unmask].