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Parent & Family Newsletter

August 2019

Welcome! 

We hope that all of our TCNJ families have had a happy and healthy summer with your students! We are excited to share our first quarterly Parent & Family Newsletter of the 2019-2020 academic year! This edition is filled with information, including tips for a stress-free move in, Health & Wellness resources, tuition insurance details, and much more. We also have important dates and deadlines in this newsletter. Also, be sure to register for the 2019 TCNJ Parent & Family Day taking place on Saturday, September 21, 2019 and check out the tentative schedule below!

Enjoy!

Susie Orecchio, MA, NCC

Director of Administration and Operations, Student Affairs
Coordinator of Parent & Family Programs
Highlights from the Vice President
for Student Affairs 
Dear Parent and Family Members,

I am delighted to welcome you and your students to the 2019-2020 academic year. I know you have many choices in higher education and I want to assure you, your student has made an excellent decision in selecting The College of New Jersey. This is the start of my 20th year at the College and I have witnessed the great talent of our faculty and staff coupled with their commitment to delivering a high quality education to all of our students. Most recently, our talented Physics department was awarded a $250,000 grant. I am confident this year will be equally as fruitful as year's past highlighted by continued growth and development for y(our) students. 
 
In selecting The College of New Jersey, your student has put themselves in a great position to compete for some of the very best opportunities that await them upon graduation. TCNJ recently received its One Year Out survey, a snapshot of what our students do after graduation, and the indicators are promising. In particular, 98% of respondents were employed or attending graduate/professional school within the first year of graduation. We believe post-secondary education is critically important and opens doors that may have otherwise been inaccessible, or minimally, more difficult to breach. So we march forward evermore committed to offering our students an educational experience that is unique, rewarding, and intentional. For more information on what awaits our graduates, take a quick review of a recent article What's next for the class of 2019.

In the Division of Student Affairs, our colleagues are committed to providing students with a balanced experience and therefore will be by your student's side to challenge and support their growth. Surely, our students will be presented with situations that may prove challenging. In some instances, they may not have any idea of how to resolve the issue. We believe that learning how to resolve such challenges in this independent environment stimulates learning and inspires growth and development. However, no student will be completely alone in their growth. There are many resources throughout the campus to assist students along the way, a sample of which can be found within this newsletter under the heading Health & Wellness at Their Fingertips. 

It is also my belief that you are an important part of this experience which is why as parents and family members, you are our extended family; you and your students are welcomed back to campus and I cannot wait to see you during Parent & Family Day on September 21st!
 
Be well...and do well.
 
Go Lions!
 
Sean O. Stallings
Interim Vice President for Student Affairs

Table of Contents
Connect with us across the web for more information and resources! 
TCNJ Parent & Family Resources
TCNJ Parent & Family Resources
Parent & Family Webpage
Parent & Family Webpage
TCNJ Student Affairs
TCNJ Student Affairs
TCNJ Student Affairs
TCNJ Student Affairs
TCNJ Student Affairs
TCNJ Student Affairs
2019 TCNJ Parent & Family Day 
REGISTER NOW!
To check out the tentative schedule and to register, visit the Parent & Family Day website here. We are looking forward to a day of fun on campus with our TCNJ families! 

Submit Your Family Photo
Want a photo of your family showcased during Parent & Family Day? Email a photo of your family or student with a one sentence note to sa@tcnj.edu. We will be creating a slideshow with these images to play during the day! If interested, please send to us your photo and note by Sunday, September 15th.

Call for Participants:
Family Cookie Recipe Competition
Do you have a favorite family cookie recipe you'd like to share? Email your recipe to sa@tcnj.edu to enter into our Family Cookie Recipe Competition! The winner's recipe will be made by our Dining Services team and featured in the Atrium at Eickhoff on Parent & Family Day! If you would like to participate in the competition, please send us your recipe by Tuesday, September 10th. Please note: all cookie recipes must be nut-free.
First Time College Parent/Family Member?

If so, we have a variety of articles on our website focused on transitioning to college for parents and families. Check them out here! 
Tips for a Stress-Free Move In
Department of Residential Education and Housing
Welcome to one of the greatest experiences your student will have at The College of New Jersey: on­ campus living. Whether this is their first time moving in or their second, third, or fourth, there are a few steps they can take to make this process easy for them and for those helping them move in. Below are a few tips on how to make move in as stress free as possible.
  • Make a checklist before your student leaves home to come to TCNJ so they don't forget any important items (cell phone chargers, laptop, school books, etc). Take a look at the housing website for essential items before they pack their entire life into the car. The Residential Education and Housing's checklist can be found here.
  • Speaking of essential items, less is more! When they’re creating their "forget me not" checklist, prioritize items that they need right away versus those that they could bring back to campus on their next trip home.
  • Have them get in touch with their roommates prior to arriving so they can make practical packing decisions before they arrive. They don’t want to end up with two mini fridges, or for each roommate to bring a rug when there is only space for one.
  • Make sure they know their room assignment and have their student ID somewhere handy. They’ll need to present this at check in and losing it on the first day will be a huge inconvenience to them.
  • Stay hydrated! You may be making several trips to and from your vehicle, so remember to keep water handy and take your time when moving things.
  • Finally, it’s okay for them to bring their movie collection or some video games to share with their roommates, but don’t have them bring things that can become a distraction to their roommates or themselves. There are student run organizations on campus for a reason. The more things they bring to play with in their room, the less of campus life they’ll get to experience.
During move in day, don't hesitate to ask questions! Residential Education and Housing staff will be present throughout the day to assist you and your student. Also, be sure to have them save important numbers in their mobile phone and get connected to their residence hall on social media for important updates and upcoming events!
Health & Wellness at Their Fingertips
 Health & Wellness Portfolio
& Dean of Students Office
 
At TCNJ, Health and Wellness matters. We have a variety of offices that support and promote the health and well-being of our students in order to more effectively manage stress, reduce the risk of illness, and positively impact both academics and relationships. Follow this link for a useful summary of programs, services, education and advocacy offered by the Health & Wellness portfolio and Dean of Students Office. 
TCNJ Emergency Alerts
To receive official emergency alerts from the College, your student will need to register you. For more information on how your student can register you and/or other family members, please visit here. 
Authorized User Access
By Scott Sferra
Director of Student Accounts
Pursuant to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) TCNJ student records are private and protected (similar to HIPAA’s protection of medical records). FERPA is a federal law and is the touchstone of student privacy at The College of New Jersey and institutions of higher education throughout the United States. The College may disclose, to an authorized auxiliary party, the education records of a student provided the College has on file consent from the student. TCNJ students may provide that consent directly through PAWS by creating an auxiliary access account in their parent or authorized auxiliary party’s name. By creating an auxiliary account, TCNJ students may authorize the College to allow a designated party to view any or all of the following: Education Records, Financial Aid Award, “To Do” List of Outstanding Documents, and/or View and Pay the Student Bill.  For complete information regarding TCNJ Authorized Users, please go to https://authorizeduser.tcnj.edu/.
Tuition Insurance
By Scott Sferra
Director of Student Accounts
The College of New Jersey has contracted with GradGuard to offer the Tuition Protection Plan. This plan provides valuable protection if your student is unable to complete the semester due to a covered medical reason. This insurance program complements and enhances the college's refund policy.

After the fifth week of classes, the college will not refund out-of-pocket payments to students should they need to take a leave of absence for the semester. The Tuition Protection Plan, if purchased, will cover the out-of-pocket payment (as long as the reason for the leave of absence is covered) after the fifth week until the end of the semester.

The College of New Jersey is not compensated for this program and provides this plan as a valuable student benefit.

If you have any questions or are interested in enrolling, please visit the Student Accounts webpage or call the Tuition Protection Plan specialist at 1-866-724-4384. 
The Benefits of Student Health Services
By Barbara Clark, Nurse Practitioner,
Student Health Services
  • Open Monday – Friday, 8:30 am – 4:00 pm
  • Located on campus in Eickhoff Hall Room 107
  • Staffed by physicians and nurse practitioners who can assess, diagnose and prescribe for your student
  • All TCNJ students are welcome and office visits for illness and injury are FREE
  • Well care services include pap smears and gyn exams, physicals, TB testing, screening for sexually transmitted infections, PrEP, vaccinations and more!
  • Sick visit services include visits for common illnesses and injuries
  • Flu Vaccinations Clinics are September 25th and October 30th, 2019
    • (flu shots are $20 cash; No appointments needed at flu shot clinics)
  • Please have your student carry copies of your insurance and prescription cards
  • Online appointment scheduling is available at tcnj.medicatconnect.com
  • For more information on our services, please visit health.tcnj.edu
  • Follow us on Instagram @TCNJ_Student_Health
TCNJ Athletics Announces Facility Upgrades
By Barry Beal, Assistant Director of Athletics for
Communications and Game Operations 

 

TCNJ Athletics upgraded several facilities over the summer, namely the installation of new turf in Lions Stadium and a new paint job at the tennis facility. George Ackerman Park, home of the TCNJ baseball team, also received a new sound system.
 
“The student-athlete experience is of the highest priority,” said Amanda DeMartino, TCNJ executive director of athletics. ”The majority of time athletes dedicate to pursuing excellence in their respective sports happens within their team's athletic venue, so it's crucial that we continue to make our athletic facilities the best they can be.”
 
The Lions Stadium surface is a new FieldTurf Core system. TCNJ is just the second college in New Jersey to use the surface, following SHI Stadium, home of Rutgers football. The surface is also prominently used in NFL stadiums that also host Major League Soccer teams. Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass., and Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta are two of the most prominent FieldTurf Core users. 
 
The system itself is quite interesting. Many people are familiar with FieldTurf and the little rubber pellets that kick up when a wide receiver drags his feet while making a catch along the sideline. The FieldTurf Core system does utilize that crushed rubber in the middle of a three-layer scheme.
 
The base layer is sand, topped by the crushed rubber. The FieldTurf Core operates with a new top layer called CoolPlay. The name is an apt description of its intended result. CoolPlay used an organic cork infill with the intention of cooling the turf, especially useful during the dog days of August’s preseason camps. It allows the turf to be 30 percent cooler than a regular rubber system.
 
The new turf at Lions Stadium is marked with football and soccer lines, signaling a shift in the homes of several TCNJ teams. The men’s and women’s soccer teams will make Lions Stadium their permanent home, switching from the TCNJ Soccer Complex. That facility will receive a new surface (and a new name) that is field hockey-friendly and will resemble the carpet-like AstroTurf surface. The lacrosse team will also call that stadium its new home in the spring.
 
The tennis courts received a makeover with any imperfections sealed, and a fabric added to allow for expansion and contraction with temperature changes. That will help to prevent any future damage to the courts as the seasons change throughout the course of a year.
 
The court was also repainted in U.S. Open Blue and Green (yep, they’re real colors). The blue inbounds court came to the U.S. Open in 2005 to provide the most contrast with a tennis ball for players and spectators. The change has caught on around the country, and it’s now a feature of the tennis courts at TCNJ.
 
“This has been a very productive summer with the two renovations that will make a world of difference for our student-athletes,” DeMartino said. 
 
The baseball team and its fans will enjoy a new sound system at George Ackerman Park. The six new speakers and new control panel allows Bluetooth connectivity and a pointed, focused sound that will enhance public address announcements and music.
 
The summer’s upgrades follows the college’s recent trend of facilities upgrades. Last fall, the aquatics center reopened with a brand new filtration system, a full drainage system around the deck, and a completely retiled deck.
 
“It is wonderful see the commitment TCNJ has made over the years to keep it as one of the top facilities in the area,” head women’s swimming and diving coach Jennifer Harnett said at the time. “The new deck not only looks amazing, but is much safer with less standing water because of the new drainage system.”
 
Packer Hall, home of the TCNJ basketball and wrestling programs, received updates prior to the 2017-18 academic year. The upgrades included brand new bleachers with seating for more than 1,000 spectators, an updated court design and backlit scorers’ tables. LED lighting will be added to Packer Hall prior to the start of the 2019-20 season.
 
“We've already completed some major projects, but there is much more to do,” DeMartino said. “We are looking forward to a bright future as we continue to upgrade and make enhancements to some of our other facilities.”
TCNJ Dining Services: Navigating Nutrition on Campus
By Puneet Sethi, RDN,
TCNJ Dining Services

TCNJ Dining Services works to accommodate all of our students. For any questions regarding dietary restrictions or additional dietary management, please email Puneet Sethi, RDN, at sdhrd@tcnj.edu.

Also, for tips on mindful eating, you can share this article with your student. 
Significant Dates & Deadlines
  • Move In Day for First Year Students & Transfer Students: Thursday, 8/22
  • Move In Day for Sophomores & Upper-class Students (living in residence halls): Sunday, 8/25
  • Convocation: Monday, 8/26
  • First Day of Class: Tuesday, 8/27
  • Student Involvement Fair: Wednesday, 8/28
  • Labor Day, No Class: Monday, 9/2
  • Follow Monday Schedule: Tuesday, 9/3
  • Parent & Family Day: Saturday, 9/21
  • Fall Break (residence halls open): Monday, 10/7- Tuesday, 10/8
  • Homecoming: Saturday, 10/19
  • Thanksgiving Break (residence halls closed): Wednesday, 11/27 - Friday, 11/29
  • Last Day of Fall Classes (Undergraduate): Friday, 12/6
  • Reading Days: Saturday, 12/7 - Tuesday, 12/10
  • Exam Period: Tuesday, 12/10- Tuesday, 12/13
  • Reading Days Resume: Saturday, 12/14 - Sunday 12/15
  • Exam Period Resumes: Monday, 12/16 - Tuesday, 12/17. 
You can find TCNJ's full academic calendar here. 
TCNJ Barnes & Noble Bookstore
 






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