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Parents

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1. What do you mean you can't tell me my student's grades? I pay the bills!
2. My student is thinking about dropping out of school. What should I do?
3. I am not happy with my student's grades last semester. How can I help?
4. My student tells me everything is "fine." How can I get him/her to share more about the MCC experience?
5. Should my student work while in school?
6. My student is having issues with a roommate. How can I handle this?
7. How can I encourage my student to get more involved in campus activities?
8. What tutoring services are available for MCC students?
9. My son/daughter has tried to contact his/her professor on numerous occasions. Is it OK for me to call for my student?
10. Who can I talk to if my student is having a problem?

PARENT FAQ ANSWERS

1. What do you mean you can't tell me my student's grades? I pay the bills!

Sorry, however due to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, Federal Law 20 U.S.C 1232g, (FERPA) Law, it is illegal for any MCC employee (faculty, staff or work-study student) to share information about your student if he or she is over the age of 18. Thus we are unable to release information about grades, attendance, financial information, health/counseling or disciplinary records, etc. without permission from your student. Students must sign a waiver from each department that he/she is willing for you to get information (contact each department directly – for example: your student would need to sign a waiver at the Registrar's Office for you to have access to academic records or at the Business Office for you to have access to financial and billing records). For more information about FERPA, please contact the Registrar's Office at 785-539-3571.

With regard to grades DURING the semester, the college does not collect grades or course progress information from faculty members until the semester is complete. You should encourage your student to carefully examine the syllabus for every class to see how grades are determined – and to write down EVERY grade on every assignment (as well as any dates that class was missed) on the syllabus to help track his/her own grades during the term. Students have access to most of their course grades and attendance through MCC's learning management system, MCC Online. Any discrepancies should be addressed with the instructor as soon as possible.
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2. My student is thinking about dropping out of school. What should I do?

In the Student Development Office, our mission is to help students stay at MCC. If your student is running into problems, please encourage them to make an appointment in our office so we can sit down and discuss what's going on. Often, students are lost and frustrated, which results in them wanting to give up and discontinue their studies at MCC.

We in the Student Development Office are available Monday-Friday and are more than happy to help the student or refer them to another department or office for additional assistance. We won't let them go that easy!!!

Of course, MCC is not always the right choice for every student. We are happy to help the student determine the root of the problem – and see if we can help. If not, we are happy to work with them on making future arrangements as we can.
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3. I am not happy with my student's grades last semester. How can I help?

If your student did not do well last semester, please encourage him/her to speak to an academic advisor, especially if he/she needs to retake a course. It is important that your student does not “self advise” or take advice from his or her friends. In an effort for them to complete their course requirements and graduate in a timely manner, it is a must that they see their academic advisor once or even twice a semester at the minimum. If your student does not know the name of his/her academic advisor, please encourage him/her to contact the Assistant Registrar or Vice President of Academic Affairs.

MCC also offers some free counseling for students. The Student Development Office can help students find the root of the problem that caused them to not get the grades they wanted – be it lack of motivation, study skills, time management, peer influences, substance abuse, homesickness and more!

Encourage your son or daughter to get a peer mentor to help show them how to be successful in and out of the classroom, form study groups, meet with faculty members during office hours, get tutoring, or take advantage of workshops from time or stress management to test taking and study tips! 
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4. My student tells me everything is "fine." How can I get him/her to share more about the MCC experience?

Students often like to feel independent and feel that if a parent is asking questions, that parent is prying or lacking trust in the student. Of course, we all know this is not the case! During this phase in their lives, it is important that you maintain open lines of communication with your student (easier said than done, right?). Most importantly, they need to speak to their RA's, professors, or other campus officials if they are having any problems in their courses.

5. Should my student work while in school?

If your student must work, we encourage that he or she get an on-campus job. Research shows that students who work part-time ON CAMPUS are the most successful college students (Astin, 1975). Working on-campus will help them meet people who can assist them when they have problems. Campus jobs are also more flexible than off-campus employment, especially when it comes to setting aside time to accommodate their work and school schedules. Part-time work also forces students to manage their time between classes, work, studying, and fun!

Please keep in mind students who work off-campus, especially full-time off-campus, are at the greatest risk to leave school without completing a degree program (Astin, 1975).

If your student must work off campus, be sure he/she takes advantage of tips and resources to help him/her be successful. These students have to work harder than others to complete degrees while juggling work (and often other) commitments.
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6. My student is having issues with a roommate. How can I handle this?

Students who are having problems with a roommate are encouraged to speak to the Residence Hall Supervisor or Resident Assistant (RA). Often, issues are due to miscommunication and can be solved through a mediation session. If that does not work, the Residence Hall Supervisor or RA might recommend a room change. Let's try to work things out before we encourage them to pack up their things and move out. That's not how it works in the real world!

If your student feels he/she is in a dangerous situation, make sure he/she contacts a Residence Hall staff member or the Student Development Office immediately!
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7. How can I encourage my student to get more involved in campus activities?

There is always something going on at MCC. If they are interested in getting involved in an MCC ministry or organization OR even considered starting their own, please encourage them to visit the Student Development Office or the Student Life website at www.mccks.edu/student_life for a list of established activities and leadership opportunities. Ministries and organizations are always looking to get new members – so students should always look for posted fliers regarding meeting times. Most events are FREE and open to ALL MCC students.

Encourage your student to GET INVOLVED in at least one ministry or organization on campus. Research shows that students who are involved with at least one campus ministry or organization are more likely to graduate from that school! Being involved on campus helps students make important connections to the college community (Astin, 1975 and 1993; Hossler, 1984; Tinto, 1993).

Also, students living in the residence halls have a wide range of activities and programs sponsored by the Residence Hall Supervisors and the RA's. If they are unsure about the schedule of events, remind them to look on bulletin boards and contact their RA.
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8. What tutoring services are available for MCC students?

At MCC we want to help your student as much as we can when it comes to understanding their classes and preparing for exams. The mission of MCC's tutoring program is: Students tutoring students to foster understanding, confidence, and success in academics.  The Retention & Learning Skills Coordinator coordinates MCC's tutoring program by facilitating student tutoring for exam preparation and general study assistance in several classes each semester. Student tutoring provides an excellent opportunity to develop one-on-one leadership skills.

Students who have demonstrated academic excellence and receive the recommendation of a faculty member are eligible to serve as Student Tutors. Tutoring schedules are posted around campus a couple of weeks after the beginning of each semester. If you have any questions regarding our tutoring program, please contact the Student Development Office.
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9. My son/daughter has tried to contact his/her professor on numerous occasions. Is it OK for me to call for my student?

As college students, especially first-year students, we encourage students to take a huge initiative in their academic success. Although your son or daughter may truly need and appreciate your help, it's important that they learn the importance of problem solving and dealing with many issues on their own.

The first thing we ask many of the students who visit our office is: How many times did you contact your professor? If a student has given up after one phone call, that's not good. Some of our professors are adjuncts, have another job, and some teach at KSU!

Please encourage your student to not only call the professor, but also send them an email and visit them during their assigned office hours if they are having any problems (office hours are typically on every course syllabus and on the faculty members' office door). It also wouldn't hurt if they leave a message on the professor's voice mail.

If after several attempts they are still unable to get in touch with someone, please encourage them to call or stop by the Student Development Office so we can try to rectify the situation. Faculty members usually won't respond to a parent as they see that as the students' responsibility!
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10. Who can I talk to if my student is having a problem?

Again, we truly encourage students to make that phone call … they need to learn independence (and sometimes consequences). We hope you will encourage them in the right direction so they don't wait until it's too late! Whether it's a financial concern, academic concern or anything that is causing your student difficulty, please let them know they can ALWAYS ask us! Remind them to visit the Student Development Office, call us at 785-539-3571 or email student.life@mccks.edu if they need help with anything throughout their MCC experience.

Also, while we won't help you solve a problem for your student – we are happy to speak with (or email) parents to help give them advice or direction with how to handle a situation. We want all members of our MCC family to be happy and successful.
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