Aggie Quick Connection

What’s Inside:

January 2013

Happy New Year from the Office of New Student and Family Programs! Your students are back on campus, and it is time for a new semester. The spring semester is a great time for students to get involved with organizations here at Texas A&M and we encourage you to talk with your student about their involvement. With Aggie Basketball entering conference play, the opening of baseball season, Big Event, and Parents’ Weekend, the Spring 2013 semester will be full of excitement!

New Student and Family programs recently welcomed 1,000 new transfer and freshmen students for the Spring semester. We are excited to have so many new members of the Aggie Family, and hope they have a great first semester in Aggieland!

Don’t forget to visit the Aggie Family web site for additional updates and helpful resources. You can visit us at http://parents.tamu.edu/. Please feel free to contact the Office of New Student and Family Programs at (979) 845-5826, or email us at aggiefamilies@tamu.edu if you have any questions.

Thanks and Gig ’em!

Howdy!

Like our page at: www.facebook.com/AggieParentsAndFamily to receive campus information and connect with other Aggie Families.

Page 2: Announcements

Page 3: Involvement

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“I love having my college boys home. Even seeing the excess of laundry makes me smile, as it means my nest is full. I know my time with them is rapidly drawing to a close, so these holiday breaks fill my heart.” -- Karen Collins ‘88 mother of Cody ‘12, Connor ‘16 and Christian TAMU Kingsville ‘14.

We asked... “What was the best part of having your student home this break?”

2Aggie Quick Connection January 2013

Finances and AcademicsAnnouncements

Tuition and FeesIf your student is using the installment plan option, the remaining installment deadline dates are 5:00 p.m. on February 8th (second payment), on March 8th (third payment), and 5:00 p.m. on April 8th (final payment.) For additional information about tuition payment and installment plans, please visit the Student Business Services website at http://finance.tamu.edu/sbs/.

If your student is seeking financial assistance for the Fall 2013, Spring 2014, or Summer 2014 semesters, the 2013-2014 FAFSA must be completed. The 2013-2014 FAFSA is now available. Make sure your student’s FAFSA lists Texas A&M University as a school to receive their information electronically. Texas A&M University’s federal school code is 003632. Remember your student must complete all applicable sections and carefully review their information for accuracy.

Your student may complete the FAFSA using the online FAFSA which is located at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. In most cases, the online FAFSA can be received by Texas A&M within one week.

We recommend completing the online FAFSA for quicker results. Remember, the FAFSA must be completed each spring in order for you to receive financial aid for the upcoming academic year. For more information regarding the application process, please visit https://financialaid.tamu.edu/apply/fafsa/application_process.aspx

For information regarding your dependency status, please access the Office of Financial Aid website at https://financialaid.tamu.edu/basics/dependency_status.aspx. For additional questions regarding financial aid, please contact the Financial Aid Office at (979) 845-3236, financialaid@tamu.edu, or https://financialaid.tamu.edu.

Free Application For Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

First Year Grade Exclusion (FYGE) and Q-Drops

1) Students will no longer be able to request First Year Grade Exclusions2) Students will be granted the lesser of: • four Q-drops for coursework taken at Texas A&M University or • a total of 6 drops for undergraduate coursework taken at any state-funded institution of higher education in Texas3) The Q-drop deadline will be extended from the 50th class day to the 60th class day during the fall and spring semesters

Students are encouraged to work with their academic advisors to determine whether or not they wish to use First Year Grade Exclusion and to prepare and submit appropriate paperwork prior to August 23, 2013.

Below is important information on behalf of Dr. Karan Watson, Provost & Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs. Please share these policy changes with your student, as it will affect them.

Previously, students have been able to use First Year Grade Exclusion (FYGE) at any point in their academic career. Current students now have until 5:00 p.m. on Friday, August 23, 2013, to utilize FYGE. Lastsummer, President Loftin enacted changes to student rules governing First Year Grade Exclusions and Q-drops. These changes were initiated by the Student Senate and were reviewed and approved by the Faculty Senate.

Beginning at 5:00 PM, August 23,2013, the following changes to First Year Grade Exclusion and Q-drop policy will occur:

Aggie Quick Connection January 2013 32Aggie Quick Connection January 2013

InvolvementIt Is Never Too Late

New Student and Family Programs houses the Aggie Orientation Leader Program, which welcomes new Aggies to the Texas A&M campus during New Student Conferences. AOLP is currently seeking dedicated TAMU students to serve as Orientation Leaders and work with new students and their families during New Student Conferences. Along with making a positive impact on the lives of thousands of new Aggies, Orientation Leaders have the opportunity to develop transferable skills that will benefit them as student leaders and beyond. AOLP is seeking a group of Orientation Leaders representative of the student body to welcome entering freshmen, transfer students, and their family members.

Aggie Orientation Leader Program (AOLP)

Would your Aggie make a great ambassador for Texas A&M? Then encourage them to check out this fantastic opportunity! Applications and moreinformation regarding the Aggie Orientation Leader Program can be found online at aolp.tamu.edu. Applications are available now at http://aolponline.tamu.edu/ and are due February 1st!

MSC Open HouseMSC Open House will take place this Sunday, January 20th, 2013 from 2-5 p.m. at the Memorial Student Center and is a great way for students to find organizations in which to get involved. With over 400 student organizations represented, students will have an opportunity to search through both professional and leadership organizations that fit their interests. For more information about Open House, visit: http://mscopenhouse.tamu.edu/

Have your students start researching organizations early by visiting the Student Activities’ online database at http://studentactivities.tamu.edu/online/search/index.

Involvement Preview

Big Event: March 23rd

The Big Event provides the students of Texas A&M University with the opportunity to say “Thank You” to the community of Bryan/College Station for their continued support throughout the years. This past year, over 17,500 students volunteered to complete almost 1,650 jobs, performing tasks that range from painting, to yard work, and to cleaning. For information or to sign up, visit: http://bigevent.tamu.edu/

Relay for Life: April 3rd

Relay teams camp out overnight and take turns walking or running around the track. The event is 12 hours in length, and each team is asked to have at least one participant on the track at all times. Aggie Relay For Life works directly with the American Cancer Society office in Bryan, Texas. Money raised goes to support ACS cancer programs and cancer research in the Bryan/College Station area. For more information visit: http://aggierelay.tamu.edu/

Some of Aggieland’s biggest service events are happening this spring. It is a great time for students to get involved and give back. Encourage your students to participate in these events!

Housing

4Aggie Quick Connection January 2013

Decision 2013Housing Decision 2013 is your student’s chance as a returning student to designate where they want to live on campus for Fall 2013 - Spring 2014. This is also where they can tell the Office of Residence Life if they do not plan on living on-campus next year.

Housing Decision 2013 is for all returning students who lived on-campus for the 2012-2013 academic year and runs from January 25th to February 22nd. This is an on-line process only. Students going through Housing Decision 2013 will be notified by their TAMU e-mail account BEFORE April 1st of their fall assignment and roommate (if applicable). Here is the link to apply: http://reslife.tamu.edu/how/ click on Housing Decision 2013 (about middle of the page on the right hand side)—once it opens on January 25th.

Housing Decision 2013

Housing Fair is an event each spring in which off campus properties present information about their amenities to Texas A&M students, faculty and staff. Students can walk around and visit various properties’ tables and gather informational materials, as well as pick up the latest copy of the Off Campus Survival Manual. Local community resources, such as the Bryan and College Station police departments, also sponsor booths to provide additional information pertinent to students living off campus. Housing Fair 2013 will take place on February 20th 10:00 am-2:00 pm. in the 2nd floor Bethancourt Ballroom in the MSC. For more information, visit: http://studentlife.tamu.edu/agoss/housingfair.

Housing Fair 2013

The Corps CornerInformation for Corps Families

If your student is in the Corps of Cadets, there are plenty of ways to get information about what is happening in the Corps. The Commandant sends out a weekly newsletter, which you can register for here. This newsletter covers Corps awards and honors, upcoming events, and other campus resources.

Also, it may be helpful to visit the Corps website http://corps.tamu.edu and Facebook page, www.facebook.com/aggiecorps to stay up to date on life in the Corps.

Decision 2013

Silver Taps: February 4th Silver Taps is a final tribute paid to an Aggie who, at the time of their death, was enrolled in graduate or undergraduate courses at Texas A&M. It is held at 10:30 pm on the first Tuesday of the month at the Academic Plaza. We encourage students to attend to pay their respects to their fellow Aggies and their family members. This month’s Silver Taps is held in honor of:

Cameron Lindsay, Biological and Ag EngineeringChandler Small, General Studies

For more information about Silver Taps visit: http://studentaffairs.tamu.edu/sas/silvertaps.

Important Dates

Do you know other membersof the Aggie Family who might

want to receive this newsletter?

Please feel free to forward it to them, or tell them how to sign up for

the listserv.

Visit: http://parents.tamu.edu/listserv for instructions to subscribe/unsubscribe

The Corps CornerInformation for Corps Families

January 18th

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. No classes. Faculty and Staff holiday.

5 p.m. Last day for adding/dropping courses for the spring semester.

January 21st

Aggie Basketball

Women’s: January 27th 2:30 pm vs Missouri January 31st 7:00 pm vs Vanderbilt

Men’s:January 17th 6:00 pm vs. FloridaJanuary 24th 5:00 pm vs. Georgia

MSC Open House, 2:00-5:00 pmJanuary 20th