The Division of Enrollment Managment has launched a new inititative that gives families of first-year students an opportunity to express their concerns about their student’s transition to UCA or to ask questions.
UCA Bears Care Program was initiated this fall by Dr. Robert Parrent, vice president for enrollment management. Associate Vice-President of Enrollment Julia Winden-Fey said the telephone calling program was put into place to reach the families of UCA’s newest students during the first six weeks of their freshman year at UCA.
“Faculty and staff from different offices across the campus were invited to participate, with more than 40 members of the campus making telephone calls after standard business hours to students’ families,” Winden-Fey said.
Lynn Burley, director of academic assessment, also participated in Bears Care.
“I told all of the parents who I talked to, if their student had any problem, for them to talk to their professors. That way, the professors can guide them to the people who can answer questions that those students have,” Burley said. “I think the personal contact that we made with the parents helped them get this idea that they had someone they could feel comfortable talking to now that they had a name of someone at UCA.”
The staff compiled contact information for all of the “traditional” first-year students. Of these students, Bears Care was able to attempt contact with 73 percent of new students’ families. Some families had specific concerns and questions, but most of the parents and family members reached by Bears Care were pleased with their student’s initial experience at UCA. Parents and families were also satisfied with the fact that members of the UCA faculty and staff were reaching out to them.
“One father commented that his only ‘real problem’ [with UCA] was that his student was enjoying her time at UCA so much, he was afraid she would never come back home to visit him,” Winden-Fey said. – Lisa Burnett