September 28, 2021
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Dear Bobcat parent and family members,Parent and Family Weekend is almost here, and we can't wait to welcome many of you to campus. Our Parent and Family Weekend team has organized a full itinerary of fun activities and programs. For last-minute details, please reference the Parent and Family Weekend webpage. A quick update about the lecture by Robert Putnam and Shaylyn Romney Garrett, authors of the new book "The Upswing: How America Came Together a Century Ago and How We Can Do It Again." Putnam and Garrett will join us virtually to discuss "The Upswing" as attendees gather in person on Oct. 1 at 4 p.m. in Ballroom A of the Strand Union Building (SUB). The event is free and open to students, parents, and family members. In line with CDC recommendations, face masks are strongly encouraged indoors for our campus visitors. President Cruzado and I will moderate a Q&A session following the lecture In their book, Putnam and Garrett demonstrate how the United States has gone from an individualistic "I" society to a more communitarian "we" society -- and then back again. They also explain how Americans can learn from that experience to become a stronger, more unified nation. Putnam is the Malkin Research Professor of Public Policy at Harvard University and a former dean of the John F. Kennedy School of Government. Nationally honored as a leading humanist and a renowned political scientist, he has written 14 books, including the bestselling "Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis" and "Bowling Alone: Restoring the American Community." Garrett is an author, speaker, and award-winning social entrepreneur. She is a founding contributor to "Weave: The Social Fabric Project," an Aspen Institute initiative. Even if you're not planning on attending Parent and Family Weekend this year, I'd encourage you to pick up a copy of "The Upswing." Changing gears, as we approach the halfway point of the fall semester, midterm assignment deadlines and exams also draw near. If your student needs some extra academic support to prepare for midterms, now is the time to seek help. Please remind them about the services offered at the Math and Stat Center and the Writing Center. The Math and Stat Center (MSC) is open for face-to-face, drop-in tutoring 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays. Its staff of peer tutors and faculty are ready to answer student questions about mathematics and statistics coursework and to help students through potential stumbling blocks in their course content. MSC is also an excellent place for students to work on their coursework, even if they don't expect to have questions, since it provides an opportunity to collaborate with others taking the same course. You can visit the MSC website for more information about what your student can expect at the MSC. The Writing Center provides a collaborative environment for students working on writing. The Writing Center tutors meet individually or in groups with students -- undergraduate and graduate -- of all abilities and backgrounds at any stage in the writing process. The center supports students with both online and face-to-face appointments as they write their lab reports, final research papers or presentations, graduate school applications, personal statements, creative work, and many other types of writing. Students can visit the Writing Center's website to schedule a session or to learn more. Finally, COVID-19 continues to circulate on campus and in the community, and the cold and flu season is also starting up. Please remind your student to stay home if they are sick and communicate with their instructors to inform them that they are ill. The faculty are prepared for this possibility and will work with students when they reach out. When it comes time to return to class, no doctor's note or written excuse is needed. We simply ask that students be honest and transparent in their communications with faculty members. Warm regards,  Matthew R. Caires P.S. Just a heads up that this Wednesday, Sept. 29 at 11:55 a.m., University Police will conduct an MSU Alert test to evaluate the functionality of our system and comply with the Clery Act. The alert test will go out to all MSU students, faculty, and staff. The test will also go out to community subscribers, including parents and family members who have signed up for MSU Alert. The test will involve text messages, email, and the SafeCats mobile app. |
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Bobcat Parent and Family Program, Montana State University |