For ISU Parents And Family Members
To Our Cyclone Family
In the Dean of Students Office and Student Assistance Services, we strive to ensure a positive relationship with our students' family members.
In Student Assistance Services, we understand that families today are more involved in the lives of their students. We want to provide support and resources that respect students' rights while assisting you as a family member of an ISU student. Although we are limited by the type of information we can provide to you without your student's consent, we are always willing to offer advice and welcome your help as your student finds the answers to their own questions.
Keeping Yourself Informed and Involved
The ISU Parents' Association (ISUPA) is your best source of information about life as an ISU family member. Check out their website to find many of the answers to your questions or to join the ISUPA Board of Directors.
The People Who Can Help Your Student
In your student's life, there are a few people they should get to know that will help them navigate the University. Every student has an academic advisor (undergraduate) or major professor (graduate) who can help them navigate through class scheduling, major/curriculum changes, and other class-related concerns. Many students find it helpful to develop relationships with an organization adviser through their involvement in student organizations. In addition, your student will be working with talented faculty that can serve as mentors both in and out of the classroom.
For our students living in the Department of Residence (DOR) or Greek Community, there are additional resources who are familiar with the University and serve as primary contacts for your student. In the DOR, it may be a Community Adviser/Resident Manager (student staff member) or Hall Director (professional staff member). In the Greek Community, it may be their Chapter President (student) or Chapter Advisor.
Although there are specific guides for your student in specific areas of their life at ISU, sometimes they don't know where to start. In that case, the Dean of Students Office and Student Assistance Services can help. We can work with your student and help identify what resources exist on campus for them and coach them through how to advocate for themselves.
When Your Student Needs Help
As you know, it is important for young adults to make their own decisions in order to develop as members of society. With that in mind, the most important thing you can do for your ISU student is to help them find their own answers.
In Student Assistance Services, we appreciate contact from family members that alert us to potential problems in their student's life, but nothing substitutes for that face-to-face interaction between a student and SAS staff. As a parent, you are integral in the process of getting students to seek out help and we need you to recommend that they seek out their answers.
When You Need to Talk to Us
The ISU Parents' Association and Dean of Students Office sponsor the Parents Advisory Line (PAL), a telephone service for ISU families. Please call us toll-free at 1-800-772-8546 when you need help helping your student. The SAS staff can coach you through talking to your student, what resources are available on campus for the situation they are in, and provide insight into University policies and procedures.
