Best Practices in Communicating with College Parents & Families
1. Best Practices in Communicating
with Parents & Families
Branka Kristic Sarah Schupp
Director of Parent & Family Programs
Hofstra University
Vice-Chair, AHEPPP
CEO & Founder
UniversityParent
AHEPPP
2.
3. AHEPPP is dedicated to facilitating meaningful and lasting contact with
college and university parents and family programs by establishing a
national support network that provides:
Annual National
Conference
Career & Networking
Opportunities
Regional Conferences Member Resources
Research & Journal Professional Development
7. Education Advisory Board. Student Affairs Leadership Council (2010).
Partnering with parents for student success: Strategies for communication
and engagement. The Advisory Board Company, Washington, D.C.
8. CAS Standards for Parent and Family Programs
available on aheppp.org for members
9. How do you communicate with parents
& families before orientation?
10. Pre-Entry
Admissions: parent contact information
Email families in May
Mail parent and family handbook
Family Orientation
Web site: maintain correct information
11. Parent Handbook
•Transition from high school to college
•Resource description, phone numbers
•Title IX programs and services (new)
•Neighborhood places
•Glossary - think of first generation
families
13. How do you communicate with
parents & families during
orientation?
14. Family Orientation
•Engage them in discussions
•Ask directors to participate
•Facilitate connection amongst parents
•Topics: adjust as per assessment
15. How do you communicate with parents
& families through the first-year?
17. Crisis Communication
•Are you part of the crisis communication plan?
•Students first – alert system; then parents
•Dedicated staff and communication builds trust
•Web resources: emergency FAQs
18. Lessons Learned
•Join to AHEPPP to learn from your colleagues
about best practices
•Dedicated, full-time parent program professional
•The earlier the better
•Communicating with parents is not the same as
communicating with students
19. Questions
We are happy to answer your questions & would love to hear from
you! Please don't hesitate to contact us.
Branka Kristic
@brankristic
Sarah Schupp
@sarah_schupp
@4collegeparents
sarah@universityparent.com
UniversityParent.com
AHEPPP
@aheppp
www.aheppp.org
membership@aheppp.org
20. Additional Resources
•College Parent Handbook Examples
•Guide to Supporting Your Student’s Freshman
Year
•College Parent Email Newsletter Examples
•Articles/Content to Share with Parents
•Example College Glossary of Terms for Parents
Notas del editor
Both
Sarah: More than 160 institutional members, representing public & private schools, 157 Conference Registrations, national conference, resources, and community for parent/family program professionals.
Sarah
Sarah
Branka –
Joanne
Teresa
Branka - Ms. What does it mean to communicate?
Branka -
Council for Advancement of Standards in Student Affairs: Parent and Family Programs
Branka -
Council for Advancement of Standards in Student Affairs: Parent and Family Programs
Sarah
Branka
Sarah
Sarah - The Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS), a consortium of professional associations in higher education, promotes the use of its professional standards for the development, assessment, and improvement of quality student learning, programs, and services.
Sarah –
$250 Institutional Membership (up to three professionals)
$75 Each Additional Professional