Family Guide 2023

2023-2024

Family Guide

Tips to help you support your student throughout their college career.

Hello Parents and Families, Kristi and I would like to welcome you to Georgia Southwestern State University.

We are thrilled your student selected GSW, and we know their energy and enthusiasm will inspire our community and help them develop academically, socially, and emotionally during their time at the University. We strive to make each student feel like part of the Hurricane Family, and we surround them with countless resources to help them succeed at this great institution. These resources include outstanding faculty, dedicated academic advisors, and other experienced professionals who help to create a learning environment that promotes the highest levels of student engagement and student success.

The University also has many resources and tools for you to stay connected to campus life and enjoy your relationship with GSW. Through your connection to the Division of Student Engagement and Success, you will be able to pursue every opportunity to remain engaged and supportive of your student during their time at GSW.

This Family Guide is designed to give you information about GSW’s policies and guidelines. By understanding them, and referring to them when necessary, you will help us ensure the quality of our program and the quality of your student’s experience. We extend to you an open invitation to drop by campus often for informal visits and throughout your student’s academic career. Please let us know if we can help you in any way. We are happy to answer questions, provide assistance, and offer suggestions.

Thanks and Go Canes!

Neal and Kristi Weaver President and First Lady

University services & Resources

ACADEMIC SUPPORT/SUCCESS

The Office of First-Year Experience (FYE) supports the academic and social transition of new students through connecting students to the University with a sense of belonging, promoting academic success, and selfdiscovery through major selection and career exploration. FYE provides students with peer tutoring, supplemental instruction, and academic advising.

FINANCES

The Office of Student Financial Aid provides resources to assist in funding your student’s education in the form of grants, scholarships, employment, and student loans. The Office of Student Accounts is responsible for collecting University receivables and disbursing financial aid and student loans.

ACCESSIBILITY SERVICES

The Office of Accommodations and Access provides opportunities for students with disabilities by supporting the educational environment in collaborating with instructors, staff, and community members. The department creates individualized plans tailored to particular needs of students with disabilities.

HEALTH SERVICES

Health Services provides patient care and treatment to students. They provide clinic services, medications and supplies, and a women’s and men’s health clinic. The Health Center will also assist students in making appointments with dentists or medical specialists.

COUNSELING SERVICES

Counseling Services

provides confidential counseling, including information and referral for individual students by licensed, professional staff. Students may access counseling for a range

of issues related to adjustment, anxiety, depression, stress management, identity concerns, and general wellness.

CARE@GSW

Care@GSW is a campuswide initiative that offers comprehensive student support through a number of programs and resources that foster an environment for student success in the areas of:

• Mental health

• Physical health

• Recreation and wellness

• Academics

• Safety

• Peer mentoring

MOMENTUM APPROACH

The Momentum Approach is a method of starting college that helps students find their path and build velocity towards their degree. This includes making a purposeful choice in a focus area or program, entering with a productive academic mindset, and following clearly sequenced program maps that include nine credits in the student’s academic focus area and 30 credits in their first year.

CAREER READINESS

Career readiness resources include personalized career planning and job assistance while linking students to employers. Career development is also provided by computerized interest inventories, career exploration materials, and experiential learning opportunities.

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

The Office of Experiential Learning aims to give students real-world experience through internships, service-learning, diversity and global engagement programs, study abroad, and undergraduate research.

TECHNOLOGY

The Office of Information and Instructional Technology (IIT) supports the technology needs of students through campus email, financial and student information administrative systems, online courses, student testing, campus technology resources, campus networks, and academic and residential computer labs. There are several systems that students should be familiar with:

RAIN

RAIN (Registration and Academic Information Network) is GSW’s web-based student information system that provides your student online access to view academic and financial records, register for classes, pay tuition and fees, view financial aid status, and update personal information.

DegreeWorks

DegreeWorks helps your student monitor their academic progress toward degree completion. It combines their degree requirements and any coursework already completed into an easyto-read electronic worksheet that shows how the courses completed count toward their degree.

Canes Connect

Canes Connect is an online student engagement platform that allows your student to connect with clubs and organizations they may be interested in joining and discover events happening on campus and in the Americus area. Each student’s Canes Connect profile also tracks their engagement on campus by recording their activities and memberships to showcase their involvement on campus. The mobile app version of Canes Connect, called Corq, is often scanned at campus events to record each students’ attendance via their personal QR code.

Radar

Each student is issued a Radar email account when they are enrolled in classes. Email serves as the primary official means of sending information to students by University faculty and staff. Your student may forward their Radar email to a different email address; however, they are responsible for reading official GSW emails.

GeorgiaVIEW

GeorgiaVIEW is used for accessing online course materials and online courses. Students can also view grades for individual assignments, take assigned quizzes, and vote in surveys and elections.

Beacon

Beacon is our early alert notification system that is used to identify students who may be struggling and connect them to the resources they need to help them succeed.

CanesNet

Every student at GSW has a CanesNet account, which is a set of credentials used to log in to:

• Computers on campus

• Wireless networks

• Radar email account

• GeorgiaVIEW

• Beacon

• Canes Connect

• DegreeWorks

PUBLIC SAFETY

Public Safety officers are available 24 hours a day to provide the GSW community with a safe and secure environment that facilitates the academic achievement and advancement of students. Public Safety provides campus patrol, escorts, wellness checks, traffic and parking enforcement, vehicle assistance, safety information and programs, event security, and crime investigation.

POSTAL SERVICES

A GSW mailbox is assigned to each student living in the residence halls. Mailboxes are active as long as the student lives on campus.

Mail must be addressed to students as follows to avoid misdelivery to boxes at the main Downtown Americus Post Office:

Surge

GSW Box 000 800 GSW State University Dr. Americus, GA 31709

EMERGENCY NOTIFICATIONS

GSW students will receive emergency notifications such as campus closures and weather alerts via their Radar student email, mobile phone number, GSW website, and social media.

ALERTUS

Students can download the Alertus app on their mobile devices to quickly and easily send geo-tagged incident reports to Public Safety with the click of a button. Use the organization code gsw and organization PIN canes to get started

RESIDENTIAL LEADERS

Residential Leaders (RLs) are student leaders who live in the residence halls and are responsible for the general welfare of the students living in their assigned areas. Each residence hall has a front desk assistant available after hours and an RL on duty 24/7. Students can reach the RL on Duty by calling the Duty Phone number posted in each lobby.

STORM SPOTTERS

Storm Spotters are student leaders who assist with new student orientation and programming for first-year students. These students also co-instruct the University 1000: The GSW Experience course for incoming first-year students. The Storm Spotters play a vital role in the life of our incoming students, helping to promote a smooth transition into college life and the University.

GSW parents’ Group

GSW would like to invite you to become an active member in the GSW Parents’ Group on Facebook. The mission of the group is to build collaboration between parents, families, and GSW for the common goals of student learning, development, and success. The group is designed to allow you to have open communication with faculty and staff, as well as other parents. Membership is free and open to all parents and guardians of GSW students.

The GSW Parents’ Group on Facebook has over 900 members, including GSW faculty and staff. The group is a great way to keep up with campus events, important dates, and connect with other GSW parents.

Social media

Follow GSW and FYE on social media to stay connected and up-to-date on campus events, news, and student life. In addition to these, many offices, colleges, and student organizations are also active on social media.

@GeorgiaSouthwestern

Important phone numbers

Academic Affairs

Athletics

Bookstore

Campus Safety

Counseling Services

Accommodations and Access

Financial Aid

First-Year Experience

Health Services

Postal Services Registrar

Residential and Campus Life

Student Accounts

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Student Engagement and Success

Technology Services

Tutoring and Supplemental Instruction

University College

(229) 928-1361

(229) 931-2222

(229) 931-2366

(229) 931-2245

(229) 931-2708

(229) 931-2661

(229) 928-1378

(229) 931-2724

(229) 931-2235

(229) 931-2364

(229) 928-1331

(229) 928-1387

(229) 931-2013

(229) 931-2676

(229) 928-1387

(229) 931-2074

(229) 931-2724

(229) 931-2378

Tips for parents

Be flexible in your expectations of your student. All students are different. They will have reactions and experiences that will be uniquely their own. Help them to make decisions, but don’t make decisions for them.

Encourage your student to take advantage of available resources, such as tutoring, supplemental instruction, their peer mentors, their academic advisor, their FYE advisor, and other campus resources.

Encourage your student to get involved on campus in a student organization or club. It’s easier to get started in a group when there are lots of new people rather than later when groups are already established.

Let them know they can call, text, or email you any time, day or night. Let them know they can talk to you about any issue, concern, or emotional upset.

Set up a weekly time to talk.

Attend Family Weekend. When you visit, take them out to dinner for a break from the dining hall and consider taking their roommate.

Maintain family traditions. Send a package on their birthday and important holidays.

Consider not making changes to your student’s bedroom while they are away. They will appreciate having their own space when they come home.

2023-2024 academic calendar

FALL 2023

August 6-8: Thunder Camp

August 11: Freshman Move-In Day

August 12-15: New Student Orientation

August 16: Classes Begin

September 4: Labor Day (no classes)

October 13-14: Family Weekend

November 20-24: Thanksgiving Break (no classes)

December 6: Last day of classes

December 7-12: Final Exams

SPRING 2024

January 10: Classes Begin

January 15: MLK Day (no classes)

March 10-22: Spring Break (no classes)

May 1: Last day of classes

May 2-7: Final Exams

Find the full academic calendar online at gsw.edu/AcademicCalendar

university Campus Map