Dear Parents and Families of the Class of 2028,
The fall weather is now turning colder as we move toward the winter season. Already, students are planning for next spring’s semester as they engage in the pre-registration process with their liberal arts advisors. Thanksgiving recess will also be here soon and runs from November 27 through December 1. Fall classes resume Monday, December 2.
Many first-year students are transitioning quite well from high school to Wesleyan, as they explore the open curriculum and find new passions they never knew about. Others may have experienced small mishaps in their transition; however, these students should find out there is a plethora of resources available to them to help. Homesickness and loneliness are often part of the first-year experience, so to get a better picture of the co-curricular life of your student, you may want to ask them what kinds of activities they are involved in and how they feel those are going. Ask them about their friends’ names and who they are. Are there other things your students hope to do and learn outside the classroom?
As first-year students continue to learn to balance academics and co-curricular activities, they typically begin to understand the importance of time management and self-advocacy. If they hope to utilize the vast array of academic resources on campus, please suggest that they look over the Student Academic Resources site or ask them to be in touch with me, and I will help connect them.
The third part of the semester tends to move at a faster pace than September and October, and sometimes the stress level rises. Now is a good time to ask your student what kinds of challenges they may face, academically or otherwise. Ask if they are using resources Wes provides to address those challenges. Please remind them that I’m available to meet every weekday via Zoom or in-person.
The course withdrawal deadline is coming up on November 26, so students should be talking with their instructors and advisors about whether withdrawing from a course could be helpful and/or advisable. Classes end on December 6, with reading period running from December 7- 10, followed by the final exam period from December 11-15.
To help your student plan in advance, please note that housing closes for the fall semester on Sunday, December 15 at noon. Housing reopens for all students on Sunday, January 19, 2025, at 10:00 AM. Students who need to remain on campus during the winter break must apply to do so by November 18, 2024. It is important to note that housing is not guaranteed during the winter break, and some university residences will remain closed during that time, which means some approved students will have to relocate to a temporary assignment. More information can be found on the ResLife website.
As always, please feel free to contact me (and always encourage your students to contact me) with any questions and/or concerns. It’s been wonderful getting to know your students since they arrived on campus!
Sincerely,
William M. Bisese, Ed.D.
Dean, Class of 2028
wbisese@wesleyan.edu