The College of Liberal Arts is the largest community on campus with 600 faculty members and more than 14,000 students.  While the large size allows the college to offer a wide variety of programs and academic opportunities, it also creates the challenge of how best to communicate all the college has to offer to students and their families.  To address this need, Dean Randy Diehl has created the College of Liberal Arts Parents' League. 

The purpose of the League is to engage our parents in the life of the college, in the current undergraduate opportunities available to their children, as well as guidance for life after the Forty Acres.  Members will also provide input on the college’s communication efforts with parents, receive information on volunteer opportunities and attend special League events. 

Join today by filling out this quick online membership form.

For more information
Program Coordinator Beth Norris emnorris@mail.utexas.edu; (512) 471-6931.

From One Parent to Another:
A blog by a parent, for parents

Jeff Davis is the Chair of the Parents’ League Advisory Committee.  He is a partner at McGinnis, Lochridge & Kilgore in Houston and a father to three daughters. His youngest is in her second year in the College of Liberal Arts.

December, 2008
It’s time for Commencement, Regalia and Tips for Students Leaving for Winter Break

Wow, the first semester has flown by. It started with a welcome to the new Parent’s League; then Tears, Helicopters, SALD and the Daily Texan; Fall Festivities, Health and Safety; and Final Exams, Stressed out students (and parents). Now there are just a few short weeks left in the semester.

December 6th is commencement for fall graduates. Family and friends come to town to celebrate this momentous occasion and students are dressed in regalia marking the culmination of four years of hard work. What exactly is regalia you might wonder? I had to hit the books for the answer. There are different versions, but the most common definition is “of a king” and “emblems and symbols of royalty like the crown and scepter.” It can be a coat or a coat of arms, but for our purposes it is a black robe with a flat top hat. Whatever your chosen definition, there will be plenty of it on display at the Liberal Arts fall commencement ceremony at the Frank Erwin Center this Saturday.

Unable to make the trip to Austin for commencement?  Do not miss out on this special day. For the first time, The College of Liberal Arts will be broadcasting its graduation ceremony live over the internet on Saturday, December 6, beginning at 6 p.m. 

The link for the broadcast is http://realaudio.cc.utexas.edu:8080/ramgen/redundant/LAC08.rm

That was the good. This is the ugly. Keeping our students and their belongings safe is important, and never more so than during a long break from school. If you have students leaving Austin at the end of the semester for the winter break, the Austin Police Department has some advice to keep their apartments and belongings safe:

1. Remove items in apartment balconies or patios
2. Take bikes from racks and bring them inside
3. Stop mail or newspaper deliveries
4. Buy and set timers for appliances or lights
5. Notify your apartment management office that you are leaving town
6. Lock all doors and windows  

I have one more.  If your student is driving home or somewhere else for the break, please, please, please remind them to drive carefully. We want every one of you to come back safe and sound.

Enjoy the holidays!

Jeff Davis will address a new topic of interest to parents on his blog every month.  If you would like to suggest a topic, please send your suggestions to emnorris@mail.utexas.edu.