February 2012 - Parent E-Newsletter

•    Welcome
•    PLNU Dates to Remember
•    Chapel & Time-Out Schedule
•    PLNU News (Including Room Draw Information)
•    Offices of Strengths and Vocation
•    Student Financial Information
•    Parent Fund Update
•    Homecoming 2011 Recap
•    Sweet Celebration Treat!
•    Tutorial Center

 

Welcome

Hello Parents,

The San Diego weather has been incredible lately!  We can’t wait for spring to really get here.  We are officially in full swing for the spring semester, so we have quite a wealth of information for you this month.  February is a short but full month here on campus with concerts, plays, game nights, seminars, writer’s symposiums, and even preparation for Spring Break.  So, be sure to read the entire newsletter this month! 

Please be sure to contact us with any questions you may have about PLNU! 

Blessings,

Cristy Booher
Parent Connection Manager
parents@pointloma.edu

 

PLNU Dates to Remember

February 1-10 – Guest Art Exhibition – Bryan Miller, PLNU Alumnus
February 3 – Last Day to Drop Quad I Classes
February 7 – Summer Camp Job Fair
February 7-11 – Eleemosynary, Salomon Theatre Production
February 10 – Last Day to Apply for May Graduation
February 15 – Brewed Awakening
February 23 – Economic Outlook Forum
February 23 – Study Abroad Scholarship Workshop
February 24- Concert Band Concert
February 25 – Bakersfield Alumni & Friends Event
February 27-29 – Writer’s Symposium by the Sea
February 28 – Quad I Classes End
February 29 – Quad II Classes Begin
February 29 – Room Draw Application Due (More information in PLNU News)

Looking Ahead:
March 3 – Residence Halls Close (Noon)
March 5-9 – Spring Break Week (No Classes)
March 11 – Residence Halls Open (Noon)
March 14 – Tuition Freedom Day
March 23 – Last Day to Drop Semester Long Classes
April 5-9 – Easter Recess (No Classes)
May 5 – Undergraduate Convocation

 

Chapel & Time-Out Schedule – All Things New

2/1 – Chapel: Renewal Week – Taniana Cantarella
2/1 – Time-Out: Renewal Week – Tatiana Cantarella
2/3 – Chapel: Renewal Week – Tatiana Cantarella
2/6 – Chapel: Praise & Worship
2/8 – Chapel: Mary Paul, PLNU Vice President of Spiritual Development
2/8 – Time-Out: Brandon Zedaker, PLNU Senior
2/10 – Chapel: Mark Carter, PLNU Chaplain
2/13 – Chapel: ASB Spiritual Life
2/15 – Chapel: RE:Focus
2/15 – Time-Out: Daniel Kwon
2/17 – Chapel: John Ortberg
2/20 – Chapel:  Department Chapel
2/22 – Chapel: Faith Stories
2/22 – Time-Out: Ash Wednesday
2/24 – Chapel: Bruce McCormack
2/27 – Chapel: ASB Elections
2/29 – Chapel:  Mark Carter, PLNU Chaplain
2/20 – Time-Out: Beth Tipton

View Chapel via the Live Stream.
More information about Chapel.

 

PLNU News

Stay up to date by visiting the PLNU website.  You can always find recent information about what is going on around campus HERE. 

PLNU 2012-2013 Room Draw Process
PLNU is a residential campus, meaning that we place a high value in the experience of living on campus and in community.    The process of students selecting roommates and rooms is significant.  With this in mind, the room draw process is structured and set out to serve students.  This process below has been shaped by significant student feedback from previous years and we encourage your input as we continue to refine this process together.  Below is the Room Draw Process from the 2012-2013 academic year.

Housing Applications for current on campus students will be at the hall box beginning Wednesday, February 1st.  For those students living in Flex Housing, please come to the Student Development Office (3rd Floor Nicholson Commons) to complete your application. Students currently living off campus wanting to move on campus must contact the Housing Coordinator for a Housing Application.  All Housing Applications are due by Wednesday, February 29, 2012. This application is your way of indicating where you want to live and who you want to live with.

Failure to complete a Housing Application yields your placement to the Office of Residential Life. Current students already living off campus do not need to fill out a Housing Application.  Once you confirm your spot, it is yours for both the Fall 2012 semester and the Spring 2013 semester.

Also, as a resource, we have created a Room Draw 2012-2013 Facebook Page to allow any individuals looking for a roommate to find each other before applications are due.

Room Draw Timeline:
February 1-3 – You will receive an email indicating what we have as your current cohort information for the 2012/2013 academic year.  If your cohort information is incorrect please come up to the Housing Office (3rd floor Nicholson Commons) to speak with the housing coordinator prior to February 29, 2012.  Housing Applications will be in each residence hall box and for Flex housing residents, in the Student Development office on the third floor of the Nicholson Commons. Please complete your Housing Application by Wednesday, February 29th.

March 1-5 – The Housing Committee will be entering your housing preferences into an excel spreadsheet.

March 5-9 – You will receive an email from the Housing Committee verifying that we received your application and noting who is in your “roommate group”.  If there is a discrepancy please contact the Housing Office by March 9th.

March 12-April 19 – The following will take place to determine room draw order:
•    Representatives from ASB and Student Congress will witness a randomization of the groups desiring to live in a specific hall.
•    Randomization will be done in Excel for each cohort group wishing to live in a particular hall. (i.e. Groups of 5 Seniors will be randomized together for Flex, then groups of 4 seniors/1 Junior, will be randomized together for Flex, etc.). The randomization will create the order in which students will choose their room on room draw night.
•    The Housing Committee will use the randomized list to create appointments for groups to choose their room. Within each appointment time (15 minute block), there will be 10 groups assigned, in order, to choose their room. All groups will be emailed their appointment time and the order within.
•    Because we know the number of available rooms in each hall, we will notify any group that will not be able to choose a room in their desired hall. These groups will be notified by email that they must reconfigure for a new hall.
•    Groups who reconfigure will be placed on the list for the new hall and randomized in the same manner as above.

Room Draw Nights: (Only one from each roommate group needs to attend)
•    Groups will choose their room at their appointment time.
•    If your group shows up late, you will go at the end of the current appointment time block.
•    If your group does not show up for your appointed time, a room will be chosen for you at the end of the night.

We will be using your PLNU email.  Please check it often. And feel free to contact Molly Petersen, your Housing Coordinator  at mpeterse@pointloma.edu if you have any questions.

Open Doors: A Support Group for Young Women at PLNU
The Wellness Center in conjunction with the School of Nursing is offering this support group as a place for PLNU women to share their stories, develop self-confidence, and learn new ways to better understand and face the problems life presents in a safe and confidential environment. Potential topics include: body awareness/body image, healthy eating, relationships, violence against girls and young women, stress associated with the drive towards academic excellence, graduation and the desire to find employment. In addition, strategies for health and recovery, including; the revival of hope, the discovery of empowerment, and the identification of personal goals and values on an individual and collective level, will be offered.

The group will consist of peers and will be co-facilitated by two nursing faculty interested in helping young women negotiate the difficulties and challenges of being a young woman in college. This open group will meet weekly, starting Wednesday, February 1, through April 11, in the Wellness Center Conference Room, from 4:30 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Cost: Free to current PLNU students.
Contact: Dr. Kris Lambert: KrisLambert@pointloma.edu or Professor Judy Scott: JudyScott@pointloma.edu for more information.

Study Abroad Global Dinner
Join the Study Abroad Office for our first monthly Global Dinner on Thursday, February 2.  We’ll be meeting at 5:30 p.m. at Red Sea, an Ethiopian restaurant in City Heights, for good, ethnic food and great company.  RSVP to Elise Blalock at eblalock@pointloma.edu for more information. Visit the Study Abroad website at: http://www.pointloma.edu/studyabroad.   

Dean’s List for Fall 2011 Semester
Congratulations to the 816 Point Loma undergraduate students whose GPA qualified them for inclusion in the Fall 2011 Dean's List! Visit: http://www.pointloma.edu/experience/academics/deans-list to find the link to the list.

Spanish Bible Study
Join the Spanish Bible Study, Tuesdays from 5:30 - 7 p.m., in the Gray-Cary Room, Nicholson Commons. Students of all levels, native speakers, workers and staff – ¡Bienvenidos a todos! Eat, study, pray, and sing Spanish conversation.
E-mail: galenyorba-gray@pointloma.edu for more information.

More News

Spring Break Build
PLNU has 3rd Highest CPA Exam Pass Rate in California
Phil Wolf Hired as PLNU Men’s Soccer Coach
Student Writing Contest – The Conference on Christianity and Literature
PLNU Teams Up With the Westminster Community Garden
New Solar Panel System Unveiled

 

Offices of Strengths and Vocation

Job-Seekers Need to be Creative and Flexible

Hope is on the horizon as employment increases.  The Labor Market reports an increase of 73,000 jobs and a decrease in unemployment.  Some of the growing industries are Infrastructure Construction, Health Care, Biotechnology and Green Jobs.  Harry Holzer, a public-policy professor at Georgetown University affirms that there most likely will be opportunities in areas such as health care, professional services, retail and some manufacturing.  Ruth Mantell’s article in the Wall Street Journal on Job Seekers, Be Creative and Flexible says that experts are recommending that job-seekers should pick up and enhance specific skills.  Increasing skills in technology, business intelligence, and general aptitude.

•    Technical literacy: Warren Bobrow, president of All About Performance, a Los Angeles-based skills-assessment consultancy says, "A knowledge of electronic data handling is just a really big plus. That goes for receptionists to the doctors who are becoming employees of larger hospital systems."
•    Business acumen:  Ben Dattner, a New York-based organizational psychologist and author says “being savvy about pleasing customers isn't about spin.  Rather, workers need to illustrate the advantages of their products and services to please employers dealing with an ultra-competitive environment.” 
•    General proficiency:  Mantell states, “companies are looking for workers who are flexible and can take on functions in various jobs as market demands change.”

The State of California Employment Development Department gives a step–by–step guide to finding the best fit career.

STEP 1 - Self-Assessment:  What are the interests of your student - what do they like and don't like? What skills do they have?
STEP 2 - Time for a California Reality Check:   How much money do they need to make to maintain their lifestyle? Afford a new car or need to get a used car?  (See www.CaliforniaRealityCheck.com)
STEP 3 - Explore Career Options:  California Occupational Guides.   Job description and requirements, job outlook, benefits and wages, licensing, education, training, links to possible employers, how to find a job, and links to additional resources.
•    Top paying jobs
•    Jobs with the most openings
•    Fastest-growing occupations
•    What jobs match your interests?
•    Jobs by training/education needed
•    Green Occupational Guides
STEP 4 - Get Ready for the Job:   Now that you know their career goal what do you need to get the job?  Do you need Training or an Apprenticeship?  License?  Résumé Tips?
STEP 5 - Find the Job:    See the Job Search Tools on the right.
Keep hope alive in being adaptable and creative in finding the right career path, but know that all experience has transferable skills.

Stay Connected with OSV
Facebook: facebook.com/OSVatPLNU
Twitter: @OSVatPLNU

 

 

 

Student Financial Information

Important Student Financial Services Dates
February 6 - 5% Late Fee Applied to all unpaid balances
March 2  - 2012/2013 FAFSA Priority Deadline
March 16 - Financial Holds Placed on Delinquent Accounts

The SFS Office now has Assigned Advisors!
To better serve our students and parents, we have assigned our Student Financial Services Advisors to oversee specific student groups.  This will allow you and your student the opportunity to have a specific point of contact during his/her time at PLNU.  Our Advisor split is as follows:

•    Nancy Tidmore (Last names starting A-D)
      p. (619)849-2776, e. nancytidmore@pointloma.edu
•    Matt Ostrom (Last names starting E-K)
      p. (619)849-2759, e. matthewostrom@pointloma.edu
•    Martha Yrigoyen (Last names starting L-Ri)
      p. (619)849-2379 e. marthayrigoyen@pointloma.edu
•    Alex Kozin (Last names starting Rj-Z)
      p. (619)849-2671 e. alexkozin@pointloma.edu

You can always continue to call our general line (619-849-2538) or can call your assigned Advisor directly.  We are here to serve you!

SPRING 2012 STATEMENT OF ACCOUNT
If your student is registered for the spring semester, s/he should already have received a statement of account in the mail.  If you have not seen the spring statement, please contact your student or visit the parent portal to view the statement. All future bills for the spring semester will be made available on the student and parent portals.  Payment for Spring 2012 was due January 3, 2012.

If your student has provided you with financial information releases, you will receive a postcard each month that a bill is generated, notifying you that the bill is available to be viewed online through your parent portal.  If you’d prefer to receive this notification by email, please update your “Notification Preferences” through your parent portal (on the same page as the statement of account, under Financial Services).   Please be sure that we have a valid email address on file for you.

LATE FEES and FINANCIAL HOLDS
On February 6th, a 5% late fee will be charged on all outstanding balances, after taking pending aid into consideration.  Please make sure your student’s account is paid in full to avoid a late fee!
Financial Holds will be placed on all delinquent accounts on March 16th.  This hold will prevent registration for any subsequent semesters, and will prevent participation in on-campus housing room draws.  Note that pending aid will not be taken into account, so please be sure to have your student follow up on any sources of pending aid to ensure that it posts prior to March 16th.

TUITION MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
If you have a monthly payment contract with Tuition Management Systems (TMS), please check to ensure that the amount of the contract covers the balance owing on your student’s PLNU account.  If you need to make any adjustments, contact TMS directly at http://www.afford.com/ptloma or 888-285-3052.  TMS does not have access to your student’s PLNU account balance, but they can help you adjust the amount of your contract based on information you provide to them from your student’s statement of account.  You’ll want to be sure to keep an eye on your student’s PLNU statement, in case there are changes to registration or any additional charges added to the account (such as fines).  Any remaining balance owed can either be paid directly to PLNU or added to your TMS contract.

2012-13 SFS NAMED SCHOLARSHIP
The SFS Named Scholarship application allows current students to apply for multiple endowed scholarship funds with one easy application. The online application for the 2012-13 scholarship will be accessible to your student through his/her student portal in early March.  Watch for announcements!
 
1098-T TAX FORMS
PLNU has contracted with ECSI to provide 1098-Ts electronically for 2011, and these tax forms are now available through your student’s portal.  Form 1098-T is a tax summary issued by PLNU to all students registered during a specified tax year, and includes tuition and required fees, adjustments made for prior years, and scholarships or grants received by the student.  Room and Board, living expenses, and textbook costs are not included.

Information on Form 1098-T is reported to the IRS and can be used by students to claim certain tax credits or deductions.  More information is available on our 1098-T telephone line: (619) 849-2799.
To view and print the 1098-T, students will login to the student portal and click on the “Students” tab.
•    Click on “Financial Services”
•    Click on “1098-T” on the left hand side navigation bar.
•    Follow the instructions to access the 1098-T tax form through ECSI’s website.

If you run into any difficulties, please call ECSI at 866.428.1098.

Note that Box 2 of your 1098-T will reflect amounts billed for qualified tuition and related expenses during the 2011 calendar year.  Box 1 should be blank.  We recommend that you provide this form to your tax preparer, as neither PLNU nor ECSI is able to provide you with any tax advice.

If you have any questions regarding your student’s statement of account, please feel free to contact the Student Financial Services Office at 619.849.2538 Monday through Thursday, 8:30 AM- 5:00 PM and Friday 8:30 AM- 4:30 PM or by email at sfs@pointloma.edu.  We are here to serve you!

 

Parent Fund Update

The Office of University Advancement wants to thank all of the parents donating to the PLNU Parent Fund.  The fall semester’s Phone-a-Thon provided student callers with the opportunity to talk with many of you and approximately 90 parents donated over $4,000 to the PLNU Parent Fund through the Phone-a-Thon!  Thank you!  The student callers had a great time talking with you.

We are very pleased to announce that this fiscal year we have received donations totaling over $21,000 for the Parent Fund! 

When parents give to the Parent Fund at Point Loma Nazarene University, you support and enhance the experience of all PLNU students, including your own.  The Office of Strengths and Vocation, Spiritual Development, and Student Development directly receive the funds that are donated to the Parent Fund.  Giving to this fund makes a difference daily in the lives of all undergraduate students by making possible the special features that make the PLNU experience extraordinary.

Last year, the Parent Fund had tremendous impact on the PLNU undergraduate student body. Some examples of the impact are:
•    The Parent Fund helped OSV support networking events and valuable career assessments for all undergraduate students.
•    Funds also supported the Tutorial Center and Disability Resource Center and space enhancements to the Multi-Purpose Proctoring and Conference Room.
•    The Fund also helps in times of great need, as in the case last fall when one of our students was in a serious car accident.  Through the Parent Fund, PLNU was able to help his mother pay with transportation, meals, and housing so that she could be by her son’s side during his hospital stay.  The campus community supported the family in their time of crisis with this emergency assistance and we are grateful that the Parent Fund was available to make this happen.

If you would like to donate to the Parent Fund today, please visit the Parent Fund donation page.

 

Homecoming 2011 Recap

Visit Flickr to view photos from Homecoming 2011!

Homecoming 2011 was a great success as alumni, students, faculty, staff, and university friends came together during the celebration of PLNU’s 110th anniversary.  With over 50 Homecoming events throughout the week it provided a vast variety for all to enjoy.  Two very special events were the reunions for the Class of 51’ and the Class of 61’.  The Class of 61’ held their 50th reunion on Homecoming Saturday and had a record breaking amount of alums show up from far and wide.  The Class of 51’ who graduated 60 years ago from Pasadena College made a special request to get together.  Though now in their 70’s and 80’s, these alums came to reconnect and reminisce about those special college years.  Thank you to the Class of 51’, the Class of 61’ and all of you who returned to campus to celebrate 110 years of memories.

 

 

Send a Celebration Treat!

Point Loma Nazarene University Women’s Auxiliary
Would you like to send your student some homemade desserts? For a $25 donation, the Women’s Auxiliary of PLNU will lovingly bake homemade cakes, cookies, or brownies and have them delivered right to your student’s residence hall!

**Special Valentine’s Deliveries - Treats will be decorated festively with hearts and such if they order for that day!  Submit your orders today!

You can order and pay online at www.pointloma.edu/cake.

Proceeds from this fundraiser are going toward Women’s Auxiliary’s NEW fundraising efforts to update the resident halls’ lounges. So, it is a double benefit for your student!
Please note:  Two weeks advanced notice is appreciated.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call Mary De Luca at 858-461-1640.

 

Tutorial Center

Hours: MONDAY-THURSDAY 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. and 6 – 9 p.m., FRIDAY 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
The Tutorial Center is located in Bond Academic Center next to Study Abroad Office.

Stop by and make your FREE tutoring appointment today. Or call us at x2593! You can even e-mail
the office at tutorialservices@pointloma.edu for more information!

Study Tip of the Month – Muscle Reading
Before you read: Pry Out Questions.
1.    Preview text and summary.
2.    Outline text if one isn’t provided.
3.    Question: turn headings into questions.

While you read: Root Up Answers.
1.    Read, visualize reading, and stay focused.
2.    Underline sparingly. Write in margins.
3.    Answer your questions and fill in your outline.

After you read: Recite, Review, and Review.
1.    Recite: Read a paragraph, cover it, and talk about it.
2.    Review: Review within 24 hours of reading.
3.    Review again: Plan on a weekly hour review.