First, embrace change. College is a time of enormous change for both your student and you. Your student is developing academically and intellectually while growing personally and socially, becoming a young, independent adult. You are learning how to provide support and guidance from afar without compromising opportunities your student will have to make important decisions on his or her own. Which brings me to my next point:

Ask for help. At UCSB, we pride ourselves on creating a community that is all about supporting, respecting, and building up one another. If your student needs academic support, encourage him or her to seek out our Campus Learning Assistance Services (CLAS) for tutoring. If she or he is feeling stressed, suggest a visit to the Counseling Center. If your student is unsure of his or her major, a trip to Career Services is probably in order. And help is available for you, the Gaucho Parent. Please take advantage of the resources described on this Web site for answers to your questions and referrals to appropriate services.

Finally, get involved. UCSB is a major university with truly exceptional opportunities for student and parent involvement. For your student, opportunities range from undergraduate research in state-of-the-art labs to club sports like rowing and cycling to community service through 350+ organizations. Such involvement helps your student to meet new people, apply new skills, and practice civic involvement with a sense of purpose. And your engagement—in Parents’ and Family Weekend, as a career speaker, by donating a prize to our Wellness Program—will enrich not only your own student’s, but all students’, time at UCSB.

Thank you for visiting the Gaucho Parents Web site. I value each and every one of you and look forward to serving your student in the coming years.

Sincerely,
Michael D. Young, Ph.D.
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs