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October 2017 Newsletter
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There’s Still Time to Register for Mustang Family Weekend! • Time Management Tips• How to Use Plan A Student Schedule (PASS) • October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month • Right Here. Write Now: Writing Support for Your Student • Kick Off Mustang Family Weekend with Home Free! • On-Campus Jobs with ASI • Resource Spotlight – Counseling Services • Upcoming Events – October • Important Dates and Deadlines • Important Campus Phone Numbers
There's Still Time to Register for Mustang Family Weekend!
If you haven’t already done so, now is the time to register for Mustang Family Weekend, which takes place this October 20-22, 2017. Scheduled six weeks after move-in, Mustang Family Weekend is a great time for parents, families, and friends to return to campus and visit their student who has had time to settle in and make SLO their home.
For more information about Mustang Family Weekend, including this year’s schedule of events, CLICK HERE. To register for Mustang Family Weekend, CLICK HERE.
Time Management Tips
October is the middle of the quarter which is when assignments, exams, and projects begin to pick up. Your student may be more aware of the pace of the quarter system at this point, therefore, time management skills become all the more important. Here are some tips to pass along to your student if they are struggling to manage their time effectively:
- Prioritize: Write down all your tasks and sort them into three groups based on priority: high, medium, and low priority. High priority tasks should be done first even if they seem daunting or are the largest and most time-consuming. Low priority tasks can wait or be done in between other tasks.
- Find the Root of Procrastination: If you find yourself putting off certain projects or assignments, ask yourself why. Finding the root of your procrastination may help you overcome it. Common causes include low confidence/feeling a lack of knowledge, difficulty of the task, and perfectionism. For a list of procrastination causes and tools to solve them, CLICK HERE.
- Be Distraction Free: Try to limit the amount of time you spend on social media, texting, Netflix, etc. while you are studying. Save these things for rewards during breaks from studying. Considering downloading an app that allows you to block sites for a set amount of time to eliminate distractions. For a list of suggested apps, CLICK HERE.
- Relax: Taking time to relax and clear your mind in between tasks can be helpful. Going on a walk, listening to music, watching an episode of your favorite show, or cooking a meal are great ways to take a break and reward yourself for your hard work. Just make sure to do so in moderation. Try setting a timer for your breaks so you stay on schedule.
- Exercise: Exercise and blood flow are essential for brain function. Try to schedule in regular exercise even if it’s just a walk around the library or a few jumping jacks. You may also consider meditation, yoga, and breathing exercises during study breaks.
- Sleep: Sleep is also essential to mental and physical health. Students often underestimate the importance of sleep and its impact on their academic performance. Students also often create a culture of competition of who has gotten the least amount of sleep, who is the busiest, most stressed, etc. Encourage your student to combat this unhealthy culture and get ample amount of sleep. For tips on getting better sleep, CLICK HERE.
- Flexibility & Floating Tasks: Remember to be flexible. Schedules may change. Things may not always go as planned. Rearrange your schedule and tasks as new things come up. Also, consider the tasks that you can do on the go. Can you bring your textbook to the laundry room? Can you practice flashcards while walking to class? Be innovative with the places and times in which you can study and work on tasks.
For more time management tips and resources from Student Academic Services, CLICK HERE.
How to Use Plan A Student Schedule (PASS)
With registration for winter quarter opening at the end of October, it is important that your student understands how to navigate Plan A Student Schedule (PASS). PASS is the online scheduling system that allows students to plan their schedules for the upcoming quarter. PASS for winter quarter opens on October 23. Starting on October 23, your student will be able to view class offerings for winter quarter and begin planning various schedules. Note that PASS is not a registration system; viewing classes on PASS and adding them to a schedule does not mean your student is officially registering for them. Your student will be able to find their registration date and time in their PolyPortal under the Student Center link. Below are directions for using PASS:
Step 1: Access PASS through the single click links in the portal.
Step 2: Select classes from the Poly Plan listed in the center of the page or by department or GE Area listed on the left-hand side.
*Note: You can filter searches by checking the boxes listed above “Select By Department” or setting your availability for the quarter.
Step 3: As you select classes, they will show up in “Selected Courses”. Once you’ve added courses, hit “Next: Choose Sections.”
Step 4: Choose sections that work with your schedule and hit “Next: Select Schedule.”
Step 5: Review possible schedules that the system generates. Click on “select this schedule” to view a schedule in more detail and potentially save as a schedule. Then hit “Next: View and Save Schedule.”
Step 6: Save potential schedules that you will want to access before and during registration. By saving schedules, you can access these in the future by clicking view saved schedules in the upper right-hand corner.
Step 7: Select a schedule that you would like to take for the term. Click the “push the schedule to Student Center” button for the schedule you would like to choose.
Step 8: Complete the process of sending the schedule to student center by clicking “send now.”
For more registration tools including enrollment appointments, flowcharts, and more, CLICK HERE.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Cal Poly recognizes that domestic violence can affect anyone, including our students. While Cal Poly does not necessarily have a higher rate of domestic violence, this issue affects colleges and students across the nation. To raise awareness and educate students on this issue, red flags, forms of violence, and resources, Safer hosts Domestic Violence Awareness Month events every year in October. For a calendar of this year’s Domestic Violence Awareness Month events, CLICK HERE. We encourage all students, even those who have not been affected by domestic violence, to attend these events to further educate themselves, be better equipped to support their friends or family who may be affected, and to show support victims/survivors.
Safer is Cal Poly’s confidential advocacy, education and support resource for addressing sexual assault, sexual misconduct, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. Safer offers confidential crisis counseling Monday-Friday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Appointments are strongly encouraged and can be made online HERE. Walk-in hours for fall quarter 2017 are Mondays 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. and Fridays 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Safer also provides educational presentations and trainings to all Cal Poly students, faculty, and staff.
If your student has experienced any kind of assault or abuse, it is most important for them to know that it is not their fault and that there are resources available to help them. If they are in an immediate emergency or unsafe place, they should call 911. Safer is available during business hours at (805) 756-2282 and RISE is available 24 hours a day at (855) 886-7473.
For resources on what your student can do if they are in an abusive or violent relationship, CLICK HERE.
For Cal Poly’s latest Annual Security Report which includes Clery Act crime statistics from 2014-2016, definitions of domestic/dating violence, and steps for reporting, CLICK HERE.
Right Here. Write Now: Writing Support for Your Student
The Writing & Rhetoric Center offers free consultations on any writing project for students of any major! Students can receive support for organizing ideas, reviewing grammar and punctuation, and preparing for the Writing Proficiency Exam (WPE). This year the Center has relocated to Kennedy Library, Room 111C. The new hours of operation in the library are as follows:
- Sundays: 4 p.m. – 8 p.m.
- Mondays: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
- Tuesdays: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
- Wednesdays: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
- Thursdays: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- Fridays: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
The center also has satellite locations at Trinity and Sierra Madre residence halls. Peer writing consultants are available at Trinity Study Lounge on Tuesday evenings from 7-9 p.m. and Sierra Madre Study Lounge on Sundays from 2-4 p.m.
Students may reserve thirty- or sixty-minute writing consultations at https://calpoly.mywconline.com/ or simply stop by for a drop-in session during hours of operation at any location. The center is a free service for all Cal Poly Students.
Kick Off Mustang Family Weekend with Home Free!
When one thinks of a cappella ensembles, country music does not typically come to mind. That's all changing with Home Free, the five-man band that has become known for its show-stopping performances that mix signature no-instrument, all-vocal music with quick-witted humor. Since storming the music scene four years ago and holding the nation's spotlight as the winners of NBC's "The Sing Off," Home Free has become a household name with its tight harmonies and strong vocals peppering Nashville country standards with country-dipped pop hits.
"One of the most talented and unique acts in modern country music … Even before the last notes faded, they were drowned out by the final standing ovation of the night." – Country Standard Time
Date: Friday, October 20, 2017
Time: 8 p.m.
Location: Performing Arts Center
Tickets: CLICK HERE
On-Campus Jobs with ASI
Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) is an inclusive, empowering, student-driven organization committed to providing programs, services, and facilities that enhance and develop the student learning experience. ASI employs over 500 students who act as the driving force behind the organization's ability to create quality programs and services for all students. On-campus employment through ASI provides valuable work experiences and leadership opportunities in a variety of positions including childcare, graphic design, fitness instruction, lifeguarding, photography, event planning, facility management, and more. Students are equipped with the tools to develop their skills in a professional setting with an organization that prioritizes academics above all else. Visit ASI Jobs for more information.
Resource Spotlight – Counseling Services
Cal Poly has a variety of great resources for a diverse student body. Each month we will highlight one that may be beneficial or of interest to your student.
There is a variety of on and off-campus counseling resources available to all students. Students’ mental health is a top priority at Cal Poly and our services will continue to grow and expand to meet the needs of students. Some counseling services available to your student include the following:
Cal Poly Counseling Services
Cal Poly Counseling Services promotes the development of holistic student emotional health. As mental health professionals, they serve the campus community through advocacy and the provision of confidential, accessible services.
If your student is in crisis, they can come in to Counseling Services and they will be seen immediately during normal business hours. If they are in crisis after normal business hours, please have them call Counseling Services at 805-756-2511 (main line) and select option “2” to be immediately transferred to a live person with whom they can discuss their concerns.
Any enrolled student may contact Counseling Services at 805-756-2511 during normal business hours to schedule an Initial Consultation. At the initial appointment, they will review your student’s current situation and determine how best to meet their needs, either through short-term individual, couples, group counseling or a referral off campus. CLICK HERE for self-care tips your student can review while waiting for their first appointment.
If the Initial Consultation provider determines that your student would benefit from counseling requiring a specific expertise not available at their center, they will work with them to find local counselors with the necessary expertise who accept their insurance plan or who provide low-cost services. CLICK HERE for the Community Referral list.
After completing the Initial Consultation, many students are referred to one of the Emotional Wellbeing Workshops, an innovative series specifically created to provide quick and useful tools without overburdening the busy schedules of Cal Poly students. At the completion of any of these 3-week, 1-hour skills-based workshops, students have the opportunity to meet with their Initial Consultation provider to review their experience and collaboratively discuss the next steps in their change process.
Because Counseling Services is funded by student fees, there are no additional charges at the time of service.
Cal Poly Community Counseling Clinic
The Cal Poly Community Counseling Clinic offers short-term counseling and consultation to Cal Poly students and San Luis Obispo County residents who do not qualify for County Mental Health Services or who cannot afford private psychotherapy.
Counseling is available to children, youth, families, individuals, and couples. This counseling service is staffed by well-educated and trained graduate students in the Master of Science Psychology Program under the supervision of clinically licensed psychologists in the Psychology and Child Development Department.
Counseling is provided as a service to the community for a modest fee based on a sliding scale that ranges from $3 to $15 per session. No one is denied services on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, physical or mental disability, or ability to pay for counseling service.
Call (805) 756-1532 for more information. A clinic staff member will return your call within 24 hours.
Community Counseling Center
Community Counseling Center (CCC) is a non-profit, preventative care provider of premium, affordable psychotherapy for the economically disadvantaged and under-insured residents of the Central Coast, including Cal Poly students.
Services are typically fee-based, set on a sliding scale according to each client's net household monthly income and ability to pay. Under CCC's sliding scale program 10-15 sessions of family, couple, or individual counseling for relationship issues, bereavement issues, parenting problems and life transition situations are provided, all of which are suitable for short-term treatment. It may be necessary to refer clients whose conditions are not appropriate for short-term counseling such as substance abuse, sexual abuse, domestic violence, custody cases and chronic mental illness.
CCC has locations in San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, Paso Robles, and Grover Beach. The San Luis Obispo location is located downtown on Marsh Street and is easily accessible by SLO Transit buses to which Cal Poly students have free access.
Additional Resources
- Transitions-Mental Health Association
- Transitions-Mental Health Association is a non-profit organization serving San Luis Obispo and North Santa Barbara Counties. They are dedicated to eliminating stigma and promoting recovery and wellness for people with mental illness through work, housing, community and family support services.
- SLO Hotline
- The SLO Hotline is a confidential mental health support, crisis and suicide prevention telephone line that also provides mental health resource information. The line is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Free of charge. Your student can make a call, anytime: 800-783-0607.
- County of San Luis Obispo Behavioral Health
- The Behavioral Health Department is part of the Health Agency and works in collaboration with the community to provide services necessary to improve and maintain the health and safety of individuals and families affected by mental illness and/or substance abuse.
- Private Practices
- Any counseling service, including Cal Poly Counseling Services, can refer students to private practices that meet their needs and are within the scope of their private insurance.
Upcoming Events – October
October 1 – 9 | Interfraternity Council Recruitment continues
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October 1 | Interfraternity Council Informational Session | 7-8 p.m. in Chumash Auditorium
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October 2 | Interfraternity Council Recruitment Kickoff BBQ | 4 p.m. on Dexter Lawn
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October 2-9 | Interfraternity Council Rush Week
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For a list of chapters that fall under Interfraternity Council, CLICK HERE.
October 1 – 6 | United Sorority & Fraternity (USFC) Recruitment continues
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September 28-October 6 | USFC Rush Events (hosted by each chapter)
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For a list of chapters that fall under United Sorority and Fraternity Council, CLICK HERE.
October 1 | Women’s Soccer vs. UC Riverside | 12 p.m. at Spanos Stadium
October 4 | Gaven DeGraw | 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center
October 7 | Swimming and Diving vs. USC | 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. at Anderson Pool
October 7 | SLO Symphony Classics | 8 – 10 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center
October 8 | Bill Murray with Jan Vogler & Friends | 7 – 9 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center
October 11 | Men’s Soccer vs. Sacramento State | 7 p.m. at Spanos Stadium
October 12 | Cyber Security Strategies for Decision Makers | 7:30 – 9 p.m. at Spanos Theater
October 13 | Women’s Soccer vs. Long Beach State | 7 p.m. at Spanos Stadium
October 14 | Men’s Basketball Green versus Gold Exhibition | 4:30 p.m. at Mott Gym
October 14 | Swimming and Diving Alumni Meet | 11 a.m. – 6p.m. at Anderson Pool
October 14 | Brasil Guitar Duo | 8 – 10 p.m. in Spanos Theater
October 14 | Opera SLO – Madama Butterfly | 7 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center
October 15 | Opera SLO – Madama Butterfly | 2 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center
October 16 | Andrew Bird | 7:30 – 10 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center
October 19 | Women’s Soccer vs. Cal State Fullerton | 7 p.m. at Spanos Stadium
October 20 – 22 | Mustang Family Weekend | For a list of events, CLICK HERE. To register for the weekend, CLICK HERE.
October 20 | Women’s Volleyball vs. CSUN (Mustang Family Weekend game) | 7 p.m. at Mott Gym
October 20 | Home Free | 8 – 10 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center
October 21 | Football vs. Weber State (Mustang Family Weekend game) | 6:05 p.m. at Spanos Stadium
October 21 | Women’s Volleyball vs. Long Beach State | TBD at Mott Gym
October 22 | Met Live in HD: Norma | 2 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center
October 25 | Men’s Soccer vs. UC Davis | 7 p.m. at Spanos Stadium
October 26 | SLO Film Fest – The Phantom of the Opera | 7 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center
October 26 | Construction Management Career Fair | 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. in Chumash Auditorium
October 27 | Women’s Volleyball vs. Hawai’i | 7 p.m. at Mott Gym
October 28 – 29 | Women’s Golf Cal Poly Invitational | Starts at 8 a.m. at Cypress Ridge Golf Course in Arroyo Grande, CA
October 28 | Men’s Soccer vs. UC Santa Barbara | 7 p.m. at Spanos Stadium
October 28 | Swimming and Diving vs. UCSB | 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. at Anderson Pool
October 28 | Cal Poly Choirs Fall Concert: Reflections on Life and Love | 8 – 9:30 p.m at Mission San Luis
October 29 | Underwater Bubble Show | 5 – 7 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center
Important Dates and Deadlines
October 1 | 2nd installment of housing and dining payment plan for 2017-18 due.
October 2 | Interhall housing trades begin (trades within the same hall)
October 2 | Last day to submit Late Enrollment Appeal by 5 p.m.
October 4 | Interhall housing trades begin (trades to another hall)
October 20 – 22 | Mustang Family Weekend
October 23 | Plan a Student Schedule (PASS) is available for winter quarter
October 31 | Last day a term withdrawal qualifies for a prorated fee refund. Visit the Student Accounts Office website for more information.
October 31 – November 29 | Registration for winter quarter
Important Campus Phone Numbers
Admissions | (805) 756-2311
Career Services | (805) 756-2501
Commencement | (805) 756-1600
Counseling Services | (805) 756-2511
Disability Resource Center | (805) 756-1395
Financial Aid Office | (805) 756-2927
Health Services | (805) 756-1211
Mustang Success Center | (805) 756-6211
Parent & Family Programs | (805) 756-6700
Student Accounts | (805) 756-1428
University Housing | (805) 756-1226
University Police Department | (805) 756-2281
