1. My student wants to get involved in a club or organization but doesn’t know where to begin.
  2. My student is complaining about their roommate being disruptive, having people over at night, or not being a respectful roommate.
    • The best place for your student to start is by talking to their roommate. A lot of conflicts can be solved with a simple conversation about boundaries and expectations- it’s possible the roommate simply does not know their behavior is bothering your student. However, if your student tries to communicate about these issues and the roommate is either not receptive or the behavior continues, they should reach out to their resident advisor (RA) for support and help handling the conflict going forward.
  3. My student is sick and can’t go to class, what should we do?
    • Unless your student is hospitalized and unable to communicate, your student needs to be the one to handle this! It is important for them to learn how to advocate for themselves and communicate professionally. They should reach out to professors as soon as possible and let them know that they are sick and unable to attend class. Students should ask how and when they can make up missed work, and include an estimate of when they hope to be back in class. If they are having issues with any instructors regarding missed class or work, encourage them to schedule a meeting with the instructor. If they are still unable to resolve the issue, they can reach out to the Dean of Students Office to schedule an on-call meeting with one of our deans to discuss ways to move forward. We encourage them to bring some form of written communication to these meetings demonstrating previous attempts to resolve the issue.
  4. My student has a family or personal emergency and needs to leave campus.
    • Have your student start by communicating with all of their instructors to let them know what is going on and that they will be missing class. Students should ask how to move forward with making up work, etc. If your student will only be away from campus for a short period of time, this is all they need to do. If they are looking for additional support they can also contact Counseling & Psychological Services or the Dean of Students’ Office. If your student needs to leave campus for the remainder of the semester, call the Dean of Students office (406) 994-2826 and schedule an on-call appointment with one of our deans to discuss a Leave of Absence. 
  5. My student isn’t doing well in their courses.
    • Encourage them to schedule an appointment with the Allen Yarnell Center for Student Success. They provide tutoring, coaching, and advising to students for a range of academic and non-academic issues. This is a great resource for your student to get some extra support at MSU outside of the classroom. They can schedule an appointment by following the scheduling link on the AYCSS homepage. Your student can also reach out to their instructors and attend office hours for any particular courses they are struggling with.
  6. My student is lonely.
    • It’s normal for students to feel lonely, especially during their first year of college or first time away from home. Encourage your student to seek out clubs and activities that align with their interests- the office of student engagement can help them with this, they can also look at the campus recreation page, talk to people in their residence hall, or look at programming offered by their major. If they need additional emotional support on campus, MSU offers all students free counseling including individual and group therapy, as well as specialized counseling. Your student can schedule online at the Counseling and Psychological Services homepage or by calling their office at (406) 994-4531.
  7. How is my student’s grade point average calculated
    • Students’ grade point averages are computed by (1) multiplying the numerical equivalent of your grade (A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, F=0) by the number of credits for the course, (2) adding the grade points calculated for each course in (1) together, and (3) dividing this total by the number of course credits in which you were enrolled that semester. Your permanent record ("transcript") lists only the course number, title, credits, and grade earned.
  8. I have questions about Parent Family Weekend
    • We have an entire page dedicated to Parent Family Weekend, including dates, an event schedule, and photo galleries. Please follow the link to the Parent and Family Weekend website. 
  9. My student feels unsafe because of a dating situation, sexual harassment, or their identity- what can they do?
    • The Campus Civil Rights Office at MSU is here to support all students experiencing any type of protected-class discrimination or harassment including sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, or stalking. If your student is in a situation that concerns their immediate safety they should contact University Police. If they are seeking support for a situation regarding any type of discrimination or harassment, they should reach out to Campus Civil Rights. Learn more on the Campus Civil Rights website.
  10. My student is trying to figure out off campus housing, what resources do they have?
    • MSU has an office of Off Campus Student Life which is designed to support students in all aspects of life outside of campus, including off-campus housing inquires, roommate searches, and community transportation. Your student can schedule a meeting with OCSL staff by following the link on the Off-Campus Student Life website. 
  11. My student would benefit from counseling but isn’t on the MSU student health insurance plan- can they still access the counseling center?
    • Yes! You do not need MSU student health insurance coverage to use the Student Health Service or Counseling & Psychological Services. If your student is enrolled in 7 or more credits, they are automatically charged a student health fee which gives your student access to nurses, doctors, counselors, and psychologists. Your student would only be required to purchase the MSU student coverage plan if they did not have other insurance. Reach out to Student Health Services about resources available to your student or any questions you may have.