MIAD is committed to the health and well-being of our students. Find more information about resources for students on our Student Support and Wellness page.

Starting college is a big transition for you and your student. Here are twelve questions to open the conversation with your student about college.

1. Are you going to class? Skipping class is the #1 reason why students fail.

2. Are you studying at least 20 hours per week? College is a full-time job. You should be in class, studying and doing homework 40 hours per week.

3. Are you sleeping and eating? Lack of sleep and food leads to illness, decreases quality of work and increases stress and frustration. Sleep at least 6 hours a night and eat 3 meals a day. Get some exercise and fresh air daily. Stay healthy in order to do your honest best.

4. Are you scheduling your social time? Everyone needs down time, but students need to learn to manage their social time. A good practice is to do homework first, and socialize after. Separate your study area from your social area. Use the library, and the Learning Resource Center and open studio classrooms to do homework. Use the Res Hall, your home or your apartment as a place to socialize, relax and sleep.

5. Did you receive a 4-week report? First-year students will receive a progress report via their MIAD e-mail. Students only get a letter if an instructor is concerned about their progress.

6. How were your midterm grades? All students will receive midterm evaluations noting their progress in each class. The midterms grades will be distributed via e-mail.

7. Are you getting involved in campus activities? Getting involved in campus activities is a great way to make friends and practice leadership skills.

8. Have you met with your MIAD mentor? Each student is matched with a mentor. Your mentor will help you get connected to campus resources and get involved in the MIAD community.

9. Are you starting your assignments early? The unexpected happens. You get sick or you need help with your computer. Start assignments with plenty of time for the UNEXPECTED. If you are having problems starting work, managing your assignments and time, seek assistance from MIAD’s Learning Resource Center, Rm R100.

10. Have you seen your advisor? Each first-year student is assigned an advisor who is ready to listen and to help students resolve academic questions and issues. Students are informed of who their advisor is during Orientation. Foundation students meet their advisor during Orientation, again at the fourth week, again at midterms in October and then again in November to plan for Spring Semester registration.

11. Have you gone to your instructor’s office hours? Instructors like to help students and are glad to know if a student has a question or concern that they can address. Do not hesitate to visit the instructor during office hours. Also, if you are sick and miss a class, e-mail the instructor. If an assignment is due, learn how to get the work to the instructor. Seek out the instructor during office hours to learn what you missed when absent and be sure to e-mail if you have to miss class.

12. Are you going to the Academic Success Center? Tutoring enhances everyone’s learning! Whether you are getting B’s but want A’s, or you are struggling with writing, seek assistance from professionals. The MIAD tutors provide individualized assistance with writing, reading assignments, figuring out how to complete an assignment, research, managing time and transitioning to college.

Reach out to studentsupport@miad.edu with any questions or concerns. 

Whether it’s their first year or their fourth, students often need your coaching on issues throughout the year. This calendar will help you anticipate issues that may arise and refer your student to the appropriate resources. Also check out the current MIAD Academic Calendar for important dates.

August

Students have lots of uncertainty (Will I like it here? Will I make friends?) mixed with excitement … college, finally!
Students move in, meet their roommates and set up their room/living space and start classes.

• Discuss how you plan to communicate with each other.
• During move-in, students may have difficulty letting go, or they may not want you around. Discomfort is part of the process. Be prepared for an exciting, but potentially emotional, weekend.
• Ask them if they’ve planned their first advising meeting.
• Ask them what resources on campus they are familiar with to proactively support them during the academic year.

September

Students attend classes and navigate the campus and explore Milwaukee. They may be excited about meeting new friends and their classes, or they may be feeling lonely and isolated. You may miss your student, but you’re not alone!

• Discuss class attendance. Skipping class is the #1 reason why students fail.
• Ask if they are studying 20 hours per week. College is a full-time job.
• Ask about health, friends and opportunities for involvement in campus activities.
• Discuss plans for frequency of returning home.
• Ask about 4-week reports. Ask first-year and/or sophomore students if they received a 4-week report. Encourage them to communicate with faculty and seek help from tutors if they have concerns.
• Remind your student of the resources available to them as they make decisions about their major, begin final studio projects and write final papers. Be the coach.
• Contact the Dean of Students if you have any concerns about your student’s academic progress or personal welfare.

October-November

Students may become homesick. Roommate conflicts may arise. They may face their first round of bills (phone, credit cards). Students may also come down with an illness for the first time since leaving home. Be prepared for emotional phone calls that may leave your student feeling better and you feeling like you need to take action. This is the time to be the coach! Refer your student to campus resources.

• Ask about their major exploration and potential spring schedule. First-year students declare their major and register for spring classes during the fall semester.
• Ask about the student’s midterm reports. Listen and be supportive.
• Ask if your student has been meeting with their academic advisor.
• As if your student has started the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) for the next academic year.
• Ask about workload and study load. Are they sleeping and eating? Talk about study skills, time management and all the great tutoring services available in MIAD’s Academic Success Center.
• Ask about involvement in campus activities.
• If your student is homesick, remind them of the resources available. Suggest that they speak with a student support counselor.
• Discuss plans for fall break and Thanksgiving.

December

The last two weeks of the semester are busy and can be stressful for your student. There are final projects to create, final papers to write and the stress of meeting final critiques and deadlines. They may also be feeling anxious about first-semester grades.

• Sending a care package or simple greeting card would be great around this time.

Semester Break

Students may return home and spend time with high school friends. They may be asking themselves, “To work or not to work?” Encourage winter break employment. Think about and discuss how rules may change over break for your student and for the whole family.

January

Welcome back! Students review the past semester and make changes as they get more involved on campus, or spend more time studying. A new semester schedule presents new challenges. You might feel some anxiety about your student’s grades.

• Review or revise budgets based on a semester’s worth of experience.
• Ask what changes might need to occur to ensure your student’s academic success.

February

Cabin fever may set in, and illness might pop up. Students may be thinking about spring break and initiating plans for living arrangements next year.

• Remind your student of the Marquette Health Center and MIAD Student Services if they are sick or struggling with school and winter blues.
• Inquire about taxes and completing the FAFSA.
• Talk with your student about all of the factors to consider when making decisions about housing for next year. Pay special attention to what type of living environment will help your student be most successful academically.

March-April

Spring break comes and goes. Students will be tired, may be keeping late hours and not eating well as they work to complete final semester projects. You may receive more frequent phone calls, or not hear from them at all. Students will be registering for next school year.

• Remind your student of the resources available to them as they begin final studio projects and write final papers. Be the coach.
• Discuss summer plans.

May

Many students leave for the summer; most will miss their new college friends and some will return home to watch old high school friends graduate. Many students search for summer employment.

• With a year of college behind you, now is a good time to check in about credit card use and finances, and again ask if any changes need to be made for your student’s academic success.
• Ask how they are going to stay in touch with college friends.
• Congratulations for a great first year!

Milwaukee’s downtown and Third Ward area have historically been among the safest areas of major U.S. cities. MIAD takes pride in providing a safe and secure environment for all students, staff, faculty and visitors. During New Student Orientation, students participate in an interactive workshop on personal safety in an urban setting.

The college’s main building has security officers stationed at the entrance at all times during all hours that the building is open. The security officers patrol the entire campus, including parking lots and the immediate areas surrounding our campus.

The front (and only) entrance to the Residence Hall is locked 24/7 and only residents with keys have access. Whenever the academic building is closed, the residence hall is monitored by a professional security guard stationed at the entrance.

The MIAD Security Office provides safety escorts on request.

The college’s Director of Security oversees and administers to the security officers, which are hired through a Professional Contract Security service. Eight full-time officers are assigned to MIAD. Each officer receives training that is specific to MIAD so they can meet the needs of the MIAD community.

The MIAD Security Office conducts informational presentations on crime prevention and awareness through New Student Orientation, sponsors personal safety seminars and workshops on campus, and develops proactive programs to reduce incidents of crime.

The college also has ongoing relationships with emergency services to support student safety.

Please do not hesitate to call the MIAD Security Office or ask questions about any concerns or comments you may have.

Talking About Alcohol with Your Student

Being in college marks a turning point in the relationship between you and your student. Whether your student is among those living on their own for the first time, or is returning to MIAD, the college experience leads to additional freedoms, responsibilities and control of decision-making. Among those decisions is the choice whether to drink alcohol and to what extent. At this point in their lives, many young adults have yet to develop personal values or limits regarding alcohol use.

Like college campuses nationwide, MIAD is concerned about the negative consequences of high-risk drinking and takes a proactive approach to addressing these concerns.

During Orientation, all new students hear about the risks of drinking and the benefits of keeping their minds and bodies in balance. At this time, they are introduced to the staff available to them, throughout their studies, to address concerns, including those that deal with alcohol or other drugs.

Below are some suggestions on how to engage in such conversations with your student from the Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and Facts on Tap.

• Be specific when speaking to your student. Express your ideas and values clearly and directly. If you don’t want your student consuming alcohol as an underage adult, tell them. Reinforce the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity they have to learn and grow, personally and professionally, during their studies at MIAD.
• Share your own experiences with alcohol, but avoid tales of the “good old days.” Laughing about your experiences can appear to give your consent to irresponsible choices. Rather, focus on whether you chose to drink, and whether negative consequences resulted if you did so. And remember, whether your student admits it or not, you are still a role model to them.
• Make sure that your son or daughter understands the penalties and consequences for underage drinking, public drunkenness, using a fake ID, driving under the influence, assault and other alcohol-related offenses.
• Talk about the importance of friendship and individuality. Remember that young adults truly want to be accepted by their peers and perceived as “normal.” Have a frank discussion about what it means to live with integrity according to one’s values. Talk about the true meaning of friendship.
• Acknowledge that your son or daughter could be making unwise decisions about alcohol. Parents are often surprised to find their child has gotten into trouble because of high-risk drinking. If your student is a returning student, ask them if they met their goals last year or last semester. Were they involved on campus? If not, ask them if they know why and what they might do differently this semester.
• Be aware of the signs of possible alcohol abuse by your son or daughter (e.g., lower grades, never available or reluctant to talk with you, unwilling to talk about activities with friends, trouble with campus authorities, serious mood changes). Do not blame them, but find appropriate treatment at the sources listed below.
• Tell your student to intervene when classmates are in trouble with alcohol and appear unresponsive. Nothing is more tragic than failing to call for help due to the fear of getting someone “in trouble.”
• Tell students to stand up for their right to a safe academic environment. Students who do not drink can be affected by the behavior of those who do, ranging from interrupted study time to assault or unwanted sexual advances. Students can confront these problems directly by discussing them with the offender. If that fails, they should notify the Residence Hall director or other residence hall staff.

Explore Student Support and Wellness resources or contact studentsupport@miad.edu.