About Us
“Thank you! This program is a gift to parents who want to be connected and want their kids to be independent.“
—UW–Madison Parent
Mission
The Parent Program connects parents and families of UW–Madison students to the university so that they may support their student’s success.
Defining “parent”
For the purposes of this program, the term “parent” includes, but is not limited to, biological parents, stepparents, extended family members, foster parents, and legal guardians.
Methods
The UW–Madison Parent Program serves as your central contact for important and timely information. By joining the program we will communicate with you in the following ways:
- You will receive two online Badger Parent newsletters per semester and one in the summer. Badger Parent provides timely campus information, including tips for parents on supporting their college student.
- In the event of a critical campus incident, you will be notified through our Parent Notice system.
- Our Web site (www.parent.wisc.edu) offers an overview of campus resources and services as well as updates of special interest to parents.
- A Calendar and Handbook for Badger Families is full of important dates and resources and contains a section on the first-year experience. It is mailed out each summer. Calendars will also be mailed by request or are available for download (PDF format, 6.7 MB).
- A few times throughout the year, we will notify you of a webchat about a particular topic. This is an opportunity to see what other parents are asking, or to submit a question of your own for campus administrators.
- You will receive an invitation to participate in upcoming Parent and Family event opportunities, such as Badger Family Spring Visit in April each year.
- If you have a question or concern, you may call us toll-free at 1-877-262-3977 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, or e-mail us anytime at parent@uwmad.wisc.edu.
Now that over 24,000 parents have joined our mailing list, we hope to connect parents with each other to share experiences, triumphs, and challenges. We encourage you to participate in our monthly online survey; we’ll share the results and a sampling of comments. We’d also like to include parent testimonials in upcoming issues of our newsletter. If you are interested in sharing your experiences with other parents, please contact us.
Parent Program goals for parents
- Parents recognize their important role as a mentor and coach. They help their student progressively take on more responsibility for their academics, out of the classroom experiences, and all other aspects of their lives.
- Parents have an open dialogue with their student about ways to promote personal health and balance, including coping with stress, alcohol/drugs, nutrition, sleep, exercise, and relationships. They empower their student to identify problems, develop a plan, and work toward solutions independently.
- Parents understand that there are limitations regarding access to student information as outlined in the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
- Parents know about and take advantage of opportunities to engage with the campus and surrounding community.
- Parents generate goodwill for the university by helping spread the word about the resources and discoveries at UW–Madison, impacting both their student and society at large. They advocate for personal, state, and federal investments in higher education.
Meet the Parent Program staff
The Parent Program consists of Patti Lux-Weber (left) and Stephanie Benson-Gonzales (right), in addition to an experienced student intern staff.