Parents Association seeks to help

Suzanne Phillips is the director of the Parents Association, an organization meant to connect parents to IU. We spoke to her about what this important resource can do for parents of IU freshmen.

Indiana Daily Student: What is the Parents Association?
Suzanne Phillips: It’s an affiliate group of the Alumni Association and is a non-dues-paying association that links parents to the campus. We hold the Freshman Family Weekend and Parents Weekend in the fall, too. There’s a parent board representing 25 families that meets twice a year, and parents are automatically members when their kids go to IU.

IDS: How does a parent join?
SP: All parents are automatic members. We used to send out a letter but had to stop last year because of costs, so now we do email. The problem is, we don’t get the parents’ email, so they should give us their email so they can get the newsletter, Campus Link. They can email mykidis@indiana.edu, which will get to me, with their information.

IDS: Why should parents join?
SP: They can email mykidis@indiana.edu with any questions they have, and we’re looking to be on Twitter and Facebook soon. Those will actually go to me, and I’ll be the one answering.

IDS: Does the association offer anything special for parents of freshmen?
SP: The Freshman Family weekend will be the weekend of Sept. 20. The tentative schedule can be found online at studentaffairs.iub.edu/parents, and there will be a tailgate tent before the game.

IDS: What events should parents look forward to through the association?
SP: We host the Freshman Family Weekend and also the Parents Weekend for all other parents, and that will be the weekend of Nov. 8. The tentative schedule for that weekend is also online, and a tailgate tent will offer refreshments before that game, too.