NOVEMBER 2007 
Campus Link

University of South Carolina Parent Updates – November 13, 2007

Carolina Parents, 

Only four weeks are left in the fall semester! Thanksgiving break is next week, and we hope you and your student enjoy the long weekend together.

*Thanksgiving Break Residence Hall Information

University of South Carolina residence halls (with the exceptions listed below) will close for Thanksgiving Break at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 21.  Residence halls will re-open at noon on Friday, Nov. 23 so that on Saturday, students can cheer on the Gamecocks as they take on the rival Clemson Tigers at Williams-Brice Stadium.  More information is online at www.housing.sc.edu. 

(The following residence halls will remain open throughout Thanksgiving Break: Bates House, Bates West, East Quad, French House, Green Quad, Horseshoe Apartments, South Quad and The Roost)

*The University held a memorial service on Nov. 7 to celebrate the lives of the six Carolina students who died in the house fire in Ocean Isle Beach, N.C. To view the service online, please visit: http://www.sc.edu/forevertothee  

*The 23rd annual Carolina/Clemson Blood Drive takes place this week through Friday in the Russell House Ballroom from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Please encourage your student to help save someone's life by giving blood.  Carolina's goal is 4,000 pints of blood, and of course, to beat Clemson! Students giving blood will receive free food, discount coupons and a t-shirt. 

*Stay informed about campus happenings by signing up to receive the e-mail edition of The Daily Gamecock student newspaper. To register, please visit: http://www.dailygamecock.com/user/register  

Finally, the November e-newsletter is also attached. It features articles relating to managing credit cards, vegetarian and vegan meal planning and procrastination.

As always, we are only a phone call or e-mail away, and we encourage your feedback! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! 

Office of Parents Programs
University of South Carolina
800.868.6752
parents@gwm.sc.edu 

 A Parent’s Guide to Processing Grief with Your Student – November 1, 2007

Dear parents, 

The Counseling and Human Development Center has received numerous calls from parents, siblings and friends of those who have been affected by the tragic fire that resulted in the deaths of six University of South Carolina students and one Clemson student.  

All deaths are not the same. An unexpected, traumatic death of a young, gifted person is particularly difficult, especially when one is close to the person who has died. The number of students lost by this tragedy has affected the campus and touched hearts all across the country. It is said that there are seven degrees of separation between each person in the world-imagine how few points of separation exist on our campus, in our state and, as Dr. Sorensen emphasizes, in our Gamecock nation. Whether one has a direct or indirect relationship with victims and survivors, all can benefit from an understanding of the grieving process.

The Counseling and Human Development Center has created a guide -- online at http://www.sa.sc.edu/shs/tshc/doc/ParentsGuidetoGrief.pdf  -- to help respond to those who are grieving. It is written for parents, but applies to anyone affected by the recent tragedy. Grieving is a process that is unique to the culture, temperament, coping style and history of each individual. The information and suggestions in this guide must be tempered by the complexity of relationships and history that affect the grief process. So proceed gently.

"Forever to thee." -- University of South Carolina alma mater

Russell Haber, Ph.D.
Director, Counseling and Human Development Center
Office of Parents Programs
University of South Carolina
800.868.6752
parents@gwm.sc.edu