Students Accounts Due Dates
If you are enrolled in a payment plan, do not forget to make payments to the Student Accounts office on or before the following dates:
Fifth installment: Friday, May 13
These dates are very important to remember. Past due balances will place a hold on your student’s accounts, which can affect course registration for future semesters. Payments can be made at StudentAccounts.IllinoisState.edu.
Finals Preparation
Students can now view their final exam schedules at My.IllinoisState.edu
University Housing Services has quiet hours and courtesy hours to aid students in studying.
Milner Library opens at 10 a.m. on Sunday, April 24 and remains open 24 hours/day until Friday, May 6 at 5 p.m.
There are Finals Blitz drop-in review sessions for over 60 classes to writing help, tutoring, and academic coaching. For details visit, UniversityCollege.IllinoisState.edu/Help. In addition, Health Promotion and Wellness has drop-in meditation sessions, certified therapy dogs, and more to help minimize stress and anxiety.
Grades will be available to students via My.IllinoisState.edu at 2 p.m. on Thursday, May 12.
Moving Out
Residence halls and Cardinal Court apartments close for the summer on Saturday, May 7 at 2 p.m.
For students living off-campus, lease end dates will vary. Leasing agencies and landlords can be strict about move-out dates and times, even if your student’s graduation is later than the move-out date. We encourage students to clean before they move out to avoid charges. We also encourage students to do a walk through with staff from the leasing company to make sure they are aware of any damages they will be charged for.
Transitioning Back Home
Your student may be experiencing some anxiety right now with final exams and papers. They may be apprehensive about moving back home after being on their own all year. This can be coupled with sadness over losing touch with college friends or other relationships over the summer.
Seniors will experience a range of emotions such as relief that they don’t have to take another class ever again, sadness that such a positive experience is ending, excitement about entering the “adult” world, or fear over a new (job, graduate school, city) or unknown environment. You may want to check in with your student to see how they are feeling. You may be having some mixed emotions yourself, so it’s healthy to talk these through with your student.
Commencement
If your student is graduating this semester, congratulations!
Your student may have chosen to participate in a commencement ceremony, a Redbird Stage Crossing, or both. If they registered for either or both, your student would have received a confirmation email and participation instructions to their Illinois State email address the week of April 11, and again the week of April 25.
Each in-person commencement ceremony will last approximately one hour. Doors will open for guests an hour prior to the ceremony start time, and seating is first come, first served. Graduates should report to their designated line-up locations 30 minutes prior to the ceremony start time. Graduates should leave all personal belongings with guests. The University is not responsible for the safekeeping of these items if left unattended in line-up areas during the ceremony.
There is no limit to the number of guests who can attend the commencement ceremony. Tickets are not required. No bags, backpacks, or boxes, except for purses and medical equipment, will be permitted in Redbird Arena for the ceremony. As a courtesy to all guests attending, items such as balloons, balloon bouquets, signs, banners, or other visual obstructions are discouraged.
As a reminder, graduates remain seated during the commencement ceremony; they do not cross the stage or have their names read. However, these experiences are available at Redbird Stage Crossing.
Redbird Stage Crossing events are held in the Brown Ballroom in the Bone Student Center, unless otherwise noted on the graduate's Grad Pass. Registered participants should plan to arrive within 15 minutes of the time listed on their Grad Pass. Parking is available in the Bone Student Center Visitor’s Lot at 204 N. University Street, Normal, Illinois. Parking validation cards for graduates and guests are available at Redbird Stage Crossing check-in.
Registered graduates and their guests will spend 30-45 minutes at the Redbird Stage Crossing from check-in to exit, depending on the number of graduates in the timeslot. Up to four guests will be allowed to enter a designated area to take the graduate's photo as they cross the stage, while all additional guests will be directed to a seated viewing area. The actual crossing of the stage will take approximately one minute, during which time the graduate's name will be announced, a personalized slide (including photo, if submitted by the deadline) will be displayed, and the graduate will receive a diploma cover from a university representative.
A professional commencement photographer will take photos of the graduate during and after the stage crossing. A proof of the photos will be sent to the student's ISU email address within one week; however, there is no obligation to purchase.
Once the graduate has crossed the stage, all guests – including those who were seated in the viewing area — may take informal individual and group photos with the graduate at the provided photo stations.
A variety of commencement-related merchandise and gifts will be available for purchase from a vendor located immediately outside the Redbird Stage Crossing location and from the Barnes and Noble Bookstore in the Bone Student Center.
Registration for Summer and Fall Classes
Students can register for summer classes now at My.IllinoisState.edu. To view course offerings, students should visit Course Finder. The deadline to register for summer classes is identical to the summer class start date, Monday, May 16. Advanced registration for fall is also occurring now until 10:00pm on Friday, May 6. Fall registration will reopen on Monday, May 16. This is the last monthly newsletter for the 2021-2022 academic year. The next newsletter will be in August 2022. If you have any questions or concerns about any topic, please do not hesitate to call Parent Services at (309) 438-2008 or email us at ParentServices@IllinoisState.edu. |
