CU Office of Parent Relations

The college years represent a new stage of parenting. According to a recent article in the Boston Globe, “helicopter parents” may not be all that bad in order to navigate the potential pitfalls of 18- 20 year old college students, unless taken to the extreme. However, parents need to know of the fine line between “being there” for your child and “overparenting,” which denies their students he opportunity to grow by not allowing them to succeed or fail on their own.

At CU, we believed that a community of faculty, staff, parents, alumni and students can provide the support, ideas and resources that today’s families need to navigate their new college parenting role.

In an effort to connect CU-Boulder parents with this community, the Office of Parent Relations (OPR) is partnering even more closely with other departments on campus. For example, OPR distributes a newsletter with a compilation of information gathered from across campus and sent to parent’s mailboxes. All parents who have joined the free CU Parents Association (CUPA) also receive the CU Parent E-Connection electronic newsletter. In cooperation with Admissions, the CU Alumni Association, the CU Foundation and the CU Bookstore, OPR now coordinates CU summer send-offs for our newest Buffs across the country. For tech-savvy parents, OPR is considering the use of social networking sites such as Facebook and enhancing the OPR webpages to include webinars, podcasts, and blogging.

Further partnering with the CU Alumni Association and participating in their Forever Buffs Program has opened doors for CU students and their parents. This partnership is yet another way for parents to stay connected with the University. For a one-time payment of $99.00 CU Boulder parents can join the valuable Alumni network and enjoy the information, resources and other membership benefits found at Friends of CU. In a rough economy, networking is king.

So, before you call your student’s professor or advisor or the Dean of Students, consider contacting the Office of Parent Relations. They are equipped to answer many parent concerns, research tough questions or connect you with campus experts. OPR places a priority on working personally on parent issues in a professional, timely manner. Who you gonna call? Contact Parent Relations at parents@colorado.edu or (303) 492-1380