Parent/Family Members Attending Orientation

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Parent/Family Members Attending Orientation

Hollie Gammel-Smith, Coordinator of the Orientation Programs, shows a student and her parents the schedule for the Orientation Program. Reservations for each of the five summer and 3 transfer Parent/family Orientation sessions are taken in the order that they are received. In order to process your reservation, your student reservation must accompany your parent reservation, or your student must already be signed up for orientation AND you must include the appropriate Parent/family Orientation fees. For Freshmen Orientation, these fees include two nights lodging (for parent/family members staying on campus), meals served from breakfast Monday through breakfast Tuesday, a reception with university administration and community leaders, a guided tour of Nacogdoches, publications, staff wages and administrative costs. Please make your check or money order payable to Stephen F. Austin State University. For Transfer Orientation, these fees include lunch and information sessions with your student.

Parent/Family Fees for Freshman Orientation
Staying off campus - $70 per Family Member
Staying on campus - $80 per Family Member

Parent/Family Fees for Transfer Orientation
$20 per Family Member
Reservations for Parent/family Orientation will be available online beginning February 1, 2008. Online reservations are processed through the university's secure server to ensure credit card security.

If you do not wish to submit your reservation online, you may either print the online form or use the reservation card attached to the orientation booklet that your student will receive in early February or as soon as he/she has been accepted to the university. Please mail the form, with payment, to the Orientation Programs office, PO Box 13032, SFA Station, Nacogdoches, TX 75962-3032. If you are experiencing difficulties with the orientation reservation process, please call the Orientation Office at (936) 468-6641.

Reservations must be received no later than noon on the reservations deadline date for the requested session. Please bring your Orientation confirmation and/or Orientation session change letter with you to Orientation.

Accommodations for Family

Guest spaces are available should you desire to stay on campus for the two nights your student is attending Freshman Orientation. The cost is $10 per parent/family member staying in university housing in addition to the $70 Orientation fee ($80 total per person). The off-campus Orientation fee does not include the cost of your lodgings.

An umbrella, comfortable walking shoes and other personal items will make your stay more pleasant. Dress is casual for all sessions. Parents/family members staying on campus will be staying in a campus residence halls Lumberjack Lodge, or Lumberjack Village. You must provide your own bed linens-XL twin sheets, pillow, towels, blanket, alarm clock and toiletries. In addition, you may want to bring a radio or television (basic cable is provided) to make your stay more comfortable.

Please note that parents and students will be staying in SEPARATE accommodations. Parents arriving without spouses MAY be assigned a roommate of the same gender.

Please note: Lumberjack Lodge is designed to be similar to an apartment. Up to four guests will be assigned to a room.

If you prefer off-campus accommodations, a number of hotels are located in the Nacogdoches area. The website http://www.visitnacogdoches.org/ lists several hotels in the Nacogdoches area.

Comments From Parents Who Attended Freshman Orientation in 2007

“My wife and I are very impressed with the enthusiasm and support of the various personnel who organized and presented the Orientation Sessions, thank you all for a wonderful experience – go Jacks!”

“We loved the way every single person we heard or talked to seemed to genuinely care about every student here-that’s awesome and that is why we have two lumberjacks in our family (and hopefully two more)”

“I am very pleased with all of the staff. The student orientation leaders were wonderful. I would encourage every parent to attend.”

“This is my first visit to SFA and I am very positive and sure my son will fit in here.”

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