May 11 UCSB Arts & Lectures presents world-class bluegrass ensemble

The Del McCoury Band 8 p.m., Campbell Hall

May 16 UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Pulitzer Prize-winning historian

David McCullough 8 p.m., Granada Theater

May 17 UCSB Arts & Lectures presents

“Violin & Video” with Jennifer Koh

8 p.m., Hahn Hall

May 25 UCSB Arts & Lectures presents

“Tangled Webs: How False Statements are Undermining

America—From Martha Stewart to Bernie Madoff” with

Wall Street Journal columnist James B. Stewart

8 p.m., Campbell Hall, FREE

Arts & Lectures tickets may be purchased by calling

(805) 893-3535 or visiting www.artsandlectures.ucsb.edu.

May 20 Last Day for Undergraduates

to Make Commencement Reservations on GOLD

May 30 Memorial Day Holiday

UCSB Closed

June 3 Last Day of Classes

June 4-10 Spring Quarter Final Exams

June 5 College of Creative Studies

Commencement

June 11-12 College of Engineering and

College of Letters and Science Commencement

Upcoming Year-End Events Finals Week Spring quarter final exams are June 4-10, 2011. Below are some tips for you and your student for a successful finals week:

• To accommodate students needing to study, the library is open longer and 24-hour quiet hours are enforced in the residence halls.

• This is a great time to send your student a note or gift basket. A note or email telling your student how proud you are of him or her can be a real booster during what can be a stressful time of the year.

• Remember that your student will be studying frequently and completing exams, which are up to three hours in length. Don’t worry if your student doesn’t contact you or return your call right away.

Residence Hall Move Out For students living in campus residence halls, move out begins June 10, 2011. Here are some suggestions to make move out a smooth process for your family:

• Start early in the day. Moving out can be a long process.

• Remind your student to have his or her room in its original order before you arrive on campus. It is a good idea to have this done before finals week, so your student does not have to worry about this while studying for exams.

• If your student is coming home or you are visiting campus prior to move out, plan to take some items home with you. This will minimize what needs to be picked up on move out day.

• Allow time for summer goodbyes, pictures with friends, and check-out inspections.

Commencement Commencement ceremonies for the College of Letters and Science and the College of Engineering will be held June 11-12, 2011. The College of Creative Studies commencement will be held June 5, 2011.

• To look up the exact time of your student’s ceremony by college and major, visit the commencement Web site (www.ia.ucsb.edu/commencement). Double check with your student to confirm the time of the ceremony in which he or she is registered.

• Commencement DVDs and photos can be purchased from www.gradimages.com.

• The UCSB Bookstore has a wide selection of graduation gifts, including diploma frames, class rings, and alumni logo wear. Visit www.ucsbstuff.com to order.

Housing & Residential Services guarantees students a space in the residence halls for the first two years of their time at UCSB. There are still some contracts available for continuing students for the 2011-2012 academic year. Students who are interested in living in the residence halls next year should visit www.housing.ucsb.edu and click on the “Applications” tab.

Here are some insights from a student currently serving as a Resident Assistant:

“I’ve been living in the residence halls for about two years, one year as a resident at Santa Catalina and currently as a Resident Assistant (RA). Living in the residence halls at UCSB has literally been a vacation with homework. Not to sound cliché, but I can honestly say that these two years have been the best years of my life. The community that is built in UCSB’s residence halls is just simply amazing. First of all, the residence halls are clean and properly maintained by a wonderful maintenance team. Also, each residence hall comes with an amazing staff of RAs, Assistant Resident Director, and Resident Director who are there to support and guide you throughout your time here. The residence halls also provide opportunities to make new friends through programs put on by the RA or hall council, meeting others in the dining commons, or just hanging out in the floor lounge doing some reading. I have met some of my best friends living in the residence halls. I had a great year living in the residence halls. And now this year as an RA, I try my absolute best to create that same environment for my residents!”

- Eric Lopez, ‘13

Resident Assistant

College costs continue to increase, making it more difficult for families to afford and plan for these expenses. For many students at UCSB, a college education is not possible without financial assistance and support from the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.

The office’s many programs and services assist students in covering tuition, fees, and other college expenses beyond a student’s and his or her parents’ maximum ability. Financial Aid administers many federal, state, and university student aid programs, such as Direct Loans, Work Study Programs, and Cal Grants. Additionally, the office provides oversight of short-term emergency loans, Graduate Record Examination (GRE) fee waivers, Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) fee offsets, and one-on-one support from a Financial Aid advisor. For more information about aid programs and support services in the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships, students and parents may call (805) 893-2067, visit www.finaid.ucsb.edu, or stop by the office in the Student Affairs Administrative Services Building, Room 2101. Please note that the office requires students to sign a waiver once per academic year granting permission for staff representatives to speak

directly with their parents. Help Students Obtain a Degree from UCSB Would you like to help students minimize the financial obstacles associated with attending college? The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships is hoping to expand their services. If you wish to s u p p o r t t h e i r m i s s i o n , scholarships at UCSB, or any other service provided by UCSB Student Affairs, please contact Student Affairs Grants and Development at (805) 893-7713 or visit www.sa.ucsb.edu/giving.

Thank you!

Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships

Spaces are Still Available in UCSB Residence Halls for 2011-2012: Get Connected in this Amazing Environment

Labyrinth Trail If your student is looking for a way to relax and de-stress during final exams, suggest a walk through the new labyrinth located on the bluff trail between Campus Point and Manzanita Village.

The beautiful natural setting near Lagoon Island and the Pacific Ocean enhance the sensory experience and relaxation effects of the labyrinth.

The labyrinth is not intended to be confusing or maze-like. It has a single circuitous path that leads uninterrupted to the center. There are eleven rings and a pathway that changes 34 times en route to the center. Left turns and right turns are alternated to promote introspection, reflection, and clear minds among its visitors. Walkers may sense that more time is spent walking away from the center rather than heading toward it.

Encourage your student to try out UCSB’s new labyrinth soon!

Photo Credit: Carol Sauceda

Bike Friendly UCSB Strikes Gold

The Gaucho Parents Gazette is published by the Division of Student Affairs and UCSB Parent Services.

Contributing editors: Whitney White, Kim Parent, Debbie Fleming, Linda Nurra, and Lisa Slavid

At the National Bike Summit in March, UCSB was recognized by the League of American Bicyclists as a Gold-level Bike Friendly University. Twenty national universities were acknowledged for creating a positive bicycling environment for students, staff, and university visitors. As part of the first-ever Bike Friendly University Awards, Stanford University took the highest honor with a Platinum-level designation. One other university, UC Davis, received a Gold-level designation. The League of American Bicyclists is encouraging more universities to create safe bicycling communities. The benefits include increased accessibility and efficiency in getting to classes, reduced stress levels from physical activity and being outdoors, the reduction of carbon emissions and movement towards more sustainable and healthy practices, and the ability to reallocate money spent on parking lots or roads to educational purposes that better support student success. Visit http://www.ia.ucsb.edu/pa/display.aspx?pkey=2444 to learn more about UCSB’s Gold-level designation. For more information about Bike Friendly Universities and the League of American Bicyclists, visit www.bikeleague.org. Summer Sessions

Each year, the Summer Sessions program offers over 650 courses in disciplines ranging from anthropology to statistics. Courses are offered primarily in two six-week sessions between late June and mid-September to accommodate students’ schedules. Session A is June 20-July 30. Session B is August 1-September 10. Students may enroll in courses during one or both sessions.

Students often take summer classes to catch up or get ahead in their total number of units. Some even aim to graduate early by completing general education classes in the summer. Students enjoy the smaller class sizes and being able to focus on fewer classes at once.

Summer classes can also be an economical choice for some undergraduates. Unit fees are capped at the cost of 15 units, which means undergraduate students pay for the first 15 units in which they are enrolled and all additional units are free. Additionally, there are no out-of-state fees for summer classes.

The cost for Summer Sessions is $247.32 per unit for undergraduates and $308.88 per unit for graduate students. Additionally, there is a one-time fee of $360.02 for undergraduates and $148.79 for graduate students. Financial Aid packages are available for Summer Sessions. Students should contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships at www.finaid.ucsb.edu or (805) 893-2432 to determine eligibility.

Housing is available on a first-come, first-served basis for students attending Summer Sessions. Students can now complete the on-line application by clicking on the “Applications” tab on the main Housing Web site (www.housing.ucsb.edu). Registration is currently under way! The deadline to register without a late fee is June 15.

For more information about enrolling in summer courses, students can speak with staff in the Summer Sessions office located in Room 2214 in the Student Affairs Administrative Services Building or call (805) 893-2315. The Summer Sessions Schedule of Classes is available at www.summer.ucsb.edu.

Your daughter or son’s graduation from UCSB is a once-in-a-lifetime event. You can show your graduate how proud you are by buying a unique, personalized advertisement in the special graduation issue of the Daily Nexus student newspaper. The issue is scheduled to appear on Thursday, June 2, 2011.

Interested parents may submit their graduate’s name, up to two baby photos, and a 15 word message and closing (ex: We knew you could do it! Love, Mom and Dad). For information about pricing or reserving an advertisement, email sales@dailynexus.com or call (805) 893-3828.

Planning Ahead for Next Year? 1st Day of Fall 2011 Classes: September 22 Fall Quarter Final Exams: December 3-9 Thanksgiving Break: November 24-27 Winter Break: December 10-January 8

Celebrate Your Grad’s Big Day in the Daily Nexus Graduation Issue