Family Weekend - University of Maryland





		The following is a list of the questions we are most frequently asked about Family Weekend, as well as responses to those questions. If you can't find what you're looking for, feel free to call the Family Weekend Hotline at 301-314-0324 or send a note to familyweekend@umd.edu. REGISTRATION AND PARKING I just received my brochure in the mail. Why did it take so long to arrive? Family Weekend brochures (over 24,000 pieces) were sent on August 4, 2008 using the United States Postal Service bulk rate. Because Family Weekend is entirely self-supported and due to the large quantity of brochures, we must use the most economical method possible to send postal mail. Unfortunately, bulk rate mail can take up to three weeks to reach its destination. I haven't received a brochure in the mail. How can I get a copy? Brochures were sent on August 4 "To the parents of" using the student's permanent address on file with the University. The information on this Web site is the same as the information in the brochure. If you do not receive a copy of the brochure by September 1 and you would like one sent to you, please call us at 301-314-8429. Does my student automatically get to attend everything during Family Weekend? We hope your student will attend all Family Weekend events with you. Your student is included in the Family Weekend Registration Fee; however, payment is required for everyone attending an event for which there is an additional fee (including students). Students need to be included in your Family Weekend registration because Family Weekend is a special event and does not receive any tuition or student fee money. Family Weekend is completely self-supported. When is the registration deadline? The registration deadline is Sunday, October 5, 2008 but it is best to register early since certain events will sell out. Can I register over the phone? Unfortunately, we are not able to take registrations over the phone. You may register online using the online registration link located on this Web site. Can you tell me which events are already closed/sold out? This Web site is updated on a regular basis and we will indicate sold-out events as they close. You will also know which events are closed when you complete your online registration form, since events are confirmed immediately. I just went to the Web site to register and the event(s) I wanted are not available. Why are some events already sold out? Tickets are distributed on a first come, first served basis; this is the most equitable system possible. We regret that certain events sell out. Over 6,000 parents, family members and students attend Family Weekend each year, and some events sell out quickly due to their popularity and limited availability of space on campus. More than 50 different events and activities are offered during Family Weekend. We are committed to providing a variety of options that appeal to a broad spectrum of family members as well as presenting specific events that can accommodate all Family Weekend participants. Special events included in the Family Weekend Registration Fee (e.g., Classes without Quizzes, President's Open House & Reception, Continental Breakfast Meet & Greet, Terp Zone, Recreation Center programs, Ice Cream Social) are open to all participants, as are many other events during the weekend for which there is no extra fee. Additionally, we have an unlimited number of tickets for those who wish to enjoy the BBQ on McKeldin Mall (one of the highlights of the weekend). Can I get on a waitlist for a sold out event? At the moment we are unable to provide a waitlist for closed events. It is possible that tickets to "sold out" events will become available if current ticket holders make changes to or cancel their Family Weekend registration. When this occurs, their tickets are released and become available online. You are welcome to log on to the Family Weekend registration site (using your Registration Code) to see if any tickets for a particular event become available. What does the registration fee cover? The $40.00 Family Weekend registration fee covers the registration of up to four family members plus your UM student(s). Additional family members may be added at a cost of $10 per person. This fee enables us to provide select events during Family Weekend at no additional cost to participants, including Classes without Quizzes, President's Open House & Reception, the Saturday morning continental breakfast and Welcome Celebration, Terp Quest, games in the Terp Zone, and the Ice Cream Social on Sunday. The registration fee also covers the cost of Family Weekend publications (brochure, web site, nametags, maps, schedules, etc.), postage, online and onsite registration services, and your weekend parking pass. In addition, the fee helps to offset our costs for the rental of campus facilities (we must pay for every space we use), facility staff and service fees, parking attendants and many other incidental expenses. Family Weekend is an independent and self-supported event for University of Maryland families and is not financed by student fees or Maryland Parents Association funds. For what events can I register onsite? If there is space available, you can register for any events that are still open. When will I get the confirmation of my registration? Your Family Weekend confirmation is immediate, following completion of the online registration form. Parking passes and tickets to all events during Family Weekend will be given to you when you check-in at the Family Weekend Welcome Center (located in the Stamp Student Union). What if I register for something and I want to cancel it later? You can make adjustments to your registration or cancel your entire registration at any time before 11:59 p.m. (EDT) on Sunday, October 5, 2008. Changes to your registration should be made by accessing your online registration form using the unique Registration Code listed on your Family Weekend confirmation. Cancellations received by Sunday, October 5 will receive a full refund less a $20 cancellation fee. We are unable to refund any payments after October 5, 2008. Where can I park during Family Weekend? When you arrive for Family Weekend you should proceed to the Stamp Student Union to receive your Family Weekend materials. Family Weekend registration will be open on Friday, October 10 from 12:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. and on Saturday, October 11 from 8:30 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Short-term parking will be available in the Union Lane Garage, and vehicles should be moved from Union Lane Garage immediately after completing the registration process in the Stamp Student Union.. You will receive your parking permit and a detailed campus map highlighting the available parking lots upon check-in at the Welcome Center. HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS Where can we stay in the area? Which hotels are closest? A list of area hotels is available on this Web site. We even did some extra work so you know just how far the hotels are located from campus (both in mileage and in driving time). Many hotels fill quickly, so we encourage you to make your reservation as soon as possible. What if I want to take my student to dinner off campus? We encourage you to do so (and we're pretty sure you're son or daughter will enjoy the treat). Whether you want to enjoy a nice meal after one of the off-campus excursions or travel on your own to dinner, there are tons of great options. Information about restaurants in College Park, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C. is available on this Web site. If you do plan to take your student to dinner, we strongly advise you to make a reservation BEFORE you arrive for Family Weekend since restaurants in these cities are popular with locals and visitors alike. EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES I was really looking forward to attending a football game. Why is Family Weekend on a bye weekend? Unfortunately, we are not able to acquire enough tickets to offer to parents and family members for a home football game, so we scheduled Family Weekend on a bye weekend. We know how exciting it is to attend a Maryland sporting event, so we are including information about several other athletic events in the Family Weekend schedule. We usually attend Maryland Madness when we come to Family Weekend. What happened this year? When is Maryland Madness? There are many factors we must consider when planning Family Weekend, including religious holy days, home football games and other major university events, and finding a time when the most space is available on campus since Family Weekend involves more than 6,000 participants. As you can imagine, it is a tremendously challenging planning process. We were unable to schedule Family Weekend on the same weekend as Maryland Madness this year. Maryland Madness will take place on Friday, October 17. The date for Maryland Madness is dictated by the NCAA regulations regarding the official beginning of the men's and women's basketball season and practice schedules. Maryland Madness always occurs on the official start date for basketball practice, so there is no flexibility in scheduling the event. Event details and ticket information will not be available until late September/early October and will be posted on the Athletic Department Web site when available. When should we plan to arrive? Do parents stay for the entire weekend? We have tons of events planned just for you. We encourage you to arrive early on Friday so you can take full advantage of the weekend. Do I have to stay for the whole weekend? What if I can only come for Saturday? How long you stay is up to you. Most Family Weekend events are a la carte, so you only pay for those events you wish to attend (along with the registration fee, which everyone pays). What if my student does not want to attend any of the activities during Family Weekend? Should I still come? Yes! Family Weekend is an opportunity for parents to both enjoy and learn more about the institution—and the more you know about the University, the better you will be able to support your son or daughter throughout his or her educational career. If your student does not want to attend, it is probably just a statement of his or her need to assert some independence or autonomy, which is natural. Many parents attend Family Weekend and see their student only occasionally. Other parents have their students with them at everything—it really depends upon the student. If you want to come, please do. What happens if it rains? The show must go on! Those events scheduled in outdoor locations have alternate indoor sites in the event of inclement weather. Since we never know what kind of weather a Chesapeake-area autumn will bring, we encourage you to come prepared with a jacket or sweatshirt and an umbrella. SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS I'd like to attend the events with meals. Can I have a kosher meal? We can provide kosher meals if we know in advance. Please indicate that you require kosher meals on your registration form in the special accommodations section. Then, when you arrive for the event just let the dining service attendants know you need a kosher meal. Are events sign interpreted? If a member of your party is hearing impaired, we can make arrangements to have all activities sign interpreted. Please make reference to this on the registration form in the special accommodations section. We have a family member in a wheelchair. Can we get around to all of the events? All events are held in handicapped-accessible areas and buildings. Also, we will gladly arrange for a shuttle to pick you up and take you to your next location. If you have specific transportation needs, please note this on your registration form. Can we have a special parking pass? We do not provide special parking passes for handicapped parking. Parking is available close to all facilities on campus for those vehicles with a handicapped license plate or tag.