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Parents Council
Longwood Parents Council
The Longwood Parents Council will be a direct link between Longwood parents and university administrators.
The Council advises the administration on student needs and issues. In turn, the administration relies on the Council to incorporate parents’ perspective on campus and student life issues. Members of the Parents Council support the university with personal gifts to the Parents Council Grant Fund, at the level of $500 per family per year, payable to the Longwood Parents Council Fund. Each year, the Council will award grants to students based on the Council’s review of proposals submitted by students and student groups. These gifts will directly and immediately benefit the academic and co-curricular life of Longwood students.
When fully formed, the Council will consist of approximately 20 families, representing students from each of the undergraduate classes. Members of the Parents Council are selected in a collaborative process between Longwood and the Chair of the Parents Council.
If you are interested in the Parents Council, please contact:
Ken Perkins
Executive Assistant to the President for Student Success
perkinskb@longwood.edu
434.395.2243
Membership
Members of the Parents Council will be appointed by a designee of the president of Longwood University from parents who have expressed interest in having more involvement with the university. Nominally there will be five families per class, with some variation to allow for diversity.
The administration will designate ex officio members of the Parents Council from the university and will include the Vice-President for Student Affairs, Executive Assistant for Student Success, and Executive Director of the Longwood Foundation.
Grants
Members of the Parents Council support the university with personal gifts to the Parents Council Grant Fund, at the level of $500 per family per year, payable to the Longwood Parents Council Fund. These gifts will directly benefit the academic and co-curricular life of Longwood students.
During the fall semester each year, student organizations and university departments can submit grant requests to the Parents Council, which will evaluate and prioritize the requests. Grants that are approved will be funded from the Parents Council Grant Fund, and will be awarded for the fall semester of the following year. In this way, Longwood parents can not only support the university through monetary gifts, but can also have direct input into how those gifts are used.
Grant Process
Grant requests will be made during the fall semester, using a grant format approved by the Parents Council. Grants will be forwarded via e-mail to Parents Council members for review prior to the spring meeting. During the spring meeting, groups requesting a grant will be given a short time (15 minutes) to provide a presentation describing the purpose of the request, and to answer questions about the grant from the Council. The Council will then approve or disapprove each grant request.
Approved grants can be fully or partially funded. The funds available for each year will be the balance in the Parents Council Grant Fund (less any expenses incurred by the university for Parents Council activities), i.e. funds will not be carried over from one year to another unless an awarded grant is returned.
Organization
The Parents Council will be chaired by a family designated by the administration designee, and will serve for one year (the senior year). To provide continuity, there will be a chair-elect family from the rising junior class that will assume the chair position in senior year. Each class will also have a chair, who will be responsible for coordinating communications with the parents of that class, and will generally serve for their duration on the Parents Council.
Each committee formed by the Parents Council will have a chair, appointed by the Council with the approval of the administration designee.
Meetings
There will be two general Parents Council meetings each calendar year at Longwood University: in the fall during Family Weekend; and in the spring, when grant applications will be evaluated and approved. Additional meetings for committees that the Parents Council has established will also be held as needed.
Involvement Opportunities
Activities
The Parents Council will take an active part in Family Weekend, assisting the university in various ways during the weekend. The Council will also provide assistance during student orientation sessions. The Council will also help with student Summer Send-offs (incoming student socials, where new students and their parents can mingle with current students and parents).
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- Summer Send-offs
- Orientation
- Family Weekend support
- Moving in day support
Committees
The Parents Council will form committees to liaison with the university and address student needs and issues, as well as to assist the university with needs that the administration has identified. These committees will be chaired by Council members, and will give Longwood parents an opportunity to contribute their talents to the university and its students.
Possible committees include:
- Family Weekend
- Fraternity & Sorority Life
- Parents’ Communication & Orientation
- Internships
Committee membership would not be limited to Parents Council members – other Longwood parents would be encouraged to participate. This will give these parents an opportunity to be involved with the university without the monetary commitment.