Family Communications

As a family member of a newly admitted Lehigh student, you have undoubtedly been instrumental in their educational pursuits. Our Summer Webinar Series will introduce you to a variety of campus resources, provide support on discussions that may be helpful before their arrival, and introduce you to campus partners and administrators who will be instrumental in your student’s transition and success. We hope you will join us! Sessions will be recorded as appropriate and posted on our summer webinar webpage one week after each session.

Summer Schedule

REGISTER HERE for any or all of the webinars this summer!

Office of the First-Year Experience Welcome & Summer Webinar Kick-Off, Tuesday, May 14 at 7:00 P.M. EDT

Completing your Housing Contract, Wednesday, May 15 at 7:00 P.M. EDT

Accommodations 101: Successfully Navigating the Transition for Students with Disabilities, Monday, June 3 at 11:00 A.M. EDT

It’s Roommate Selection Time, Wednesday, June 5 at 7:00 P.M. EDT

Academic Advising & Support for Students, Thursday, June 13  at 7:00 P.M. EDT

Talking with your Student About Alcohol, Tuesday, June 18 at 7:00 PM EDT

Tech Talk for First-Year Students and Families, Wednesday, June 26 at 7:00 P.M. EDT

Understanding your Housing, Wednesday, July 3 at 7:00 P.M. EDT

Lehigh University Campus Safety Information and Resources, Tuesday, July 9 at 6:00 P.M. EDT

Fraternity & Sorority 101, Wednesday, July 17 at 6:00 P.M. EDT

Are you Move-In Ready?, Monday, July 22 at 7:00 P.M. EDT

Bursting the Lehigh Bubble: Getting to Know South Bethlehem, Your New Home, Tuesday, July 30 at 6:30 P.M. EDT

Student Reminder Highlights

Your students’ portal goes live tomorrow with the summer checklist! Please encourage your student to visit the portal and check their Lehigh email often this summer for important information. 

• preLUsion Registration is live as of 3:00 P.M. EDT tomorrow!

• The housing contract goes live at the end of the week and the deadline is June 7! 

• Health forms were mailed last week, but the forms and more information can be found on the Health & Wellness Center webpage. They are due July 15, but do often require a trip to the physician's office.

We look forward to engaging with you this summer and as we prepare for the start of the academic year! 

It’s June, the school year is coming to an end, and there are exciting things on the checklist for your student to complete to continue preparing for their arrival.

Housing Information

The housing contract went live on their housing self-service portal and will be open until June 7. If a student has filled it out and wants to change their preferences, they can simply fill it out again.

If you or your student missed the Housing Contract webinar, you can watch the recording here or visit the Housing Services website for step by step information on what to do. Please allow your student to fill out these contracts, surveys and forms throughout the summer. It is important for them to take responsibility and to create their own experience based on their needs and preferences. 

• For more information about first-year housing, visit the Housing Services website. When you click on a specific location, students can see more information about the hall, what exactly the room includes, and take an interactive tour. 

• For disability related housing requests, please make sure your student submits their request on time.

• For Housing and Meal Plan rates, please visit the website.

• Specific information about the beds and measurements can be found on the Housing website.

Roommate matching will open on June 11 and close on June 22. There will be an additional webinar to walk students through this process this week on June 5 at 7:00 PM EDT. They can sign up on the Summer Webinar webpage. The recording will be posted by the end of the week.

For students with medical conditions that impact their ability to dine well on campus, we strongly encourage a conversation with our Registered  Dietitian, Executive Chef, and/or General Manager.  In many instances, our dining team can easily assist with special needs. We may require additional medical documentation to enable us to develop a more specific meal plan accommodation. In this situation, please visit the Office of Disability Services for details and instructions on how to submit a meal plan accommodation request.

Upcoming June Webinars

We have helpful webinars coming up in the month of June. Please register on our Summer Webinar Series webpage, or you can check out the recording a few days later if you are unable to attend. Recordings of past webinars are already posted!

• It’s Roommate Selection Time - RESCHEDULED to Sunday, June 9 at 7:00 PM EDT

• Academic Advising  & Support for Students - Thursday, June 13, 2024 at 7:00 PM EDT

• Talking with your Student about Alcohol - Tuesday, June 18, 2024 at 7:00 PM EDT

• Tech Talk for First-Year Students & Families - Wednesday, June 26 at 7:00 PM EDT

Upcoming Important Dates & Deadlines for Students

Students should continue to return to their Summer Checklist for important links and reminders for each month. Below are a few highlights that may be helpful to you to discuss with your student:

• Orientation Registration Due June 30 - Orientation is mandatory for all students but this form helps us gather some additional information including any accommodations you may need if you are visiting with them, their restaurant choice for Faux Friday, etc.

• Student Health Forms Due July 15 -  forms must be signed by their doctors; vaccinations must be entered on their patient portal also

Course registration for students is in about one month. This can be both exciting and overwhelming for students to decide their college courses for the first time. While they may not be here in Bethlehem, there are so many resources and people here to help! We shared these resources with students, and we are sharing them with you as well. We ask that you remember that it is important for students to navigate this process. We know you want to help and support your students, but we promise you that having them complete this process is an important step. That being said, if you find them getting overwhelmed or frustrated we hope these resources will help you understand how you might support them while they transition to campus life.

Advising

A Lehigh staff member in their advising unit will reach out to them via their Lehigh email address. They will remind them of resources available and offer to assist as they explore which courses to take and how to lay out their schedule. There will be virtual advising sessions and webinars available during June, organized specifically by their college or program.

Student Preparation for Registration

Registration will start between July 15-17 and will close on July 26. Students will receive an email from the Office of the Registrar in early July with their exact day and time. They have so many resources for them to explore and prepare! Here are a few tips from us of how your student can get started:

• Visit the First-Year Student Enrollment Website  for general registration information, how-to videos, and sample schedules. We highly recommend looking at their How to Register page!

• Check their Portal for the link to their course packet and helpful information from their college.

• Attend a session with their academic unit or program, or reach out to them if they have questions!

What Students Should Do When... 

Deciding which courses to take in fall? Review their course packet, check the portal and their email for additional information, see the first-year enrollment website for sample schedules, and contact their academic unit.

Have questions about utilizing the registration system? Review the First-Year Enrollment website for videos on how to utilize the registration system and contact the Office of the Registrar.
Having trouble during the registration period? Use the Live Chat on the Registrar’s webpage to talk with someone in the moment.

Schedule Changes

Students will have the opportunity to meet with a college representative on Friday, August 23 during Orientation. Students can also continue making schedule changes through the first week of the semester, so there’s plenty of time to ensure that they have an appropriate course schedule.

Disability Support Services Documentation

Students with disabilities who would like to apply for reasonable accommodations and services should begin the interactive process today to ensure that all reasonable accommodations are in place by the start of the fall semester. Students who wait to apply for accommodations until just prior to the start of the fall semester may experience delays, so it is recommended that students begin the process and submit documentation as soon as possible. 

To get started, students should register with Disability Support Services by completing the Disability Support Services Registration form. This form allows students to upload documentation with initial registration if they would like, but documentation can also be submitted afterwards. Next, students should submit a copy of their current disability documentation from their physician, clinician, or diagnostician. More information about documentation guidelines can be found on the Disability Support Services website. DSS engages in an interactive process and reviews requests for reasonable accommodations on a case-by-case and class-by-class basis, so after the initial documentation evaluation is complete, DSS will reach out during the summer to schedule an appointment to discuss next steps. 

If you have questions about how Disability Support Services assists students or about the interactive process, please call them at 610-758-4152 for more information.

We are excited to welcome you and your student to campus in about two months! Below is helpful information to inform you of what to expect for Move-In and Orientation. We will share additional details as we get closer.

Move-In

Move-In day is Thursday, August 22, unless your student is signed up for an early arrival program or varsity sport. These include programs like preLUsion, Marching 97, ROTC, LUSSI, RARE, and International Student Orientation.

There will be a team of volunteers to assist you that day! Please follow these directions when you arrive to assist us with traffic flow. You’ll check-in at Iacocca Hall on the Mountaintop campus between 8am and 11:30am to receive your parking pass and Orientation materials. Please note that if you arrive right at 8:00am it may take some time to get your student processed. Your patience is appreciated. You will follow color-coded directional signage down the mountain to your students’ residence hall to pick up your keys and unload your belongings. Commuter student families are welcome to park at check-in and take a Lehigh Bus down to the Asa Packer Campus for Orientation.

All student health forms and paperwork must be complete before students can move in. You can see additional instructions about this process on the Health & Wellness Center website.

Your parking pass must remain displayed in your vehicle during the move-in process. Someone must stay with your car when you arrive at your students’ residence hall. Staff, faculty and student volunteers will assist in unloading your car. Please make sure all boxes, suitcases, bags, and other items are clearly labeled with your students’ name, building, and room number. Once your car is unloaded, you will move it to your designated campus parking garage to allow others to unload (follow the directional signage to the closest parking location).

Packing can be made a lot easier when you know what to bring and what to leave at home. Use this packing list to help you make some of those decisions and check out the housing website if you need specifics on your residence hall room.

Parent & Family Orientation

This is as much a transition for you as it is for your student. Even if you’ve dropped off multiple children at college, every experience can be different and we hope we’ll have the chance to connect with you. 

We will have a Family Welcome tent with information and refreshments outside of the Orientation Check-In at Iacocca Hall. We invite you to the Welcome Lunch spanning Memorial Drive from 11:30 - 1:30pm. You’ll say farewell at this time as the Orientation Kick-off for Students starts at 2pm and students will be engaged in programming for the rest of the weekend. Family Orientation will occur simultaneously on Thursday and will wrap up by 5:30pm giving you the evening  to travel or enjoy Bethlehem. 

Please see the Family Orientation Schedule for additional details. 

Is your student attending an early arrival program? Don’t worry! We host the same Family Orientation on Monday, August 19. The times will vary slightly, but the schedule is available on our website.

Attend a Sendoff with your Student!

Each year, alumni and parents across the country host student Sendoff to welcome incoming students and families to Lehigh. These informal gatherings are a chance to learn more about Lehigh, meet your students’ fellow classmates, and get tips on campus, classes, and more. Find the nearest Sendoff to you and register to attend!

The Health & Wellness Center’s mission is to provide high quality, compassionate medical care, respect individual differences in a confidential environment, and give students the knowledge and ability to treat themselves for minor illnesses and injuries. Our dedicated, professional staff provides acute and ongoing care to approximately 7,000 undergraduate students and more than 2,000 graduate students. 

We offer a host of services, including acute care, routine examinations, lab services and reproductive and sexual health services. To learn more, please visit our Services.

Lehigh University requires that undergraduate and graduate students be covered by adequate medical insurance or enroll in the university-sponsored plan. The Health & Wellness Center does not directly bill, nor receive payment from any insurance company. Most Health & Wellness Center services including office visits are provided at no charge. For services that do have an associated charge, students may pay cash or bill their bursar account. It is the student's responsibility to submit a claim to their health insurance company for reimbursement if applicable. Supporting documentation that may be required by insurance including receipts, and encounter summaries are available on the Student Health Portal. 

Students can make appointments by calling the Health & Wellness Center, or through our online chat forum. For more information, please visit Making an Appointment.

Step by step instructions for incoming student paperwork are provided on our website. Healthcare providers must fill out and sign the paperwork sent home in the Welcome Kits. Students must complete all electronic forms in their student health portal. Students will enroll in or waive the Student Health Insurance plan. Finally, students should provide pictures of their insurance card in their student health portal.

Have additional questions? Check out the Health & Wellness Center incoming student FAQs.

Orientation

Orientation will start at 2:00 on Thursday, August 22 and will run through Sunday, August 25. It is mandatory and will be helpful for your students’ transition to familiarize them with campus resources, make connections and get them ready for a successful year. The official schedule will be available on our website in August. You can review the schedule on page 16 in the Welcome Kit if you are looking for more details about each day.

Students will learn more about the Lehigh community and begin Crafting our Communities with Care, our theme for the year. We’ll talk a lot about this during Orientation as they begin to form relationships and think about how they will play a role in the Lehigh community. 

Live the excitement from Move-In to Orientation before you and your student arrive. Check out the OFYE youtube page to see what to expect!

Faux Friday & Reading is cLUtch!

We are also a part of the larger Bethlehem community and students will learn more about our home, South Bethlehem, and even hear from our mayor at their University Convocation. This event will be livestreamed if you want to watch along! In the evening, students will be eating in a local restaurant and can stop at the local greenway for some free ice cream and a relaxing and fun atmosphere. We’re asking students to bring a new (or gently used) copy of your favorite book from their childhood or adolescence for Reading is cLUtch! They can write an inspirational message inside the front cover and we will collect these at the Greenway to share with the South Bethlehem kiddos.

The Rally

Dating back to 1945, when the Class of 1899 adopted the Class of 1949, each new class is presented with a class flag that shares the design and colors of their adopting class. Their class will be “adopted” by the alumni Class of 1978 and presented with their official class flag!  The flag is a symbol of the bond you’ll share with both their classmates and the alumni community. This is an exciting event and tradition occurring Saturday, August 24 at 8:00 P.M. EDT. This event will also be livestreamed so you can join in.

Summer Webinar Series

You can still register for the remainder of the Summer Webinar Series to find out more about the following topics:

• Lehigh University Campus Safety Information and Resources, Tuesday, July 9 at 6:00 P.M. EDT
• Pursuing the Pre-Health Track: Meet the Pre-Health Director & Med Mentors, Thursday, July 11, 2024 at 5:30 P.M. EDT
• Fraternity & Sorority 101, Wednesday, July 17 at 6:00 P.M. EDT
• Are you Move-In Ready?, Monday, July 22 at 7:00 P.M. EDT
• Bursting the Lehigh Bubble: Getting to Know South Bethlehem, Your New Home, Tuesday, July 30 at 6:30 P.M. EDT

Across the Division of Student Affairs, we will encourage your students to learn through each experience and opportunity. College is a time for personal growth and we will work together to help them make the most of their time here.

That is what bLUeprint is all about. Just like faculty have syllabi and goals for classes, bLUeprint is like that for learning outside of the classroom. We know that so much of our learning comes from those everyday moments and experiences in college – the conversations over dinner; interacting with hallmates; involvement in students clubs, research, internships; and everything in between. It is so easy to run from one thing to the next - to go four years without articulating exactly how they’ve grown and in what specific ways those moments have impacted them, their identity, and their trajectory. bLUeprint is meant to encourage those moments of pause and reflection. It is meant to encourage and challenge them to think deeply about where they come from, who they are and who they want to be. This is their  opportunity to create their experience. 

The Five Foundations are the goals we want students to explore and question. 

• Creative Curiosity encourages the exploration of new ideas and concepts. We want them to develop the skills necessary to be lifelong learners and innovative problem solvers. 
• Self Concept encourages students to strengthen their self-worth by understanding their identities and values and expressing themselves authentically. 
• Healthy Connections begin with taking care of yourself. It pushes students to reflect on their healthy and unhealthy connections, identify their personal needs and boundaries, and navigate relationships with empathy for yourself and others.
• Critical Consciousness is the ability to understand and analyze societal structures and systems of oppression, and to take action towards social change. We challenge students to see the ways in which systems can perpetuate inequality, injustice and oppression. 
• Strategic Adaptability recognizes that we are all navigating in constantly changing environments. We want students to build skills in problem-solving, flexibility, and decision-making by learning from failures and taking risks.

We want students to DISCOVER the Five Foundations and EXPLORE what they mean to them. We want them to CONNECT their ideas and experiences, and APPLY what they learn to real world issues and situations, but they won’t have to do that alone. There are people here to help them design the best possible college and post-college experience. They are all around them - at their orientation, in the residence halls, in offices and student organizations across campus. 

It’s almost here! We are thrilled we get to welcome you and your student to the Lehigh family officially next week! We have a few last minute reminders and ways to be engaged.
 

Family Orientation Reminder

The Family Orientation schedules for both Monday, August 19 and Thursday, August 22 are up on our website and will be available in print upon your arrival. If you are coming to Lehigh on either of those dates, we hope to see you there!

Unable to attend? Don’t worry! Our summer webinar series was a great resource and we encourage you to check out some of the recordings to familiarize yourself with various resources on campus.
 

Student Orientation

If you are interested in knowing more about what your student will be up to during Orientation, please see our Orientation schedule posted on our webpage. Download the guidebook app to your phone and search for the 2024 Lehigh University Orientation guide. It will be an informative and fun-filled weekend to help prepare them for the year ahead. 

See what your student is up to! Follow along with their schedule and join in on various live streams throughout Orientation week!

The Rally: Saturday, August 24 at 8:00pm EST

You can check out our website for a variety of resources as you navigate Lehigh as a family member, including our Family Field Guide, FAQs, and reading a copy of the Orientation Times.

Care Packages

If you are looking for a way to treat your student this year, the Mail Center now offers care packages! Themed care packages are placed in student mailboxes for pick-up at the Mail Center. Seasonal or general bag themes are available in various price points including Candy-Grams, Get Well-Grams, and Study-Grams. Shop at: go.lehigh.edu/mailcenterstore. For helpful information about mailing and shipping to your student on campus, please visit mailcenter.lehigh.edu.

We will see you soon!