New Students

Role of the Parent

Students who attend the University of Lethbridge are considered adults and are expected to communicate, advocate and request services independently. As parents, you may find this to be a transition from previous involvement in your student’s education and accommodations. The following provides some information, expectations and tips for working with The ALC - Accessible Learning Centre:

  1. The process for requesting and providing academic accommodations requires the active participation of the student. It is the student’s decision to register, request and access services. No accommodation information transfers automatically from high school.

  2. Your student may receive a request to obtain more detailed or up to date documentation. We are not challenging their right to accommodations but are better able to support them with detailed information.

  3. Students may choose to have their parent or advocate attend the intake meeting, but it is at the sole discretion of the student.

  4. What was applicable in high school may not suffice for post-secondary education. We may recommend technology rather than support staff to encourage self-reliance and normalize their student experience and/or interaction with peers.

  5. Students may be asked to offset the costs of some specialized supports by applying for grants. Better documentation increases the likelihood of approvals.

  6. Your student will be expected to communicate directly with Accessible Learning Centre staff. We will respond back to emails from their university email account.

  7. The student, not the parent, makes the final decision on specialized supports and financial costs. It is up to the student to consult with the parent if appropriate.

  8. Your student may have provided your name on a Consent to Release Information. We will not disclose information about the student’s attendance, progress, grades, payment of fees. The student may request or share this information at their discretion.

However, the Accessible Learning Centre may contact you should we believe that your student may be in clear and imminent danger to self or another person.

Here are some ways you can support your student’s academic journey:

  1. Prompt your student to contact the ALC 4-6 weeks prior to the expected start of services. As an example, for Fall Semester, we recommend mid-July to early August.

  2. Encourage them to follow the university on social media and start checking emails daily.

  3. Each student receives course information at the beginning of the semester. Encourage them to follow the actions in those documents; review deadlines and encourage them to add the important dates to their calendar.

  4. The University of Lethbridge hosts a lot of events to assist with the orientation process. They are posted on social media and the website. The Accessible Learning Centre participates in them and our team is available to answer questions. They include:

    1. Ahead of the Herd

    2. New Student Orientation

    3. Open House

  5. Remind them of on-campus supports like the Health Centre, Counselling Services, Student Success Centre and Academic Advising. If they are going to be away from their medical professionals, it is a great idea to book an appointment with a doctor on campus.

  6. Promote independent decision making. Provide support and understanding for your student as they develop their own educational goals and extra-curricular interests. Those goals will likely evolve as they are exposed to diverse topics, concepts and peers.