November
21 , 2003
College
Reaches Out to MHC Parents
|
Photo: Ben Barnhart
Parents tour campus
during Family Weekend. |
There's a new committee on
campus aimed at helping the parents of Mount Holyoke students
feel more attuned to what's happening here. Under the
leadership of communications director Patricia VandenBerg and
finance and administration process designer Madeline Carnevale,
the parent relations team is made up of representatives from
the major departments on campus. "These are individuals
who both solicit information from their departments about activities
involving parents, and who take information back to their departments
from the team," Carnevale explained.
The team is focusing mainly on communications geared to parents, including the
College's Web site, which the team wants to make more accessible. "Research
is showing that parents are much more involved on a more direct level in their
children's education than before," Carnevale said. "They want
to participate, and the Web site lets them know what's going on. Parents
want the best for their investment, so they watch carefully. They are a sharper,
more involved audience."
The team is also working with various College departments to identify times during
the school year when many parents are likely to be contacting them with questions.
Carnevale cites as examples the weeks when financial aid and admission letters
are sent out. During these periods, it is critical that inquiries are handled
efficiently. Staff will be specially trained to handle frequently asked questions
and to direct callers to the proper channels as necessary. "We are prethinking
good service," Carnevale said.
VandenBerg is appreciative of the help the team has received from all over the
campus. "It's increasingly important that we communicate effectively
with this influential audience," she said.
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