My Dear Friends,

The fall semester is right around the corner and we are busy preparing for both new and old bulldogs to join us on campus. We want to make sure you have important information at your fingertips, so you may be receiving a couple of emails from us over the next few weeks.

As always, reach out if you have any questions. We will do our best to help.

Hail State, y'all!

Dr. Cat Walker & Becky Faulk
Office of Parent & Family Services
662.325.3611 | family@ msstate.edu
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IMPORTANT DATES
August 1
Deadline for payment in full
or enrollment in payment plan.

August 16
New freshmen and transfer
student orientation

August 18
Classes begin

August 24
Fall Convocation

Last day to drop a course without a grade
(5th class day) 11:59 p.m.
We're updating our social media pages with information that we hope you will find helpful as we prepare for the upcoming semester. Please consider following us so that you do not miss important Mississippi State news.
BULLDOG FAMILY WEEKEND
We are excited to announce the dates of our Bulldog Family Weekend fall event.

Bulldog Family Weekend will be held October 22-24, 2021. MSU football will take on the Vanderbilt Commodores in Nashville, TN and we will host a tailgate and watch party here in Stark Vegas. We are working out the details, but we sure hope you will make plans to join us. It will also be an opportunity to highlight some (other) wonderful things on and off campus.

Our feelings won't be hurt if you would rather come another time to visit with your student and enjoy the area or see a home football game. As we have said in the past, EVERY weekend is a great weekend to be on campus. Come whenever it works best for you and your family.

If you're interested in making plans to join us, we would like to encourage you to make your hotel reservations now while rooms are available.
We are calling on our Bulldog students to help us design the Bulldog Family Weekend 2021 t-shirt. The winning design will be featured as our Bulldog Family Weekend event t-shirt and the winner will receive:
  • a one-of-kind hand painted cowbell with the winning t-shirt design, 
  • a free t-shirt, 
  • four tickets to the 2021 Bulldog Family Weekend tailgate on Saturday, October 23, 2021, and
  • recognition at the tailgate event, on the MSU Parent and Family website, social media pages, and the Cowbell Connections email newsletter.
MAROON FAMILY ALLIANCE
We would like to personally invite you to become an inaugural member of our Maroon Family Alliance. The Maroon Family Alliance will financially support programs and events that enhance your student’s experience and our campus community as a whole.
 
The Maroon Family Alliance will meet on a Friday afternoon in both the fall and spring semesters. During these meetings, members will tour some of Mississippi State’s top facilities, learn about innovative programs, hear from dynamic faculty and administrators. Most importantly, members will decide as a group how Maroon Family Alliance funds will be used to strengthen Mississippi State University and its Division of Student Affairs. It is a special way for parents and families to become connected with key University members and other Bulldog families.

You can be a part of the Maroon Family Alliance by following the “JOIN NOW” link below to make your annual contribution of $2,500. You may also call Jana Berkery, Director of Development, at 662.325.9129 to make your contribution by phone.
Visit MFA.MSSTATE.EDU for more information and we look forward to working with the new Mississippi State Maroon Family Alliance!
STUDENT ACCOUNTS: REMINDER
In an effort to foster responsible financial management and reduce student debt, we would like to remind you about important payment requirements related to student accounts.
 
Payment Plans are Available
MSU is pleased to offer payment plans that will allow you to pay tuition, residence halls, meal plans and other expenses through monthly installments. Learn more on our website at paymybill.msstate.edu.
 
Payment Due Dates - 1st of Each Month
Your monthly billing statement will be available around the 15th of each month, and the due date is the 1st of the following month. For example, a July 15th billing statement will have a due date of August 1.

Bills Must be Paid Before the Semester Begins
Before classes begin, you must pay the full balance on your student’s account (net of aid) or be enrolled in a payment plan. Otherwise, your student’s schedule will be subject to cancellation, and if they are living in campus housing, they will not be permitted to move into their residence hall.
NOTE: If your account balance is displayed in (parentheses), it means you have a (credit balance), and MSU owes you a refund. A (credit balance) means you do not need to make a payment or enroll in a payment plan.
For questions concerning billing statements or tuition & fees:

PHONE
Call 662.325.2071 between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

EMAIL
For questions concerning your student's financial aid:

PHONE
Call 662.325.2450 between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

EMAIL
High call volumes are expected during the first few weeks of classes.
FERPA FOR PARENTS AND GUARDIANS
MSU students are treated as adults and the university complies fully with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, typically referred to as F.E.R.P.A., which protects student records.

Students may view their grades by logging into their personal account via the campus intranet. While parents should encourage their student to share grades, federal law makes records distribution illegal to any person other than the recipient. Although a student may access his or her own university records, with limited exception, the university will not disclose, without prior consent, record information to anyone, including parents.

However, students may authorize MSU to grant a parent or family member access to certain educational records through the University’s Parent Portal online system. Find out more information by clinking on the Parent Portal Guide button.
BULLDOG CHECKLIST
Preparing for the fall semester can be a little overwhelming. We have created a quick checklist to help make sure your student has the necessary tools and resources for a successful and smooth transition to MSU.

Grab a cup of coffee and spend some time reviewing this list together. Good expectations will go a long way.
CAMPUS ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS
As students return to campus, we would like to ask for you to encourage your student to get involved. Mississippi State has an event resource page called Cowbell Connect that all students can access to look for upcoming event details. There are hundreds of student organizations to match your student's interests or they can start an organization of their own.

Students can also visit the Center for Student Activities, located on the third floor of the Colvard Student Union, to get involved.
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
MVNU2MSU TIME SLOTS ARE COMING!

Before students can sign up for a time slot, they will need to sign the NEW Housing Addendum. The Housing Addendum is now open on the housing portal. Students can log in at any time to sign their addendum.

Steps for your student to access the Housing Addendum:

  1. Log in to the Housing Portal (my.housing.msstate.edu)
  2. Select Fall 2021 Housing App
  3. Sign the NEW Housing Addendum
  4. DONE

Once complete, students will be ready to select their time slot as soon as the time slots open. Students will receive an email with information about signing up for a time slot through their MSU student email account within the next week. Be sure to sign up for the Housing and Residence Life Guidebook and follow @Msstate_Housing on social media for all the latest Housing updates. 
Do you have a student interested in working on campus this fall? Mississippi State's Dining Services has great opportunities that include hourly wages, a free meal during a work shift, a meal a day every week your student works, and a chance to earn additional flex dollars.
Student Loans
Students who have received student loan offers through their FAFSA can now accept or decline those funds. Have your student log into their myState account, select Banner, hover over myBanner for Students, and select the Awards Notification Letter/Supplemental Information link.

Refunds
In order to receive refunds by direct deposit, students must keep updated banking information in their myState portal.
We are excited about the return of your student to Mississippi State this fall. We urge all students to get the COVID-19 vaccine before they return to campus. If your student needs assistance locating an available vaccination, please visit vaccines.gov. Additionally, we ask that students submit their COVID-19 vaccination information through our website at covidvaccine.msstate.edu
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Office of Parent and Family Services | 662.325.3611 | family@msstate.edu