Parents & Families
The Wildcat family is here to support yours.
Table of Contents
Welcome to the Baker family
First of all, congratulations! We are so happy to welcome you and your family into our own.
Here is a page designed to make your time as a Wildcat family as easy as possible. Keep up to date on the happenings on campus and learn all there is to know about Baker University.
Services & Resources
Academics
Health & Safety
Residence Life
Student Activities & Involvement
Baker Outreach Network
If you have a concern about your student that you would like to make us aware of or seek help with, let us know by submitting the form below to the Baker Outreach Network, which consists of Student Academic Success, Academic Advising, the Registrar, and the Dean of Student offices. All information will remain private and is recorded in an access-restricted reporting system. You will be contacted with an update.
Directions to Campus
From Kansas City
Take I-35 south to the Gardner exit (Exit 210). Follow US-56 to Baldwin City (about 15 miles).
From Wichita
Take I-35 to the US highway 59 N exit (exit 188) toward Lawrence. Merge onto highway 59 N, and proceed north to the junction of 59 and highway 56 (about 10 miles). Go east on 56 to Baldwin City (about 5 miles).
From Lawrence
Take highway 59 south to the junction of highways 59 and 56 (about 10 miles). Go east on 56 to Baldwin City (about 5 miles).
How to Mail a Package
University Address
Baker University
615 Dearborn St.
PO BOX 65
Baldwin City, KS 66006
785-594-8469
Packages cannot be delivered to Baker living quarters. They will be delivered to the Mail and Copy Center, which is open only on weekdays, so do not pay for Saturday or Sunday delivery.
If the package will be delivered by Amazon, please download this PDF and follow the instructions to ensure your package arrives safely to Baker.
Students will receive an email from mailsvcs@bakerU.edu if they have a package. Packages will either be in a parcel locker or in the Mail and Copy Center. Students will receive a separate email for mail, and this is held in the Mail and Copy Center.
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If you order something for your student, please make sure their name and not yours is on the package. This is important because our database has only the student name in it, not the parents. If a package comes in without a valid name, we scan it into our system under the name of the Mail and Copy Center director. If the student can provide the tracking number, we can look it up in our system, and the package will be released to the student.
A small refrigerator is available for perishable items. We work closely with Residence Life to ensure these items are picked up as soon as possible. Other than medications, perishable items will be held seven calendar days and then tossed.
All other packages will be held for two months and then either returned, raffled off (free), or tossed.
Making the Transition
Choosing to attend college is a big decision, one that some students do not always make for themselves. For many, attending college is just the next logical step because they have been expected to attend. For others, the decision is more life changing, especially if they are the first in their family to attend college or have had to sacrifice greatly to get here.
A third group are not the traditional first-year students or even of college age because they went a different direction after high school and are now making the choice to complete their degrees.
No matter the category students identify as theirs, the transitions ahead cannot be overlooked. They play a huge role in their future successes.
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Transitions are not limited to the first few weeks of attending a university. Additional transitions appear throughout the typical academic year for both new freshman and transfer students who may have been living at home while attending their previous institution.
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January
New semester, decisions regarding fall semester performance and figuring out what adjustments need to be made
February
Possible distress about Valentine’s Day, possible recurrence of homesickness, relief to be back at school, desire for winter to end, decisions about living situation for next year
March
Spring break, making choices for next school year, deciding to keep current majors or consider new ones, midterm exams and grades, summer employment or internship stress
April
Return of spring weather, quickly approaching end of semester, registration for next semester courses, questioning whether they’re in the right place or heading in the right direction
May
Final exams, last-minute summer planning, choosing to stay or go home, distress about leaving friends, feeling overwhelmed that the first year at BU is over
August
Overall excitement, homesickness, initial roommate worries, abuse of freedom, multiple calls or visits home
September
First sets of tests, maybe a few roommate challenges
November
Fall illnesses, tests and papers due, apprehension and excitement about going home for Thanksgiving, enrollment for next semester, economic anxiety as funds begin to dwindle
December
Continued mixed feelings about going home for campus break, final exams and papers due, extracurricular time strain with seasonal parties, concerts, social service projects
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For most students the idea of college being much different from high school does not sink in until they have been on a college campus for a while and experienced the differences for themselves.
What may seem like obvious differences to you may take a while for your student to realize.
High School
- Attendance required.
- Teachers remind about homework and tests.
- Studying is light—an hour a night.
- Students’ lives are filled with activities.
- Teachers provide grade and deadline reminders.
- The class expectations are discussed in detail.The school is open and staffed during set times.
- Mastery is seen as the ability to reproduce what was taught.
- Parents can access any information the school has about you.
College
- Few professors require attendance.
- Instructors expect more independent work.
- Studying is key—two hours for every hour in class.
- Involvement opportunities can be overwhelming.
- Students keep up with their own grades.
- The course syllabus is a contractual agreement.
- Instructors post specific office hours.
- Mastery is seen as the ability to apply what was learned to new situations and solve new problems.
- Parents must have your permission to obtain information from the University.
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The transitions of a transfer student depend on the previous environment. Most transfer students’ transition to BU from a semester to two years at a community college.
For many, the time spent at the community college has been more like an extension of high school than a true university experience. Usually these students have been living at home to save money and have had the full support of their family and many high school friends.
If this situation fits your student, his or her transition to BU will most likely be similar to that of an incoming freshman, minus the basic concerns about attending a college course.
Community College
- Living close to family and friends provides built-in support.
- Attendance may have been required.
- Courses were at the lower division level (freshman & sophomore), requiring basic writing and memorization.
- Material may have been presented on a need-to-know basis with few requirements for out-of-class analysis.
- Time management is less complicated.
Comprehensive University
- May be farther from home and existing support network.
- Upper-division courses require more complex analysis, longer writing assignments and deeper level of understanding.
- Coursework builds on foundation classes from the lower division; higher level of knowledge is expected.
- Students are expected to do more work on their own, outside of class.
- More opportunities for campus involvement and activities; closer attention to time management needed.
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Areas of Concern
Your daughter lives in a double suite and calls to say that her roommate is driving her crazy with late-night phone calls, friends over all the time, messy habits, and lack of respect for her things. She thought being in the NLC would bring more quiet time than this and now she wants a private room. She wants you to talk to Residence Life and make the request.
Things to Consider
Has your student ever shared a room before? Did she and her roommate talk about basic expectations and “rules of the room” before school began? Does the roommate know her habits are bothering your daughter? Have they enlisted the help of their resident assistant?
One of the most interesting nonacademic sides of the college transition comes in the form of another student in your student’s living space. Some students fail to realize academics are only part of the college equation. The bigger part is taking responsibility and learning to face new challenges. It is important that roommates communicate to make sure that issues cannot be solved before drastic measures are taken. This is the time to encourage your daughter to talk to her RA for guidance.
Please encourage your student to seek assistance. The student, rather than a parent, should initiate requests for assistance.
Who Can Help
Your student’s resident assistant or area coordinator
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Areas of Concern
Your daughter makes a D on the first test and says she can pull it up with the other grades. In a later conversation you learn that your daughter isn’t really keeping up with her daily assignments and thinks the professor is unfair because he calls on her in class and states it’s clear she needs to keep up with homework better. She says she is working on it and will do better on the next test.
Things to Consider
Does your daughter have a history of good study habits? Does she understand that study requirements are different for a four-year university than for community college or high school?
Does she know she can talk to the professor if she is falling behind, really trying, and needs help? Is she afraid to talk to her professor? You can help her with a few conversation starters for an initial meeting with her professor.
It is helpful to talk about time management and study needs before your student begins classes. Encourage class attendance every day, even if the professor does not take roll. Prepare your student for the hard work ahead and remind her that college is a serious commitment to the future. It requires her full attention.
Who Can Help
Your student’s academic adviser
Student Academic Success tutoring, SAS@bakerU.edu785.594.8352
Your student’s professor -
Area of Concern
The first time your son comes home, he seems a little withdrawn. You’re surprised because every conversation while he’s been at school has been okay. You chalk it up to getting a handle on his new life. On Sunday, before he heads back, he looks upset and finally tells you that he hasn’t felt well, his classes are difficult and he just isn’t sure a university is for him. He’s unhappy with his choice of major, lack of friends and college in general.
Things to Consider
What kind of expectations did your student have about college? Was this more difficult than he expected? Did he know why he was attending? Does he have an idea what he wants to do following college or does he see the need for college in his future plans? Is his health okay? If he has ever seen a counselor for related issues, this might be a good time to revisit that relationship in the college setting. Sometimes having a third party to talk with is just what a student needs to get a more objective approach to a given situation. Baker’s counseling staff is skilled at recognizing transitional issues and helping students address them at the appropriate levels, often using campus resources.
Not only is your son making the transition to college, but he is also making the transition to responsible adulthood. The pressure grows to know what he wants. Make sure he knows you’re available to talk and assist and that you understand this is a big step for anyone. Also encourage him to seek help from his academic advisor or other campus resources.
Who Can Help
Counseling Center, 785.594.8365
Your student’s academic advisor
Career Services, 785.594.8382 -
Area of Concern
Your son calls and asks if you can send more money because he has charged to the limit on his credit card, and his meal plan is maxed out. It’s not even fall break yet and you can’t understand why he is out of money.
Things to Consider
What kind of expectations have you put on spending? Is his meal plan heavy enough? Does he realize how much he is really spending? Has he ever had a charge card? Is he letting others eat on his charge?
Before your student arrives at school, determine who pays for various expenses. Dinners out? Clothing? What is the budget your student is expected to follow and how does he monitor his spending for the fun things?
Who Can Help
Financial Aid Office 785.594.4595