Southeast officials noticing more 'helicopter parents'

When junior Kayla Drady had billing problems at Southeast Missouri State University, she turned to her parents. Her mom called the college and got the issue straightened out.

Courtney Caldwell, a freshman, said she talks to her mom every day.

"She always wants to know what's going on, how I'm doing in school, what I'm doing," Caldwell said.

When it came time to select courses, Caldwell had to politely tell her mom she could do it on her own.

Nationwide, university officials say parents are more involved in their children's higher education than ever before, meddling in their children's scheduling of classes, calling the university on their children's behalf and demanding documents the university cannot legally give because of privacy laws, such as a student's grades.

This type of guardian even has a name, the "helicopter parent," because they hover over their children and influence their decisions.

The College Board, an association of institutions and organizations, said on its Web site, "In recent years, colleges have reported that helicopter parents are making their presence felt on campus. They are intervening in roommate disputes, registering their children for classes and questioning professors' grades."

Chris McGowan, the dean of the college of science and mathematics at Southeast, said in his first 20 years in education, he received a call from one parent. "Now I'm in my 30th year, and in the last 10, I'd say I talk to two or three a year or more," he said.

McGowan attributes the increase, in part, to an increase in students who have college-educated parents.

"Having been to college, they may feel more comfortable calling the university and asking questions on the student's behalf," he said.

Even at the graduate level, Fred Janzow, vice-provost and the graduate school dean, said he hears from parents and has seen "significant changes" in their involvement.

"Parents of course want to be involved. It's their student, and they're paying the cost of college in most cases. They have an obvious interest in it," Janzow said.

But a willingness to help can actually harm a student in the long run, the College Board reports, saying students in turn lack personal responsibility.

"When you get into college, it's better to learn on your own," senior Kacey Proctor said.

Janzow said entering college is often one of the first milestones in a person's life on the path to becoming independent. While the university appreciates supportive parents, it still aims for parents to not be so directly influential, Janzow said.

Parents are not allowed to participate in a student's discussions with an academic adviser when they select classes during summer orientation.

"That's one of the things we feel strongly about, that the student be the one with the initial interaction with an adviser, because it is going to be the student in future semesters that has to deal with it," said Theresa Haug-Belvin, new student programs coordinator.

During orientation, parents and students attend sessions together for all but one, when students interact and parents learn how to be appropriately supportive.

Haug-Belvin said helicopter parenting is often portrayed negatively, but she doesn't see it as such.

"We're interested in being partners with parents when it involves their student's success," she said.

A study released in November found that college students with active parents reported "greater satisfaction with the college experience" and "greater gains on a host of desired college outcomes."

However, the National Survey of Student Engagement also reported that these students had lower grades than their peers, which could be the reason the parents became involved.

lbavolek@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123