Building a parent-friendly campus: practical considerations

As politician and educator Jane D. Hull rightly noted, “At the end of the day, the most important factor in a child’s success is the positive involvement of their parents.” The significance of parental influence on a child's academic progress cannot be overstated.

Parental involvement in a child's educational experience is increasingly important. To improve the involvement, MAHE create parent-friendly campuses that help both students and the educational community. At Manipal Academy of Higher Education, there are several strategies to achieve this goal. One such strategy is the introduction of an early morning segment as part of our orientation programme. During this segment, the program director leads parents, students, and administrators on a walking tour of the campus. This allows parents to discuss and explore the campus experience while sharing their views and ideas about their involvement in their child's academic journey.

Given below are some practical strategies aimed at creating a welcoming environment for parents. 

Open and maintain the lines of communication.

Effective communication is important for creating a parent-friendly campus environment. This includes:

• Institutes must ensure that parents receive regular updates about campus events, academic calendars and important announcements. This can be done through newsletters, dedicated parent portals and social media platforms.
• A dedicated parent community should be appointed as a single point of contact for parents. This community can address queries, provide information, and serve as a bridge between parents and the institution.
• Create an inviting campus environment by arranging orientation sessions which benefit both students and parents.
• Customise the information for parents, which offers insights into campus culture, academic expectations, available student support services, campus safety, and financial aid.
• Offer campus tours for parents and allow them to familiarise themselves with the facilities and environment.

Offer resources and support.

Parents appreciate knowing how their children can access help when needed. Tailored resources addressing various parental concerns include the following:

• Provide information about tutoring services, academic advising and career counselling. 
• Resources related to health and wellness at university, including mental health support, medical facilities and fitness programmes.
• Details regarding the campus’ safety protocols and emergency procedures and campus security and emergency services contact information.

Facilitate connections

Building communities that can spark connections is important. This can include:

• Build up parent associations or committees that can participate in campus activities, provide feedback and support other parents.
• Identifying and involving alumni from relevant industries who are willing to give talks, run seminars or speak at webinars.
• Involve parents in decision-making processes through advisory committees if this is feasible. These committees can provide insights on policies, programmes, campus safety enhancements, mental health support and family-friendly facilities.

Collect feedback: ask and act on feedback from parents via surveys and feedback forms. Findings can help us make informed decisions and improvements in institutional policies and procedures. At Manipal, we usually request parent feedback during campus visits. We share responses with management and form action plans to resolve any issues. 

By implementing these strategies, institutions can create an environment where parents feel valued, informed and involved. This, in turn, contributes to students’ overall success and well-being and fosters a sense of belonging for all members of the campus community while also strengthening the institution’s reputation.

About the Author: Poornima Panduranga Kundapur is the associate director of student welfare at Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal.