Future Tritons Parent and Family Insights Webinar - June 9

Main ideas and lessons conveyed

Purpose and format of the webinar

• This is the final Future Tritons Parents and Family Insights Webinar (June 9) for families of newly admitted first-year and transfer students at UC San Diego.
• The session provides practical information, resources, and insights to support families during the student transition to university life.
• No live questions are taken during the webinar.
• The session is recorded and will be posted on UC San Diego’s undergraduate admissions YouTube playlist; a link will be sent by email afterward.
• Closed captioning is available via Zoom (toggle automated captions).

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Key content from guest: Dr. Ed Junkkins (Student Health and Well-Being)

Role/background

• Dr. Ed Junkkins is Executive Director of Student Health and Well-Being at UC San Diego.
• His expertise spans student health, student mental health, and well-being, including prior medical and leadership experience.

Triton Health and Wellness Building (major new resource)

UC San Diego is opening the Triton Health and Wellness Building, with:

• Size: about 80,000 square feet
• Location: in the heart of campus, near major landmarks (described as visible and easier to find)
• Timing: moving/opens in ~two weeks into July

What’s integrated in one place

• Primary, specialty, and urgent care (with medical equipment)
• Physical therapy and sub-specialty care
• Mental health services, including psychiatry
• Health promotion
• Emphasis on:
  • Accessibility: visible, central location
  • Affordability: care in one building can reduce barriers

Health plan options described

Students can choose:

• SHIP (Student Health Insurance Plan)
  • Described as a “platinum plus” plan
  • Positioned as competitive with California marketplace plans
• RAFT
  • Described as a reduced access fee option: $75 per term
  • Includes broad access (such as primary care, reproductive care, urgent care)
  • Labs/X-rays included

UC San Diego is also expanding payment access/accepting additional payers (e.g., United, Aetna, Blue Cross mentioned).

Building features and what each floor includes

First floor

• Wellness lounge for all students: rest/relaxation and programming
• Virtual reality relaxation
• Massage chairs and other wellness activities
• Basic clinical needs and services (described as pharmacy/optometry/radiology lab and more)
• Nurses clinic and other health services as part of the access model

Urgent care availability

• Students can access urgent care without an appointment for many issues.

Second floor

• Sports medicine and additional student-accessible services

Third floor

• College mental health program (psychiatrists for college students)
• Emphasis on close support alongside counseling services

Programming / “stigma reduction” focus

• The building is designed to make care feel approachable, integrating wellness and clinical resources.

Willow app (student self-care + resource navigation)

Families are encouraged to:

• Download the “Willow” app and encourage the student to use it.

Willow is described as:

• A wellness/self-care platform designed by UC San Diego students for UC San Diego students
• Not framed as a mental health crisis app, but as self-care and resource navigation

Key features

• “8 dimensions of wellness”
  • Helps students and parents find campus resources aligned to wellness areas
• Willow’s “tree” metaphor
  • Populated with personalized experiences/resources that change based on preferences and activity
• Crisis/resource support
  • Includes crisis resource services
• Student chart connectivity
  • Connects for questions such as immunization requirements and health requirements

Nursing advice line (availability and purpose)

Families/students should:

• Call nurses with questions (examples included: strep testing, tuberculosis testing, shot updates)
• Ask whether to go to:
  • ER vs. urgent care vs. scheduling primary care

Nurses are available 24/7 (247 every day).

Practical guidance from Dr. Junkkins (what families should do together)

Top advice themes:

• Encourage sleep and develop sleep hygiene early
  • Benefits physical health, mental health, and academics
• Maintain parent–student contact and use UCSD supports when needed
  • Example supports: “call the nurse,” use Willow to identify resources
• Emphasize connection and involvement
  • Connect to the university, living community, peer groups, offices (e.g., office hours, college leadership, etc.)

Parent support “from afar” + escalation pathways

Parents can support “from afar” by:

• Using Willow to review how the student sets preferences
• Using Willow as a reminder tool for navigating resources

Additional reassurance:

• Walk through the new building to reduce anxiety and make it feel real/approachable.

Triton Core (crisis response team)

If a family is worried because they haven’t heard from the student:

• Contact Triton Core

Triton Core is described as:

• A crisis team (trained and licensed clinical social workers)
• Able to dispatch teams of two
• Responding into late hours
• Claimed impact: reduces need for emergency/crisis-center escalation by 75%

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Key content from guest: Margot Clifford (Parent & Family Programs)

Role/background

• Margot Clifford is Director of Parent and Family Programs at UC San Diego.
• The office exists to help parents/families:
  • Stay informed
  • Stay engaged
  • Stay connected

It positions families as vital to student success and well-being—especially because UCSD can be “tough to navigate.”

How families get updates (mechanics)

• Mailing list enrollment:
  • Families are added if the student includes their parents’ information on the application
  • If a family received an email on Friday, they’re already on the list
• If not on the list:
  • Families can sign up on the parent family programs website
  • If email issues occur, families can call the office for help correcting addresses
• Timing:
  • Families were told they haven’t missed much yet; more information will arrive soon.

How parents can support students without “overstepping”

Parents should focus on:

• Being informed about campus resources and major deadlines
• Using office communications to help students take required actions

The office acts as a conduit:

• It sends messages on behalf of campus units (e.g., student affairs and financial aid/student financial solutions), especially around deadlines.

Programs and events highlighted

• New family orientation program
• Summer webinar series
  • Information in one location, includes recordings
• Family Weekend 2024
  • Oct 16–18
  • Designed for families to experience campus life alongside students
• Triton Family Ambassador Program
  • A volunteer network of parents worldwide
  • Hosts events locally/regionally to build community and share resources
  • Especially helpful for families who may feel disconnected during the transition

If families have questions/concerns (where to go)

• Best first contact: Parent and Family Programs office
  • Responds to every email and returns calls
  • Connects families with the right campus resource (even if not handled directly)
• After-hours:
  • Use the website: parents.ucsd.edu

Clarification:

• The office does not operate like a 24/7 crisis line; crisis needs are handled through Triton Core.

International family guidance (ISO – International Services and Engagement)

International families should work with:

• Gabby Hoffman and her team in ISO (International Students Office / International Services and Engagement)

ISO provides full-service support, including:

• Visa logistics
• Cultural adjustments
• International student orientation information

Additional international support notes:

• International family webinar series is planned and coordinated with ISO
• Students should print an emergency contact card from the international services website
  • Includes a phone number that routes to ISO staff who can help

Coordination across offices

• It does not matter which office families reach out to (Parent & Family or ISO); staff will route them to the right support.

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Additional remarks from the MC/UCSD admissions representative: Jim Rollins

Ongoing enrollment/incoming-student reminders

Jim emphasizes:

• UCSD is trying to reduce mystery and intimidation for families
• Even experienced parents benefit from ongoing updates (fresh information matters)

Enrollment management: survey request (student action)

• Each admitted student is invited to complete a survey via their applicant portal.
• Parents should encourage students to fill it out (not parents themselves).
• The survey focuses on:
  • How the student experienced the process
  • What worked / what was exciting
  • What UCSD could improve

Official transcripts requirement (critical)

• UC system admissions used self-reported courses/grades initially.
• Before students start, UCSD needs official transcripts.

Parents were asked to ensure students submit:

• High school/college transcripts
• Any coursework attended outside the listed school (including dual enrollment)
• Multiple community college transcripts, if applicable
• Transcripts for all attended institutions and completed credits

Warning:

• If official information differs from self-reported details, it can cause an issue and UCSD will notify the student.

Credit and test scores (AP/IB/A-level/Cambridge, etc.)

• Students must send official test score documentation used for credit.
• Transcripts must reflect where classes were actually taken.

Math placement and writing placement requirements

• Math Placement Exam (MPE)
  • Mostly for first-year students
  • Triggered when majors require calculus and automated placement options weren’t used (e.g., AP calculus)
  • Needed by end of May/early June; if still pending, it may require urgent attention
  • If needed, pathways may include local community college or extended studies
• Writing placement (ELWR)
  • Some students are required and it’s commonly sent—don’t ignore it

Housing deadlines and key dates

Housing reminders included:

• Apply by UCSD housing deadlines to ensure housing priority/fit
• Mentioned dates:
  • June 7 (referenced as an application deadline for priorities/fit)
  • Housing contract with $450 prepayment due by June 29
• If deadlines were missed:
  • Students should still submit the housing application immediately

Financial aid and scholarships reminders

• Scholarship status:
  • “We are done giving out scholarships” was stated
• Still important:
  • Submit FAFSA or California CADAA
  • Aid depends on family need; delayed submissions may still help and can reflect changes in financial situation
• Mentioned item:
  • College Financing Plan (CFP) in the student portal (review it)

Registration/orientation logistics and system change

• Registration and orientation are guided by each of UCSD’s eight colleges, each with its own schedules.
• System update warning:
  • UCSD is switching its student information system to the Triton Student System (TSS)
  • Registration-related processes may be slower than usual for fall class registration
  • Delays are expected to affect everyone similarly (not intended to disadvantage individual students)

Health insurance reminder

• Health insurance options mentioned:
  • SHIP
  • RAFT
• Families were encouraged to consider differences—especially for out-of-state insurance coverage and student care in California.

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Speakers / sources featured (all identified)

1. Jim Rollins — Associate Vice Chancellor of Enrollment Management, UC San Diego (MC and host)
2. Dr. Ed Junkkins — Executive Director, Student Health and Well-Being, UC San Diego
3. Margot Clifford — Director, Parent and Family Programs, UC San Diego
4. Gabby Hoffman and her team — ISO / International Services and Engagement (referenced as international support; not present on camera)
5. Triton Core team — crisis response team described (not individual speakers; referenced as a service)
6. UC San Diego Student Health and Well-Being nurses — described as available 24/7 (not individual speakers)
7. Willow app / UC San Diego students — referenced as the creators/designers of the Willow platform (source referenced, not a person)