Parent and Family Program PSA’s

If your student has their Room Selection Appointment email from Housing & Food Services (HFS), here is the one thing to hold onto: room selection is not one-and-done. Once their appointment opens, your student can select and change rooms through August 31. Today’s pick is a starting point, not a final answer, and knowing that takes most of the pressure off day one.

Getting readyAppointment dayQuick fixesStaying flexibleWho to contact

Getting ready

• Make a backup plan together. This is the best help a family can offer, and a good dinner-table conversation: a few buildings and a few room types your student would be happy with, so they always know their next move.
• Find the Room Selection Appointment email in their UW inbox (or Junk or Spam). The appointment also shows in their housing application in the MyHFS Housing Portal. When it is time, use the link in that email, not one from an older housing message.
• Chrome and Edge are the browsers that work best with MyHFS.

On appointment day

Everyone in a selection group logs in at once, so pages may load slowly. That is traffic, not a problem with your student’s account.

• Browse buildings first, then look at rooms inside a building they like.
• Slow page? Do not refresh. Most pages load if given a few minutes. Locked out at appointment time? Close the browser, wait about two minutes, and try again.
• A good room now beats a perfect room later. Selecting a solid second choice locks in a spot, and the portal stays open for upgrades all summer.
• Selecting solo? Choosing a space in a partially occupied room preserves empty rooms for roommate groups, which is a kindness to other Huskies.

Quick fixes if the portal acts up

Three things solve most hiccups: an incognito or private window, clearing the browser cache and cookies, or switching to a different browser or device. And if something big breaks, HFS staff monitor room selection live, so a system-wide issue is already being worked on before anyone could report it.

Staying flexible

North Campus is extremely popular and often looks full at first glance. Availability shifts all summer as students change their plans, so a first choice that is gone today may reopen next week. There are no waitlists, and rooms cannot be held or manually assigned for anyone, which keeps the process fair for every student. Checking back through August 31 is the whole strategy.

Who to contact

The Student Services Office (SSO) at HFS is the best resource for room selection. Phone lines run busy during selection weeks, so email is often faster for anything that can wait a day, and other HFS offices are not able to help with room selection. To update gender housing preferences before selecting, your student can email hfsinfo@uw.edu, since available rooms are shown based on those preferences.

However this week unfolds, your student will have a place to live and a community waiting in the fall. And if you have helped guide, care for, and love a UW student, you are part of the UW family.

Mother’s day is this Sunday, May 10! At UW Parent & Family Programs, we define family in the broadest sense, and that includes the people who do the work of mothering whether or not the title fits neatly. This post is for two readers: the moms, aunts, grandmas, and maternal figures who keep our Huskies going, and the families thinking about how to mark the day with finals week looming.

To the moms, aunts, grandmas, and maternal figures reading this

Some of you are the parent who picks up the phone at 11:14 pm. Some of you are aunts, grandmothers, stepmothers, foster mothers, godmothers, older sisters who became more than sisters, chosen-family parents, guardians, mothers-in-law-in-spirit. Some of you stepped into the role because your family needed someone to.
What you give a college student is specific. Energy when your Husky is running low. Strength when they’re doubting themselves. Resilience passed down: sometimes deliberately, sometimes by example. And humor, which is doing more work than people realize during finals week.
We see you. Thank you.

Talk With Your Husky: three prompts for Sunday

Sunday’s Mother’s Day, but your Husky might not text first. They’re in the middle of finals prep, battery is low, they forget. If you’d like them to reach out (to you, to a grandmother, to an aunt who’s been a steady presence), here are three texts you can send them. Pick the one that fits your family.

If you’d love a call from your Husky on Sunday and want to make it easy for them to do it:

“Hey, Mother’s Day is Sunday. No pressure to make it a big deal, but I’d love a quick call or text. Whenever fits your study schedule. Love you.”

If there’s a maternal figure in your family who often gets skipped on Sunday (a grandmother, an aunt, a stepmother, a chosen-family parent) and you’d like your Husky to reach out:

“Sunday’s Mother’s Day. [Grandma / Auntie / Mama-Lisa] would love a quick text from you, even just a few words. She talks about you all the time.”

If Mother’s Day is hard in your family (grief, estrangement, complicated history):

“Hey. Sunday’s a heavy day for our family. Just wanted to say I love you and I’m here. No need to do anything with that, just wanted you to have it.”

Copy, tweak, send. The version that lands isn’t the one with the perfect words. It’s the one that arrives.

A note to families with a Husky who’s also a mom

If your student is themselves a parent (a mom finishing her degree, a stepmom in her grad program, a grandmother going back for the credential she always wanted), Sunday is hers, too. We see her, and we see the family supporting her so she can keep going.

Dawg Dates: what’s coming up

A note from PFP

If your relationship to mothering, your own or someone else’s, is complicated this year, you’re in good company. The UW family is wide enough for that.
For questions, support, or just to say hi: uwparent@uw.edu reaches us directly.

One of the things we hear most from Husky families is this: “I want to stay informed, but I don’t always know what’s relevant to my student.” 

We get it. Higher education news moves fast, and not all of it lands the same way when you’re a parent or family member trying to support a Husky. So here’s our take on four trends in the news right now, and what they actually mean for you and your student.

Getting Into the Classes They Need 

A recent national report found that 85% of students have had difficulty registering for a required course, and nearly 75% said limited availability could extend their time to graduation. That’s more terms, more tuition, and more time before they’re launching into their careers.

AI in the Classroom: Yes, Your Student Is Using It

According to a recent national survey, 85% of undergraduates are now using AI tools like ChatGPT for coursework. Faculty are still working out when and how these tools should be used, which means your student may be navigating different expectations from class to class.

International Students and Families Feeling the Pressure

New data shows that the number of student visas issued to international students dropped 36% last year, far steeper than initial estimates. Visa processing delays, new screening requirements, and a broader shift in immigration policy have all contributed to a climate of uncertainty for international students and their families.

The Real Story on Tuition Costs 

You may have seen headlines about tuition costs declining. The nuance matters: new research from the Brookings Institution shows that net tuition (what families actually pay after financial aid) has decreased over the past six years across all institution types, adjusted for inflation. The biggest drops, though, have been at wealthy private universities with large endowments, not at public universities like the UW, where the math looks different.

With mid‑quarter here we’re getting a mix of rain, stress, and campus sickness. Lately we’ve been hearing one big question:

“My student is sick on campus and I can’t be there, how do I help?”

One easy way: send soup! Broth, noodles, veggies, and protein covers all the necessary elements to fueling and soothing the body when it’s under immense stress from sickness and school.

Here are a few parent‑tested, student‑approved U District spots we recommend:
Saigon Deli, 4142 Brooklyn Ave NE
Our top sick‑day pick. Affordable, comforting pho
Lee’s Kitchen, 4106 Brooklyn Ave NE
Mild wonton soup that’s easy on the stomach
Panda Noodle Bar, 4508 University Way NE
Rich broth; ask for light or no spice
Ba Bar (U Village)
Excellent pho and healthy options.

As we move through these last few winter weeks, we’re wishing all our Huskies a smooth recovery and the strength to finish the quarter strong. Brighter days are on the way! Spring is just around the corner, and soon the cherry blossoms will be here to greet us all

February can be the “wait…is it still winter?” month in Seattle Here’s our quick mid-quarter check-in with a few key dates, support resources, and some easy ideas to help your Husky feel a little more grounded mid-quarter!

Dawg Dates & Deadlines

• Feb 16: Presidents Day (no classes)
• Feb 28 (11:59 p.m.): Deadline to lower a dining plan level for spring quarter (for students using HFS dining plans).
• Jan 23: Winter Tuition and Residence Hall charges due

See All Dawg Dates

Tax-Time 101: What is the 1098-T and Why Should We Care?

If this is your family’s first time navigating college finances, tax season can feel confusing, especially for first‑generation, international, or first‑in‑college households.

One simple step: have your student check MyUW for their 1098‑T (if available) and save it with their important records.

What’s the 1098‑T?

A tax form colleges provide that summarizes certain tuition/fee charges and scholarships/grants for the year. It’s not a bill or a refund, just documentation.

Why it matters

• Helps families file taxes correctly
• May be used when checking eligibility for education‑related tax benefits
• Reduces “surprise moments” when sorting out scholarships, grants, loans, and payments
• Builds good financial‑literacy habits year to year

For international families

Tax requirements vary by residency status and income. It’s still helpful to download the form and use UW guidance or a qualified tax professional to determine what applies.

Don’t panic

• Not every student will have a 1098‑T
• Having one doesn’t guarantee a tax credit or refund
• UW can share general info, but not personal tax advice

How to find it

1. Log into MyUW
2. Search “1098‑T”
3. Download and save if available

Check out Student Fiscal Services for more info

Husky Tips: Helping Your Husky Through the Winter Gloom with UW Resources

If your student is feeling the gray days a little extra, you’re not alone, and UW has support ready. 

• Husky HelpLine (24/7): 206-616-7777 (same-day, confidential support). 

• UW Counseling Center (mental health support and referrals for ongoing care). 

• A “happy lamp” option on campus: the UW Health Sciences Library has light therapy lamps available for in-library use. 

Sometimes a simple ‘I’m really glad you told me’ can be the support someone needed all along!

Quick tip you can share: borrow tech instead of buying it 

If your student needs a laptop/tablet/camera/mic/projector for a class or project, UW’s Student Technology Loan Program (STLP) lets students borrow equipment for free (availability varies).  

Student life roundup (share this section with your Husky) 

One of the best winter-quarter “mood boosters” is something low-pressure and in-person, even if they show up solo. Craft nights, board games, bake/paint events, ceramics workshops, public lectures… it all counts. 

Where to browse what’s happening: 

• HuskyLink (student org events)

• UW Seattle Campus Calendar

• Q Center events
• UW Libraries events

Visiting your Husky this winter? Make it a “Winter UW Family Weekend” 

Seattle in February is peak cozy-drizzle season, and a visit can be a big morale boost mid-quarter. We pulled together winter-friendly ideas (packing tips, indoor favorites, athletics and even a mountain day trip): 

• Check out our Wintertime in Seattle (visiting guide) blog from last year!
• For General visitor info such as parking, maps, basics we have the UW has great tips as well

Bonus tip: Presidents’ Day weekend can be a great time to visit if your student’s schedule is lighter

Talk with your Husky: February check-in questions 

Copy/paste (works for all living situations and families near or far): 

• “What’s one small win from this week?” 

• “What’s taking the most energy right now, classes, people, or logistics?” 

• “Want help making a plan, or do you just want me to be your hype person today?” 
• “What’s one thing you want March-you to thank February-you for?” 

Check out our parent guide for more prompts

Summary 

If you missed Provost Tricia Serio’s Town Hall on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, here’s a quick family-friendly recap of the main themes, why they matter for students, and a simple conversation starter you can use at home. 

Key takeaways for families 

• UW acknowledged the pressures students and families are navigating right now, and emphasized staying grounded in community, purpose, and practical action. 

• Student success and access were front and center, including academic support through the UW Instructional Center (IC). One highlight shared: students who participate in IC programs are 45% more likely to graduate, and nearly 32% of undergraduates across UW’s three campuses identify as first-generation students. 

• AI is part of learning today. UW is advancing AI literacy and responsible use through efforts like AI@UW, with a focus on equity and real-world readiness. 

• UW emphasized the importance of critical thinking and constructive dialogue (including work through the UW Dialogue Initiative) to help students navigate information, disagreement, and complex issues. 

• UW reaffirmed its public mission and research impact for Washington and beyond, and described work to strengthen research infrastructure and partnerships during a time of uncertainty in higher education. 

A simple “Talk with your Husky” prompt 

Try one of these low-pressure check-in questions: 

• “What’s one UW resource or support that has helped you this quarter?” 

• “What’s one thing you want to try next (office hours, tutoring, advising, a student org, a wellbeing resource)?” 

Want the full details? 

We’ll share the full transcript (and any available replay link) when it’s posted. In the meantime, this recap is intended to help families understand the themes and talk about them together. 

Replay & Transcript link