Parent Connect Newsletter

April 2024
Amanda Finch, Assistant Vice President and Dean of Students
Amanda Finch, Assistant Vice President and Dean of Students

Dear parents and families,

It has been such a pleasure to become part of the Bearcat family this spring! I began my post as dean of students in January, and it has been an incredibly welcoming experience. I’ve spent the last few months learning about the plethora of services and support available to Binghamton students, as well as meeting all of the wonderful staff who provide those services. I’ve also had the pleasure of meeting many of your students, and I look forward to meeting more at our upcoming end-of-year campus events.

As we celebrate the many successes students have achieved this year, we also know that the end of the semester can bring many stressors. I encourage you to remind your students to continue to prioritize their well-being. Help is always available if students find they are struggling. The Binghamton Support Network is a searchable database of resources that students may find helpful. Stress-free Bing is also a great way to find fun, relaxing activities and events to enjoy during the hectic last month of classes. And of course my office is always open for students who need a little support.

Sincerely,

Amanda Finch
Assistant Vice President and Dean of Students


Have a student graduating this May?

The University has announced its Spring 2024 Commencement schedule. Each school will have its own ceremony (Harpur will have three due to its class size). There will also be a hooding ceremony for all student earning a doctoral degree. Ceremonies will be held beginning Thursday, May 9 running through Saturday, May 11. The complete schedule and other need-to-know information – including lodging and dining options, ticket information and details for each ceremony – can be found on the University's Commencement website.

Learn about campus resources with Parents Leadership Council’s (PLC) Zoom series

The Impact of Internships and Skill Development

Are you wondering how your students can gain experience? At this session, meet Lexie Avery, senior associate director, student engagement and career readiness at the Fleishman Career Center, who will discuss the importance of experience and how to find it as a student. Lexie will highlight how the Fleishman Career Center supports students in finding an internship and building skills through the new Skills Lab initiative. We will also dive into what the impact on career outcomes is for students who engage with the Fleishman Career Center and with internships.

The program will be held at 7 p.m. EST Tuesday, April 16, 2024 on Zoom.

Register now

The PLC Series will continue next fall. Upcoming programs and topics will be announced in the Parent Connect newsletter, via email and on social media.

Questions? Contact John Kiereck, assistant director of Parent and Family Programs



Financial Aid and Student Records are here to help!

For all servicing options, hours of operation, document submission upload instructions, and much more, visit the following websites:

Document submission: All documents can be uploaded securely through the myBinghamton portal. Click on Financial Aid and Student Records Document Submission (available links section on the left side of the page).

2024-25 FAFSA application now open

The 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now open. You can file your FAFSA here

Per the Department of Education, institutions, state higher education agencies and designated scholarship organizations will begin receiving FAFSA information starting in the first half of March 2024. For more information, visit the 2024-25 Student Aid Index Update and Timeline.

Students and/or parents will report 2022 tax information on the 2024-25 FAFSA. This information will be automatically transferred from the IRS to the FAFSA using the new FAFSA contributor and consent functionality. 

Learn more about the new FAFSA.

Helpful videos

The Financial Aid office understands that applying for financial aid can be complex. Watch the videos below and if you still have questions, we're always happy to provide assistance.

2024-25 New York state aid

To apply for New York state aid, students must complete a New York state Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) application. This application provides a single conduit for applying for payment of all state grants, scholarships and awards, which includes TAP, Excelsior (requires initial separate application as well), and STEM (requires initial separate application as well).

Students and parents have the option to link directly to the application from the FAFSA submission confirmation page or complete the application by going to the NYS Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) webpage.

Note that students must be full-time for most NYS grants and scholarships.

2023-24 Parent PLUS loan – another option for funding your student's education for Spring 2024

Parents can apply here using their FSA username and password. For more general information about Parent PLUS loans, visit the financial aid PLUS loan webpage.

Scholarship applications for 2024-25

Applications for Binghamton University scholarships based on community service, leadership, volunteerism, extracurricular activities and more for 2024-25 are now open on Binghamton AcademicWorks. Applications will close on April 30, 2024. To be eligible students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, attained at Binghamton University. They must also plan to enroll full-time in both Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 and most often, demonstrate need as determined by the FAFSA. 

Summer 2024 financial aid

Financial aid sources for the summer are available for matriculated Binghamton University undergraduate and graduate students who are in good academic standing. Undergraduate students enrolled for at least six credits during summer session may be eligible to use Federal Direct Student Loans, Federal Parent PLUS Loans and private loans to help finance the summer session. Pell eligible students will receive the award automatically based on eligibility and enrollment.
Due to the delay in receiving 2024-25 FAFSA information, the 2024 Summer Loan Request Form will not be available until after we are able to provide financial aid offers.

More information about the summer session and information about financial aid for the summer are both available on the Binghamton University website.

Education abroad for Summer 2024 or Fall 2024

Is your student considering education abroad? If yes, once accepted to an education abroad program, we encourage financial aid applicants to meet with a financial aid counselor to discuss costs and funding options. Students must submit a copy of the program acceptance letter and a detailed program cost sheet. For more information, visit the financial aid for education abroad webpage.

2024-25 Financial aid award notification timeline

Due to the delay in receiving 2024-25 FAFSA information, the timeline for financial aid offer notifications for the 2024-25 academic year (Fall 2024, Spring 2025) has not yet been determined.  Check the main financial aid webpage for updates.

Student Records

For more information visit the Student Records website

Spring 2024 important dates

The last day of classes for the Spring 2024 semester is May 2, 2024.

Cancellation of courses/University withdrawal for Spring 2024

After the spring 2024 semester begins, students seeking to withdraw completely from the University must complete the University Withdrawal form. The Semester Withdrawal Form is required for a student who wishes to drop ALL courses and who wants their academic record to indicate in good standing. The deadline to withdraw from the spring semester is 4:30 p.m., Thursday, May 2.

Spring 2024 proof of enrollment

Proof of enrollment for spring 2024 will be available online through the National Student Clearinghouse by the first week of February. Students can access this through their BU Brain account on the My Binghamton portal. Click Student tab, then Student Services Tools.

Graduating seniors – applications for degree

Currently enrolled undergraduates intending to graduate in Spring 2024 must complete the online Application for Degree (AFD) available on BU Brain in order to receive their degree. Student must submit an AFD by March 15 if they want to be included in the spring commencement program.

Students completing coursework at another school in Spring 2024 must email degree@binghamton.edu to complete their Application for Degree.

Clear holds

Be sure to clear all holds that may prevent registration. Holds can be viewed online
through BU Brain.

Summer 2024 registration

Term I: May 28–July 1
Term II: July 8–August 9

  • Summer registration opened on March 11.
  • Students must clear all holds before they can register. Holds can be viewed online through the BU Brain.
  • Check online for more information about the summer session.

Fall 2024 advanced registration

Advanced registration for the fall semester has begun for continuing students.

  • Continuing graduate students: Time tickets opened on March 26, 9 a.m.
  • Continuing undergraduate students: Time tickets opened on March 26, 1 p.m.
  • Undergraduate time tickets are based on earned credit hours.
  • Advanced Registration for the fall semester will close on May 2, 11:59 p.m.  The fall add/drop period will reopen right before the fall semester begins in August.

Lost IDs

Students can request a replacement ID card through my.binghamton.edu or send an email (using their official Binghamton University email account — emails from other accounts cannot be processed) with their name and B-number to idcard@binghamton.edu.

  • There is a $20 fee for all replacement ID cards, which will be assessed to the student’s bill in Student Accounts.
  • Students will need a photo ID to pick up their card. Acceptable forms of ID include: driver’s license, passport, high school or other university photo ID.

Official expedited electronic transcripts now available

In addition to free official paper transcripts, we also offer official expedited electronic transcripts. Transcripts are sent in PDF format via email. Official electronic transcripts are typically sent within 10 minutes of authorization. Attachments can also be uploaded and sent with your expedited electronic transcript.

There is a $5 charge per recipient for the expedited service. 

More information about electronic transcript service is available online.


Families: Follow us on social media, just for you!

Follow Binghamton University Bearcat Families Facebook page and @binghamtonfamily on Instagram to receive daily news and information from Binghamton University, as well as win fun prizes just for famil members!

Visiting Binghamton?

If you're planning a trip to Binghamton, visit the Visiting Binghamton section on our website or the Greater Binghamton Convention and Visitors Bureau for information on what to see, where to stay and where to eat while you're here.

Update contact information

Keep your contact information updated in our family database. If your address, phone or email has changed, send a note to families@binghamton.edu to let us know. And if you're looking for more from us, check out some of our pages targeted directly to parents and guardians:

Calendar of events

How to unsubscribe

If you no longer have a need to receive this newsletter, you can unsubscribe by sending a message to families@binghamton.edu.