Parent & Family Association
The TU Parent & Family Association (commonly called TUPFA) exists to help parents and families stay informed about life at The University of Tulsa, to create an opportunity for parents to connect with students and the campus, and to provide support for families as they go through their own transitions with a student away at college.
TUPFA is run by volunteers who are parents and families of current TU students, and who work closely with the professional staff in New Student Programs and Services, especially focusing on the early years of student transition into the campus community.
We would like to encourage both new and returning parents to become active in the TU Parent and Family Association. You will have the chance to build relationships with other TU parents, stay informed about campus life, and maybe even offer support to other parents and families as they send their student to TU.
The quickest way to learn more about TUPFA would be to visit the TU Parent & Family Association’s Facebook page (no Facebook account is necessary). Or, feel free to contact the New Student Programs office at 918-631-2707 or email us at ParentsOrg@utulsa.edu.
Check out this year’s Orientation for Parents schedule.
Starting college isn’t just a new challenge for students, it is also a time of new experiences and questions for parents and families. In conjunction with StartTU (New Student Orientation), the office of New Student Programs and Services offers an afternoon of orientation and programs for parents and families of new TU students.
Each year on the first day of Orientation, we host a Campus Information Session that includes a welcome by the Dean of Students, an introduction of the president of the TU Parent & Family Association and a gathering of key offices and services from across campus. This is a perfect time for parents and families to learn more about campus life and to ask questions and dialogue face-to-face with campus professionals.
We finish the evening with annual Matriculation exercises, a ceremony marking the entry of the newest class of student into the academic community, and a banquet dinner hosted by the President of the University. This event is open to all incoming parents and family members. No registration is required. Please contact Aura Thomas at 918-631-2707 or aura-thomas@utulsa.edu with any questions.
The office of New Student Programs and Services also creates a more in-depth online publication aimed at informing parents and families of new and future TU students about campus life and what to expect in the first year your student is at college. This free online publication provides articles, suggestions and links on a wide range of material. Those interested can find the publication online here.
All parents, new and returning, will want to attend TU Parent and Family Day, held in conjunction with Homecoming. Each fall, the University of Tulsa Parent & Family Association (TUPFA) hosts a Parent and Family weekend tailgate event which includes a catered meal under our tailgate tent before the Homecoming game, a Parent and Family Weekend t-shirt, complimentary Gilcrease Museum day-pass admission, and a discount code which can be used to purchase a ticket to the Homecoming football game.
The experience is always filled with TU spirit and includes an invitation to exciting events like the Homecoming bonfire and fireworks show. The weekend is a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with your TU student as they continue to settle into life at The University of Tulsa.
Information about this annual fall event will be posted in the TUPFA Facebook page (no Facebook membership is necessary). Additional questions are welcome by phone at 918-631-2707, or by email at britton@utulsa.edu.