During Family Weekend last fall, then freshman Brook Lambert was visited by parents Scott and Gale Lambert from Piedmont, Calif. Oct. 26, 2008. Some events for this year's Family Weekend have already sold out. (CU Independent file/Sam Hall) sold
Family Weekend is coming to CU with various events for parents and siblings, according to the CU Family Weekend Web site.
Family Weekend runs from Friday to Sunday, according to the Web site. The main events include a golf tournament, the CU vs. Kansas football game and the Buffalo Family Stampede, a 5k run/walk.
Additional events also include various presentations on CU academics and multiple tours of the campus, according to the Web site.
George Ballinger, CU’s parent relations director, said he is excited about the upcoming weekend.
“We’ve got 1,700 families already, which is approximately 4,600 visitors,” Ballinger said. “I use the word ‘approximately’ because we always have parents come who haven’t actually registered.”
Registration packets featuring football tickets are sold out. However, the Family Weekend Web site says families still in need of football tickets can contact the Athletic Ticket Office.
Ballinger said families are still welcome, even if they missed their chance to register.
“The real goal of Family Weekend is to build a relationship between the school and the parents,” Ballinger said. “It’s not intended as a money maker. Some events are sold out but there are plenty of events going on for families to participate in.”
Siblings are welcome to attend Family Weekend activities. However, events are intended for adults and college-aged students and may not entertain young siblings, according to the Web site.
Some CU students have said they feel that time with their parents would be better spent outside of CU.
Keith Jacobsen, a 19-year-old sophomore environmental design major, said he would rather spend time with just his family.
“My parents live in Longmont so they don’t feel the need to come to family weekend,” Jacobsen said. “I would rather just go visit them, and spend a mellow day at home rather than attending a bunch of events.”
Julie Tasche, a 20-year-old junior business major, said her mom attended Family Weekend the two previous years but is not attending this year.
“All we really did was go to the football game,” Tasche said. “It was cool because my mom got to see CU full of people, but she’s coming out on a different weekend this year because it will be less crowded and easier to make plans.”
The Family Weekend Web site can be accessed at http://www.colorado.edu/familyweekend/.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Lindsay Mullineaux at Lindsay.mullineaux@colorado.edu.
