Your opinion is important to us
Our new online survey is your opportunity to give us feedback about family programming at NAU. Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts about being a Lumberjack parent.

Please only complete the survey if your student is a current undergraduate. If you have trouble accessing or completing the survey, please contact us. We thank you in advance for your feedback.

Getting ready for winter break
As the semester winds to a close, here are some friendly reminders for your student:

1. Sell fall textbooks back and reserve or buy spring textbooks.

2. Residence halls close Friday, December 12 at 10 a.m.

3. Remember important winter driving tips—check road conditions before travelling, slow down and leave longer breaking distances, make sure your cell phone is working, that you have warm clothes or blankets in your car, and make sure someone knows your travel plans.

4. In the new year, residence halls open on Saturday, January 10 and classes begin Monday, January 12.

Commencement
NAU prepares to welcome new alumni on December 12.

Holiday Lights Parade
The Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce’s 10th Annual Northern Lights Holiday Parade marches lighted floats throughout downtown flagstaff to celebrate the holiday season.

Figure skating holiday show
The Flagstaff Figure Skating Club will hold its holiday show on Saturday, December 13.

Holiday skies
Lowell Observatory's special presentation discusses the mythology and science of the winter sky, including a discussion of the Star of Bethlehem.

December 12: Commencement (last day of fall term) December 12: Residence halls close at 10 a.m.
December 25 - January 2: University winter closure
January 10: Residence halls open for spring
January 10-11: Welcome Weekend
January 12: Spring classes begin
January 19: Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday
(university closed)
January 23: Last day to add a class without penalty February 1: Third rent payment due for the spring semester
Mar - Apr: Housing reapplication
March 1: Fourth rent payment due for the spring semester
March 16-20: Spring break
May 1: Instruction ends
May 4-7: Final exams
May 8: Residence halls close for the spring semester
May 8-9: Commencement (last day of spring term)

Choral studies
releases two new CDs
The sonorous sound
of NAU singers is available on CD.

Sustaining NAU's environmental reputation
NAU's environmental stewardship, its environmental degree programs, and its Center for Sustainable Environments were featured in College Preview magazine's "Top Schools for Leaders" September/October 2008 issue.

Miss Indian NAU named
Two Navajo students became NAU royalty during the Miss Indian NAU pageant in November.

Portion Distortion
This time of year, many of us are concerned about watching our caloric intake and not over-indulging. One helpful tip is to pay attention to our portions.

Do you know that over the past 20 years, the average portion size of most of our foods has more than doubled? For instance, an average bagel used to be about three inches in diameter and 140 calories. Today’s bagel is twice that size and 350 calories. The average soda used to be 6.5 ounces and 85 calories. Today, we typically drink a 20-ounce soda that delivers 250 calories. So, the trick is to watch our portion sizes while still enjoying our holiday favorites.

Campus Dining has developed a program called the “Balanced Bistro” which is featured at the DuB – Dining at the duBois Center. This program helps students recognize appropriate portion sizes to create a balanced meal. The Balanced Bistro provides complete meals, balanced to include proper portions of fruits, vegetables, proteins, and carbohydrates.

For more information on this program, email us. To find out more about portion distortion, visit the National Heart Lung and Blood Institutes.

This health tip presented by NAU Campus Dining.

On the road
The men’s and women’s basketball teams travel on the road before the holiday break. The women’s team will play South Florida on Saturday. The men’s team will play Wichita State on Saturday and North Dakota State on Monday.

Student-athlete spotlight:
Zarko Comagic
Hometown: Kraljevo, Serbia
Sport: Basketball
Senior forward Zarko Comagic had his first career double-double to lead Northern Arizona to an 80-39 victory Sunday night at the Walkup Skydome.