Volume 4, Issue 1

parents.sdes.ucf.edu

Welcome to the University of Central Florida! We’re glad you’ve joined our community. As your student moves into the residence halls and begins his/her next adventure, you are also beginning your own journey. As UCF staff, we understand that you want to be a part of your son’s or daughter’s experience and assist them in this transition. The Pegasus Parent Newsletter is a resource designed to aid you in this process. As a parent of an incoming student, you may ask “how can I participate in my student’s experience at UCF?” You can think of yourself as a partner - understand the resources for success in and out of the classroom; communicate regularly with your student; share your perspectives and experiences; encourage self-advocacy. From time to time, you may even be called upon for some extra money! At some point during the move-in process and first year, you will most likely have questions. You will be in good company with other parents of our newest Knights on campus. Questions may include: how will my student pay for classes? How will my student stay healthy? Where and what will my student eat? Will my student be safe? How can my student get involved on campus? Who is my student’s advisor and what can s/he expect from the advisor. This newsletter aims to provide information to point you in the right direction to find answers to these questions, as well as help your student in finding answers to these questions. It is produced monthly through April and will hopefully serve as a guide for the first year. Staff members across the University are willing and able to assist you in this significant milestone in your and your student’s life. If you have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us. Once again, welcome to the University of Central Florida! Sincerely, Corey EsquenaziGraduate StudentPegasus Parent Programucfparents@ucf.edu

Table of Contents: Housing and Residence Life........................4

Get Smart...............................8

Get Involved.........................12

Get Healthy..........................20

Get Savvy..............................26

Campus Safety......................30

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FOLLOW US!

@UCFHOUSING

UNITED RESIDENT

STUDENT ASSOCIATION

The United Resident Student Association (URSA) is the student government body for residents who live on-campus, at the Rosen College, or in Knight Circle. URSA provides many opportunities for residents to get involved. URSA hosts several leadership events and participates in Homecoming and Family Weekend. URSA also works with area councils to provide programming and leadership opportunities geared to specific community needs.

The Birthday program runs from September to November for Fall semesters, and January to April for Spring Semesters. This program delivers balloons and cake to help your student celebrate their special day. Birthday deliveries are made Monday-Friday between the hours of 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. If your student’s birthday falls on a weekend, please indicate a weekday delivery date on the message card.To assist in the planning, we must receive your order at least 2 weeks prior to your student’s birthday.

ucfursa@gmail.com

BIRTHDAY PROGRAMAVALIABLE DURING FALL AND SPRING

reslife.housing.ucf.edu/families

If your student has a Maintenance issue call...FACILITIES OPERATIONS: 407.823.5223

If your student is having a comptuer/internet issue call...COMPUTER HELP DESK: 407.823.5117

If you have general questions or conerns call...MAIN HOUSING: 407.823.4663

QUESTIONS?PROBLEMS?

ROOMMATE

SURVIVAL TIPS

Have your student clearly define how they want to deal with their concerns, disagreements, and related issues.

Help your student treat their roommate with courtesty and respect. Talk about respecting others privacy, asking permission to borrow their roommates personl items, and giving their roommate space when needed.

Help your student understand their roommate may not be their best friend or constant companion. Also, that spending too much time together can strain even the closest of friendships.

Remind your student that if they cannot resolve issues with their roommate or are unsure on how to approach certain situations, their Resident Assistant is trained on mediation and can provide adivce or help facilitate a reolution.

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GET SMART8

THE ADVISING CORNER

Students should visit their First Year Advisor

early and often. Have your student contact First Year Advising

to set up their appointment.

fyae.sdes.ucf.edu

The summer withdrawal deadline is

July 19th. Prior to this deadline,

encourage your student to talk with their advisor if

they are unsure about staying in a class.

FIRST YEAR ADVISING AND

EXP

LOR

ATION

The mission of First Year Advising and

Exploration is to contribute to successful college transitions

and positive university experiences by providing quality advising programs to first year students in order to facilitate student

success and enhance student retention.

Our mission is accomplished by providing individual advising services, innovative

major exploration, technology-based advising and

collaborative outreach services.

fyae.sdes.ucf.edussyc.sdes.ucf.edu

transfer.sdes.ucf.edu

WH

AT I

F M

Y S

TUDEN

T HAS 30 OR MORE CREDITS?Students who

start the semester with thirty or more credits will be

advised by the Sophomore and Second Year Center. Have your

student contact the office to schedule their advising appointment. Your

student can contact them at 407-823-3375 or stop by their

office in Howard Phillips Hall, Room 215.

WHAT IF MY STUDENT IS A TR

AN

SFER STUDENT?

Transfer students are

advised by the college of their major, but Transfer and Transition Services can

help answer any questions if your student is not finding a answer. Your

student can contact Transfer and Tansition Services at

407-823-5959 or stop by Howard Phillips Hall,

Room 221.

GET INVOLVED

12

HOW DOES MY STUDENT TRACK THEIR LINK LOOT?

The Learning and Interacting with New

Knights, or LINK program, sponsors hundreds of exciting events each semester to help

first year students transition to UCF, meet their peers, and learn about academic and

personal resources available.

WH

O AR

E WE?

WHY SHOULD MY STUDEN

T PARTICIPATE?

During the Summer B term, there are over

75 events for students to attend. Throughout Summer

B, students can earn LINK Loot points at each event to use at

the Summer B LINK Lottery to win prizes such as a flat-screen HDTV,

UCF spirit gear, residence hall furniture, gift certificates,

and much more!

Have your students swipe their UCF ID card at every LINK

sponsered event. They then can log-on to LINK.UCF.EDU to

track their semester LINK Loot.

SUMMER B

BLOCK PARTY!

WHERE DOES THE SUMMER B FUN START?

At this event, students will have the opportunity to visit with campus resources, play games,

meet other students, and get free food.

SUMMER B

BLOCK PARTY!ACADEMIC VILLAGE

JUNE 26TH4:00PM

WHAT SHOULD MY STUDENT DO AT THE BLOCK PARTY?

THE LINK

AMAZING RACE 6:00PMStudents will have to create a team of four to six to travel around campus solving challenges while learning about campus resources. There will be tons of prizes and

fun for students at this event!

WHAT IS MY STUDENT SUPPOSED TO DOTHE REST OF THE SUMMER?

NOT ENOUGH? DO NOT WORRY THERE ARE MORE PROGRAMS.

REMIND YOUR

STUDENT TO

BECOME THE

ULTIMATE KNIGHT!

SUMMER B BLOCK PARTY--06.26Come find out about campus resources and meet some fellow knights! Also, sign up for the LINK Amazing Race, which will kick off at the Academic Village Courtyard!Academic Village Courtyard, 4-6PM

CLASSROOM AND CAMPUS ETIQUETTE--07.05Learn tips and proper ways to conduct yourself on campus and in class through non-verbal communication techniques.Nike Programming Center, 4:30-5:30PM

MENTORS IN VIOLENCE PREVENTION--07.12This interactive workshop discusses bystander intervention, ways to get involved, and how the smallest steps to action can make all the difference in the world. Lake Claire Community Center, 4PM

SAFER SEX 101--07.13Talking about sex in this fun, interactive program will help you make healthy decisions that are right for you. Nike Programming Center, 11AMLake Claire Community Center, 3PM

ECONOMIC BLUES--07.18Tips on how to adapt to the bad economic climate.Hercules Programming Center, 3-4PM

MISSING HOME, MAKING FRIENDS,AND CONNECTING TO CAMPUS--06.27This program will address common issues that all students face being away from home or on their own for the first time.Nike Programming Center, 6-7PM

WHAT CAN MASS DO FOR YOU?--O6.28Come and learn what MASS (Multicultural Academic and Support Services) is all about. We will discuss our services, programs, and the support we provide our First Generation and Multicultural Knights throughout their time at UCF.Nike Programming Center, 3-4PM

YOUR VIPS PASS: EXPLORING MAJOR ANDCARER OPTIONS--07.03Learn how to explore academic and career options relative to your Values, Interest, Personality, and Skills. The steps for creating your own personal action plan will also be discussed along with helpful resources to make the process smoother. Career Services and Experiential Learning, 11AM-12PM

WHAT DOES MY STUDENT DO WITH ALL THEIR LINK LOOT?

SUMMER B

LINK LOTTERY!

6:00PMKEY WEST BALLROOM

JULY 31ST

Students will have the opportunity to cash in their Summer B LINK Loot at the annual LINK Lottery. Students can win prizes ranging from TVs to Laptops. Remind students that LINK

Loot does not roll over to the fall semester.

GET HEALTHY

20

The UCF Health Center

Den

tal C

enter

Ph

armacy

Die

tician

Services

Cris

is H

ot-Line

The UCF Counseling Center

Two Locations:

Health Center: 407-823-6337

Knights Plaza: 407-882-0600

The UCF Dental Clinic can assist your student with all of their dental needs from cleanings and fillings to teeth

whitening and more. The prices are about 20%

less than Orlando area dentists.

Health Services has a registered dietician who

can help guide your student down a path

of healthy eating, even on a student’s budget.

Visits are $10 each and a referral from your provider is needed.

Need a prescription filled? The UCF pharmacy offers

reduced prices on a variety of the most common

prescriptions. Most insurance plans are

accepted as well.

Individual Counseling,

Group Counseling,Career Counseling,

Research,and much more...

Need Someone to talk to after hours?

407-823-2811

hs.sdes.ucf.edu counseling.sdes.ucf.edu

The

UCF

Rec

reat

ion

and Wellness Center

Fitness

Outdoor Adventure

Aquatics

Intramural SportsThe RWC Fitness

Program is comprised of six areas: Assisted

Workout, Assessment, Fitness Orientation,

Group Exercise, Personal Training, and Fitness Programs. All of these areas are designed to help UCF students achieve their fitness

goals.

Outdoor Adventure is a program compromised of five main areas: Adventure

Trips, the Challenge Course, Equipment Rentals, Climbing Tower and Lake

Claire. The program is housed in the Outdoor

Adventure Center (OAC) on the first floor of the RWC.

The Recreation and Wellness Center has two pools: a leisure pool and an outdoor lap pool. The Aquatics program offers swim lessons, lifeguard

tryouts, and SCUBA certifications. The Aquatics

program also hosts two Splashdown events a year.

Intramural Sports (IM Sports) offers all Activity

and Service Fee paying UCF Students the opportunity

to participate in a variety of team, dual, and individual

sports. Participating is a great chance to get

involved. Several divisions of play are offered for most activities to accommodate various skill levels for both

recreational and competitive participation.

rec.sdes.ucf.eduwellness.sdes.ucf.edu

In recognition of the health risks caused by smoking, the University of Central Florida will provide a smoke-free environment for its students, faculty, staff and visitors beginning Fall 2012. The policy is the result of a grassroots effort started by a UCF student more than two years ago.

There are now at least 639 smoke-free campuses in the United States, up from about 400 a year ago, according to the American Nonsmokers Rights Association. There are at least 13 in Florida, including UF, FIU, Valencia College, and Miami-Dade College.

“Even small amounts of secondhand smoke have proven to be harmful to people,” said Michael Deichen, M.D., director of Health Services. “The smoke-free policy supports everyone’s right to breathe clean air.”

To help those who want to stop smoking, the university is providing cessation services and resources, including individual and group classes, support groups, telephone and online counseling, self-help materials and medications. For more information about the smoke-free policy, please visit www.ucf.edu/smokefree.

NEW THIS

SUMMER B

All of the menu selections are developed

and evaluated by our culinary experts just for you. That’s why Just4U nutrition information (for individual

serving sizes) and color coded descriptive icons for easy identification of healthy

options are provided at each food station. A few of the Just4U icons you might see are: organic, under 500 calories, whole wheat,

low sodium . . . and more! We provide this information to help you make

easy selections that fit your personal preferences.

Marketplace and Knightro’s

are the premiere restaurant-style dining concepts at UCF. A meal plan gives you access to over 8 different food

stations.

Create your own

customized, healthy entree at the Peace of Mind food station.

While all our stations offer at least one vegetarian option, this station was created specifically with special dietary needs and

environmental sustainability in mind. At this new whole foods station choose from a selection of gluten-free grains, vegan proteins, and fresh,

Florida produce and then watch as our chefs will sauté your made-to-order meal in a

different sauce daily--right in front of you! Go nuts about this station--but

no meat, nuts, dairy, or wheat served here!

NEW THIS

SUMMER B

GET SAVVY

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FAFSA

The 2011-2012 FAFSA is required to receive financial aid for summer 2012. The FAFSA

can be completed online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Note: The

2011-12 FAFSA must be submitted no later than

June 30, 2012.

ELIGIBILITY

Financial aid is awarded after students are enrolled in the minimum hours

required for the aid program.

Please see Program Eligibility Charts at www.finaid.ucf.edu/receiving/pec.

html.

Most financial aid programs require a minimum of 6 credit hours.

CHECKING THEIR

TO D

O LIST

Students should review their “To Do List” on myUCF to insure

that there are not any outstanding items listed. Any requests for

information/documentation on the To Do List should be responded

to as quickly as possible. Failure to take action will delay or prevent

receipt of aid.

FUNDS FOR BOOKSThere are two programs to assist

financial aid recipients with purchasing their textbooks.

Students must select to use one or the other of the two programs, not both, during any given semester.

Students who apply late for financial aid or have incomplete files should be prepared to cover

their textbook expenses out-of-pocket.

TEXTBOOK PURCHASE P

RO

GR

AM

The opt-in period for the TPP for summer B is June 20 - 27. The first day purchases can be made is June 21. Students who have successfully opted in and have been granted an allowance will have through June 29 to utilize the program in the

UCF Bookstore.

SHORT-TERM A

DVA

NCE

Applications are available on the Office of Student Financial Assistance Web site, 2011-12 Forms: www.finaid.ucf.edu. Repayment is due

July 25.

FUNDS FOR BOOKS

DISBURSEMEN

T

Timing of disbursements is contingent upon students meeting

all conditions for receiving aid. Disbursement of financial aid begins the second week of the

semester and continues each week thereafter.

For students who have an award program that requires 6 credit hours, disbursement of their

financial aid will not occur until classes have begun for all 6 hours.

DEFERMEN

TS

Deferments allow students to extend the payment beyond the published due date for tuition & fees and

on campus housing. Once the student is enrolled in the minimum hours for the aid program, and the aid has been awarded, the amount of estimated financial aid

awarded for deferment can be found on the fee invoice as “Estimated Financial Aid Deferment” or on the student’s account on myUCF as “Anticipated Aid.”

If the amount of the “Estimated Financial Aid

Deferment” on the fee invoice is equal to or greater than the amount due, the student’s tuition & fees are automatically deferred until the aid disburse. If the

amount is less than the amount due, student must pay the balance by the fee payment deadline.

CAMPUS SAFETY

HAVE YOUR STUDENT REGISTER TH

EIR P

RO

PER

TY

Students may register

their personal property online with the UCF Police Department. Items such

as computers, bikes, iPods, cameras, and other valuables can be entered. Why would you want to do

this? Theft is the number one crime that affects college students across America.

The police enter your serial number into the national and state databases. Law enforcement agencies are now able to retrieve the information so that stolen item may be recovered and returned to you. The information is kept for 4 years and is kept confidential and is only accessible to law enforcement officers. This program

is available 24 hours a day throughout the year and just takes minutes to do. For further information about Property

Registration Program, stop by the Crime Prevention Office at the John T. Washington Center or contact the

Community Relations Unit at

407-823-2165 or 407-823-6576www.police.ucf.edu

.

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