Welcome, new UA families!
Welcome to all of our new parents and family members of our incoming class! We are excited you are a part of the Zips family. The University of Akron Parent & Family Association Newsletter is sent monthly with timely information and reminders. We strive to keep you informed and to support you as parents and family members. Please feel free to reach out to the Parent & Family Association Board at pfa@uakron.edu.
Be sure to join us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to engage with other parents and families, and to keep updated on campus news and events!
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In this issue...- New Roo Weekend and Week of Welcome
- Due dates and the Payment Plan
- Why we can’t answer some questions about your son’s or daughter’s grades or financial records
- Residence Hall move-in
- Tips for living off-campus and resources
- Student employment opportunities
- Services and support from the Office of Accessibility
- Thanks for participating in our PFA survey
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New Roo Weekend and Week of Welcome
New freshmen will learn about dozens of tips to help them get ahead, meet new friends, faculty members and staff, and take part in social events. New Roo Weekend is Aug. 26-27. Learn more.
Week of Welcome is made up of dozens of free events open to all UA students. Encourage them to discover new student organizations, exercise classes at the Student Rec and Wellness Center, comedians, magicians and so much more! See the developing schedule of events.
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Due dates and the Payment Plan
The Office of Student Accounts looks forward to your arrival on campus! As you get ready for fall, we want to clarify a few points about billing and due dates.
FOR UNDERGRADUATES ONLY:
If you signed up for classes by July 8 but have yet to pay your bill, the deadline to pay is August 8. You have until Monday, August 15 to pay at least 25% of your balance to avoid your seat being released. Below are options to assist in avoiding such an outcome:- Pay at least 25% of the amount due (either by financial aid or partial payment) OR Under Finance Section of Student Center select view Financial Aid; next select 2018 Financial Aid Year
-OR-
- Contact the Office of Student Accounts to discuss your bill.
If you do either by Aug. 15, we will continue to hold your class schedule for you. Otherwise, we will release your seats for other students.
Financial aid is not disbursed out until Friday, Aug. 18. This anticipated aid is taken into consideration as an offset to outstanding charges. In other words, it counts toward the 25% payment required by August 15. Financial Aid awards are posted in My Akron.
Missing these deadlines could result in a $100 late fee being assessed to your account.
If you signed up for classes July 9 and after, the deadline for payment is the first day of classes, Monday, August 28. You have until Friday, September 8 to avoid a $100 late fee by paying at least 25% or your seats will be released.
See also: Student Accounts website.
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Why we can’t answer some questions about your son’s or daughter’s grades or financial records
Parents often ask University employees specific questions about their son’s or daughter’s financial aid, bills due, grades, enrollment or advising activities. Your child has certain privacy rights through a federal law called the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act, or FERPA.
We are unable to discuss details with parents unless the child has completed an Authorization and Request for Release of Records and Information form. The student must deliver the completed form in person to the lobby of Simmons Hall (open normal business hours). He or she should bring a photo identification to ensure the protection of their information.
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Getting ready for the residence halls
Moving into a residence hall can be very exciting. Some helpful tips for families include:- Be prepared for move-in day! See the details here.
- Having an open and honest discussion with students about residence hall rules and expected behavior.
- Discussing the use and misuse of alcohol and other drugs on a college campus.
- Ensuring that students understand, are aware of and in control of their own personal safety at all times as well as how to report concerns related to the health and welfare of themselves and others.
Our residence-hall staff will text students and parents if inclement weather poses a safety risk during move-in. The texts would urge students and parents to delay departure for campus or delay unloading vehicles until the storms pass.
To receive the texts, sign up for UA’s free Z-Alert text messaging service.
For a resident student whose cell phone number has recently changed, we encourage him or her update that number in My Akron. (Instructions for students: In My Akron, go to the Technology Support tab > Look for the Z-Alert icon in the upper right > Click on the link and login with your UANet ID and password. Delete an old number and add a new one. You will receive a validation text for the new number. Follow the instructions in that text to complete the process.)
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Tips for living off campus
The relationship your student has with his or her landlord is very important to ensure that they are living in a clean and safe environment.
Students should:- Always get a copy of the signed lease. Make sure you also have a copy if you co-signed for the apartment. Keep it in a location where you can easily refer to it, if needed
- Have a contact phone number and email address for the landlord.
- Walk through every inch of the apartment and take pictures of anything that is not working or needs to be repaired. This will also help with documentation in regard to the security deposit at the end of the lease.
- Communicate in writing to the landlord about anything that needs to be fixed or repaired within 24 hours. Make sure to include photos. Email is the fastest way, but snail mail also works.
Students can contact our University Police to schedule a security audit to learn more about making their apartment a safer place to live.
Other campus services to know about include:- Off-campus Living - located at the Front Desk in the Simmons Hall lobby, can help with a number of things. See their website.
- Campus Patrol's escort service - Patrol members or police officers escort students to and from campus locations at any hour. Patrol members are trained by University police and can be identified by their maroon Campus Patrol shirts or blue Campus Patrol jackets. They also carry a police radio. Arrange for a free campus patrol by calling 330-972-2911.
- Battery jumps and vehicle lockouts – by calling 330-972-2911, UAPD or Campus Patrol will assist. Jumps and lockouts do have a $10 fee.
- Female Self-Defense Course - This program is a modified version of the program P.R.O.T.E.C.T: (Personal Response Option and Tactically Effective Counter Techniques). The program teaches easy to learn techniques for safety. Call 330-972-2911 to request the course.
Learn more about these, and more services here.
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Student employment opportunities
Students seeking on-campus, Federal Work Study (must be awarded in financial aid package), or off-campus jobs should check the Student Employment website. The site includes job descriptions, responsibilities, hours allowed to work, pay rate, skills needed and much more.
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Services and support from the Office of Accessibility
The Office of Accessibility (OA) provides students with documented disabilities full access to, and the opportunity to participate in, the academic environment at The University of Akron.
Some students may have received services in high school. These students need to provide the OA with documentation addressing learning disabilities, ADD/ADHD, physical, or psychological disabilities. Students requesting academic accommodations, including students experiencing acute temporary health conditions, are able to seek assistance through the Office of Accessibility anytime throughout the semester. The Office of Accessibility works closely with other offices on campus to make the coordination of accommodations work well for the student.
The Office of Accessibility is located in Simmons Hall 105. We are here to help students with disabilities as well as students with temporary medical conditions.
To get more information or to make an appointment to meet one of the disability specialists in the Office of Accessibility, please call 330-972-7928 or visit the Office of Accessibility website. Students interested in providing note-taking services for students with disabilities, please view our note-taking Web page.
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Thanks for participating in our PFA survey
The Parents and Family Association Board would like to thank everyone who participated in our Parent and Family Spring 2017 Survey. The PFA Board is currently working with on-campus partners to identify ways to improve services to students based off of your feedback. If anyone has any additional feedback, please email us at pfa@uakron.edu.
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