OHIO Parent and Family Newsletter
February 27, 2013   
Newsletter Content
Campus Health Update - Chickenpox
Moms Weekend April 5-7
Spring Break Information
Campus Involvement Center App
Campus Care Billing Information
Dean's List Website
LGBT Parent Survey
2013-14 Financial Aid and Scholarship Informaiton
The Ohio University Inn
The Importance of Being in Control
Quick Links  
 
Dear OHIO Parents and Families, Hall-Jones Headshot  

 

I am sure that your Bobcat is looking forward to some rest, relaxation, and a little time away during break. Spring break begins Monday, March 4 - Sunday, March 10 and classes resume Monday, March 11. Please know that the residence halls will officially close this Friday, March 1 at 6:00pm and will reopen on Sunday, March 10 at 9:00am. I hope that you and your family are able to enjoy some time together during spring break. If your son or daughter is traveling, please encourage them to travel safely. Some smart and safe travel tips from the Ohio University Police Department can be found here.

 

We are looking forward to hosting moms on Moms Weekend, April 5-7. Due to the switch to semesters, this annual event will take place a little earlier this year. We are currently adding more events to the schedule as we hear from other University departments and student organizations.

 

It will not be long before Commencement is here and those of you with graduating seniors will be seated in the Convocation Center for our annual graduation ceremonies. Undergraduate ceremonies will be on Saturday, May 4. More information about Commencement can be found on our Commencement website located here. We are excited to have award-winning journalist and 1972 OHIO alumnus, Andrew "Andy" Alexander to serve as our 2013 undergraduate speaker. You can view the Compass story on our speaker here

 

I am looking forward to the remainder of spring semester! 
As always, if there is anything my staff or I can do to assist, please do not hesitate to email or call us at 740-593-1800.

 

Sincerely, 
Ohio

 

Jenny Hall-Jones, Ph.D. 
Interim Dean of Students

Follow me on Twitter 


Campus Health Update - Chickenpox

As you know winter is a time when students may come down with the flu and/or colds.  Please be aware that five cases of chickenpox have been reported among our student population with no apparent link to relationship or residence (2 on-campus, 3 off-campus).

 

The chickenpox vaccine was made first available in 1995. Therefore, a vast majority of our students may not have been vaccinated or have already experienced the chickenpox virus. You may want to check the medical records for your son or daughter and consider the chickenpox vaccine. More information about chickpox, the signs and symptoms, and prevention and treatment can be found through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention here http://www.cdc.gov/chickenpox/about/index.html 


In the event your son or daughter may have contracted or been in close proximity with the chickenpox virus, please have them contact Campus Care at 740-593-1660.

Moms Weekend - April 5-7, 2013

Mom's Walk

We are excited to welcome Ohio University Moms to campus April 5-7! 

Our list of Moms Weekend events and programs continues to grow and the event schedule will continue to be updated as we receive additional information from student organizations and University departments. 

You can view the Moms Weekend Schedule of Events online here.

On Wednesday, March 13 at 9:00am (EDT) a limited number of single occupancy rooms in Foster House on South Green will go on sale.   
  • Foster House
    • Two night minimum, $161.30 total includes tax, linens, one twin bed, microwave/refrigerator unit, and shared bathroom. 
    • These rooms will sell out quickly.   

Additionally, tickets for some Moms Weekend events will go on sale through the OHIO Parents Website.  Rooms and tickets will go on sale here:

The purchasing website will close on Thursday, April 4 at 8:00pm (EDT).   

 

Additional information on lodging and local events may be found through the Athens Visitors and Convention Where to Stay website located here or the Hocking Hills Lodging site located here.   

 

 

Spring Break Information 
We hope that spring break will be a fun, positive, and relaxing
break
Summer Sunfor Ohio University  students.  It is a time for rest, relaxation and to enjoy the company of family and friends.  We know that some of our students plan their spring break vacation in a recreational environment that could pose safety challenges for those who participate.  Others may choose to go abroad and experience new adventures for the first time. 

We would like for you to help remind out students to make good decisions regarding their social activities while enjoying their spring break.  For some helpful travel tips and spring break advice, please see the following websites: 
The Campus Involvement Center App



Stay up to date with what events are happening on Ohio University's campus by  downloading the OU Involvement App on your smart phone! Go to the iTunes App Store or the Android App Store and simply search "OU Involvement" or "Ohio University Events". The green icon pictured will appear next to the OU Involvement App. Click download and start exploring all the events that happen every day at Ohio University.

 

A Message from the Bursar 
  • Please check your student's financial account.  Charges posted through February 28 are due by March 21 to avoid the 1.5% late fee.  Delinquent balances will result in a financial hold which will restrict access to spring semester registration and all student records (e.g. grades, transcripts, diplomas).
  • The 1098-T forms were mailed to your student's home address in January.  Form 1098-T is intended to assist families with calculating an education income tax credit or deduction.  This form does not report taxable income.  A duplicate form can be accessed through the student's My OHIO Student Center.  The information is also provided in the Authorized User portal.  See http://www.ohio.edu/finance/bursar/Tax-Benefits-for-Education.cfm  for more information about this tax form.  Refer to IRS Publication 970 Tax Benefits for Education (http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p970.pdf) or your tax advisor for assistance with calculating an education tax credit or deduction.
 
Contact the Office of the Bursar at 740-593-4130 or [email protected] with questions regarding your student's financial account activity.   
 
Campus Care Balances
 
Account balances for health care services received at Campus Care can be viewed and paid online through the "Make a Payment" link found in the student's My OHIO Student Center or the Authorized User page.  Contact Campus Care at 740-593-1660 or [email protected] for more information about these balances.    
 
Campus Care Billing Information
Ohio University Campus Care
The services of Campus Care are provided by University Medical Associates, Inc.
 

Students with outstanding Campus Care balances greater than 60 days have had a financial hold placed on their student account as of Monday, February 4th. A financial hold will prevent students from registering for classes, requesting transcripts, and applying for graduation. Students receive monthly e-mails informing them that they have a balance at Campus Care. Beginning in January Authorized Users will also receive these e-mails.  

 

Any copay, after insurance balances, and self pays for services provided at Campus Care are assessed on the students MyOHIO account. Under the finance section, you MUST click on the "Make a Payment" link to view the charges. Click on the claim ID to add it to your basket before checking out. Please note that Campus Care charges cannot be viewed on the main MyOHIO page. Campus Care Pharmacy charges go to the student's e-bill the same as tuition.   

 

If payment is made after the financial hold is placed, please contact Campus Care to have the hold released. You may e-mail Campus Care at [email protected] and the hold will be released within one business day.

 

The student should contact Campus Care if they have any questions or disputes about the charges. Due to the stringent HIPAA guidelines, if your student is 18 or older we are not permitted to discuss anything with you about the students visit or charges without an Authorization of Disclosure form being completed by the student granting us permission.


For more information about Campus Care visit our website at
www.oucom.ohiou.edu/campuscare or contact us at 740-593-1660. Follow us on Twitter @CampusCare1
Be Smart. Be Civil. Be Safe.
Fest Banner
Ohio University Graduate/Dean's Lists Website

Ohio University is recognizing the academic achievements of its students by publishing the 2012 fall semester graduate and Dean's Lists on a new website, the Student Lists Graduate/Dean's List Search System.

 

The Dean's List is an academic honor recognized by each of OHIO's academic colleges in which students are enrolled.    

 

Located at http://www.ohio.edu/ucm/media/achievements/index.cfm, the new website features a search system that allows specific lists to be pulled based on season, term, campus, zip code and achievement. Lists can also be exported to a searchable Excel file.

Detailed instructions on how to use the new search system are available on the website.

The search system draws from information that is self reported to the Office of the Registrar, and students who chose to be excluded are omitted from the lists.

The graduate list represents those who finished degrees at the end of a given semester.

To be named to the Dean's List, a student must have earned a grade point average of at least 3.5 for the semester through a schedule of classes totaling at least 15 hours, 12 of which were taken for letter grades.

  

LGBT Parents of College Students Needed for Survey Participation
LGBT flag As member institutions of the Association of Higher Education Parent/Family Program Professionals (AHEPPP), Ohio University is happy to assist the University of Maryland which is conducting a national study to explore the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender parents of college students and recent graduates. The information provided will help colleges and universities better understand the issues faced by LGBT parents, the interactions LGBT parents have with their student's college/university, and the campus climate for LGBT parents and their students.
 
If you're the parent of a college student or recent graduate (within the past 5 years) and you self-identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, please consider completing the survey.  The survey will take about 20 minutes to finish.  Responses are completely anonymous.  Survey participants who choose to provide an email address will be eligible for a drawing to include five $25 Amazon gift certificates.  Winners will be randomly selected, and the email address will not be connected with survey responses.

If you do not qualify for this survey but you know someone who does, please forward this request to him or her. We appreciate your help with spreading the word.

The following is the link to complete the survey: http://studentvoice.com/md/experiencesoflgbtcollegeparents

The deadline for responding is March 1, 2013.

  

Financial Aid and Scholarship Information
2013-14 Scholarships
All current students should apply for scholarships for the 2013-14 year using the online scholarship application. A link to the application is available at www.ohio.edu/financialaid. An e-mail reminder to enrolled students was sent in December.  The deadline for priority scholarship consideration is March 1, 2013.
 
2013-14 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
All students should apply for financial aid for the 2013-14 year at www.fafsa.ed.gov NOW! We recommend that students (and their parents when applicable) complete the FAFSA by mid-February to ensure that Ohio University receives the results by our first-priority deadline of March 15, 2013.  If you do not have your 2013 taxes completed, you can use estimated tax information and update your FAFSA once your taxes are completed. Please remember that the FAFSA is free. You should never pay a company to complete your FAFSA. The Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships is happy to assist you with questions regarding completion of your FAFSA.

Visit the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships online at http://www.ohio.edu/financialaid/

  

Special Easter Celebration at Cutler's Restaurant

Cutlers Easter Egg Spend Easter Sunday with your family at Cutler's Restaurant! From 10AM-3PM on Easter Sunday, March 31st, Cutler's is featuring a special Easter event including a mouthwatering brunch, an Easter egg hunt, and pictures with the Easter Bunny. Featured menu items include handcrafted omelets and waffles, peel & eat shrimp, carved prime rib, chicken, salmon, delectable desserts, and more!

 

Reservations are recommended - make yours today by calling 740-589-3714 or visiting dinecutlers.com.


The Importance of Being in Control

As spring break approaches and, then, the final seven weeks of the academic year, it is vital that students remain (or become) involved on campus. This can assume several forms.

 

First, students need to stay in contact with their academic advisors, who are a student's primary source of information about steady progress toward graduation, graduate school, and, in many cases, careers in their chosen fields. Registration for summer courses opened on Monday, February 18, so students who are planning to take summer courses in Athens or on one of OHIO's regional campuses, should speak with an advisor soon. If your son or daughter wants to take courses at a college near home this summer, clearing these courses with an advisor is crucial. Your student will want to ensure that the courses will transfer to OHIO as expected. Also, advising for fall semester 2013 begins a week after we return from spring break. Please encourage your student to be an active participant in the advising process by scheduling a meeting with his or her advisor early. Advising appointments tend to fill up as advising season progresses, so claiming a spot early is essential.

 

Next, being involved on campus is important and is a key to getting the most out of the OHIO experience. Please encourage your sons and daughters to seek out opportunities to engage with clubs and organizations. There are dozens and dozens of organizations that are associated with particular majors or careers. These organizations provide unique opportunities to interact with like-minded students around a theme of common interest. Involvement with one major/career themed group can help your son or daughter in many ways. Of course, getting involved simply because the activity is new or fun is important, too. Please urge your son or daughter to affiliate with several types of organizations. Doing so is another way they can be in charge of their learning and their future.

 

Students can be in control of their own destiny here at OHIO by utilizing the abundant academic support services available on campus. The Academic Advancement Center and the Allen Student Help Center both assist student as they strive to maximize their learning. Plus, most of the services available through these offices come at no additional charge.

 

Finally, students can get the most from their time at OHIO and can leave here ready to tackle the next of life's challenges by engaging early with the staff of the Career and Leadership Development Center (CLDC). The CLDC is not just for freshmen looking to find a major or seniors searching for a job. CLDC staff work with students throughout their OHIO careers so that when they graduate, they are prepared to venture out into the world, describe what they know, and explain how the skills they possess will benefit potential employers. This is yet another way OHIO students can be in control of their own destiny.