OHIO Parent and Family Newsletter
April 25, 2013   
Newsletter Content
Residence Hall Closing Information
Don't Trash Your Stuff - Recycle When Moving Out
Graduation Informaiton
Moms and Dads Weekend Survey
Bursar Information
Finals Week Survival Bags
Financial Aid and Scholarship Information
Summer Service Corp Summer Employment
The Ohio University Inn Special Weekend Information
Quick Links  
 
Dear OHIO Parents and Families, Hall-Jones Headshot  

 

This is an exciting time of year as students are preparing for final exams and getting ready for summer internships or employment, we are preparing for our annual Commencement Ceremonies.  I hope you are looking forward to the next step in your son or daughter's journey as they head home for the summer or prepare to take on new opportunities following graduation.

 

There are so many events that take place throughout spring semester, especially as the academic year comes to a close.  I have included just a few of the great events that have taken place this past month.  I hope you can take a minute to read some highlights of the hard work of our students, faculty, and staff. 

 

If you are traveling to Athens to pick-up your son or daughter following finals week or to be attending commencement, I hope you have a safe trip.  For those of you with graduating seniors, congratulations!  It has been an honor to have been a part of your student's life.  Remember, you will always be a member of the Bobcat family!

 

We will take a break from our regular communication through the summer as we prepare for the coming academic year.  As always, if there is anything the Dean of Students' 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 


Residence Hall Closing Information
  • Residence Halls officially close at 6 PM on Saturday, May 4th.
  • Students who are graduating or working commencement who live in the residence halls should speak with their Residential Coordinator or Resident Director to finalize their move out and check out arrangements.

    South Green

  • Students who fail to depart by the official closing time will be charged a minimum of $25, and $25 for each hour they remain past the official posted closing time.
  • Students residing on West Green are encouraged to move out by the evening of May 2nd, if possible, in order to avoid commencement related traffic and congestion. This is especially true for students in the Convocation Center, James Hall, and Wilson Hall.
  • Students are encouraged to recycle or donate items they no longer need instead of throwing them away. Additional information can be found at http://www.ohio.edu/recycle. 
  • Interim housing is available for students who are attending summer school or who need to remain in Athens for any portion of the break. Interim housing is available from Saturday, May 4 through Friday, May 10, and the cost is $29 / night. A reservation is required and can be made by visiting the Residential Housing website, clicking the "Apply Online" button, and then selecting the "Interim / Temporary Housing" contract.
  • Summer Session housing is also available. Shively and Tiffin Halls will house summer session students. A summer session housing contract is required. Contact Residential Housing for additional information.

 

 

Moving Out - Don't Trash Your Stuff!
Campus Recycling Move Out Ohio University wants to remind each family that as students are moving out, "Don't Trash Your Stuff."  Ohio University and the City of Athens makes it as easy as possible to donate, with nearly a dozen non-profit organizations to help direct quality reusable items to local families in need. 

Drop off donation locations are provided at every residence hall on campus as well as in strategic spots around the Athens community.  For off-campus students, with a simple phone call, many non-profits, such as ReUse Industries (740-594-5103), will even come to pick up your donations at your residence.   

All unopened food, gently used clothes, household items, school supplies and even large items such as furniture and carpets do not belong in the dumpster.  The choices you make at move out matter and can make a big difference in the lives of others in Southeast Ohio.  To access a complete list of acceptable items, partner organizations, and drop off locations at
www.ohio.edu/recycle
Commencement/Graduation Information

commencement people

Details regarding the Ohio University Undergraduate Commencement Ceremonies may be found on the Commencement website,
www.ohio.edu/commencement.

 

The Ohio University Undergraduate Commencement Ceremonies will be held on Saturday, May 4 inside the Convocation Center.  Tickets are not necessary for either ceremony.   


For the safety and security of those attending commencement, all bags and packages entering the Convocation Center before and during the ceremonies will be subject to inspection. This includes, but is not limited to purses, backpacks, camera bags, and diaper bags. The Ohio University Police Department is asking all those attending the commencement ceremonies to limit the items they bring into the Convocation Center, and to allow extra time for arrival and seating. Each ceremony will begin promptly at the designated time. We appreciate your patience and understanding.

 

The morning ceremony begins at 9:30am.  Please remind your son or daughter that they must assemble in the Convocation Center garage no later than 8:45am. 

 

Degrees will be conferred in the order below:

  • Scripps College of Communication 
  • College of Business
  • Russ College of Engineering and Technology
  • University College & Regional Higher Education 
  • College of Fine Arts

 

The afternoon ceremony begins at 2:00pm.  Please remind your son or daughter that they must assemble in the Convocation Center garage no later than 1:15pm.  

 

Degrees will be conferred in the order below:

  • Honors Tutorial College
  • Center for International Studies  
  • College of Arts and Sciences
  • Patton College of Education
  • College of Health Sciences of Professions

  

Graduate Ceremony Information 

For information on the graduate ceremony, please click the following link http://www.ohio.edu/commencement/grad/index.cfm 

DVD copies of the Ohio University Commencement Ceremonies will be available for purchase through the Commencement website on Wednesday, May 1.

 

Moms and Dads Weekend Survey
In collaboration with the College of Health Sciences and Professions, we are asking for your help with a research project exploring parents' experiences with Moms and Dads Weekends at Ohio University. Parents who have ever attended either weekend with your undergraduate son or daughter are invited to complete an online survey. The survey will take about 5 to 10 minutes to complete. The information we gather will help universities to better understand what parents like and dislike about the weekends and to better plan activities that parents and students find satisfying. Are you interested in participating?

Just click the following link to access the survey:
https://ohiochsp.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_4N2WZEPq3ZVcFxz

A Message from the Bursar 
  • Please check your student's financial account.  Charges posted through April 30 are due by May 21 to avoid the 1.5% late fee.  Delinquent balances will result in a financial hold which will restrict access to summer and fall semester registration and all student records (e.g. grades, transcripts, diplomas).
  • Summer semester tuition and fees have begun assessing to your student accounts for those registering for summer semester classes.
  • Summer semester monthly payment plan enrollment is open.  Enrolling in the monthly payment plan by May 21 will allow you to divide the summer semester balance into 4 installments (due May 21, June 21, July 21, and August 21).  You can enroll in the monthly payment plan through the Authorized User login, or your student can enroll through the My OHIO Student Center.  The summer semester monthly payment plan enrollment fee is $40.
  • Summer semester optional fee waivers can be submitted through the My OHIO Student Center or through the Authorized User login provided your student is enrolled in summer semester classes.  The waiver deadline for summer semester optional fees is Friday, May 31.
  • Summer semester financial aid refunds will begin processing on May 13 for those students enrolled in direct deposit.
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.  Due to stringent HIPAA guidelines, only the balance can be disclosed unless Campus Care has a signed Authorization of Disclosure form on file from your student granting permission to discuss additional details with you. 
 
OUAA Offers Final Week Survival Bags

Bobcat Store Logo  

 

The OUAA offers Finals Week Survival Bags through the Bobcat Store

 

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! The Ohio University Alumni Association  (OUAA) is partnering with the Student Alumni Board to sell Finals Week Survival Bags on the online Bobcat Store.
 
Finals Week Survival Bags can be purchased for $15 and include several late night study essentials, such as: an OHIO coffee mug, Court Street Coffee vouchers, snack items and Bobcat water. Bags can be gifted to an identified student or purchasers can designate to a student studying at one of the university's colleges. Survival bags will be picked up by students at Baker Center during finals week. Students will be notified of the purchase after the transaction is processed. Deadline for purchase is Friday, April 26.

Purchase of the survival bags will help fund the initiatives of the Student Alumni Board, which include Bare on the Bricks and Paint the Town Green.
 
For more information about the Finals Week Survival bag and other SAB products, visit http://bobcatstore.ohioalumni.org/student-alumni-board/


Financial Aid and Scholarship Information
A Message from the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships

Satisfactory Academic Progress
Continuation of financial aid eligibility is contingent upon students meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) criteria. SAP criteria include grade point average, minimum completion percentage, and maximum time frame. First-year students are required to complete the year with, at least, a 1.75 grade point average. This requirement becomes a 2.00 for subsequent years of enrollment. Additionally, students must complete at least 67% of the courses they attempt annually. Grades that negatively affect this percentage include: F, FS, FN, PR, NR, W, WP, WF. Finally, students must complete their degree within the maximum time frame defined by the degree in which they are enrolled. For example, students seeking a bachelor's degree must complete that degree within 180 semester hours. Should a student fail to meet one or more of these requirements, he or she would be ineligible for further financial aid until the deficiency is resolved. If the student experienced an extreme circumstance which contributed to the deficiency, he or she may appeal this loss of financial aid.

To review the Ohio University Satisfactory Academic Progress policy, please visit http://www.ohio.edu/financialaid/postapply/postapply_sap_procedure.cfm. As always, if you have any questions regarding SAP or other financial aid issues, feel free to contact the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships at [email protected] or 740-593-4141.

Financial Aid Award Notices
Ohio University has begun sending 2013-14 financial aid award notices to continuing students. These notices are sent via email to students' Ohio University email accounts. We will NOT be sending paper award letters to continuing students. This email notification is the only communication that will be sent regarding 2013-14 financial aid awarding. Students are directed to visit the OHIO Student Portal at http://my.ohio.edu and select the "Accounts" tab. Students are, then, instructed to select the OHIO Student Center link to view award information and aid requirements. For additional information about financial aid changes, feel free to visit http://www.ohio.edu/financialaid/ and select Federal Financial Aid Updates.

  

Be Smart. Be Civil. Be Safe.
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Summer Employment through the Summer Service Corps
Summer Service Corps

Is your son or daughter planning to stay on campus over the summer?  Summer Service Corps is an opportunity for students to earn money through the Federal Work-Study program. During Summer Service student can work up to 40 hours per week earning $10.00 an hour, at one of twelve community based organizations. Summer Service is an excellent opportunity to build a variety of workplace skills, through contributing to the Athens community. Projects vary by site but some involve community gardens, day camp counselors, working with various state/federal grants, to managing agencies social media, all majors and skill sets are encouraged to apply.  In order to be eligible for this program, your son or daughter must have submitted a 2013-14 FAFSA, and plan on being enrolled at Ohio University for the 2013-14 academic year. Eligibility for the program is determined by the Office of Student Financial Aid.

For more information and access to the application, you can go to www.ohio.edu/involvement/communityservice/workstudy.cfm.

IMPORTANT: Special Event Weekend Reservations at the Ohio University Inn & Conference Center 

OU Inn Exterior Evening

Whether you're researching OHIO graduation accommodations for next year or getting an early start planning your homecoming or Parents and Family Weekends, thinking ahead is definitely the smart way to go.

 

There are a number of special events at Ohio University that must be booked via phone because these high-demand weekends book well in advance. These special event weekends are: Parents Weekend, Homecoming, Dads Weekend, Sibs Weekend, Moms Weekend, Graduation, and OU HCOM Graduation. During these high-demand weekends, only reservations made via telephone will be accepted. In most cases a two-night minimum stay is required.

 

For more information, including reservation call-in dates, please see the Special Events page of our website.