New Student Newsletter
July 1, 2014
Vol. 2
July 1, 2014  
Fellow Mighty Oaks,
 

I am delighted to welcome you to the College of Environmental Science and Forestry.  You are now a member of a diverse community of explorers, researchers, designers, engineers, and scholars united by a passion for the environment and a vision of a better future for nature and humans alike.  This common purpose makes ESF a unique fusion of disciplines, theories, and practical problem solving.

 

The diverse interests of our world-class faculty, combined with classes open to you at Syracuse University, give you the opportunity to explore boundless possibilities for your future.  As you explore these options, I encourage you to find those things that you are passionate about.  These will make your life meaningful, rewarding, and successful.

 

ESF students are not content to talk about making a better world.  Whether engaged in research projects with faculty, volunteering tens of thousands of hours, or exploring our thousands of acres of forest in the Adirondacks, ESF students are at the forefront of making a difference.  As you meet fellow students and faculty who share your interests, opportunities will open to you.  If you can dream it, you will find that ESF is a place you can do it.

 

I look forward to seeing you on campus and I wish you every success.  Your unique combination of experiences, knowledge, and interests will enrich the ESF community, just as our diverse backgrounds and pursuits will enrich yours.  Speaking for college faculty and staff, nothing is more important to us than your success.  Never hesitate to ask for the help or advice we are eager to provide.

 

Yours in green,

 

Quentin

General Reminders, Orientation Info and
Centennial Hall:  One Month to Go!
 Orientation is One Month Away!
 
In just over one  month, you will be arriving on campus for move-in and Orientation!  If you are living on campus, you will start your day with move-in at Centennial Hall with the assistance of the Mighty Movers on Tuesday, August 19th from 8am-12pm.  Then, check in at the Gateway Center for Orientation between the hours of 9am and 1pm, receive some free gifts, and have some light refreshments.  The Welcome Session will begin at 1pm in Hendricks Chapel at Syracuse University.
 
Please park in Syracuse University's Standart (WEST) Parking Lot located  off of Standart Street but a parking permit will be forthcoming and valid ONLY on Tuesday, August 19th. 
 
You should plan to come to campus well rested as the six days of Orientation are quite busy, but very fun and informative.  To take a sneak peak at what Orientation holds for you, please visit the Orientation page.  For a look at the First-Year Orientation schedule, click here. For more information on the International Student Orientation, click here.  
  
 The New Student Checklist on the Accepted Student website is live and waiting for you to complete the required items!  This includes emergency contact information, a photo for ESF files, policies acknowledgement, and a FERPA waiver.  You must also do the Syracuse University required tasks before Orientation starts.  You will need to set up your NetID and SU e-mail so you can upload your photo for the ID card.  And do not forget about the Health and Immunizations Form due by July 15.  
 

 

Living with a Roommate

 

Centennial Hall roommate assignCentennial Hall Logoments

will land in your MyESF portal on Thursday, July 3rd. However, only those students who have signed their contracts (and have had their guarantors sign their portion) will receive their assignments. If you haven't signed your Centennial Hall housing contract yet, please do so now.

 

Talking to your roommate for the first time can be both exciting and nerve-wracking. Below you'll find a few tips to help you start your roommate experience off on the right foot.

  • Don't be quick to judge. You might first "meet" your roommate through email or on Facebook, but remember that people are different in real life than they are online. Don't judge your new roommate too harshly based on internet perceptions.
  • Have realistic expectations. You and your roommate may be into different types of things or want to go to different activities on campus, and that's ok! You may do some things together, but you'll also have your own separate lives, too.
  • Coordinate who will bring what. Talk to you roommate and figure out what you'll each be bringing to college. The rooms in Centennial are nice, and much more spacious than most residence hall rooms, but they still aren't big enough to need two large televisions. Decide which items you'll each want to bring your own versions of and which items only one of you will bring to share while you live there.
  • Communicate! If your roommate is doing something that bothers you, let them know (in a nice way). They might not realize what they're doing affects you if you don't say something. And be sure to talk with your roommate about the best way to communicate. Do they like to text? Prefer face-to-face conversations? Figure out what works best and keep the dialogue going!

Remember, be sure you and your guarantor sign the housing contract or your room assignment and roommate information will not be loaded into the MyESF portal.

 

If you have any questions, you can call Centennial Hall at 315-741-3067.

Meet the staff in Student Affairs!

researcher_science_tube.jpg

CSTEP

(Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program)

 

CSTEP is a program at ESF that is administered through the NYS Department of Education. This enrichment program is designed to foster the academic success of students in typically underrepresented groups and those financially disadvantaged.  

 

Students in this program receive counseling, enrichment activities, faculty and graduate student mentoring, skill development, internship/research opportunities, graduate school/career preparation, and field trips.  In addition, students may choose to receive one credit for the successful completion of the CSTEP class each semester.

 

The CSTEP staff members are Eileen Baldassarre, Administrative Coordinator and Mary Triano, Director.  They are part of the Office of Student Affairs and housed in room  110 Bray Hall. For more information on the program, eligibility, and an application see http://www.esf.edu/students/cstep/
  
The Office of International Education

The Office of International Education (OIE) was recently relocated to 110B Bray Hall, and now shares space with the Office of Student Affairs. Office services include immigration advising for F-1 and J-1 students and J-1 research scholars and student interns, immigration document processing for Admissions and the Graduate School, study abroad advisement for any student wanting to go abroad or on a program off-campus, and international education programming and orientation for newly arrived international students and scholars. OIE also serves as an emergency point of contact for students conducting research abroad, participating in international programs, and ESF faculty-led courses abroad.


To contact the office, please email the Coordinator of International Education, Emily Quackenbush, at [email protected].

 

More information can be found on the Office of International Education website:  http://www.esf.edu/international.   

Academic Information:  Schedules and Textbooks

Class Schedules and Textbook Information

 

On behalf of the Alumni and Registrar's Offices we welcome you to ESF! Two of the biggest questions for all incoming students are when will I get my schedule and how do I order my books? Over the summer, the Registrar's Office is busy registering you for classes. We take into consideration any transfer credit you have been granted through admission and work with your undergraduate curriculum coordinators to develop a schedule of required courses. You will receive your schedule at orientation and will have an opportunity to meet with an advisor and make schedule adjustments at that time.

 

Once you have met with your advisor and registered for your courses, you can then order your textbooks through the ESF Virtual Bookstore and have them delivered right to the Gateway Center. There are detailed directions on the ESF bookstore website - just click on the "Books" button to view the step-by-step instructions. Once your order is placed, please select "Pickup at Gateway Center" from the list of Shipping/Pickup options available. Your textbooks will be shipped free-of-charge to the ESF College Bookstore. Allow 48 hours for your order to be processed and available. Pick-up times are as follows:

 

Saturday, August 23rd:

3:00 - 5:00p.m. B15 (Basement of Gateway Center)

 

Sunday, August 24th:

3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. B15 (Basement of Gateway Center)

 

Monday - Friday: August 25 - August 29:

1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. B15 (Basement of Gateway Center)


Enjoy your summer! We look forward to working with you in the fall! 

Meet ESF Student Leaders
What's an RA and Why Do We Care?

If you've been at college even just for a day or two, you have likely already come into contact with at least one RA. An RA, or Resident Assistant, is a peer who is dedicated to supporting the health and welfare of the students he or she resides with. RAs are trained in all aspects of life, from fostering a sense of community throughout the residence hall to addressing conflicts between friends and roommates. We tend to think that RAs are like the closest things to an older sibling or relative that you have when you're away at school, and we think that's the best way to think about it. We're here to help, and it would do you well to get to know us.

 

At Centennial Hall, there are 8 RAs. Each floor has two RAs assigned to it, but that does not mean that you will never see the other RAs. One RA on your floor will be on the first-year side of your floor, located in rooms 117, 209, 309, or 409. The other RA on your floor will be on the upperclass side, located in rooms 121, 213, 313, or 413. We can pretty much guarantee that you will come into contact with an RA relatively frequently. There are also 3 SRAs (Senior Resident Assistants) who will be housed in the new addition.

 

If you have any questions, knock on the doors of any of the rooms listed above and you'll be on your way to a successful first year at ESF!

In This Issue
Quick Links
SAVE THE DATE!
First-Year Retreat Info
First-year students are required to participate in the First-Year Student Retreat in September to build connections with their fellow classmates and the
College's faculty and staff. Details cabe found here.
 
ESF Traditions
Join ESF's New Bike Library Program!
  
  
Don't have a bike or left your bike at home? Not to worry because through the work of two 2013 graduates, ESF has implemented a Bike Library Program. This program is managed by ESF's Cycling Connection Club. You can join the Bike Library for $20/year.  This allows you to borrow a Kona Africa bike for up to 24 hours at a time. Interested in joining the Bike Library? Payment of membership fees and completion of agreement forms can be done in ESF's Moon Library upon your arrival to campus. Membership is denoted by a sticker on your ESF ID and with this you can borrow a bike with a simple swipe of your ID! Consider joining this program to increase your overall health, access to resources, and exploration of the Syracuse area! Look out for a flyer in your Orientation packet or email [email protected]
m
 for more information.
 

*A Note About Bike Storage at Centennial Hall

Centennial Hall offers residents the opportunity to store their bikes in the indoor storage space located inside the residence hall (near the parking lot). When students check-in to the residence hall on August 19th, they will be able to sign up for a bike spot and pay the $35/semester bike parking fee. While the room to the storage area is locked, it is still important to have a lock for your bike. A U-Lock works best because it is the most secure. The number of spaces is limited, so it's first come, first served.

Think About It Invitation Coming Next Week

 

Think About It is a interactive, online experience designed to help students make smart decisions in college around sex, alcohol, and drugs. Created for students, by students, the course promotes a healthier and safer campus environment for everyone.

Think About It takes about two to two-and-a-half hours to complete. You can work at your own pace from any computer ( but requires Flash player). You can leave and return to the course at any time, and when you return, it will open to the page where you left off.  This online course is mandatory for all new students.  Please note that failure to complete this course will affect your ability to register for spring 2015 classes.

 

You will receive an email directly from Think About It next week with the subject line "SUNY-ESF Think About It Log-in."  Click on the link enclosed in the email from Think About It to start the online course.  

 
Submit your ID Card Photo
Your I.D. card serves as your official College identification and will give you access to a variety of venues and services. Upload your photo by July 30th and your I.D. card will be ready for you when you check-in to Centennial Hall or the Gateway Center for those living off campus or commuting from home.

If you do not submit your photo by July 30th, you will need to have your photo taken when you arrive on campus.  Avoid the lines in August and submit your photo online!

Click here to upload your ID card photo.
Services for Disabled Students

The Office of Disability Services (ODS) at Syracuse University provides and coordinates services for students with disabilities at both Syracuse University and SUNY-ESF. This includes facilitating access to programs and activities, coordinating auxiliary aids and services, and providing access to adaptive technology.  For more information, click here or go to the ODS website at disabilityservices.syr.edu

 
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry | Office of Student Affairs | Student Involvement and Leadership
  
[email protected] | 315-470-6658
 1 Forestry Drive | 14 Bray Hall
Syracuse, NY 13210


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