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By, Lee Roy Johnson

Eating cold pizza and instant roman is slowly becoming a thing of the past; when it comes down to eating and cooking in a Residence Hall. At UMW each residence hall outside of Russell has a full kitchen where students will be able to cook their meals. There are also small kitchenettes where microwaves are located. These spaces are still available, but to minimize risk the way we utilize them will be different. When students arrive during move-in, they will be given a token. The token will be used to hang up in community spaces such as the kitchen. Spaces like the kitchen will have a set number for occupancy to help practice social distancing. By looking at the token’s students will know if space is being used and how many are in that space.

After the student knows that the kitchen is available it’s time for them to challenge Bobby Flay! Students will need to bring their own pots, pans, and utensils for cooking. They must wash their own items and store them in their room. Students will have access to a stove, oven, and all the necessary things to make whatever their hearts desire. Students need to focus and keep a close eye on what they are cooking till it is completely done and all the appliances are turned off. Then, they should clean all areas of the kitchen and make sure it’s like new for the next person. Cooking in a Residence hall gives that feeling of independence and being at home. Never the less cooking meals take time and can be hard for students and their busy schedules, so making sure they have a good meal plan always helps and comes and handy when things get a little hot in the kitchen. HAHA, they burn the food!

 Below are some quick and easy recipes to share with your student.

• https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/baked-chicken-breast/
• https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/220597/simple-garlic-shrimp/
• https://veganhuggs.com/vegan-pizza-recipe/

 

By, Megan Brown

An important part of living on campus, is getting involved. Living on campus gives students to engage more with the resources and opportunities that exist on the campus. Although, this year, getting involved on campus will look different, it is still vital to having a great college experience. To help your student get involved, here are some things to get involved in within the halls, right now and in the future.

• Association of Residence Halls: This is an organization that works to create meaningful programming and advocate for what residential students want on campus. This organization is operating year-round and always looking for members who want to get involved as their halls representative or even executive board members. If you have more questions you can reach out to either the ARH email, umwarh@gmail.com, or their advisor, mbrown29@umw.edu
• Themed Living Communities: These are an opportunity for upperclassmen to live with people with same interest as them. Currently the themed living communities at UMW are Ecovillage, Substance Free UMW, and the International Living Center. But, it is easy for students to create one if they have a group of friends with the same interest who want to live together. More information can be found here.
• Spring RA Selection: An amazing way to get involved with living on campus, is becoming a Resident Assistant! The RA position will have your student be a leader in the hall they live in, as well as work to build community with their residents. Residential Life and Housing typically starts the RA selection process for the following year in the spring. IF your student is interested in the position, then be on the lookout for information from Residential Life about this process! If you have any questions, tell your student to ask their RA or their Area Coordinator.
• RA Programming: Our Resident Assistants put on a lot of fun programs throughout the year to engage their residents in the community. Make sure to tell your student to check their communities canvas page to see what is happening!

By Michelle Brooks, Cece Burkett, and John Hughey

Allowed in Rooms

1. Question: Can students bring TVs? Do they need to get service?

Answer: Yes, students can bring TVs. We are seeing fewer and fewer students bringing TVs due to online streaming services, but they are allowed. Apogee is our internet and cable services provider. Once a student has received their housing assignment, they can sign up for an account online at myresnet.com. Majority of our students opt for the free service unless they are a heavy gamer and need the additional bandwidth. HBO Go is included in the cable service as well.

2. Question: Are televisions allowed to be mounted on the wall?

Answer: TVs cannot be mounted to the walls. They should be placed on top of dressers or desks, or even mini fridges.

3. Question: Are there any restrictions for guests coming to visit?

Answer: Due to COVID-19, there are new restrictions for overnight guests in the residence halls. For the 2020-2021 academic year, only students living in that residence hall may enter. Please note that Eagle Landing and the UMW Apartments are both considered residence halls and guests will not be permitted. This new policy is to help protect all of our residential students during the global pandemic and cooperation from all parties is sincerely appreciated.

4. Question: What size mini-fridge can we bring?

Answer: Mini-fridges up to 4.5 cubic feet are permitted in the residence halls. Please note that the mini-fridge must be plugged directly into the wall outlet and not into a surge protector, and that only one mini-fridge is permitted in each two person, or double, room. No mini-fridges are permitted in Eagle Landing or the UMW Apartments as they have full size fridges located in their kitchens.

5. Question: Do polyester curtains count as flame retardant or should they be sprayed?

Answer: Polyester is inherently flame retardant because of its structure of the fabric and the way it is woven, however an additional level of protection using the flame retardant spray is appreciated.

6. Question: Can we use command strips or push pins? Does this include hooks or putting stuff on the inside of closet doors?

Answer: UMW does not allow the use of command strips/hooks in buildings with drywall, however we do encourage the use of painters tape (preferred), push pins or thumbtacks. This is because push pins create a much smaller damage area than command strips which if not removed properly, not only pull the paint, but also the paper behind it, and while the hole/damage area may look like a quarter size, it is actually affecting almost a one foot diameter around that hole. These first-year halls should use push pins or thumbtacks: Willard, Mason, Randolph, and The Link. These halls can use command strips/hooks: Russell, Marshall, and Virginia. Please note that small nails that create a hole larger than a thumbtack hole are not permitted.

7. Question: Are students allowed to bring full-length mirrors to mount on the backs of closet doors? Or is there a way to mount them to a wall?

Answer: Students are absolutely permitted to bring full-length mirrors however they must be removable at the end of the year. If the mirrors are affixed in a way that they cannot be removed or will cause damage when removed, your student will be charged for the damage. Door hanging mirrors are the best route to take.

8. Question: What essentials will my student need for their residence hall room? Can they have a fridge, microwave, toaster, etc?

Answer: Your student should bring only the items that they absolutely use. A good rule of thumb is for them to use the next month to start a list of items they use everyday so as not to forget them when packing. An updated Eagle Approved list will be coming out in early July with further ideas. Mini-fridges up to 4.5 cubic feet are permitted in each room (one per room), however toasters, microwaves, hot pots, and anything else with an open heating element are not permitted due to fire safety. A frequently asked about item, Keurig, is absolutely approved in the halls.

9. Question: Are students allowed to have their own printer in their room?

Answer: Yes! It is highly encouraged by Apogee to bring a printer with a direct USB hook-up to the students’ computer. Printers with Bluetooth or WiFi hook-up are accepted, however your student will likely run into connectivity issues.

10. Question: What shelves are acceptable and how can we affix them to walls? What are regulations?

Answer: Free standing shelves are the only shelving allowed. Please see above for how to secure items to walls properly. Small nails are not accepted on campus.

Deliveries

11. Question: What places will send birthday treats directly to the residence hall?

Answer: While some shops will deliver to the residence halls, the delivery people are not permitted to enter the hall. This means that your student should be prepared to receive the package and should be ready to meet the delivery person. Flowers and Edible Arrangements are never delivered to the halls but are instead delivered to Residence Life and Housing at Marye House. Our student staff will call your student to tell them that a “package” has been delivered and they must make every effort pick it up that day.

12. Question: If Amazon is delivering something in a large box will it be delivered directly to the residence hall?

Answer: No, Amazon will deliver the package to the Mail room staff who will notify your student that they have a package to pick up.

Beds

13. Question: If the bed is on the standard “tall” setting, where is 30” to?

Answer: It is from the floor to the bottom of the side rail, which means that anything less than 30” can slide underneath. Please note that bed risers are permitted for the 2020-2021 should you hope to obtain an additional 3.5” – 7” in height. Please ensure that the bed risers do not contain outlets or electrical of any kind.

14. Question: How can students request for beds to be raised and can they be raised prior to move in?

Answer: Most beds on campus will be set to the “tall” setting which is roughly 31” from floor to bottom of the side rail. Due to the COVID move out from Spring 2020, all beds have not been returned to this “tall” setting. If you arrive and your student wishes the bed to be set to the highest rung, it is easy to knock the springs loose using a rubber mallet and reset the springs to the top most rung. Be sure to give the springs a good knock back down once they have been reset. This is applicable to lower the springs as well if your student wishes to have their bed lowered. Please bring your own rubber mallet.

Move-In Day

15. Question: On Move-In day, does UMW provide carts to help unload their residence hall room supplies?

Answer: Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, we are unable to provide carts or dollies to move students into the residence halls this year.

16. Question: Will we be directed where to park on Move-In day?
    Answer: Yes! Please follow the directions for your student’s residence hall for where to enter campus and from there a member of staff, or signage, will direct you where to go.
17. Question: Is there a specific move in time for Move-In day?

Answer: Yes, your student will sign up for a morning or afternoon timeslot to move-in on their designated Move-In day. Move-In days will be separated per the students’ FSEM class assignment to allow for more personalized programming in the evenings. Check in is from 8-11am with guests out of the halls before 12pm, and check in from 12-3pm with guests out of the halls before 4pm.

18. Question: Are we allowed to come earlier than the assigned time for my student’s Move-In?

Answer: It is not advised to arrive to campus before the start of your student’s designated check-in time as we have allotted only a specific amount of people into the halls at one time. If you find yourself in the area early, please visit Central Park or Downtown Fredericksburg for a tour of what is around the university and wait in those areas for your check-in time; there is no parking to wait on campus available on Move-In days.

19. Question: Are there special instructions for unloading cars?

Answer: We do not have any special instructions for unloading your car other than to follow university staff’s directions on where to park and how to do so. You should unload your car as quickly and efficiently as possible, and then move your vehicle to a designated long term parking spot.

20. Question: Do the residence halls have designated parking areas?

Answer: For Move-In, university staff will direct you where to park for both short term and long term parking. After Move-In days, guests should park in designated visitor lots, and not where they parked for Move-In day. For example, if your student is in Mason or Randolph, you will be permitted to pull onto the semi-circle walk way in front of the building, however this is not permitted outside of Move-In; please use the designated visitor spots on Double Drive if you are on campus.

21. Question: Since there is no room for storage of suitcases/ containers, we will need to carry the containers back to our car in long-term parking after unpacking. Would boxes that can be broken down be a better option? Can these be disposed of on campus?

Answer: That is up to you, however we do suggest leaving some items for quick packing in the off chance that the university closes early due to COVID-19. Storage containers are quite useful for stashing cold weather clothing and snacks under the bed, as well as unpacking and packing materials.

Residence Hall

22. Question: Can someone please clarify if the residence hall kitchens come stocked with pots, pans, and utensils?

Answer: We do not provide pots, pans, or utensils in community kitchens. Due to COVID-19, the residence hall kitchens will be limited use and students should not share kitchen items.

23. Question: Is there a place to find photos and/or measurements for the typical residence hall rooms in each residence hall?

Answer: Each residence hall has a listing on the Residence Life and Housing website with details of how large each room is as well as number of closets (closet dimensions only available for Willard Hall), number of windows, and size of windows. Most halls also have a video tour on their individual web pages as well. 360 degree room photos can be found on the Residence Life and Housing Facebook page under photos, then albums.

24. Question: Can students can adjust the air conditioning and heat in their own rooms or is it preset for each residence hall? For halls with window AC units, can the windows be opened?

Answer: In Mason, Link, Randolph, and Willard halls, students can adjust the temperature in their room themselves via the wall thermostat controls (it is advised, due to Virginia weather, to keep the temperate no lower than 68 degrees). These windows can be opened. In Russell hall, and all other halls with window AC units, students can adjust the temperature themselves; students are not able to open the window with these window AC units. Please note that Facilities will not remove the window AC unit during the winter. For heat, some of our halls do not have the ability to turn the heat on and off quickly like you would be able to do at home. Our buildings run off of a system that requires about 24 hours of preparation before the heat is available. Because of this, we try to follow the weather forecasts to make a good decision as to when we should turn on the heat. Sometimes this means we have a few cooler days where we do not have the heat turned on because we can see in the forecast that the temperature will be going back up. Once we make the preparations to switch over and turn on the heat, there is not a practical way to switch back until we are ready to do so in the spring.  Basically when we decide it is time to turn on the heat, it is there to stay until it is time to switch back.

25. Question: Is there somewhere we can see a residence hall layout?

Answer: Hall layouts are available through the Housing Portal.

26. Question: Do the desks in the residence halls have hutches?

Answer: Most rooms in Mason, Link, and Randolph halls have hutches attached to the desks which have a shelf and light. Please note that we do not have a list of which rooms have hutches and which do not. All rooms in Willard hall have a white board/tack board combo attached to the desk.

Roommates

27. Question: My student did not receive their preferred roommate, what should we do?

Answer: Your student may not have received their preferred roommate for several different reasons. The main reason is that their roommate was listed on the First Year Questionnaire submitted through admissions but not listed within their On-Campus Housing and Dining Application.

If your student has a preferred roommate but they were not assigned together, your student is able to request a room swap. Please see #5 for information about requesting a room swap with another student.

28. Question: My student just checked and it says they are not part of a roommate pair but they want a roommate. What should we do?

Answer: Students will continue to apply for and be assigned to on-campus housing throughout the summer. If your student does not currently have a roommate, it is likely that they will receive one before the beginning of the fall semester.

If your student has a specific roommate in mind and has not yet received a housing assignment, they can indicate their preferred roommate on the Roommates page of the housing application. If your student has received their housing assignment, they are able to request a room swap in order to be with their preferred roommate.

29. Question: Can my student still select a roommate from the suggested roommates list?

Answer: If your student has not yet received their fall housing assignment, they can search for and indicate a preferred roommate within their On-Campus Housing and Dining Application. As housing assignments are made throughout the summer, every effort will be given to assign preferred roommates together where room availability allows.

30. Question: What if one of a roommate pair has second thoughts about the pairing, is it too late to reassign?

Answer: Residence Life encourages students to initiate conversations before the start of the semester to begin getting to know each other. If a member of a roommate pair has second thoughts about the pairing, we are happy to explore reassignment options with them. Students may request a room swap with another student before the start of the semester (see #5 for more information). Please note that room changes will not be offered during the semester except in extenuating circumstances.

31. Question: My student wants their room changed before Move-In. They and their roommate have just not clicked and they desperately need a change. What should we do?

Answer: Residence Life and Housing will offer room swaps for students who may want a different room or roommate than their original housing assignment. A room swap is when two students “trade” room spaces.

For example, student A receives Room 1 and student B receives Room 2. Student A and Student B want to be roommates. If all students agree to the proposed swap, student A, student A’s roommate, Student B, and student B’s roommate can fill out this form requesting to swap rooms. Only two students will be moved. Once approved, Student A would swap room spaces with Student B’s current roommate. Student A and Student B would then be roommates.

32. Question: My student wants their room changed after Move-In. What should we do?

Answer: We encourage your student to reach out an connect with their roommate prior to Move-In so that they can avoid some potentially awkward situations. If your student runs into issues with their room after move-in they should contact their RA for assistance. Our RAs can help mediate conflicts and will be able to work with your student to meet with a member of our professional staff if needed. Due to COVID-19, room changes will be highly restricted.

By Megan Brown

There is less than two months to go until your student will start their journey at UMW. Moving away from home, especially during this time, can be stressful and some key things can be forgotten. So, to help keep everything in order, here are some important conversations and information to talk to your student about before they leave home and come to UMW!

• Laundry: If your student does not know how to do laundry yet, start talking them through the importance of separating whites and colors, temperatures, and the different settings on the machine. It may seem small now, but it may help them not turn all their white shirts pink come August.
• How to microwave food: This may seem unnecessary, but you would be shocked to learn how many times the fire alarm goes off because someone microwaved Easy Mac with no water. Talking to your student about food and microwave safety is important and can save them the embarrassment of setting off the fire alarm!
• Getting on a schedule: When school starts up, your student will have classes to attend, clubs to join, and meetings with their RAs to attend. It’s important to start getting ready for being back on a schedule before coming to school. Reminding your student of this may save them precious sleep in the long run.
• Time Management: Following getting on a schedule, college is a time where there will be a lot going on at once. Sharing your personal time management tips with your student may be helpful for them. This will, hopefully, help them in the long run not get too stressed with what all they have to do!
• Communication Skills: Talk to your student about how to engage in healthy and respectful communication.  Key communication tips on writing emails, answering the phone, and conflict resolution will help your student succeed academically, gain an on-campus job, and make good connections with people in the field they hope to study. Colleges often receive phone messages without a name or phone number and emails lacking basic writing etiquette, a greeting, or misspellings of the recipient.
• Advocating for oneself: An important part of life is being able to stick up for yourself and advocate for what you need. Whether it is talking to their roommate about not having the overhead light on past a certain time or telling someone they have said something that hurt them, talking to your student about how to have those conversations will be vital to their success!
• Asking for help: An important part of college is knowing you cannot do it all. Remind your student that in school, it is okay to ask for help. Whether it be in classes or in the halls, UMW has multiple resources that are here to help. All you have to do is ask!
• A new chapter: Remind them that this is a chance to start over in a new environment. Getting involved in clubs and groups will help them adjust, make friends, and start a new chapter in their life.

Leaving home can be exciting, but also anxiety producing for students and families alike. Hopefully, having these conversations before your student heads to UMW will help you and your student adjust with ease!

By Mary Taylor

So…your student is about to find out who their roommate is, now what? Whether your student was paired through the housing portal, found their “perfect match” on Facebook or Instagram, or will be rooming with their BFF from high school, it’s still important for them to engage in open conversations about several topics. Aside from getting to know their new roommate and discussing what items to bring (more on that in a later post), your student should be talking about their living habits and discussing topics such as cleaning and sharing of items.

While it may seem like these are topics that students can wait to discuss when they arrive at UMW, talking about them beforehand can help ease the transition from home to college and prevent some conflicts right off the bat. As an Area Coordinator, the majority of roommate conflicts I come across stem from lack of communication and can easily be solved by the students having a conversation. However, the more time that goes by as students live together in conflict, the higher emotions run and a conflict that could have easily been resolved is now much more difficult due to the increased frustration the roommates are experiencing. This is all the more reason for students to have open discussions with their roommates that are ongoing: before and during their time as roommates.

Some simple questions to start conversations include: What are your thoughts on how the cleaning responsibilities will be shared? How do you feel about sharing items and what items would or would not be shared? What are your sleeping and study habits like? What are your thoughts on guests in the room? These questions shape the roommate agreement that students will complete once they’ve settled in at UMW.

The roommate agreement is a tool that allows for roommates to discuss the areas in which we often see conflict stem from and is used to not only discuss areas, but make decisions based on open discussion and compromise. We use the roommate agreement as a “living document” so that students can revisit it throughout the year and make changes as needed. Your student’s RA will go over the roommate agreement with them and their roommate when the time comes to complete those.

If your student will be living in a residence hall that is suite-style, a shared bathroom between two rooms, and have suitemates they may want to reach out to their suitemates as well to discuss cleaning responsibilities and who will bring what for the shared bathroom. Our suite-style first year residence halls include: Mason, Randolph, Marshall, Madison, and Custis.

Some students may be especially nervous or hesitant if they did not find their roommate through social media or room with someone they knew previously. The key here is to encourage your student to not make assumptions about their new roommate and to give them a chance. As you and I already know, you can’t determine someone’s personality or how they are from one photo you find through a social media search, but sometimes our students forget that and will make assumptions without getting to know someone. Just because your student’s new roommate’s Instagram has a bunch of photos of them at concerts doesn’t mean that they will want to blare music all of the time (even if they did, quiet hours begin at 10 pm on weeknights and midnight on weekends).

If your student is unable to find their roommate on social media, please ask them to reach out through the Housing Portal which sends an email to their UMW email account. Unfortunately, Residence Life and Housing is unable to provide contact information for any person. If you know your student may not be thinking about talking with their roommate now, their roommate may still be trying to contact them, so encourage your student to check their email frequently for roommate messages.

On the other end of the spectrum, students may have an expectation that their college roommate has to be their best friend based on depictions we see throughout television. Not every pair of college roommates will be like Ross and Chandler from Friends. Helping your student to understand that this is not the typical situation and that it’s okay for roommates to just be roommates will help to set them up for a successful living environment.

Finding out their new roommate is an exciting part of the transition to college for your student and means that their UMW journey is about to begin! With each passing day, your student approaches their move-in date and prepares to leave home. While this is both a happy and nervous time for your student, we know it is for you as well. Our goal, just like yours, is for your student to be successful. If you have questions or simply want to learn more, feel free to reach out to our office. We can’t wait to see you and your student very soon!

Hall, room, and roommate assignments will be sent to your student’s UMW email address in mid to late June.

By Cece Burkett & Lee Roy Johnson

Congrats on becoming a UMW Eagle parent! Today’s post will discuss first-year housing as well as key terms you will hear during your student’s time at UMW.

Housing

First-year students will live in designated first-year residence halls determined by their First Year Seminar Course (FSEM). We call these Living Learning Communities. These first-year residence halls are: Marshall Hall, Mason Hall, Randolph Hall, Russell Hall, and Willard Hall. First-year students will typically live in double rooms with one roommate.

*UMW is currently working on COVID-19 planning for Fall 2020. Depending on recommendations/requirements from the Governor’s office, housing at UMW may have to change. We will keep you posted on any developments.

Housing Assignment

The housing assignment will tell you exactly where your student will be living in the fall. Housing assignments will be sent to students via their UMW email address. When they receive their housing assignment, it will be formatted like this: Willard Hall, WIL-100A-1. See below for what each part of the housing assignment means.

Residence Hall, Residence Hall Abbreviation-Residence Hall Room-Individual Room Space

WIL: Residence hall abbreviation. The residence hall is Willard Hall.

100A: Residence hall room number. The room number is 100. (When your student becomes an upperclass student (after their first year) and they choose to live in the UMW Apartments or Eagle Landing, you will see A, B, and C used to further designate their room within the apartment. So, 100A is apartment 100, room A.)

1: Individual room space. They are in the first individual space within the room. (In the context of this example, the roommate would have the housing assignment “WIL-100A-2” which indicates they are assigned to the second individual bed space within the room. The room spaces are not indicated within the physical room.)

Roommates

Students who indicated a preferred roommate within their housing application by May 15^th will receive housing assignments in a residence hall room together. If your student indicate(d) a preferred roommate after this date, we will still make every effort to place the two of them in a room together.

 

Key College Terms

You may hear your student say “Can you put some money on my EagleOne?” or “I’ll check with my RA.” Unless you know what an EagleOne is or what RA means, it could be a confusing conversation. Today we are here to give you a few simple terms to beat that confusion and empower you and your student.

Need to know college terms

• FAFSA– The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is a form completed by current and prospective college students (undergraduate and graduate) in the United States to determine their eligibility for student financial aid.
• FERPA– The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools which receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education. Your student will be able to decide what we can share with you or anyone else about their educational records.
• Finals– Exams at the end of a semester that test a student’s knowledge on everything covered in a course. Finals are usually weighted more heavily than other exams and coursework.
• Financial Aid– Refers to any type of student loan, scholarship, or grant your student receives to help pay for college.
• HIPAA– Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, a US law designed to provide privacy standards to protect patients’ medical records and other health information provided to health plans, doctors, hospitals, and other health care providers.
• Liberal Arts– Refers to non-technical, vocational fields of study, including literature, art, mathematics, philosophy, and social and natural sciences.
• Meal Plan– The plan that dictates how many meals a student can eat at the on-campus dining facilities. Some meal plans also include a discretionary spending fund that can be used like cash at campus restaurants or snack shops, called Flex (see below).
• Off-Campus Living– Refers to any living arrangement not facilitated by the college. It could be in a rented house, apartment, or at home with you. Eagle Landing and the UMW Apartments are both residence halls at UMW.
• Room & Board- The price paid to cover on-campus living and meal plan expenses; usually paid for a semester or year at a time.

Unique terms for UMW

• AC-The Area Coordinator is a live-in Master’s degree-level professional who is responsible for promoting student learning and success for the operation of residence halls, and supervises the RAs. One of these staff members is available to respond to emergencies within the residence halls 24/7/365, even during breaks.
• ARH– Means the “Association of Residence Halls” which is an organization that promotes social, educational, and cultural programming for and by residents. This organization is open to all residential students and is fun to join!
• ASPIRE– Are the community values that shape how we interact with each other, how we approach work and learning, and what we strive to be, all across campus.

Accountability – we promote practices, behaviors, and attitudes where individuals take responsibility for their actions and decisions.

Scholarship – we promote intellectual inquiry by engaging ideas and one another in order to gain better understanding and contribute to knowledge

Personal and Institutional Integrity – we are honorable in our academic and work endeavors as well as our interactions with others.

Inclusive Excellence – we strive for all members of the community to have equitable access to opportunities for participation and the resources necessary for success. 

Respect and Civility – we foster an environment in which every individual is treated with dignity at all times by valuing the inherent worth of all identities, abilities, and differences.

Engagement – we develop engaged members of our community who actively participate in the community through responsible leadership and service

• Banner- UMW’s Official System of Record. Information pertinent to student records, class rosters, registration, grades, accounts, employment, housing, personal information, etc. can be accessed here.
• Canvas– UMW’s online course management system.
• Code of conduct– Is a collection of rules and regulations that include what is and is not acceptable or expected behavior at UMW. All regulations and policies are outlined in the Student Handbook.
• EagleOne Card– Students and employees should have this on them at all times. It grants access to your student’s residence hall, gives access to the dining hall with a meal plan, library card, on campus ID card used for package pick up, allows students or family to deposit money to the card to purchase items on campus and at participating vendors, and more.
• Eagles in Recovery– Is UMW’s Collegiate Recovery Program which works to ensure that students do not have to choose between their recovery and their education. We support students through their journey here at UMW with meetings, organized events, and trips, and provide a safe space for recovery meetings and peer support.
• Flex– Flex is a cash equivalent debit account that comes with your meal plan. You can use Flex Dollars to make food purchases at all campus dining locations.
• Lockout– Is when a resident has locked themselves out of their assigned residence hall room and needs re-entry. During normal business hours (Monday through Friday 8am to 5pm), students should attempt to locate an RA in their building or the AC, and if no one is to be found, they can call the ResLife office for assistance. After 5pm and before 8am, students should attempt to locate an RA or the AC, and after 7pm can call the RA on Duty phone number for assistance.
• Marye House– Is the main location for the department of Residence Life and Housing.
• Mediation– A process that is used to help roommates work through differences that may occur. This process is facilitated by RAs, and sometimes ACs.
• MyUMW- The online portal for clubs and organizations; if a student is asked to swipe into an event, that data is used by the club or organization in myUMW for attendance tracking purposes.
• NetID– The NetID and Password will be how your student will have access to network resources. Each person at UMW is assigned a username known as a “NetID.” Your NetID is up to 8 characters long and will be used to login to our systems at the University (example UMW Email). Each person must reset their password every 90 days or be locked out of their account.
• RA– Resident Assistants are the foundation of the Housing staff and have the responsibility to serve as an administrator, organizer, programmer, and role model for the residents of their hall or apartment areas.
• Residence Hall– This is a college or university building containing living quarters for students to continue their education within a peer community through programs, the residential curriculum, and new experiences. (example: Eagle Landing, Willard Hall, South Hall, etc)
• ResLife, Residence Life, Residence Life & Housing– The office which employs the RAs (see above) and ACs (see above) among others who oversee the residential students and residence halls.
• Sanction– This is a penalty for students who have been found in violation of university policies and regulations. Depending on the severity of the violation which will determine the sanction.
• Student conduct system– The University’s student conduct system seeks to balance the needs of individual students and the needs of the surrounding community. Education is the system’s primary goal — specifically, assisting students to develop a sense of ethics and responsibility to themselves, to each other, and to the communities in which they study, work, and live.
• Talley Center– Is an on-campus counseling service where they provide triage, individual therapy, group therapy, consultations, outreach educations, crisis intervention, and community referral for all students.
• UMW, Mary Wash– Nicknames used to refer to University of Mary Washington
• UMW PD– UMW Department of Police and Public Safety provides a safe and secure environment for the University of Mary Washington community.

This is a lot to take in, but these are just a few terms that your students will be talking to you about. It will be ok because you will have 4 years to learn. As your student becomes part of the Eagle community so will you, and we will be here to help!

By Megan Brown

This academic year has officially come to an end. Although it ended in a different way, and the world is a little different than we all expected, our seniors have officially finished their degrees at UMW. We are very excited to see all of our recent graduates and their families come October when we will be having our commencement ceremony, but until then, there is still an adjustment period to come.

Whether your grad is moving back home or moving out “for good”, the end of college marks the end of a chapter in the story, and the beginning of the new. This means, it will be an adjustment period for everyone right now. That being said, we have put together some tips for parents and grads for life post-graduation.

For parents:

• Your grad will want more independence, but still need your guidance: although their life is their own journey, your grad will still need support and have questions for you about “the real world”. Whether that is how to file taxes properly or what retirement plan to pick at their first job, they will rely on you for advice and guidance.
• Time Management: Without the structure of school, your grad may struggle with time management and what to do with their newly founded “free time”. Especially with the current state of the world, they may feel stuck and as if they no longer have things to do to fill their time. Providing resources and things that you know they enjoy may be helpful. But beware of the conflict that comes with identifying passions and items that just keep them busy. It’s a new conflict that has to be navigated carefully.
• Giving them a gentle push: In some cases, it’s important to give them a gentle push. Whether that means for financial independence, to apply for jobs, or to continue their education, it is sometimes easy for grads to lose motivation for a period of time. Help them along by supporting them and providing resources so they can be successful.

For grads:

• It’s okay to be sad it’s over: this year did not go as planned. Grads may be feeling as if they did not get the closure they needed or deserved to truly move on to the next chapter. Although, hopefully that closure will come in October when they cross that stage, it is going to impact them now. It is okay for them to mourn the end of college, and be sad that it has come to an abrupt end.
• It’s okay to not have life planned out: if they don’t know for sure where they want to be in five years, that’s okay. It’s okay if their vision changes, in fact it’s normal. Remind them to take a deep breath and know that at the end of the day, they are still young adults with their whole life ahead of them. It’s okay if things don’t go the way you planned as well. Remember mistakes and failures are a part of life.
• Keep doing what they love and get involved in their community: Whether they are moving to a new city alone, or are staying in the area they grew up in, it is important for them to get involved. After leaving college, where there are several clubs to join and events to attend, it may be hard for people who are leaving college to feel connected to their community. Help them to identify passion areas (music, sports, painting, etc.) and find opportunities to connect with others and continue doing what they love. This is also a great way to make friends outside of college.
• Don’t forget student loans: after leaving college, loans go into a six-month grace period. Grads can start paying during that time or start when the six months are up. It may be helpful to do research together to see which one would be best for the financial situation your grad is about to be in.
• Maintain a budget: keeping track of a budget is very important. Financial wellbeing is so important, and keeping track of income and spending on an Excel sheet or a physical notebook can help your grad become financially literate. It also helps them see where they spend the most money and how to cut expenses, if needed.
• Having a hard time finding a job or not liking their new job is not unheard of: finding a job, any job, in this economy is absolutely necessary and regardless of the pandemic, grads may find that they cannot find a job, or once they do find a job based on their degree, they don’t like it. That’s a tough mental situation for grads and parents alike. Grant grace to your grad, and yourself.
• Don’t forget UMW: although no longer a student, it is important to remember that UMW is still here for you. Resources like the Career Center are open for alumni to utilize and can really help you start that next chapter!
• Remember, it’s their journey: people can help along the way, but remember at the end of the day it is your grad’s life journey and they have control of their choices.

So, congratulations to the class of 2020! See you in October!

By Lee Roy Johnson

The storm of COVID -19 was not one that we could predict. As a university, we strive to give our students the best education, but most importantly all the support that UMW has to offer. To keep up that standard, it’s our job to inform the students and their biggest support system, YOU, through these tough and confusing times. We would like to give you some tips and ideas to help your students navigate through this new remote experience.

Communication

Communication is very important at this time. There are different lines of communication you want to make sure that your student is involved or aware of.

Student to guardian: This communication is the most important. As the major support system in the student’s life, have conversations and try and understand what they need and how this experience is affecting them. Late graduation, canceled internships, missing friends could be a few topics that could be running through the mind of your student. Keep an open line of communication with your student to express issues such as these with you. During that time, listen and do your best to reassure them that things will work out. Make sure your student creates a schedule and plans out their day so that they can get the most out of every day and finish the semester strong.

Student to University: With UMW, we are making sure students have the ability to know what is going on but also ask questions. Things like Q & A with the President have been hosted, information on the main website is also being updated regularly, and emails are going out frequently. Emails are the biggest line of communication. Information about Housing Selection for fall 2020, refunds, grading options, and more are being communicated through that channel. For example, our department sent out an email on April 6th about how the process of belonging retrieval for students who still have items left in their residence hall will go.

Please make sure your students are checking and reading emails regularly throughout the day, and if they have questions to reach out the same way.

Student to student: Encourage your student to continue to build relationships with their peers. UMW has created different channels, through the office of Student Activity & Engagement and our department, for students and residents to interact with their current community and also have the ability to create new relationships. One way that students are able to engage with each other is with the social media platforms created by their RA.

Healthy habits for remote learning

Below are some things that you and your student can work together to create a healthy body, mind, and atmosphere through the remote learning process.

• If students need a break to relax or an environment to clear their head, their room is normally the place. Help your student to identify a clear workplace outside of their room (if possible) to give the student a sense of separation from school.
• With social distancing being practiced, encourage your student to go outside for a walk or do other outside activities.
• Make sure that your student is getting a quality amount of sleep and performing proper sleeping habits.
• Have scheduled family time to allow everyone to talk and interact with each other: Netflix movie, board games, or a simple conversation.
• Allow alone time for your student and for yourself.

 

All UMW students are different, but the one thing that they have in common is a supportive university and an even stronger supporter in YOU. Practice those healthy habits and make sure your student knows about the lines of communication. The most important thing is to listen to them and be there. I hope these tips and ideas have given you a better understanding of how to support your student through the storm. We will get through this together!

By Cece Burkett

Housing Selection is an exciting process available to returning UMW students who would like to choose their on-campus housing for next year. This article will give an overview of the Housing Selection processes offered and several considerations for families as your student plans to choose their on-campus space.

Roommate Groups

Students can form roommate groups with 1, 2, or 3 other individuals they have identified as desired roommates. Each group will have a group leader. This group leader will be able to select the desired room and place other roommate group members into their respective spaces during their timeslot.

Students who do not join a roommate group will receive a timeslot and select their room during the last day of the 4-3-2-1 process. While students will be able to see all available one person spaces, this does not guarantee that a single room will be available. Students will also see spaces in double and triple rooms that have not been completely filled.

4-3-2-1 Process

Previously known as general housing selection, this process was changed this year in hopes of improving the student experience during the course of Housing Selection. Students will select their housing for next year in order of roommate group size, and then by enrollment classification.

Beginning on March 30^th, 4 person roommate groups will be able to log into the Housing Portal during their Selection timeslot and choose from among available 4 person spaces. Within 4 person roommate groups, rising seniors will receive the earliest timeslots, followed by rising juniors, then rising sophomores. The next day, 3 person groups will be able to select their space during their respective timeslots. Again, rising seniors will choose first, then rising juniors, then rising sophomores. 2 person groups will choose their housing beginning April 1^st in the same fashion, followed by 1 person groups on April 2^nd.

The roommate group leader will select the space and will pull in each of their roommate group members.

To prepare for their selection timeslot, students will want to have an idea of their top few housing options. 4 person groups will be able to select from double room suites (two rooms connected by a bathroom with two people in each room) in our traditional residence halls, full Eagle Landing apartments (two people per room), and a select number of 4 person UMW Apartments (two single rooms and a double room within an apartment). 3 person groups will be able to select from triple rooms (three person rooms) in Bushnell and Westmoreland Halls as well as 3 person UMW Apartments (a single and a double room within an apartment). 2 person groups will be able to select from double rooms (two people to a room) in traditional residence halls, double rooms in Eagle Landing (half of the apartment), and a select number of 2 person UMW Apartments (one double room within an apartment). 1 person roommate groups or single students will be able to see all available spaces during their timeslot. These options will include single rooms as well as open spaces in double and triple rooms. Most single rooms are located in Jefferson Hall.

Room and board rates for the current academic year can be viewed here however rates for 2020-2021 have not been released by the Board of Visitors yet. Triple rooms are the most cost effective, followed by double rooms in traditional residence halls, then double rooms in the UMW Apartments and Eagle Landing, and finally UMW Apartment singles. Students in Eagle Landing or UMW Apartments will have the option to select a lower meal plan than those in traditional residence halls; students with 90+ credits are also given this option, regardless of which hall they choose to live in.

Timeslots for the 4-3-2-1 process will be delivered to students’ UMW email accounts on March 27^th.

Meal plans

Once a student has selected a room space and all Housing Selection processes have ended, they will be able to select a meal plan within their Housing Application. Available meal plans including the Eagle Unlimited Plan, 250 block, and 150 block can be viewed here. Please note that a lower meal plan (85 meals) is available to residential students with more than 90 credits or who live in Eagle Landing or the UMW Apartments.

What if my student misses their timeslot?

If your student does not select a room space during their timeslot, they will be able to re-enter the Housing Portal and select a space until the Selection process is over. Once Housing Selection has ended, if your student does not have a housing assignment, they will be placed into the first available room space by our office. Students should keep an eye on their UMW emails during the coming weeks to ensure they don’t miss any updates regarding the Selection process.

What if my student doesn’t get the space they want?

In certain cases, a student’s first choice for housing location or room type may not be available. We suggest that students prepare a few different desirable options as they head into the housing process.

Students are always welcome to reach out to our office with any questions or concerns that may arise. We will work with students after Housing Selection has ended and over summer to mitigate any continuing concerns regarding housing placement.

By John Hughey

Around this time each year, we begin the rollout of Housing Selection for the next academic year. For our rising Sophomore students and students who transferred into UMW, this is the first time they will be able to have full control over their roommate group and the space they select. This additional freedom can come with some unexpected challenges. For students who have been through the process before, this is a chance to re-evaluate their choices and potentially make a change for next year. Our Coordinator of Housing Operations will have more information on helping your students navigate the Housing Selection process in general, but this week I want to focus on a topic that needs to be broached before roommate groups are finalized on March 10.

When your student talks to their roommate about the living situation for next year, it is important that they are able to explain the reasoning behind their decision. Some of the biggest conflicts that we see stem from students making offhand comments to their roommates without thinking about how that might make the roommate feel. Taking the time to think things through in regards to their reasons for wanting to either keep the same living situation or change things up can help avoid hurt feelings and help to maintain an amicable relationship. It will also help your student match up with a potential new roommate if they are aware of things to look for. We still have half of a semester ahead, so taking the time to communicate clearly can save your student from potential awkwardness in the room.

Your students have now spent close to six months with their newfound community and have likely learned a lot about themselves and their fellow Eagles along the way. They might be excited to live with their current roommate next year (yay!) or they might be thinking about changing things up to have a fresh start (also yay!). It is important to reflect back on what they have learned this year about their living preferences in order to help inform their decision for the coming year.

You can find numerous blogs and articles that provide tips on what to look for when selecting a roommate like:

• Making lists of desired qualities in a roommate or living situation based on their experience
• Thinking about “deal breakers”
• Taking into account which style of living space they want to live in

While those are handy in helping to identify areas to look for, your student already has experience living with someone and is not likely to need all of the advice listed in those resources. Your student should also be aware of resources specific to UMW like the roommate matching tool that is found in the Housing Portal. We also have several Themed Living Communities that might be of interest to your student if they are looking for a potential roommate that shares common interests.

To help keep things easy to remember, I have boiled down the above into two main concepts.

• Take the time to think things through
• Communicate clearly and respectfully

As always, we are here to help if your student needs it. They can talk to their RA, set up a meeting with one of our professional staff members, or take advantage of some of the other resources on campus if they are nervous about having this conversation.