2013-university-central-arkansas-WEB

Your support and counsel will be important and we hope this guide provides UCA GUIDE Welcome to the University of Central Arkansas Family!. on behalf of the faculty, staff and students

2013 University of Central Arkansas

Campus ResouRCes – LoCaL InsIght – heLpfuL InfoRmatIon

unIVeRsItY paRent & famILY GUIDE

About this Guide

UniversityParent has published this guide in partnership with the University of Central Arkansas with the mission of helping you easily navigate your student’s university with the most timely and relevant information available.

How to Make the Most of this Guide

• Use it! Inside you’ll find information that’s useful all

year with items such as phone numbers, websites, and calendars.

• Share it! Share articles and tips inside with your

student to help them successfully navigate campus.

• Pass it! Pass it along to fellow university parents or

prospective parents of college students.

Discover more articles, tips and local business information by visiting the online guide at:

www.universityparent/UCA The presence of university/college logos and marks

in this guide does not mean the school endorses the products or services ofered by advertisers in this guide.

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For more information, please contact the:

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201 Donaghey Ave harrin 200 Conway, Ar 72035 (501) 450-3125

uca.edu/parents

Comprehensive advice, information for student success

6 | Welcome to the University of Central Arkansas Family!

7 | Student Life at UCA

8 | FERPA, Reynolds Performance Hall

9 | Campus Recreation

10 | Student Health

12 | Preparing for a Bigger World

13 | UCA Office of Student Financial Aid

14 | Campus Safety

16 | Tutoring and Academic Assistance

17 | Academic Advising

18 | Housing and Residence Life

22 | Residential Colleges

must-have knowledge to navigate your way

24 | Campus Map

26 | Academic Calendar

28 | Important Contact Information

30 | Proud Supporters of UCA

University of Central Arkansas

uca GuIDE

you with the information you need

We view this as a first step in creating a lifelong partnership with your family

If at any time during your student’s journey you have a question or comment, do not hesitate to contact any of the offices mentioned in this guide We are here to assist you and your student in any way possible

Sincerely,

tom Courtway

President

All of us are committed to providing

the premiere collegiate experience

for your student This guide is meant

to serve as just one tool to help you

support your student as he or she begins

the journey to college graduation

Our mission is to provide your student with

an outstanding undergraduate education

that promotes intellectual, professional,

social and personal development The

next few years will be full of exciting and

challenging transitions These changes

and transitions are very important to

the experience we strive to promote at

UCA Your support and counsel will be

important and we hope this guide provides

UCA GUIDE

Welcome to the University

of Central Arkansas Family!

on behalf of the faculty, staff and

students at the university of Central

arkansas, we welcome you to the uCa

family We appreciate all that you

do as parents to support your sons

and daughters and we want them to

have a great experience at uCa.

the college experience at uCa is more than just going to class! there are literally hundreds of ways to get involved and fit in while at uCa.

College is an experience that’s all about being able to stand out while finding a way

to fit in It’s about finding other students with shared interests Students can be involved in campus politics by running for office with the Student Government Association, or joining The Bear Den

to show off their school spirit There are over 200 student organizations, clubs, and recreational activities ranging from the psychology club to Ultimate Frisbee Student Life provides

opportunities for learning, leadership, community building, creative expression, volunteerism, mentoring, and much more Students also have access to on-campus concerts, famous guest appearances and activities ranging from laser tag to amusement park rides Bands, choirs, orchestras and various types of ensembles also have regular performances The UCA Theatre offers four faculty directed productions each year, one student produced and directed production, and a series of student directed one acts No matter what your student’s interest, UCA has a group to join, a place to go, and a lesson to learn

office of student Life

Student Center 207 (501) 450-3137

uca.edu/studentlife

theatre Department

Snow Fine Arts Center (501) 450-3265

uca.edu/theatre

Baum gallery

East McCastlain (501) 450-5793

uca.edu/art/baum

student activities Board

Student Center 206 (501) 450-3235

ucasab.com

student government association

Student Center 208 (501) 450-3195

ucasga.org

™

Student Life

at UCA

uca GuIDE

FERPA

the university of Central arkansas

complies with the family education

Rights and privacy act of 1974

uCa is required to ensure that

a student has access to official

records and prohibits the release

of student information, other than

directory information, without

the prior written consent of

the student an “authorization

to Release Information from

academic Records” form can

be filled out to allow third

parties, including parents,

access to personally identifiable

information this form can be

found at www.uca.edu/legal

a complete explanation of the

law is available in the Registrar’s

office and office of Legal Counsel

Directory Information

Directory information can

be released without written

consent of the student

Reynolds Performance Hall

When world-class dance troupes,

plays and musicians come to campus,

they perform at Donald W Reynolds

Performance Hall Opened by the late

Ray Charles, it continues to bring quality

entertainment to Conway including Gladys

Knight, UCA’s own Kris Allen, and Rufus

Wainright The 2012-2013 season brought

speakers and performances including

Straight No Chaser, Shrek The Musical, The Capital Steps, Tim Gunn, and several showings of the Metropolitan Opera in HD

UCA Students receive free or discounted tickets to many of these performances

Reynolds performance hall

(866) 810-0012

uca.edu/publicappearances

UCA GUIDE

Campus Recreation

the mission of Campus Recreation is

to provide students, faculty, and staff with programs that offer competitive, non-competitive, health promoting, and physical activity conducive to their personal development and overall wellness within safe facilities and fun-filled environments the department also provides leadership development opportunities for students and participants the department personnel recognize the value of developing the total person and feel that recreational and intramural sports are an essential component

of the educational experience at the university of Central arkansas.

hpeR

Students who want to stay active visit the Health, Physical Education and Recreation (HPER) Center The 72,000- square-foot recreation center is home

to basketball courts, volleyball and badminton courts, a walking/jogging track, an exercise class studio, and a fitness center complete with a full slate of cardio and strength-training equipment

Intramural sports

Intramural sports offer every UCA student the opportunity to participate in some type of competitive sports activity, plus it’s a great way to stay healthy while meeting new people Students can join a team with their residential college, clubs, organizations, or a program of study and compete in any of the more than a dozen intramural sports offered Students can choose a more traditional sport like flag football or basketball or a non-traditional sport like table tennis or cross-country

hpeR Center

HPER (501) 450-5005

uca.edu/campusrecreation

Intramural sports office

HPER 201 (501) 450-5802

uca.edu/campusrecreation

University of Central Arkansas

10

uca GuIDE

Student

Health

student health Clinic

Who aRe We?

Student Health Clinic is UCA’s

on-campus medical clinic Our staff

consists of a Doctor, 3 Advanced

Practice Nurses (APN), 3 Registered

Nurses and 5 Licensed Practical Nurses

(LPN), and 2 medical assistants to

administer care and treatment We

also have 3 office staff to answer any

questions, help make appointments

and handle any immunization issues

Our staff strives to provide students

and staff with quality medical care,

within our abilities, and refer to outside

medical facilities, when necessary

We are funded by student health fees

included in tuition, and students are not

charged for visits or treatments unless

these are ordered by an outside provider

or for a class Staff and faculty must

pay a fee to be treated in the clinic

WheRe aRe We?

We are in the new Health Center Building

located between Baridon Hall and the

HPER building near the cafeteria

The Counseling Center, Health Promotion

and Wellness and Disability Services

are also housed in this building

ouR houRs of opeRatIon

Our hours of operation are Monday

through Friday from 8-11:30 a.m

and 1 p.m to 4:30 pm (open from

4:30-5 p.m for emergencies)

ouR seRVICes

We treat minor illnesses and injuries; do

physicals, pap screens, immunizations,

allergy shots, health screenings, such

as blood pressure checks, cholesterol

checks, blood sugar, and treatments

prescribed by family doctors or specialists

We can diagnose and treat mild depression and anxiety and we work closely with our Counseling Center

to better treat the students from the medical and emotional side

We have x-ray capability and do some laboratory testing on site For lab tests we can not do at UCA, we send to a local reference lab

eDuCatIon

We give every patient a written account

of their medical visit plus an information sheet on their condition We do patient teaching for specific medical conditions, such as asthma, obesity, dressing changes, etc We also provide students with health information and education for class requirements or projects

For more information about Student Health Clinic, please see our website at

www.uca.edu/studenthealth

or call (501) 450-3136 to speak

to one of our caring staff

student health

(501) 450-3136

uca.edu/studenthealth

11

Counseling services

The UCA Counseling Center provides mental health counseling, and other counseling services, for all currently enrolled UCA students as well as UCA faculty and staff We are accredited by the International Association of Counseling Services Our staff consists of five full-time counselors and psychologists

We also have Masters-level graduate trainees who provide counseling under the supervision of the professional staff

The Counseling Center is located

in Suite 327 of the Student Health Building Our hours in the Fall and Spring Semesters are from 8 a.m to 5:30 p.m., Monday to Thursday and

8 a.m to 4:30 p.m on Fridays In the Summer, our hours are 8 a.m to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday We can be reached

by telephone at (501) 450-3138 Our services are confidential and free

Counseling services

Student Health Center 327 (501) 450-3138

uca.edu/counseling

uca GuIDE uca GuIDE

Preparing for a

BIGGER WORLD!

Your student’s world is going to

become bigger as a result of her

college experiences the things

she learns in class, the people she

encounters, the experiences she has,

the discussions she engages in…all

can lead to greater understanding,

acceptance and appreciation.

We want your student to become the best

person he or she can be a solid citizen

a compassionate friend a critical thinker

an accepting individual all of this and

more is possible, with your assistance.

Role modeling

Your student looks to you as an example

He will treat people a certain way and

believe things about certain groups quite

possibly as a result of your example So,

consider your role in shaping beliefs

Being open to Diversity

Chances are that your student is going

to be positively challenged by the new

people she encounters on campus The

roommate with very different political

views, the friend with a different religious

background, the classmate from a

different ethnicity…all will open your

student’s eyes, if she is willing Encourage this type of growth because a student who

is open to diversity will experience the world much differently than one who is not

Contributing to Community

It may start out as a stint with hall government Then, your student may get involved in community service Soon, she may be leading an organization or doing

an internship with a group she believes in

Community involvement means different things for different people What’s most important is that they just do something

As your student prepares for a bigger world, it doesn’t mean that you will be left behind Freedom, independence, self-sufficiency…these are all things that

we wish for students Allowing your relationship to evolve as your student dives into the college world requires compromise, flexibility and trust With these tools at your side, the college experience can be a wonderful, eye opening experience for both of you

Compiled based on A New Chapter:

How Parents Fit Into Their Students’ Lives at College

UCA Office

of Student Financial Aid

the office of student financial aid at the university of Central arkansas is responsible for determining eligibility for federal financial aid and for coordinating state, institutional and private funds the student is eligible to receive

our goal is to assist students in accessing financial aid programs regardless of the student’s need

Whether the student needs assistance with 100% of educational expenses or simply books, our staff is happy to help you and your student understand your options

The Office of Student Financial Aid is located in the lower level of McCastlain Hall in room 001 Staff see students on

a walk-in basis Monday through Friday from 8 a.m to 4:30 pm Students are assigned to a counselor based on the first letter of their last name If their counselor is not available, another staff member will be happy to assist them

official means of Communication

Our official means of communication

is email Each student is issued an official UCA email account when they are admitted It is crucial that the student check their email frequently

MyUCA is the Self Service website that allows the student to view many of their academic and financial records The student may check the status of their financial aid application and awards by logging onto myUCA at https://my.uca.edu Our telephone number is (501)

450-3140 The Office of Student Financial Aid maintains a website that provides valuable information to students and their families The URL for the website

is www.uca.edu/financialaid The Office of Student Financial Aid McCastlain 001

(501) 450-3140

uca.edu/financialaid

www.universityparent.com/uca 15

uca GuIDE

14 University of Central Arkansas

Campus Safety

the uCa police Department (uCapD) is committed to providing quality

service and protection to students, faculty, staff and visitors of the university

of Central arkansas university police officers are law enforcement officers

of the state of arkansas and are professionally trained and certified by the

arkansas Commission on Law enforcement standards and training

The Department employs 35 full-time employees including 26 sworn, full-time police officers who have full investigative and arrest authority on the campus, contiguous streets and highways, and throughout the state of Arkansas when conducting official business of the university pursuant to A.C.A

25-17-305 University officers are trained to understand the needs of students, faculty, staff and visitors Police officers, equipped with two-way radios, patrol the campus

by vehicle, foot and bicycle 24 hours

a day The Department also maintains

a 24-hour 911 Communications Center and a Parking and Traffic Services Office which provide additional public safety services to the academic community

The UCA Police Department’s Clery Annual Security Report is the university’s

“student right to know” report A digital version is available online on the UCAPD Web site (www.ucapd

com) The UCAPD Crime, Incident and Activity Report is updated monthly and

is available by contacting the UCAPD Administrative Services Commander at (501) 450-5739 UCAPD also publishes

a daily activity/crime log, fire log and campus bulletins which can be accessed on the UCAPD Website

Please view the UCA Police Department Web site (www.ucapd.com) to learn more about the following services:

• uCa alert system

• outdoor Warning siren/Voice announcement system

• safe@uCa Info Line

• safe@uCa email Listserv (parents can be notified in the event of an emergency)

• operation ID

• student security escorts university police

(501) 450-3111

ucapd.com

uca GuIDE uca GuIDE

offers free services to help students

become more confident and effective

writers and communicators Trained

peer tutors offer students one-on-one

writing consultations in which they will

discuss every aspect of writing a paper

or developing an oral presentation from

start to finish Students may also submit

written work via email for feedback

from the tutors, or even meet via a live

chat to discuss their work To make an

appointment to meet with a tutor, call

450-5123, or see the Center’s website

for additional information on online

assistance and hours: http://uca.edu/

writingcenter/make-an-appointment/

the academic success Center

in Torreyson Library provides free peer

tutoring to all students on a drop-in

basis Upper-level student tutors provide

tutoring in math throughout the day,

and other subjects, including history,

biology, chemistry, and even academic literacy (how to manage course materials and study for that test!) are available at specified times The ASC also provides

a comfortable and accessible computer lab for students to use, as well as several study rooms Students should see the UCA website for the tutoring schedule at: www.uca.edu/success/ Writing tutors from the Writing Center are also available

in the ASC during evening hours, and some academic departments also provide tutoring Check the schedule on the ASC website for all of these services

the Writing Center

WTH109 (501) 450-5123

uca.edu/writingcenter

the academic success Center

Torreyson Library 223 (501) 852-0720

uca.edu/success

many college students are either unaware of what resources are available

to help if their grades are not what they expected, or are afraid to ask for

help at uCa, we have academic support systems in place to help students,

and we want them to ask for assistance We want students to succeed!

Academic Advising

academic advising assists students

in making wise decisions about their academic career at uCa all students begin their career at uCa with an advising session and then assigned

to a specific academic advisor, depending on their declared major

or their specific academic needs.

Hall provides academic advising for undeclared UCA students and first-year students with majors in the Colleges of Liberal Arts, Fine Arts and Communication, Business, Education, and Natural Sciences and Mathematics Students use an online scheduling system to make one-on-one appointments with their academic advisor

During these appointments, students are required to share and discuss information about their academic background, applicable college credit, career interests and the UCA program/major that will lead them toward a successful career after graduating from UCA

in Burdick Hall and provides academic

advising for student athletes Athletic academic advisors assist all student athletes in realizing their academic potential by providing academic support and by continuously monitoring their academic athletic eligibility and progress towards their degree

Departmental academic advising

occurs once students are past their first year and have declared a major, or for entering students in the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences These students are assigned to a faculty or professional advisor in the department

or college of their major who will assist them in planning and completing their program of study toward a degree

academic advising

Harrin 100 (501) 450-5149

uca.edu/advising

athletic advising

Burdick 304 (501) 852-2506

uca.edu/athleticadvising

Tutoring and Academic

Assistance

University of Central Arkansas

uca GuIDE UCA GUIDE

Housing and

Residence

Life

It’s all about community!

The mission of Housing & Residence

Life at the University of Central Arkansas

is to provide a residential experience

which supports the academic mission

of the university and extends students’

educational experience beyond the

classroom Housing & Residence

Life at UCA is dedicated to building

strong residential communities

Living on campus is so much more

than just a place to sleep at night!

UCA houses about 3400 students

and offers nine different freshman residence hall options that provide residents with the opportunity to connect with other students, get involved in campus organizations, and build strong academic foundations

freshman housing options

UCA recognizes that the freshman year

in college is fun and exciting, but it can also be daunting Housing & Residence Life is pleased to provide housing options that are specifically reserved for freshmen students UCA offers nine different residence halls for freshmen students to choose from These can be divided into two types: Traditional Residence Halls and Residential Colleges Traditional residence halls, known in the past as

“dorms,” include Baridon (co-ed), Bear Hall (co-ed), Bernard Hall (co-ed), Carmichael Hall (all female), and Conway Hall (co-ed) Residents who live in traditional residence halls are connected to the academic community through confluence classes and have formed lifelong friendships through their shared experiences

The Residential Colleges are living and learning communities that kick it up to the next level!