August 2018

In This Issue Family Weekend Moving on campus Off-Campus Living CarolinaCard reminders Bursar's Office Football Parent Season Tickets Student Health Services University news Important dates

Greetings! The university is beginning its final preparations for the 2018-19 academic year. We are ready to welcome our students back later this month and see campus abuzz with conversations and excitement for the new year. Classes begin Thursday, Aug. 23. Encourage your student to start preparing for their arrival to campus. Your student's first weeks of the semester will be filled with many Carolina events, including the Opportunity Knocks Part-Time Job Fair (Aug. 24), the Back to School Concert featuring artist Russell Dickerson (Aug. 28), and the Student Organization Fair on Greene Street (Aug. 29). As your student starts making plans for their semester, don't forget to make your own by registering for Family Weekend in October! Please reach out to our Parents Assistance Line should you have any questions or concerns as Move-In and classes approach. I hope you enjoy the remainder of your summer and I look forward to sharing this new school year with you and your student.

‌	Anna C. Edwards, Ph.D.  Associate Vice President for Student Life  Stay updated by downloading t he Parent & Family Programs mobile app, liking us on  Facebook , following us on  Instagram, subscribing to our YouTube channel,  and visiting the  Parents & Families Gateway for more information.

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Move-In Day will take place Aug. 20. Students moving on campus will receive more information about their move-in time from University Housing in the coming weeks.

Register for Family Weekend Registration for Family Weekend 2018 is open! This unforgettable Gamecock weekend begins with the President's Welcome Reception and Rock the Roost on Friday evening and continues with the Family Weekend 5K Run/Walk and the Tailgate Party before the football game. Offices and departments around campus will also be hosting receptions, open houses and drop-in sessions for you to catch a glimpse of your student's life at Carolina. Purchasing Family Weekend packages provides you and your family access to these events and more. Purchase your family's packages and tickets to the South Carolina vs. Missouri football game today at sc.edu/familyweekend . Don't forget to RSVP on the official UofSC Family Weekend Facebook event to connect with other families attending. You won't want to miss this memorable time! Register for Family Weekend

Moving on Campus MicroFridge for your student's campus “home” Students interested in having a microwave or refrigerator in their room are required to rent or buy a M icroFridge by Aug. 8. Singular microwaves or mini refrigerators are not permitted. MicroFridges rented or bought through Standards For Living are the only MicroFridges allowed in the residence halls and they will be delivered directly to the room. Encourage your student to talk with their roommate about renting a MicroFridge, as only one is allowed per room. Please note: The university provides MicroFridges in all McBryde and Bates House rooms.  Refrigerators, microwaves or MicroFridges not rented or purchased through Standards for Living will be removed from students' rooms. MicroFridge rentals or purchases placed after Aug. 8 will be delivered on secondary delivery dates, after classes have started. Tips for a Green Move-In Experience Pack items in reusable totes and luggage with fragile items wrapped in sheets or towels to cut waste from packing boxes and used bubble wrap. Bring reusable water bottles and kitchenware to avoid heavy use of paper plates and plastic utensils. Purchase school supplies and room decorations made from recycled materials. Use reusable shopping bags to carry items to your student's room, then encourage them to use these for future trips to the store. CarolinaCard Access New students will need to bring their CarolinaCard to have access to their residence hall. If a student has lost their CarolinaCard, a $35 replacement card can be purchased and prepared in the CarolinaCard Office in the lower level of the Russell House. The office is available to assist students Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Gamecock Family Roost The Office of Parent & Family Programs will be hosting Gamecock Family Roost during Move-In. Stop by the 2nd floor of the Russell House on Aug. 15 and Greene Street on Aug. 20 to have your questions answered by staff, learn more about the city of Columbia and quench your thirst with cold water. More Information

Off-Campus Living & Neighborhood Relations Is your student livin g off campus this fall semester? If so, Off-Campus Housing & Neighborhood Relations offers a variety of resources available to your student as they transition to living off campus. These resources include the Off-Campus Living Guide , a publication which provides extensive information on budgeting for housing costs, commuting advice, legal rights and responsibilities and more. There is also a Move-in Checklist and an Off-Campus Living Module that your student can use to better prepare for their semester living off campus. Parents and families are also able to take the Off-Campus Living Module to prepare for any concerns that may arise during their student's time living off campus. Encourage your student to take advantage of these resources and to contact Off-Campus Housing & Neighborhood Relations with any questions or concerns throughout the semester. Visit our website

CarolinaCard Semester Reminders

Add CarolinaCa$h Online A portion of a student's financial aid award can be allocated to use as CarolinaCa$h. D uring tuition payment, students can add CarolinaCa$h to the bill in order to use scholarships, 529 college savings plans, and financial aid. For this transaction, s tudents should access the "Account Information" tab in their Self Service Carolina account. This is the only opportunity to add CarolinaCa$h to your student's semester bill. Parents and family members can also add money to their student's CarolinaCard account at any point during the semester with get.cbord.com/sc . Once on the site, select “Click here to deposit into a student's account” below the login button. You will need your student's VIP ID, their last name and birth date to load money onto their CarolinaCard. Selecting a Meal Plan Students who wish to select a different meal plan for the semester can do so on their Self Service Carolina account. Once logged in, students can choose "Meal Plans" under the “Account Information” tab to select their new option. Meal plans and meal plan dollars allow students to enjoy dining locations on and off campus. Meal plans will become active on Aug. 20. The deadline to change meal plans is Aug. 30 at 5 p.m. Purchasing Textbooks Textbooks can be purchased at the University of South Carolina Official Bookstore with CarolinaCa$h, as well as standard payment methods. Students can access their textbook information on the "Bookstore Information" tab of their Self Service Carolina account after selecting "Registration" and "Student Detail Schedule."

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News from the Bursar's Office

Payment Deadline for Fall 2018 The deadline for fall 2018 fee payment is Aug. 15. The mail-in payment deadline is Aug. 8 with a check or money order payable to the University of South Carolina (USC). Please mail to: University of South Carolina, Bursar’s Office, 1244 Main Street, Columbia, SC 29208. Class schedules may be cancelled for students who do not pay their fees in full. Payment Plans Payment plans are also available to make payments on tuition and fees. The plan requires an initial payment of 25% of the balance due after all financial aid (scholarships, loans, grants) has been applied, plus a $75 administrative fee, due at the time the student selects a payment plan. There are three additional payments due over the following three months, resulting in a total of four payments per term. Additionally, a late fee of $100 will be applied if payment is not made on time. The payment plan and first payment can be made through Self Service Carolina (SSC) . A payment plan covers tuition, housing, meal plans and technology and program fees. The monthly payment can be paid in person, mailed in to the Bursar’s Office or processed electronically via SSC from a checking account or credit card. The payment plan does not carry over to the next semester. Authorized Users Students can assign authorized users to their SSC account . Granting this access allows the authorized user to see the student's bills, payment history, request 1098-T information, set up a payment plan and speak with the Bursar's Office about the student's account. Direct Deposits If your student expects to rece ive a refund, which includes excess financial aid monies, they will need to set up direct deposit via SSC. College Savings Plan - 529 If you have a college savings plan fo r your student, send a copy of your student's bill to your plan administrator to ensure payments are received in a timely manner. Fall bills are available now.

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Gamecock Football Parents Season Tickets Due to increased demand, the University of South Carolina athletics department has created a new way for parents of full-time university students to acquire seats to every home football game. The  Parents Season Ticket  package is on sale now and includes two tickets for every home game for only $750, which includes all applicable donations. Seats are located in the upper west side of Williams-Brice Stadium and additional seats may be purchased for $350 with a limit of 4 seats per account. The Parents Season Ticket requires a student VIP account for verification. An added feature is the ability to easily transition to a Young Alumni Season Ticket upon the student’s graduation.  Contact the South Carolina Ticket Office  to learn more about the new Parents Season Ticket.  Learn More

Reminders from Student Health Services Incoming Student Immunizations Students attending the University of South Carolina for the first time this fall are required to submit an Immunization Record Form to Student Health Services. Students should plan to do this as soon as possible, as they will not be able to register for classes without their immunization record on file. More information about the required and recommended immunizations can be found on Student Health Services' website . Returning students do not need to resubmit an immunization form. Proof of Insurance Undergraduate and graduate students who take six credit hours or more, graduate assistants and international students are required to have health insurance for 2018-201 9. Students must either: Purchase the university-sponsored Student Health Insurance Plan provided by BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina or Waive the requirement by proving that they have appropriate health insurance, whether that is under a family member's plan or a policy of their own. Students need to visit sc.myahpcare.com where they will either select the Student Health Insurance Plan or input the subscriber info of their health insurance for 2018-2019. The information will be verified, and students will receive an email notifying them of their approval. The deadline is Sept. 15. Failure to waive will result in automatic enrollment in the university-sponsored Student Health Insurance Plan with a premium cost of $869 for the fall term. For more information, visit sc.myahpcare.com or sc.edu/studentinsurance .  Student Health Services Hours The Center for Health and Well-Being and Counseling & Psychiatry will have the following hours for the month of August: Learn more

"Dancing to the top" USC Dance Marathon claimed three national awards at the 2018 Miracle Network Dance Marathon Leadership Conference held in Indianapolis, Indiana. The student organization raised over $1,000,000 during the 2017-18 school year for the kids at Palmetto Health Children's Hospital. View more UofSC Campus Recreation Recognized UofSC Campus Recreation received a Top 20 ranking for best campus recreation facilities. College Consensus ranked student recreation centers that have generated the most positive response from media and students. View more

Important Upcoming Dates

Aug. 15: Fall 2018 tuition and fees due Aug. 20: Move-In Day 2018 Aug. 22: New Student Convocation Aug. 23: Fall semester classes begin Aug. 29: Last day to drop a course without a "W" being recorded Sept. 3: Labor Day - no classes, offices closed Sept. 14: Deadline to apply for fall 2018 graduation Sept. 17: Deadline to register for Family Weekend Oct. 1: University Housing interest form sign-ups begin Oct. 5-7: Family Weekend Oct. 18-21: Fall break - no classes Nov. 6: General Election Day - no classes

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Please continue to visit the Parents & Families Gateway for information and resources at sc.edu/parents . As always, we are only a phone call or email away, and we encourage your feedback! Office of Parent & Family Programs University of South Carolina Website:  sc.edu/parents   Parents Assistance Line: 1-800-868-6752 Email: scparents@sc.edu App: guidebook.com/app/uofscparents