Newsletter Feb 2016

Inside February 2016 Edition

 

Family Weekend 2016
Spring Parents Weekend
S.H.O.E.S Project Break
Airport Shuttles
Spring Break Safety
Student Health News
The Importance of the First Year
Parents of First Generation Students
Siblings Weekend
Sophomore Soundings
Dowdy Student Stores
Campus Recreation and Wellness
Career Services News
Joyner Library: Working to Save Students Money
Collegiate Recovery Community Available
Speech Communication Center
Campus Dining News
New Student Centers News
ECU Police Offer R.A.D. Courses
Free Senior Portrait Sessions
Zimride for Spring Break
Study Abroad Scholarship Opportunity
LeaderShape Applications Open
NC Civility Sunmmit

Upcoming Events

March 6-13

Spring Break

March 21

Registration for Fall and Summer Begins

March 25-27

State Holiday (No Classes)

April 15-17

Spring Parents Weekend

April 26

Last Day of Classes

April 27

Reading Day

April 28- May 5

Final Exams

May 6

Commencement

Fall 2016 and Spring 2017 Academic Dates may be found online here.

ARCHIVED EDITIONS

Join the Parents Association Today!

Your annual membership pledge of $35 or four year pledge of $100 supports Parent and Family Programming, Student Scholarships and campus improvements to increase student success. Be sure to designate your gift for the ‘Parents Fund’ when submitting your form.

Read more about the benefits of being a Pirate Member at the $35 or $100 level HERE.

Save the Date! Family Weekend 2016

The date has been announced for Family Weekend 2016: September 30th- October 2nd in conjunction with the football game vs. UCF on Saturday, October 1st.

Event information and ticket sales will be available summer 2016.



Spring Parents Weekend will be held April 15th-27th, 2016. In conjunction with the Purple/Gold spring football game weekend.

Events will include the Spring Parents Association Meeting, Movies, Pirate Equipment Sale, Alumni Road Race, Pigskin Pigout BBQ and the Purple and Gold spring football game.


Details and event times and locations will be released later this month. Please note tickets are NOT required for the Purple/Gold football game.

S.H.O.E.S Project Raises Awareness of Mental Health

Hundreds of pairs of shoes, each with a story to tell, filled the mall near the cupola on East Carolina University’s campus on Feb. 11. The S.H.O.E.S. Project, which stands for Students Honoring Others’ Everyday Struggles, was organized to raise awareness of mental health issues and to inform students of available resources.

Nearly 200 pairs of shoes were donated by ECU students to be displayed during the event, said Waz Miller, director of residence life. Students also provided anonymous stories about the challenges faced by others and themselves, and each story was attached to a pair of shoes.

Student organizations can help, she said, like So Worth Loving and To Write Love on Her Arms, as well as a counseling center located in Umstead Hall. Event organizers also provided information about the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK, suicidepreventionlifeline.org) and a list of additional crisis organizations.

The S.H.O.E.S. (Students Honoring Others’ Everyday Struggles/Stories) Project is a special project designed to bring about mental health awareness to ECU’s campus.  Among others, ECU Campus Living, RHA, To Write Love on Her Arms, So Worth Loving, and the Counseling Center have partnered together to make this a multidimensional event that will saturate the community with information about self-care, emotional health, and positive communication.

A video from the event may be viewed online.

Read the full ECU News article here.

The main goal is to create and implement a campus/community-wide program to promote student perspective, endurance and resources during challenging times. This will focus on emotional health issues and will span from elementary or middle school through college.


ECU Transit Offers RDU Airport Shuttle Service

ECU Transit continues to operate the RDU Shuttle serving the Raleigh-Durham International Airport during scheduled academic break. Trips in the 2015 Fall semester include Fall Break, Thanksgiving Break, and Winter Break. Tickets can be purchased at www.ecuarts.com or at the Central Ticket Office in Mendenhall. The cost is $30 one-way, $60 round trip. A complete schedule and more information is available at www.ecu.edu/transit.Please contact ECU Transit at 252-328-4724 for information on transportation to the PGV Greenville Airport.


Pirate Safety News: Spring Break Safety

Each year, thousands of college students journey to popular US and international hotspots for spring break.  And your students deserve a break!  They’ve been working hard on their academics, learning how to balance academic, work, and their social life.

As students are counting down the days, you may be experiencing a sense of nervousness as this may be the first time your student is traveling abroad with friends.  We wanted to provide you with some spring break tips to share with your student.

Spring Break Safety Tips

1. Make a game plan. 

Before you leave for the trip and as you start each day, you should ask yourself these questions:  Do I want to drink?  How much do I want to drink?  Do I want to get physical?  How am I going to protect myself?  Know what your limits are before you go out, because it can be hard making those decisions in the heat of the moment, especially when alcohol and peer pressure is involved.

2. Trust your intuition.

If it doesn’t feel right, it’s not.  If you have a gut feeling, trust that feeling and take action.  And if you see something, say something, or rather do something about it!

3. Don’t be stupid in the ocean.

Do you know what rip currents or undertows are?  Do you know how to spot them or how to swim out of them?  http://www.seagrant.sunysb.edu/cprocesses/pdfs/BeachHazards-RipCurrents0711.pdf

o Rip currents are strong, narrow jets of water that move away from the beach and into the ocean.  They can flow quickly, typically around 5 mph; they aren’t predictable and are a result of the shape of the coastline.
o Undertows are currents that pull you underwater to the bottom of the ocean.

Know how to swim and wear a life jacket while boating.  Avoid alcoholic beverages while boating.

4. Protect your location on social media sites.

Sharing too much information on your location on Facebook, Twitter, and Foursquare may endanger your safety.  Adjust your privacy settings and use your best judgement when checking in on social media.  Be cautious about revealing personal information and location through status updates or tweets with Twitter trends like #SpringBreak and #SB2016.

5. Watch your wallet.

Make sure you’re keeping your valuables safe at all times.  Keep your wallet, phone, purse near you or locked away in your hotel safe.  Watch your spending; you don’t want to spend all your funds on the first night.  Check your bank account daily to make sure you’re not over-drafting.  Always lock your car and hotel doors.  Avoid first floor rooms, as they are higher targets for thieves.

6. Consider travel insurance.

Unfortunately, most student health policies don’t cover individuals once they leave US soil.  Students should obtain a good travel insurance policy that covers illness, injury, and emergency evacuation coverage.

7. Create a code word.

Create a secret signal or code word to let your friends know when you are uncomfortable and need them to intervene.  When you are with friends, arrive together and leave together.  Establish a place to meet in advance if you get separated.  Always have a safe mode of transportation planned ahead of time.

8. Protect yourself.

Love is all around, and so are sexually transmitted diseases.  The only way to prevent sexually transmitted diseases and unintended pregnancy is by not having sex.  But if you choose to have sex, using latex condoms and having a monogamous, uninfected partner may help lower your risk.  And for personal safety, carry pepper spray.

9. Before traveling, get up-to-date on your vaccines. 

Check out the CDC for any travel health notices, like the Zika Virus or Polio, at http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices

10. Document your Spring Break!

Sometimes the best moments are the ones that are unplanned.  Take as many pictures as you can to remember what it was like to be in that moment.  While you just might want to avoid posting those drinking pictures on social media, it doesn’t mean you can’t keep them stored away on your laptop!  And remember, it is extremely likely that somebody else is going to be taking pictures and videos, so be aware that those pictures may haunt you later.

11. Practice safe drinking.

Drinking can impair your judgement and actions.  Don’t drink and drive.  Never leave your drink unattended.  If you lose sight of it, order a new one.  Don’t accept drinks from people you don’t know or trust.  Be responsible and pace yourself.  Avoid hard alcohol or other drinks that have fast effects.  Be on the lookout for signs of predatory drugs.  Don’t drink on an empty stomach.  Don’t drink and use the hot tub.

12. Tan safely.

Opt for spray tanning or self-tanning instead of a tanning bed.  The risk of skin cancer is too great to spend time at a tanning salon.  When on vacation, be sure to use sunscreen with more than 30 SPF to lower your risk of sun burns, which could also increase your risk of skin cancer.  Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes.  Don’t forget to hydrate!

13. Be active!

You’ve probably been sitting most of the year, working at the computer, studying, or in class.  Take this opportunity to start a fitness program or do a variety of fun activities like hiking, dancing, volleyball, swimming, and more.

14. Carry phone numbers and cash.

Carry emergency cash and the phone numbers of cab companies.  Keep in your wallet the address of the hotel or rental property that you are staying at.

15. When leaving the country… 

Don’t bring flashy valuables.  Dress conservatively so you don’t stick out too much.  Research your destination beforehand.  Know the laws of the country you are visiting.  Take a copy of your passport; there is no worse way to end a vacation than to discover that your passport has been stolen or lost.  Keep the address or contact information for the American consulate or US Embassy on your person.  Call your credit card company in advance to let them know you’ll be out of the country so they won’t be a stop on your account.  Don’t forget your medications!

16. Consider an alternative spring break.

Many university organizations and religious organizations offer alternative spring break options, including networking retreats and community service trips.  Choosing one of these alternatives should make your parents happy, and also looks great on your resume!

17. Get help.

If you or a friend has an alcohol or drug problem, has thoughts of suicide, or is in crisis for any reason, get help.  Call 911 for emergency services, 1-800-662-4357 for substance abuse help, and 1-800-273-TALK(8255) for the national suicide prevention lifeline.


Student Health Services News

Great news!!!  ECU Student Health Services is now an in-network provider for BlueCross BlueShield health insurance plans!

Students with BlueCross BlueShield (BCBS) health insurance plans now can utilize Student Health Services (SHS) just as they do any other participating provider.  SHS will file any charges to the insurance plan and coverage will be determined by the plan benefits and policy terms.  Deductibles, co-insurance, and any out of pocket amounts are determined by the individual policy; we encourage students and parents to become familiar with what their BCBS plan covers as well as any exclusions or limitations that may be stipulated.

Students desiring to file their BCBS insurance MUST bring a copy of their current insurance information and present it upon check in when they come for visits at SHS.  If the policy holder is a parent, the student must also provide that parent’s name, date of birth, and address.

There is no co-pay at SHS because the student fees paid with tuition cover the office visit charge.  Distance education students do not pay student fees, so they will be subject to a $30 SHS access fee for each visit.

Any charges that are not covered by a student’s BCBS plan will be sent to the Cashier’s Office and applied to the student’s main tuition bill.  Those charges should be paid timely to avoid issues with registration, obtaining grades, or requesting transcripts.

Students with third party insurance other than the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) and BCBS plans will continue to pay out of pocket for charges at SHS.  We are diligently working towards having additional contracts with other major insurers to allow more students to be in-network with their insurance plans when receiving care at SHS.  As we are able to be in-network with more insurance companies, we will update our information on our website, https://studenthealth.ecu.edu/.  Students can always request a walkout statement or print one from their Online Student Health account (https://shs.ecu.edu) if they would like to submit SHS charges to their insurance for possible direct reimbursement.

For questions, or more information, call us at (252) 328-6841 or e-mail gotquestions@ecu.edu.


The Importance of the First Year

From the Office of Student Transitions

www.ecu.edu/studenttransitions  

Getting Back Into the Swing of Things!

Has your student had difficulty getting back into the swing of classes this semester?  With a holiday at the beginning of the semester, many students have experienced trouble regaining their focus for their spring semester.  Here are some questions you can ask your student to gauge if he or she is falling into this category:
• How are your classes going?
• Have you received any grades yet in your courses?  If so, what are those grades?
• How do those grades fit into the final grade?
• Did you receive a Starfish notification?

Starfish is an early academic alert tool whereby faculty can inform students of their academic performance within a course. If a faculty member raises an alert notification to a student, an email notification will be sent to the student’s ECU email account. Starfish notifications can be raised by faculty in the areas of Academic Difficulty, Positive Reinforcement (Kudos), or Attendance Related Issues. Please note that NOT all instructors will be using Starfish. There may be instructors who do NOT raise flags/kudos. If your student does not receive a Starfish notification, it does NOT indicate good/poor academic performance. Students should always speak with the instructor if they are unsure of their academic status in a course. They may also use the Pirate Academic Success Center or other resources such as the Math Lab, the Writing Center, etc. to help them in the courses.

Students should make sure that they do not wait too long to ask for assistance in courses!  Now is the time to ask for help to make sure they are on the right track.

On another note, you may think it is too early to begin thinking about the summer and next fall, but it is not.  Students will begin registering for summer and fall 2016 in March, and many will begin meeting with their academic advisors this month.

Next month we will discuss housing for your student next year.  As always, if you have suggestions for our newsletter article, please contact the Office of Student Transitions at ostfyp@ecu.edu.

Registration for Summer and Fall Classes

As your student did for the spring semester, he or she will be registering for summer and/or fall classes in March.  The advantage of registering early is getting classes before new students register during the summer orientation programs.  Below is a review of the registration process.

Preparing to Register

Your student should arrange to meet with an advisor some time during February or March.  Some advisors hold group advising sessions and will notify students of these times.  Students should make appointments early in order to meet with advisors!
Students should also use Banner to check for Hold Tags.  Hold Tags are placed on students’ accounts if they have failed to accomplish a task.  Examples of hold tags are a balance in the Cashier’s Office, unpaid parking tickets, or failure to meet with a conduct officer.  It is important for students to clear up any hold tags before registration, or they will not be allowed to register.

Before Meeting With Advisors

Advisors appreciate students who come to the advising meeting prepared.  Advisors are there to advise, but the student is ultimately responsible for his or her own academic progress.  Using the course catalog, students should check the Foundations Curriculum to see what areas they have left to complete.  They should also check their major/program requirements to determine what needs to be taken.

Students should then check to see what classes are offered during summer/fall 2016.  They can get some idea of what they would like to take and begin to construct a course schedule.  Once this is completed, they should take this to their advising appointment.

Registration

Registration officially begins on March 21st. However, to make the process more efficient, the Registrar’s Office establishes registration windows based on the number of credit hours a student has completed.  Because the system is based on credit hours, first-year students will typically register during the latter part of the registration period.  A student may register at any time after his or her registration window opens.  Your student should be aware that professors do not excuse students from class because they are registering for class. The registration schedule is available by visiting www.ecu.edu/registrar and clicking on the “Students” link.

When your student meets with an advisor, he or she will fill out a registration form detailing the classes the advisor feels the student should register for and a PIN number that will give the student access to register.  Your student will use the registration form and the PIN number to log onto the Banner system and register for classes after his or her registration window opens.  If students experience trouble with the Banner system, or if they are having a hard time getting the classes listed on the registration form, they should talk with their advisor.

Students will receive an e-bill for fall 2016 during the month of July via email.  This bill will include due dates for tuition and fees. Tuition should be paid by these dates to avoid late fees or schedule cancellation.  Fall 2016 classes begin on August 22, 2016.

Transitions:  Surviving the Spring Semester

Now that the second semester is in full swing, students will be experiencing concerns about a variety of topics. While it may seem early, this is the time each year that planning begins for the summer and next school year. Decisions must be made about housing, financial responsibilities, and jobs. This month we continue our focus on adjustment issues for first-year students.

February Adjustments

Housing– Students must begin making plans for housing for the next school year. Will they remain in the residence halls? Get an apartment? There are on-campus options for upperclassmen. Many will choose to move to an off-campus residence, and there are numerous decisions to make: choosing roommates, deciding between apartments and houses, and finding a location are just some of the things to think about.

Academic Pressures– Projects and exams for spring courses are approaching. Students will begin to feel more stress about their academic performance and getting all assignments done.

Spring Break– Some students will choose to travel for spring break. They may feel excitement or anxiety about these plans. They may have no plans and feel left out if their friends are planning a big trip. Remember, they may not be excited about staying at home during spring break, but not because they don’t want to see you.

Major/Career– It will soon be time to register for summer and fall classes. Some students will meet with advisors in February. First-year students may still have second thoughts about their major or career choices.

Relationships– Couples may strengthen their bond or notice that their relationship is weakening. Also, Valentine’s Day brings its own anxiety for many people, whether they are in a relationship or not.

Health problems– Seasonal illnesses, such as the flu, can be found on a college campus too. Stress can also cause students to have poor eating and sleeping habits, which leads to poor health. Some students may be tempted to turn to excessive drinking as a stress outlet.

Summer– Have you discussed summer plans with your student? Some students will plan to return home for the summer, while some will want to remain at school, even if they will not be taking classes. There are many opportunities for students in the summer, from summer school to internships to education abroad.


Parents of our First Generation College Students

Spring semester is in full swing! 

How are your First Generation college students doing?  I’ll bet they’re more comfortable, more engaged in on-campus activities and generally feeling better about their college experience.  Encourage them to use the free tutoring services at the Pirate Academic Success Center.  They take appointments, offer workshops and even test reviews!  Now is the time to have your son or daughter check them out – you know, before the assignments get too big and the first tests come to pass.

If your son or daughter has a sibling, I wanted to share the 2016 Siblings Weekend Plan.  Your current ECU student can register to participate with their sibling for the weekend of April 8-10.  It’s a wonderful time!  We plan activities, show them around campus, they stay in the residence halls with the current student.  This event is planned for siblings aged 9-14.  You can visit ecu.edu/siblingsweekend to register beginning February 5th!  Sign them up!  It will be a great time for them to begin to plan their college experience with their big brother or sister!

Our student success continuum work is focusing on re-energizing your ECU student – we reach a lull in February and we try to maintain their enthusiasm about pursuing their work.  You can help by calling, sending them letters and packages, encouraging them as you do!  They’ll appreciate the thoughts from you!

Linda L. Mellish, Ph.D.


Siblings Weekend 2016- Save The Date!

RHA Siblings weekend will be held April 8th-10th, 2016.  Siblings weekend is offered to those ECU students that live on campus. The age range for siblings allowed to participate is school age (9-14 years).  If during this academic year (August 2015-May 2016), your child was 14, we will allow them to participate in Siblings Weekend.  Visit ecu.edu/siblingsweekend to register beginning February 5th.

For additional information, email RHASIBLINGSWEEKEND@ECU.EDU


Sophomore Soundings

From the Office of Student Transitions

www.ecu.edu/studenttransitions

Student Issues in the Sophomore Year

The Office of Student Transitions continues to study research and best practices across the nation to determine what programs are best for our sophomores.  The National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition at the University of South Carolina initiated a project focused on sophomore retention that included national conversations with 2– and 4– year institutions.  Four questions were asked, and responses were categorized as academic, developmental, and institutional.  This issue will review the first three questions.

 Q:  Why do you think students leave between sophomore and junior years when they did not leave after the first year?

Academic: 

• Lack of desired academic major
• More difficult curriculum

• Not admitted into their major or professional program

Developmental: 

• Uncertain about major, career, life goals
• Cost/benefit ratio
• Not invested in the institution

Institutional: 

• Cumulative effect of a series of bad experiences that have not yet been offset by positive ones
• Financial aid mismanagement
• Housing shifts, loss of community sense

Q: What are the major issues, needs, and/or tasks of sophomores? 

Academic: 

• Dealing with an intensified curriculum
• Being in an academic twilight zone—not yet fully into courses in their   major
• Encountering highly competitive majors and realizing they do not have what it takes to excel—failure to have “Plan B” ready

Developmental: 

• Trying to figure out who they are in college and why they should stay in this one
• Assuming responsibility for self and making decisions becomes even more important, yet not as much attention is given by the institution, so resources may not be used
• Peer issues change

Institutional: 

• Career issues—tension with parents over selecting a major, pressure from college to select a major
• Getting involved on campus
• The major does not pick up where first-year programs left off, or if it does, not in the same way

Q: What can/should institutions be doing to help sophomores persist to graduation? 

Academic:

• Create a sophomore orientation program in each major
• Provide ongoing academic support for sophomores

Developmental: 

• Target sophomores for faculty mentoring or self-awareness issues
• Help students develop a vision for the future

Institutional: 

• Communicate expectations about sophomore year to students and families
• Encourage faculty to involve sophomores in undergraduate research


February Events at  Dowdy Student Stores!

What’s in store for students at Dowdy….

 
Is your student graduating in May?
Feb 9-11 The Grad Expo is February 9-11 at Dowdy’s Wright Building store.   Graduating students can pick up caps and gowns, shop for Jonstens custom announcements and class rings, diploma frames, and more.  See our website for details.
Inventory Reduction Sale
March 1-4  Pre- Spring Break Inventory Reduction Sale- Dowdy is closed for inventory during Spring Break and we’d rather sell our merchandise than count it!  Come by, or send your student over, to check out the bargains!

 

Dowdy Student Stores, Wright Building, Brody Building, Athletic Venues, www.studentstores.ecu.edu, 252-328-6731, 1-877-499-TEXT


Campus Recreation and Wellness News

Lift Like A Girl Strength Clinics

Is your student a beginner resistance trainer who wants to learn the proper technique and basics of free weights and machines? Campus Recreation and Wellness will be offering a series of free strength clinics every Thursday from 1/28/2016 to 2/18/2016 to demonstrate proper techniques! These sessions are a great way for women to learn, get comfortable in the weight room, and learn different workout techniques.  Our fitness team will be introducing TRX workouts and ways to modify exercises for all different skill levels.  These classes will be held in SRC room 238 from 5-6pm.

The remaining sessions are:
Session #2 – 2/4/16 Introduction into Free Weights pt. 2: Lower Body Teaching participants the basics to resistance training with free weights (barbells and dumbbells) and body weight exercises that specifically target the lower body muscles.
Session #3 – 2/11/16 Introduction to TRX (Total Resistance Exercise) Utilizing the TRX straps, participants will be shown numerous exercises for all skill levels that target specific muscle groups and train core stability.
Session #4 – 2/18/16 Introduction to Machine Weights Training participants on the do’s and don’ts of machine weight equipment.  Come and learn how to properly set the machine up to you specifically to you in order to maximize your workout.

 

 #WearRedECU

February is American Heart Month! Wear Red ECU is a variation of National Wear Red Day promoting women’s and men’s heart health.  Heart disease is the number one killer of women but 80% preventable with simple lifestyle changes to diets and exercise regimens.  To raise awareness of heart health, Campus Recreation and Wellness will be having different FREE events each day of the week from February 1 until February 5th.  Please inform your students they can attend the following in order to learn more about heart health! Students who upload themselves wearing.


ECU Career Services News

Do you have a student graduating in May? How about a freshmen looking for a part-time summer job? Make sure your student does not miss out on the following career fairs going on through March with ECU Career Services.

This spring Career Services will host nearly 300 local, regional, and national employers recruiting ECU students and alumni for CO-OP, internship, part-time and fulltime opportunities. An ECU first, the Diversity Virtual Career Fair will have over 40 employers from across the world looking to hire ECU students from the comfort of their own computers.  Following this event, the Spring Career Fair and Education Career Fair held again at the Greenville Convention Center will hold over 200 employers recruiting ECU students.

These events offer students an invaluable opportunity to speak face to face with recruiting personnel and hiring managers. Students who are actively pursuing employment and those who will over the next several years can use these career opportunities to develop relationships with personnel in companies or graduate programs of interest as well as practice their communication and networking skills.

SAVE THE DATES

Career Leadership Conference 

9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
February 20, 2016
Mendenhall Student Center
Learn, Serve, Lead Career Leadership Conference Registration begins December 1st, register online at www.ecu.edu/clc Professional business attire is required, this is a Pirate Passport Premier Event.  For more information contact Career Services at 252-328-6050 or career@ecu.edu Sponsored by Career Services and Office for Leadership and Service Learning

8:00 AM- 5:00 PM
February 23, 2016
Online- Register Here

Education Career Fair
8:00 AM – 10:00 AM
March 2, 2016 Greenville Convention Center
Professional business attire is REQUIRED, bring ECU 1card and extra resumes. For more information visit ecu.edu.career

Spring Career Fair 

1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
March 2, 2016
Greenville Convention Center 303 SW Greenville Boulevard
Level Up!  For more information on these and other upcoming events visit: www.ecu.edu/career

Joyner Library: Working to Save Students Money

Joyner Library is working with the Student Government Association, instructors, and Dowdy Student Stores to save students (and their parents) money on textbooks. The average cost of books and supplies easily exceeds $1000 per year, and some students refrain from buying required materials because of cost. Joyner Library has a three-pronged approach to help students save money on materials required for their courses.

1. Some materials required for courses can be obtained through interlibrary loan (note, however, that the student may not be able to keep them the entire semester).

2. When possible, the Library buys or licenses an electronic copy of the book. See what’s available on the Course Adopted Texts list, which is organized by department and course. The Library also works with instructors to provide streaming video for documentaries and movies required in courses. Access is provided through the Blackboard site for the course.

3. Joyner Library has started an alternative textbook program to provide financial incentives and other support for instructors who incorporate alternative textbooks (open textbooks, library subscription materials, primary sources, government documents) into their classroom to reduce textbook costs for students. The first stipends of up to $1,000 each will be awarded in April and the alternative textbooks will be used during the Fall 2016 semester.

While the goal of these programs is first and foremost to save students money, these programs may also help with student retention and success, as students have access to course materials on the first day of class, can access them regardless of location, and may be able to afford to take additional courses with the money saved on textbooks. Make sure your student is aware of these opportunities to save and succeed!


Collegiate Recovery Community Available

Hello family members and friends of Pirate Nation,

I would like to draw your attention to an exciting new program of the university!  The East Carolina University Collegiate Recovery Community (ECU CRC) is simply what the title implies: A Community of Pirates.  The mission of ECU CRC is to support students in recovery from an addiction as well as positively contribute to academic success in college through programming efforts, creation of a supportive environment, experiential activities and the opportunity to increase awareness of substance issues on the college campus through peer education.  ECU CRC welcomes all students who are looking to enhance their college experience through safe and sober recreation and leisure.  For more information please visit our website at: www.ecu.edu/recovery .

Respectfully,

Jarmichael R. Harris
Collegiate Recovery Community Coordinator
Alcohol and Other Drug Staff Counselor
East Carolina University Center for Counseling and Student Development

Sharpen Your Communication Skills

The Speech Communication Center at ECU helps students from all majors across campus with any aspect of verbal communication skills. If your student struggles with speaking anxiety, not knowing how to effectively organize and deliver presentations, or a lack of professional verbal communication skills (too much texting, tweeting, and time on Face Book), we can help!

The Speech Communication Center is open Monday through Friday, and our services are FREE!

Appointments can be made by calling 252-328-2790 or by going to www.ecu.edu/comm/center  We can help your student become a more confident communicator!


Campus Dining News

Chef’s Choice Dinners

6:00-8:00 PM  Sweethearts (Todd) & The Tiffin Room (West End)

RSVP your guest count, date, banner id and choice of location to sumners@ecu.edu by 5 PM two days prior to your chosen date.

Spaces are limited to 40 guests per location. Reservations are first come, first serve. RSVP required.  Each person may pay for and bring one guest.  Seating will be at tables of four.

Two Pirate Meals or $15 Purple Bucks per person will be deducted from your account to attend the dinner.

“Chef’s Choice” Premier Dinners – A Fine Dining Experience Comes to ECU

When it comes to providing a meaningful dining experience and a diversified menu to our customers, ECU Campus Dining Services comes out on top.

New this semester to our already expansive dining program are the “Chef’s Choice” Premier Dinners. These high end meals will be catered to our students in their choice of the Sweethearts Private Dining Room located at Todd Dining Hall or The Tiffin Private Dining Room located at West End Dining Hall.

The catered dinners will give an experience of fine dining complete with linens, table service, and premium food offerings. Each dinner will showcase the chefs’ culinary talents and will offer meal items not typically served on the everyday dining menus.

These special dinners will be offered to all meal plan members on a first come first serve basis. Space is limited to 40 guests per location. We will offer four very different meals over the course of the semester. Each dinner will showcase culinary delights and give our customers a true fine dining experience.

Like any fine dining restaurant, guests must RSVP to attend. The “cost” of the dinner will be an exchange of two Pirate Meals from their meal plan per guests or $15 Purple Bucks per person.

Our meal plans offer a large variety of value and flexibility. This dinner program will continue to add value to our dining program by showing additional benefits to having a meal plan.

A sample menu is below:

First Course: Garden Salad Crisp garden greens garnished with tomato, cucumber, shredded carrots, served with your choice of Ranch or Italian Dressings

Second Course: Bacon wrapped pork tenderloin served with mashed sweet potatoes and sautéed haricot verts finished with an apple glaze

Third Course: Layered spice cake with maple buttercream and candied nut crunch

To RSVP now, email Sumners@ecu.edu to reserve a seat.

For full details, visit www.ecu.edu/dining


New Student Centers Website and Parking Information Available

A reminder to our students and visiting families, you will see many changes to on campus parking this semester. ECU is excited to be in progress on both of our new student centers!  The Student Centers Updates website has been developed to keep students, faculty, staff and our community up to date on construction of the new student centers on the Health Sciences and Main campuses

We encourage our students and campus visitors to pay close attention to the parking changes on main campus that will begin in Spring 2016, as well as the additional ECU Transit routes that will be in service during the construction process.


ECU Police Offer R.A.D. Courses

Dear Parents,

I would like to take this opportunity to share with you two wonderful programs that the ECU Police Department is currently offering to students and staff on campus. The programs are R.A.D. (Rape Aggression Defense) for Women Self Defense Course and R.A.D (Resisting Aggression with Defense) for Men Self Defense Course.

R.A.D for Women is the only nationally recognized self-defense program designed specifically for women and is endorsed by the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators. The course strives to educate the women on how to be aware of their surroundings and stay safer on and off campus. The course teaches the importance of escaping the situation if at all possible and avoiding physical confrontation. ECU Police Department has been instructing this course for over ten years and the feedback has been extremely positive. The women leave the class feeling much more confident in themselves.

Students and staff at all levels of ability, age, experience and strength are provided with the basic techniques and information that can be effectively used from the first day of class. The R.A.D. system will provide students with the knowledge to make an educated decision about personal self-defense. Classes are offered free to students and staff.  The course consists of four three hour blocks of instructions. All classes are taught by trained law enforcement officers.  I highly recommend that you encourage any young lady to take part in this exciting program to help keep them safe.

R.A.D. for Men (Resisting Aggression with Defense), is a self-defense program designed specifically for men. The R.A.D. approach to personal safety begins with awareness, prevention, risk reduction and risk avoidance, and progresses to hands-on physical defense techniques.

Participants will have the opportunity to: raise their awareness of aggressive behavior, recognize how aggressive behavior impacts their lives, learn steps to avoid aggressive behavior, consider how they can be part of reducing aggression and violence, and practice hands-on self-defense skills to resist and escape aggressive behavior directed toward them. This program is designed to empower participants to make safer choices when confronted with aggressive behavior.

The R.A.D. for Men program is taught by nationally certified instructors who are dedicated to the growth and well-being of our campus community. The course is suitable for men of all ages and abilities.

Interested students and staff may register online by going to the ECU police website @ www.ecu.edu/police click on the Community Affairs icon and the program link R.A.D.  The upcoming RAD for Women dates are February 9, 11, 16 and 18 2016. The next RAD for Men course is currently being scheduled for March.  For more information, feel free to contact me directly at 252-737-2110 or carnevales@ecu.edu.

Thank you very much. We look forward to continuing to help keep your students safe.

Sgt. Stephanie Carnevale
ECU Police Department


Free Senior Portrait Sessions Available

Capture the Moment! 

EAST CAROLINA UNIVERSITY

Final FREE Senior Portrait Session

When: February 22-March 4, 2016

Where: Mendenhall Student Center

Schedule your appointment at www.ouryear.com, entering school code 453 or by calling 1-800-OUR-YEAR™ (687-9327), during normal business hours.

When you schedule your appointment, you will receive complete information on how to prepare for your portrait sitting.

Don’t forget that you can use these portraits for your Professional Networking and Job Search sites.

Don’t miss out on capturing this once in a lifetime achievement.


Headed out of town for Spring Break? With Zimride you can find others traveling to the same destination. It’s easy to share the seats in your car with other ECU Zimride members by splitting the costs or catching a ride if you don’t have a car. Simply click the Post a Ride button and find a match today.

East Carolina University Zimride users who post a ride or a commute between February 1 and March 13 will have a chance to win one of 2 $50 prepaid MasterCard gift cards from Zimride by Enterprise.

This Spring Break, share a ride with Zimride!

From your Zimride by Enterprise Team and East Carolina University 

 or official contest rules, click here

Harold H. Bate Study Abroad Fund Established for College of Arts & Sciences Students

More students in East Carolina University’s Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences may study abroad in the coming year due to the recently established Harold H. Bate Study Abroad Fund. The fund is open to majors in Arts and Sciences, or second majors, from Craven, Jones or Pamlico counties, who have a minimum 2.0 GPA, and are participating in an ECU faculty-led summer study abroad program or an approved semester/academic year exchange program.

To apply for a Harold H. Bate Study Abroad Scholarship, students may visit the academic works website at https://ecu.academicworks.com/opportunities/3258. A minimum of one letter of recommendation from an ECU faculty member who has taught the applicant, and an essay (500 words or less) describing the potential impact of studying abroad on the applicant’s professional or personal goals are required, in addition to the application on the academic works site.

Award amounts will range between $1,000 – $4,000 for a summer study abroad program, or $4,000 – $8,000 for semester or academic year study abroad programs. Scholarships will be available beginning with Summer 2016 study abroad programs.


LeaderShape Institute 2016 applications now open!

For the fourth consecutive year, ECU will offer the LeaderShape Institute, May 8-13, 2016 at Camp Oak Hill in Raleigh, NC.

The LeaderShape® Institute™ challenges participants to lead with integrity™ while working towards a vision grounded in their deepest values. Participants explore not only what they want to do, but who they want to be. Dynamic, challenging, and exciting, the week is intended to produce a breakthrough in the leadership capacity of participants—benefiting them individually, as well as their respective communities and the organizations they will go on to lead and serve in the future.

Applications are open to all ECU students (undergraduate and graduate) who will be enrolled through December 2016.  All expenses are covered by ECU.

The deadline to apply is March 16, 2016.

APPLICATION LINK 

 


NC Civility Summit

February 27, 2016, Mendenhall Student Center, Greenville, North Carolina.

Keynote Speaker: Opal Tometi, Executive Director at the Black Alliance for Just Immigration and Co-Founder of #BlackLivesMatter Movement.

This event is free and open to the public.  To register please visit ecu.edu/nccivility registration has been extended to February 27th.

Sponsored by: The Black Student Union, Student Government Association, Student Activities Board, LGBT Resource Office and Student Involvement and Leadership.

 


Campus Living News

2016-2017 Housing Information

As we start 2016, Campus Living is aware students and their families begin the process of planning their 2016-17 Academic Year housing. To help you in the planning process, we wanted to share the options for living in the heart of the Pirate Nation- on campus…

For the 2015-16 Academic Year, returning students may select spaces in Garrett, Greene, Fleming, Scott, and College Hill Suites.  Some returning students as part of being in a Living Learning community may have an opportunity to return to Gateway Hall. This is an effort to allow returning students to live in areas with other returning students, the halls selected will have both returning and some new students, but will allow the building to be a true mix, not be an overwhelming number of new students with a few returning students. This limits concerns that some returning students have expressed in the past about living with mostly first year students. The buildings were chosen to offer spaces in each campus residential neighborhood, and a range of room types.

In terms of options- Scott, with the suite arrangement as a great option for returning students.  College Hill Suites with its private bathrooms, common area, and kitchenettes is also a great option for students wanting an apartment style setup while remaining on campus.

In the room selection process there is some priority given to those signing up in roommate pairs- so over the next month, you may want to look for someone you might be interesting in living with for the 2016-17 Academic Year.  We know students who choose each other, based on their experiences on campus – tend to have a better overall experience in their 2nd year- so we encourage residents to sign up with their roommate of choice.

Return housing signup and room selection for most students will be online.   Contracting and room selection for housing for the 2016-17 Academic Year will require payment of a $100 advanced room fee with a credit card.  The $100 advanced room fee will be credited to your 2017 Spring Semester housing charges.

Look for specific information on contracting and room selection dates later in January – being sent to student’s official ECU email address.  If your student is interested in living on campus for the 2016-17 Academic Year, they should not miss this opportunity to contract and select a space in early February.  Students who do not select a space during this process will be placed on a waiting list, and may or may not receive a room assignment.

Hoverboards not permitted in residence halls and other campus buildings

Effective, January 7, 2016, the use, possession, or storage of hoverboards and similar devices, is prohibited in all ECU residence halls.  If a hoverboard is found in a student’s room, it will be confiscated and shipped back home at the student’s expense.
Additionally, these devices are not permitted in ECU Dining facilities, the Mendenhall Student Center, or the Student Recreation Center nor are they permitted on ECU Transit buses, motor coaches and shuttles.
Recent information has revealed that the batteries in hoverboards and similar devices are dangerous and prone to explosion, creating a safety and fire risk. Since the most significant risk of hover board fires occurs during overcharging and operation, it is believed that restricting these devices from residence halls and student-focused facilities where longer charging periods may occur will minimize risk.
All personal transport/mobility devices are prohibited from use inside University buildings.  This is not a new rule.  Personal transport/mobility devices include hoverboards, skateboards, bicycles and similar items.  Wheelchairs and other medically required devices are permitted.