Family Connections: November 2022

BRINGING TOGETHER COLONIAL PARENTS, FAMILIES, AND STUDENTS

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REGISTERING FOR SPRING 2023 SEMESTER COURSES

Registration for the Spring 2023 semester is open!  The Center for Student Success can help your student identify appropriate classes, and register for them, and understand registration holds preventing them from being able to register. After consulting with their faculty advisors, if your student still needs assistance or is thinking about not registering for the upcoming semester, encourage them to schedule an appointment with their Success Coach. They can do that by scheduling an appointment, or by using the Colonial Navigate App.

Schedule An Appointment With Success Coach

FALL 2022 COVID-19 READY PLAN

As a reminder, RMU’s Fall 2022 COVID-19 Ready Plan is available on our website at rmu.edu/coronavirus.  The university’s protocols and requirements are subject to change based on conditions in our community and the guidance from the CDC, Pennsylvania Department of Health, Allegheny County Health Department, and our UPMC medical experts. Please reach out to the Dean of Students Office via email at studentlife@rmu.edu if you have any questions or need assistance.

Students are strongly encouraged to take a COVID-19 home test or seek medical care prior to returning to campus after the Thanksgiving Break if they are experiencing any signs/symptoms of COVID-19 or have been in contact with anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19.  Students should report any positive COVID-19 test results and/or COVID-19 exposures to our MyHealth@School Center by contacting the office by phone at 412-397-6220 so as to be advised on current university protocols.

Students are reminded to share their vaccination status with the MyHealth@School Center.  If your student has not already done so, please ask him/her to visit rmu.edu/vaccineinfo to complete and submit a form confirming his/her vaccination status. Wait to submit the immunization information until he/she has received the final dose -- the second if receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or Novavax immunization or the single dose if receiving the Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen immunization. This form should also be used to provide booster dose information that may have not yet been provided to the university. 

The university will communicate any COVID-19 related updates to all students ahead of the start of the Spring 2023 semester.

BECOME A COMMUNITY ADVISOR FOR 2022 - 2023

Although we’re still in fall semester, it’s already time to start thinking about next year. The Office of Residence Life is excited to announce an opportunity to become a Community Advisor for the 2023-2024 academic year.

One of the best ways to gain leadership skills and impact future professional goals is by becoming a Community Advisor or CA. The Office of Residence Life sees the Community Advisor position as a year long internship in leadership, where an undergraduate student is entrusted to live alongside his or her peers and build that collection of individuals into a tight-knit community within the confines of a single academic year. The role of a Community Advisor is to create opportunities for residents to be involved and integrated into the floor, residence hall, and the campus community. Encourage your student to apply today. Applications will be available on Thursday, October 27, 2022. Questions can be directed to darden@rmu.edu.

RMU CARE PACKAGE PROGRAM

RMU Care Package

The Office of Residence Life created the Care Package Program to assist parents and guardians to stay connected with their students while away at school. The proceeds for the Care Package Program go towards funding events and programs for on-campus students. The 2022-23 remaining care packages include:

  • RISE & SHINE
  • LIFE IS UN"BEAR"ABLE WITHOUT YOU
  • I'M SO "LUCKY" TO HAVE YOU
  • "ORANGE" YOU GLAD IT'S ALMOST SUMMER

Questions can be directed to reslife@rmu.edu.

RMU Care Package

SOLVING ROOMMATE CONFLICTS

Are things not going as planned with your student’s roommate(s)?  Students sometimes have conflicts with their roommates that they find difficult to navigate. This may be the first time they are sharing space with another person. How can you help?

Help With Your Student's Roommate Conflict

END OF THE SEMESTER RESIDENCE LIFE REMINDERS

Graduates:
We are so excited to see your student accomplish their goal in completing their degree! They can send a quick email to reslife@rmu.edu and let us know that they are graduating and will not be living on campus for the spring semester.

Changes to Housing Status:
If your student would like to make a change to their housing assignment or room, or is planning not to live on campus in the spring, they can send a quick email to reslife@rmu.edu.

Want to move onto campus for Spring 2023?:
Visit rmu.edu/reslife to fill out a Housing Contract

WINTER HOLIDAY BREAK IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER

Residential students are able to stay on campus until 24 hours after their last final exam of the fall semester. Final exams are scheduled for Tuesday, December 13 through Saturday, December 17. Asking your student when their last final is scheduled will help you plan for when they are expected to depart campus and return home. If your student will need to stay on campus over the break, even for a few days past their last final exam, direct them to fill out the Winter Break Registration Form Here.

FILE YOUR FAFSA

The 2023-24 FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) opened on October 1. Please be sure to file at your earliest convenience so that next year's financial aid determinations can be made. The FAFSA is necessary for most forms of financial aid, including federal and state grants, federal student loans, work study, and many forms of RMU institutional aid.

It’s important for PA residents to file prior to May 1, 2023, which is the deadline for state grant consideration. Visit STUDENTAID.GOV to initiate the process. If you need assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to the Financial Aid Office directly.

CAREER AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER RESOURCES

The Career and Professional Development Center (CPDC) is committed to assisting students in the successful realization of rewarding careers through a continuous circle of engagement among students, alumni, and employers. The CPDC utilizes HANDSHAKE (joinhandshake.com) as the primary online system to engage our students with top employers. Handshake allows students to upload résumés, attend career fairs, participate in workshops and events, and ultimately find internships and employment.

The RMU SPRING CAREER FAIR will be held on Wednesday, March 15, 2023, 1-4pm, at the UPMC Events Center, 4th floor. All students from freshmen to seniors are highly encouraged to attend. 

The Career Center also facilitates the ACADEMIC INTERNSHIP PROGRAM. Internships are an excellent way to gain valuable work experience and make a résumé stand out to future employers. For more information about the Career and Professional Development Center, Handshake, the Academic Internship Program, and other professional development opportunities, please email us at careercenter@rmu.edu.

FIRSTHAND is a comprehensive career resource that includes an online career library; career articles, blogs and videos; sample résumés and cover letters; industry and profession overviews; and rankings and profiles for employers and internship programs. Firsthand is available to RMU students at no cost via the Center for Student Success website.

BIG INTERVIEW is an online system that combines training and practice to help students improve interview technique and build their confidence.  The system offers written and video curriculum covering interviewing as well as resume writing, the job search, negotiation, and planning for the first 90 days on the job.  It also includes a mock interview practice and recording tool and a mechanism for sharing videos for feedback.  Big Interview is available to RMU students at no cost via the Center for Student Success website.

IS YOUR STUDENT’S RESUME’ UP-TO-DATE?

Opportunities for part-time, internship, or full-time positions can sometimes present themselves at unexpected times, so it is important for students to keep their résumés updated and employer-ready. The end of the semester is a great time to remind your student to update their résumé with any new work experiences, skills, academic projects, campus or community involvement, etc. Students are always welcome to consult with their Success Coach in the CSS to discuss their résumé.

RMU TUTORING CENTER SERVICES

Tutoring at RMU is free.  In-person drop-in tutoring is offered in-person Monday through Thursday from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm in Nicholson Center 277.   In-person one-on-one peer tutoring sessions are offered for entry level undergraduate courses.  Virtual sessions are available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, through our partnership with Brainfuse professional tutors.  Tutoring helps students stay on top of the material they are learning and helps to clarify information learned in the classroom. Students can find the tutoring schedule in the announcements section of their Blackboard account as Virtual Tutoring 2022.  Visit rmu.edu/tutoring for more information and a complete listing of peer tutor sessions and courses.

COUNSELING CENTER RESOURCES

The Robert Morris University Counseling Center is a valuable resource to help students navigate the unique challenges and everyday stressors of college life. Our staff is passionate about serving the mental health needs of our students, empowering them to be resilient individuals who develop successful strategies for leading a meaningful and fulfilling life.

Our staff continues to provide a hybrid model of teletherapy and in-person services including initial consultation sessions, short-term individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, drug and alcohol education, referrals to local mental health professionals, referrals for substance abuse screening/treatment, self-help information, and mental health outreach and educational programming. In the event that a member of the university community has a concern about the well-being of a student, consultation appointments are available with our clinical staff. Students living on campus also have access to the counselor-in-residence, a mental health counselor conveniently located in the Residence Life office. RMU Counseling Center services are provided free of charge on a case-by-case basis to currently enrolled students. Please see our scope of practice for more information and eligibility requirements.

Thanks to a generous grant from the Citrone 33 Foundation, the counseling center continues to engage students with high-quality mental health outreach programming. Our events continue to draw big crowds, with students enjoying popular treats and entertainment while learning about suicide prevention, drug and alcohol awareness, sexual assault prevention, and a variety of general mental health and wellness topics. Stay tuned to our social media platforms for news about exciting upcoming events. Additionally, in November, we will be offering a campus-wide mental health screening day!

To learn more about the work we do in supporting the mental health and well-being of our students, please visit our website - rmu.edu/counseling.

OFFICE SPOTLIGHT: CENTER FOR GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT

The Center for Global Engagement advises students who wish to participate in a short-term, semester, or summer study abroad program for credit. Faculty-Led Education Abroad Programs (FLEAPs) are three-credit RMU courses that students register for in spring and then travel abroad with RMU faculty over spring break or in early May. The deadline to apply for one of the nine programs is December 9. Application information can be found on the FLEAP website.

The CGE also works with international students at RMU. Please note, all international students must get their I-20 Immigration document signed by a CGE staff member before they leave the country during any school breaks.

Visit us online at rmu.edu/cge to learn more.

OFFICE OF SCHOLAR DEVELOPMENT

Is your student considering graduate school? It is never too soon to contact the Office of Scholar Development. We help students apply for undergraduate and graduate fellowships for study and research in the U.S. and abroad. Fulbright, NSF GRFP, Rotary, CLS, and Gilman are some of the many awards available to RMU students. A one-credit course is also offered to help students explore awards and plan their applications.

Visit www.rmu.edu/academics/provost/scholar-development or contact michalenkoj@rmu.edu for information.

MILITARY, VETERAN AND MILITARY FAMILY STUDENTS

The Center for Veteran and Military Families (CVMF) is dedicated to helping military connected students and their families by providing support and resources throughout their educational journeys at RMU. Our 5,000-square-foot facility on the first floor of the Jefferson Center has a computer lab with free printing, quiet study areas, a conference room, kitchenette, and more. Whether using VA/DOD educational benefits or not, all military affiliated students are welcome and encouraged to utilize the CVMF.

Please visit rmu.edu/military for more information. The CVMF is also proud to be the only school in Allegheny County currently offering the VITAL (Veterans Integration To Academic Leadership) program to student veterans. VITAL supports student veterans by providing access to VA healthcare services, on-campus mental health care, and outreach to the campus community. Visit VITAL’s webpage for more information: rmu.edu/military/vital.

DINING SERVICES UPDATE

As we approach the upcoming holiday, PNC Café in Nicholson Center will close Friday, November 18 at 2:00 pm and reopen to all students on Sunday, November 27 at 5:00 pm.  The final day to utilize the board plan for the Fall 2022 semester will be Friday, December 16 at 2:00 pm.  RoMo’s Café will remain open to all students until Friday December 23.  The board plan will reopen to students for the Spring 2023 semester on Friday, January 6, 2023.  For more information in regard to Dining Services, please visit www.rmu.edu/dining

HOLIDAY HOURS FOR THE RMU STUDENT MAILROOM

The RMU Student Mailroom will be closed Thursday, November 24 & Friday November 25 for the Thanksgiving holiday.  Packages received by Wednesday, November 23 will be distributed and available for pickup during normal business hours.  The Student Mailroom will also close on Friday, December 16 for the Winter Break.  For more information regarding hours of operation and available services, please visit www.rmu.edu/StudentMail

RMU ID CARD OFFICE

Those who wish to load additional funds (Dining Dollars & Colonial Cash) to their student’s ID  ID Card can do so by visiting rmu.edu/eAccounts. To make a deposit, your student can log in with his/her RMU ID or you can make a guest deposit by providing the student's RMU email address. Additional funds can be purchased via credit/debit card and are available immediately.

ADDITIONAL CAMPUS RESOURCES

EMERGENCY RESOURCES

24 HOURS A DAY

University Police
publicsafety@rmu.edu
412-397-2424
All safety-related concerns.

Colonial Central
colonialcentral@rmu.edu
412-397-4343
Maintenance service requests for residence halls and campus-wide concerns.

UPCOMING EVENTS

November

21 - 25    Thanksgiving Holiday (Note - 15 week courses that are scheduled for Monday ONLY, as well as Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday 8-week courses, will meet.)

December

1    Holiday Tree Lighting,  5:30 p.m. - Gazebo
10    Winterfest, Noon - PNC Colonial Cafe
12 - 16    Final Examinations according to published schedule
13    Final Exams Breakfast After Dark - 8-10 p.m. at PNC Colonial Cafe
16    Meal Plan ends for Fall 2022 semester
23     University Closed for Winter Break.  Offices reopen Tuesday, January 3

January

6    Meal Plan opens for Spring 2023 semester
9    First class for first 8-week on-ground session and 15-week courses.
16    No Classes. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.
23    Final Day to Apply for Spring 2023 Graduation

RMU BASKETBALL IS BACK!

Join us at the UPMC Events Center as your Men’s & Women’s Basketball teams tip-off the 2022 - 23 season.  Student tickets are always FREE, but we have transitioned to digital tickets.  Download the RMU Gameday App to reserve your seats for every home game.  Visit rmucolonials.com for access to the complete schedule and all things RMU Athletics.

Colonials Club Sports game schedules and other information is at rmuclubsports.com.

Students can view a campus-wide calendar of upcoming events at revolution.rmu.edu.

Visit rmu.edu/academiccalendar for the complete academic calendar for the 2022-23 academic year.