2016-17 Winter Intersession Study Abroad
BIOL 391 South African Summits to Sea: Human and Natural History of KwaZulu-Natal
Primary instructor: James Vonesh Credits: 3 Pre-trip orientation: Monday 12 Dec 2016 Program dates: 27 Dec 2016 - 14 Jan 2017 BIOL Capstone: Study abroad can fill BIOL capstone requirement Class size: up to 18 maximum Eligibility? This program is open to all students, regardless of major, who have at least a 2.0 GPA. Students who apply to the program will be interviewed by the program director prior to approval. An academic letter of reference will be required. This program is open to non-VCU students. Contact Dr. James Vonesh ([email protected]) for information about enrollment.
Summary:
Having climbed the famed “chain ladders route” to the top of the Drakensberg Mountains Amphitheatre you stand alongside the headwaters of the mighty Tugela River as it plunges nearly 1000 meters into Royal Natal National Park far below. Which ocean might a raindrop falling on this high plateau eventually end up in? What animal and plant life might it support on its journey? How have this and other rivers shaped the local culture, regional economy, and world history? These are some of the questions we will explore throughout the remainder of this fast paced, highly mobile, “expedition-style” course traversing the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal from high in the “dragon mountains” on the border of the Kingdom of Lesotho to the freshwater lagoons and marine reserves of Kosi Bay on the border with Mozambique.
Accommodation throughout our journey will be in tented camps or basic ecolodges, students will be expected to work together as a team and to play an active role in camp life chores and meal preparation. Larger distances between focal sites will be traveled by vehicle. However, much of our traveling will be under "human power", including mountain hiking, game tracking on foot, white water rafting, flat water canoeing, and snorkeling. Although no prior experience in these is required, students should be capable of long physical days under the hot South African summer sun. Focal topics of study include, but are not limited to: river ecology; water resource management, wildlife biology, native plant communities, invasive species management, and how rivers have shaped the interactions between Zulu- Anglo-Boer cultures. Highlights of our itinerary include: Exploring the source and headwaters of the Tugela River in the Drakensburg Mountains, multi-day whitewater rafting to study the ecology of the upper Tugela, retracing the footsteps of British soldiers retreating across the Buffalo River after their dramatic defeat by the Zulus at Isandlwana, three days of “boots-on-the ground” large mammal wildlife ecology at Somkhanda Game Reserve (e.g., radio tracking rhino), multi-day canoeing down the Pongola River to compare its ecology with that of the differently managed Tugela, game drives in Tembe Elephant Park amongst the last free roaming and largest elephants in South African and other “Big Five” game, learning about indigenous fishing in the freshwater lagoons of Kosi Bay, and snorkeling in the marine protected area off Kosi Mouth. Parts of our journey (Tembe and Kosi Bay) fall within “low risk” malaria zones, prophylaxis is recommended.
Program cost: $2,400 + airfare + tuition
The program fee is $2,200 and includes the following:
Pick-up and drop-off at the O.R. Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa
All accommodation (tented camps)
All meals (but 1)
All transport (e.g., vehicle, raft and canoe equipment rental, boat launch)
All South African guides and guest lectures
On-site Program Director support
Pre-departure orientation
International Student Identity Card
VCU administrative fees
Application deposit
The following are not included in the program fee. Students are responsible for:
Airfare
VCU tuition and fees
Passport application or renewal fee, if applicable
Personal expenses during the program estimated at $100
Personal equipment (e.g., hiking boots/shoes; day pack; sleeping bag, field clothing, anti- malarial prophylaxis)
Airfare: Estimated $1500
Participants will book their own flights. Return flights from Washington, DC to Johannesburg, South Africa for December 2016 January 2017 cost an estimated $1,000 - 1,500 (Based on price search in May 2016).
Course Structure & Itinerary Pre-trip orientation: Monday 12 Dec 2016. 2 hours. Time and location: TBD. Preparation and orientation for course will be discussed. Pretrip reading assignment handed out. Online Exam of these readings should be completed prior to departure.
The course focuses on major river watersheds of the KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa, specifically the Tugela, Buffalo, & Pongola rivers, to explore the relationships between water resources, biodiversity and human history as we travel from the peaks of the Drakensburg Mountains to the marine protected areas of Kosi Bay. The course takes a traveling "expedition-like" approach, immersing students in the landscape. Although large distances between focus sites will be covered using vehicles, much of our traveling will be under "human power", including hiking, rafting, and canoeing. Accommodations are primarily in tents, students are expected to play an active role in camp life.
"African Insights" will meet the course in Johannesburg. From there we travel by vehicle to our first camp, Witsieshoek Mountain Lodge, perched on the ridge overlooking the famous Drakensburg Amphitheater. Witsieshoek is near Phuthaditjhaba, capital of the former apartheid era "homeland" QwaQwa of the Bashoto people. From here we will hike to the top of the Drakensburg escarpment via the "chain ladders" route and walk along the top of the Amphitheater to the headwaters of the the Tugela River and the where the river plunges over the escarpment at Tugela Falls - one of the highest in the world. What is the fate of a raindrop that falls on this high plateau? What animal and plant life might it support on its journey? How has this flowing water shaped the course of human history? In what ways does modern society rely on this natural resources? These are some of the questions that originate from this place that frame our journey. With the stage now set, we spend the next week exploring the human and natural history of the upper Tugela River.
First we visit sites on the Drakensberg Pumped Storage Scheme and discuss the benefits and challenges associated with interbasin water transfer systems. Once rain falling above Tugela Falls would have ended its journey to the sea in the Indian Ocean. Now, through a series of dams and shunts, water from the Tugela watershed may end up in watersheds that drain into the Atlantic on the opposite coast of South Africa. Here we will explore questions such as: How has society benefited from being able to control water in this manner in terms of irrigation and hydropower? What environmental challenges have been created by connecting watersheds that we not historically connected? What are the political consequences of inter-provincial water transfer in a relatively water poor country? How is climate expected to change in this region and how could such change impact these issues?
Next we explore Royal Natal National Park. We will hike along the Tugela River in the amphitheater to the base of the Falls, looking up hundreds of meters to where we stood a couple of days earlier. Here we will study the ecology of the upper Tugela focusing on macroinvertebrates as indicators of stream health, native fish communities of the Drakensburg escarpment, and the impacts of non-native fish introductions by Europeans. The introduction and management of trout in these streams is a hot button issue in South Africa, trout support recreational fishing but also impact native stream biodiversity. This is a great issue with which to explore the multidimensional challenges associated with managing non- native species in freshwater systems.
We then travel to downstream on the Tugela to the small town of Colenso where we rendezvous with Zingela Safari and River Company. The Tugela River formed the frontier between Zulu, English and Boer cultures in eastern South Africa and has played a key role in the struggle for regional power. The Battle of Colenso of the second Boer War in 1899 provides an excellent example of this, where difficulty in crossing the river was instrumental in the British defeat. The evening at Colenso we will camp next to the river on a private farm, and will also have the opportunity to meet the farmer and talk with him about the degree to which commercial agriculture in this regions relies irrigation water from the river and how interbasin water transfer schemes current and future might impact his livelihood. An emerging issue is the possibility of a large coal-fired power plant in the area, and we will discuss the possible trade-offs associated with such development as well.
The next two days are spent traveling down the Tugela River from Colenso to Zingela Game Reserve by raft. We will camp one night on the riverside before arriving at Zingela's camp. This section involves exciting class III-IV whitewater and an opportunity to continue our study of the river's ecology and water quality guided by Dr. Peter Calverley who grew up at Zingela and went on to get his PhD in Zoology from VCU's partner University, UKZN. Zingela is a private game reserve, and in addition to running a rafting company, the Calverley family manage their land for wildlife, and giraffes, kudu and other antelope are abundant. While at Zingela we can see the legacy of past land use, from ancient iron smelting sites to impacts of past over-farming and discuss how the Calverley's families efforts to restore riparian habitats.
At this point in the trip we leave the Tugela watershed traveling deeper into Zululand to connect to other rivers on our journey to the sea. En route we will visit Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift Battlefield Parks. Battle of Isandlwana in 1879 was the first major encounter in the Anglo–Zulu War between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom. The British Army suffered its worst defeat against an indigenous army armed with basic weaponry. The subsequent battle at Rorke's Drift, in which a small garrison of British troops successfully defended the mission against a much larger Zulu force is one of the most famous in British military history. One of the challenges that faced the British soldiers retreating to Rorke's Drift from Isandlwana was the Buffalo River, a tributary of the Tugela, which was then in flood. Many soldiers and horses were lost trying to make this crossing. Following the "Fugitive's trail" we will retrace the steps of the fleeing British from Isandlwana to Rorke's Drift.
We next spend three days at African Insight's base at Somkhanda Game Reserve focusing on the terrestrial biome surrounding these rivers. When the Gumbi Tribe won a successful land claim over a substantial tract of prime Zululand bushveld, the result was the consolidation of a number of privately owned game and hunting ranches into a 12,000ha continuous Somkhanda Game Reserve. Currently the Reserve has white and black rhino, leopard, hyena, African wild dog and a comprehensive range of all the common ungulates and smaller predators that historically occurred in this region. African Insights has developed a curriculum and has trained staff/guides to take advantage of this unique situation affords the opportunity for students to track animals in their natural surroundings using radio tracking telemetry, learn various ecological and conservation principles and techniques and to be involved in variety of wildlife and vegetation monitoring programs. Students will rotate daily between different projects accompanied by experienced facilitators on each project. Generally projects include theoretical discussion, practical field data collection, data-management or specimens are prepared for preservation, and and data analysis. All research and monitoring contributes to the Reserve’s baseline data collection as well as assist ongoing conservation and biodiversity management of the Reserve.
Armed with more intimate knowledge of terrestrial wildlife and flora our journey returns to the river, now the Pongola River. This Pongola has also been dammed, but for a different motivation than the Tugela and perhaps with different consequences for the ecology of the river downstream of the dam. Launch tours of the reservoir formed by the dam usually offers opportunities of seeing a wide variety of water birds, crocodile, hippo and perhaps elephant. During which there will be a discussion on the ecology of Jozini Dam and the consequential effects of damming a major river and the environmental, economic and social impacts. After the launch cruise , we transfer to Zingela/Pongola River Company’s put-in location on the river downstream from the dam and spend a couple of hours kayaking to get to their camp situated on the river banks. The next day we continue paddling down river and sleep along its banks. During both days we revisit issues and sampling conducted along the Tugela and compare with our findings on the Pongola.
Leaving the Pongola River behind, the group meets up African Insight again for a short transfer to Tembe Elephant Park, home to the last and largest free roaming elephants in South Africa, the other "Big Five" - lions, leopards, rhinoceros, Cape buffalo, the suni - Africa's smallest antelope, and >300 species of birds. Here we transfer to open safari vehicles and head through the park to our overnight accommodations. We stay in the park for two nights and spend the days in exploring aspects of the unique Sand Forest ecosystem, ecology and biology of the various wildlife see encounter.
Finally, we reach the freshwater lagoons and the sea at Kosi Bay. Kosi Bay is situated in the far North Eastern corner of KwaZulu-Natal – on the border between South Africa and Mozambique. It forms part of the Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park - the first natural World Heritage Site in South Africa to be accorded this distinction. Kosi Bay epitomizes the incredible splendor of untouched Africa at its most pristine, as are its people, resources, ecology and culture. Kosi Bay system comprises 4 lakes ranging saline that feed into the ocean. Ancient fishing kraals (traps) erected from local materials and tendered by the resourceful Tonga people still exist in the protected area. Kosi Bay has been described as "a wonderful aquarium and the most gorgeous aviary.” The crystal clear, warm water offers tranquil swimming and snorkeling on coral reefs. The program for this section will be largely determined by the tides, but will include: presentations on the ecology of the Kosi lakes and estuarine system and on the history and social economic factors influencing this region ; a hike to the mouth and visit to the traditional fish traps with a local fisherman; snorkeling; and a night walk on the beach at low tide to try and see leatherback sea turtles, the largest of the sea turtles, nesting.
The last day African Insights transports us back to Johannesburg to connect with an evening flight home (flight must be after 19h00).
Assessment:
Students will be required to attend pre-departure orientation where they will be assigned a pre-trip reading packet to be studied prior to departure. Students will complete an online exam on these readings prior to departure. Students will keep a journal during our time in South Africa, reflecting on what you’re seeing, how it relates to course materials, and what effects it has on your understanding and attitude toward South Africa. Students will also complete practical assessments (e.g., animal and plant identification and natural history) on i.aquatic ecology and ii. terrestrial ecology during the course time, as well as a perspective paper after travel to South Africa is completed. Grades will be assigned as follows: pre-trip exam (20%), natural history practicals (20% ea), journal/participation (20%), final perspective paper (20%). The paper will be 7-10 pages in length, and be on an approved topic related to evolutionary ecology or history and culture in South Africa.
Route map:
Readings & Resources list (selections from):
A Brief History of South Africa - http://www.southafrica.info/about/history/history.htm#.VzsJ__l94dU
Freshwater Life: A field guide to the plants and animals of southern Africa. 2016. Charles Griffiths & Jenny Day. Penguin Random House South Africa. 367 pages. ISBN-10: 1775841022
Signs of the Wild: A Field Guide to the Spoor & Signs of the Mammals of Souther Africa. 2015.Clive Walker. Penguin Random House South Africa; 5th edition. 216 pages. ISBN-10: 1868258963
Dams, Displacement and the Delusion of Development: Cahora Bassa and Its Legacies in Mozambique, 1965 - 2007 (New African Histories). 2013. Allen F. Isaacman & Barbara S. Isaacman Ohio University Press; 1 edition. 324 pages. ISBN-10: 082142033X
Zulu Rising: The Epic Story of iSandlwana and Rorke's Drift. 2011. Ian Knight.Pan Macmillan; Reprint edition. 720 pages. ISBN-10: 0330445936
Vegetation of Southern Africa 1997. R. M. Cowling, D. M. Richardson, S. M. Pierce. Cambridge University Press. ISBN-10: 0521571421
Sasol Birds of Southern Africa IV. 2011. Ian Sinclair; Phil Hockey; Peter Ryan; Warwick Tarboton. 464 pages. http://www.sasolbirds.co.za/ ISBN 9781770079250
The Kingdon Field Guide to African Mammals New Ed Edition 2003. Jonathan Kingdon. A & C Black Publishers Ltd; New Ed edition. 496 pages. ISBN-10: 0713665130 The Safari Companion: A Guide to Watching African Mammals. 1999. Richard D. Estes. Chelsea Green Publishing; Revised and expanded edition edition. 459 pages. ISBN-10: 1890132446
Potgieter et al (in review) The trophic ecology and impacts of invasive brown trout (Salmo trutta) in the Drakensberg Mountains, South Africa. African Journal of Aquatic Science. Xx:xxx
Cox, I. 2013. Is this the end of freshwater fishing?Farmer’s Weekly 20 September 2013: 8-9
Schneider, K. 16 MAY 2016. As Drought Grips South Africa, A Conflict Over Water and Coal. Yale Environment 360, http://e360.yale.edu/feature/south_africa_drought_coal_renewables/2994/
Boccaletti, G., M. Stuchtey, & M. van Olst. 2010. Confronting South Africa’s water challenge. http://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/sustainability-and-resource-productivity/our- insights/confronting-south-africas-water-challenge
Warne, K. 2014. Centuries-Old Fishery at Risk in a South African Marine Park - As the number of fish traps in Kosi Bay increases and commercial interests intrude, fish populations are in jeopardy. NOVEMBER 16, 2014 National Geographic. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/11/141114-kosi-bay-south-africa-fish-traps/
Kyle, R..2013. Thirty years of monitoring traditional fish trap catches at Kosi Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, and management implications, African Journal of Marine Science, 35:1, 67-78, DOI:
VanVuuren. 2013. Together we can do more – environmental consciousness in the South African dam construction sector (1945-1980). The Journal for Transdisciplinary Research in Southern Africa, 9(1) July 2013, pp. 51-80.
Watching (selections from):
Zulu (1964) - Directed by Cy Endfield
Zulu Dawn (1979) - Directed by Douglas Hickox
The Road to Isandlwana (Part 1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFxoBXzqcQU
The Washing of the Spears (Part 2) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFSC32SKmgE
Twilight of the Zulus (Part 3) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1Ichj1tNCQ
The Boer War 1899 - 1902: Part 1 of 4 - https://youtu.be/JxeNhk1V-sg
The Boer War 1899 - 1902: Part 2 of 4- https://youtu.be/cDHCZIa0Bu8
The Boer War 1899 - 1902: Part 3 of 4 - https://youtu.be/5ExnAZa49HQ
The Boer War 1899 - 1902: Part 3 of 4 - https://youtu.be/1b6ZctD-Bzs
Related web links:
African Insights - http://www.africaninsight.co.za/ African Insights Wildlife Zululand Wildlife Research Field Trip (elements of this curriculum have been integrated into our course) - http://www.africaninsight.co.za/module-6.html
Zingela Safari & Rafting - http://www.zingelasafaris.co.za/
Witsiehoek Mountain Lodge - http://www.witsieshoek.co.za/
Drakensburg Chain ladder route - http://www.witsieshoek.co.za/activities/hiking-trails/chain-ladder-via- sentinel
Tugela Gorge to Amphitheatre Hike - http://www.witsieshoek.co.za/activities/hiking-trails/gorge
Sungubala Eco camp - http://www.sungubala.co.za/
Fugative’s Trail, Isandlwana to Rorke’s Drift Battlefields - http://www.walkopedia.net/walks/display- walk.asp?WalkID=71
Somkanda Game Reserve - http://www.africaninsight.co.za/somkhanda-game-reserve.html
Pongola River Company - http://pongolarivercompany.blogspot.co.za/
Tembe Elephant Park - http://tembe.co.za/
Utshwayelo Lodge and Camp - http://www.kosimouth.co.za/
Program director biosketch:
Dr. James Vonesh is an Associate Professor of Biology at Virginia Commonwealth University. James spent his youth between the highlands of Papua New Guinea and the cornfields of Illinois. He received his BS from Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, Florida, and MS and PhD in Zoology from the University of Florida. He conducted postdoctoral research at Boston University and Washington University in St. Louis before joining the VCU faculty in 2007. An ecologist and conservation biologist and author of more than 40 scientific publications, much of his research focuses on linkages between aquatic and terrestrial habitats. He has conducted research in the United States, East and Southern Africa, and Central America. He is an editor for scientific journals “Freshwater Science” and “Conservation Biology”. James teaches “Vertebrate Natural History”, “Community Ecology”, “Toads, Nodes, and Roads - a distributed undergraduate research course in amphibian landscape ecology”, and “Developing a successful research proposal”, and “Footprints on the James: the human and natural history of the James River. He is also guest instructor for the European Union’s Tropical Biology Association field courses in Tanzania and Madagascar. James has spent the last year and a half as a Fulbright Fellowship based in South Africa.
Required VCU Syllabus statements
Campus emergency information What to know and do to be prepared for emergencies at VCU: • Sign up to receive VCU text messaging alerts. Keep your information up-to-date. Within the classroom, the professor will keep his or her phone on to receive any emergency transmissions. • Know the safe evacuation route from each of your classrooms. Emergency evacuation routes are posted in on-campus classrooms. • Listen for and follow instructions from VCU or other designated authorities. Within the classroom, follow your professor's instructions. • Know where to go for additional emergency information. • Know the emergency phone number for the VCU Police (828-1234). • Report suspicious activities and objects. • Keep your permanent address and emergency contact information current in eServices.
Class registration required for attendance Students may attend only those classes for which they have registered. Faculty may not add students to class rosters or Blackboard. Therefore, if students are attending a class for which they have not registered, they must stop attending.
Honor System: upholding academic integrity The VCU Honor System policy describes the responsibilities of students, faculty and administration in upholding academic integrity, while at the same time respecting the rights of individuals to the due process offered by administrative hearings and appeals. According to this policy, "Members of the academic community are required to conduct themselves in accordance with the highest standards of academic honesty and integrity." In addition, "All members of the VCU community are presumed to have an understanding of the VCU Honor System and are required to: • Agree to be bound by the Honor System policy and its procedures; • Report suspicion or knowledge of possible violations of the Honor System; • Support an environment that reflects a commitment to academic integrity; • Answer truthfully when called upon to do so regarding Honor System cases; • Maintain confidentiality regarding specific information in Honor System cases." More information can be found at in the VCU policy library under the Education and Student Life tab. Important dates You can view important dates for the semester in the academic calendar.
Military short-term training or deployment If military students receive orders for short-term training or for deployment/mobilization, they should inform and present their orders to Military Student Services and to their professor(s). For further information on policies and procedures contact Military Student Services at 828-5993 or access the corresponding policies.
Student conduct in the course According to the Faculty Guide to Student Conduct in Instructional Settings, "The university is a community of learners. Students, as well as faculty, have a responsibility for creating and maintaining an environment that supports effective instruction. In order for faculty members (including graduate teaching assistants) to provide and students to receive effective instruction in classrooms, laboratories, studios, online courses, and other learning areas, the university expects students to conduct themselves in an orderly and cooperative manner." Among other things, cell phones should be turned off while in the classroom. The Student Code of Conduct also prohibits the possession of or carrying of any weapon. For more information see http://register.dls.virginia.gov/details.aspx?id=3436.
Mandatory responsibility of faculty members to report incidents of sexual misconduct It is important for students to know that all faculty members are mandated reporters of any incidents of sexual misconduct/violence (e.g., sexual assault, sexual exploitation and partner or relationship violence). This means that faculty cannot keep information about sexual misconduct/violence confidential if you share that information with them and they must report this information immediately to the university's Title IX Coordinator. In addition, department chairs, deans, and other unit administrators are required to report incidents of sex or gender-based discrimination to the university's Title IX Coordinator. Confidential reporting sources include staff in Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence at the Wellness Resource Center, University Counseling Services and University Student Health Services. The Policy on Sexual Misconduct/Violence and Sex/Gender Discrimination - Interim, can be found in the VCU Policy Library.
Student email policy Email is considered an official method for communication at VCU because it delivers information in a convenient, timely, cost-effective, and environmentally aware manner. Students are expected to check their official VCU email on a frequent and consistent basis in order to remain informed of university- related communications. The university recommends checking email daily. Students are responsible for the consequences of not reading, in a timely fashion, university-related communications sent to their official VCU student email account. This policy ensures that all students have access to this important form of communication. It ensures students can be reached through a standardized channel by faculty and other staff of the university as needed. Mail sent to the VCU email address may include notification of university-related actions, including disciplinary action. Please read the policy in its entirety at the VCU Policy Library under the Education and Student Life tab.
Student financial responsibility Students assume the responsibility of full payment of tuition and fees generated from their registration and all charges for housing and dining services, and other applicable miscellaneous charges. Students are ultimately responsible for any unpaid balance on their account as a result of the University Financial Aid Office or their third party sponsor canceling or reducing their award(s).
Students representing the university – excused absences Students who represent the university (athletes and others) do not choose their schedules. Student athletes are required to attend games and/or meets. All student athletes should provide their schedules to their instructors at the beginning of the semester. The Intercollegiate Athletic Council strongly encourages faculty to treat missed classes or exams (because of a scheduling conflict) as excused absences and urges faculty to work with the students to make up the work or exam.
Students with disabilities Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, require that VCU provide "academic adjustments" or "reasonable accommodations" to any student who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity. To receive accommodations, students must register with the Disability Support Services Office on the Monroe Park Campus (828-2253) or the Division for Academic Success on the MCV campus (828-9782). Please also visit the Disability Support Services website and/or the Division for Academic Success website for additional information. Once students have completed the DSS registration process, they should schedule a meeting with their instructor (s) and provide their instructor (s) with an official DSS accommodation letter. Accommodation letters will outline the required classroom accommodations. Additionally, if coursework requires the student to work in a lab environment, the student should advise the instructor or a department chairperson of any concerns that the student may have regarding safety issues related to a disability. Students should follow this procedure for all courses in the academic semester.
VCU Mobile The VCU Mobile application is a valuable tool to get the latest VCU information on the go. The application contains helpful information including the VCU directory, events, course schedules, campus maps, athletics and general VCU news, emergency information, library resources, Blackboard and more. To download the application on your smart phone or for more information, please visit http://m.vcu.edu.
Withdrawal from classes Before withdrawing from classes, students should consult their instructor as well as other appropriate university offices. Withdrawing from classes may negatively impact a student’s financial aid award and his or her semester charges. To discuss financial aid and the student bill, visit the Student Services Center at 1015 Floyd Avenue (Harris Hall) and/or contact your financial aid counselor regarding the impact on your financial aid.