2017-2018 New Jaguar Handbook New Student and Family Orientation 1 ACADEMIC CALENDAR August 12 – Freshman Jaguar Move-In Day August 12 – ROAR Camp Begins (5 p.m.) August 13 – Transfer and Continuing Student Move-In Day August 15 – Freshman Convocation August 16 – Fall 2017 Classes Begin September 4 – Labor Day (No Classes) October 12 & 13 – Student Fall Pause (No Classes) October 23 – Spring 2018 Registration Begins November 22 – 24 – Thanksgiving Holiday (No Classes) December 7 – Student Reading Day (No Classes) December2017 8 – 14 – Final Exams December 15 – Commencement January 3 – Registration January 4 – Spring 2018 Classes Begin January 15 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day Holiday (No Classes) March 8 & 9 – Spring Pause (No Classes) March 12 – Summer 2018 Registration Begins March 12 – Fall 2018 Registration Begins April 2 – 6 – Spring Break (No Classes) May 1 – Student Reading Day (No Classes) May 2 – 8 – Final Exams May 11 – Commencement 2018 2 Welcome from Student Life Welcome to Augusta University! We are excited to have new students and family members on campus! We know that the first couple of weeks on campus can be overwhelming. We hope that learning more about our campus resources and Jaguar Nation helps relieve some of those anxieties! One of the best ways to balance the academic rigor of Augusta University is to get involved! The campus offers a multitude of options. Some of what the Office of Student Life and Engagement offers: • The Jaguar Production Crew hosts different campus activities across Health Sciences and Summerville. We are always looking for volunteers! • Freshman Council within the Student Government Association is a great way for freshmen to get involved in being the voice of the student body and is focused on increasing the leadership capabilities and Jaguar spirit on campus. • Over 150 student organizations that are student- led! Looking for someone to play video games with, learning more about the African culture or even attending a student-led devotional? Check out our student organizations! • Interested in joining centuries-old organizations with a leadership development and community approach, check out our Greek Life organizations. We hope that you will take a moment during Orientation to ask someone about getting involved on campus. Lastly, we hope all of you will join us in August for our Weeks of Welcome featuring activities across both campuses. Go Jags! Joe Pierce Director of Student Engagement 3 What to expect from Jaguar Nation Welcome! The mission of New Student Orientation at Augusta University is to facilitate a positive transition into the Augusta University community. By participating fully in orientation, students and their families will have an opportunity to connect with campus resources while learning the culture of Augusta University and Jaguar Nation. We strive for every student and family member to leave confident in making the first steps toward a successful transition into the Augusta University community. Parents will learn how to guide their student through the college experience, utilize resources to enhance the educational journey, and troubleshoot challenges common during the first year of college. Students will learn the skills needed to get the most out of the college experience. They will also meet campus administrators, professors and student leaders, enabling them to build connections early in their journey. Our goal is to provide an exceptional welcome to Jaguar Nation by instilling pride in Augusta University and promoting academic and co-curricular excellence. We are excited to have you join us for Jaguar Nation Welcome! #AUGOrientation Stay in touch during orientation. 4 Table of Contents Augusta University At A Glance 7 Academic Advisement 8 Honors Program 9 Study Abroad Program 9 Academic Support Service 10 Auxiliary Services 10 Bookstore (JagStore) 10 Campus Dining 11 JagCard 12 Campus Recreation 12 Career Services 13 Student Counseling and Psychological Services 13 Housing & Residence Life 14 Office of Student Financial Aid 15 First- and Second-Year Experience 15 Parking and Transportation 16 Public Safety 16 Office of the Registrar 17 Student Health Services 17 Student Life and Engagement 18 Greek Life 18 Jaguar Production Crew 18 Leadership Program 18 Student Government Association 19 Student Organizations 19 Copy and Print Center 19 Chid Care Center 19 Student Code of Conduct 20 Support Services 20 Glossary 21 Maps 22 Health Sciences Campus 22 Summerville Campus 23 Forest Hills Campus 23 Tips for Family Members 24 Augusta University Bucket List 24 After-Orientation Check List 24 5 Dear New Augusta University Family Members, It gives me great joy to welcome you to Augusta University! As an organization created through the joining of the strong foundations of two historic institutions of higher learning, Augusta University aims to become one of the nation’s leading comprehensive research universities, while providing the most value and greatest opportunities for your educational investment. Through our unique combination of dedicated faculty; small, interactive learning environments; distinct and lauded programs; and personalized academic and student services, we are keenly focused on helping our students reach their highest potential. Again, we are so pleased you have chosen to join the Augusta University family. Choosing the right college has a lifetime impact, and we recognize the enormous trust you are placing in us by selecting our institution. We want to build a strong relationship with each of our students so that we can work together toward your successful college experience. And while you’re here, tell us how we can improve, as well as what we’re doing right. Together, we can create a brighter future for all. We are delighted to begin this journey with you. Go Jags! With warmest regards, Dr. Brooks Keel President of Augusta University Dear New Augusta University Students & Family Members, Welcome to Augusta University and congratulations on joining our Augusta family! We are pleased to provide both students and families with the support and resources necessary for success on this life-changing educational, social and cultural journey. For some of you, there may be feelings of anxiety and excitement as the transition to college begins. Others may be experiencing vastly different emotions, as this may be your third or fourth family member to make this move. Regardless of where you might be in this process, we would like to provide you with information necessary to ease this transition. Our Orientation Guide is designed as a tool to provide you with a wealth of information about various resources, programs and activities available at our institution. We believe that parents and family members are vital to the success of our students and hope that this guide also allows you to better understand the journey your student is beginning. We know that some students struggle in their first year in college. We want all students to be a part of the Augusta University community as they focus their sights on graduation (hopefully in four years) and future careers. While a student’s entrance to college marks a significant change in their daily lives, it also marks an opportunity for parents to stay involved, connected and engaged in order to make the student’s college experience as productive and successful as possible. If anyone in your family needs guidance or has questions during this journey, the Enrollment and Student Affairs staff, along with the entire Augusta University faculty and staff, are ready to help. You may learn more information about the programs and resources for students at our website, augusta.edu/student-affairs. We look forward to working with you, and please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have questions. Best regards, Dr. Mark Allen Poisel Vice President for Enrollment and Student Affairs 6 Augusta University At-A-Glance Governance: Board of Regents, University System of Georgia Mascot: Jaguar d ic Prog s and Sc e m ra e h d e m g o n d e o s l u a l l s c o o A F 1828 142 C 9 FY16) t (Fal on ( en l 2 s C fe y 0 e rr t lm 1 e e l l 6 r d u o ) g c r ( e F a n Y F E D 1 6 1,655 8,532 1,873 ) Athletics • NCAA Division II in 11 men’s and women’s team sports: basketball, baseball, softball, cross country, track and field, tennis and volleyball • Division I in men’s and women’s golf • Member of Peach Belt Athletic Conference • Men’s and women’s golf (D1), men’s basketball and athletes in cross country and track all competed in the NCAA championships in 2016-17. • The men’s golf team won its second consecutive national Division I championship in 2011, becoming the first team to win back-to-back titles since the University of Houston in 1984-85. 7 College of Allied Health Sciences Academic Advisement is where Advisementundergraduates 706-721-2621 begin. Augusta University has centralized Summerville Campus, University Hall, Room 262 augusta.edu/alliedhealth advisement for all undergraduate freshmen and (706-731-7979) sophomores to provide a clear path of support augusta.edu/advising into the major programs. Well-grounded in the Pamplin College undergraduate programs and “core” curriculum, the Academic Advisors of Arts, Humanities & assist students in formulating academic plans, guiding through course Social Sciences selections, recommending student actions and connecting to appropriate 706-737-1738 supports. Working in close partnerships with academic programs and augusta.edu/pamplin support services, the staff helps students explore and confirm their academic career paths. Professional advisors provide ongoing support through their outreach services, personal calls, targeted emails and Hull College of Business electronic messages. 706-737-1418 augusta.edu/hull The center is open weekdays from 8 a.m.