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Commencement 2008 is May 18th
Extended Hours (Student Service related offices)
Financial Aid Information - 2008 FAFSA
Fitness Assessment at Recreation Services
Inclement Weather Policy
Information about Illegal Downloading
Last Semester's Grades
Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration
New Class on Information Mgmt & Research Skills
Seasonal Affective Disorder
Selected Dates
KU Parent Association
KU Parent Assistance Line (785) 864-5872

FITNESS ASSESSMENT AT RECREATION SERVICES

The new year often brings about a commitment to become more fit and healthy. The KU Recreation Services offers a fitness assessment for students for only $15. The assessment includes: resting heart rate, blood pressure, flexibility, cardiovascular endurance, body fat measurement, and muscular strength and endurance. An exercise specialist will design a flexibility, cardiovascular & resistance training program especially for your student and they will perform a follow-up assessment to measure progress. 

To learn more visit:  www.ku.edu/~recserv/cgi-bin/drupal/index.php/?q=node/32.

EXTENDED HOURS AT THE BEGINNING OF SPRING SEMESTER

Many student service related offices will offer extended hours January 15th through the 18th. Offices will be staffed from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. for those days except on Friday when they will remain open until
5 p.m.

Offices with extended hours include:

  • Academic Achievement & Access Center, 22 Strong Hall
  • Bursar’s Office, 21 and 23 Strong Hall
    (cashier open until 4 p.m.; refund checks until 5:30 p.m.)
  • Campus phone operators, (785) 864-2700
    (Automated Directory Assistance available 24 hours a day)
  • Computing Help Desk, (785) 864-0200
  • Department of Student Housing, Suite DSH in Corbin Hall
  • IT Customer Service Center, (785) 864-8080
  • KU Info, Level 4, Kansas Union, (785) 864-3506 (9 a.m.-9 p.m.)
  • New Student Orientation, 213 Strong Hall
  • Office of Admissions & Scholarships, KU Visitor Center
  • Office of Multicultural Affairs, 145 Strong Hall
  • Office of Student Financial Aid, 50 Strong Hall
  • Office of the University Registrar – Student Record Center,  151 Strong Hall
  • Office of the Vice Provost for Student Success, 133 & 113 Strong Hall
  • Parking and Transit, Allen Fieldhouse Parking Garage
  • Student Academic Services, 109 Strong Hall
  • Student Information Systems, (785) 864-0190
  • Student Involvement and Leadership Center, Level 4 in the Kansas Union
  • University Advising Center, 126 Strong Hall

Residence halls and scholarship halls reopen for the spring semester January 14th at 8 A.M.,  and classes begin January 17th.

Strong Hall

FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION: Prepare to file the 2008-09 FAFSA

Now is the time for students and parents to start preparing to file the 2008-09 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Priority consideration for limited funded aid programs, including the KU Tuition Grant, will be given to students who have a complete financial aid file by March 1, 2008.

Below is a checklist to help you and your student prepare to file the 2008-09 FAFSA:

* Obtain a Personal Identification Number (PIN): Prior to applying for federal financial aid, you and your student should obtain a PIN online at www.pin.ed.gov. This number serves as your electronic signature on the student’s FAFSA. A PIN may also be used to electronically sign the Master Promissory Note (MPN) for a Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS).

* Ensure that you and your student’s past and present employer(s) have your correct mailing address(es). Your employer(s) should send a copy of your W-2 to you sometime in January.  Gather all applicable tax documents so you and your student can complete your Income Tax Returns in a timely manner. If possible, utilize your completed tax information on the FAFSA and submit the FAFSA by the priority deadline.  Your student may complete the FAFSA if you have not yet completed your Income Tax Returns by estimating your income. As soon as you receive your Income Tax Returns, however, your student should update the FAFSA accordingly.

* Complete the 2008-09 FAFSA:  The Department of Education recommends that students file the FAFSA online at www.fafsa.ed.gov, but a paper version of the application is acceptable. Indicate KU as the school of choice on the FAFSA. KU’s Federal School Code is 001948. Priority Date: March 1, 2008.

* If your student is a Kansas resident and meets the eligibility criteria for the State of Kansas Scholarship, the Kansas Ethnic Minority Scholarship, or the Kansas Teacher Service Scholarship, your student should complete the State of Kansas Student Aid Application. Additional information is available at www.kansasregents.org. Note: A $10 application fee is required. Priority Date: May 1, 2008.

* Review the complete 2008-2009 Application Process Checklist online at www.financialaid.ku.edu/publications.shtml.

If you have questions about filing the FAFSA, please contact the Office of Student Financial Aid at
785-864-4700 or financialaid@ku.edu.

INCLEMENT WEATHER

If KU cancels classes due to weather, students may check the KU web site for information or call the KU Info Center (785) 864-3506 or the Snow Line, (785) 864-7669. Additionally, those signed up for the emergency messaging system will receive a text message with class cancellation information. To learn more about inclement weather practices at KU, visit: www.oread.ku.edu/2007/december/10/weather.shtml.

Ice covered campusLAST SEMESTER'S GRADES

Some first year students find that their grades were not what they expected. Some students who are living off campus for the first time find that they were not successful at managing the responsibilities that come with apartment living and their academics. Now is the time to resolve to take advantage of the resources that are available to students. Visiting with an academic advisor is the best way to explore the many resources available. The University Advising Center web site has information to help students be successful, www.advising.ku.edu/.

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. CELEBRATION

The Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Multicultural Resource Center will host the annual MLK program on Thursday, January 31st.  The program begins at 6:30 p.m. in front of Strong Hall, with a candle-light walk to the Kansas Union.  The program at the Kansas Union will begin at 7 p.m. in Woodruff Auditorium.  The keynote speaker is Dr. Joseph Seabrooks. 

For more information visit, www.mrc.ku.edu/.

SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER

Some students can suffer symptoms of depression as the weather gets colder and daylight lessens. The symptoms go away with the arrival of spring: warmer weather and longer daylight. This is referred to as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Encourage your student to take advantage of the sunny albeit cold days of winter by taking a walk in the sunshine and getting help if the symptoms of depression persist. To learn more about SAD visit: www.caps.ku.edu/~caps/selfhelp/sads.shtml.

COMMENCEMENT INFORMATION INCLUDING CAP AND GOWN INFO

The KU Bookstores are pleased to announce this year’s Grad Finale to be held February 19th, 20th and 21st from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Kansas Union Ballroom on the fifth floor of the Kansas Union. Grad Finale is designed to offer everything your son or daughter would need for graduation and more.

Caps, gowns and other regalia will be available for fitting, and representatives will be on hand to assist with ordering personalized announcements. Balfour Rings will offer a display of official KU class rings and aid in fitting. Other organizations will be present to provide assistance with life after graduation, such as career and financial assistance. If you have questions, please call the KU Bookstores at (785) 864-4640 or
(800) 4KU-1111. 

For more information about Commencement, visit: www.commencement.ku.edu/.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT DOWNLOADING

It’s a digital age and students are accustomed to having quick access to information and entertainment.   Did you know that:

  • music, movies, games and software are protected by federal copyright law?
  • downloading or distributing these materials without the stated permission of the copyright owner is illegal?
  • in October a woman in Minnesota was fined over $200,000 for illegally downloading 24 songs?

If your student uses KaZaA, Gnutella, Morpheus, DC++, Limewire or other file-sharing software to collect or share music, movies, games or software, your student might be violating copyright law. KU acts quickly to respond to complaints of copyright violation we receive from copyright owners and their representatives, such as the Motion Picture Association of America, the Recording Industry Association of America, the Interactive Digital Software Association and the Business Software Alliance.

Copyright infringing activity violates U.S. copyright law, the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities, the University of Kansas Policy on the Acceptable Use of Electronic Information Resources, and the ResNet Responsible Use Agreement.

You may wish to advise your student to search his or her hard drive for illegally downloaded materials and delete the material before returning to KU. Any copyright infringement notice to KU, no matter when the material was downloaded, will result in termination of the internet connection with the right to an appeal.

If you have not watched the 13-minute informal video “What do you think”, we encourage you and your student to do so. You can find the video at  www.technology.ku.edu/dmca. This video presents an informative conversation about intellectual property and file-sharing to encourage you to think about these issues for yourself. (Brought to you by The University of Richmond Intellectual Property Institute and its National CyberEducation Project.)

For complete information on how KU handles illegally downloaded materials, visit: www.dmca.ku.edu/.

NEW CLASS ON INFORMATION MANAGEMENT AND RESEARCH SKILLS

LA&S 292: Research Methods and Information Literacy, is an eight week class that is designed to improve the quality of and ability of students to do their work. The class is for one credit hour and will be offered twice during the Spring 2008 semester.  One class begins on January 22nd and the other on February 21st.  To learn more visit www.lib.ku.edu/news/libraryCourse.shtml.

HELPFUL LINKS

chain of linksKU Parent Association:
www.parentassociation.ku.edu/

KU Information Center:
www.kuinfo.ku.edu/

KU Alumni Association:
www.kualumni.org/

KU Endowment Association:
www.kuendowment.org/

KU News: KU news releases are
available online at www.news.ku.edu
.

SELECTED DATES

2008

• January 17 - First day of Spring 2008 Semester
• January 21 - Martin Luther King Day
   (No classes, University offices closed)
• February 29 - Last day to elect Course Repeat Policy
• March 17 through 23 - Spring Break
   (No classes, University offices open)
• April 17 - Last day to withdraw from a class
• May 18 - Commencement
• June 3 - First day of Summer Term
• July 25 - Last day of Summer Term
• August 21 - First day of Fall Semester


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