It’s that season again – and I don’t mean hurricanes. Flu season is generally from October through May. Given that the flu is easily spread by coughing, sneezing, and close contact – and what gets closer than dorm life and classrooms – your student may want to consider getting vaccinated.

HaveUHeard the UNF’s Student Health Center offers the flu vaccine?  During flu season the cost for the vaccine is $20.00 and students must make an appointment  904-620-2900.

Another option to get a flu shot is at:

• CVS Minute Clinic – Located within minutes from UNF.  If you go on the CVS Minute Clinic website you can find what the wait time is so you don’t have to sit around for too long. The vaccine can cost between $50 and $70, but chances are insurance will cover it.  Check first. And CVS will give you a coupon for $5 off $25 when you get a no-cost flu shot.
• Walgreens – This is the closest Walgreens to campus.   There is no cost with most insurance. Appointments are not needed, but we recommend calling beforehand to find out what the wait time is. Walgreens will also give you a coupon to earn a $5 reward on your next purchase of $15 or more
• Publix Pharmacy – There are at least 3 that are not far from campus. Students will get a $10 gift card just for getting vaccinated.
• Walmart Pharmacy – This is the location on Beach Blvd.  Other Walmart locations are not as close.  No out of pocket expense with most insurance plans
• Florida Health is an excellent tool for locating flu vaccines that are conveniently located for any county in Florida.

Wherever students go for a flu vaccine, they should stay about 15 minutes afterward to be sure they do not have any adverse reactions. Generally, I am not one to rush out and get a flu shot and I discuss with my kids their choices as well. I encourage them to wash their hands and to carry hand sanitizer. Typically speaking, most college kids, mine included, choose not to get a shot/vaccine. If they do get the flu or any other illness there are plenty of things that can be done to assure their speedy recovery. Here is our blog on being Sick at School.

Here are the typical symptoms students can watch for at the onset of the flu as early detection can be beneficial:

• Sudden onset of high fever
• Headache, muscle aches, and joint pain
• Dry cough
• Chills
• Sore throat
• Nasal congestion and runny nose
• Fatigue – which may last for a few weeks after the flu

If students do get the flu, they should know that they can get a doctor’s note so they don’t feel compelled to drag themselves out of bed and trudge to classes. Professors not only appreciate the heads up but are also grateful that students don’t come and share their germs. The flu is highly contagious. Every school has different policies on this, but generally, students are covered with that doctor’s note.

As parents, we can hope they never get sick, but if they do, the next best thing might be to send a care package to help them feel better. Check out our Care Packages blog for recommendations on places we recommend for soup.

Wishing all our Ospreys a healthy semester.

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Students at many colleges today must have a health insurance plan that meets their university’s minimum requirement. The University of North Florida only makes this a requirement if your student is an international student. While this does make life easier in that it can eliminate some paperwork, it is still wise that your student has some sort of health insurance.

UNF does have an available Student Health Plan, underwritten by United Healthcare Insurance Company and serviced by Gallagher Student Health. The enrollment dates are usually from July – September. The list of F&Q for Gallagher. Regardless, as part of your student’s tuition fees, there is a mandatory health fee that you will pay and probably not even know it. The health fee, medical compliance fee, health promotion fee, counseling fee, and DRC accommodations are health-related fees that support student activities and support services for the Dottie Dorion Fitness Center, the Counseling Center, and the Campus Alcohol and Drug Information Center. It is assessed to all students and is based upon credit hours taken. See UNF’s tuition rate chart for the per credit hour fee. Some of the fees are covered by Florida Prepaid Local Fees.

Deciding on which health insurance plan your student should be on may require a degree in economics. There are so many variables to consider when choosing. You may want to consider consulting with your financial advisor to compare the benefits and costs or maybe you are comfortable with a healthcare plan that is paid for as part of tuition. Consider the following:

• Is the monthly premium you pay for your child pre-tax or after-tax? Will you save money by purchasing a separate plan or perhaps the UNF health fee is as much coverage as you feel your student will need?
• Does your current insurance cover your student at an out of state college (if your student is coming from another state)?
• If your student is already covered by your own plan, consider what your cost is to keep them on your plan. If you have more than one child on your plan, it may not be cost-effective to remove just one child.
• Will your student be studying abroad?

If you choose to purchase UNF’s student insurance, you may want to purchase the yearly plan to be sure your student is covered even when he or she is not taking classes. If you are unsure of which plan makes the most sense for your family and you have a financial planner or a certified public accountant, they can run the numbers for you.

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Is your student having trouble or in trouble? Are they having problems with a roommate, an apartment lease, underage drinking, academic troubles including plagiarism, parking tickets and so on? You send your student off to college with the best of intentions. You’ve had the discussion about budgets, walking alone at night, binge drinking, hazing, and drugs. You’ve even discussed being a good roommate and following the University’s code of conduct. But there are situations that do come up no matter how responsible and mature your student is.

First, breathe.

Your student is probably freaking out and is terrified to talk to you. Remain calm and get all of the facts. Remind your child to obtain and keep all paperwork and information. Go over the dates and processes that they have been given. HaveUHeard about the services provided by the Office of the General Council that include aid to students?
UNF Has Respondent Advisors through the Student Conduct office that provides resources, information, and guidance to students who have been charged with violations of the Student Code of Conduct. They cannot provide legal counsel but they can help your students understand their rights and navigate the investigation and adjudication process. They can also refer you to campus and community resources, such as counseling, legal services, alternative housing, academic questions and more. UNF’s Student Conduct Board will also see your student determine the best course of action.

Not surprisingly, the Jacksonville and UNF police departments take underage drinking very seriously and can be seen handing out MIPs on and off-campus, otherwise known as a Minor in Possession. This is considered to be in violation of the Student Code of Conduct. If a student is a dependent and under the age of 21, the University is permitted to inform parents or guardians. The student will be notified first so that they can notify their parent/guardian before UNF does. UNF’s Alcohol Policy may be found here.
As for student code and conduct violations, UNF utilizes the Dean of Student’s Office to deal with these issues. Violations include plagiarism, cheating, university housing code violations, Greek Conduct violations, among others. Each violation is dependent on the overseeing committee’s discretion and the degree of the violation.

Make sure your student has given you access to HIPPA Authorization and Durable Power of Attorney so you can get the information you need to help your student, should you need to. We provide those forms here. It may be difficult to find the bright side of whatever issues your son or daughter may have gotten into, but it will undoubtedly promote growth and maturity.

There have been students who are pulled over and ticketed for not having their school address on their license. That will not hold up in court as non-resident college students attending college in Florida may drive in Florida without having a Florida driver’s license if they have a valid license from another state or country. For resident college students, a Florida Statute exempts students while at school in Florida so they are allowed to keep their home address.

If they do get in trouble and you need to contact someone at the University, here is a list of important contacts to have on hand.

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Your child moves into their dorm in August and everyone is so excited…new friends, new space and everything is going just great.  Literally 2-3 months later, they are discussing moving into an off-campus apartment. What? Why? and Where? are some common questions that come up about off-campus living.  With some other Florida colleges, picking an apartment and signing a lease becomes a bit of a race to get into the best places which can actually be extremely stressful.  However because of the number of students at UNF, this isn’t the case.

Close to campus

There are quite a few apartment complexes that are close to UNF, some of which are quite luxurious.   UNF actually houses its own apartment complex right on campus called The Flats at UNF.  These apartments are comprised of eight, three-floor buildings and provides housing for approximately 473 students.  One advantage to The Flats at UNF is that you must be a student to live there; however, if you move out for any reason (withdraw, transfer, graduate, etc.), you are still responsible for the contract.  Visit our blog regarding favorite apartment complexes to view a variety of choices.

Questions to ask

Reserved Parking – Most apartments and houses near campus require you to work with property management companies. Unfortunately, many of the multiple room apartment rentals will only include one parking space.  This can be easily solved if the complex has guest parking; however, they may need to inquire about decals.

Utilities – Make sure you find out the overage for utilities for the apartment.  Some complexes include an allotted amount included in the rent; however, you will want to make sure you understand the terms in case the students go over the allotted amount.  Typically, the management company will split the overage between the number of tenants.  Some things to know about Jacksonville utilities.  JEA is the utility company that services Jacksonville.  Electricity and water (if it’s not covered in the rent) will need to go through JEA.  There are a few wifi providers in Jacksonville, AT&T and Xfinity being the most well know.  Renters are totally left to their own devices to purchase a router and decide on a plan that works best for their needs.

The Lease – Most apartment leases start after August 1st and go through July 31st of the following year. The leases are based on 12 months but many students are only at UNF for two semesters. This means your student will either have to pay for the summer months or they can sublet.

Also, note that new residents (not renewals remaining in the same apartment) do not move in until a few days after, leaving a three-to-five day gap in where to store their belongings. The rationale is that the management company needs to clean the apartment.   This can be a bit of a dilemma involving hiring a moving and storage company.

Inspecting the Apartment – Make certain your student (and yourself if possible) inspect the premises thoroughly. Remember, for many of our kids, this is their first experience with renting an apartment. Take pictures of any damage, no matter how small, as they will be charged if they did not fill out the damage report when they first moved into their apartment.  If they hang up pictures or use any nails on the walls, make certain they spackle and repaint. The charges add up fairly quickly. Worth repeating- Take 100 pictures, then take 20 more time-stamped. You could be charged for damages to the apartment. If you have not documented everything, prepare for those charges.

The responsible party for payment – When reading through the lease, make certain that your student is only responsible for their individual room and not the entire apartment. While you may believe your student is moving in with their BFFs, if one decides to vacate for any reason, whether to withdraw, study abroad or the living arrangement did not work out, you do not want to be responsible for that person’s portion of the lease.  Also find out how the management company needs to be paid – by check, credit card, automatic debit, etc.

Subletting – Make sure you are familiar with the terms of subletting as many students leave for Summer A and B or a combination thereof and may want to sublet their room to a third party.

Room locks – Along those lines, each bedroom should have its own key different than the other bedrooms. This gives your students the ability to lock their bedroom should they decide they do not want anyone having access to their personal belongings.  Depending on where the apartment is in proximity to campus, not all bedrooms will have locks.

Insurance – Your homeowner’s insurance policy may not cover them while they are living off-campus (many will cover if they are living in an on-campus residence at no extra cost).  Check the terms of your home insurance policy. Most of the large insurance companies offer separate renters policies at a reasonable rate. You may also want to look at two of the more reputable college student insurance companies, College Student Insurance, and NSSI.

Click here to read about some of the student’s favorite apartment rentals.

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When getting ready to send your student off to UNF, the decision of should they bring their car to school, and then what to do with it when they do, must be decided.  Having a car on campus makes things easier for your student – getting to Publix, CVS, the mall; however, parking can be a little bit of a hassle. UNF has some parking information and rules that can make the whole car situation a bit more manageable.

One of the first things to remember is immediately upon registering for classes, buy your permit as soon as permits go on sale! Permit sale dates can be viewed through Osprey Update for Students and on the UNF parking information page. Permits are sold on a “first-come, first-served” basis, because some of the more desirable permits, such as Blue Lot permits, have set sales limits and will sell out. The Gray Lot permit category never sells out.  Permits can be purchased per term or per year. Purchase a permit.

Please be aware that more permits are sold than the number of parking spaces since students do not come to campus every day from 7 am to 10 pm Fortunately, varying class schedules allow more spaces to be available, but some of the spaces may not be your student’s favorite lot or garage or close to their class.

Parking Details

So where exactly are these lots and garages?  PDF version of a campus map including the lots and garages.  Some of the lots and garages are a bit away from classes but UNF offers the Osprey Connector Shuttle that transports students to and from their parked car to the center of campus.

New as of 2019, parking permits have shifted to virtual permits, where you register your vehicle’s license plate to be a virtual permit.  This new system requires cars to have a registered license plate plus cars are now forced to park “nose-in”. The hours of enforcement activity are Monday through Thursday from 7 am to 7 pm and Friday from 7 am to 5 pm. No permit is required from 5 pm Friday through 7 am Monday unless there is a special event on campus. To verify special events, check the Master Calendar.

How can your student avoid getting a citation?  First of all, make sure they park in the appropriate lot or garage, don’t park on grass or in a space that is specially marked and also follow the “nose in” rule.  What happens if they do get a citation? They can pay the ticket through an online link Pay Citations or it can be paid in person at Building 52.

Some students don’t come to campus enough to warrant buying a permit for a school term or year. For those students, they can purchase a $5 or $2 daily virtual permit from the pay-by-plate kiosks that are around campus near the lots.  The same permits can be used for visitors that are on campus during the week. Lots of information and a lot to think about when deciding if your student should bring their car to school.  The university tries to make the system very easy, however with 15,000 students, easy isn’t always possible.

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As we were preparing my daughter for college, one of the most popular subjects discussed on my UNF parent’s Facebook page was safety.  I’m talking about how to keep all of their “stuff” safe. There were opinions and suggestions flying around weekly. No matter how many suggestions, opinions, and items you buy, they only work if your student actually heeds the advice, and uses these items to keep stuff safe.

That being said, do not be surprised when your child calls you to tell you that they lost their ID, phone, keys, etc.  It’s bound to happen. But worse than that is when they call you to tell you that something was actually stolen from them.  When I was in college, the biggest thing to be stolen was a bike or a meal plan card (back then it was a flimsy laminated punch card).  Today, students come to school with computers, tablets, and dozens of other valuable electronics; not to mention jewelry, expensive shoes, and clothes. So how to keep it all safe?

So, the first thing you need to remind your child over and over again is to lock their door.  Some may live in a suite type dorm where there is a door to the suite, and then their own bedroom door.  Others may have one door to their room. Students think it’s no big deal to just run down the hall to the bathroom, or laundry room, or to their friend’s room without needing to lock their door.  And in a perfect world, that shouldn’t be a problem. In reality, it only takes a second for something to be taken. You may have full faith in your child’s roommate(s), but there are always visitors, and they may not know who should be there, and who should not be.  My daughter was guilty of this, and luckily nothing was ever taken, but every living space has stories of things going missing, so take note.

What Can I Do?

There are trunks you can buy that have locks on them.  They fit under the bed and come in colors to match their décor.  Valuables can be kept in them, especially when going home for a weekend or longer.  A Dorm Vault takes up very little space and can be attached either with a security cable or a bolt.  It complies with regulations in both dorms and apartments as it is not mounted on the wall or to the bedposts.  The owner of a Dorm Vault has agreed to offer readers of our blog a 10% discount. Just use the code HUH10OFF.

Another thing to consider is renter’s insurance.  UNF is not responsible for a loss or damage to student’s personal property kept in student’s assigned space or on or about any of the Department’s facilities.  Your homeowner’s policy will most likely cover a percentage of the total personal property coverage if you live in the dorms. If your student is in an apartment, a separate policy may be required from the leasing office.  Check with the office for confirmation. Your personal company may write you a policy easily, but if you need to find a new one, here is a list that many uses.

National Student Services, Inc.

Gallagher (aka College Student Insurance)

Security First which is a Florida Renter’s Insurance company

Nationwide 

Allstate

Progressive

State Farm

Geico

GradGuard

Stillwater Insurance

Students need to be diligent and smart and by all means, lock their door!  Theft of personal property should be reported immediately to the University Police Department.

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Before you leave to take your kid to college, there are a few items you will want to take care of that are extremely important. Most college students are 18, although a few are younger, which means they are considered to be legal adults. With that comes a whole lot of independence from their parents, regardless of who is footing the bill for their education.

Unless they give you permission or their login information, you will be unable to have access to their health records, grades, pretty much anything that has HIPAA laws behind it. Talk to your student about signing over permission for the college to speak with you. Make certain they understand that without that signed permission, everything, and we mean everything, pertaining to the college. From medical records to financial aid, it cannot be discussed with any other person but themselves. While you may be footing the bill for your college student, remember, the vast majority of them are over the age of 18, thereby affording them certain protections, including the sharing of any information.

HaveUHeard that when a child turns legal age (18), if something catastrophic were to happen, which we all hope and pray does not unless you have specific legal documents, your hands will be tied? The last position you want to be in is making decisions, or not being able to make decisions, in a crisis situation. You can often find these documents free online or you may be able to get them from an attorney, but we are sharing them with you.

Designation of Health Care Surrogate – this legal document allows for your child to designate a surrogate to provide informed consent for medical treatment, surgical or diagnostic procedures should they become incapacitated. There are many other aspects of this document, but without having a family member or some other person your child knows and trusts, you may lose valuable time as a court-appointed guardian may be named. Laws differ by state so it is best to research each state’s individual laws as it applies to who would make these decisions for you should this form not be executed.

Authorization for Release of Protected Health Information. Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), you will want to have all health information available so proper treatment may be made. You should name the same person you name as your surrogate so that there is continuity especially when time is of the essence in a medical crisis.

Declaration of Living Will – Most of us operate under the premise that a will is not drawn up until you are older or have children. In fact, there are many who still do not have wills. If your child is incapacitated or has an end-stage terminal condition, as a legal adult, you should want them to make their desires known and be able to direct that process while they are of sound mind and body. The mere mention of a will to an eighteen-year-old may seem ridiculous but by having an open and honest discussion, you are taking their wishes into consideration. Perhaps they may not want a feeding tube or other artificially provided method for nourishment and fluids. They may or may not want to donate their organs. You may have had this discussion when they went for their driver’s license as that is an item listed on the license. This discussion is one of the mature discussions you will have with your child and as such, should be approached with knowledge and compassion. The document also allows for one or two persons to be named as agents regarding the Living Will allowing them to act inconsistently with their intentions should it be in their best interest and they are incapacitated.

Durable Power of Attorney. This allows your student to appoint one or two persons that represent and act for them in all matters in order to expedite handling all of their business, property, and affairs.

Additionally, the university ensures the confidentiality of student records in accordance with the provisions of various federal, state, and university regulations, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), as amended, also known as the Buckley Amendment. The statutes and regulations also provide certain rights to students concerning their education records. Your student can provide a signed FERPA Release of Information.

Under FERPA, when a student reaches 18 years of age or enroll at a postsecondary institution such as the University of North Florida, the rights afforded to the parents of a student automatically transfer to the student. However, a parent still may have access to the education record if:

The information requested is directory information and there is no privacy hold on the student’s record.
The student provides a signed release to the university. The student may specify what information should be released, including the timeframe for the authorization to remain in effect. Additional authentication of the student’s signature may be required.
The parents can demonstrate that the student is a dependent, as defined by the IRS.
The information is released in response to a lawful subpoena.

Insurance. Your homeowners’ insurance policy may not cover them while they are living on or off-campus (many will cover if they are living in an on-campus residence at no extra cost).  Check the terms of your home insurance policy. Most of the large insurance companies offer separate renters policies at a reasonable rate. You may also want to look at two of the more reputable college student insurance companies CollegeStudentInsurance.com and National Student Services, Inc.

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When my kids were growing up, I always hated when they said: “I don’t feel well.”  Having my daughter 4 hours away and hearing those words makes me hate them even more.  No one wants their kids to be sick, especially when they aren’t at home near their doctor.  Fortunately, there are things that can be done to help them to get through the illness.

I sent my kids to school with a plastic container that had as many things that I could think of to help them if they weren’t feeling well or just needed some first aid.  From band-aids to allergy pills, the box was filled and I told them to wash their hands and change their sheets and toothbrush as often as possible.

Sometimes they need care beyond your box. In my experience, my kids and I have had great results taking Source Naturals Wellness Formula. It has been a strong herbal defense supplement in fighting an illness that was recommended to me by a local natural health food store. Two a day for prevention, but when you feel yourself coming down with something, you take 6 in the morning and 6 in the evening for two days. It has worked amazingly well for most everyone I have recommended it to. I’ve been known to send from Mouth that has a sick care package filled with tea, honey sticks, crackers, and a wellness care package filled with tea and snow honey, fruit jerky, relaxing digestive bitters, healing turmeric elixir, an antioxidant-rich dark chocolate bar, healthy granola, and a hand-made candle.

Sometimes these tips and recommendations are just not enough and they need to get into a doctor. There are options for your child regardless of what the medical issue is. UNF has a full medical department and health center on campus.  The health center is open Monday – Friday from 8 am-5 pm and, although the center prefers you make an appointment, they will accept walk-ins.  My daughter had flu-like symptoms last semester and did not make an appointment but, they did see her and administered a flu test; however, they advised her next time that she would need to make an appointment.

If their illness requires an emergency room, there are four emergency rooms within 15 minutes of campus, Baptist Beaches Medical Center, Baptist Emergency at Town Center, Mayo Clinic Hospital. Have your students fill out and drop off a medical release form when they begin college. It is up to them as to how much access they want to allow you. There is nothing worse than calling to find out how your sick or injured student is and being told the doctor is not authorized to talk with you.

More Flu Talk

Have a discussion before dropping them off at college with an emergency plan. This should include having your student’s roommate or friend’s phone number, especially if they are accompanying them to the ER. I had my daughter add a phone contact titled ICE (In Case of Emergency) in the event she was unable to communicate. You can add that info whether you have an iPhone or Android, instructions. Have them enter their Medical ID information. This information allows medical personnel to access even on a locked phone and includes allergies, emergency contact information, and other crucial information.  Be sure your student has a copy of their insurance card

If the health center on campus is inconvenient due to the hours or long wait times, there are alternatives. CVS has Minute Clinics for minor illnesses. Be sure your student has a copy of their insurance card. Also, we recommend having your student get a flu shot. Read our blog to learn about the many places, including on-campus, that offer flu shots. Remind your students to notify their professor if they will be legitimately missing class and unable to complete coursework.  Including a doctor’s note is encouraged.  UNF students who are seen by a doctor at the Student Health Care Center and who will not be able to attend class or take an exam may be able to get an excuse note. Finally, please make sure your student has filled out the legal forms should an emergency arise and you need to know what is going on.

Just a little tidbit of info about Mouth which has a sick care package filled with tea, honey sticks, crackers, and a wellness care package filled with tea and snow honey, fruit jerky, relaxing digestive bitters, healing turmeric elixir, an antioxidant-rich dark chocolate bar, healthy granola, and a hand-made candle.

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