Over the years there have been only a few times that I, as a parent, have felt the need to call the campus to resolve an issue. Generally, I try to get my kids to handle it themselves. However, knowing where to call for whatever the issue can be daunting. Making the call to find out the correct details or accurate information can make all the difference.

For instance, when said student accrued a certain amount of parking tickets and was having a difficult time paying them online, she called the Transportation and Parking Office to figure it out. More information and other reasons you may have to contact this office are below.

The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life.  850-644-9574. The director can be emailed at ccgraham@fsu.edu

Fortunately, that situation was managed, but her next step was to call the President’s office.

Dr. Steven Currall is the President of the University of South Florida. Her office is located at 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, CGS 401, Tampa, Florida 33620

Phone: 813-974-2791 Email:  president@usf.edu

We realize finding the right place to call isn’t always simple so we have listed several of the offices and what they are used for to make your navigation simpler. Many of our blogs address issues that you may be looking for guidance about too so we have linked some of those too.

University Police Department

If a student sees and wants to report suspicious persons, incidents, and unsafe conditions, they can report it to at 813-974-2628. The fax number is 813-974-5616. If an emergency occurs, dial 911.

Dean of Students
Danielle McDonald
dmcdonald@usf.edu

USF Counseling Center

The University Counseling Center has over 20 full-time psychologists, social workers, and mental health counselors. For a life-threatening emergency, call the University Police at 9-1-1- or 813-974-2628.

The Director is Scott Strader, Ph.D., Director, Phone: 813-974-2831. scottstrader@usf.edu

In case of a mental health emergency that is not life-threatening after regular business hours and/or on weekends, the after-hours hotline at 813-974-2831

To see a counselor, students can visit the Counseling Center Main Office, Student Services Building (SVC), Suite 2124, Monday: 8:00 am – 6:00 pm, Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday: 8:00 am – 7:00 pm, Friday: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm

The Counseling Center offers evening appointments at the following locations:

Student Health Services (SHS) – Monday – Thursday: 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm

The FIT, Village Residential Complex – Monday – Thursday: 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm

The WELL, USF Health Campus – Tuesday – Thursday: 4:00 pm  – 7:00 pm

Here is our blog on the Stress of College.

Victim Advocate Program

If students or someone they care about that has been a victim of a crime confidential support is available and they can talk with someone about their options.

MaKenzie Schiemann is in charge of Student Outreach & Support and the Center for Victim Advocacy. 813-974-6130. Her email is mschiemann@usf.edu

Victim Advocate services are available 24 hours a day, including holidays. To reach a confidential advocate day or night call: 816-974-5757.

Office of Emergency Management

Email: USF-EmergencyMgmt@usf.edu

Phone: (813) 974-0870

Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 am-5:00 pm

For emergencies, call 911 or contact University Police at 813-974-2628.

Director / USF System Emergency Manager, Jen Fleischman, jfleischman@usf.edu  (813) 974-0870

Emergency Coordinator: Colette Nasworthy, cnaswort@usf.edu, (813) 974-9662

Emergency Coordinator: Lance Rocks, rocks@usf.edu, (813) 974-1484

University Health Services

The Senior Director of Student Health Services is Harold Bower. He can be reached at 813-974-1817 or through email at hbower@health.usf.edu

General Info / Appointment Line: 813-974-2331

TDD: 813-974-1758

Fax: 813-974-7181

Student Medical Insurance: 813-974-5407

Immunization Compliance: 813-974-4056

Immunization: immunization@shs.usf.edu

Insurance: insurance@shs.usf.edu

See our blog on Sick at School.

Financial Aid Office

Students can go here to request information about financial aid, scholarships, withdrawal, outreach events, CARE programs, work-study, and general questions.

Phone: 850-644-0539  Address: Suite 4400A University Center, Tallahassee, FL 32306-2430

University Housing

Anna Hernandez is the Assistant Vice President of Housing & Residential Education. She can be reached at 813-974-4262 or through email at ahernandez@usf.edu

Students who are having a computer, internet, or cable issues should contact the USF IT help desk at help@usf.edu or 813-974-1222 for 24/7 support. For all cable television or Philo Edu issues, please DO NOT submit a maintenance request. All residents can receive 24-hour support by utilizing one of the following three contact methods:

24-hour Toll-Free Television Support: 844-283-6496 (Cable TV only)

Text: Text “resnet” to 84700 (Cable TV only)

Email: support@myresnet.com (Cable TV only)

Philo Edu 24-hour Support

Here is our Insider’s Guide to Living On Campus.

Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities

Office Phone: 813-974-9443

Office Fax: 813-974-7383

sa-studentrightsmail@usf.edu

Students with Disabilities Services

Located at 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, SVC 1133, Tampa, FL 33620. The main number is 813-974-4309. Deborah McCarthy 813-974-8135. Email dmccarthy@usf.edu

Other important contacts include:

Cassandra Armato, carmato@usf.edu, Associate Director, Coordinator: Psychological Disabilities, Chronic Medical Disabilities, TBI

Peggy Kledzik, pkledzik@usf.edu, Coordinator: Deaf and Hard of Hearing, ADHD / Learning Disabilities

Dani Thiel, det1@usf.edu, Coordinator: Visual Disabilities, Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD / Learning Disabilities

Brit Fowler, bfowler2@usf.edu, Coordinator: Mobility Disabilities, Psychological Disabilities, ADHD / Learning Disabilities

Amanda Roe, aroe1@usf.edu, Exam Coordinator, Coordinator: Temporary Injuries

Chris Georgallis, chg@usf.edu, Coordinator: ADHD / Learning Disabilities

Read more about Student Accessibility Services

Parking & Transportation Services

The Director of Parking & Transportation Services (PATS) is Raymond Mensah. Email address is rmensah@usf.edu phone 813-974-0672.

If your vehicle gets immobilized (they put a boot on your car) or they are having bus problems, then the student will want to contact the Transportation office at 813-974-3990. Located on USF Plum and USF W. Holly Drive, near the USF Water Tower and behind Central Receiving. The Fax number is 813-974-2426. Email psweb@usf.edu

Citations, when the student receives a citation and does not wish to contest or appeal it, you may pay online by credit card over the Internet. You may pay in person by credit card or debit card at our parking office at the intersection of USF Holly Drive and USF Plum Drive. Go here to appeal citations.

If it is denied at the first stage, students can request a final appeal either in person to the appropriate committee (oral argument not to exceed five minutes), or in writing on the appropriate form or web-link. Final appeal requests must be made within fourteen calendar days from the date of the appeals mediator’s letter of decision. Once a hearing is scheduled and you are unable to attend, you may reschedule for the next available hearing date. You are allowed one reschedule only. If a student is dissatisfied with the decision of the Appeals Mediator, they may make a final appeal to the USF Student Government Supreme Court within 14 calendar days of the first appeal decision.

Office of Human Resources

They are the first point of contact for questions regarding employment, benefits, compensation, payroll, employee/labor relations, and classification. The Director of HR Administration Compliance & Services is Sheri Neshiem. Email address sneshiem@usf.edu Phone: 813-974-8358. Located at Human Resources is located on the 2nd floor of the Student Services Building (SVC), Room Number 2172. Office Hours are Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm

Because dealing with stress can sometimes require a little extra help:

USF Dining Services

This is who you would want to contact for meal plan issues. The business office is located at 4202 E. Fowler Avenue AXA 0094 and their phone number is 813-974-5021. Christina Visser is the Meal Plan Office Manager and can be reached at 813-974-2941. Her email address is visser-cristina@aramark.com

Safety Escort:

S.A.F.E. Team is a group of screened students that can escort anyone from one point to another.  They use golf carts and also walk with students to ensure their safety to their destination. Their hours are 6:30 pm – 2:30 am seven days a week. Their phone number is 813-974-SAFE (7233). It is run by the Student Government. Gary Manka is the Director of Student Government Advising, Training & Operations and may be reached at 813-974-4704. Email address gmanka@usf.edu

For students 21 and up, needing a taxi ride from an alcohol-serving establishment to a residence in Hillsborough County.  The service is only offered to students who attend the University of South Florida. The taxi cabs typically only allow room for 4 people. Service is paid for by Pepin Distributing Company and the cab service used is United Cab.

Information Needed: Name, Date of Birth, Driver’s License Number, Location of Alcohol Serving Establishment, and Location of Residence.

Center for Student Involvement and Fraternity and Sorority Life.  813-974-2599. The director is Monica Miranda who may be emailed at mlmiranda@usf.edu

USF Technical Support

For students who are having technical difficulties with Canvas and its surrounding technologies, this is the place to get in touch with. Call 813-974-1222 or email help@usf.edu. Students can access their live chat and self-service portal usf.edu/-support. Walk-Up Location & Hours are on the first floor of the Tampa Campus Library. Walk up tech services are available at our walk-up desk on the first floor of the Tampa campus library. Service desk technicians can provide assistance with password resets, MyUSF, Canvas, email, wireless for laptops and mobile devices, and basic troubleshooting.

If a student is in no rush and wants to meet face to face then they can schedule an appointment and they are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Located at 4202 E Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL 33620. The VP, Information Technology is Sidney Fernandes, sfernand@health.usf.edu. 813-974-7927.

Here is our blog on Technology Services at USF and one on Computer and Phone Repair.

If needed, here are the Department Heads for all the colleges:

Arts

James Moy
Moy@usf.edu
(813)-974-7380

Arts & Sciences

Eric Eisenberg
eisenberg@usf.edu
(813) 892-6484

Behavioral and Community Sciences

Julianne Serovich, PhD
jserovich@usf.edu

Business

Moez Limayem
mlimayem@usf.edu
Room: BSN 201
Phone: (813) 974-4281
Fax: (813) 974-3030

Education

Robert C. Knoeppel, PhD
rck3@usf.edu

Engineering

Dean: Robert H. Bishop, Ph.D., P.E.
robertbishop@usf.edu
(813)-974-3864

Global Sustainability

Dean: Govindan Parayil
gparayil@usf.edu
(813)-974-9694

Honors College

Dr. Charles Adams
chadams@honors.usf.edu
(813)-974-3087

Marine Science

Dean: Jacqueline Dixon
jdixon@usf.edu
(727)-553-3369

Medicine

Vice Dean: Bryan Bognar, MD, MPH
bbognar@health.usf.edu
(813)-974-7131

Nursing

Dean: Victoria L. Rich, Ph.D., RN, FAAN
victoriarich@health.usf.edu
(813)-974-9091

Pharmacy

Dean: Kevin Sneed, PharmD
ksneed@health.usf.edu
(813)-396-2499

Public Health

Dean: Donna J. Petersen, ScD, MHS, CPH
dpeters@health.usf.edu

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One of my pet peeves with my kids is how frivolously they take care of their electronics, especially their phones. As teenagers, they throw their phones in their backpacks, misplace them, or drop them. We have gone through a ton of cracked phone screens, and it is frustrating. In college, a broken phone or computer can bring on a wealth of anxiety and panic. Plus, college students actually use their phones, tablets, or laptops to check-in to a class, take notes, and even take tests and quizzes. Since mom and dad are not there to rescue them, they must navigate the tech repair world alone, but be ready for the panicked call telling you they don’t know what to do.

Firstly, I highly recommend that they have a habit of backing up all of their electronics. I personally use a Passport for my mac, but some of our writers use Mozy. They can backup manually, daily, or on a fixed schedule. Some back up their Macbook to the iCloud. This way, your students won’t run into the problem of losing all of their data and work. As for phones, encourage them to back them up often, especially since the thought of losing the thousands of pictures they probably have is devastating to them. And by all means, make sure they have a sturdy case. I know that the cutesy, fun ones are cool to have, but the bulkier, stronger ones will save money and stress if the phone is ever dropped. They do have some great cases on Casetify and they offer a 15% student discount with a verified student status registration, or look through and get 20% off the entire order when purchasing two items.

If your student needs help or repairs on campus, here are some options:

The USF Service Center is in the Library (LIB117) and has authorized service providers for Apple, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Microsoft, and Samsung. They provide data recovery services, set up, diagnostics, software set up, and virus removal. The USF Computer Store located in the Marshall Center is a drop-off/pick up location for your computers. There are fees for different services, and private appointments can be made for $30 for 30 minutes. Both are closed on weekends.

• IT Service Desk provides support for MyUSF, student email accounts, connecting to USF resources, and more. They are open M-F 8 am-5 pm.
• IT Walk-Up Service Center is in the Library and at the WELL. Contact them at 813-974-1222 or help@usf.edu.
• ServiceNow is where students can log in to chat with the IT Help Desk and submit requests.
• Some options off-campus for computer, tablet, and phone repairs are:
• MIT Computers – On Fowler Ave. and on Bruce B Downs also do work on TVs and game consoles.
• Dr. Phone Fix & Repair – On Bruce B Downs.
• Wireless World Fowler – They do repairs and have all accessories needed for cables, chargers, cases, and parts.
• CELLFIX (USF AREA) FLETCHER – They do repairs, unblocking, and fix water damage.
• Best Buy – On Highwoods Preserve Pkwy.  Their Geek Squad offers repairs and support for electronics and phones.  They offer 24/7/365 tech support.

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At this time in our world, we all worry about the safety of our new adults. For me, a self-proclaimed worrier, I wanted to know everything about the safety of my child’s new home, as well as them learning the ins and outs of campus safety.  Knowing they are safe is a forever thing. Therefore, it may be helpful to know that USF has a few very supportive resources available. The University of South Florida takes safety very seriously.  Technology has changed the landscape of how they impart information to students through texts and emails, and social media platforms.

**Due to these unprecedented times we also wanted to make available to you the following: Parents/students can now email  COVIDquestions@usf.edu for questions USF is offering emergency aid to those who have been impacted by COVID19 through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act: in order to apply you have to fill out the Federal CARES Act Emergency Financial Aid Application.

And all the time….

The SAFE Team is a group of screened students that can escort anyone from one point to another.  They use golf carts and also walk with students to ensure their safety to their destination.  Their hours are 6:30 pm – 2:30 am seven days a week. Their phone number is 813-974-7233. Make sure your student puts this number in their phone.  We taught our children about the “buddy system” when they were little, but as college students, it can be even more imperative to use.

Alert Cab is a free taxi ride from an alcohol-serving establishment to a residence in Hillsborough County. Students using this service must attend the University of South Florida and be 21+ to use the service. Taxi cabs only hold 4 people.  No one wants our students to drink and drive, or to hop in a car with someone who has been drinking. This service is invaluable to our older students.

The MoBull Messenger is part of the university’s emergency notification system that allows your student to receive text messages informing them of any emergency situation related to campus.  All students, as well as faculty and staff, are encouraged to sign up for the notifications. Students must sign up for the service by logging on to their NetID Account.

All across campus, there are 90 blue emergency lights set on poles.  If a student is feeling uncomfortable, unsafe, or sees a crime being committed, they can pick up the phone located on the pole and a police officer will be at that location within minutes.

There’s also another way that you can enhance personal safety measures. Working like a “pocket blue phone,” Guardian, an initiative implemented by USF’s Division of Public Safety, turns a cell phone into a mobile safety device when subscribers activate a “precautionary timer” as they travel from one area of the campus to another. The timer is set as the individual leaves a location and will alert the University Police if that person does not call to cancel the timer in a specified amount of time.  There is no charge for the Guardian service for USF students, faculty and staff.  It is a voluntary, opt-in program and the location and personal information of a subscriber are only accessible by emergency personnel when contact is initiated by the individual. To sign up for Guardian, simply log on to www.mobull.usf.edu and follow the steps. It takes only minutes to add this safety feature to your cell phone.

The university police department also offers many classes such as self-defense, as well as programs and information helping with relationship violence, alcohol abuse, and sexual violence.

Contacts Galore

I also recommend getting your student’s roommates and/or a close friend’s contact information. There is nothing worse than not being able to find your student; and although it may be as simple as he forgot to charge his phone, she fell asleep at the sorority house or lost her phone under a pile of laundry and is so busy studying she didn’t realize it was gone. (Do not laugh; I have lived through all three.) This being said, remind your student to not walk anywhere alone (particularly at night) or put themselves in dangerous situations. As any campus police will tell you, crime is always based on opportunity so if you remove the opportunity, in most instances, you can exist safely on campus.

I would also make certain you have your student’s Find My Phone login information. They may resist, but perhaps you can make a promise not to abuse its benefits in order to make them less resistant. You can also explain how, should they go missing (see a, b, and c above), a cell phone allows the police or anyone else to track your student’s recent activity. Of course, if the phone is shut down it has no service, but it will give the most recent usage.  I can’t tell you how many times I have heard stories about children who couldn’t be reached for hours at a time, putting the parents into a major tailspin, only to find their son/daughter simply forgot to tell his/her roommate he/she was sleeping somewhere else. Avoid this situation at all costs and remind your kids to always contact someone (roommate, suitemate, BFF) of their whereabouts, especially if they are not going to be sleeping in the room. Sure, sometimes it is not planned, but social media is so prevalent that there are no reasons to not let someone else know their whereabouts.

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I have yet to hear about a university in the state of Florida where parking is easy-peasy.  There are just never enough spaces for the number of students on campus every day. There are always “tricks” to finding a convenient space, but really, it’s all about planning.  And if you are someone who has a hard time getting up in the morning, you will learn that finding a space at the last minute may cause you to miss your class completely.

If you do have a car with you on campus, you will find that you really won’t move it much, unless venturing off-campus.  On-campus, you should take advantage of the shuttles that can take you almost anywhere on campus, and even off-campus to some locations.  The Bull Runner shuttle system is free to anyone with a USFCard.

The type of permit you will need depends on what type of parking you will need: resident, faculty and staff, commuter, etc.  Your permit must be purchased through the Parking and Transportation Services and is non-transferrable.  Different parking lots require different types of permits as well.

S Permits are specifically for non-resident students and run $183 annually.  R Permits are for resident students and run $226 annually. Y Permits are available to students and employees.  These are Park-N-Ride lots using the Bull Runner shuttle to transport to locations on campus. Think about long-term parking at an airport.

*Tip – If you arrive to park when other students are leaving classes it can be easier to find a spot. So, this means at 1/4, 1/2, or 3/4 after the hour.

Now, let’s talk about parking tickets.  The fact is that you will probably receive at least one ticket in your USF career.  It’s tempting to think “I’m late and my class is only one hour. I’ll be in and out.”  You may get lucky once, but you’d be surprised how quick those tickets are given. Tickets can range from $15 to $275 depending on the offense.  They can add up fast, which really isn’t worth it, so plan ahead. For a list of ticket violations and fines.

As for parents, daily permits can be purchased but there are other options such as meter parking and parking pay stations at different locations on campus.  For information and links click here.  Don’t forget that a bicycle is a useful tool to avoid parking nightmares too!

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It happens to all of us, even our kids.  You probably saw this when they were studying for their AP exams or writing the dreaded college application essays.  Well, balancing a full college schedule, football season, sorority, or fraternity rush, trying to maintain a social life, and learning to adult can bring on the stress that your student may not have experienced before. And as if all of that is not enough, 2018 brought Florida schools, hurricanes, and school shootings. Learning how to cope and handle lots of independent work, as well as dealing with natural disasters and violence made it hard for many students to know how to deal with that stress.

More students than ever are coming forward in need of help. In today’s world, the stigma of mental health help is nearly gone, as our country has placed a huge emphasis on identifying and implementing ways to help. Students as young as middle-school age are encouraged to talk, open up, and even tell an adult when they see that someone is struggling. Fortunately, that is being transferred to our now-college age students. The most common causes of anxiety in college include homesickness, financial worries, pressure from grades, and relationship problems, and of course social media. Family issues, illness, and trauma also play a part in the day-to-day mental health of a college student.

Fortunately, USF has wonderful resources to help students get through many types of stressful situations. The Counseling Center, which is a department of Student Affairs & Student Success, offers many programs, training, workshops, and therapy sessions to help students. They have between 23 and 25 full-time clinicians.  Scheduled appointments are usually fulfilled in about 4 days, whereas at most universities, it is about 8 days. Walk-in students who are in crisis are seen within an hour and telephone support is always available during n0n-office hours. They have drop-in sessions that vary from art therapy, Learning to Let Go, Mindfulness Meditation, and Relationship Reality. Their services are free to USF students and completely confidential. Counseling services include group, individual, and couple’s sessions. Make an appointment.

USF has also implemented Mental Health Well-being for Success, or MWell4Success. This program has three tiers: increasing mental health literacy to all incoming students by providing training to them, extending the Counseling Center hours and creating satellite stations around campus for coaching, counseling, and relaxation; and implementation of coordinated care management for students with the greatest mental health needs. For things that students don’t need a therapist for, a health coach can assist.  Sometimes students just need advice on time management or relationship skills. The three satellite locations are at USF Health, The Village residence hall complex, and the Marshall Student Center. Last year, 10,000 students visited a center! Posters are always on display all over campus to remind students that it’s ok to feel stressed and need help.

USF wants students to Build Your Inner Bull by taking advantage of services, workshops, and classes to help keep them mentally healthy. Campus Outreach and Consultation offer workshops, suicide prevention, mental health screenings, and more.

There are a series of videos made by USF for guided relaxation and meditation.  Apps have become popular in the mental health world, and USF recommends some for specific needs like relaxation, reducing anxiety, and improving your mood. The Center for Student Wellbeing provides therapy dogs on campus yearly.  They are brought during finals weeks to give students a chance to unwind with a puppy.  Last year, they even brought llamas on campus that have been certified as therapy animals.  There was a big buzz on campus about this, and those that missed it were very disappointed. Some of the apps that students use for managing stress include:

Headspace – Maybe this should have been the first one I wrote about. I use this one too because everyone deserves a mental break. For students who want to improve their mental health, not just maintain it, the Headspace app is the perfect place to start. It acts like a personal trainer for meditation, taking just ten minutes a day to guide your brain toward developing meditation muscle-memory. They offer a ten-day trial. If nothing else, the app is a daily reminder that for ten minutes a day, we all should calm down, breathe, dislocate from any stresses and surroundings, and try to focus on how we feeling on a deeper level. (Note: I included parents here too, because, well, the world would be a better place if we all did this.)

Meditation Oasis – Meditation Oasis includes podcasts, CDs, and apps connecting us with people from every walk of life and age group. Guided meditations are recommended by doctors and therapists.

MyWellness – This connects with most workout machines at the 3 USF recreation facilities and allows students to track their progress.

Myfitnesspal – Download and sign up for this popular fitness app. Search ‘Aramark on Campus’ and all menu items will be there. A great way to stay healthy and stay on track.

MindShift –  MindShift is an app designed to help teens and young adults cope with anxiety. It can help you change how you think about anxiety. Rather than trying to avoid anxiety, you can make an important shift and face it.

Tactical Breather – Tactical Breathing Trainer can be used to gain control over physiological and psychological responses to stress. Through repetitive practice and training, students learn to gain control of heart rate, emotions, concentration, and other physiological and psychological responses to the body during stressful situations.

Booster Buddy – Booster Buddy is a free app designed to help teens and young adults improve their mental health. Managing personal wellness journeys as you are guided through a series of daily quests designed to establish and sustain positive habits.

Like us, students need reminding that to help prevent stress, eating right, and getting enough sleep and exercise are essential. Avoiding energy drinks and too much caffeine can help ward off the crash that is inevitable. The Campus Rec Center has great classes for de-stressing; from yoga to dodgeball, there are fun ways to “escape” the stress of school. It’s easy for us as parents to tell them, but they will eventually learn to balance school and life.

There is no doubt that USF cares about the mental wellness of its students. They realize that the college experience can be stressful, and provide many ways to help. The key is asking for help and learning to work through it. And hey, a care package can always lift spirits! Check out our blog on care package ideas here.

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Your student got in trouble. Or they are having trouble. Now what? It’s not uncommon.  Sometimes even “the best kids” end up getting in trouble in some fashion in college. It could be as simple as a parking ticket, or as big as a charge of plagiarism.  Problems with a roommate, an apartment lease, getting caught underage drinking, are just a few of the issues that can play havoc with a college student and their parents.  No matter how well we’ve warned them to be safe, and follow school rules, it is important to also know what to do if trouble arises.

Firstly, 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 Student Government that include free legal aid to students? There is an on-campus service that offers a full range of legal services, such as consultation, assistance with traffic citations and criminal traffic charges, and even representation in court. If you or your child has a dispute with their landlord or leasing agency, USF’s Student Legal Aid can assist you. Free consultations are given by Tampa area lawyers to USF students.

Not surprisingly, the Tampa and USF 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, it is reported to the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities (OSSR) the University is permitted to inform parents or guardians. The student will be notified first so that they can notify their parent/guardian before USF does. USF’s Alcohol Policy.

As for student code and conduct violations, USF utilizes the Dean of Students 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.

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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