Newsletter FOSN July 9, 2020

Prepare Your Student

Move-In Update
Incoming students will soon be able to select the day and time they would like to move in between August 12-15. It is important to note that, in order to maintain physical distancing and safety procedures, our appointment time portal will prevent roommates from selecting the same appointment time. In order to prepare for this process, your student may want to have a conversation with their roommate now about what day and time they each prefer so they both don’t try to select the same appointment time. Additional information will be shared early next week, so please make sure your student is frequently checking their RIT email for this information.

Disability Services
The Disability Services Office (DSO) provides students with disabilities equal access to programs, services, and physical facilities. Students who need accommodations should fill out the Request for Accommodations form on the DSO website this summer.

DSO will also be assisting students who are seeking academic accommodations based on being in a higher risk group for COVID-19. Along with working with their advisors to explore online course load options, these students should complete the request process through DSO.

Choosing a Meal Plan
In anticipation of new traffic patterns, RIT Dining has adjusted the first-year meal plans for the 2020-2021 academic year:

• The number of meals designated at Gracie’s is no longer a requirement in the Tiger 19, 14, and 10 meal plans.
• All meals within a selected Tiger plan can be used in any combination of meals at Gracie’s or meal exchanges.
• Meal exchanges are valued at $9.50 per meal.
• Dining Dollar amounts will remain the same for each meal plan.
• First-year students living at the RIT Inn may choose from the Tiger 19, 14, 10, and 5.

Meal plans can be changed until August 18, 2020 and can be made at myLife.rit.edu. For questions, please contact the Dining Business Office at help.rit.edu or 585-475-5000. Learn more about meal plans here.

Laundry
I’m very happy to report that, in the New Tiger Families survey, less than 10% of you reported that your student doesn’t know how to do laundry yet! This is an important skill—one of the primary reasons washing machines and dryers break down in RIT housing is misuse. Does your student know how to operate a basic washer and dryer? How much detergent to use? When to separate colors?

If you haven’t already, stop doing your student’s laundry for the rest of the summer. It is important that students know how to do so before coming to campus. Remember that part of learning this skill is laundry etiquette!

Pro Tip:
RIT students do not have to save their quarters—laundry at RIT is FREE! Facilities are located in the lower levels of all residence halls.

Today's Parent Tips

Family Orientation—Health & Wellness and Disability Services
Along with these newsletters and upcoming opportunities, we are happy to share our 2020 Family Orientation video series. Each week, we will share interviews with RIT staff that will introduce you to campus resources and life on campus. We hope that these videos not only help you understand the support systems available at RIT, but open conversations with your student about what to expect in the fall.

We have two videos for you this week:

• Health & Wellness: Learn about the health offices on campus, factors to consider with insurance, how to get prescriptions, ways to stay healthy at RIT, and more!
• Disability Services: Learn how RIT supports students needing accommodations for disabilities, how to request accommodations, and our philosophy and vision around disability and access.

Health Tips
Encourage your student to develop their Personal Wellness Plan by completing the Health and Wellness Checklist. Personal Wellness Plans should consider things like medical care and services offered on campus, filling prescriptions away from home, disability services and accommodations, and more.

This summer, have your student make their own doctor and dentist appointments. This is an important skill to have, as parents cannot make student health appointments at RIT. It is also a good idea to pack a basic first-aid kit for your student to keep in the residence hall. Over-the-counter medications are available on campus, but it may be more affordable (and convenient) to stock up at the beginning of the semester.

Advice from a current RIT parent:
“[I told my student] ‘You'll have to do the stuff that I do now. Pick up your prescriptions, make your doctor's appointments, buy your books.’ And he really stepped up.”

If your student has not yet completed the five required health documents, prompt them to log onto the RIT Wellness Portal to download and complete these forms.

Know Your Student’s College
Students are often more likely to know their major than their college, but it’s important to know which college they are entering, especially during Orientation! Check out the Programs of Study website to match your student’s major with their college. It isn’t always as obvious as you’d think! For example, the engineering technology major is not in the college of engineering.

New Tiger Families Survey Reminder
At RIT, we often seek parent feedback as we strive to best meet your information needs. In order to better understand the experience of parents of incoming students, please take a minute to respond to this brief survey. Your responses will help guide our communications over the summer and into the fall. 

Ask Your Student About...

Do you know how much laundry detergent to use for each load?
Even if your student knows how to do laundry, the machines on campus will look differently than yours at home. A refresh lesson doesn’t hurt!

What college is your major a part of?
RIT has nine colleges and two degree-granting units—some things vary by college and it may come in handy to know where your student’s major falls.