A6 C M Y K A6
July 17, 2006 •
Station looking to fill variety of positions FROM A2 Knightcast already partners up with the Campus Activities Board for its annual CAB Meet ‘n Greet in the Fall. Argyropolous also hopes to strengthen the bond between Knightcast and the Student Government Association. Argyropolous represents the station at SGA’s Public Relations Committee where he meets with members of other organizations across campus. He said Knightcast has also had great success going into classrooms and talking to students firsthand about the station. That’s not to say Knightcast isn’t doing its fair share of programming too. The station is upping the amount of podcasts it makes available, and is adding another show to an already action-packed schedule. Titled the Consortium, it will feature live recordings of local artists. Six bands have already stepped into the studio, and more are on the way. Argyropolous, the host, said local artists will be able to get some exposure to the larger UCF and Orlando universes. “That is something I really hope people will get into,” he said. Die-hard fans can also rest assured that the playful medley of hosts and
disc jockeys that students have come to know and love will continue their regular broadcasts as well. Argyropolous did point out that the station is always looking for new ideas. “I like to think of the station as being malleable to the students,” he said. “There’s really nothing you can do that doesn’t involve a little creativity.” Knightcast is here to help with that, he added. Non-broadcasters need not despair: Knightcast employs the help of a wide variety of students from different academic backgrounds, whether they be sports, music, tech, programming, or marketing and communications. Knightcast has even looked into having UCF engineering students find a way to soundproof the station. “There are things you can do besides be a broadcast DJ,” he said. “We want as much diversity in the staff as we can. We are looking for students from all over the university.” Knightcast holds meetings every Thursday at 6:30 p.m. in its Backstage Diner station. Students looking to get more information can send inquiries to info@knightcast.org or by visiting the Knightcast Web site, www.knightcast.org
Students limited to two drinks at Wackadoo’s FROM A2 coleslaw for only $5.19. “The Fat Ass Burgers are extreme,” UCF student Kasi Geiger said. The restaurant also has an assortment of beer and appetizers that will satisfy any Golden Knight fan on game day. When ordering alcohol at Wackadoo’s, one must present two forms of photo identification. “Most students always have their driver’s license and their UCF ID on them, so we usually don’t have problems,” said Christian Stephan, an alumnus and manager of Wackadoo’s. He also said that they have never had any problems with the UCF Police. There is a limit of two beers per customer at Wackadoo’s. “We don’t want this to be a place where students come to get drunk. It’s just a place where they can come to have a couple beers and unwind with friends after class,” Stephan said. Fans can also enjoy a beer during all of the UCF football games. During football season, Wackadoo’s airs every UCF football game on their big-screen television. It likes to call itself “the UCF viewing headquarters.” This title is fitting. Walking into the Grub & Brew is almost like taking a trip into UCF history. It has an assortment of UCF memorabilia, ranging from a signed Dante Culpepper jersey to photos of UCF fans on every table. During a normal day at Wackadoo’s, students can be found eating, drinking and even entertaining them-
JONATHAN GALLAGHER / CENTRAL FLORIDA FUTURE
Tara Santomenno, a server, brings out baskets of food.Wackadoo’s employs many UCF students.
selves. Many students go to eat, play pool or play “Dance Dance Revolution.” During the fall and spring semesters, Wackadoo’s also has events such as open mic night, comedy night, and band night where UCF bands perform out on the patio. “Tradition starts here” is Wackadoo’s motto, and it lives up to its promise everyday. Thaddeus Baxter, a student at Florida State University, enjoyed his experience at UCF’s Wackadoo’s. “This place has potential to build more tradition within the school,” Baxter said. “When you come back here 10 years from now, your picture could be in these tables. Wackadoo’s holds a little piece of everyone that comes through here.”
ANDREW VAN WART / CENTRAL FLORIDA FUTURE
Students, parents take a tour around UCF during one of the many summer orientations at UCF. In a year there are 16 freshman student orientation sessions dealing with about 6,500 students and about 7,500 parents and 16 transfer student orientation sessions dealing with about 6,000 students and about 1,600 parents.
Ritchie adds bilingual program FROM A1 Though some students may not know his name, almost all are familiar with his work. For six years Ritchie has helped incoming students navigate through their first, sometimes frustrating, year at UCF. Ritchie not only attempts to improve the orientation program at UCF but also provides for a select group of UCF students, the O-Team, to help new students find their way at UCF. In a year, there are 16 freshman orientation sessions involving about 6,500 students and about 7,500 parents as well as 16 transfer sessions with about 6,000 students and about 1,600 parents. Ritchie doesn’t just organize orientation at UCF, he also oversees the hiring and training of the O-Team and the implementation of virtual orientation — an online substitute for the all-day session available to transfer students and students taking completely online degree programs. He also oversees the sessions at the Rosen College and is the coordinator for the freshman First Year Experience course, Strategies for Success. Ritchie said he’s not overly busy even though his staff said that he often eats lunch on the go and is rarely in his office over the summer. At the University of Pennsylvania, Ritchie started out looking for a degree in music performance and was in the marching band, which kept him from attending orientation at his university. He started working with college students only to realize how much he enjoyed it. Later, Ritchie received his master’s in student affairs and higher education. Ritchie stayed at the University of Pennsylvania working as the assistant director of orientation. He spent eight years there before moving to Florida to accept his current position at UCF in June of 2000. Upon arriving, Ritchie
said the 2000 orientation program showed signs of progress. “I was quite impressed,” he said. “At the time, obviously, we were a smaller school — we were 10,000 less [students] — so we didn’t have as many programs as nowadays. But for coming into a program, it had been welladapted,” Ritchie said. Still, there is always room for improvement. Ritchie felt that new programs and better training for the orientation team is always needed if UCF expected to function as a growing university. This year, Ritchie added a bilingual session for family members who speak Spanish. Also, students can now enjoy the Ultimate Road Trip session and a Get Involved social. There is also a family reception and a Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act session that advises students about their rights regarding their educational records. But Ritchie said that the program is limited by the number of classrooms available for use. He says the orientation program would benefit with more alternative programming for parents and students, but said that space on campus, though it is improving, is hard to come by. “If we had more facilities, we could really expand our program at that point,” Ritchie said. Part of the orientation program is the O-Team. This group of students shows new arrivals how to survive in the UCF jungle and many say the task is rewarding. “To know that I’m actually making a difference to the students’ impression on the school, the first day, that really helps me get through my day,” O-Team member Jeff Pfleiderer said. Both Pfleiderer and fellow OTeamer Jason Holic laugh and joke with Ritchie while they wait for orientation ceremonies to commence. There is a mutual respect between the director and his team members.
“It’s really cool to have a boss that’s your friend at the same time,” Holic said. Steve and Pamela Hurst attended orientation with their daughter who is planning to major in mechanical engineering. The Hursts rated the orientation program at UCF highly. “The school is going out of their way to make sure that every student that enrolls is going to be successful,” Steve Hurst said. Chandra Simmons, who is seeking a major in business and minors in international business and French, said that everything went well during her orientation this year. Simmons said that she was somewhat confused during the part of the program that requires students to register for their classes online. But with the help of OTeam members, Simmons said she was able to get back on track. Simmons’ mother, Sandra Morgan, was equally impressed with UCF’s orientation program for parents. She believed that the orientation team answered every question that the parent of a college student would want to know. Andrew O’Malley, who was attending the first day of orientation with his son who is entering UCF with an undeclared major, said that the orientation program did an excellent job at easing all of his concerns. He said that the first 15 to 20 minutes, devoted to loosening up the guests, really helped him to feel more comfortable. “It [orientation] is an ‘A’ so far,” O’Malley said. For Ritchie, working with students is the highlight of his job. “I love working with college students and working with the orientation team … to see where they were when we hired them in November to where they are by the end of the summer,” he said. “It’s an amazing experience to see them grow and challenge themselves throughout the time they’re here.”
A5 C M Y K • July 10, 2006
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KnightLink trying to be sole stop for student career needs ERIC GRIMMER Contributing Writer
KnightLink, an online career management system, is striving to help UCF students and graduates find employment through online resume posting, job fairs, workshops, and information sessions. “Our goal for KnightLink is for it to be a one-stop shop for UCF students to get all their career services met,” said David Allen, the assistant director of Employer Relations at Career Services and Experiential Learning. KnightLink-registered students can submit and manage their resume, search registered employers, schedule interviews with potential employers and apply for posted job offerings. “KnightLink has the largest staff and is the most comprehensive system of its kind in the state,” said Melanie Parker, the Executive Director of CSEL. Any current UCF student can register with KnightLink by filling out a form in the CSEL office, located in the Student Resource Center across from the UCF Marketplace. Recent UCF graduates are allowed a one semester grace period in which they can still register with KnightLink and
graduates who fail to register before the end of their grace period can still do so by joining the UCF Alumni Association. The first step for newly-registered students is to upload their resume that will be viewable by organizations looking for their next employee. According to Allen, it is not unheard of for the organization to locate and contact the student directly about an employment opportunity, but that students should not wait for that to happen. Upon KnightLink registration, students can search for employment, register for job fairs at UCF, workshops hosted by CSEL and information sessions held on campus by organizations already registered with KnightLink. “Almost every day of the week during the key recruiting months, October to November and February to March, an organization will be on-campus recruiting and holding information sessions,” Allen said. The KnightLink system has been in operation since last summer; it replaced UCF’s first attempt at a career management system, GOLD Connection. KnightLink is a vast improvement, Parker and Allen said. GOLD Connection did not allow
employers to register for career fairs and did not have the networking feature Knightlink does. Still, KnightLink has faced difficulties of its own. In prior years, students had to register at the then-separate offices of CSEL. Since the combination of the two offices, the integration of all the data from the two offices into one computer system has resulted in difficult technical problems, Allen said. Currently, students are required to physically show up at the CSEL office in order to register for KnightLink. In the future, Parker hopes that the whole process will be done online, allowing all students to register from home. Another problem KnightLink faces is the ignorance and apathy of the students it was designed to serve. “Many students do not always take advantage of KnightLink or know anything about it,” Parker said. Heather Kushner, a UCF senior majoring in psychology, had no idea KnightLink existed. “The idea was completely new to me when I first heard it,” Kushner said. “But it definitely
PLEASE SEE CSEL ON A6
ANDREW VAN WART / CENTRAL FLORIDA FUTURE
The fire that damaged the second floor lounge of Academic Village Apartment Building 110 was likely caused by arson, officials say.
Lounges’ damage could reach $5,000 FROM A1 Joshua Krakauer, an 18-yearold hospitality management major, lives on the second floor of building 110 and was home when the second fire started. “As soon as we opened the (apartment) door, there was this thick black smoke everywhere, all down the hall, and everyone [was] freaking out,” Krakauer said. “Getting kicked
out at 3:30 in the morning sucks.” Both lounges were closed and all the furniture in the second-floor lounge was moved by the door. The drywall then had to be torn off, probably because of water damage. Damage estimates are not yet available, but Paterson estimated them to range from $3,000 to $5,000. The Florida Advisory Com-
mittee on Arson Prevention is offering a $2,500 reward for any information that leads to an arrest. They can be reached by phone at (321) 303-0599, tollfree at (877) NO-ARSON or through their Web site, http://www.facap.org CrimeLine, an anonymous service, is also offering a reward for tips that lead to an arrest. Their number is (800) 423-TIPS.
Hard work, sleepless nights, licensing troubles define small-business startup FROM A1 Managing work, family and finances was also a challenge. “We were cut off from our family and friends for the first six to eight months because we worked 18 to 23 hours a day,” Brown said. “We slept in the restaurant,” Griffis said. “We also had a lot of debt.” “We were not the perfect example of how to start a business. But we believed in the restaurant,” he added. Lazy Moon serves pizzas, calzones, salads, melts, beers
and wine. Their specials include the Boxcar Willy, a slice of pizza and a pint of PBR beer for $3.50. Griffis said it’s the atmosphere that draws customers. “[Our restaurant has a] lazy, relaxed atmosphere,” Griffis said. “I’d like for it to be a place where people hang out three or four nights a week, a home away from home.” Student Zach Gennaro recommended the restaurant. “I come here probably a couple times a month. It’s good pizza,” Gennaro said. “It has a nice college atmosphere. If you
want pizza, this is the place I’d recommend first on the list.” Lazy Moon is looking to expand its business to towns surrounding other southeastern colleges within the year. “It could be much sooner or later,” Brown said. “A lot of things have to fall into place before we jump into anything else.” Lazy Moon is open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday. For more information, visit http//www.LazyMoonPizza.com or call (407) 6582396.
Maximizing Pell Grant would make college more affordable, Student Loan Report says FROM A1 about funding for students,” Minnick said. “We would like to see students graduate without a large burden of loan debt and one way that this can occur is for us to provide students with more aid, such as grants and scholarships.” Each year, students who receive financial aid have responsibilities to carry out in order to receive their aid. The UCF OSFA stresses the importance of students applying for financial aid on time, the priority date being March 1.
“The number of scholarships available to UCF students continues to increase each year,” Minnick said. “We refer students to their To Do List on MyUCF and we urge students who first apply for loans through this office to take advantage of the federal loans available to them before they seek private loans.” Toby Chaudhuri, U.S. Newswire’s Campaign for America’s Future Communications director, said the increase in interest rates affects families. “Florida students and fami-
lies are getting hit with one of the largest interest rate hikes on student loans ever,” Chaudhuri said. “Families across the country are pinching pennies so they can afford to send their children to college. They are willing to sacrifice a lot for a college education, but it is getting harder and harder as costs go up and student debt goes up too.” Tuition at the average fouryear public university had increased by 40 percent since 2001 and nearly two-thirds of all four-year college graduates now have student loans.
A3 C M Y K • July 3, 2006
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CLAST not meant to burden college career, director says UCF offers many services to prepare students for CLAST, but some still have trouble passing, argue exam’s existence It’s 7:45 a.m., a time when most college students can just barely roll out of bed for early morning classes, let alone an exam. A large white sign taped to the outside of UCF’s Communications building briefly outlines assigned classrooms. Inside, many students crowd the halls. Some are desperately cramming for the test, while others calmly sit against the building’s cold walls. Finally, the test administrators open the classroom doors. Swarms of students file in, offering an admission ticket, name and two forms of identification. Pencils and test booklets are distributed to test takers as a blanket of silence covers the room. But this isn’t just any exam, it’s the College-Level Academic Skills Test. Every college student in the state of Florida is required to satisfy the CLAST requirement if they are seeking an associate of arts degree or a bachelor’s degree. Without passing scores, exemption or an approved waiver, graduation is unreachable. To some students, a test of this importance can lead to stress. Others view the CLAST exam as just another test to worry about. “In general, I think it’s a really big pain in the butt,” hospitality management major Andrea Lewis said. “I hate the idea that we have to take this test, and so much of graduating and our ability to enroll in other classes rides on this one test that comprises random things that you’ve already covered [in college classes].” These “random things” are the CLAST’s four subtests: mathematics, English language skills, essay and reading. The four subtests are designed to measure a student’s attainment of college-level communica-
tion and math skills. According to UCF’s University Testing Center Web site, a student is eligible to take the CLAST exam after they have completed 18 credit hours and the exam must be met before 60 credit hours are taken. If a student has not passed the exam after an additional 36 credit hours, UCF restricts future enrollment into classes. Rachel Rubinski, a comparative politics and international relations major, said the CLAST requirement can be stressful. “I took off of work, and I studied to make sure I passed because it got to the point
“It [CLAST] shouldn’t truly add stress to the students’ lives.” — JENNIFER WRIGHT SARC ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
where I needed to sign up for classes, like I’m in my third year of college and I need to graduate soon,” she said. Becky Piety, assistant director for the University Testing Center, said students usually pass before it starts affecting graduation. “Because a student can take the exam as early as earning 18 credit hours, there’s less chance of a student having to face retention in college for not passing,” Piety said. “One of the basic requirements for consideration for a waiver of a CLAST subtest is that a student must have taken a specific subtest at least four times.” To help students pass on their first try, the Student Aca-
demic Resource Center offers the best services to help prepare students for the CLAST exam, Piety said. These services include tutoring, computer software, study guides and videos. Mathematics major Heather McMahon said similar tools helped her pass the test. “I didn’t mind taking it [the CLAST exam],” McMahon said. “But it was easy to me because I took the review classes so it was really helpful.” Because of the services available, the CLAST exam shouldn’t be a burden to a student’s college career, said Jennifer Wright, assistant director for the Student Academic Resource Center. “The one thing that I’ll say is that it shouldn’t truly add stress to the students’ lives,” Wright said. But Rubinski says that her busy schedule and passing the CLAST exam added up to a lot of pressure. Advisers try to educate students about the CLAST exam as early as orientation, Wright said. The test becomes a negative mindset, and it frustrates students more when they can’t pass, she said. There are ways the CLAST exam can be avoided altogether. A student is exempt if he receives a 500 on the math and verbal sections of the SAT or a 21 or higher on the math and English sections and a 22 or higher in the reading section of the ACT. According to UCF’s University Writing Center Web site, students who have earned a 2.5 grade point average in course numbers ENC 1101 and ENC 1102 are exempt from the reading, essay, and English language sections of the test. Students who have earned a 2.5 grade point average in two math classes listed on the Web
PLEASE SEE STUDENTS ON A5
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presented by the Peer Health Educators at the University Health Center
Wellness Wednesday
By Ashley Bryant
L
VARIETY the spice of an active life
ast term I had ten minutes to get to my on-campus job from French class. I would dash down three flights of stairs in McKenzie, wind my way through the masses to Oregon Hall, scramble up three flights of stairs, and arrive in just in time… and out of breath. Admittedly, it was a great built-in workout, but it left something to be desired — namely, variety. While blazing through the first week of the school year, try replacing or supplementing the usual evening jog or morning crunches with new enjoyable activities. Not only does variety in physical exercise prevent boredom or feeling stuck, exploring new ways to keep active ensures a broader range of fitness benefits. You wouldn’t eat the same dish for every meal, would you? No matter how delicious, variety in your diet is essential for balanced nutrition. The same applies to exercise. Miles of running is great for aerobic endurance and cardiovascular health, but it won’t improve your flexibility or develop overall muscle strength. Before classes get too rough, check out some non-traditional ways to stay active. Here are a few ideas to get the ball rolling.
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Rock climbing at the wall in the Student Rec Center is a great way to familiarize yourself with climbing safety and technique. Instruction for beginners is as simple as showing your UO ID, paying a $10 one-time fee, and having a partner to hold the rope. After an hour of basic instruction with a staff member, you’ll be
asked to demonstrate what you’ve learned and to sign a release form. At this point, you don’t need to bother bringing any more money or even any equipment — it’s all provided, and it’s all free! For rock wall orientation days and times, call 346-1932 or check on line at http://pars.uoregon.edu. Ice skating at the Lane County Ice Center (13th and Van Buren) is low-impact, ideal as a group activity, and relatively inexpensive — $4.50-$8.00 for a pair of rental skates and access to the rink. A caveat: watch out for the little kids who have a tendency to slide like penguins right in the path of the unsuspecting. Find out current hours at 682-3615 or http://www.laneicecenter.org/.
Center to consult with a physician, athletic trainer, physical therapist or massage therapist. Sports medicine staff can help with rehabilitation so you can stay active as the term continues. To make an appointment, call 346-2770. Let me know your favorite way to work up a sweat, by sending me an e-mail at abryant2@uoregon.edu. Your suggestion will be posted on the Peer Health Education website (http://healthed.uoregon.edu). Explain how you became interested; what you like most about the activity; your level of involvement; a picture (if you have one) and what steps a beginner would need to take in order to get started. Pick your best spice and get moving. n
The UO’s own Outdoor Program is tailored to the tastes of the adventurous, offering excursions throughout the year such as rafting, kayaking, snow sports and rock climbing. Head to the basement of the EMU to find out what trips are scheduled, use their resources to plan your own trip, or to rent outdoor gear. Online, http://outdoorprogram.uoregon.edu. While you’re in the neighborhood, check in with the Club Sports office, in the basement of the EMU. Whether it is martial arts, crew, fencing, sailing or sky diving, Club Sports is an ideal resource for getting started in new activities and meeting other active students. Should you ever need care or advice pertaining to sports-related injuries, contact the University Health
“No matter how delicious, variety in your diet is essential for balanced nutrition. The same applies to exercise.”
Wednesdays 4:45 - 5:45 p.m. u October 18 - November 22
presented by the Peer Health Educators at the University Health Center
Wellness Wednesday
& renew
“Relax and Renew: A Mediation Series”
Bowerman Building (15th Ave. and Agate St), Heritage Hall
RELAX By Whitney Malkin
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Last year my roommates and I had a serious talk. I had been dashing around the house, grabbing apples on my way out and substituting them for meals. Relying exclusively on apples as sustenance is obviously a losing formula, and it was driving my roommates nuts. But between classes, two jobs, intramural sports and finding time to spend with my friends and boyfriend, I felt too busy to sit down and eat. Today my meals are far more balanced, yet I am still working on finding enough time in the day to get everything done.
Putting myself aside, it seems universal that students are completely over-scheduled and without enough time in the day to get everything done. In 2004, a student survey conducted by the University Health Center found that 23% of UO students did not feel they were doing a good job of handling the stress in their lives. Of these students, nearly half claimed to have suffered diminished academic performance as a result. That’s a lot of Ducks with slipping grades because of less than stellar stress management. (http://healthcenter.uoregon.edu/patientinfo/ survey_menu.html).
While managing time and stress can be difficult, there are methods available to get a handle on unproductive stress. One such method is meditation, which is why the Health Center is offering a free class called “Relax and Renew: A Meditation Series.” It begins next Wednesday. Jude Kehoe, LPN at the University Health Center, facilitates the class and is an expert in meditation and energetic healing. According to Jude, the belief that stress is inevitable leads us to disregard successful methods to reduce stress. But numerous well-designed studies have shown how meditation can reduce stress, improve focus, increase energy levels and enhance restful sleep patterns. The six-week series of one hour evening sessions will explore and practice several mediation techniques. When I heard of the meditation class last spring, I was skeptical. I am busy enough and couldn’t see squeezing in one more activity. The paradox is, as Jude explained, that meditating only 10 minutes a day could help sharpen mental clarity and enhance relaxation so that managing time becomes easier.
Junior Beth Glazer took a meditation class offered by the University and found that it was a big help in getting through the challenge of day-to-day stressors. “It was a really good break from the day because it is so soothing,” said Glazer. “I still use some of the techniques to just slow down when I find myself getting really stressed.” Attending all six sessions will give you a much stronger foundation in meditation, but dropins for any of the Relax and Renew sessions are also welcome. The class is free, but limited to 25 students. Other University resources include meditation classes through PARS and books on meditation available for two-week loan at the Health Resource Center in the EMU (across from the Fir Room). Like a well-balanced meal rather than just an apple, mediation could be part of your winning formula. It may not add hours to your day, but might help you have a well balanced perspective. Check out Relax and Renew. Class starts next Wednesday. Call 346-4456 for more information.
presented by the Peer Health Educators at the University Health Center
Wellness Wednesday 12806
CONDOMS You may have seen us walking down 13th Street handing out free condoms. You may have seen us in a presentation that was put on in a residence hall, or maybe you’ve even come into the Health Resource Center and talked with one of us. We’re Peer Health Educators. You might have heard of us before but don’t really know what we do. We are best known for giving out free condoms to anyone that wants one, but there is so much more to being a Peer Health Educator than the free condoms.
As Peer Health Educators we take two 4-credit classes through the College of Education, which addresses public health issues that are pertinent to college students like drug use, nutrition and stress. These topics are discussed in our seminar-style classes and we apply our knowledge as we reach out across campus. We’re all about talking with other students, giving outside presentations, tabling events like the Street Fair or Venus Festival, or just visiting with our peers during office hours at the Health Resource Center.
... and so much more
There are many great benefits (besides the eight upper-division credits) of becoming a Peer Health Educator. There have been many times while covering a topic in class, such as communication skills or alcohol use, that I wished I’d had this information a couple of years earlier. I would have been able to handle certain situations better with friends. The topics covered by Peer Health Educators apply to all facets of our lives, and the skills learned can be used forever. So if you are interested in health and want to become more active on campus, consider becoming a Peer Health Educator. You can apply on our website (http://healthed.uoregon.edu) or pick up an application at the Health Resource Center, in the EMU across from the Fir Room. If you have questions, contact Ramah Leith (Peer Health Education Coordinator) at 346-0562 or rleith@uoregon.edu.
By David Tran
presented by the Health Promotion Department at the University Health Center
Wellness Wednesday
By Jennifer Gerwick & Annie Dochnahl
FPEP eligibility has changed FPEP (Family Planning Expansion Project) has been getting plenty of press since the eligibility requirements changed last week. This federal grant was implemented in 2000 by the University Health Center and is currently up for renewal. The primary goal of FPEP is to prevent unintended pregnancies and improve the wellbeing of children and families with limited economic means. This goal is accomplished by providing free counseling, annual exams, contraceptives and sexually transmitted infections screening to eligible applicants when the primary reason for care is contraceptive management. The Health Center is hopeful that these services (i.e. annual exam, contraception, STI screening and pregnancy testing) will still be covered by FPEP. Changes in eligibility To qualify for FPEP, federal guidelines now require that students must submit either a passport or an original (no photocopies) birth certificate with photo ID. An exception may exist for students who were born in Oregon. Instead of providing either of these official documents, Oregon born students can fill out a form at the Health Center, which may stand in for the more official documents. Another change as of Nov. 1st, is for students who have insurance that provide coverage for contraception. If a student’s insurance provides coverage for contraception, that student will not qualify for FPEP. The rationale is that FPEP is intended for those of limited economic means, rather than those with significant insurance. Different insurance policies, of course, provide different types of coverage. The University Health Center’s health insurance policy, for example, does not provide coverage for contraception, but many policies do. If a student has insurance, check to see if contraception is covered. If the insurance covers contraception, that student will not be able to qualify for FPEP.
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Eligibility requirements that remain unchanged As in the past, students must reside in Oregon and make less than 185% of the federal poverty guidelines. That translates to a single person making less than $1, 436 per month. Women must be 55 or younger and men can be any age to qualify for FPEP. FPEP covered services continue to be confidential.
Be Prepared When asked what message she wants to send students about the new FPEP eligibility, Tricia Gregg, FPEP coordinator at the Health Center says, “Be Prepared.” “Students should present their documents (birth certificate or passport) to enroll in FPEP before they want to make an appointment.” FPEP eligibility lasts for a year and for students who are currently enrolled in FPEP, their coverage is good for the 12 months following their application. Gregg urges currently enrolled students to plan ahead, however, and bring their documents to the Health Center prior to their FPEP expiration so their eligibility does not lapse. For students whose eligibility has expired or are applying for FPEP for the first time, bring your documents by the Health Center. Time will tell the extent to which the eligibility changes will reduce the number of UO students who qualify for FPEP. Fortunately, the Health Center will continue to provide low cost contraception, pregnancy testing, annual exams and STI testing and treatment for all students, whether or not they qualify for FPEP. So while the changes in eligibility that have been handed down from the federal level may reduce the number of students who qualify for FPEP, the Health Center still provides high quality, student centered, low cost reproductive health care.
Contraceptives covered by FPEP at the University Health Center Oral Contraceptives Depo Provera Evra Patch Diaphragm Cervical Cap IUD (hormonal and copper) Emergency contraception (Plan B) Nuvaring Contraceptive sponge Condoms (male and female) Spermacides