2013 Parent Survival Guide by Niner Times

UNC CHARLOTTE • A STUDENT NINER MEDIA PUBLICATION

We’re setting sail

ALL ABOARD TO SUCCESS! AS YOUR CHILD PREPARES TO BE A 49ER, GET READY FOR THE RIDE OF A LIFETIME

Eden Creamer EDITOR-in-chief

Welcome aboard the Niner Nation family! We’re so glad that your child decided to attend UNC Charlotte and we’re thrilled to welcome you to the 49er family. As a parent of a 49er, you’re bound to be experiencing a mix of emotions. Rest assured knowing that you have raised a competent, powerful and intelligent individual who, perhaps with a bit of guidance from you, will successfully make it through their time at UNC Charlotte. As the oldest child in my family, my parents had the delightful experience of trying to help me navigate through the beginnings of my college experience without ever having done it before. My freshman year my whole family learned valuable experiences that will benefit my parents when my younger sisters attend college.

Be supportive Your child will make new friends, join organizations, study hard and enjoy countless opportunities that previously were not available to them. That being said, it is important to support your child in everything that they do. Some changes may not make sense to you, and others might upset you, but it is important for you to remember that this is a child that you raised and you need to be confident that you raised a wonderful young person. Let them make the choices that are right for them. Sometimes these choices will be difficult and whether or not you agree with their choices, they are going to need you to be there for them when and if they need you. Being independent and mak-

ing these choices is part of the transition that is necessary for them to become a fully functional member of society as an adult. Be your child’s safety net as they explore who they are and what they want to do with their life. Being supportive now will help both you and your child later on after they graduate from UNC Charlotte and move into their roles in the adult world.

tact. This kept her in the loop and helped me feel as if I was holding firm to my indepen-

municate. Remember that in order to keep your child willing to communicate with you while they are at school, you’ll want to be open and understanding with them. They are in uncharted

At the beginning of the semester have your son or daughter send you a copy of their class and work schedule. Keep this somewhere you can reference it if you need it. Knowing when your child is and isn’t available can help you feel more secure with their budding independence and also help you if you should ever need to contact them in case of an emergency (i.e. texting your child instead of calling them if you know that they are in class).

Feel comfortable

Photos by Chris Crews, Barry Falls Jr and Andrew LaPointe

territory just as much as you are, and it is important to support them in any endeavors they may be bold enough to try.

Timing is Communicate My mother went from seeing me and speaking to me everyday to grappling with the fact that I now lived away from home. It took a few months for us to figure out how to make us both happy. Daily electronic communication and weekly phone calls became the way we kept in con-

dence. You and your child may want to develop your own way of keeping in contact with each other throughout the year. Whether that means you have a prearranged time that you will speak to your child each week or if you will come up with a small daily way to keep in contact, you would want to decide ahead of time how to com-

everything Whether your child is applying for financial aid or determining when to arrive on campus for move in day, it never hurts to be early. Apart from dates for applications sometimes timing and tact is important when trying to ensure your child is keeping up with courses or getting them to contact you.

As important as it is for your child to feel comfortable on campus, you shouldn’t be a stranger either. Being aware of what areas of campus look like and what services the university provides to your child on campus can benefit you just as much as it can them. If you are familiar with the services provided by the Student Health Center or the campus police, you may feel more comfortable in knowing that your child is safe at their home away from home. Don’t feel shy familiarizing yourself with the UNC Charlotte website, the features on the website or even a map of campus. Knowing all of these will benefit you in the long run as your child navigates through the next four years.

Enjoy these years As stressed as your child’s budding independence might make you, remember to enjoy this time. There is nothing more exciting than watching the wonderful child you raised flourish. Enjoy your child’s time at the university just as much as they will enjoy it. You’ll never get these years back.

University offers family and parent services Eden Creamer Editor-in-chief

Throughout the year parents are frequently invited to campus for university events and activities. While parents are invited to attend all campus athletic and community engagement activities, some events are meant for parent and family involvement. In conjunction with the annual International Festival, which generally occurs near the end of September, the Office of Parent and Family Services hosts Family Weekend. During this weekend, parents are invited to campus and become immersed in the 49er spirit and are made to feel a part of the UNC Charlotte family. Activities during family weekend generally include involvement in the International Festival, face painting, balloon animals, an inflatable obstacle course, a movie in the Student Union Movie Theater, a lunch reception with Chancellor Philip Dubois, a Union Takeover, community service projects, and performances. Registration for Family Weekend is required and can either be done online in advance or at a booth during the first day.

Family Weekend for 2013 will be Sept. 13 through 15. 49er Family Day is also usually held in mid-February in conjunction with the basketball homecoming festivities. At Family Day, parents can join their children in homecoming events, including a Union Takeover, tailgating and the game itself. Families that attend Family Day are also eligible for door prizes and to have a meal with Chancellor Dubois. While events such as these are geared toward including parents in university festivities, parents and visitors are welcome to visit campus at any time during the year. Organizations such as Niner Nation Family work to provide parents a constant link to the university and that activities happening on our around campus. Parents involved in the program receive a Niner Nation calendar, university area coupons and discounts and invitations to Niner Nation Family events, including Family Weekend and Family Day. For more information visit the Parent and Family Services branch of the Dean fo Students office at http://unccdso.orgsync.com/org/ parentandfamilyservices.

Welcome to UNC Charlotte

Family and Parent services

On-campus Dining

Brad Lambert

Fall Tailgating and FSL Information

Campus tour

Move-in Day

Textbooks

Care Package Ideas

Mailing and Package Information

On-campus Parking

Campus Police and Safety

Niner Nation Gold

Meal Plans

UNC CHARLOTTE OFFERS A VARIETY OF FOOD OPTIONS FOR ON-CAMPUS DINING Patrick Bogans A&E Editor

Students looking to live on-campus or around the university will have no trouble finding the perfect meal while at UNC Charlotte. Housing a plethora of restaurants with a variety of choices around every corner, UNC Charlotte has plenty of dining options that satisfy any hungry 49er. Favorite and popular restaurants, such as Wendy’s, Chick-Fil-a, Bojangles’ and Salsarita’s are spread throughout campus in the Student Union, Prospector and the Cone University Center. These options are alongside many other notable and original dining options that help make campus a vast and varied dining experience. Every year, or even every semester, it seems a new dining option is invented or revamped to give UNC Charlotte students fresh, exciting choices for breakfast, lunch and dinner. At the beginning of the 2012-13 academic year, the Bojangles’ in Cone was expanded in mind and in matter to include all day breakfast favorites and a variety of boneless chicken lunch items. The Herban Legend Food Truck was also implemented as a mobile food alternative to satisfy students looking to get a dose of international cuisine for their midday meal. Outtakes Carts were also added with hours suited to morning commuters. Prospector gained a revamped burger specialist in place of Smasher’s with the new Grill Nation. Even this past spring semester, pizza palace Mamma Leone’s got a new husband in Papa John’s, which opened up in the Student Activity Center. The pizza chain is now open for students Monday through Thursday and serves up personal pizzas with many topping options, alongside garlic and cheese bread-sticks. This coming school year, students can look forward to another mainstream food chain making its way to campus. Subway, the beloved fast-food sandwich chain, will replace Wild Greens in the Cone Center’s Main Street Market. Alongside this change, Lindsey DePrey, marketing director for Chartwells at UNC Charlotte, explains there will be new options for students who have meal plans and often dine in the Student Union.

Between 5 and 10 p.m. on Monday through Thursday, students can use their meal swipes at the Mamma Leone’s location in the Student Union. The meal swipes can be used at a designated “take-away” menu at the location, and will be available once students begin classes in August. Bistro 49, the more traditional restaurant style dining option on campus, will now be open for dinner during the week. The bistro will also be open Monday through Thursday from 5 to 10 p.m. starting in August. The dinner menu will vary from the lunch menu, but still offer the same table service that is expected when you dine at the Bistro. Students will need to use a combination of a meal swipe and declining balance to enjoy dinner at Bistro 49. Looking farther ahead, UNC Charlotte will have another grand addition on the dining front after the upcoming school year. The new South Village dining facility will be a state-of-the-art two-story food haven for students. The facility is currently under construction and is located on the south side of campus, in the area of the Moore and Sanford highrises. The lower level of the facility will be similar to Crown Commons, but spacious and more modern, including a European-style kitchen, Asian cooking, a deli and more. There will also be a campus bakery, a take-out area for on-the-go and a retail venue that will serve for students throughout the day. The venue will also have a late-night dining service. LouAnn Lamb, marketing director for Business Services said in an interview with former Niner Times Editor-in-Chief Haley Twist that the upper level of the facility will include a grand outdoor terrace which will wrap around the village and inside there will be a large student lounge with fireplaces and flat-screen televisions. According to the Facilities Management website for UNC Charlotte, the project has an estimated completion date of May 2014. DePrey suggests that students submit any questions, concerns or suggestions to the Chartwells website, dineoncampus.com/unccharlotte. “Anytime that people have ideas, we’re more than welcome to hear them,” said Deprey.

Cafeteria Activities Building Outtakes Crossroads

Charlotte Research Institute Outtakes CRI (Duke Hall)

Mobile food trucks and carts East Deck Outtakes cart Denny building Outtakes cart Herban Legend

Prospector Chick-fil-A Express Feisty’s Franks and Fries Continental Breakfast Bar Soup/salad bar

Grill Nation Mamma Leone’s Mondo Subs Salsarita’s Gold Room Faculty/Staff Dining

Student Union Crown Commons Einstein Bros. Bagels Mamma Leone’s

Starbucks Wendy’s Outtakes Bistro 49

Student Activity Center Papa John’s Pizza

Cone University Center Au Bon Pain soups Bojangles UNO PIzza Express Use Your Noodle, Sushi with Gusto Subway

J. Murr ey Atkins Library & Fretw ell Buildin g Peets’ Ca fe

Resident Dining Hall Outtakes at RDH RDH Dining Hall

This will be the last year RDH (above) will be open. Photos by Chris Crews and Matt Jackson

A seaworthy

opponent MEET BRAD LAMBERT, THE FIRST HEAD FOOTBALL COACH OF THE CHARLOTTE 49ERS.

Brad Lambert, the first head football coach for the Charlotte 49ers has seen it all. From practice (left) to the unveiling of the 49ers first helmet (below) and the inaugural spring game (above), Lambert has been with the from the start. Photos by Chris Crews and Haley Twist

Tadd Haislop Staff Writer

An office in the northern corner of the Judy Rose Football Center overlooks a brand new football stadium with freshly placed artificial turf that has never seen game action. The blinds in the office window are open, allowing the entrance of a bright glare from the sun beaming off metal bench seats that have never been sat in. The walls of the office are empty and a faint smell of fresh white paint fills the air. A 48-year-old football man gazes out of the window. He is the first head football coach in UNC Charlotte history. His name is Brad Lambert. A football man is a fellow who loves the sport and has throughout his life. He has always watched football, played football and studied football. He is committed to the game as if the two were in a romantic relationship. Brad Lambert is, and always has been, a football man.

It all started in 1983 on the campus of Kansas State University; home of the Wildcats. A former standout high school player and freshman defensive back on the football team, Lambert was not far from his home in Hoxie, Kan. Like any football man would, he loved to play the game. His skill and passion became apparent after his freshman season when he earned second-team all-Big Eight honors. “My whole career I had always thought about playing,” Lambert said. “I never really thought about coaching. I was always on the playing side, I mean everything was focused on playing football.” Lambert performed well for the Wildcats in the next three seasons, but was even better off the field. The defensive back was an all-Big Eight academic choice his sophomore year, junior year and senior year. He lettered in each of his four years on campus until his graduation in 1987. Despite success both on and off

the field, it became apparent that Lambert would not become a professional football player. But a true football man would never leave his love. He would find a way to stay connected to the sport and excel in it. That is exactly what Brad Lambert did. “Once my career was over at Kansas State I really didn’t want to leave the game. I really loved football and wanted to be around the guys. That’s when it kind of turned to the coaching side.” Thanks to the advice of a position coach that had played at the University of Oklahoma, the football man turned his attention and graduate school plans to Norman, Okla.; home of the Sooners. Unsure if he had made the right decision, Lambert said, “Let’s go to Oklahoma and see if this is what I really want to do. Sure enough, I got into it, really fell into it. That’s how it all got started.” Jim Donnan served as Oklahoma’s offensive coordinator when the 22-year-old Lambert arrived on campus.

The well-known and respected coach took a liking to Lambert, who had wedged his way into the football program as a graduate assistant. Soon after Lambert’s arrival in Norman, Donnan accepted the head coaching position at Marshall University in Huntington, W.V. Wanting a true football man by his side, Donnan brought Lambert with him and gave the graduate assistant his first official assistant coaching job. After six successful seasons in Huntington, including a NCAA Division-1 Football Championship in 1992, Donnan was offered the head coaching position at the University of Georgia. Like he did before, Donnan made sure Lambert was right by his side in the move. The coaching duo was successful in the Southeastern conference as well, participating in bowl games in four of their five seasons with the Bulldogs. However, despite a 40-19 record in that time, Donnan was fired as head coach. Lambert then turned to Head Coach Jim Grobe at Wake Forest University. “I had heard a lot of good things about the coach. Didn’t really know him, but I had a really close friend on his staff that helped me.” Lambert accepted a position as the linebackers coach for the Demon Deacons after the 2000 season. He was then promoted to defensive coordinator in 2007. While at Wake Forest, Lambert heard rumors of a start-up football program in nearby Charlotte, N.C. “I knew they were going to start football and had kind of seen the situation from 90 miles away in Winston. Because of the location of the school I really wanted to investigate. I really went into it wanting to see what the plan was and is. Do we really want football at UNC Charlotte or just say we want football? Sure enough, the plan was in place, just a fabulous plan that the staff had laid out. I got really excited about

the opportunity.” After becoming very interested in the job, Lambert submitted an application to be reviewed. “Darin called, Judy called and one thing lead to another. We had a meeting and then I met with the chancellor. When they offered me the job we decided to go ahead and take it.” Judy Rose, the director of athletics at UNC Charlotte, immediately noticed that Brad Lambert was, in fact, a football man. “I read his letter of application and I said, ‘Oh my gosh, who is this guy?,” Rose said of the Wake Forest defensive coordinator. “It was not your cookie cutter letter. No, it talked about growing up on a farm in Kansas, work ethic and what he would do as coach.

“Then, when you become defensive coordinator, you deal with and influence about half of the team. Now, as the head coach, you have a chance to influence all the guys on the team, set the pace on the way we’re going to practice and the way it’s going to be in the office. That’s been a lot of fun, but this is a unique situation as a start-up. You get to be involved in the construction of a stadium and the complete hiring of all your staff. I’ve really enjoyed it so far.” Lambert realizes that he has complete control over the Charlotte 49ers football program. He has been able to pick his players and establish traditions, such as how the team practices and how they run on the field. However, he also

“

SURE ENOUGH, THE PLAN WAS IN PLACE, JUST A FABULOUS PLAN THAT THE STAFF HAD LAID OUT. I GOT REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

So I started making phone calls. We had our list of what we were looking for and ‘wow factor’ was on there, a wow factor in what he’s accomplished.” Less than three weeks later, Rose introduced Lambert as the first ever head football coach at UNC Charlotte. The football man could not possibly be more excited about his opportunity with the 49ers. Not only is the gig his first as a head coach, but he is a head coaching pioneer at Charlotte. “As you move up as a position coach you have your 12 guys that you deal with,” Lambert explained.

”

recognizes the downsides of having to build a program from the ground up. “We have a lot of freshmen. They make a lot of freshman mistakes on and off the field. Just being a freshman in college is a new experience for everybody. We had 60-some freshmen that came to us last August and, in a normal situation, you would only have about 20.” Lambert has been equipped with beautiful facilities. UNC Charlotte and the Athletics Department have given him all the tools he could possibly need to run a football program. Despite all of

the exciting aspects of controlling a new program, he is mostly excited about the students. He wants and needs the student body. “One of the reasons I got involved is Saturdays on a college campus, that’s a fun time for the student. We want to create an environment where [students] want to come watch us play. I’m excited to see them.” The rookie head coach has worked hard to spread the word about Charlotte’s new football team. As far as football programs are concerned, he has seen the best of the best and wants to get Charlotte to that point. Over the last two years Lambert has attended over 200 events in order to promote football at UNC Charlotte. He often shows off pictures of and encourages alumni to return to the beautiful campus he now calls home. He wants to “field a team that plays well and the right way so that when people leave the stadium, they’re like, I want to go watch that crew play again. They play hard.” Lambert will make his head coaching debut when the Charlotte 49ers take on the Campbell Camels on Aug. 31. After a lifetime of loving the sport of football, he will finally take the reigns and lead his team with complete control. He is no longer a player or a graduate assistant. He is not an assistant coach or a defensive coordinator. He is a head coach. With only a few months remaining before the showdown against Campbell, Lambert can stare out of the window in his office through the open blinds and picture what the scene will look like. He can picture the team’s entrance and other traditions he has been able to establish. He can picture thousands of fans wearing green in place of the bright glare from the empty bench seats in the stadium. This fall, Brad Lambert’s dream as a football man will become reality.

Illustration by Lindsey Hunt

Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum In addition to new university regulations regarding pregame tailgating and gameday restrictions, university policies have been developed to allow for the purchase of 49er Seat Licenses.

Tailgating before the UNC Charlotte Green and White Spring Game. Photo by Chris Crews

Eden Creamer editor-in-chief

With the launch of a new football program, the need for an official university policy regarding tailgating and ticket purchasing at UNC Charlotte becomes necessary. As the university revved up for football, a tailgating policy was created and enacted starting with the inaugural Green and White Spring Game on April 20, 2013. The entire policy is available online, and it is recommended that those planning to tailgate read the policy in its entirety before attending any tailgating event. According to the university tailgating policy, tailgating can begin four hours before a game. Tailgating will begin at 9 a.m., as all games will begin at noon. Tailgating must end two hours after the completion of the game, to allow campus to get back to regular operating ability as soon as possible. Areas where tailgating is not permitted will be marketed. These locations include recreational fields, the botanical gardens, the chancellor’s property and the on-campus graveyard. Tailgating areas cannot impede vehicular traffic. University policy 706 regarding on-campus alcohol regulates alcohol use during tailgating. Kegs and other communal sources of alcohol will be prohibited. People must be able to present a valid ID. Drinking games will not be permitted during tailgating. “You can play corn hole, because that is a big part of tailgating culture. But you cannot turn tailgating into a drinking game,” said Dr. Michele Howard, associate vice chancellor for student affairs during the Football

Town Hall Meeting on April 15, 2013. Grills will be permitted in parking lots, but not in decks or on fields. Open pit fires are prohibited, and large cookers are prohibited everywhere but in Lot 25. Household furniture will be prohibited as well. Inside the stadium, use of tobacco products, drugs, alcohol, vulgar language or otherwise illegal or disruptive behavior will not be tolerated. Attendees of the game will not be able to exit and reenter the stadium during the game. Attendees of the games will also not be allowed on the sidelines or on the field. “After we win the game 49 to nothing, please do not rush the field,” said Dr. Howard. Outside food and drink, footballs, umbrellas and bags larger than 8x10x14 will not be allowed inside the stadium. Patrons will be able to bring an empty, clear water bottle into the stadium, which they will be able to fill with water at free bottle filling stations. There will also be recycling and trash at tailgating stations, and the stadium will have recycling, trash and compost stations. These are provided to work with the Zero Waste Initiative and works with the Charlotte Green Initiative. The regular ticket purchasing policies already adopted by the Charlotte 49ers athletic department were also expanded to include football procedures. Student tickets will be available online. Any unclaimed student tickets will be released for sale to the general public. John George, assistant athletic director for tickets, provided an outline of ticketing and seating for football games at April’s Town Hall Meeting. Ticket informa-

tion is all available on the Charlotte 49er webpage. For games, tickets will be available prior to the game. Gates at the game will be open to those with tickets at 11:30 a.m. Tickets for the regular season games are available exclusively online for 49er Seat License (FSL) holders as of now. “We have about 300 remaining of the initial 5,000,” said George. These licenses are available to parents, UNC Charlotte alum and the general public. The FSL allows the owner to purchase season tickets for the rest of their lives, and the owner of the FSL will be permitted to transfer the pass to anyone, whether sold or otherwise transferred. It is also eight percent tax deductible. To receive information about tickets as it is released, George urges that fans be added to the list serve for information by emailing niner@uncc.edu. Nick Konawalik, assistant athletic director for marketing, provided during the meeting information regarding social media platforms available to provide more information to football fans prior to games. “The Fan Guide is another form of information that we have. It was a collaboration of all of the committees that we have,” said Konawalik. This guide includes information on parking and tailgating, ticket and venue information, travel information, scheduling and social media. All information regarding these policies is available on the Charlotte 49ers athletics webpage and through the official university policies on the main UNC Charlotte website.

Players with the Charlotte 49ers football team during the inaugural Green and White Spring Game. Photo by Chris Crews

A view through the looking glass TAKE A TOUR AROUND CAMPUS BY LOOKING AT A FEW OF THESE IMPORTANT CAMPUS LANDMARKS

BELK TOWER FOOTBALL STADIUM

EST. 1970

EST. 2013 The McColl-Richardson Field is one of the university’s newest landmarks with the addition of football. The stadium’s current capacity is 15,300 patrons and expansion plans are in the works as the 49ers prepare to join Conference USA.

Photos by Chris Crews

Belk Tower, named after William Henry Belk, stands at 148 ft. tall and is the center of the First Amendment quad. The tower originally housed the campus bell, which is currently not operable. Bells are now played using an electronic Carillon.

Photo by Megan Hennings

49ER GOLD MINER EST. 1991 The bronze statue serves as a reminder to the Charlotte region’s history. It sits near the front entrance of campus, beside the J. Murrey Atkins Library and the high rise buildings.

CYRILLIC PROJECTOR EST. 1997 The cylinder is a riddle illuminated in the evening by a light inside the sculpture. Jim Sanborn, the creater of the sculpture, put the letters of the Russian alphabet around the sculpture to mask a hidden message. FILE PHOTO

Andrew Baker

NinerOnline Video Productions Manager

MOVE-IN DAY REQUIRES FAMILIES TO PLAN AHEAD TO PREVENT FEELING OVERWHELMED Eden Creamer editor-in-chief

At the start of the academic year, students who will be living on campus spend a weekend arriving to campus, loading all of their belongings into their dorm room and moving onto campus. Move-in day sounds daunting. The university and the Department of Housing and Residence Life spends countless hours preparing and planning for each move in day. On the day of move in, the department organizes employees and volunteers to have them direct traffic, answer questions and provide help to those who need it. Prior to arriving to campus, there is plenty you and your family can do to prepare for your child’s move. First, begin packing well in advance. The earlier you begin organizing all of your child’s belongings, the easier it will be to load it all into your vehicle and ultimately into your child’s dorm room. The night before move-in, visit the Housing and Residence Life website to view floor plans for your child’s building. By viewing these floor plans, you will be able to plan in advance the best way to park and enter your child’s future residence when moving in their belongings. UNC Charlotte students moving into the high rise buildings. Photos by Aaron Cress

A sailor’s guide to textbooks Michelle Liringis Staff Writer

College expenses really add up: tuition and fees, meal plans, housing prices, dorm supplies and, of course, the ever-dreaded cost of textbooks.

While most of the costs of college are out of the student’s control, there are always ways to save here and there. It is also important to know what to do with unneeded textbooks after the semester has ended. Here are a few useful things to know when it comes to buying, renting or selling textbooks.

Renting

The UNC Charlotte Barnes and Noble campus bookstore is a location where students can buy and rent textbooks. Photo by Chris Crews

BUYING NEW

USED BOOKS

Many first year students buy their books new, either from the campus Barnes and Noble bookstore location or through another bookstore. The campus bookstore makes it easy for students to order all their books with one click of a computer mouse. By going to the bookstore’s website, students can search for textbooks by course and all textbooks assigned to the course will pop up. With one click, students can add these books to their shopping cart and pick them up at the campus bookstore when the books have arrived. Gray’s Campus Bookstore is another easy option to buy new textbooks. Gray’s is located across the street from campus on University City Blvd., and has most of the textbooks required for UNC Charlotte courses.

For many, buying all new books is expensive. Students frequently purchase used books for lower prices, even though these copies of the book are just as good. There are a variety of options to consider when purchasing used books, both local and online. The campus Barnes and Noble location gives the option to buy a used copy of the textbook online when ordering if there is a used copy available. These books will be available to the student when ready at the bookstore just like with new books. Amazon.com is another popular choice among students for purchasing textbooks. When more than one seller is providing the book, students can pick who to buy from based on price, and free two day shipping is available for Amazon Student or Amazon Prime members. Gray’s also sells used textbooks to students for lower prices than new textbooks would sell for. Other local bookstores, including places like the Last Word, a consignment bookstore, will also have plenty of books to choose from. Because the Last Word is not a textbook retailer, however, they mostly carry novels. Looking here for books may prove fruitless, but there is always a chance given it’s close proximity to campus that another student will have sold a textbook to them.

the library Some courses read novels or memoirs for a few weeks out of the semester. In this case, check out the J. Murrey Atkins Library to see if they have the book. The library is of no charge to the student and has a wide selection of books. Library checkouts last for three weeks, and books may be renewed up to two times as long as another student has not put a hold on the book.

Another option is renting textbooks from bookstores or companies. The Barnes and Noble campus bookstore and Gray’s both allow students to rent some books, though not all books that are needed will be available for rent. Sometimes these books can be found online to rent if they are unavailable through these bookstores. Ecampus.com and bookbyte.com are two popular textbook renting sites. Books are ordered online and the price is dependent on the duration of the rental period: quarterly or semesterly, as well as the book itself. The companies provide shipping labels so return shipping is of no cost to the student. They will also issue a 10 percent rebate for all textbooks returned on time and in similar condition to when they were first rented.

Buy-Back Depending on where textbooks are purchased from, the seller may provide students with a buy-back option. This allows students to sell the textbook back to the company at the end of the semester to receive either store credit or money back. The campus Barnes and Noble location and Gray’s offer a buy-back service, but because of the mass quantities of students trying to sell the same books back to these locations, you may have to wait to sell back your books. Those who order their textbooks through Amazon Student or Amazon Prime have guaranteed buy-back. At the end of the semester students can access the Amazon-designed and book-specific shipping label through the orders tab of their account.

Cookies, shampoo and chips: Ahoy! Cute and creative care package ideas to remind your Niner that you’re there for them Eden Creamer Editor-in-chief

Study supplies Exams are near and you want to let your child know you’re thinking of them. The best thing to add in these care packages are fun school supplies or stress relievers to help them get through the most stressful time of the semester. Highlighters Printer ink Tape Post-its Notecards Sharpies

College can be stressful, and when the going gets tough it’s nice to know someone cares. A great way to let your child know you care is by sending them a care package. Care packages can be geared towards a specific event, like a birthday or holiday, or can be stuffed full of food and other goodies or necessities that your

When in doubt, you can always ask your child what they would like you to send them. Chances are they have ideas for what they’d like and will be happy that you thought of them.

Food and treats

Your child is probably getting sick of dining hall food and Ramen noodles by now. Great non-perishable or easy to mail snacks or treats would make their day. Try including some of these tasty treats. For an added touch to warm their heart, have some of these goodies be homemade! Cookies Candy bars Coffee Brownies Chips Popcorn Oatmeal Poptarts Pretzels

o Ph

Dorm necessities

child may need. Some services exist where you can order premade care packages, and simply by providing your child’s address, the care package will be shipped directly to them. If you’d rather make your own care package to send their way, here are some ideas for what to send.

r ou

There comes a point in the semester where the toilet paper, deodorant and cleaning supplies begin to dwindle out. To save your child a trip to the store, let them know that you care by sending a care package full of things they need. You could even send it in a reuseable basket! Surface wipes Band-aids Disinfectant spray Deodorant Toilet paper Baskets

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Ship a parcel to campus Learn what to expect when it comes to mailing letters and packages to your child at their university address

Eden Creamer editor-in-chief

Students living on campus will be able to receive letters and packages to their buildings through the Mail and Package Services provided by Auxiliary Services. To mail to a student who lives on campus, label the envelope or package with their name, room number and residence hall and UNC Charlotte’s street address. In addition to receiving mail on campus, students will be able to send it. Services offered by the Mail and Package Services include express and priority domestic and international mail, certified mail, post cards, bulk mail and package services and more. The Mail and Package Services is a fully operational Postal Contract Station through the United States Postal Service. Near the Mail and Package Services

office in the lower level of the on-campus Prospector building, students will also be able to purchase envelopes, boxes and stamps to aid in their mailing and shipping needs. Larger packages shipped to students on campus will need to be picked up at the Mail and Package Services offices. When a package has arrived that a student will need to go pick up, they will receive an email alert to their university email account. A few days after the first email alert, if the student still has not received their package, another email alert will be sent out. After 10 days if the student still has not picked up the package, it will be removed from the offices. The Mail and Package Services Office is open Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Students can also ship letters and

packages at the Union Station, located on the first floor of the Student Union. The Union Station has envelopes, stamps and boxes available for sale, which students can use to package whatever they are hoping to send. They also offer United States Postal Service and FedEx shipping options. Also offered at the Union Station is notarization services and U.S. Passport services. Campus mailboxes are also available for rent through the Union Station and students with one of these mailboxes will be able to receive letters here. Otherwise students are not able to receive letters or packages at the Union Station. Union Station is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and is located on the first floor of the Student Union.

When addressing letters and packages to students who live on campus, sure sure to properly label the parcel. Letters and packages not properly addressed may not find ad their way to nd D eet, a m Str 23 Mo the intended Main N.C. 282 3 2 1 , e lott recipient. Char

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Be sure to include your name and address so your child can know who is sending them mail. This also helps the university return the Address letters and packages with your mail to you if they are child’s given name, not a nickname. Mail unable to send it to with a nickname on the label may still arrive your child. to the desired student, but the chances of the package arriving to someone other than your child goes down if it is addressed to the student’s given name or the name that the university has on file for your child.

After your child’s name, you must properly address the label.Put the room number and residence hall that your child lives in as the first line of the address. The next two lines are the university-wide address.

Parking for the visting crew A GUIDE TO PARKING ON CAMPUS FOR PARENT VISITORS

The entrance to the visitor parking area of the Cone Deck. FILE PHOTO

Patrick Bogans A&E editor

Because parking is strictly enforced at the university, there are designated parking areas for those looking to visit the campus during the week. Parking and Transportation Services (PaTS) at UNC Charlotte has a couple of ways for parents or any other visitors on campus to come without possibly receiving a parking ticket. For longer visits, there are four visitor parking decks at the university: Cone Visitor Deck, Union Visitor Deck, Visitor Deck at East Deck 1 and visitor parking at CRI Deck 1. Visitors looking to explore or visit the main campus area should park at the Cone or East Deck, depending on which side of the main campus the visitor will frequent most. East Deck is also preferable for those attending productions in Robinson Hall. Cone Deck is preferable for visitors attending athletic events in the Student Activities Center or Irwin Belk Track and Field Center/Transamerica Field. The Cone Deck is also the designated parking deck for football game visitors,

unless visitors purchase a game-day parking permit online for use at the Union or West Deck. It is also closest to the student residential highrises in South Village. The Union Deck is close to many of the university dormitories, including Witherspoon, Miltimore, Lynch, Wallis, Oak, Maple, Pine and Elm Halls. Parking at visitor decks are $1 per half hour, with a maximum charge of $10 a day. Temporary parking permits can also be purchased for visitors at $5 per day at the PaTS Office, which is number 23 on the university map. Parking in front of the building can be used while the process for receiving the permit is completed. Visitors will need to have their driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s license number available, as well as the make, model and tag number of the vehicle being used. For shorter visits, metered parking is suggested. There are areas with meters for parking scattered throughout the university. Fifty cents is required for 15 minutes of parking on most meters. There are meters with a maximum of 30 minutes, and those are 25 cents for 15 minutes.

CAMPUS POLICE WORK TO PROTECT STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF Sean Grier Intern

To assist students on their collegiate journey in the safest way possible, the Police and Public Safety Department of the Division of Business Affairs serves the

campus and the surrounding area to protect students, faculty and staff. With jurisdictions including off-campus housing, N. Tryon St. and some of the Concord area, they have reduced crime by over 36 percent over the past few years. Staffed with over 50 sworn police offi-

Above, one of the cars utilized by the campus police patrols. Right, UNC Charlotte has over 300 Blue Light Emergency Phones across campus. Photos Oleg Zigalenko

cers, including three full-time detectives, the university is dedicated to campus safety. With patrols all day, everyday on the campus and surrounding areas, a student need not feel unsafe. During any given shift there are six or seven police cars patrolling the streets of campus and foot patrols roaming everything in between. The university installed over 300 Blue Light Emergency Phones for students to use to contact campus police in the event of an emergency. These allow the police to know the individualâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exact location and are handsfree for the convenience of its user. Another service to be mindful of is SafeRide, which provides safe travelling on a secure bus system to select points on campus. The university has also invested in two Sky Towers, with the General Assembly debating on purchasing four more. These sit in the parking lots and offer police officers an eye in the sky on the lots at all times. There is also a campus-wide siren sys-

tem that is periodically tested throughout the school year. The Police and Public Safety Department also sends out emergency email alerts that designate how to deal with a situation, for example, a suspicious person on campus/vehicle, or caution when inclement weather approaches. UNC Charlotte also gained a Special Weapons and Tactics team (SWAT) and Mobile Command Center in 2011 that will effectively provide the type of safety and support required by a situation such as a lock down. With over 26,000 people on campus at any given time, there are opportunities for anything to happen. It is best to learn the surroundings and remember emergency contact information.

Experience the treasure of athletics Having your student join Niner Nation Gold will add to the thrill of their college experience

LEFT: Niner Nation comes together in the student section of Halton Arena during a basketball game in January. RIGHT: Norm is always in attendance at sporting events, including the inaugural Green and White Spring Game. Photos by Chris Crews

Libby Weihsmann sports editor

You and your family could not have joined the 49er fan base at a better time. With Charlotte athletics moving to Conference USA and the 49ers debuting their first ever football team, the 2013-14 year is about to be nothing short of epic. You are about to be a part of Charlotte history. You are about to be a part of Niner Nation. Are you ready? Niner Nation is one of the most powerful and influential collegiate groups in college sports. School spirit is crucial to keeping any athletic program alive, and Niner Nation Gold strives to do just that. Niner Nation Gold is a student organization at UNC Charlotte that focuses on supporting and promoting all of the Charlotte 49er athletic programs. With top notch athletic venues such as Halton Arena, Robert and Mariam Hayes Stadium and the new McColl-Richardson Field, just to name a few, what 49er fan wouldn’t want to get a seat to watch their favorite team in green and white? The future of Charlotte athletics is bright. Why not make sure you can be a part of the journey? Signing your child up for Niner Nation Gold not only ensures that they will have the first shot at getting tickets to games such as the football kickoff against the Campbell Camels on Aug. 31, but also every other athletic event held at home. This isn’t high school athletics. This is the National Collegiate Athletic Asso-

ciation (NCAA), so acting fast is a must. One of the goals of Niner Nation Gold is to spread school spirit and pride throughout the city of Charlotte and the UNC Charlotte campus. Niner Nation Gold prides themselves on giving back to the 49er club after graduation and is proud to be one of the largest student organizations on campus.

how to join Signing up for Niner Nation Gold could not be easier. With a credit card to pay the annual fee of $20, simply go to www.ticketreturn.com/49ers and fill out an application. The annual fee of $20 gets your child a Niner Nation Gold T-shirt, exclusive invitations to special events and road trips, opportunities to meet with coaches and athletes of all the 49er athletic teams, premium seating at home basketball games and eight loyalty points. Loyalty points earn students better seating at home games.

why join? The sooner students are able to earn loyalty points, the sooner students will be able to benefit from being a part of Niner Nation Gold. Attending sporting events at any college is an experience like no other. Attending a sporting event at UNC Charlotte is an experience that goes above and beyond any other. Being a part of Niner Nation Gold ensures that your child’s college years are absolutely unforgettable.

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT NORM THE NINER Born: April 9, 1949

Height: 6 feet 4.9 inches

Address: Mineshaft under

Weight: 249 pounds

Halton Arena

(All muscle)

Swipes at the mess hall

MEAL PLAN 101: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND FOR YOUR INFORMATIONS

Students can swipe in with meal swipes or declining balance to eat at Crown Commons. Photos by Chris Crews

LouAnn Lamb Marketing Director for UNC Charlotte Business Services

There is so much information hurled at you and your students during SOAR, you may fear that your head will explode. Do not worry. I’ve been a SOAR Information Hurler for several years and have yet to see that happen. However, I have witnessed plenty of puzzled-looking faces staring back at me while explaining UNC Charlotte’s meal plans to incoming students and their parents. It’s a lot to take in! One of the reasons meal plans seem complicated is because UNC Charlotte offers so much choice (a lot more than many other schools). We know that students, their schedules and their food preferences are extremely diverse; a one-size-fits-all approach to dining does not serve our population well. Students have asked for lots of options and we’ve delivered. But lots of choices can make for confusion. So here are the basics presented as questions most frequently asked during SOAR Meal Plan presentations and through the Auxiliary Services Website (aux.uncc.edu): Who is required to get a meal plan? Students in ‘required housing’ must pur-

chase a meal plan each semester. ‘Required housing’ is on-campus housing without a private kitchen that requires a meal plan as part of the room contract. Required housing includes the high-rise residence halls – Moore, Sanford, Scott and Holshouser — and the suite-style halls, — Witherspoon, Cedar, Hickory, Sycamore, Lynch, Hawthorn, Miltimore, Oak, and Walnut. Students assigned to these halls are given a several plans from which to choose: freshmen have five to pick from; upperclassmen have eight. (For specifics, see the Meal Plan Eligibility Chart at aux.uncc.edu/meal-plans) What’s the difference between meal plans? For students in required housing, UNC Charlotte offers ‘Traditional’ Meal Plans that provide a set number of meals per week, and ‘Block Plans’ that provide a ‘block’ (set number) of meals that can be taken anytime for a semester. Traditional Meal plans have two parts: The first part is the number of meal swipes provided per week, taken in either the Residence Dining Hall or Crown Commons, our two all-you-care-to-eat dining facilities. The number of meals allotted resets on Monday each week, with one swipe per dining period. The second part is called Declining Balance, or DB. It is a specific amount of dollar credit that can be used at any campus

dining venue, including retail locations such as Einstein Brothers Bagels or Chick-fil-A. DB funds can also be used for concessions and for goods from Outtakes convenience stores on campus. We offer four Traditional Meal Plans, each with varying amounts of meal swipes and Declining Balance so that students can choose what best fits their lifestyle.So if, for example, your student decides upon Traditional Meal Plan C (the most popular), they get 10 meal swipes each week for dining at RDH or Crown Commons. They will also get $400 in DB funds to spend on other meals, snacks or Outtakes convenience items for the semester. The second type of plan offered is the Block style plan. Block Meal Plans also consist of two parts: a set number of meal swipes and an accompanying amount of DB funds. The difference is that Block Plan meal swipes are set by the semester, not by the week; meals may be used anytime, with no limit of use per dining period. So if your student chooses Block Plan D, they’ll have 150 meal swipes that can be used anytime during the semester and $100 in DB. Given this, before you and your student decide, consider how often they’re likely to sit and enjoy a real entrée-side-dish-beverage-dessert meal (like when dining at RDH or Crown Commons) and how often they’ll

probably go for something quick. Then, factor in their schedule and where they’ll spend weekends. Try not to over buy. These plans are single semester plans and end at the conclusion of the semester. Unused meals do not roll over from one week to the next in Traditional Plans and Block Plan meals not used by semester’s end don’t roll over into the next semester. Also, any unspent DB does not roll over to the next semester for either Traditional or Block Plans. Opt for a Meal Plan that fits. (Yes, they’ll have time to change their mind. Sept. 6 and 7 are the last days for Required Housing students to change their meal plans and for Non-required students to change or cancel a plan.) Should commuters or someone in “non-required” housing get a meal plan? Yes, if they want to save up to 8.25 percent on every dining purchase; meal plans are exempt from sales tax. Yes, if they want assurance they’ll be able to eat throughout the semester. Yes, if they want the convenience of being able to eat on campus whether there’s cash in their pocket at the time or not. To provide commuters and those in non-required housing all the above advantages, UNC Charlotte also offers three ‘All DB’ meal plan options. ‘All DB’ plans are

designed for students who are on campus fewer days a week or fewer hours a day than residents or full-time students. Unspent DB in All DB plans carries over through the last summer session in the academic year of purchase.

(ODA – more on this to follow) your student would reap the benefit of having an average of nine meals per week in the dining halls with completely flexible dining hours, plus they would have $505 in DB/ODA funds to use for all other food venues.

Which meal plan should my student choose? The biggest factors to consider when choosing a plan is if your student enjoys all-you-care-to-eat dining and if they have a class schedule that allows them to get to Crown Commons or RDH during the day. Having friends and classmates to dine with also figures into how often they’ll choose to eat in the dining halls. Meal plan ‘C’ is the most popular plan chosen by freshmen because it’s a good choice for those who like the dining halls but also eat smaller meals or frequently eat on-the-run. Meal Plan ‘D’ is the least expensive and most flexible meal plan for Freshmen in required housing, allowing them to choose when to eat with no fixed dining periods to consider. Comparing plan ‘D’ to plan ‘C’: Plan ‘D’ provides an average of nine meals per week (150 meals/17weeks in a semester = 8.8). Plan ‘C’ yields 10 meals per week. Plan ‘D’ has $100 DB attached to the plan; ‘C’ has $400. The price of plan ‘D’ is $1630; plan ‘C’ costs $2035, a difference of $405. If you were to supplement plan ‘D’ by placing the difference between the cost of plan ‘D’ and plan ‘C’ into an Optional Dining Account

How does my student’s meal plan work? Your student’s 49er ID card provides access to their meal plan. The 49er Card system automatically (and in “real time”) keeps track of the two parts of their meal plan — the meal swipes and the DB. Meals are taken in either Resident Dining Hall (RDH) or Crown Commons. Their 49er ID card is swiped upon entering. Meal swipes in the Traditional Meal Plans (A, B, C, and H) are reset weekly, on Monday morning. Meal swipes unused after dinner on Sunday are not carried over into the next week. Meal swipes in the Block Plans (D and E) are available for the semester and are counted down as they are used. The DB portion of a meal plan is like a dining debit account and may be used in all our dining locations. Each time your student uses DB, they will receive a receipt showing the amount they have spent and their remaining balance. Remember: Traditional and Block Meal plans are valid only for the semester of purchase. Both the allotted meal swipes and DB expire at the semester’s end. However, about a month before the end of the semester, the 49er Card Office sends an email reminding students to spend any remaining DB so they do not lose it. Students who still have DB left in their meal plan often use this as an

opportunity to stock up on non-perishables like toiletries and laundry detergent at one of the four Outtakes convenience stores. What if your student blows through all their DB before end of the semester? Can we add more money to it? With so many delicious favorites like Chick-fil-A, Wendy’s, Papa John’s, Salsarita’s, Starbucks and more on campus, it should come as no surprise that we get asked that question A LOT. But no, because DB expires at the end of the semester, you don’t add more money to it. What we offer instead is an Optional Dining Account. An Optional Dining Account (ODA) is a prepaid, non-expiring dining debit account that can be used for food at all campus dining locations, including Outtakes convenience stores. And like a meal plan, ODA can save up to 8.25 percent in sales tax with every dining purchase. ODA is available to all students; it can be purchased by commuters and students in non-required housing or can be used a supplemental account for those in required housing upon running out of DB. Deposits can be made anytime during the year. Unused remaining balance rolls over from semester to semester and year to year, as long as the student is enrolled. Students not required to purchase a meal plan often choose to deposit funds onto ODA for dining on campus. What’s the 49er Account? Is that another meal plan? No, the 49er Account is not a meal plan.

49er Account funds are a prepaid debit account your student can use for goods and services around campus. 49erAccount is accepted at campus vending machines, laundry facilities and pay-for-print stations in the library and labs. Your student can also use their 49erAccount at retail points like Barnes & Noble at UNC Charlotte bookstore, NinerTech store, Campus Salon, and Mail & Package Services. It can also be used at any campus dining venue. But unlike DB and ODA funds (which are exclusively for food purchases), the 49erAccount does not provide an 8.25 percent sales tax savings. If my student has all these funds on my ID card, how will they know which to use? Register systems on campus are programmed to choose what’s most economical for your student: ~ If they have purchased a Traditional or Block Meal Plan, meal swipes are taken first when they eat in a dining hall. ~ If they have both DB funds and ODA funds, DB is used first since it expires; ODA rolls over as long as they’re a student, so it’s used after DB is exhausted. ~ 49erAccount funds aren’t drawn in dining venues unless that’s all they have left or the student asks the cashier to override the default. Want to know more? Go here first: aux.uncc.edu/meal-plans If you still have questions, email 49ercard@uncc.edu or call the Meal Plan office, 704-687-7337 or toll-free at 1-877-497-4949. One of our Meal Plan specialists will be happy to advise you.