August 2023

Back to School, Unicorns!

I'm so happy to have students return to campus and to start another great year at NCSSM! We have lots of new faces on Third Beall, and I cannot wait to meet everyone and build our hall community. As you prepare for move-in, review the information below. Please don't hesitate to reach out to me if you have questions or want to connect!

Use the menu below to navigate quickly through the contents of this month's update:


If you need to get in touch with me, you can reach me by email at korianna.hays@ncssm.edu. I check my email often and will respond within 24 hours. I can also be reached by call or text message at 919-416-2741. I am fastest to respond to emails and text messages. Please remember that I often am working during the evenings and late nights, so it is best to send me an email to schedule a phone call if you would like to discuss something. Your students will see me often on hall and can always feel free to knock on my door (321), text me, or send me a google chat! 



On the 1st of each month I will post an update to the blog section of the hall google site and send an email alerting you that the update is live. These posts will include recaps of the past few weeks on hall, updates on major hall and campus events, reminders about upcoming events and deadlines, and photos of the student experience on campus. Throughout the month I will also add more photos to the photos section of the hall site.



For many students their time at NCSSM will be the first time they have experienced sharing a room with someone. It is natural for there to be some growing pains as students adjust their habits and learn to live together. For this reason we encourage students to spend their first few weeks getting to know one another and discussing their sleep habits, study preferences, and what makes them feel comfortable in their shared space. After the first extended roommates will work together to craft a roommate agreement; this agreement will outline how they will respect one another’s space, accommodate each other's sleep and study habits, what they can borrow and share with each other, and how they will keep their room clean. The agreement is a living document and can be revisited as needed throughout the year.


While we hope that all students will get along well, it is possible that your students develop a conflict with their roommate that they have trouble navigating on their own. If this occurs you or your student should let their CC know. We will work with the students to mediate the conflict and work towards a mutual resolution. It is imperative that you speak only to your student about any conflict they are having, do not contact the other student or their family. If the conflict continues the CC may ask that the students work with either the Assistant Director or Director of Housing and Residence Life to continue working towards a solution. NCSSM operates at full occupancy; therefore, room changes are not easy to accommodate. it. No room changes will be approved during the 1st quarter of the school year. Changing rooms is considered only if all conflict resolution options have been exhausted, a space is available, and the move is considered a positive step for all parties involved. For these reasons, a room change should not be viewed as a likely outcome to resolve a conflict.


CCs are available 24 hours a day to assist your students. The Bryan CC desk is staffed each day from 7:30am to 1:00am. All other CC building offices are staffed beginning at 6:30pm each day. Outside of these hours there will always be 2 CCs on call while students are on campus. The contact numbers for the on-call CCs are posted at each CC desk and can be viewed here. If your student has an emergency they are encouraged to reach out to the on duty CCs. 


NCSSM also has Campus Safety Officers available 24 hours. They can be contacted in non-emergencies at 919-416-2911. In emergencies they can be contacted via their radios at 919-416-2711; please note that because these calls are handled by a radio you should allow a few seconds to pass before speaking after the officer has spoken.
 


Student Health, often referred to as the Clinic, is located on the first floor of the Hunt Residence Hall. The Clinic is staffed by a nurse, medical assistant, and a family nurse practitioner. Our medical director oversees the Clinic’s daily operation and is present in the Clinic one day a week. The Clinic is staffed and equipped to manage most acute and chronic illnesses that occur while students reside at NCSSM. Common over-the-counter medications, bandages, splints, and crutches are dispensed at no additional charge to students. Prescriptions, if required, can be picked up from a local pharmacy. Some problems may require additional care, in which case students are referred to area professionals. Families will be notified if this referral is necessary. 


Students are prohibited from keeping certain types of prescription medications in their rooms (e.g., narcotics, psychotropics, stimulants). These medications must be retained and distributed by the Clinic. Students may keep over-the-counter medications in their rooms for their personal use (e.g., pain relievers, cold medications, stomach remedies, herbal remedies, vitamins, etc.).


The clinic is open Monday - Friday from 8:00am to 4:00pm. After hours and on the weekends students can reach out to CCs on duty for help; the CCs will contact a 24 hour telephone nursing service called Healthlink to seek advice on how to aid your student.

Students may schedule telehealth appointments and in-person appointments, as well as medication drop-off/pick-up appointments. The Clinic is not open to drop-in appointments as it has been in the past.



As students prepare for the first extended weekend it is important to understand that we use a special sign out for these weekends away from NCSSM: