2017 Parent Survival Guide

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HUNTER HEILMAN Editor-in-chief

Congratulations on winning the parenting game by raising your child to be a new UNC Charlotte student! We welcome you to the 49er Family. After 18 years of loving, maddening parenting, the time has come in just a little while to release your baby turtles back to the ocean.

Despite all this admirable work, letting go is never easy, even if you will still be in close contact and see them on weekends.

I assure you that your child is far more scare about this transition than you are, so your unconditional support during this important time is vital to your child’s success here at UNC Charlotte.

This Survival Guide is to help ease the pain of this time and to give you tips on how to take your child’s freshman year by the horns. While you’ll come across many tips in this guide, here are a few of my own.

DON’T BE A HELICOPTER

You’re going to want to know what your child is doing in college, which is a completely understandable feeling. Yet, college is the time for your child to develop a sense of independence and adulthood, and it’s really hard to do that with a parent constantly down your back about every single thing that you’re doing.

Trust that your previous 18 years of parenting have prepared them to properly adjust themselves to the college life and to make the right decisions while here. You might not agree with everything your child does, but trust that it’s helping in shaping them as functional members of society.

BE PROUD OF THEIR MISTAKES

Your child is going to learn a lot in their numerous classes, but the most valuable lessons are going to come from the mistakes that are made throughout their years in college. Trust me, I learned more in losing my memory card with an entire short film on it for a class than I actually did shooting said short film.

Embrace that mistakes are going to come and that there’s nothing anyone can do about it. Looking at these mistakes as learning experiences rather than failures is going to help everyone move on from them more efficiently and will hammer in the morals learned from the mistake.

LET THE CHANGES FLOW

Here is the big one. Like it or not, college changes people, and that very well might happen to your child in their time here. In finding out who they are as adults, your child, as well as every other person on this campus, grows from the change in lifestyle they begin to experience from living alone and being surrounded by such diverse students.

Don’t resist this change, because while you might not always agree with it, there’s no way to truly stop it, and that’s okay. Change is perfectly natural and trust that these changes are coming in your child’s search for their sense of self and happiness, which always should take precedence.

BE SELFISH

This is especially applicable to those with an empty nest. You’ve done well as parents, and you deserve a break. Sit back, take a breather, and be proud of everything that you’ve done to help motivate your child get to where they are today. Not only that, you should be proud about everything your child has done too, and how their experience here at UNC Charlotte is going to shape them further.

At the very least, you deserve that. But beyond the bare minimum, try to treat yourself to something nice for your amazing work as parents. Money might be tight, as we all know that a college education doesn’t come cheap, but even the smallest of rewards can remind you of everything you and your child have done to get to this point.

As a parent to a 49er, you are as much of a part of the UNC Charlotte community as your students are. Let everything take its course and you’ll find UNC Charlotte to be even better than what you thought it would be. We’re so excited to have you in our 49er family, welcome aboard.

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KATHLEEN COOK Sports Editor

Move-in day. It’s the day welcomed by students and dreaded by parents. It can be a daunting task, but if executed right, can turn out to be a stress-free event.

Moving students in is a process that occurs over three days. Students are broken up into groups and assigned times to move in to their respective residence halls as to avoid high traffic in both the halls an on the roads.

There will be a well-signed system for unloading belongings from car to the curb. There will also be a team of volunteers that can help transport items from outside to in students’ rooms.

As move-in day approaches, it’s crucial that students take a few steps in an effort to alleviate them from further stress on the big day.

Students are notified of who their roommate/s are well in advance of August. It’s best for them to get in contact with their roommate before you move them in. Whether they all plan every detail of their room or just exchange a few fun facts about each other, somewhat knowing who they’re living with will help ease the awkwardness of moving in. One topic that needs to be discussed with their roommate is who’s bringing what. Coordinate with them who is bringing the main items, such as refrigerator, microwave or rug.

Before moving items into their room, check out their new space. Move-in day is the best time to rearrange their furniture, before the room became clut-

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tered with all their belongings.

When unloading the car, put similar items together. Group together items for their bedding, closet and desk together to create less of a mess inside their room.

Depending on where they live, it might be smarter to use the stairs on move-in day, as the lines for the elevators will back up quickly.

As clothing is concerned, plan to their breaks. Fall break is two months away and is a time that they can switch out clothes, so they don’t necessarily need to bring their entire wardrobe to school with them.

If they live close to campus, use this to your advantage and move in over the span of the weekend. By bringing just the essentials to their assigned move in time, you’ll not only save time but save yourself from stress as well.

If they’re interested in joining an organization on campus, an early move-in date can be assigned to students. Ask any organizations interested in joining if they offer this component. Early move-in helps students bypass the mayhem that is regular move in day entirely by coming in a weekend earlier than other students. This applies to Student Niner Media workshops!

Move-in day doesn’t have to be stressful. Plan ahead and you’ll be set to tackle the big move with ease.

STEPHANIE TREFZGER Asst. A&E Editor

UNC Charlotte boasts a number of accomplishments: it serves nearly 30,000 students; it is North Carolina’s urban research university; and it accounted for half of the entire UNC system’s growth in the past year. The school, however, had much more humble beginnings.

The city of Charlotte had been looking to add a public university since 1871, but these efforts were continuously thwarted by other cities. For example, Charlotte submitted a bid in the late 1880s for what would become North Carolina State University but lost to Raleigh after a farmer donated land for its campus. In 1946, the city wanted to open state-run medical school; instead, the state expanded the already established two-year school at UNC Chapel Hill.

In September 1946, Charlotte finally got a chance when the Charlotte Center of the University of North Carolina opened with less than 300 students to serve the education needs of World War II veterans under the G.I. Bill. North Carolina began closing these centers in 1949 and the Charlotte Center was taken over by the city school district, becoming Charlotte College, a two-year institution. The school became state-supported in 1958 by joining the newly formed North Carolina Community College system and moved to its current location in 1961 Charlotte College became a four-year college in 1963. It adopted its current name in 1965, when it became the fourth school to join what is now known as the UNC system.

There was one person who remained consistent throughout the creation of UNC Charlotte, Miss Bonnie Cone. She was chosen to lead the Charlotte Cen-

Bonnie Cone at the 1961 groundbreaking of what is now known as Main Campus. NT file photo.

Classic 49er gear featuring a vintage Norm. NT file photo.

ter in 1946 and was a member of the group who convinced the state to keep the school open in 1949. The nickname, the 49ers, was chosen in honor of this event; It is a mere coincidence that the campus is also located on NC Highway 49 and that Charlotte has a rich gold mining history. Cone was the leader who chose the current location of the school and helped plan the original campus.

She served as president of Charlotte College until 1965.

Cone served as an acting chancellor of the university until 1966, when Dean Colvard was appointed as chancellor because the state wanted a leader who had experience running a four-year university. She continued to serve in an official capacity until her retirement in 1973.

After her retirement, Cone remained active on campus, and she could frequently be seen at school functions such as sporting events and concerts. She also continued to motivate and encourage students, win friends and attract benefactors. She remained dedicated to bettering the university. When she was given funding for one new building, she managed to build five separate yet connected buildings: Denny, Macy, Garinger, Winningham and Barnard.

Cone continued to work on behalf of the school in unofficial capacities until her death in March 2003. She is buried in the Van Landingham Gardens on the east side of the main campus. She is posthumously known as the founder of the school, a title she rejected during her lifetime because she felt that many people had a hand in the success of the university. During her lifetime, she received 10 honorary degrees and was inducted posthumously into the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, one of the highest honors given by the North Carolina governor, in recognition to her contributions to the state’s history.

As a new memeber of the UNC Charlotte family, you are continuing Miss Bonnie’s legacy and adding a little more history to the school.

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KATHLEEN COOK Sports Editor

FOOTBALL

The football team is still a young program after beginning in the 2013 season. They went 4-8 in the 2016 season, the first season in which they were bowl eligible. While the program graduated the inaugural class last season, plenty of forces are still on the field for the Niners.

Hasaan Klugh entered the season last year as a backup quarterback, but he quickly earned his spot as the starter after helping to lift the 49ers to their first Conference USA victory against FAU. The redshirt sophomore transferred to the Queen City after playing a year at North Carolina A&T. Klugh showed his strength as a dual-threat QB, recording 1,356 passing yards on the season (which averages to 123.3 per game) and 426 total net yards on the season (which averages to 38.7 per game). The 6-foot-3 Concord, N.C. native has only gotten stronger over the course of the offseason, so expect to see those numbers inflate during the season.

True freshman Ben DeLuca arrived on campus last season from Orlando, FL and immediately caught the eye of Niner Nation. In week 2, the 6-foot2 defensive back recovered a fumble and returned it for 59 yards for a 49er touchdown.

DeLuca continued to have a presence on the field, with a season highlight-

Photo by Pooja Pasupula

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ed by 14 total tackles when the Niners took on Florida Atlantic and 11 solo tackles against Rice, he broke records when he finished the season with 51 solo tackles and 68 total tackles.

MEN’S SOCCER

The men’s soccer team sat in national polls for 15 weeks straight after entering them being ranked 15th in week 3. The Niners were ranked as high up as fourth in the nation at one point. After a disappointing loss in the first round of the NCAA tournament, the squad is looking to achieve their post-season goals spearheaded by Daniel Bruce and Elliot Pannico.

Daniel Bruce was second in team for goals with six, behind recent grad Brandt Bronico. Bruce took 13 shots on goal to end the season with a .464 shot on goal percentage.

Elliot Pannico capped off his first year on the field by being named the Conference USA Freshman of the Year, in addition to that accolade, the redshirt freshman also added the Golden Glove Award to his resume. To cap off an impressive first season, Pannico was the only underclassman from the Charlotte squad to be named to the First Team All-Southeast Region NSCAA team.

The redshirt sophomore was strong in the goal, tallying 10 shutouts and giving up only 12 goals during the season – leading the conference.

NT File photo

Photo by Chris Crews

Photo by Chris Crews

Photo by Katelynn Pennington

Photo by Pooja Pasupula

WOMEN’S SOCCER

For the fifth time in the program history, the Charlotte women’s soccer team qualified for the NCAA tournament. The team graduated five seniors after the conclusion of the 2016 season, but they left behind the heart of the team: Martha Thomas.

Thomas, a rising senior, made first team all-conference and was named the Offensive Player of the Year last season. For the third consecutive year Thomas was named to the NCCSIA first team. This year, Thomas was a unanimous decision for the team.

Thomas led the team in total points with 30 after recording 10 goals and 10 assists.

Coming in a true freshman this past season, Megan Greene was a force on the field. She tied with Thomas after putting up 10 goals this past season. She also added six assists and took a total of 36 shots on goal. After the conclusion of the 2016 season, Green was named to the freshman all-conference team, the NCCSIA first-team as well as being named the Conference USA Freshman of the Year.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

The men’s basketball team showed offensive strengths and defensive weaknesses during their 2016-17 campaign. Charlotte was fourth in scoring offense in conference, averaging 76.5 points per game. They were second in 3-point field goal percentage and second in free throw percentage. The group struggled defensively, being situated last in offensive rebounds and second to last in defensive rebounds. With two dynamic juniors to lead the way, the team hopes to put both halves together in the upcoming season.

Jon Davis is a consistent threat on the hardwood. The 6-foot-3 guard had two buzzer beaters in the 2016-17 season when the 49ers faced ODU at home and then when they traveled to UTSA. Davis finished second in conference for scoring, averaging 19.6 points per game. Davis was named to the All-Conference team and made the NABC All-District team.

Andrien White is also a threat in the paint and behind the arc for the Niners. The junior finished last season with a .413 field goal percentage and a .399 3-point field goal percentage. Both Davis and White connected at the charity stripe, shooting .782 and .750 respectively at the free throw line.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Cara Consuegra led her team to a landmark season, with many accolades including her 100th win and the two seniors (Ciara Gregory and Lefty Webster) recording over 1,000 career points. Though the team has had key players depart after the 2016-17 season, there is still hope for the 49ers in Laia Raventos and Nyilah Jamison-Myers.

Jamion-Myers averaged 22 minutes a game, shot .493 overall and grabbed an average of six rebounds. The Clemson transfer led the team with 63 blocks and averaged 11.2 points per game. Laia Raventos totaled 143 assists throughout the season. When paired with Webster, the two combined for the most assists program history with 298. Raventos was also second on the team with 66 steals on the season.

BASEBALL

The 2017 season featured the most rigorous schedule the Charlotte baseball team has ever seen and the 49ers lived up to the expectations. The Niners posted three wins against nationally-ranked opponents and are poised to make a postseason run for the first time since 2011.

Colton Laws has toed the rubber for the Niners and his ERA hovers around 2, with a winning record. The redshirt sophomore has recorded 77 strikeouts through the last series of the regular season while only allowing five homeruns.

Jackson Mims also made his debut this past season for the Niners after transferring to Charlotte from ECU. He has five homeruns on the season, 35 RBI and 105 total bases. The Shelby native boasts a .343 average with 70 hits.

SOFTBALL

A young 49er softball team didn’t graduate any players at the conclusion of the 2017 season. Leading the charge of the 49ers softball team is a pair of Haley’s.

Haley Pace set a new program record for single season homeruns after she hit her 15th late in the 2017 season. Pace sits on a .433 average, hitting 12 doubles, five triples and 15 homeruns. She is responsible for 47 RBI and has 138 total bases.

Haley Wiseman is the woman in the circle for the Niners. Wiseman threw the first perfect game since the 1998 season on Feb. 24 when the Niners faced off against Robert Morris.

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Photos by Chris Crews

A VISUAL TOUR OF CAMPUS SOVI DINING HALL

HECHENBLEIKNER LAKE

CATO TEACHING DISCOVERY MURAL 11

JERRY RICHARDSON STADIUM

BOTANICAL GARDENS

BOTANICAL GARDENS 49ER GOLD MINER

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STEPHANIE TREFZGER Asst. A&E Editor

A sad fact of life is that sometimes it gets hard for everyone, and it’s especially the case for college students. According to a 2014 study by the American College Health Association ACHA), 54 percent of students felt overwhelming anxiety over the past year and 32.6 percent of students felt so depressed that it was difficult to function. UNC Charlotte is doing its part to lower this statistic by offering counseling services to its students.

Psychologists and social workers at the Counseling Center work with students to better their relationships with both themselves and others.

They help them “explore and express feelings, examine beliefs and ways of thinking about the world, reflect on patterns of behavior, and work toward making healthy changes.”

Students seeking help have a few options: they can meet with their counselor individually, or they can join one of the many weekly group therapy sessions. 12 free sessions a year are available to students and last between 45-50 minutes. Once these run out, individuals are welcome to attend one of the weekly group counseling sessions during which they meet with a counselor and a few other students for about an hour and a half and discuss the group’s respective topic. The UNC Charlotte Counseling Center not only deals with issues of anxiety and depression, but also with relationships, developmental issues, academic issues and health.

The Counseling Center is dedicated to celebrating human diversity and understands this to include but not be limited to: race, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, sexual identity, sex, age, socio-economic status, religion, ability, nationality, and language, and therefore they offer group sessions dealing with some of these specific issues.

One of the most common reasons people do not visit counselors is because they fear that their issues will be made public, but counselors follow the strict ethical codes set up by the American Psychological Association and the National Association of Social Workers, the laws of the State of North Carolina and federal privacy regulations. This means that everything a student shares with their counselor or their group stays confidential unless the student gives written consent, or their statement falls into one of the three categories: 1. The student is at risk to themselves or others in the near future. In this case, the counselor is responsible to take steps to ensure the safety of the student and others.

2. The student shares information about currently-occurring abuse or neglect of any juvenile(s) or disabled adult(s). This information may be required to be reported to the Department of Social Services.

3. If ordered to do so by a judge as part of judicial proceedings.

The Counseling Center is currently located in Atkins 158 facing Belk Plaza, but in order to better serve their students, the university is building a new facility to be opened in August.

Students can make an appointment by calling 704-687-0311 or stopping by their office. Office hours are from are 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM on weekdays.

Evening hours are available by appointment. Get more information by visiting counselingcenter.uncc.edu for more information.

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JEFFREY KOPP A&E Editor

Learning about parking is a crucial part of life at UNC Charlotte. You can’t just park wherever you want; if you do, you will absolutely wind up with a ticket and a hefty fine. It is important to note that anyone wishing to park on campus must have a permit (with the exception of visitor decks and metered parking areas), whether your student lives on campus or commutes. Parking and Transportation Services, also known as PATS, makes it easy to purchase a permit and find a place to park, but also pay any citations that you may receive.

As mentioned previously, anyone that plans on parking on campus needs to make sure that they have the necessary permit beforehand. Students living on campus can purchase a Resident permit, which allows for parking in a variety of lots across campus, but also the South Village Deck and the North Deck, which are in close proximity to many of the residence halls. Those students that do not live on campus may purchase a Commuter permit, which allows for parking in many of the same areas as residents, but there are also select lots and decks that are designated for commuters. If you’re not sure where you’re allowed to park, it would be wise

to refer to the PATS Parking map, a color-coded breakdown of all of the parking areas on campus.

Once you’ve been at UNC Charlotte for long enough, you’ll find that the cost of parking permits is a major topic of discussion among students.

According to PATS, the high demand for parking spaces combined with the high costs associated with constructing new decks is what contributes to the expensive permit prices. That being said, funds from permit purchases are used to build and maintain parking decks, a fact that is especially important when you consider how fast UNC Charlotte is growing. Purchasing a permit is incredibly straightforward and can be done in person at the Parking and Transportation Services office or online; simply provide your 49er ID Card, a valid driver’s license, the vehicle’s registration and proof of insurance.

With such a large student body, faculty and staff, plus the numerous visitors, finding a parking spot isn’t always simple; parking can sometimes feel like a tense competition, but following these tips may help you avoid being late to class. Campus is a bit crazy the first week of classes, but things

NT file photo

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definitely calm down after. Still, you should pay attention to the time of day as much of the traffic occurs early in the morning as classes are beginning and later in the afternoon during rush hour.

According to PATS, the parking areas that are the highest in demand, and therefore the busiest, are those closest to the center of campus, while the less busy areas are further away.

With that in mind, it would be wise to park in an area further away from the main academic buildings and walk or take a shuttle to the center of campus. For example, instead of parking in Union Deck, which fills up quickly, parking in North Deck before taking a campus shuttle or walking would still allow you to get to class on time while lessening traffic for that area. While this may seem complicated and unreasonable, you will quickly find your perfect parking area as you adjust to your daily routine; coming up with a parking plan and sticking to it will help take away some of the stress, especially in the first few days of class.

Purchasing a permit and adhering to the rules is important, but what happens if you find yourself with a citation? You can pay citations via mail or by visiting the PATS office on campus; you also have the choice to appeal a citation with a written statement within 10 business days if you believe a mistake has been made. Avoiding citations is incredibly easy if you pay attention and park in the correct areas based on your permit; a full list of the different violations and fees is available on the PATS website. North Carolina law states that a university is only allowed to retain a small amount of money from citation fees, while the majority is utilized by the state to help fund local public schools.

At UNC Charlotte, you are going to hear plenty of rumors about PATS and parking. It’s important to understand that permit prices are high because of the rapidly growing student population and campus size. Finding a parking spot isn’t always easy, but with a little planning, you’ll have no problem getting to class on time. For more information about parking or to purchase a permit, visit pats. uncc.edu.

POOJA PASUPULA Photo Coordinator

In the Fall of 2015, Chancellor Phillip Dubois announced that the Belk Tower had structural issues and posed a threat to the University as a potential safety hazard. The Tower was then dismantled and taken down that December, to many students’ dismay.

The destruction of the Tower faced immense backlash from the UNC Charlotte community.

Many students felt it was taking away a vital part of the UNC Charlotte experience and ripping up a long-standing tradition. In order to tend to the backlash, the University held multiple forums.

These forums were used as a way to offer students and the entire campus community the chance to give input on what they wanted the space to be used for, and what they felt the University needs most.

The term “Belk Plaza” was coined for this newly formed space. A presentation was given at the first Belk Plaza forum explaining the importance of open space and its guiding design principals. The presentation displayed a variety of visual precedents to inspire and engage the attendees. Attendees then broke out into separate feedback stations.

Boards were put up at the Belk Plaza forums containing charts with images of a variety of concepts and ideas that community members could see and vote on. Students would place stickers in boxes under these images that they liked or preferred the most. Some of these concepts displayed were landscapes, hardscape patterns, edge conditions, types of seating, dining options, artwork, statues, water fountains, vastness of space, active or passive quad, types of walking/movement they want the area to enforce, etc. The forums also had students write down answers to a plethora of questions such as “What is the Belk Plaza to you? What does it need? Have any ideas? What’s important to you?”

The forums also had students map out their usual routes they take on campus to get from one area to another.

An average of 71 responses were recorded.

Types of attendees varied across the board. 78 percent consisted of students, 11 percent consisted of Alumni, 4 percent consisted of faculty, and 5 percent consisted of staff, and 1 percent consisted of the community. According to 78 percent of the attendees, “Belk Plaza currently is a place I walk through.” 15 Percent of the attendees stated

A potential plan for Belk Plaza drawn up following forum discussions. Photo courtesy of Capital Projects/Facilities Management

“Belk Plaza is a place I never see,” while 7 percent stated “Belk Plaze is a place I go out of my way to visit.” The majority of attendees wished that they could experience more of an Uptown Charlotte vibe on campus. Another portion wished for more campus culture. Some attendees wished for more recreation, while others wished for more arts and creativity. Some attendees also wished for more memorable places.

The Belk Plaza Design Committee took the input from all of these methods and culminated them into a final conceptual plan for the transformation.

LandDesign, a Charlotte-based urban design and landscape architecture firm, teamed up with the Committee to create an improved aesthetic and design.

“We want Belk Plaza to be more inviting to the campus community,” said Peter Franz, chair of the Belk Plaza Design Committee, “all of what you see is the culmination of your input.”

The design features a large, open, grassy oval with a passive water fountain at the edge. It also features geometric cut out patches of grass surrounding the large grass area. The entire plaza has paths going through and around all of these grass areas to allow a circular flow, while maintaining a free walking area.

Adam Martin, a LandDesign associate and UNC Charlotte alumnus, said “We created a palate that would accommodate just about anything. The functional flexibility of space reflects classic design and introduces contemporary expression.”

The project is estimated to cost about 3 million dollars. This final concept will be presented to the Board of Trustees in the fall. After that, the plans will be sent to the state for final approval. The designers predict that construction will start sometime in the Fall of 2017.

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MIA SHELTON

Opinion Editor Parents, there were many difficult moments during your child’s life that you had to endure; staying up with them when they were sick with a fever, nurturing them through a broken heart, punishing them when they broke curfew or got a bad grade on their report card. But the most difficult challenge you have to face now is the challenge of letting them go. You have watched your child grow up right in front of your eyes. You were there when they won their first soccer match; had their first love; got them ready for prom; cried tears of joy when they graduated high school and now, you are here with them to help them transition into college. This moment is bittersweet.

The bitter side is learning how to be alone, if you will be an empty-nester. When asked how she handled letting go of my older sister when she went to school at North Carolina Central University, in Durham, N.C., my mother told me, “because I was used to having her at home, [having] her going away to college and not being at home every day was difficult. When she was home, she was able to do things for you and help me. Once she went to school, she couldn’t help anymore…I wanted her to experience college life without me hanging on and I wanted to allow her to be independent. I had to resolve myself that she had to grow up.”

There are many other bitter sides to this experience, watching your child leave the nest, the panic of not being able to know where they are and what they are doing, and not being able to kiss them good night when they are asleep.

However, let’s take a look at the sweeter side of this experience. You can take pride in them and yourself for the accomplishment that not only did you help them get here, but you gave them the tools they need make it through. You instilled in them the courage to try new things. You gave them motivation to work hard and never give up. You let them know that they can do anything 18

they set their minds to and that even if they fail, you would be there to pick them up again.

Now you have time for yourself. Think about it, before today, your whole life revolved around tending your child’s every want and need. You sacrificed your whole life so they could have one. You always put yourself last, spent every dime you had and worked non-stop, all so they would never go without. Now, it’s time to focus on you. After all the work you have done, you deserve it. Take a vacation, go to a spa, travel the world, do whatever you want to do because your job is done. Your child has made it to college and now it’s time for them to stand on their own and use the knowledge you gave them to make a way for themselves.

The sweetest note of all is that during this experience, your child will grow to appreciate you more than ever. They will finally begin to understand why you got mad at them when they wasted food or spent money on things they didn’t need. They will understand why you forced them to do their homework and lectured them about not procrastinating. They will finally understand why you cared so much and will love you more because of it.

TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

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MIA SHELTON

Opinion Editor There are many necessities throughout your child’s college career that are going to contribute to ther financial stress during the semester: room and board, food and the cost of classes. The one contribution they can save on is textbooks. Textbooks are a college student’s worst nightmare, mostly because of the cost. Textbooks and course materials can cost them up to $500-700 per semester, even more, depending on their major and number of courses they take. This can be prevented if they know where to get them. There are multiple places they can go to buy textbooks.

Ideally, they can purchase them at the campus bookstore, which is more convenient, but the prices are often higher because the university typically

buys more current editions of the same textbooks.

The changes to the editions are not major, just one or two pages of new research information, or an extra chapter. They have the options of renting the books new or used, or buying them new or used.

They can even buy digital copies of some textbooks, which is ideal for the person who likes to read from their computer. It is cheapest to rent them used, but the bookstore only has a limited supply of those books, which leaves them with the next cheapest option of renting them new. If for some reason they buy the book either new or used, at the end of the semester they can do a “buy back,” which is where the University buys the book back for up to half the price they paid for it. However, the condition of

The UNC Charlotte bookstore is located on the first floor of the Student union. NT file photo

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the book decides whether or not they will accept it.

Some students borrow textbooks from friends who have taken the same course previously. However, most students buy their textbooks from Amazon, Chegg or Grey’s Bookstore, because it is significantly cheaper. Amazon has an option where they can rent their books from them at a lower price and then mail them back at the end of the semester. That option is good, but depending the book, can be costly. Many of students say Chegg is cheaper than Amazon, which presents another alternative.

For non-textbooks, like novels and DVDs, two cheap places to buy them besides campus, Amazon and Chegg, is “The Last Word” located on North Tryon and “Second Look Books” in Harrisburg.

These bookstores carry DVDs, CDs, multiple versions on various books and even some textbooks for just a few dollars. I had two English classes a few semesters ago and both had book lists of over 15 books. I was able to find 15 out of 30 of them from those two places for under $100.

Another tip to help them save money is to look at their class syllabi and see exactly when they need each book. This will allow them to plan out when to buy the books, so they can save their money accordingly. It also keeps them from wasting in case their instructor decides to change the syllabus around.

Lastly, determine whether or not they need to buy the books at all. Some teachers have the textbook listed as just an alternative resource besides lecture material. This means that the book has additional, expansive or concurring information that their teacher wants them to have besides lecture notes. However, it isn’t really required for every class. I would suggest waiting at least a week or so, attend the classes and monitor how often the teacher refers to the textbook and the material and determine whether or not they even need to spend the unnecessary money.

STEPHANIE TREFZGER Asst. A&E Editor

KNOW YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT

The biggest misconception about the UNC Charlotte Police Department is that the officers are just security guards with no real power.

In actuality, the over 50 officers on campus are sworn in and state certified police officers no different than the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. They share the same state mandates and rules. There are officers on duty at any given time, and they are always willing to help.

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contacts in your phone to temporarily track your movements while you walk to your destination. In order for your friends to view your location, they must also have LiveSafe on their phones, so encourage them to download the app.

A full list of all campus buildings with GPS assistance that will guide you to the building you are attempting to locate.

SafeRide. These phones are extremely easy to use; most phones only have a single red button and only one microphone/speaker so that the user can communicate hands free.

DON’T LEAVE YOUR STUFF UNATTENDED

Theft is the number one crime reported on campus, and, according to Chief Baker with the UNC Charlotte police department, nine out of ten Photo by Chris Crews

DOWNLOAD THE LIVESAFE APP

Everyone at UNC Charlotte should have the LiveSafe app. It provides a number of services useful to students and faculty alike, and just in case, it is free.

• The ability to call or text with Police and Public Safety (24/7) • A list of contacts for campus emergency and non-emergency services • An electronic copy of the University Campus Evacuation Plan and Emergency Manual • The ability to anonymously report tips with pictures or videos to the University Police Department • The ability to track the location of campus shuttles operated by Parking and Transportation Services (PaTS) • A list of emergency tips and best practices for a multitude of emergency events • The ability to conduct a virtual “safe-walk” that allows selected

Just one of the many campus police cars seen on campus ensuring student safety.

BLUE LIGHT EMERGENCY PHONES

There are over 300 campus Blue Light emergency phones on campus, and they are monitored 24/7/365.

They are placed in easily accessible places on campus, creating a reliable way to report a crime, report a crime happening at that time, or use

reports of theft are due to the student leaving their valuables unattended. While it may seem like common sense, here’s a reminder to never leave laptops, phones, bookbags, purses or wallets where you cannot see them. This is not exclusive to campus, either; everyone should get

in the habit of keeping track of their things wherever they are.

BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS

Students should be aware of what and who is around them at all times.

While the campus is very safe, it is always better to be safe than sorry.

This also means walking on well-lit paths at night as well as walking with other people. If it’s late, students also have the option to take SafeRide to their desired destination. The SafeRide buses will pick students up from bus stops around campus between 6 PM and 2 AM. Being aware of the surroundings also comes in handy during the day.

As every student will come to realize, UNC Charlotte is practically one giant staircase. While people have fallen down the stairs and people will do it again, it’s always nice not to be one of them. One way to prevent this is by not texting and walking. Additionally, many people ride their bikes and skateboards to class and they don’t always watch out where they are going. Walking without headphones is very beneficial here because you can hear them coming and move out of their way before you are run over.

Finally, UNC Charlotte’s geese are notorious for attacking innocent pedestrians. There’s no controlling the geese, but there are precautions students can take. First, and perhaps most obvious, DO NOT chase the geese. People know what will happen if they do and still do it; don’t be that person. If geese are on the sidewalk, it’s best to just cross the street.

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POOJA PASUPULA Photo Coordinator

The UNC Charlotte Judicial Branch is one of the three branches of the University’s Student Government Association – the others being the Executive Branch, which contains executive leadership members, and the Legislative Branch, which contains both class and at-large senate and representative members. The Judicial Branch, while containing the Office of the Chief Justice, Chief Attorney General and Chief Student Conduct Counselor, primarily houses the Judicial Board: a student panel responsible for hearing cases of student misconduct and code violations. The board consists of around 20 current UNC Charlotte students who are interviewed and appointed by the Dean of Students Office and Chief Justice of the Hearing Panel. The entire branch is advised by the Office of Student Conduct and works to help enforce the UNC Charlotte Code of Student Responsibility.

The Board is tasked with determining responsibility or guilt and the sanctions or sentence that a student must complete. Three Hearing Panel members are typically assigned to an accused student’s Judicial Board during a case. Eshaan Zaveri, an undergraduate student currently serving on the board, spoke about this experience. “I personally got about 6-7 cases last year, but it always varies based on the number of misdeeds committed. We get cases of student code of responsibility violations and housing policy violations.

We occasionally sit in on academic integrity board cases, which consists of 2 administrators and 1 student on a panel, where we hear cases of cheating, plagiarism, etc.”

The primary purpose of the Board is to protect the rights of the Student

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Body. During a case, the board must listen to all sides in order to insure justice is made when making decisions. They engage themselves with a student by posing fact-finding and educational questions. By doing this, they balance the rights of the individual student with the safety and security of the university community. They then determine the applicable educational sanctions and learning opportunities for the responsible student as they see fit.

The Board’s powers have been granted with an aim to be advantageous to students, by engaging student peers in influencing the behavior of fellow students. In order to insure thorough process, though, cases don’t just end with the panel. After a case is settled and sanctions are made by the Judicial Board, the sanctions are sent to the Director of Student Conduct, who has the final say on whether to sustain or adjust them.

When asked about the typical severity of sanctions, Zaveri said “It depends on a lot of factors whether the panel is easy or hard on a student, such as the type of case, the panelists, the student’s presentation and history, etc., but ultimately we want them to learn and grow from their mistakes so we always make sure our sanctions allow them to do that.”

The ultimate goal of the Board is to redirect behavior that is unacceptable in the UNC Charlotte community, while teaching students to be better versions of themselves. A student can experience one of the most effective means of education at the University, peer influence, by going through the entire Judicial Board process. The Board is set to have an estimated total of 25 students serve for the 2017-2018 school year.

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