New Sooner Orientation Supporter Information pdf

SUPPORTER

INFORMATION Tomorrow's possibilities start today.

WELCOME TO THE OU FAMILY “Today, your student is embarking on a journey of a lifetime as a member of the OU Family. You’re included in that as well — your student didn’t get here alone. We hope that today’s orientation paints a picture of what’s to come for you and your student through their tenure at OU, answers any lingering questions, clarifies next steps, and makes you feel the truest sense of belonging. You and your student only get ONE New Sooner Orientation — there’s no do over. Our team of staff, faculty, and orientation interns are here to make sure you feel welcomed and get what you need to reaffirm that OU is where it all begins. Because at OU, we change lives.”

Morgan Brammer, M.Ed. Assistant Vice President, Division of Enrollment Management and Executive Director, Office of Admissions and Recruitment

“As part of your student’s support system, you play a critical role in helping your student succeed from orientation through graduation. We want to help you in that role. I work within Parent & Family Programs, where our purpose is to partner with families to help students thrive at OU and beyond. Our goals are to provide a bridge between your family and OU’s community; offer helpful resources and information that assist you as the ‘consultant’ to your student; and present special events that welcome families back to campus throughout the year.”

Tracy Carlson Assistant Director, Parent & Family Programs Division of Student Affairs ou.edu/parents

To become a member of Sooner Parents, scan this QR code.

One Word KEY MEMBERS OF YOUR STUDENT'S TEAM

Resident Advisor

Academic Advisor

MidFirst Bank MoneyCoach

While living on campus, each student is provided with a resident advisor (RA). This is a student leader who lives in the residence halls and is trained to support their assigned residents. An RA's work includes being a resource and mentor for residents, completing intentional interactions, and hosting events. These leaders play a crucial role in building community and ensuring the safety and well-being of students.

An Academic Advisor guides students in efficiently completing their education journey within their degree-granting college.

They consider dual enrollment, AP/IB/CLEP credits, and more to tailor personalized schedules. Students meet with their advisor each semester before enrolling in courses and review their degree checksheet, a form that outlines the courses needed to achieve a degree from OU.

Housed in our Student Financial Center, Midfirst Bank MoneyCoaches provide individualized support to help students create a realistic financial plan for college, build strong money management skills, and develop lasting habits for lifelong financial well-being. Your student can scan this QR code to schedule an appointment with a MoneyCoach.

ou.edu/housingandfood (405) 325-2511 housinginfo@ou.edu

ou.edu/checksheets (405) 325-1596 advising@ou.edu

ou.edu/moneycoach (405) 325-4692 moneycoach@ou.edu

2025-2026 IMPORTANT DATES July 15 Purchase parking permit (if bringing car) August 1 First Fall eBill is available August 7 - 8 Panhellenic Recruitment and Pride of Oklahoma Move-in August 18 - 19 Move-in August 20 - 24 Camp Crimson and Interfraternity Council Recruitment August 25 First day of Fall semester August 30 First home football game vs. Illinois State September 25 Last day to pay Fall semester w/o service charge

October 1 CASH opens

February 1 CASH closes

October 3 - 5 Fall Family Weekend

February 25 Last day to pay Spring semester w/o service charge

October 6 - 21 Fall midterms Send Postcard #1!

October 20 - 25 Homecoming Week November 25 Last day to pay Fall semester w/o late fee November 26 - 30 Thanksgiving vacation December 15 - 19 Fall final exams December 20 - January 19 Winter vacation January 20 First day of Spring semester

March 2 - 17 Spring midterms Send Postcard #2!

March 16 - 20 Spring vacation April 25 Last day to pay Spring semester w/o late fee May 11 - 15 Spring final exams

June 25 Last day to pay Summer semester w/o service charge

To review the Fall Academic Calendar, scan this QR code.

OFFICIALLY OFFICIAL

"Encourage your student to talk to professors and seek guidance from those in positions set up to help them thrive. Direct your student to those offices and contacts they can use to seek help, ask questions, and more. The resources and support are there, all you have to do is ask!"

Shawn Eckard, OU Parent

TOP FAQS What is FERPA? Can I see my student’s grades? The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) is a federal law protecting the privacy of student educational records. Under FERPA, students who are either (a) 18 or older or (b) who attend a school beyond the high school level have certain rights over information in their educational record. Parents do not automatically have FERPA rights to access information on students who meet either requirement; however, they may provide documentation that the student is their dependent in order to access their student's records. FERPA applies to students who are accepted and attend an institution, and it permits the institution to disclose directory information. You can access your student’s unofficial transcript, midterm, and final grades by term, profile, and weekly schedule if your student chooses to add you as a proxy in the FERPA Proxy Management System. For details, scan this QR code.

How do we pay the bursar bill? All payments for your student's OU bill are made on one.ou.edu. Payments made online with an eCheck from your checking account are easy and convenient. There's no charge and your payment is posted to your student's account the same day.

Unpaid billed balances, including those participating in the payment plan, are subject to a 1.5% service charge assessed on the 26th of each month. Service charges and late penalties will not be removed due to late or nonpayment.

How can I see my student’s active bill? You must be listed as an authorized user in your student’s One account. To authorize a user, your student will log into one.ou.edu, navigate to the “Financial” section, and select “Add authorized users.” Your student will enter your email address and choose permissions, such as view billing statements, 1098-T tax statements, and payment history. The authorized user will receive two emails with follow-up instructions.

What is flat-rate tuition and how does bank hours work over the summer? Students who enroll in 12 to 21 hours per semester will pay a flat rate for tuition and mandatory fees. Students enrolled in fewer than 12 hours pay per credit hour. Full-time undergraduate students who have paid the flat rate and take fewer than 15 OU hours per semester may be able to bank hours to use in the summer.

How can my student receive additional scholarships while at OU? The Centralized Academic Scholarship Hub (CASH) is the premier place for current and continuing students to apply for university-based scholarships and opens every October 1. Open to all students enrolled in the current academic year, applications are submitted in the current academic year for consideration with award disbursement in the next academic year.

Where can my student turn in final transcripts, dual/concurrent transcripts, and/or AP/IB/CLEP information?

Email transcripts: oardocuments@ou.edu Mail transcripts: • Office of Admissions & Recruitment 550 Parrington Oval Norman, OK 73019 Is there a way to stay up to date with safety and weather on campus? In emergency situations, OU utilizes its emergency communication system, known as RAVE, to provide regular updates. You can opt-in to receive emergency alerts for any of OU’s three campuses by following the directions below.

• Norman: Text “OUALERTS” to 67283 • OU - Tulsa: Text “outulsa” to 67283 • HSC: Text “HSCAFFILIATE” to 226787 What resources are available for transfer students? OU offers several resources for transfer students, including our Virtual Transfer Student Success Center. This campus-wide initiative is coordinated by the Office of the Provost to support all transfer students and their respective institutions in quickly finding information and answers throughout their transfer journey. Learn more by visiting ou.edu/transfersuccess.

How does my student purchase athletics tickets? Current students receive free admission to all sporting events — outside of football! Curious about student football season tickets? Scan this QR code for the details.

FIVE TIPS FROM PARENTS/SUPPORTERS OF CURRENT SOONERS Here are some tips from experienced parents/supporters to help you and your student navigate the transition to college:

1

Regularly check in with your student while allowing space for growth and individuality.

2

Suggest joining clubs or activities to make new friends and build a support network.

3

Remind your student that homesickness is a normal part of going to college and finding community can take time.

4

Offer advice and support, but let your student make decisions independently.

5

Familiarize yourself with the campus and surrounding area to better understand your student’s new environment.

To find your way around OU’s campus, scan this QR code.

OU TERMS TO KNOW Canvas: OU’s learning management

Enrollment Holds: A hold can keep a

OUNet ID (4x4): Your student’s OUNet ID

system where instructors upload course

student from being able to enroll when their

(4x4), when paired with a password, provides

materials such as syllabi, lecture notes, and

Enrollment Window opens. Holds can be

access to your student’s OU account and

presentations, and host grades, quizzes,

placed on an account for various reasons.

essential resources like enrollment, grades,

and discussions.

Students can check for holds by logging on

course materials, and more.

to one.ou.edu.

Centralized Academic Scholarship Hub

RAVE: OU’s Emergency Communication

(CASH): Home for current and continuing

Enrollment Window: Based on a student's

System that enables OU to send students up-

students to apply for university scholarships.

classification or number of hours earned,

to-date information in emergency situations,

It opens annually on October 1.

students are assigned a specific window to

such as campus closures, severe weather

begin enrolling classes for the upcoming

threats, and emergency incidents.

term.

Course Reference Number: Every class

SafeRide and SafeWalk: Housing and

has a specific assigned CRN. Students can

Meal Plan: Meal plans are designed to

Residence Life provides no cost transportation

type in the CRNs for their classes at the time

allow students the freedom to eat anywhere

to OU students within designated Norman

of enrollment to expedite the enrollment

on campus without having to worry about

areas. (405) 325-WALK or (405) 325-RIDE

process.

carrying cash or credit cards.

Degree-Granting College (DGC): The

One.ou.edu: OU’s one-stop spot providing

student at the point of admission. They will use

academic college from which your student

single sign-on, 24/7, web-based access to

this ID to get into systems across OU, events,

will receive an undergraduate degree.

resources and student information.

and more.

Sooner ID: A 9-digit ID was assigned to your

KEY RESOURCE OFFICES Academic Success Center (ASC): The ASC (Wagner Hall) offers undergraduate support through personal coaching, tutoring services, college transition courses, and more. ou.edu/academicsuccess (405) 325-3521 ascquestions@ou.edu Accessibility & Disability Resource Center (ADRC): The ADRC (Boomer Outreach Building) strives to ensure equal access for all students with disabilities, determined by an interactive process with the student. ou.edu/adrc (405) 325-3852 adrc@ou.edu Bursar: The Bursar office (Buchanan Hall) collects tuition/fees payments and provides operational support to our Student Financial Center, academic, and administrative offices. ou.edu/bursar (405) 325-9000 sfc@ou.edu Career Center: Career Center (OMU) is a one-stop shop dedicated to helping current students and alumni with career preparation. From job/ internship fairs to personalized advising, we prepare students for life after OU. ou.edu/career (405) 325-1974 oucs@ou.edu Education Abroad: The Education Abroad office (Farzaneh Hall) provides OU students with safe, academically relevant, and personally transformative study abroad opportunities across the world. go2.ou.edu/study-abroad (405) 325-1693 ea@ou.edu Fit + Rec: OU Fitness + Recreation (Sarkeys Fitness Center) offers various programs and services to promote lifelong health and wellness. Fit + Rec includes the Murray Case Sells Swim Complex, Recreation Fields, and Timberdell tennis courts. ou.edu/far (405) 325-3053 fitrec@ou.edu Goddard Health Services: Goddard Health Center offers the convenience of an on-campus location and commitment of a high-quality primary care staff to students, faculty, and staff. We provide checkups, mental health counseling, flu shots, and have a pharmacy where students can transfer prescriptions. ou.edu/healthservices (405) 325-4611 healthservices@ou.edu

Graduation & Persistence Support (GPS): GPS (Cate Center) collaborates with campus resources to help students overcome obstacles and achieve degree completion. ou.edu/gps (405) 325-0841 gps@ou.edu Human Resources (HR): HR (NEL Building) is a great place to find an on-campus student job with flexible hours plus real-world experience! We also assist with resume and interview prep alongside our Career Center. jobs.ou.edu (405) 325-1826 ohr@ou.edu OU Information Technology (OU IT): OU IT (Engineering Lab) manages information and technology across OU’s campus. ou.edu/ouit (405) 325-4357 ouit@ou.edu OU Police Department (OUPD): The OUPD is a full-service police agency dedicated to ensuring campus safety and supporting the university's educational and research mission. ou.edu/police (405) 325-1911 oupd@ou.edu Parking Services: Parking Services (Jenkins Parking Garage) supports students, faculty, and staff on the ins and outs of parking on campus. We provide passes for purchase to park across the Norman campus. ou.edu/parking (405) 325-3311 parking@ou.edu Registrar: The Registrar (Buchanan Hall) oversees academic records and transcripts, diploma productions, course and room scheduling, athletic certification, and Veteran Student Services. ou.edu/registrar (405) 325-4147 enroll@ou.edu Sooner Card: Sooner Card (OMU) is OU's official ID for Norman Campus students, granting access to housing, events, dining, fitness centers, discounts, and more. ou.edu/soonercard (405) 325-3113 soonercard@ou.edu

Student Financial Center (SFC): The SFC (Buchanan Hall) supports students by assisting in the FAFSA/verification process, walking through the OU payment plan, setting up authorized users, navigating charges on your student's Bursar account, and assisting with obtaining additional funding sources. ou.edu/sfc (405) 325-9000 sfc@ou.edu Student Learning Center (SLC): The SLC (Wagner Hall) offers free tutoring for over 100 courses campus-wide via Peer Learning Assistants. go2.ou.edu/slc (405) 325-7621 studentlearning@ou.edu Student Life: Student Life (OMU) helps students get involved and connect on campus through the various groups advised by the office. ou.edu/studentlife (405) 325-3163 studentlife@ou.edu University Counseling Services: The University Counseling Center (Goddard Health Center) offers comprehensive mental health services, including counseling, crisis intervention, consultation, outreach, and training for future clinicians. ou.edu/ucc (405) 325-2911 ucc@ou.edu Veteran Student Services (VSS): The VSS (Buchanan Hall) assists those who have served/serving or students who are dependents of those who served/serving with using VA benefits, military scholarships, and finding veteran community. ou.edu/veterans (405) 325-4308 veterans@ou.edu Writing Center: The OU Writing Center (Wagner Hall) provides broad writing support for OU students through a range of services including one-on-one and small-group appointments, workshops, camps, and writing groups. ou.edu/writingcenter (405) 325-2936 writingcenter@ou.edu