Checklist for Parents and First-Year Students

This is an exciting time for your new college student, but it can also be a challenging time, not only for you but also for your son or daughter. Please review the checklist of things to do before attending Orientation. Click here for  a checklist of things to do and discuss before your student takes off for UNF.

 Registration for Orientation

Research shows that when parents get involved with the University and support their student, students graduate at a higher rate with better GPA’s, and have a more satisfying experience. We know that you will probably want to attend the same Orientation date as your student so please wait until he or she has a confirmed Orientation date before selecting your date. 

Cost for Parent Orientation  

                When you send in your registration form and pay the Annual Family Membership of $35 for one family household or $45 for both parents who live in separate households or join the Parents Association at a higher level, you will be registered to attend New Student Orientation with your son or daughter.  The fee helps cover the costs of Orientation publications and materials. The additional $10 for the second household is necessary so that each household can receive its own Orientation materials, t-shirt, mailings and electronic newsletter. This is the only way to ensure that we have your most current phone number, address and e-mail address as the University doesn’t keep parent information. We need you to keep us updated on any address or e-mail changes so we can communicate important campus information, including updates on campus closings and invitations to campus events.

Important Note:  While there are some sessions for both parents and students together, parents may not attend the student sessions with their student. The parent sessions are planned to inform parents about University policies and resources, and you must register

to attend. Your students will benefit from your support so join today and attend Parent Orientation.

How to Register and Pay for Orientation:

                To register to attend Parent Orientation, click here to complete the registration form. If you want to pay by credit card, follow the instructions and submit. If you prefer to send a check, you still submit the form, and then you mail your check to:

                                Office of Parent and Family Programs

                                University of North Florida

                                Building 9, Schultz Hall Suite 1103

                                1 UNF Drive

                                Jacksonville, FL  32224

UNF Parent/Guardian Orientation Confirmation

Welcome to the University of North Florida. We are thrilled that your student has chosen UNF and we welcome you to our UNF family. Thank you for your reservation for the parent/guardian sessions at our New Student Orientation and congratulations on your daughter's or son's acceptance to the University of North Florida.  I want to clarify our Orientation fee and the thank you letter you received for your "gift to the University of North Florida". Along with our parent orientation you are receiving a one-year membership in the Parents Association when you pay the fee. The dues for the parents association may be considered as a "gift" to the university which makes you a donor. When your payment is processed, it automatically generates a thank you letter which you can keep for your tax records. We also set up a parent record in our database so that you will receive a monthly electronic newsletter and invitations to events (if you provided an email).

 This is the beginning of an important relationship with UNF. It is an exciting time for your new college student, but it can also be challenging.  Now is the time to begin discussing finances, behavioral issues related to drugs and alcohol, academic expectations, class attendance and campus resources. The Office of Parent and Family Programs offers parent/guardian orientation programming which will provide you with ideas to get the conversation flowing. We look forward to helping you on your journey through the college transition. Parent/Guardian Orientation is planned to help you learn more about the opportunities and challenges your student will experience as he or she begins college and how you can support your student during college. Our sessions are designed to be very informative, and we encourage all attendees to be present for the planned presentations. You will receive much of the same information as your student, but from the parent perspective.

 Parking: The Orientation office is mailing your student one parking permit per family. Be sure to bring it with you and don't forget to place it on the dash board in a visible location each day of Orientation as the attendants don't look inside the car for the permit. That permit will allow you to park on the second, third or fourth floor of the Fine Arts parking garage (Building #44) which is next to the Fine Arts Center (Building 45) where you and your student will check-in. If you have not received the parking permit before you leave for your Orientation, stop at the Parking Services building when you arrive on campus and tell them you are here for Orientation and they will have extra permits.

 Community First Credit Union has valuable membership benefits to your student via their on-campus branch. Since your time on campus during Orientation is limited, we encourage you to consider opening an account online prior to your visit. When a student has an on-campus account, the staff at our branch assist the students with their account maintenance and advise them when considering taking loans for study abroad travel. Save time during Orientation and complete your membership application today by visiting www.communityfirstfl.org.  An initial deposit of $5 to be held in your Community First Share account is required for membership. If you live outside of our five-county region, you will need to provide at least one form of government-issued identification (bring a 2^nd if available) and the student's letter of admission to open an account and you can quickly complete the process during Orientation.

 On Day 1 you can check-in at the Fine Arts Center lobby beginning at 11:30 a.m., and the program begins at 1:30 p.m. If you arrive early, you can visit offices to conduct any business you need to do before beginning Orientation. Also, there will be optional housing tours. You and your student will be directed to the location between the housing house and the theater where we hold the Orientation sessions to meet a guide from the housing office. The tours will continue until 1 p.m. Also your student will need to get his or her picture taken for the Osprey 1Card before the program begins. Be sure your student has a picture ID for verification when applying for the Osprey 1Card. Medical Compliance will have staff at check-in to receive any immunization forms not already submitted. The Chartwell's business office is open  9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday - Friday if you still need to make a down payment on a meal plan. Before your student begins classes, find out more about Chartwell's policies on their website, www.unf.edu/dineoncampus.com Click on Meal plans and then FAQs.

 This is the beginning of two days where you will learn about the University while spending time with other parents. Over the years the parents said they would like to meet the other parents early during Orientation so we encourage you ask questions from the parents who have had other children in college as well as those who live near you or share the same interests you do. These parents may be the parents of your student's roommate or they may live near you so you can carpool for trips between your home and the University. After the welcome, the students will join their Orientation Leaders and you will remain in the theater for the first parent session.

 Your day is packed with informational sessions, but if you find some time with your student, please visit the UNF Bookstore and our campus branch of the Community First Credit Union. Located in the Student Union, the UNF Bookstore and Community First Credit Union for opening student accounts will be open during your scheduled Orientation.

 Your first session is about the financial services provided by the Cashier's office. Your next session will give you the opportunity to learn about our Leadership program, receive tips on student success from a professor and how Career Services can help your student with deciding on a major. That office even has a volunteer job for you. You will have the opportunity to discuss some of the information with your student before registration the next day. Following the parent session, your student will meet you back in the theater for the General Education information by the Academic Center for Excellence.

 There will be a dinner break, followed by a housing presentation whether your student is living on campus during summer or fall semester. The students end their night with a fun activity to help them get to know their fellow classmates better. Parents will remain in the theater for our closing session until their student returns.

 On your second day of Orientation, you will check in again in the lobby of the Fine Arts Center. Check-in opens at 7 a.m. and the program begins at 8 a.m., but nothing else is open on campus so you don't need to arrive at 7 a.m.; just plan to arrive on time for the opening session. NOTE: No food or drink is allowed in the theater. Don't hold your student's bag as he or she will need it for registration. After the welcome, the students will meet with the Orientation Team Leaders for their various sessions throughout the day. Lunch on your own is available at the UNF Café and Boathouse Grille or at Outtakes in the Courtyard area by Founder's Hall (Building 2) and at the Student Union. While there could be some overlap with the student schedule, you will not be eating with your student. We feel it is important for students to take this time to get to know the other students so they are encouraged to eat together. Be sure they have their own money for lunch.

 You will have sessions covering how to do things online, undergraduate experience, student health, safety, policies, conduct and the Bookstore. Following the Bookstore presentation, you will have the opportunity to speak with representatives of the UNF Bookstore to ask your personal questions.

 Our last parent session will be "Ask the Experts" panel for you to ask the questions we haven't answered, i.e., how much spending money, what type of computer, what do the students need to bring and what not to bring to campus, etc.  To end the session, you will complete you evaluation and turn it in along with your name tag. You will receive your "Proud Parent" t-shirt and then your student  will join you back at the Robinson Theater for your last session of the day with One-Stop Student Services. The day will end by 4:30 p.m. so you can make that last trip to the Bookstore. The bookstore is stocked with the UNF Reads book for freshmen and the academic planners.

 You will receive a detailed schedule upon arrival. For additional information on our Orientation process, please refer to "A Parent's Guide to UNF's Student Orientation Swoopapalooza 2013". The brochure was mailed in March to families for which we had addresses.

 For your comfort, please note that the Theater is cold so you may need a light jacket or sweater.  Also, you will be walking around campus so wear comfortable shoes like tennis shoes, not heels or sandals. Also, if you are bringing any guest, send us the name for the name tags.

There is no on-campus housing for students during Orientation. If you are traveling to Jacksonville and require a hotel room, your student will stay with you. If you haven't made a reservation, please support the hotels that partner with the members of the Parents Association:

            Embassy Suites                                                                               Hampton Inn

            Jacksonville - Baymeadows                                                           I-295 & Baymeadows

            (904) 731-3555                                                                                 (904) 363-7150

            www.embassysuitesjax.com/unf                                                   www.jacksonvillebaymeadows.hamptoninn.com

            Request promotion code:PO3-UNF special rate

            Courtyard by Marriott                                                                         Residence Inn Baymeadows

            San Pablo/Beaches                                                                         (904) 733-8088

            (904) -223-1700                                                                                www.jacksonvilleresidenceinn.com

            www.jacksonvillemayocliniccourtyard.com                                  Request special UNF corporate rate code of $69 a night

            Request special UNF corporate rate code of $69 a night

            Best Western                                                                                     Hilton Garden Inn

            Hotel JTB/Southpoint                                                                       Jacksonville JTB/Deerwood Park

            (904) 281-0900                                                                                 (904) 997-6600

            www.jacksonvillebestwestern.com                                               www.jacksonvillejtbdeerwoodpark.stayhgi.com

            Spring Hill Suites by Marriott                                                          Residence Inn by Marriott

            Southside Boulevard                                                                       Deerwood Park

            (904) 997-6650                                                                                (904) 996-8900

            www.marriott.com/jaxsh                                                                 www.marriott.com/jaxri

Don't wait to get connected to UNF. To help you get started, remember that the Office of Parent and Family Programs is a resource for you, the newest members of our Osprey Family! We encourage you to be an active part of your child's experiences at UNF and hope you will visit our campus often. Utilize your Parents Association membership, attend events and stay informed of campus news. To request assistance, please contact Jeanne Middleton at 904-620-1567 or parents@unf.edu.