Welcome Back

Whether you’re a familiar face on the Parent & Family Network or a newcomer to the Lumberjack community, welcome! The 2013-14 school year is almost upon us, which means it’s time for a fall primer for HSU families.

If you haven’t already, consider joining the Parent & Family Network, an online community where you can ask questions, share stories, and connect with other HSU parents and family members. In the meantime, below are some useful tips—from graduation requirements to transportation options—as we enter the new school year.

Transportation

A top concern for new and returning college students alike is transportation. Luckily, HSU has plenty of alternative options for the environmentally conscious, cost-efficient traveler.

New to campus this September is Zimride, an online carpooling service that connects drivers and passengers for short commutes or long road-trips. Students sign in to the network using their HSU user ID or Facebook account, then select whether they are a driver or passenger. Zimride asks users to select their start and end points, anticipated dates of travel and how much they are willing to contribute for fuel and other costs associated with the trip.

“The beauty of Zimride is that you can find someone who shares your interests,” says TallChief Comet, HSU’s Sustainability Office Director. “This feature is particularly useful for students driving long distances, say to Southern California for winter break.”

The JackPass program offers free, unlimited rides on all Humboldt County buses to HSU students. All that’s needed is a valid HSU ID. For bus schedules, visit the Redwood Transit System, Eureka Transit Service and Arcata & Mad River Transit System sites.

For the student who wants the luxury of having a car, without the hassle of maintaining it, there’s ZipCar. ZipCar is a national car sharing service that allows students to rent a car for a few hours, or a few days.

Students pay an annual fee, then rent a ZipCar vehicle for about $8 an hour. Gas, car insurance, reserved parking and roadside assistance are all included. HSU currently has two Zipcar vehicles, both located on campus at Library Circle. For more information, visit zipcar.com/humboldtstate.

Graduation

If your student is a junior, it’s a good time to start thinking about graduation. Did you know that the university does not automatically grant degrees to students once they complete their requirements?

There are actually quite a few steps required to graduate, beginning with the graduation application. Students pursuing a bachelor’s degree can apply for graduation anytime after they’ve earned 60 units, or junior standing. To allow adequate planning and advising time before your student’s final semester, the Office of the Register recommends that students apply for graduation AT LEAST three semesters before their anticipated graduation date.

The next step is to submit a major contract—signed and approved by a major advisor and department chair—to the Office of the Registrar. A $58 graduation fee can be paid to Student Financial Services, which is located in room 285 of the Student Business Services building. Once that happens, your student will receive a degree check summarizing their completed and remaining degree requirements.

A degree will be posted to your student’s academic record once semester grades are processed and it has been determined that all of their degree requirements are completed. Look out for a diploma in the mail shortly thereafter!