H1N1 Vaccine Now Available

On Tuesday, Nov. 17, students received the following e-mail from Student Health:

FOR STUDENTS 24 AND YOUNGER

The Department of Student Health will hold an H1N1 Vaccination Clinic for all students who are 24 years of age or younger on Thursday, November 19, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Alumni Hall.

      Date: Thursday, November 19, 2009

      Time: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

      Place: Alumni Hall

      Cost:  $19.96 Administrative Fee, payable at time of service by cash, check, or credit card

            (MasterCard, Visa, American Express or Discover).

            Aetna Student Health Insurance will be accepted.

Protecting yourself from the H1N1 flu is important not only for your health and academic success, but also for the health of your friends and family. Don’t bring the H1N1 flu home for the holidays!

This vaccine will be the injectable form. Student Health will be following the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines for H1N1 vaccine administration, which means that only students who are 24 years of age or younger will be candidates at this time. If you believe you may already have had H1N1 influenza, you are still advised to be vaccinated since we cannot be absolutely certain that you had H1N1. The vaccination will provide greater protection from future exposure.

Offered by the Department of Student Health, in cooperation with Intravene, our program partner.

Housing Decisions for Undergraduate Students

Deciding where to live is a major decision for undergraduate students. When he spoke to parents during Family Weekend on Oct. 17, President John Casteen covered several important points about both on-Grounds and off-Grounds housing for students:

• Main thing for parents and students to know: plenty of space is available, both on and off Grounds. No reason for students to feel pressured into signing a lease. 

• Since 2002, approximately 3,000 new bedrooms have been added to the local Charlottesville-area apartment housing inventory.  About half (1,500) added since 2005.

• Nov. 14 is deadline for students to apply for rooms in residential colleges and language houses.  [Note: The deadline for Hereford Residential College has been extended to Nov. 23.]

• Dec. 1 is application deadline for rising second-years who want to live on Grounds and for upperclass students who want to keep the same room on Grounds.

• Parents will have time to review on-Grounds housing options with their daughters/sons over the winter break.  Housing will send offers to students on Dec. 8, but they will not be required to accept until Jan. 22.

• One important factor for students who want to study abroad: on-Grounds leases are canceled for these students for the study-abroad period.

• Many options for on-Grounds housing:  three residential college programs, 10 language house programs, four apartment-style complexes that offer the additional support of the Resident Staff program, and one upper-class facility that is suite-style with single rooms.

• As for off-Grounds living:
• Lease-signing started Oct. 1.
• ALL landlords are requiring 12-month leases.
• Lease terms are June to June, or August to August.
• It’s nearly impossible to sublet for the summer (much more availability than demand).
• Parents/students should expect to pay approximately $600 per month plus utilities, plus another $50 (approximate) for parking.
• To enhance safety of students living off-Grounds, the University pays for a full-time City of Charlottesville property maintenance inspector to address health, fire, and other concerns.

• This official meets biweekly with the off-Grounds housing manager, who works with Student Council, and monthly with University representatives.

• Students in off-Grounds housing should first contact their landlord or property manager with safety concerns.

•  If problems are not corrected in timely manner, then contact the inspector for assistance.  (Contact info is in the 2009 Parents Handbook, page 26.)

• Resources for students:  Housing’s Accommodations Office and the Off-Grounds Housing Manager.  All are happy to answer students’ questions.

Safety: An Ongoing Priority at the University

Siren System Testing - As part of emergency planning efforts, the University regularly tests its siren and public address system.

Similar to sirens installed at other institutions in Virginia, around the country, and on military bases, the U.Va. system is capable of sounding an alert and broadcasting messages and instructions.

The siren is one of several tools that would be used in the event of an emergency, explains Marge Sidebottom director of emergency preparedness. Other tools include mass e-mails to all students and members of the U.Va. community, opt-in text messages, an emergency Web site, and messages on LCD screens in strategic buildings such as Newcomb Hall and the Aquatic and Fitness Center.

Sidebottom says that being prepared for an emergency means constantly reviewing plans, adjusting where needed, and applying lessons learned here at the University or elsewhere.

Residence Hall Fire Safety — The University's Office of Environmental Health and Safet, in conjunction with the State Fire Marshal’s Office, conducts fire safety inspections in the residence halls. In addition, fire drills are conducted throughout the year.

To ensure a safe environment several items are restricted in residence hall rooms; guidelines are posted on the Housing Web site.

Please note : Students are required to check their smoke detectors once a week.

Off-Grounds Safety — The University’s Off-Grounds Housing Office offers a variety of services for students living in non-University housing; leasing information, available housing, etc. Additionally, this office works closely with the Office of Environmental Health and Safety and the City of Charlottesville’s Property Maintenance Office to assist students with general safety issues, fire safety concerns, property maintenance, and more. Information and safety brochures are available here.

U.Va. Alerts — All students are encouraged to sign up for emergency text alerts sent to their cell phones. Students may add a parent's cellphone number as a secondary number to receive alerts. Sign-up is available online.

Updated June 24, 2009