University College (Te Kāreti o te Whare Wānanga) 2015 Welcome Newsletter Greetings from the Master Greetings UniCol 2015 students! The staff and I would like to congratulate you on your acceptance into UniCol and your decision to study at the University of Otago. Coming to university is an exciting experience and UniCol is fully dedicated to the support of first-year Otago students. UniCol is first and foremost a community of academic scholars residing in a collegiate environment. We blend academic support, accommodation, recreation, social activities and dining into a vibrant and dynamic community. UniCol is a special place and our residents thoroughly and heartily enjoy life here and at the University of Otago. I have faith that you will have a fantastic year with us and I look forward to meeting all of you when you arrive in February. Please contact us if you have any questions or need any clarification. I wish you all a positive and productive summer and a great holiday season. Arrival Information Most students will arrive on the 14th or 15th of February. UniCol officially opens for the residential year on Thursday, 12 February 2015. It is not possible to arrive earlier than this date unless you are taking part in the Orientation Conference. Once your travel arrangements have been finalised please complete the ARRIVAL NOTICE and send it to us. Fees are charged from the 14th of February. If you arrive earlier a daily charge of $50.60 will be added to your account. Please let us know by Monday, 26 January when you intend to arrive at the College. Dunedin’s airport is about 30 minutes away from the city centre. Shuttles are available, and drivers are familiar with UniCol’s location. Bus services into Dunedin normally drop people off at the railway station or in the centre of town. You can catch a taxi or shuttle to UniCol from these drop-off points. Many residents are accompanied by their parents or other family members when they arrive. The Master offers introductory talks for parents and caregivers at specified times on the 14th and 15th of February. Food will be available for family members who are here during the day. Please be aware that UniCol has very limited space for guests at this time of year. Information about accommodation in Dunedin can be accessed through the Internet or the Dunedin I-Site. Coming to university is a new experience for almost everyone who lives at UniCol. Feelings of anxiety or uncertainty are very normal. Our programmes are designed to help you make friends and feel comfortable as quickly as possible. We have every confidence that you will make new friends and fit into your new environment. Our staff are trained to assist and support you in your transition to tertiary study and accommodation. Orientation Conference UniCol offers the opportunity for parents and residents to come to Dunedin on the 10th and 11th of February for an introductory conference about life at the University of Otago and University College. Places for this conference are limited and are on a first-come, first-served basis. Further information about the Orientation College Information www.otago.ac.nz/unicol Please check out UniCol’s website for additional information about living here and at the University of Otago. The 2015 Resident Handbook is on this website and hard copies will be available when you arrive in February. Study Bedrooms We require that you live in the room you are assigned. We do not take requests for rooms in any particular part of the College other than those who wish to live on an alcohol-free floor. Rooms are randomly assigned with a desire to create a balanced and effective community. About 15% of our rooms are in the Forth Street Mews, 20% in the Annexe and the remaining 65% in the Towers. Although rooms may have different shapes, sizes or locations, they are comparably equipped. All residents have full access to all common facilities. You will be allocated a room on your arrival. Swapping of rooms is not permitted unless there are special circumstances. Your room is private to you. It is your personal space and your responsibility. Your rubbish will be emptied Monday to Friday and your room will be vacuumed once a week. Your floor will need to be clear of clothing and other items to facilitate this process. A clean sheet and pillowslip will be supplied each week. Study Bedroom Contents Your bedroom will contain a king single bed, valance, mattress protector, pillow and pillow case, two sheets, study desk, chair, bookcase, wardrobe, rubbish bin, mirror, notice board and a six-way power box. All bedrooms are centrally heated. What you need to bring You need to provide your own duvet inner and cover, towels, desk lamp, personal hygiene items and coat hangers. Many residents buy these items in town after arrival. We have duvets you can borrow for a short while. What you might bring Useful items to have include a washing basket, clothes rack, stereo, computer, wall decorations, bicycle, musical instruments and hair dryer. All electrical gear should be tested and tagged. We have bicycle storage racks and cages available at no charge. What you shouldn’t bring Please don’t bring a fridge, pets, room heater, electric jug, iron, additional or alternative furniture. If you are a diabetic, or have other medicine storage requirements, we will provide you with a small refrigerator as needed. Please ensure you understand the College’s rules and regulations especially those concerning the use of alcohol. The College will be an alcohol-free environment from Thursday, 12 February through Monday, 16 February. A visitor ban (other than parents) will also be in place from Thursday 12 February until Sunday 22 February. Common Facilities Laundry facilities (washer, dryer and iron) are available on almost every floor. These are free to use but you must supply your own washing powder. Small common rooms are available on almost every floor. These rooms have a TV and DVD player, small fridge, microwave, sandwich press, toaster, continuous boil water heater and basic cutlery. Milk is delivered regularly to these rooms. The main common room (Commons), Library, Reading Room, study rooms and gymnasium are available at designated times for residents. UniCol’s famous Detour Cafe is open every night from 7:00 — 11:00 pm. University of Otago Orientation Week (O-Week) Orientation Week happens from 16 February — 22 February. The Otago University Students’ Association (OUSA) runs a large number of O-Week events during this time. UniCol has an extensive range of social, academic and orientation activities planned during Orientation Week to help you make a great start to your life at Otago. Computers at UniCol The College has a limited number of desktop computers. You are very strongly advised to come equipped with a laptop computer. A basic laptop will be more than sufficient for your needs. Internet access at University College is provided at no additional charge. Such Internet coverage is an extension of the University’s Internet services on a best endeavours basis. Wireless Internet access may be accessible from bedrooms and some bedrooms have a hard-wired LAN port which connects to the network. The University of Otago is currently undertaking an extensive upgrade of the entire system. Until such time as this upgrade is complete, Internet access may be limited in certain areas of the College. It is also important to remember that Internet access may slow or become unavailable at times due to heavy demand on the system or the need to provide upgrades or maintenance. The University makes every attempt to minimise such disruptions to the service. If you have localised problems with Internet access remember that the College has wireless access available in areas such as the study rooms and the Refectory. Additionally the University of Otago provides wireless and wired Internet access around the campus in areas such as libraries, study areas and common spaces. University Entrance and Information If you have questions about university study or enrolment please contact the University of Otago Helpdesk on 0800 80 80 98. It is important to note that residents who do not gain university entrance at the time results are released in mid-January will have their accommodation offer withdrawn. This is a policy of the University of Otago. Please also remember that you must be a full-time student of the University of Otago to reside at UniCol. If you are studying through the Otago Polytechnic or Foundation Studies you cannot live at UniCol. Administration Matters The UniCol office will close on 12 December and re-open on 5 January 2015. You can still post and fax any response forms, and we will action these as soon as possible upon our return. If you have any enquiries, you can email us and we will endeavour to respond as soon as possible. During the holidays e-mail and phone messages will be cleared on a regular basis. If you have an urgent need to contact us please phone or e-mail the Master, Deputy Master or Associate Master directly. Boarding Fees and Up-Front Payments All up-front payments must be paid by Sunday, 1 February 2015. If your up-front payment is not received by this due date we may terminate your contract and offer your place to someone else on the waiting list. Please refer to your Accommodation Contract and the section “Contract Payment Schedule” for more detailed information on boarding fee payments and what is expected of you. Please note: Study Link will not pay any up-front or lump sum fee payments. Change of Address or Change of Intentions Please let us know immediately if you change your address or if you decide that you will not be coming next year. General Enquiries and Contacts UniCol, 315 Leith Street, Dunedin 9016. T: (03) 479 5580 F: (03) 479 5581 W: www.otago.ac.nz/unicol Chris Addington (Master) Bob Cochrane (Deputy Master) Christine Eason (Associate Master) Pip Falloon (Finance and Administration Manager) Lori Moodie (Finance and Administration Assistant) [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] (021) 279 5586 (021) 279 5590 (021) 279 5582 (03) 479 5583 (03) 479 5588 University of Otago Helpdesk 0800 80 80 98 Study Link : www.studylink.govt.nz 0800 88 99 00 University of Otago website : www.otago.ac.nz Dunedin Information : www.isitedunedin.co.nz University College 315 Leith Street Dunedin 9016 NEW ZEALAND PERMIT No. 1007 Permit Post New Zealand University College – The best year of your life . . . Check out more UniCol photos at www.flickr.com/photos/universitycollege
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