The University at Buffalo requires all full-time students to have health insurance coverage. (Full-time is defined as 12 credits for undergraduate students or 9 hours for graduate study.) SUNY additionally requires all international students, scholars & OPT participants to carry adequate medical coverage. All students (domestic full-time and all international) will automatically be charged for the University plan on the first bill for the semester. All others who wish to enroll may do so by selecting an option from the Student Medical Insurance program.
Students may waive the plan by providing proof of comparable coverage and submitting a waiver by the due date of their tuition bill for the semester. Comparable coverage must be in effect on or before the first day of classes. Initial waivers for the Student Medical Insurance program are accepted until the due date of the bill where the charge first appeared. All waivers received after the due date on your bill for the fall semester will receive a Sub-Board I late processing fee.
Have questions? Need more information? Contact UB Student Medical Insurance at 716.645.3036, 223 Student Union, asksmi@buffalo.edu or healthinsurance.buffalo.edu.
Are you interested in a science related field? Do you watch the Discovery Channel? If so, then you may want to take a look at a show on PBS called Nova: Science Now. Each show has between four and five segments. One Profile feature was about Hany Farid who is one of the leading scientists in a new field called Digital Forensics. Digital Forensics is a field in which computer scientists are seeking to determine whether pictures are real or altered. You can watch this segment as a podcast on your computer: Hany Farid. You might also find the description of how he became a computer scientist to be interesting. You can view podcasts of all of the prior segments at Nova Science Now.
The issue of real or altered photographs is being raised in today’s media with respect to a photograph of Iranian missiles. Here is a link to a New York Times Lede blog on this subject: In an Iranian Image, a Missile Too Many.
A couple of years ago there was an article on the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) website discussing the use of altered images, as well as describing their own policy for trying to verify the authenticity of an image: BBC News - The Editors: Trusting Photos.
UB has a number of helpful tools to help students discover their major, minor, and General Education requirements. Additionally, these tools help students to find courses and programs of interest, succeed in the university environment, and attain a UB degree.
Bookmark these valuable UB tools today!
- Undergraduate Catalog - UB’s Undergraduate Catalog is your contract with the University, outlining the degree requirements that you must complete and policies and procedures that you must follow. In addition, the catalog contains a wealth of information on the programs and courses that we offer. The undergraduate catalog is accessible on-line at http://undergrad-catalog.buffalo.edu.
- Academic Policies and Procedures - This section of the catalog provides information about degree options and requirements (like General Education), registration, grading, and financial aid. These are important policies that students must abide by while attending UB.
- Academic Programs - This section of the catalog contains vital information about majors and minors at UB, including acceptance criteria, program requirements, transfer policies, as well as information about department faculty, class sizes, complementary programs, and careers for which the programs are well-suited.
- Course Descriptions - Our catalog has a searchable list of descriptions of courses offered at UB, which is extremely helpful in planing your major, selecting General Education requirements, choosing courses, and registering.
- UB DARS (Degree Audit Reporting System) - All UB students have individualized DARS reports which outline their degree requirements and illustrates which requirements have been met. Each semester, as students plan the courses that they will be taking, they should refer to their DARS report in consultation with their academic advisor to ensure that they are on track to graduation. Current students can access their DARS reports on the Academics/Courses page in MyUB.
- Academic Advising - At UB, all students have an academic advising office related to their major or special program. Students should be sure to take advantage of advising services throughout their academic careers. To learn more about our advising services and to access a number of other tools and guides to help you succeed at UB, visit the Undergraduate Advising website.
If this coming fall is your first semester at UB or if your undergraduate studies are soon coming to an end, it is never too late to find a mentor or get involved in an internship!
Mentors and internships can provide first-hand experience, career advice, networking opportunities, job shadowing possibilities, inspiration, and so much more! UB’s Career Services Office is a valuable resource to assist students with mentors, internships and job assistance. Their Meet-a-Mentor program grants students (and recent graduates) access to a volunteer base of more than 370 UB alumni, parents, and employers from around the globe. These mentors work in a variety of careers and are willing to share their expertise and insight with students. Utilize Career Services’ Meet-a-Mentor program today as well as their list of internship information and experiences!
A recent Buffalo News article written by Mark Gaughan, highlighted Buffalo Bills guard Brad Butler’s experience in seeking out a mentor and internship experience with politician Jack Kemp in Washington, DC. Read this inspirational article and learn about the valuable experience a mentor and internship placement can have in helping one grow professionally, personally, and beyond.
If you are feeling undecided about a major and/or career, you are not alone! Remember that 80% of entering college students admit that they are uncertain what they want to major in and over 50% of first-year students change their majors at least one time before graduation. Additionally, adults on average change their careers 5 to 7 times throughout their lifetime. Be sure that you read more about the common Myths and Realities of Choosing a Major and utilize Student Advising Services’ Major Decisions web site for more information.
The University at Buffalo offers numerous resources to assist students who may be undecided about a major or career. One such valuable resource is the office of Career Services, which offers many types of self assessment instruments to help students clarify their values, skills, personality, and interests.
One such self assessment tool available is called FOCUS2, which consists of a career readiness section, 5 assessment tools, and a section that allows exploration of careers and majors related to the assessment profiles. Interested students may log in to BullsEye on the Career Services web site using their UB person number as both the username and password, scroll down to the “Resource Library,” click on FOCUS and create an individual account. There is NO FEE. Students are encouraged to use FOCUS and then make an appointment with a career counselor to discuss the results by calling 716-645-2231.
Career Services also offers and interprets the self assessment instruments of the Strong Interest Inventory ($10 scoring fee) and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) ($15 scoring fee). Both assessments can be taken online and instructions may be obtained at Career Services. Obtaining a printout of the results and interpretation is by appointment.
Have questions about these self assessments? Want to review your self assessment results? Contact the Office of Career Services TODAY at 716-645-2231!
Whether you will be a new student to the UB community this fall semester or a returning member to the campus, there are numerous strategies you can be developing NOW in order to ensure your academic and college success!
From learning to motivate yourself, to developing self-discipline and setting goals, be sure that you read more about and complete the helpful exercises compiled in Joe Landsberger’s, Study Guides and Strategies.
Topics Include:
Preparing for Learning
Learning
Studying
Classroom Participation
Learning with Others
Online Learning/Communicating
Project Management
Reading Skills
Preparing for Tests
Taking Tests
Research
Reading Skills
Writing Basics
Resources
And so much more!
Be sure that you take advantage of the Study Guides and Strategies site today!
Whether you will be a new student to the UB community or a returning member to campus this fall semester, it is important that you know where to find information to ensure your academic and college success!
Have you bookmarked the following websites to ensure your college success?
- Student Response Center (SRC) - Provides information on the Official Academic Calendar, tuition and billing, financial aid, as well as your student record (such as transcripts and address/name change information). It also links to UB’s Class Schedules and information on how to register using Web Registration (UB’s on-line registration system) and BIRD (UB’s touch-tone telephone system).
- Undergraduate Catalog - Is your contract with UB, which outlines your Degree Requirements; General Education Requirements; Academic Programs at the University; Course Expectations, Grading; Dean’s List; Academic Standards Review, and so much more!
- Undergraduate Advising - Helps you to make the best use of UB’s academic advising system and university resources. From First Year Student resources for new freshmen and transfer students to continuing UB students, all undergraduate students can benefit from these excellent resources.
Have any further academic questions or concerns? Contact an academic advisor to assist you!
If you are taking a UB summer course(s), be sure that you know all of the Summer 2008 Registration Add, Drop and Resign Dates.
Looking for More Information on UB Summer Registration?
Visit the Student Response Center’s Summer 2008 Registration page and be sure to contact an academic advisor to help you.
Good luck with your summer classes!
UB Spring 2008 grades will be posted on MyUB and your transcripts on Monday, May 19, 2008. Be sure that you are checking your grades and contacting your academic advisor to make any needed adjustments to your fall semester schedule.
Keep These Suggestions in Mind:
- If you received a grade of C- or lower in the first part of a two-course sequence (such as chemistry or calculus), chances are you will not be adequately prepared to successfully continue on with the second course in the sequence. Contact an academic advisor immediately to discuss your options and to help you make any needed adjustments.
- Are you comfortable with your amount of registered credit hours this fall? On average, students complete 15 credits a semester. To be considered a full-time student, students need to be registered for at least 12 credits a semester. A full-time student needs to ideally complete a minimum of 24 UB credit hours an academic year.
- Did you work too many hours this spring? If you plan to work during the fall semester, organize your job to work for you! It is recommended that students limit themselves to no more than 15 hours of work per week as a full-time student in order to ensure that needed time is not being taken away from studying.
- Have other questions or concerns? Remember that academic advisors are available throughout the summer months to assist you, so contact an advisor TODAY!
Stay informed! Read about other student calendar listings of important academic, financial, and billing date information!
The fourth UBThisSummer Lecture Series is here! Subtitled, “Our World Community: Perspectives on the Past, Present & Future,” this stimulating program will showcase internationally-recognized faculty who will share their excitement about an amazing array of topics.
From the humanities to the sciences, from the theoretical to the practical . . .
Lecture Topics Include:
What’s the Matter with American Elections?
What Are Campaigns For?
Direct Democracy in America
My Secret Life on the McJob: Lessons in Leadership
The Four Seasons: Perspectives of Midlife and Older Erie County Residents
The Evil Witch, Embodiment of Universal Human Fears
UB: Why We Are Where We Are, Why We Are the Way We Are
The Arctic is Melting!
To Leave or Stay: An Emergency Preparedness Question
Talking Taps and Toilets: Water and Sanitation Beyond the Reach of Billions
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Sign Up TODAY!
Where: All lectures will be held on the North (Amherst) Campus in 225 Natural Sciences Building
When: Wednesdays at 4:00 p.m., from June 4th - August 13th (no lecture on July 2nd)
How: Register for one or all lectures by visiting http://ubthisummer.buffalo.edu or calling 716-645-6404.
How Much? FREE! And light refreshments will be provided.
Be sure you read more about the UBThisSummer Lecture Series!
