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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (June 4, 1992)
Where to find a helping hand on campus By Ronda Vlasin Staff Reporter Incoming freshmen may be faced with new problems, but a group of UNL offices is dedicated to finding answers for students now and through out their UNL career. Scholarships & Financial Aid Many students have already had contact with the Office of Scholar ships and Financial Aid before arriv ing at the University of Ncbraska Lincoln, Director of Scholarships and Financial Aid John Beacon said. Beacon said the office adminis tered money to students by provisions through various agencies. “TTiis money is used to help stu dents meet attendance costs, who with out such assistance, might be unable to afford college,” Beacon said. Financial aid qualification is de termined by the Family Financial Statement or the Application for Fed eral Student Aid that must be filled out when students apply, he said. The office provides a brochure called “Student Financial Aid Guide,” containing information about various types of aid and important deadlines to anyone requesting it. Beacon said. “lt\%thesv.ude.nv.' sresponsibility to be informed by reading financial aid material,” he said. Beacon said that short-term loan counselors are available to help stu dents meet emergency situations. He said a maximum of SI,000 could be borrowed for up to si x months at a very low interest rate. The office is open to the publ ic and there is no cost to use the services. Beacon said. The Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid is located in room 16 in the Administration Building. The of fice is open from 8 a m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and until 7:30 p.m. on Tucs days, i nc omcc s summer hours arc 7:30 a.m. lo 5 p.m. Beacon said most questions could be answered by the office receptionist, but students wanting to meet indi vidually with an aid officer should make appointments several days in advance. Counseling & Psychological Services ThcCounscling and Psychological Services Office helps students over come emotional problems ranging from lest anxiety to relationship prob lems, said the office’s director, Dr. Robert Portnoy. The Counseling Center and Men tal Health Clinic will consolidate and join forces on July 1 to form Counsel ing and Psychological Services, which is designed to belter he I p sol vc col lege students’ emotional problems, Portnoy said. “We hope to accomplish more and be more accessible lo students with our additional staff and resources,” Portnoy said. Counseling and therapy are avail able for personal concerns, eating dis orders, sexual identity, grief and loss, loneliness, time management, perfec tionism and life planning other than career decisions, he said. Special workshops and support groups arc offered throughout the year in areas such as stress management, test anxiety and assertiveness among others. The staff consists of two psychia trists, two clinical psychologists and two social workers, who can all treat clients on both emotional and bio chemical levels if needed, Portnoy said. “Wccmphasizcour no studcnlslaff policy to make clients feel comfort able and to keep things confidential,” he said. Portnoy said that records of clients arc kept, bulonly staff in the Counsel ing and Psychological Services por tion of the Health Center have access to them. No records will be given out without the clients full permission. Because me counseling service is paid for strictly by student fees, only students arc eligible for treatment, Portnoy said. The first three 50 m inulc sessions arc free, and after that each session is S10. Appointmcntscan be made by call ing 472-7450 or by stopping by the Counseling and Psychological Ser vices Office located in room 213 of the University Health Center. Career Services Students unsure of future career plans or looking for work experience, can often find direction and help at both the Career Planning and Place mcntOfficcand the Student Employ ment and Internship Center. “We recognize it is a competitive time," said Dr. Larry Roulh, director of Career Planning and Placement.“It is our goal to say quit worrying, come see us and we can help do something about it." The Career Planning and Place ment Office hclDs students decide what they want to do after graduation, and then helps them obtain full-time em mcnl, Routh said, he office contains a career re source library with print and video resources including such things as job hunting strategies, employer directo ries, resume and cover letter guide lines, oversea opportunities and more, he said. Routh said that acounse lor is avail able for brief advice without appoint ment from 1 to 4 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Individual appointments may also be made. The office also sponsors numerous career days including College Work Study Job Fair, Minority Career Day, Teacher Interview Fair, Summer Job Fair and others. The offcc provides use of soph isti - catcd computer software to produce resumes, Routh said. Resumes may be entered into local, regional and na tional databases for access by employ ers, he said. Several workshops will be avail able to students. Routh said, with top ics ranging from mock interviews to business dining etiquette. “We have a lot of handouts; stu dents should stop in and pick some thing up,” he said. Most services are free, Routh said. The office is open to both students and alumni, and is located in room 225 Nebraska Union. The Student Employment and In ternship Center helps students obtain part-time work experience prior to graduation, Routh said. A brochure about the office boasts it is “one-stop shopping for all forms of student employment.” Routh said students could find thou sands of Nebraska, national and inter national employment opportunities. A Student Job Board located on the third floor of the Nebraska Union as well as the Jobline (472-8800) adver tise current part-time, summer and work-studv iob openings. Internship advisers are available to help students find opportunities relat ing to their major as well as to arrange academic credit. Positions may be paid or non-paid, Routh said. The Student Employment Intern ship Center is located in room 345 Nebraska Union. University Health Center The University Health Center pro vides care for sick students as well as relevant education and prevention information, said Janet Crawford, head of the Health Education department. All students carrying seven or more hours are eligible for Health Center services, she said. The student fees paid with tuition allow students to see a primary care clinician at no cost, as well as to receive most other services at prices below local rates, Crawford said. “So many students get to their jun ior or senior year without realizing there is a facility here. And they don’t know they are already paying for it,” Crawford said. She said that a nurse and physician are on can z<t nours a day lor emer gency care, and the Health Center has a six-bed infirmary for short-term ill nesses and recuperation. The Health Center Pharmacy fills prescriptions written by Health Cen ter clinicians or by student personal physicians, Crawford said. Over-the counter medications arc also avail able. The laboratory provides diagnostic testing for the Health Center, while the radiology department provides diagnostic x-rays. Both must be or dered by cither a Health Center Clini cian or students personal physicians and there is a fee for both, Crawford said. For students needing immuniza tion or for those traveling outside of the United States, the Health Center has an Immunization Clinic. There is a fee for this service, and appoint ments can be made by calling 472 7467. The Self Care Cold/Wound Clinic is a space in the Health Center lobby where students can asses their own ailments. There arc free instructional handouts available on colds, sore throat and wound care. The Health Center Dental Clinic is also available for students and located in the lower level of the building. Appointments can be made by calling 472-7495, and there is a fee for this service. Sheryl Augstums, UNL insurance representative, said that Student Health Insurance is available to any student needing insurance. It covers 100 percent with no deductible on covered services, she said. For those students wishing to pre vent illness, Crawford said, the Com munity Health Department in the lower level of the Health Center offers a variety of programs and classes for students including: drug education classes, blood pressure screenings, a Peer Sexuality Program, weight con trol classes and speakers on other health-related topics. For students who want to get in volved, the Health Center provides a Health Aide Program. Health Aides are socciallv trained and certified in CPR and first aid so they can assist in minor physical and emotional prob lems in their living units, and act as communication links between students and the Health Center. Another involvement program, Peer Educations, involves specially trained students concerned in alcohol and sexuality educationprograms and projects, she said. The University Health Center is located at 15th and U streets. To schedule a appointment call 472-5000 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Student Legal Services Student Legal Services helps stu dents looking to resolve minor legal matters, said Karen Steinauer, an at torney for Student Legal Services. She said the officc ass is tes students with legal matters such as driving while intoxicated, minor in posses cirtn ln>cn!>ccina criminal mierhi/'f disturbing the peace, assault, unconlcslcd divorces, landlord/lenanl disputes and automobile purchase dis putes. Stcinaucr said the group was pre paid and avai lablc on appoi nlmcnt Tor current students. “We do offer mediation in dis putes,” Stcinaucr said. “We let each party tell their side of the story, then we offer our opinion and hopefully reach a agreement.” The office will also speak to groups on request on various legal issues, Stcinaucr said. All discussions and files arc confi dential and arc not part of any UNL record, she said. The office has many brochures about various legal matters, Stcinaucr said, including the Student Legal Ser vices Handbook which provides gen eral information in the areas of law that frequently concern students. The Student Legal Services, lo cated in room 335 Nebraska Union Office, is composed of two attorneys and appointments arc booked a week in advance by calling 472-3350. Ombudsman The UNL Ombudsman office is an independent, impartial office desig nated by the university to assist staff and students in disagreements with the university and its policies, said Peg Blake, executive assistant to the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs. “Many students feel like it’s them against the world,” Blake said. “We want students to know this is a place where they will find a impartial per son on their side.” After July 1 there will be two Om budsman offces, one for staff and one for students, Blake said. “This is a more cost effective model,” she said. “Both staffs are already employed by UNL; they will simply be assuming more responsi bilities ” Blake said theoffice will still cover such issues as grade and exam prob lems, instructor problems, financial aid problems, advising problem, aca demic honesty, transfer credit, park ing citations/towing, handicapped parking, lost/switched i.d. cards, drop and add problems, residency status, sexual harassment, unavailable books and dorm policies. The service is free to enrolled students, Blake said. She said students can walk into the , office between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. and until 7:30 Tuesday evenings, or make an appointmpt by calling Student Ombudsman Dave Temple. Women’s Center The Women’s Center is an advo cate for women and women’s issues, said Judith Kriss, coordinator. “We offer support and counseling for students concerned with changing the roles of women and men in soci cty,” Kriss said. “The center is about women, but for men as well.” The center contains a library on women’s issues including women’s journals focused on relationships, employment, health and many other topics, she said. Kriss said the center had referral and pamphlets for almost every cam pus and community in the area. "If you have questions or need as sistance, and we can’t help you, we will find who can,” she said. An employment file in the office with current job listings for the uni versity, local, state governments and many private employers can assist those looking for jobs. Several discussion groups are of fered through the women ’ s center and topic suggestions are encouraged, Kriss said. Some topics that will be covered arc rape survivors, non-tradi tional students, women’s sobriety and others. Anyone interested in volunteering or panicipaitng in the Women’s Cen ter should call 472-2597, or stop by the office located in room 340 Ne braska Union.
