A Guide to UA Resources and Services

BAMA ESSENTIALS

What is an Action Card?

It is your student’s official University ID Debit Card. Your student will use the Action Card to access:•NCAA Athletic Events (for football games your student will also need a ticket)•MyTickets•Campus Entertainment Events•Check out books at the University Libraries•University Recreation Center, Outdoor Pool and Aquatic Center•Student Health Center•Computer Labs•Facilities and Residence halls•Parking Decks•Dining Dollars, Bama Cash & Meal Plans

ACTION CARD

actcard.ua.edu

One CardMANY POSSIBILITIES

There are three types of accounts on the student’s Action Card: Meal Plans, Dining Dollars, and Bama Cash.

ACTION CARD

Meal Plan: First year students are automatically enrolled in the All Access Plan. Dining Dollars: •All undergraduates with 9+ hours are required to purchase $300 Dining Dollars each semester. •A balance of $300 per fall and spring semester is automatically billed to your student’s account. ($100 per summer term)actcard.ua.edu

One CardMANY POSSIBILITIES

There are three types of accounts on the student’s Action Card: Meal Plans, Dining Dollars, and Bama Cash.

ACTION CARD

Bama Cash: •Optional debit account for purchases at both on and off-campus locations. •There are over 100 locations that accept Bama Cash. Follow us on Facebook and

Twitter: University of Alabama Action Card Office

actcard.ua.edu

One CardMANY POSSIBILITIES

Dining Dollars•Dining dollars are requiredfor students with 9+ credit hours on-campus per semester.•Accepted at Bama Dininglocations and campus vending.•Typically used to grab a snackor eat at on-campus retail locations.•Any unused balances at the endof the fall semester will be forwarded to the spring Dining Dollars account.  

ACTION CARDBama Cash•Bama Cash is an optional debit card account.•Money can be added online anytime, by phone, using the UA mobile app or at the Action Card Office during business hours.•Accepted at dining and otherselect retail outlets on and off campus. (Ex. gas stations, laundry, grocery stores, pharmacies, & restaurants)

One CardMANY POSSIBILITIES

actcard.ua.edu

ACTION CARD

actcard.ua.edu

The All Access Meal Plan.Our Kitchen is Your Kitchen! Students can stop in for a

drink, a cookie, or bowl of cereal. No Need for grocery shopping with the All Access Plan!

What is the All Access Plan?• The All Access Plan costs $1,578 per semester and provides our

students unlimited access to our all-you-care-to-eat locations. Which are: Burke, Fresh Food Co., Lakeside & Bryant (for lunch only)

• First Year Students are automatically enrolled in the All Access Plan• First Year Students who are exempt from Housing are still

encouraged to purchase a meal plan

Who Can Purchase an All Access Plan?• Any full time University of Alabama Student • All Freshmen will be required to have the All Access meal plan (except for those that are exempt from housing)

BAMA DINING

bamadining.ua.edumealplans@bamadining.

com

• Benefits of All Access Meal Plan:• Gives students the ability to visit meal plan locations as

often as they want• Student don’t have to keep track of how many meals

they have left on their Action Card• Dining Halls are a great place to meet and socialize• Great for students who snack all day or are just looking

for no worries when it comes to eating

BAMA DINING

bamadining.ua.edumealplans@bamadining.

com

WHERE TO EAT???

• 4 All-You-Care-To-Eat Locations

• 2 Food Courts

• Grab- N-Go• 5 Coffee

Shops• 5

Convenience Storesbamadining.ua.edu

mealplans@bamadining.com

•At least one dining location is open between 7pm- 2am•Vegetarian options available at all dining locations

Going Greek?This is what happens next:

•All new pledges on the bid list will receive a credit for the meal plan that was selected prior to recruitment on your student account.•All new pledges on the bid list will be charged for the Greek 55 meal plan on your student account.•Credits on the student account from the meal plan reduction will go against any outstanding balance on your student account.•New pledges may choose to upgrade their meal plan at any time.

bamadining.ua.edumealplans@bamadining.c

om

STUDENT HEALTH CENTER

Primary Health Care Services where we see

your sons and daughters as our own.

Please encourage your student to visit the

Student Health Center at the

first sign of illness.

www.shc.ua.edu

STUDENT HEALTH CENTER

• The SHC specializes in walk-ins• Accepts most major health insurance

plans/Insurance cards required at time of visit• Offers affordable health insurance on an open

enrollment basis• All students are seen, regardless of insurance or

ability to pay• Co-pays and services not covered are billed directly

to student’s account• The Student Health Center works with specialists

within the community including University Medical Center, and DCH

www.shc.ua.edu

STUDENT HEALTH CENTERPrimary Health Care Services:

• Women’s Health, OB/GYN• Allergy/Immunization Clinic• Health Promotion &

Wellness• Psychiatry Services• ADHD, ADD• Sports Medicine• Nutrition Counseling • Physical Exams• Pharmacy (Rx and OTC)• Lab/X-ray on site• Substance Abuse

Counseling• Collegiate Recovery

Community

www.shc.ua.edu

STUDENT HEALTH CENTER

Pharmacy Services:• No Cash Needed

• Billed Directly to Student Account• Transfer Existing Prescriptions by Phone• Accepts Outside Prescriptions• Over-the-Counter Products and

Medications Available• Pharmacy Hours:

Mon – Thurs: 8AM – 5:30PMFri: 9AM – 5PMSat – Sun: 1PM – 4PM

www.shc.ua.edu

STUDENT HEALTH CENTER• Quality: Since 1995 the Student

Health Center has been accredited by AAAHC.

• Convenience: No cash needed and on- campus facilities.

• Accessibility: Bus route stops at entrance.Hours of Operation

Academic YearMon – Thurs: 8AM – 8PM

Fri: 9AM – 5PMSat/Sun 1PM-4PM (closed

game days)Interim and Summer

Terms: Mon – Thurs: 8AM-5PM

Fri 9AM-5PM• Insurance: Most major health

insurance plans accepted.

www.shc.ua.edu

STUDENT HEALTH CENTER• University Admission

Requirement: Proof of 2 MMR vaccinations, TB screening – within the last 12 months, and Meningitis vaccination within last five years.

• Required form is online at: shc.ua.edu Must be turned in before move in to on campus housing or attending classes if living off campus.

• Recommended: Up-to-date Tetanus and other routine immunizations. Please turn in documentation of all childhood vaccinations (blue card) for medical care purposes.

www.shc.ua.edu

UNIVERSITY SUPPLY STORE

Four Locations: Ferguson Center, Tutwiler Hall, Bryant Museum, and School of Law

Can assist you with…• Course materials (textbooks in various formats, school

supplies, kits, and more)• Bama clothing, souvenirs, and gifts• Cards, magazines, best-selling trade books• Official class rings• The Apple Campus Store, located in the SUPe Store at

the Ferg, offers education pricing on Apple computers and software.

FERPA• The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

• FERPA rights transfer to the student at the age of 18 or when they begin attending a post-secondary institution regardless of age

• A major goal we have for your first-year experience is to forge a strong partnership between UA, our students, and the parents of UA students.  To this end, a parent or guardian may obtain non-directory information if their student has authorized a record release through myBama, which is located in the self-service channel under Student Services>Student Records>Record Release to Parent/Guardian (FERPA). Existence of a release does not constitute a “power of attorney” empowering parents to act on behalf of the student.

What is protected under FERPA?• Grades and transcripts• Academic class schedules• Information accessed in myBama• Class rosters• Any document designated as part of the educational record

registrar.ua.edu/academics/privacy-guidelines/

FERPAWhat can be released?

• Directory information• Information needed by a government agency • Some information to accrediting organizations• Information needed in a health or safety emergency• Some information to attorneys representing UA• Information the student has given written consent to

release• Remember your student must sign the release (In the

student orientation packet)

IMPORTANT NOTE: The university will not disclose grades over the phone regardless of signed release.  The parent must order a transcript to receive the student’s grades.registrar.ua.edu/academics/privacy-

guidelines/

ACADEMICS – FINISH IN FOUR

UA’s Finish in Four campaign has been designed to publicize the tools students can take advantage of on their way to graduation.

Visit the Career Center to explore your passion and develop a plan to Finish in Four! career.ua.edu

Explore-Explore all 80 Undergraduate degree programs at www.ua.edu/majors.

Plan-Use the Student Educational Planner in DegreeWorks to map out your program of study semester by semester.

Once you have those two behind you, all that’s left is to:

Study & Graduate!

ACADEMICS – DEGREE WORKS

Student View Audit•This allows students to be able to view their past and current work to best plan their future before meeting with an advisor.

Student Educational Planner•This feature works in conjunction with the Student View Audit to help plan future coursework.

“What If” function•“What If” allows students to hypothetically change their major, minor, or concentration.

degreeworks.ua.edu

ACADEMICS – DEGREE WORKS

“Look Ahead”  function•Helps students see how anticipated coursework will apply to their degree program.

GPA Calculator•Allows students to calculate various GPAs.

degreeworks.ua.edu

ACADEMICS – DEGREEWORKS

degreeworks.ua.edu

Student’s Academi

c Summary

Detailed Coursewor

kSummary

Student View Audit

ACADEMICS - ADVISING• Advisors are the faculty or staff member who will

assist students in selecting classes for their degree program.

• Students should get know their advisor and seek their advice.

• Encourage your student to visit their advisor regularly.

• Students seeking to change majors should see their advisor.

ACADEMICS – FACULTY• Key to your student’s academic success.• Students should get to know at least one professor each

semester. This will help when it comes to needing letters of reference.

• Professors prefer to communicate with the student directly. • Mid-term grades distributed to students in 100 and 200 level

courses so inquire with your student around mid-term to ask how they are doing.

• Office hours- time dedicated to talking to students.

ACADEMICS – RESOURCESUA has many academic resources available for all students. If there is not a dedicated resource, have the student talk to their professor or advisor about helping them find assistance.

• Center for Academic Success: ctl.ua.edu• Student Support Services: ctl.ua.edu/sss• Writing Center: www.writingcenter.ua.edu • Math Labs: mtlc.ua.edu• Career Center: career.ua.edu

TOP FIVE THINGS PARENTS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT

1. Electronic resources available 24 hours/7 days a week, on or off campus

2. Late-night-study hours in Bruno, McLure & Gorgas Libraries; Rodgers Library open 24 hours/5 days a week

3. Laptops (Macs and PCs) available for checkout

4. Research and reference help: in person or via phone, email, text or Twitter

5. Sanford Media Center, a multimedia lab open to all students

6. Gorgas Library, designated safe zone during inclement weather

lib.ua.edu

ACADEMICS – LIBRARIES

STUDENT SUPPORTCampus Ministries- comprised of pastors and lay leaders who serve the UA community by offering students a place to worship and a ready ear to listen. dos.ua.edu/campusministries.cfm

Disability Services- If your student has a learning or other disability, they should register right away with Office of Disability Services. eop.ua.edu/disabilities.html

Dean of Students- provides a variety of resources to students including crises assistance and opportunities to get involved and connect to campus. dos.ua.edu

Counseling Center- helps students achieve academic success and personal growth through quality brief counseling and psychological services, outreach and consultative services. counseling.ua.edu

EMERGENCY SUPPORT3 on-call staff members, 24 hours a day

On-Call Dean- trained Student Affairs professional on-call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Partners with campus services (Academic Colleges, Housing and Residential Communities, Women’s Resource Center, Counseling Center, and Public Safety)

Partners with community agencies (DCH Hospital, North Harbor, and Tuscaloosa Police)

Call UAPD to contact the On-Call Dean at: (205) 348-5454