In This Issue:
USC Aiken to Begin Issuing Student Refunds | Atlantic Broadband Offers Internet Discounts | Help Students Establish a Budget | USC Aiken Bookstore Helps Students and Families | Fall Housing Registration | Virtual Town Hall Meeting for Students | Restock the Blessing Box | USC Aiken Named South Carolina's Most Charming College Town | Parent and Family E-News Weekly Delivery | Parent and Family Relations Assistance | Save the Date and Quick Links
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USC Aiken to Begin Issuing Student Refunds
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Under the guidance issued by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education (CHE), the University of South Carolina Aiken will begin issuing prorated refunds to students for meal plans and on-campus residential housing.
The prorated refunds will include meal plan and on-campus housing fees for services not received on or after March 16, the first day of the extended Spring Break.
Tuition, academic fees and student support fees are not refundable, per CHE guidance due to continuity of academic programs.
While the university will begin processing refunds immediately, it may take some time to process all the refunds.
Thank you to students and parents for their continued patience as we work through the refund process.
Please visit the university’s website for up-to-date news and information for students, families, faculty and staff:
www.usca.edu/covid
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Atlantic Broadband Offers Internet Discounts
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To ensure that students have access to the internet right now, Atlantic Broadband, a local provider,
has introduced a new service, “Atlantic Broadband Internet Assist”. The new service is available for a limited time to serviceable residents in Atlantic Broadband’s operating area who are in financial need and who do not presently have internet from Atlantic Broadband.
To qualify, residents must be eligible for any of the following public assistance programs: National School Lunch Program (NSLP), Public Housing Assistance, Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), and/or Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). Customers will be required to provide proof of eligibility subject to the review and discretion of Atlantic Broadband.
The 15/1 Mbps Internet Assist service, normally priced at $9.99 per month plus taxes and fees, will be offered free for 60 days with free installation and a free modem. Those interested in the service should contact Atlantic Broadband at (888) 536-9600.
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Help Students Establish a Budget
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Trish Blush, Pacer Family Advisory Board member, offers the following advice to help students create and maintain a budget:
As parents, we can show our kids that a budget empowers them to reach financial goals so their money works for them, not the other way around. Start with spending habits. Tracking income and expenses is easy with finance apps such as *Mint, *NerdWallet, and others.
When tracking monthly income, consider all sources, including: employment, money from parents, etc. Track expenses—food, gas, clothing, bills, and entertainment. Your student's bank may have an application with a tracking tool that assigns the money spent into certain categories so they can track each dollar.
By using these simple techniques and evaluating need versus want, students will know where their money is going and know how to manage it.
*These are two of many options. USC Aiken does not endorse any one app.
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USC Aiken Bookstore
Helps Students and Families
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- Free Online Shipping
- EBooks at No Additional Charge
- Free Shipping on Rental Returns and Deadline Extension
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Fall Housing Registration
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If your student plans to live in USA Aiken campus housing for the 2020-2021 academic year, please note these important dates and information.
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Virtual Town Hall Meeting for Students
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Similar to how Parent and Family Relations strives to keep you informed through these newsletters, USC Aiken administrators communicate with students through separate channels so they are aware of developments that directly impact them.
For your situational awareness, USC Aiken students have been invited to participate in three virtual town hall meetings with Chancellor Sandra Jordan and Student Government Association President Q'Ladrin Qourters on April 7, 8, and 9. Students should monitor their USC Aiken email account for details.
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As you are able, would you consider helping us
restock non-perishable
food in our
Blessing
Box, located in the heart of campus? Students who are still in housing can walk to this location to get what they need for a meal. Donations are accepted through May 1. In addition to donated food, if you can leave a couple empty grocery bags for student use that would be helpful, too.
The
box is located on Scholar Loop, across from the softball field, and adjacent to the indoor pool. To help ensure we comply with state and federal social distancing policies, please
sign up for a specific drop-off time.
On behalf of our students and the entire Pacer community, THANK YOU!
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USC Aiken Named MSN's Most Charming College Town in South Carolina
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Good news! MSN chose Aiken as the most charming college town in South Carolina. That's saying something when we know South Carolina is a beautiful state filled with lovely college towns.
Read more.
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Parent and Family E-News - Weekly Delivery
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Since its inception in August 2018, parent and family e-newsletters have been distributed once per month. To keep you updated with news and resources during modified operations, you will receive weekly communications which will provide timely, relevant information and announcements.
If you prefer to stop receiving all Parent and Family Relations communication, you can unsubscribe at the bottom of this page, or write to
parents@usca.edu with the subject "unsubscribe." As always, newsletters are archived and available on the
parent and family webpage.
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Parent and Family Relations Assistance
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The Parent and Family Relations Office is open virtually, and as always, I am available and happy to support you as you support your students.
Please continue to reach out via email at
parents@usca.edu or call 803-641-2825 during office hours, Monday
–Thursday,
8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
We are PACER strong!
Sandy Talbott
Parent and Family Relations Coordinator
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Save The Date
Spring term
April 29 - May 5 -
Final exams (excluding Saturday and Sunday)
August 17 - Housing move-in
August 19 - New student convocation
August 20 - Fall classes begin
October 3 - Family Day
October 15-16 - Fall break
November 3 - Election Day - no classes
November 25-27 - Thanksgiving break
December 7-11 - Final exams
December 10 - Convocation (commencement)
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Parent and Family Relations| University of South Carolina Aiken | 803-641-2825 | parents@usca.edu | www.usca.edu/parents
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