University services return for fall semester

Guethshina Altena/Assistant News Director

University transportation services are back to their regular schedule and students should be aware of their academic and financial deadlines for the fall semester.

University prepares for the arrival of new and returning students. While many services such as transportation stay the same, others like the week of welcome festivities bring novelties events.

According to One Stop Enrollment services, the last day to register without incurring a $100 late registration fee is Sunday, Aug. 20. Monday, Aug. 28 is the last day to withdraw from the University and add/drop classes without incurring financial liabilities for tuition and fees.

The next day, Tuesday, Aug. 29 is the payment due date for tuition and fees. Students who fail to pay outstanding balances will be charged a $100 late fee.

The last day to withdraw from the University with a 25 percent tuition refund will be Friday, Sept. 15 and Monday, Oct. 30 is the deadline to drop a course with a DR grade or to withdraw from the University with a withdrawal grade.

A WI is given to students who drop all courses for a particular semester or withdraw from the University after the deadline for the add/drop period.

Some students, like Audrey Charles, a junior majoring in international business, feel ready to start their classes.

“I am more so excited than nervous cause I’ve been waiting to focus on my studies again after a relaxed summer vacation,” said Charles. “I look forward to walking through GC [Graham Center] and finding all those organization tables who almost always have something to offer.”

Charles favorite thing about the Fall semester is how busy the campus gets, and she is looking forward to seeing new faces walking around.

“This is gonna be my second semester living on campus and it’s always great to know that I am a walk away from the most attractions during Week of Welcome,” Charles said. “There’s always more to see and I like that.”

WOW (Week of Welcome) is a series of daily events during the first week of school that takes place in the Graham Center, along with food and giveaways to welcome new and returning students to the University.

Sergine Louis-Charles, a senior majoring in physical therapy, is also excited to start the new semester and is happy that the University’s transportation services are running again.

“I think that those buses are the best way for FIU to connect all the campuses they have because sometimes it’s hard to travel back and forth in your own vehicle if you have to be, say at BBC, three times a week,” Louis Charles said.

She also appreciates having the Panther Mover, a service that transports students on the Modesto Maidique campus from one building to another, because of how large the campus is.

Along with the Panther Mover, all services are back in session. The Golden Panther Express shuttle to BBC runs every 30 minutes on weekdays from 6 a.m.- 10 p.m. The GPE cost $2.50 dollars per trip and $5 dollars round trip.

According to the University’s Transportation, Sustainability & Transportation Website, the Panther Mover can take students around MMC from 7 a.m.- 8 p.m.

The most common drop off and pick up locations for the Panther Mover can be found between the right side of the Primera Casa building through the Panther garage past the FIU arena.

The CATS shuttle, which takes students from MMC to the Engineering Center, is free and runs every 15 minutes during weekdays from 6 a.m.- 11 p.m. The shuttle starts at 6:17 a.m. at the Engineering Center and is located at Lot 3 with the GPE.

For more information on enrollment services, students can visit onestop.fiu.edu and can visit parking.fiu.edu for more information on the different transportation services.

 

Photo courtesy of Flickr