Welcome back to FIU


This fall, the FIU community will welcome back more than 38,000 students, including approximately 2,600 freshmen, to its campuses on Monday, Aug. 25, as the university kicks off the 2008 Fall Semester.

If you are a returning student, you are bound to notice some changes to both University Park and Biscayne Bay Campus as the university moves forward with its commitment to elevate the FIU experience.

On the other hand, if you are a new student then let us welcome you as a Golden Panther and tell you that you, too, can “Feel the Pride.”

So – what have you been up to?

FIU’s College of Medicine will open its doors for the first time in August 2009, admitting an inaugural class of 40 students. After receiving applications all spring and summer – 1,802 as of Aug. 15 – the admissions committee will make a decision on “early decision” candidates by Wednesday, Oct. 1.

“I am delighted with the number of applications we have received and the quality of the students who are applying,” Dr. John Rock, founding dean of the College of Medicine, said this summer. “This bodes well for the caliber of our inaugural class and the first-rate doctors who will graduate from our College of Medicine.”

The finishing touches on the new FIU Stadium at UP are being added in anticipation of FIU’s inaugural home game on Saturday, Sept. 20, when the Golden Panthers will face off against the University of South Florida’s Bulls.

For tickets and information for this and all other football, golf, men’s and women’s soccer and volleyball games, call the FIU Ticket Office toll free at 866-FIU-GAME or 305-348-4263 in Miami-Dade County or visit www.fiusports.com.

Also due to open, at the end of September, is a new cafeteria at the Biscayne Bay Campus. The larger dining hall will boast a more diverse variety of food choices and will now be located on the first floor of the Wolfe University Center.

In FIU’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint, the university launched its “Go Green” Web site last spring. The site is the online presence of FIU’s Green Initiative, which in collaboration with the Presidents Climate Commitment Task Force and the greater blue-and-gold community, seeks to share the university’s green efforts.

BBC’s classes go green

This fall, the Biscayne Bay Campus will take an academic lead in the university’s green efforts thanks to a grant that will help the campus bring Golden Panthers a series of lectures titled The South Florida Coast: New Horizons in Science and the Humanities, covering an array of disciplines.

In April, BBC received a grant from the Florida Humanities Council that will fund the lectures on environmental issues ranging from suburban sprawl to spirituality. Co-presented with the College of Arts and Sciences, the lectures will take place by the bay at BBC and are scheduled as follows:

  • Thursday, Sept. 18, 7 p.m.: “Losing It All to Sprawl”
  • Thursday, Oct. 16, 7 p.m.: “An Alligator Eating Its Own Tail: Florida in the 21st Century”
  • Thursday, Nov. 13, 7 p.m.: “Spirituality Goes Green: Scientific and Spiritual Approaches to Global Warming”
  • Thursday, Dec. 4, 7 p.m.: A reading by poets Robert Wrigley and Campbell McGrath

Admission is free and open to the public. To RSVP or for more information, call 305-919-5700 or visit http://bbc.fiu.edu.

Let us entertain you

The Wolfsonian-FIU in Miami Beach (1001 Washington Ave.) will unveil its new exhibit, “American Streamlined Design: The World of Tomorrow,” on Thursday, Oct. 23. The exhibit will run through May 17, 2009, and features 180 examples of furniture, ceramics, metalwork, plastics, graphic design and archival design books focusing on the 1930s and ’40s. For more information, call 305-531-1001 or visit www.wolfsonian.org.

From Sept. 25-Oct. 5, the School of Theater will stage “The Cook” at the Wertheim Main Stage at UP. Another play, “Spring’s Awakening,” will debut on Nov. 6 and run through Nov. 16, also at the Wertheim Main Stage at UP. For more information call 305-348-0496.

The Patricia and Phillip Frost Art Museum at UP is set to open on Saturday, Nov. 29, with the “Modern Masters” exhibition from the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

As part of the Steven & Dorothea Green Critics’ Lecture Series, the museum will present on Friday, Oct. 24, the screening of contemporary filmmaker Robert Adanto’s latest, “The Rising Tide,” at 8 p.m. in GL 110 at UP. A discussion with Adanto will follow.

On Tuesday, Dec. 2, FIU will host the 22nd Annual Festival of Trees, the opening of which at One Brickell Square (801 Brickell Ave., Miami) will benefit the university’s interior design endowed scholarship fund.

The 5th Masters’ Mystery Art Show will be held on Saturday, Dec. 6, at the Ritz-Carlton, South Beach (One Lincoln Road, Miami Beach). The annual postcard display, created by community and university artists, will be on view starting at noon, with a bidding reception beginning at 7 p.m. The show benefits the university’s MFA in visual arts program.

Your Welcome Week roundup

Here are some of the Welcome Week events happening at UP on Aug. 23-31. For a complete schedule, visit the office of Student Affairs in the Graham Center at UP, call 305-348-6414 or visit http://orientation.fiu.edu.

  • Saturday, Aug. 23: First Year Residents Succeeding Together (FYRST) will host a barbecue from 5-8 p.m. at the Housing Quad, followed by a screening of “Iron Man” on the lawn at 8 p.m.
  • Sunday, Aug. 24: Freshman Convocation will begin at 2 p.m. (doors will open at 1:30 p.m.).
  • Monday, Aug. 25: A pep rally will be held at Betty Chapman Plaza from noon-2 p.m. Pantherpalooza will begin at the Housing Quad and run from 2-4 p.m.
  • Thursday, Aug. 28: The annual Trail of the Torch tradition, sponsored by the Student Alumni Association and the Student Government Association, will begin at 6 p.m. in the Housing Quad. Freshmen and returning students are especially encouraged to attend and “Feel the Pride.”
  • Friday, Aug. 29: An arctic pool party will be held from 4-8 p.m. at the Housing Quad. Laser Tag will immediately follow at 8 p.m.
  • Saturday, Aug. 30: There will be a Dance Cruise at 7:30 p.m. at Everglades Hall.
  • Sunday, Aug. 31: A freshmen brunch will be held at 10:30 a.m. in the Fresh Food Company dining hall at the Graham Center.

Here are some of the Welcome Week events happening at BBC on Aug. 23-31. For a complete schedule, call 305-919-5804.

  • Sunday, Aug. 24: Freshman Convocation at UP (shuttle bus leaves BBC from AC I at 12:30 p.m.).
  • Monday, Aug. 25: Welcome BBQ from 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. at Panther Square.
  • Wednesday, Aug. 27: Resource Fair from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
  • Thursday, Aug. 28: Freshman Luau from 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
  • Friday, Aug. 29: Kayaking on the Bay at noon. Interested students should meet in the bay area at BBC. For more information, call 305-919-4701.

Registration and Payment Important Dates:

Important Dates:

Monday, Sept. 1 Labor Day Holiday (FIU will be closed)
Tuesday, Sept. 2 Last day to complete late registration. Drop/Add period ends. Last day to drop courses or withdraw from the university without incurring a financial liability.
Friday, Sept. 19 Last day to withdraw from the university with a 25 percent refund of tuition.

Registrar’s Office
www.registrar.fiu.edu

Hours of Operation

UP:
Monday, Thursday & Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Tuesday & Wednesday from 8 a.m.-7 p.m.

Office located in PC 130
Registration Information: 305-348-2320
Graduation Information: 305-348-2341
Commencement Information: 305-348-3666
General Records and Transcript Information: 305-348-2320
SASS (Student Academic Support System): 305-348-2933
Certification and Veteran’s Information: 305-348-2838

BBC:
Monday, Thursday & Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Tuesday & Wednesday from 8 a.m.-7 p.m.

Office located in AC l 100
General and Specific Information: 305-919-5750

Broward Pines Center:
Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m.
Friday from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Saturday from 9 a.m.-noon

Office located in Room 101
General Information: 954-438-8600

Cashier’s Office
www.fiu.edu/~cashiers

Hours of Operation

UP:
Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Office located in PC 120
Telephone number: 305-348-2126

BBC:
Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Office located in AC I 140
Telephone number: 305-919-5540

Broward Pines Center
Cashier’s Drop Box located in the lobby, by Room 101

Parking and Transportation
http://parking.fiu.edu

The Department of Parking and Transportation now allows students to order their parking decals and pay or appeal their student tickets online by visiting their Web site.

Decal enforcement will begin on the first day of the 2008 Fall Semester.

Tickets will be issued to owners of cars parked incorrectly in Administration, Disabled, Faculty/Staff, metered and all other reserved, private or marked parking spaces. Tickets also will be given to any car obstructing traffic.

Regular Hours of Operation:

Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

UP:

Offices located in the Gold and Blue Parking Garages
Telephone number: 305-348-3615
Parking is available in the Blue, Gold, Red and Panther garages and in lots 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9,10 and 11. Lot 6 is reserved exclusively for housing residents; any car parked in lot 6 that does not have a housing decal will be ticketed.

BBC:
Office located in the Wolfe University Center, Room 353
Telephone number: 305-919-5558

Parking is available in all five lots of the campus. The housing lot is reserved exclusively for housing residents; any car parked in this lot that does not have a housing decal will be ticketed.

Broward Pines Center:
Visit http://parking.fiu.edu for more information.

GreenRide Carpool Program:
FIU’s GreenRide Carpool Program encourages Golden Panthers to reduce the number of times they drive alone to campus each week. To sign up for the GreenRide Program and more information, click here (Please link to http://parking.fiu.edu/greenride.htm).

Public Safety
www.fiu.edu/~univpol

Emergency Phone Numbers
Police dispatchers are available to take your emergency phone call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
University Park: 305-348-5911
Biscayne Bay Campus: 305-919-5911

UP Public Safety
Offices located in the Public Safety Tower
Telephone number: 305-348-2626

BBC Public Safety
Offices located in the SO II Building
Telephone number: 305-919-5559

Bookstores

UP:
fiu.bkstore.com
Located in the Graham Center
Telephone number: 305-348-2691

Hours of Operation for Aug. 24-30:
Sunday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m.-9 p.m.
Friday from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

Regular Hours of Operation:
Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m.-8 p.m.
Friday from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Closed on Sunday

BBC:
www.fiubbc.bkstore.com
Located in the Wolfe University Center
Telephone number: 305-919-5580

Hours of Operation for Aug. 24-30:
Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
Friday from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Regular Hours of Operation:
Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Friday from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Closed on Saturday & Sunday

Broward Pines Center:
For information on the bookstore at the Broward Pines Center, call 305-348-2691.

Libraries
www.fiu.edu/~library

Hours of Operation:
Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m.-1 am
Friday from 7:30 a.m.-10 p.m.
Saturday from 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
Sunday from 10 a.m.-1 am

UP
Green Library
Telephone number: 305-348-2451

BBC
Library
Telephone number: 305-919-5718

Broward Pines Center
Library Liaison
Telephone number: 954-438-8608

Campus Shuttles

Last fall, one of the most significant changes FIU implemented for Golden Panthers was a new, three-day class schedule.

Monday-Wednesday classes that were held before 5 p.m. are now Monday-Wednesday-Friday classes. The current 75-minute classes have become 50-minute sessions. The new schedule applies only to Monday-Wednesday classes scheduled before 5 p.m. Evening, weekend and summer classes are not to be impacted by the change. For more information, click here.

The schedule for campus shuttles changed to synchronize with the new class schedule. Here are the new schedules for the Golden Panther Express that travels between UP and BBC and the CATS shuttle that travels between UP and the Engineering Center.

Golden Panther Express Schedule
(Allow for the occasional 20-minute backup delay)

Depart UP Arrive BBC Depart BBC Arrive UP
6:45 AM 7:45 AM 6:45 AM 7:45 AM
8:00 AM 9:00 AM 8:00 AM 9:00 AM
8:15 AM 9:15 AM 8:15 AM 9:15 AM
9:50 AM 10:45 AM 9:50 AM 10:45 AM
10:10 AM 11:05 AM 10:10 AM 11:05 AM
11:20 AM 12:15 PM 11:20 AM 12:15 PM
11:40 AM 12:35 PM 11:40 AM 12:35 PM
12:50 PM 1:50 PM 12:50 PM 1:50 PM
1:10 PM 2:10 PM 1:10 PM 2:10 PM
2:20 PM 3:15 PM 2:20 PM 3:15 PM
2:40 PM 3:35 PM 2:40 PM 3:35 PM
3:45 PM 4:45 PM 3:45 PM 4:45 PM
4:05 PM 5:05 PM 4:05 PM 5:05 PM
4:55 PM 6:00 PM 4:55 PM 6:00 PM
5:15 PM 6:15 PM 5:15 PM 6:15 PM
6:30 PM 7:30 PM 6:30 PM 7:30 PM
6:50 PM* 7:50 PM* 6:50 PM* 7:50 PM*
7:55 PM* 8:45 PM* 7:55 PM* 8:45 PM*
9:30 PM* 10:15 PM* 9:30 PM* 10:15 PM*
10:45 PM* 11:30 PM* 10:45 PM* 11:30 PM*

* Service not available Friday evenings

Tickets are $4 per trip (i.e., per round trip), $20 for 5 trips and $54 for 15 trips. You can save one of your rides to use at a later time when you purchase a round-trip ticket. Tickets must be purchased in advance.

At UP, tickets may be purchased at the main office in the Graham Center and at the Gold and Blue parking garages. At BBC, tickets may be purchased at the Information Desk in the Wolfe University Center.

CATS Departures

The CATS shuttle is a free shuttle. It provides service from the University Park campus to the Engineering Center located on 107th Avenue and Flagler Street.

Blue Bus

Bus Stop
ECS
EC
7:05 AM
7:10 AM
7:30 AM
7:50 AM
7:55 AM
8:20 AM
8:25 AM
8:30 AM
8:50 AM
9:10 AM
9:15 AM
9:35 AM
9:50 AM
9:55 AM
10:10 AM
10:25 AM
10:30 AM
10:50 AM
12:05 PM
12:10 PM
12:35 PM
12:40 PM
12:45 PM
1:00 PM
1:20 PM
1:25 PM
1:45 PM
2:05 PM
2:10 PM
2:25 PM
2:25 PM
2:30 PM
2:55 PM
3:10 PM
3:15 PM
3:35 PM
3:45 PM
3:50 PM
4:05 PM
5:15 PM
5:20 PM
5:35 PM
6:15 PM
6:20 PM
6:40 PM
7:00 PM
7:05 PM
7:20 PM
7:40 PM
7:45 PM
7:55 PM
8:10 PM
8:15 PM
8:35 PM
8:35 PM*
8:40 PM*
8:50 PM*
9:05 PM*
9:10 PM*
9:30 PM*
9:45 PM*
9:50 PM*
10:10 PM*

* Service not available Friday evenings

Gold Bus

Bus Stop
ECS
EC
9:05 AM
9:10 AM
9:25 AM
9:40 AM
9:45 AM
10:00 AM
10:15 AM
10:20 AM
10:35 AM
11:25 AM
11:30 AM
11:50 AM
1:05 PM
1:10 PM
1:25 PM
1:45 PM
1:50 PM
2:05 PM
2:20 PM
2:25 PM
2:40 PM
2:55 PM
3:00 PM
3:20 PM
3:35 PM
3:40 PM
3:55 PM
4:05 PM
4:10 PM
4:25 PM
4:40 PM
4:45 PM
5:00 PM

For more information on the schedule for campus shuttles, visit http://parking.fiu.edu.

Finally, as a student at FIU, there is a lot you can do to become involved and “Feel the Pride.”

There are many extracurricular university activities to help you enrich your time at FIU, including more than 100 student clubs, an intramural sports program and an ever-growing Greek presence, just to name a few. Here are some useful telephone numbers to keep in mind:

  • Campus Life Information Hotline: 305-348-ROAR
  • UP Campus Life Office: GC 2240 at UP, 305-348-2138
  • BBC Campus Life Office: WUC 141 at BBC, 305-919-5804
  • Broward Pines Center Campus Life Office: 954-438-8610
  • Student Alumni Association: MARC 510 at UP, 305-348-3334
  • Greek Affairs: GC 2240 at UP, 305-348-2138
  • Panther Safety Tram: 305-348-6173

— Grant Smith
Editorial Services

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