SOCIAL MEDIA @WVU

Keeping You Connected and Informed

Social media has exploded over the past few years, and WVU is
definitely in the mix. We are sure that your students have already been
exploring these sites, but they are also a great way for you to stay
connected to WVU! You can follow WVU news, developments, and events on
and off campus by linking to several social media websites such as
Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. WVU has also enhanced its online
presence and experience with the launching of the new WVU Today site, a
WVU application for iPhone, and a mobile WVU site for web-capable mobile
devices. See all of the exciting developments below:

Facebook
Do you have a Facebook account? Facebook is all about social networking
and has become a very powerful tool in uniting the Mountaineer Nation on
campus and around the globe. At facebook.wvu.edu you can find links to
WVU's Facebook page, become a fan of WVU on Facebook, or find some of
the various WVU groups on the site. There are also some important tips
to remember when using Facebook or networking sites in general. For more
information visit http://facebook.wvu.edu/
(http://www.wvu.edu/Redirect/?id=1117).

Twitter
Tweets. Twitterverse. Tweeple. These are just some of the terms derived
from the growing Twitter movement. What is Twitter? Twitter describes
itself as a "real-time short-messaging system." Tweets are short and
sweet. The catch is that you only have 140 characters to make your point
or share your information. It could be what you are doing at the moment,
an interesting link to a news article, a philosophical quotation, etc.
The Twitter world is still evolving, and it is up to you what to add or
how to use the information. You can follow WVU coaches, professors,
various University offices, colleges, WVU News, and more. Check out a
comprehensive list of those at WVU on Twitter at http://twitter.wvu.edu/
(http://www.wvu.edu/Redirect/?id=1118).

YouTube
The evolution of entertainment, news, and information is happening on
the Internet; no longer is television the king. YouTube provides a ton
of user-generated video and information. WVU has established some
YouTube "real estate" by establishing the West Virginia U Channel. Check
out messages from University officials, WVU television commercials,
lectures from professors and guest speakers, student video diaries, and
much more on YouTube. For our YouTube channel please visit
http://www.youtube.com/user/WestVirginiaU
(http://www.wvu.edu/Redirect/?id=1119).

WVU Today
WVU Today (the University’s news site) has recently been transformed
into a multimedia, interactive daily news source, designed to bring you
breaking news and important information. The site will feature stories
through a variety of platforms, including written articles, audio and
video podcasts, live webcasts, archived video programming, documentary
photography and narrative imagery. To see and interact with the new
site, please visit http://wvutoday.wvu.edu
(http://www.wvu.edu/Redirect/?id=1120).

WVU iPhone Application
WVU has now launched an application for iPhone. Jared Crawford a
junior WVU engineering student created the application. The app allows
users to, among other things, browse an interactive campus map, stream
the U92 radio station, link to Bill Stewart’s Twitter feed and find
updated dining hall menus. It can be downloaded from Apple's iTunes.
For more information about the new app, you can read the press release
at http://www.wvu.edu/Redirect/?id=1121.

Mobile WVU Website
WVU recently launched a mobile site, perfect for your web-capable
mobile device such as an iPhone, Smartphone, or PDA. To visit on your
mobile device, launch your web browser and go to m.wvu.edu. You will
need a web/data plan from your carrier or a WiFi connection. You can
also preview the smartphone version of the site from your desktop or
laptop by visiting http://m.wvu.edu/
(http://www.wvu.edu/Redirect/?id=1122).

INFLUENZA UPDATE FROM WVU

Two cases of H1N1 Influenza have been confirmed in West Virginia
University students. There is a possibility that large numbers of
students may become ill with either seasonal influenza and/or H1N1
influenza this fall. They are essentially indistinguishable illnesses,
but getting one does not protect you from the other, and getting
vaccinated for one does not protect you from the other. Seasonal Flu
vaccine will be available free to all WVU students at the Student Rec
Center from 3-7 pm on September 28 and October 6. Vaccine for H1N1 is
expected to be available (and free) to WVU students by mid October, and
dates and locations of distribution will be announced once the vaccine
is released by the manufacturer. WELL WVU strongly recommends that all
students protect themselves by receiving both influenza vaccines this
fall. WVU administrators, including housing, dining, faculty, and
student services are all working together to provide for the ongoing
needs of students.

WVU will be following national guidelines set by the Centers for
Disease Control (CDC). The recommendations for preventing influenza
are:

1. Get vaccinated for seasonal and H1N1 influenza.

2. Wash hands frequently with soap and water or an alcohol based
sanitizer. (hand sanitizer dispensers are already in place or being
placed in most WVU buildings)

3. COVER YOUR COUGH - with a tissue, then discard. Coughing into your
elbow is recommended if a tissue is not available.

4. Stay at least 6 feet away from anyone who is ill.

5. Eat a balanced diet, drink extra fluids, exercise regularly and get
plenty of sleep.

How to recognize Influenza:

1. fever >100.4˚F

2. sudden onset of illness and body aches

3. congestion, cough, sore throat

What should I do if I think I have the flu?
1. Isolate yourself at home or in your University housing until your
fever is gone for 24 hours.

- Talk to your RA about having meals brought in.
- Talk to your professors about missing class and how to make up work.
Most professors will allow for some absences associated with illness.
- If you are ill wear a mask if you must be around others. (available
at residence halls main desks, Student Health, or local pharmacies).
Students who are well do not need to wear masks.

2. Try to maintain a good diet, but especially drink extra fluid.

3. Take acetaminophen for fever and body aches.

4. Get extra rest

5. Should you come down with the flu, in all likelihood your roommate
has been exposed to the virus. Separating the two of you will not be
effective. If you want to separate yourself from your roommate, you will
need to go home or make arrangements to live someplace else temporarily.
There is not separate WVU housing available to isolate students with the
illness from those are well.

6. Most students with influenza should not go to a health care provider
(increase risk of spreading the illness).

Call Student Health to speak with a nurse (304-293-2311), and determine
if you should come to Student Health if:

- You have an underlying health problem such as asthma, heart or lung
disease, diabetes.
- Are immunocompromised.
- Are not improving in 3-5 days.
- You have any questions or concerns.

Online housing, roommate-matching sytems

Returning Student Room Process
for the 2009-2010 Academic Year

SELECT YOUR OWN ROOM

Great News! - The West Virginia University Office of Housing and University Apartments are pleased to announce the opening of the new on line Housing Management System (HMS). HMS is designed to be a user friendly housing tool in which students select their own room, submit a request for a Residential College, and even crate a personal profile for selection of a roommate.

An email will be sent directly to you at your MIX account from HMS informing you of your priority period for room selection. Starting on January 22, 2009, students wishing to Homestead (stay in their current room) will have first choice at room selection in HMS. On January 25, 2009, HMS will then be opened to all returning students to select other rooms. A link in your email will take you to HMS. Then you can use your MIX User ID and password to login, select from available rooms and invite a roommate . . . it's that simple! Click here to sign on to HMS.

All room assignment information made through HMS will be delivered electronically by email to your MIX account. As in the past, you will be able to view your room assignment and roommate information in STAR. Just follow the Housing link to view your room assignment or roommate information.

April News Letter

In case you missed it!

Download the April WVU Parent Club Newsletter

Spring Fling

Photo by jkhewett via Flickr

All Parents Club Members are invited to a Spring Fling on Thursday, April 23, 2009 at the MU Hall of Fame cafe in downtown Huntington at 6:30 pm. This will be a great opportunity to meet other WVU families plus talk about the upcoming Summer Send-off!

In addition, we will be giving away a $200 textbook gift card to the WVU Bookstore. This will come in handy for your student!

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Dave Lunsford 304-733-2780 or Glenn bailey at 304-736-9803.

Mark your calendars ...

WVU Parent Club Newsletter!

Just in case you didn't receive this by email ... here is the last news from the WVU Parent Club.

Click here to download

2009 Dates to Mark on Your Calendar

Dates, 2009

April 10, Good Friday. University Closed.

May 4 – 9, Final Exam Week

May 9, Residence Hall Close – 5:00 pm

May 15-17, Commencement Weekend

May 18, Summer Session begins

June 1 – 25, New Student Orientation

August 21, Move-in Day

August 24, Fall Semester begins

October 2 – 4, Fall Family Weekend

FINANCIAL AID AWARENESS WEEK GOING ON NOW!

Image via Wikipedia

FINANCIAL AID AWARENESS WEEK GOING ON NOW!

The WVU Financial Aid Office is sponsoring the annual Financial Aid
Awareness Week this week, February 9-13, to remind students and families
about the submission of the 2009-10 Free Application for Federal Student
Aid (FAFSA) and the important deadline date of March 1, 2009, for
on-time filing.

Financial aid staff are readily available at the “Financial Aid
Booth” in the Mountainlair Food Court area during the week and as
always, are available in the office, located on the 2nd floor of the
Mountainlair.

In addition to information on filing the FAFSA, students may also
obtain materials on financial literacy and money management. The WVU
Financial Aid Office has recently linked to “CashCourse” from
http://www.wvu.edu/Redirect/?id=1012 and are pleased to provide
students with this very helpful information.

The 2009-10 FAFSA is available online at
http://www.wvu.edu/Redirect/?id=1013. Remember that you can file the
FAFSA using estimated income figures if you have not yet filed your 2008
income tax information. Estimated figures can be corrected later if
necessary. Filing the FAFSA annually is necessary in order to be
considered for student/parent loans and student employment as well as
grants and some scholarships.

Families who are experiencing circumstances that result in reduced
income in 2009 are encouraged to contact the Financial Aid Office after
initially submitting the FAFSA with 2008 income information. In some
instances, there can be a re-evaluation of eligibility.


FINANCIAL AID INFORMATIONAL WEBINAR TO BE HELD THIS WEEKEND
WVU's Financial Aid Office will be offering an informational webinar
for current WVU students and their families. This will be held this
Sunday, February 15 at 5:00 p.m. Further details, registration/logon
information will be posted on the WVU Financial Aid website at
http://www.wvu.edu/Redirect/?id=1012 this week. Be sure to check back
to register for this informative session!


IRS FORM 1098-T NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE
The WVU Tax Services department would like you to know that tax forms
used by students or their parents to obtain tax credits under the
federal Hope and Lifetime Learning Credit programs are available
electronically. There are advantages of receiving your form
electronically, such as faster receipt as compared to it being mailed,
being available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the ability to
reprint the form if it becomes misplaced, and no need to be concerned
whether your mailing address is correct. The website also has FAQs to
help you with questions, informative links to Internal Revenue Service
publications and forms, and a summary of the Hope and Lifetime Learning
Credit programs. The website is at
http://www.wvu.edu/Redirect/?id=1014.

ENERGY EXPRESS ACCEPTING POSITIONS FOR SUMMER 2009

Image by jkhewett via Flickr

Energy Express is a great opportunity to gain valuable experience, earn money, and help the community, and it's a great resume builder.

One of the top-fifty AmeriCorps programs in the country, Energy Express is a summer reading and nutrition program targeting low-income and rural West Virginia children. Currently, Energy Express is recruiting more than 500 AmeriCorps members to serve as mentors and volunteer coordinators from June 15 through August 7, 2009. Energy Express AmeriCorps members receive a $1,600 living allowance and a $1,000 educational award that can be used to help pay off student loans or to finance college, graduate school, or vocational training.

Mentors work with a small group of children to make reading meaningful in their lives by creating an enriching environment. Volunteer coordinators connect parents and community members to the site. They recruit, train, and supervise community and teen volunteers who help with various site activities.

Energy Express AmeriCorps mentors must be full-time college students (undergraduate, graduate, or post-secondary education) or college-bound graduating high school seniors who will be 18 years of age by June 15, 2009. To find out more, visit http://www.wvu.edu/Redirect/?id=1000 or call 304-293-3855. Applications are currently available for download on the website. The deadline for applications is March 2, 2009. For other AmeriCorps and national service opportunities visit http://www.wvu.edu/Redirect/?id=1001.

Energy Express is under the leadership of the WVU Extension Service 4-H Youth Development Program, and is funded in part by grants from the West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts and the West Virginia Commission for National and Community Service. The Commission encourages West Virginians of all ages to be involved in service to their community.

MOUNTAINEER PARENTS CLUB WINTER WEEKEND APPROACHES - Feb. 27-28, 2009

Image by K. Coles via FlickrWinter Weekend is a great time to visit your student and be on campus! The Mountaineer Parents Club has planned an exciting weekend for you and your family. On Saturday morning, be sure to take in an informative lecture: learn how to help your kid get a job or hear important information about Financial Aid or WVU's Entrepreneur Center. Sign up online now at http://www.wvu.edu/Redirect/?id=996.

Following the lectures, come to the Shell Building adjacent to the WVU Coliseum for the pre-game pizza party and pep rally. Special guest appearances will be made by the women's basketball team, head coach Mike Carey, the cheerleaders, pep band, dance team, and Mountaineer Mascot. Don't miss the chance to take in all this action and lunch prior to the women's basketball game. No tickets are required for this event, but be sure to purchase your discounted women's basketball tickets at http://www.wvu.edu/Redirect/?id=997. Ordering instructions can be found at http://www.wvu.edu/Redirect/?id=998. WVU students with a valid ID do not need to purchase tickets. Don't miss great Big East action!

Hotel discounts are available as well, so go to the Winter Weekend website for all the details: http://www.wvu.edu/Redirect/?id=999. Hope to see you on campus!

Upcoming dates & deadlines!

UPCOMING EVENTS AND DEADLINES:

- OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING FAIR TO BE HELD NEXT WEEK - January 14, 2009
- BODY FOR BREAK 2009 KICKOFF APPROACHING - January 14, 2009
- WESTERN EUROPE STUDY TRIP - Deadline: January 16, 2009
- 2009-2010 ON-CAMPUS HOUSING PRIORITY DATE NEARING - Deadline: January 20, 2009
- STUDENT LEADERSHIP ON-CAMPUS EMPLOYMENT FAIR - January 21, 2009

SAVE THE DATE:
- MOUNTAINEER PARENTS CLUB WINTER WEEKEND - February 27-28, 2009