FSU FAQs
At the beginning of September, the staff at the Fanshawe Student Union is swamped with questions from students. Here are the
most common queries that Front Office staffers Tiffany Kicks and Emma-Lee Zekveld have heard during their two and a half
years at the FSU.
WHAT DO I GET WITH THE HEALTH PLAN?
New for the 2013/14 school year is the Flex Plan, which offers three tiers of coverage to choose from: Enhanced Dental, Enhanced Drug and Vision, and the Balanced plan, which all full-time students are on by default. If you want to switch plans, you 'll need to do so before September 17. Full details about each plan are available at fsu.ca/health.
If you have family members or dependents who also need benefits, you can opt them into your plan for $490 for the year (the cost covers an unlimited number of dependents), and they will receive the same benefits that you do.
Check fsu.ca/health for a video that can show you how to make a claim.
I DON'T NEED ANY OF THAT, SO HOW DO I OPT OUT?
"You have to have alternate coverage (such as from your parents or spouse) in order to opt out," said Zekveld. You must opt out before September 17 through fsu.ca/health. In late September/early October, opt-out cheques will be available for pickup, so watch for information posted around campus and on the FSU's social media pages.
I'M ON CO-OP THIS SEMESTER, CAN I GET THAT STUFF TOO?
Yep - you can opt in to the bus pass for $100 per semester (the Fall semester bus pass is valid from September 1 to December 31) and the health plan for $87.50 per semester.
CURSES, I'VE LOST MY BUS PASS! NOW WHAT?
You can get your bus pass replaced for a $25 fee at the FSU Main Office (SC2001) on Fridays throughout the year from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
If you were really unlucky and lost both your student card and bus pass, you'll need to pay to replace each one: first get your student card at the Registrar's Office (E1012) then grab your bus pass at the FSU -each costs $25. "If the pass is confiscated or lost more than once, there is a higher fee," Kicks said.
If your bus pass is stolen, register your card with the London Police at tinyurl.com/lps-onlinereporting2013. Bring the reference number to the Registrar's Office and the FSU Main Office and they'll do the replacement any day of the week.
More information and a helpful video about the bus pass can be found at fsu.ca/bus.
I NEED FAST CASH - HOW DO I SELL MY USED BOOKS?
You can recoup some of the money you spent on last year's textbooks by selling them at the FSU Used Book Shop in SUB1016. Drop off your books before August 30 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. at the FSU Main Office (SC2001 ), or between September 3 and 9 in SUB1016. Pick up your unsold books between September 14 and 19 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. - unclaimed books become property of the FSU. Pick up your cheques from September 23 to 27 in the FSU Main Office. You must keep your receipt in order to pick up your money and/or unsold books.
If you're looking for a good deal, buy books at the Used Book Shop in SUB 1016 from September 3 to 12 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Full details are posted at fsu.ca/usedbook.php.
I NEED CASH TO GET ME THROUGH THE YEAR - HOW DO I APPLY FOR FINANCIAL AID?
Go to www.fanshawec.ca/awards and click on the link to the Online Bursary Application Services to apply for bursaries, scholarships and OSAP- FSU VP Finance Jess Brook can help you with all of that (schedule a meeting with her through the Front Office staff).
THE FSU IS SO AWESOME, HOW DO I GET A JOB WITH YOU GUYS?
Before joining the very fantastic FSU team, you 'll need to be approved for work study- a bursary that helps them pay your wages. "The work study bursary is only open for a couple weeks, so the sooner you apply, the sooner you get approved, the sooner you get a job, and the jobs fill up," Zekveld cautioned.
The FSU hires students for jobs like front office clerk, custodial services, servers and security at The Out Back Shack, and graphic designers and writers at the lnterrobang newspaper. To apply for work study, go to www.fsu.ca/jobs, and then click on "More info on Work Study."
I WANT TO SHARE MY LOVE OF CATS/ ANIME/VIDEO GAMES - HOW DO I START A CLUB?
"To start a club, you need a club charter, a president, a VP, a secretary and a treasurer," said Zekveld. "You need five full-time Fanshawe students to start the club, and 10 fulltime students to receive funding ." A full list of clubs and the application to start a club is available at www.fsu.ca/clubs.php.
I NEED SOME SPACE - HOW DO I BOOK A CLUB ROOM?
The FSU has two rooms available for clubs to meet in (SC2012 and SC2014), and they must be booked through the FSU Front Office (SC2001). You can have each room for two hours at a time during office hours (9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every school day). If you need a room after office hours, you still book it through the Front Office, but security staff will have to let you in.
I'M HAVING SCHOOL TROUBLES - WHAT IS PEER TUTORING?
Peer tutoring matches you with another student for course-specific help. To sign up, either as a tutor or tutee, contact peer tutor coordinator Bonnie MacBean at 519-452- 4430 ext. 4959 or bmacbean@fanshawec.ca.
I NEED HELP WITH OTHER PROBLEMS - WHERE DO I GO?
"If you have questions about accessibility, workshops, getting help with adjusting to college life, you can go to F2010 -Counselling and Accessibility Services ," said Kicks. You can also get some school-specific help from your Student Success Advisor- check out the full list at tinyurl.com/fan-SSAs2013.
I'M NOT 19 YET- CAN I STILL GO TO EVENTS AT THE OUT BACK SHACK?
"Yes, as long as you're a full-time Fanshawe student," said Zekveld. "There is a limited number of spots available for underage students at pub events." However, if you're underage and you're not a full-time Fanshawe student, you're outta luck.
I'VE GOT SOMETHING TO SAY! HOW DO I GET MY STORY IN THE PAPER?
Whether you want to write an article yourself or have someone else write a story about your idea, contact lnterrobang editor Erika Faust at efaust@fanshawec.ca. lnterrobang is a weekly newspaper, so it's best if you give at least two weeks' notice before sending in information about an event to ensure your story goes into the correct issue.
No matter what question you have, you can always turn to the FSU staff. They understand that many students are away from home and dealing with a variety of issues, from awful roommates to struggling with the pace of their program. "It's a student union- we don't just answer questions about our services, we help students as much as possible," said Zekveld. "That's the goal of the Student Union: to improve student life."
Useful website
Find events on campus:
www.fsu.ca/events
Help with London's bus system:
ltconline.ca
Sell your stuff on the FSU Marketplace:
fsu.ca/marketplace
FSU social media pages:
facebook.com/FanshaweSU, twitter.com/FanshaweSU
Dates to remember throughout the school year:
tinyurl.com/fan-calendar1314
WHAT DO I GET WITH THE HEALTH PLAN?
New for the 2013/14 school year is the Flex Plan, which offers three tiers of coverage to choose from: Enhanced Dental, Enhanced Drug and Vision, and the Balanced plan, which all full-time students are on by default. If you want to switch plans, you 'll need to do so before September 17. Full details about each plan are available at fsu.ca/health.
If you have family members or dependents who also need benefits, you can opt them into your plan for $490 for the year (the cost covers an unlimited number of dependents), and they will receive the same benefits that you do.
Check fsu.ca/health for a video that can show you how to make a claim.
I DON'T NEED ANY OF THAT, SO HOW DO I OPT OUT?
"You have to have alternate coverage (such as from your parents or spouse) in order to opt out," said Zekveld. You must opt out before September 17 through fsu.ca/health. In late September/early October, opt-out cheques will be available for pickup, so watch for information posted around campus and on the FSU's social media pages.
I'M ON CO-OP THIS SEMESTER, CAN I GET THAT STUFF TOO?
Yep - you can opt in to the bus pass for $100 per semester (the Fall semester bus pass is valid from September 1 to December 31) and the health plan for $87.50 per semester.
CURSES, I'VE LOST MY BUS PASS! NOW WHAT?
You can get your bus pass replaced for a $25 fee at the FSU Main Office (SC2001) on Fridays throughout the year from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
If you were really unlucky and lost both your student card and bus pass, you'll need to pay to replace each one: first get your student card at the Registrar's Office (E1012) then grab your bus pass at the FSU -each costs $25. "If the pass is confiscated or lost more than once, there is a higher fee," Kicks said.
If your bus pass is stolen, register your card with the London Police at tinyurl.com/lps-onlinereporting2013. Bring the reference number to the Registrar's Office and the FSU Main Office and they'll do the replacement any day of the week.
More information and a helpful video about the bus pass can be found at fsu.ca/bus.
I NEED FAST CASH - HOW DO I SELL MY USED BOOKS?
You can recoup some of the money you spent on last year's textbooks by selling them at the FSU Used Book Shop in SUB1016. Drop off your books before August 30 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. at the FSU Main Office (SC2001 ), or between September 3 and 9 in SUB1016. Pick up your unsold books between September 14 and 19 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. - unclaimed books become property of the FSU. Pick up your cheques from September 23 to 27 in the FSU Main Office. You must keep your receipt in order to pick up your money and/or unsold books.
If you're looking for a good deal, buy books at the Used Book Shop in SUB 1016 from September 3 to 12 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Full details are posted at fsu.ca/usedbook.php.
I NEED CASH TO GET ME THROUGH THE YEAR - HOW DO I APPLY FOR FINANCIAL AID?
Go to www.fanshawec.ca/awards and click on the link to the Online Bursary Application Services to apply for bursaries, scholarships and OSAP- FSU VP Finance Jess Brook can help you with all of that (schedule a meeting with her through the Front Office staff).
THE FSU IS SO AWESOME, HOW DO I GET A JOB WITH YOU GUYS?
Before joining the very fantastic FSU team, you 'll need to be approved for work study- a bursary that helps them pay your wages. "The work study bursary is only open for a couple weeks, so the sooner you apply, the sooner you get approved, the sooner you get a job, and the jobs fill up," Zekveld cautioned.
The FSU hires students for jobs like front office clerk, custodial services, servers and security at The Out Back Shack, and graphic designers and writers at the lnterrobang newspaper. To apply for work study, go to www.fsu.ca/jobs, and then click on "More info on Work Study."
I WANT TO SHARE MY LOVE OF CATS/ ANIME/VIDEO GAMES - HOW DO I START A CLUB?
"To start a club, you need a club charter, a president, a VP, a secretary and a treasurer," said Zekveld. "You need five full-time Fanshawe students to start the club, and 10 fulltime students to receive funding ." A full list of clubs and the application to start a club is available at www.fsu.ca/clubs.php.
I NEED SOME SPACE - HOW DO I BOOK A CLUB ROOM?
The FSU has two rooms available for clubs to meet in (SC2012 and SC2014), and they must be booked through the FSU Front Office (SC2001). You can have each room for two hours at a time during office hours (9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every school day). If you need a room after office hours, you still book it through the Front Office, but security staff will have to let you in.
I'M HAVING SCHOOL TROUBLES - WHAT IS PEER TUTORING?
Peer tutoring matches you with another student for course-specific help. To sign up, either as a tutor or tutee, contact peer tutor coordinator Bonnie MacBean at 519-452- 4430 ext. 4959 or bmacbean@fanshawec.ca.
I NEED HELP WITH OTHER PROBLEMS - WHERE DO I GO?
"If you have questions about accessibility, workshops, getting help with adjusting to college life, you can go to F2010 -Counselling and Accessibility Services ," said Kicks. You can also get some school-specific help from your Student Success Advisor- check out the full list at tinyurl.com/fan-SSAs2013.
I'M NOT 19 YET- CAN I STILL GO TO EVENTS AT THE OUT BACK SHACK?
"Yes, as long as you're a full-time Fanshawe student," said Zekveld. "There is a limited number of spots available for underage students at pub events." However, if you're underage and you're not a full-time Fanshawe student, you're outta luck.
I'VE GOT SOMETHING TO SAY! HOW DO I GET MY STORY IN THE PAPER?
Whether you want to write an article yourself or have someone else write a story about your idea, contact lnterrobang editor Erika Faust at efaust@fanshawec.ca. lnterrobang is a weekly newspaper, so it's best if you give at least two weeks' notice before sending in information about an event to ensure your story goes into the correct issue.
No matter what question you have, you can always turn to the FSU staff. They understand that many students are away from home and dealing with a variety of issues, from awful roommates to struggling with the pace of their program. "It's a student union- we don't just answer questions about our services, we help students as much as possible," said Zekveld. "That's the goal of the Student Union: to improve student life."
Useful website
Find events on campus:
www.fsu.ca/events
Help with London's bus system:
ltconline.ca
Sell your stuff on the FSU Marketplace:
fsu.ca/marketplace
FSU social media pages:
facebook.com/FanshaweSU, twitter.com/FanshaweSU
Dates to remember throughout the school year:
tinyurl.com/fan-calendar1314
