UCF has resources to help students succeed

Let’s face it: The majority of college students are extremely unobservant.

First and foremost, students flock to UCF to achieve a higher education. The myriad, bustling extracurricular activities that one can get involved in at UCF, such as intramural sports, Greek life and honor societies, fills up the free time students have in their already busy schedules.

With that in mind, students often forget about the various resources available within different organizations on campus that are sure to make their lives easier, simpler and more manageable.

The Student Academic Resource Center provides students with free individualized and small-group tutoring in the areas of astronomy, biology, physics, organic chemistry, accounting, human physiology and statistics. No appointments are necessary for tutoring at SARC, which is located on the first floor of Howard Phillips Hall.

Also available at SARC is the Supplemental Instruction program, which is a weekly guided study session. These are directed by an SI leader who has previously taken the course and who attends class lectures throughout the semester for an interactive study group. Also available at SARC are Learning Skills Consultations, where students can assess their study skills and learning styles.

SARC partners with the Student Union each semester to provide students with 24-hour academic support leading up to their final exams. Peer tutors and SI leaders offer final exam review sessions while the Student Union doles out study incentives, such as midnight breakfast. SARC’s Game Plan Freshman and Family Seminars aim at preparing incoming freshmen and their families for the academic demands in their first weeks at the university.

SARC can be reached at 407-823-5130, or you can go to the website at www.sarc.sdes.ucf.edu.

UCF’s Safe Ride program provides UCF students with a free cab ride home. To receive a voucher in order to redeem a free cab ride, students must go to the Student Government Association ticket center, located on the first floor of the Student Union, and show their student ID card. After filling out necessary paper work, students receive a voucher for $35. The student redeeming the voucher is financially responsible for any amount exceeding $35 and can obtain an additional voucher 61 days after previous voucher redemption.

While at the ticket center, students can also receive discounted tickets for attractions in the area including Disney, Sea World, Wet ’n Wild and Universal Studios theme parks.

SGA’s All Knight Study, located near the Arena, provides students with a quiet study environment, desktop computers and small group study rooms, as well as free printing and Scantron test forms. Students can also fill out Grade Appeal Requests and Conduct Advising forms on the SGA website, www.ucfsga.com.

In 2011, SGA launched KnightLynx, UCF’s first late-night bus service. The bus operates from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, traveling through the UCF community. The service is free for all UCF students, and the two different bus routes can be found on SGA’s website.

The Office of Student Legal Services, located in Ferrell Commons, provides students with legal counseling and, in certain cases, court representation. The program is a free service to students but will not cover the payment of court costs, fines, penalties or any other judgments awarded against students.

Appointments can be made by calling 407-823-2538 or emailing stulegal@ucf.edu after filling out the forms found on SLS’s website, www.sls.sdes.ucf.edu.

In addition to keeping our campus safe, the UCF Police Department offers fingerprinting and notary services to all UCF students as well as Operation ID, which is a free engraving service provided by UCFPD. In addition to property registration, the UCF Police Department offers a Women’s Self-defense Awareness and Familiarization Exchange program, which provides students with information, tactics and options that are useful in crimes targeted at women. Registration is $5, and you can register by calling 407-823-0258.

For students afraid to trek back to the parking garage after their night classes, there’s the Safety Escort and Patrol Services. Call them at 407-823-2424 and they’ll send one of their staff members to accompany you to your destination anytime between 7 p.m. and 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday.

Outside of academics, UCF also offers alcohol-free events for students. Once per month, the Office of Student Involvement hosts Late Knights, an event where students can go get free food and participate in fun, themed activities.

The first Late Knights event will be Aug. 24 from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. in the UCF Arena.