Residence Halls close Sat. Dec. 19th at 5pm – Break Housing info

All residence halls (except Xavier, Turrell, and Ora Manor) will close at 5pm on Saturday, December 19th, 2009 for the Winter break and will reopen on Sunday, January 17th, 2010 at 2pm.

If you require housing for any part of Winter break, you need to complete the Break Housing Questionnaire located under Personal Preferences on your Housing Profile on PirateNet by Wednesday, December 16th, 2009. Please note: if you live in a building that will be closed during the break, you must find someone of your same gender in one of the open buildings who will let you stay in their room during the break. Remember the earlier you register for break housing, the easier it will be for you to find someone.

Filling out the Break Housing Questionnaire early and adhering to the following criteria will make your break housing experience much easier for you. Failure to do so may result in you being refused entry to your room during the break.

??? You must be the same gender as the resident you are attempting to stay with over break.

??? You may only have the number of people stay in a room over break as could live there during the year. (i.e. a double can only have 2 occupants, a triple can only have 3 occupants etc.)

??? Make sure to fill all fields in as requested. Leaving fields blank or filling out fields incorrectly may result in your application being denied.

??? Make sure that you get the key to the room you’ll be staying in ahead of time. The Hall staff will not be issuing keys to anyone who forgets to do this.

??? It is your responsibility to find someone who will let you use their room. If you are having difficulty, please speak with the RHD of the buildings that will remain open for further guidance. Register early if you need help finding a host.

??? The break housing questionnaire must be completed by Wednesday, December 16th, 2009. If you think there is a chance you might want to return early, make the appropriate arrangements and complete the questionnaire.

??? There is no additional charge for break housing.

??? For questions related to Break Housing, please contact any member of your residence hall staff.

The staff of HRL appreciates your cooperation with our break housing policies and wishes you the happiest of holiday seasons and all the best in 2010!

Seton Hall Housing is wherever you are!

Did you know you can contact Seton Hall University Housing & Residence Life through many of your favorite social networking and instant messaging services?

Here’s where to find us:

Facebook: Seton Hall ResidenceLife

AIM: HallHousingHelp

Skype: HallHousingHelp

Of course you can always call us at 973-761-9172 or email us at SHUHousing@SHU.EDU too!

Know before you go – Flu Vaccine Info

H1N1 FLU VACCINE Q & A

Q: Is there more than one type of vaccine?

A: Yes, one is given via a nasal mist spray and the other is given in the arm by injection.

Q: Who should get the vaccine?

A: (1) The nasal mist spray is given only to the HEALTHY

??? if you are between the ages of 2-24

??? between the ages of 25-49 if you care for infants younger than 6 months

??? health care and emergency personnel

You CAN NOT receive the nasal mist spray if you are pregnant, have chronic medical conditions, have had a severe allergic reaction to a vaccine, or have had Guillain Barre Syndrome.

(2) The flu injection is recommended for:

??? anyone between the ages of 6mo. – 24yrs.

??? pregnant women

??? people who live with or care for infants under 6 months

??? health care and emergency personnel

??? anyone between the ages of 25 – 64yrs with chronic medical conditions

Healthy 25-64 year olds and adults 65 years and older should receive the vaccine as more vaccine becomes available.

Q: How many doses are necessary?

A: If you are 10 years and older you only need one dose.

Q: Is the vaccine safe?

A: Yes, it is. The vaccine has been approved by the FDA and it has been widely tested. Side effects have been limited to the usual soreness and redness around the injection site as you would see with any injection. Getting the vaccine is much safer than getting the flu.

Q: If I got the seasonal flu vaccine, do I still need to get the H1N1 vaccine?

A: Yes. The two different vaccines treat two different strains of flu. It is safe to receive both vaccines.

Q: I already had the flu, do I still need the vaccine?

A: Yes. Many colds and flu-like illnesses circulate. Unless you were specifically tested for the H1N1 virus (your doctor took a nasal or throat swab and sent it to a lab to be tested) and confirmed that it was H1N1, you can’t be sure that’s what you had. Therefore, get the vaccine. It’s perfectly safe to get the vaccine even if you had the flu.

Q: What if I don’t get the vaccine?

A: Then you will remain vulnerable to catching the virus, and if you do catch the virus, you may infect others who didn’t get the vaccine.

Q: When will the vaccine be available at SHU?

A: We have requested 6,000 vaccines and should receive the first batch within the next few weeks. At this time it is unclear which type of vaccine we will receive. Following CDC guidelines, we will make the vaccine available to those most at-risk first. After that we will spread out the vaccine clinic times based upon availability and patient flow – we don’t want you to have to stand in line for a long time. Watch your email, check the web site, or follow us on Facebook for details about clinic times as they become available.

Q: How much does the vaccine cost?

A: If you get the vaccine on campus, there is no charge.

Q: What else should I know?

A: For more detail, visit the following sites:

www.shu.edu

http://www.shu.edu/offices/health-services-index.cfm

www.cdc.gov 10/09 – Health Services

Room Change Day will be held Wed, Sept. 16th

Room Change Day Flyer 2009.pdf

Room Change Day will be held Wednesday, September 16th in the Duffy Hall Conference Room for all students wishing to change their rooms.

Any students who wish to change their room assignment, either within the same hall, to a different hall, or an even swap with a resident in another room, should review the attached flyer (that has also been emailed) for the time they should attend. If students are unable to attend during their designated time, they should come by HRL in 68 Duffy Hall for a proxy form that will allow a friend permission to attend Room Change Day on their behalf.

Students who wish to participate in Room Change Day must make sure they have housing clearance.

Stay tuned for a list of available rooms which will be published by 5pm on Monday, September 15th.

Today’s the last day to change your meal plan

With the end of Add/Drop also comes the end of meal plan changes today. We will be here in 68 Duffy Hall to assist you with any meal plan changes until 6pm tonight.

After today, you are no longer allowed to change your meal plan. You are always welcome to supersize your meal plan by adding Pirate Bucks. Pirate Bucks are a terrific deal because for every $100 you spend, you get 15 more Pirate Bucks (so if you purchase $100 worth of Pirate Bucks, you actually get 115!)

Meal plans will again be able to be changed at the beginning of the Spring semester.

Bon Appetit!

Be Prepared for Flu Season

HRL wants to help keep you healthy! As they say – the best of offense is a good defense. Your best preparation for flu season is to avoid contracting the flu.

To learn how, check out the FB group Stop the Flu at SHU and review this quick Flu Facts sheet from Health ServicesFLU FACTS 09 (2).pdf.

Watch for announcements for the Flu Vaccine clinic offered by Seton Hall. For a small fee ($30 to your student account) you can be vaccinated against seasonal flu. It is scheduled for September 17th from 1pm -7pm in the Main Lounge of the University Center

Quick tips to reduce your chances of contracting the flu:

Sneeze or cough into your sleeve – here’s what happens when you don’t!

Wash your hands frequently with soap and hot water or use hand sanitizers.

Keep your distance from anyone who is sick

Additional steps you can take include:

Prepare your “Flu Pack”. You should include a thermometer (since you’ll need to check your temperature if you believe you have the flu), Tylenol (to take to reduce fever) and extra liquids for hydration (like Gatorade).

Get vaccinated.

If you do get sick, try to go home to recuperate. If that isn’t an option, choose a buddy to help you stay fed and hydrated in the event you get sick. Plan to do the same for them, if they get sick.

If you’re displaying symptoms you should:

Save your energy and reduce the spread of the virus by calling your health care provider or Student Health Services at 973-761-9175. In most cases, visiting their office isn’t necessary since symptoms and treatment can be discussed over the phone.

Check your temperature, hydrate, rest and stay away from other people until your temperature is gone for 24 hours without needing tylenol. Don’t leave home or go to class or work until you are 24 hours fever free without tylenol.

Tips to avoid activating the fire suppression systems

You may have noticed that the fire suppression systems in our halls are quite sensitive. They are the best in the business of keeping students safe!

HRL wants to offer some tips for avoiding triggering the alarms in a non fire situation.

We have both heat and smoke detectors. Heat detectors are set off by a swift rise in the room temperature, so items like hair curling or flat irons or blow dryers when used too close to the detector can trigger the system. So can steam from lengthy hot showers! Smoke detectors are set off by an increase in airborne particles, so aerosol sprays like air fresheners, hair spray or deodorants when used in excess can trigger the system.

So the best advice is to examine your room or suite for the location of your smoke head. Both the smoke and heat sensors are located in that unit. Avoid the actions above when under or near the device.

Read more about the system in your Fire Safety Booklet which your Residence Hall staff gave you at move in.

If you didn’t receive one for some reason, stop by the front desk of your residence hall or contact your RA to get you one ASAP.

How to change or add a meal plan

Until the end of the University add drop period on September 8th, resident students can modify their meal plan through the Housing and Dining Module in Pirate net. If you are a first year student, the module is likely on your “Money Matters ” tab. Returning students can find it through the “Offices and Services” tab.

Resident students who live on campus must have a meal plan, so the system won’t let you cancel your meal plan.

If you have questions, stop by Duffy 68 on any business day between 8:45am and 6pm through add drop (except Friday Sept 4, we close at 5pm) and we’ll help you out.

Commuters who would like to purchase a meal plan can also do so, but you must visit our office to do so.