Information for Parents and Families

RC Parents & Families Orientation

Welcome to the RC, parents and families of new RC students! We are excited to have your student join our vibrant community of scholars, artists, activists, scientists - everything under the sun - encompassing our 800+ current students, 70 faculty, 10 staff, and nearly 7,000 alumni all around the globe. 

Financial

• Does the RC have an additional cost? No, RC students are billed the same amount as LSA students. 
• What if I have concerns about my student’s bill? The Office of Financial Aid offers resources to estimate your bill, pay your bill, and decode anything unusual. This link shows information regarding bills, due dates, etc.
• When is Housing due? Tuition? This should be listed on your student’s student financial account in Wolverine Access. All financial information and due dates will be listed there. 

Roommates

• When will my student find out about their roommate? Housing will send an email by early August that includes: roommate name, contact information, and room assignment. All RC first-year students are housed together in East Quad! 
• What if my student has a problem with their roommate? There is a network in place to ensure your student is supported within the dorms. First, roommates are required to sit down together and create a “Roommate Contract” regarding what is and is not OK in their shared space. Your student’s RA (Resident Advisor) will review this information with them. If a conflict occurs, your student can first contact their RA for support. If the concern has escalated, it is possible that a Hall Director will step in to navigate the situation. 
• How is UM ensuring safety from COVID-19 and other illness in the dorms? M-Housing is requiring the COVID-19 vaccination of all students residing in M Housing this fall. Additional information regarding vaccinations can be found here.

Fall Schedule/Orientation

• How does my student register for classes? During orientation, students will meet with an available RC Advisor to register for classes based on their orientation schedule. 
• How many credits do students typically take in their first semester? While full-time students can take 12-18 credits a semester at UM, we typically recommend that students take between 14 and 16 credits in their first semester. For most RC students this will consist of 3 classes - an RC first-year writing course; an 8-credit RC intensive language course and one other course (often taken outside of the RC).
• My student didn’t get into a certain class that they wanted. What can they do? It is fairly common not to get your first choice schedule for your first term as upper-level students register in the spring. However, not getting your first choice schedule will not prevent you from pursuing a pre-Med track, STEM degree, degree in a specific field, etc. If your student isn’t able to enroll in their first choice for a class, there is no need to worry because there are many great course offerings at UM. If your student needs help finding classes, an RC Academic Advisor can help with that. Advisors can help students identify courses that fulfill general distribution or other requirements. 
• Will my student fall behind since they’re taking 8 credits of language? No, your student will actually finish the LSA language requirement in half the time of their LSA peers and have more room in their schedule in the junior and senior years! 
• Why is my student waiting until winter to take a language? It’s likely your student is either a “true beginner” in Spanish, German, or French, or has minimal experience. The fall sections of these languages are for students with intermediate skill level (200-level course) or beginner level (100-level course). This separation helps create more of an even skill level in the courses. 

Campus Employment

• How can my student get a work-study job? They can start their search here: https://studentemployment.umich.edu/. Also, tell them to keep an eye on emails from RC Student Affairs Coordinator who sends weekly RC Student Newsletters once the fall term begins. These emails will also include job opportunities in the RC!

RC Move-in

• When does my student move in? Move-in for all UM students living on campus in the Fall semester takes place in late August. Incoming first-year RC students will receive an email from M-Housing with their move-in date and additional information about move-in. Keep an eye out for more details over the summer. 

Building

• Is East Quad safe? When EQ was renovated in 2013, additional security features were put into place. While a non-EQ resident may enter the building to visit their friend/attend class/go to an event, they may only enter at designated public access doors, and they do not have access to any of the doors leading to residential spaces. These doors can only be accessed by students who live in those spaces.
• Is there storage for students in EQ? Unfortunately, there is not additional storage for students within EQ outside of the individual rooms. 
• Can I bring in new furniture to the dorm rooms? You are welcome to bring in additional furniture, but you are not permitted to remove any furniture, such as mattresses, chairs, ladders, etc. All items loaned to students must remain within the room.