Bluff Hall Newsletter

University Housing is excited to launch Kaleidoscope for the 2020-2021 academic year. Kaleidoscope is a network for LGBTQIA+ residents who come together to support the experiences of LGBTQIA+ individuals in University Housing and on campus. This space is designed by and for LGBTQIA+ individuals, but is not a space for our allies. While allies play an important role this space is meant to be a place where LGBTQIA+ community members can gather to:

•  Create a safe place in University Housing for LGBTQIA+ students to connect;
• Encourage overall student success for LGBTQIA+ students;
• Promote positive, healthy relationships amongst LGBTQIA+ students;
• Facilitate culturally relevant discussion and reflection;
• And to increase awareness of campus resources.

The inaugural meeting of Kaleidoscope will take place on Wednesday, October 7^th from 5-6 pm over Zoom. You will need to register in advance for this meeting using the following link:  https://siue.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwlf-qpqTgsGdWg8kRbtgymXEcgUuwjqkbT

 Please contact Rex Jackson, rjackso@siue.edu, if you have any questions about this initiative or if you are unable to attend and want to learn more.

 

COVID-19 Screenings

SIUE is offering COVID-19 screening tests to any member of the SIUE community who would like to get tested to confirm their status as positive or negative for COVID-19. A screening test should not be taken if you have a known exposure to COVID-19 or are experiencing COVID-19 like symptoms.

 

Over the next few weeks, mobile COVID-19 screening sites will be in residential communities and other areas of campus. Residents should bring their SIUE ID, health insurance card (if applicable), and will have the choice of a Starbucks coffee coupon or SIUE t-shirt for completing the screening. The following are the dates and times in the Housing communities:

 

 

October 6 – Woodland Hall Lobby – 1:30 – 3 pm

October 7 – Cougar Village Commons – 1:30 – 3 pm

 

·         If you have a known exposure to COVID-19 or are experiencing COVID-19 like symptoms, please stay home and do not schedule a screening test through this process. Students should contact Health Service at 618-650-2842 or cougarcare@siue.edu to determine next steps and testing options. If experiencing symptoms, residents should not leave their personal living space and should complete a COVID-19 Self-Disclosure Reporting form online.

 

For more information on COVID-19 testing, please visit https://www.siue.edu/about/announcements/coronavirus/reporting-confirmed-cases/testing.shtml.

Freshens at the SFC

Hey, Bluff residents...looking for nearby eats?  Visit the Energy Zone in the Student Fitness Center, offering more than just smoothies. Energy zone offers pork Carnitas, Chicken, Carnitas and Veggie Bowls as well as a variety of Quesadilla's, Sandwiches, Wraps and Grab n Go items. Bottled Beverages are also available in addition to the smoothies. The hours are Monday-Thursday 9a.m.-8p.m. and Friday 9a.m. to 3p.m.

Esports Arena

SIUE Esports Arena in Bluff Hall is now open!- Hours of operation are 11 a.m. - 2 a.m.
- Open to members of the SIUE community who are registered for classes this current term.
- Space capacity is 12 people. It is vital and expected that students follow room capacity expectations. If the room is at capacity, please come back at a later time. Additionally, players should be thoughful of the length of time they are in the Arena and impact on others.
More information can be found at siue.edu/esports.

Roompact

Roompact is the digital platform that University Housing uses to help engage residents in their communities.   Visit https://roompact.com/login to get started!  Within Roompact, you can engage with community discussions, submit your roommate and suitemate agreements, sign up for Area Council, contact your RA,  and more!

Study  Tables

Mondays and Wednesdays from 6-8 pm in the Bluff Hall Classroom.  Study Tables are hosted by RAs who are available to help answer questions or just provide a  quiet space for residents looking to study.

Interested in Area Council? 

Sign into Roompact at https://roompact.com/login and complete the Area Council Application under Forms.  All residents are welcome and encouraged to join.  Area Councils plan events for the community, advocate for positive change, and give a voice to the residents! 

Virtual October Career Fair 

October 7    College of Arts and Science, School of Business, and ALL non-teaching majors 

October 8    School of Engineering 

BOTH DAYS 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.  

Premier Virtual Career Fair Platform 

Graduate School Virtual Open House Events

October 20, 22, 27 and 29

11 a.m. or 6 p.m.

• Tuesday, Oct. 20: Arts, Communication, Social Sciences
• Thursday, Oct. 22: Science, Technology, Engineering, Math
• Tuesday, Oct. 27: Education, Applied Health, Psychology
• Thursday, Oct. 29: Business, Nursing, Pharmacy

Each one-hour session will include:

• General graduate studies overview
• Breakout sessions hosted by the academic department 
• The opportunity to ask questions and talk directly to faculty

Attend the session(s) of your choice and your $40 Graduate School application fee will be waived!  

For event details and to register: siue.edu/graduate-visit

Virtual Family Weekend Cookbook

As a part of SIUE’s Virtual Family Weekend programming this year, we are inviting all members of the Cougar Family to share a recipe or two for the “Cougar Family Cookbook” that will be shared with students and their families for the weekend.  We know this year’s program looks different, but nothing brings people together like some good food!

We would love to include recipes from students, faculty, and staff, so feel free to submit a recipe to be included.  We will be featuring some of the recipes on social media as we head into Family Weekend, which is scheduled for Friday, October 16^th-Sunday, October 18^th.

Submit your recipe here: https://getinvolved.siue.edu/submitter/form/start/443002

 

Flu Shots

Health Service has received our shipment of flu vaccine (Flucelvax® Quadrivalent) and we are pleased to offer flu vaccine to faculty, staff, retirees, and students!  As in years past, we will only have the quadrivalent available at our clinics.  Flu shots this year will be handled by appointment to adhere to social distancing guidelines.  We ask that you arrive not earlier than 5 minutes before your time in order to minimize physical gathering.

Based on the campus you choose; flu shots will be given in the following locations:

Edwardsville Campus:  Student Success Center, Room 0200 (lower level)

Alton Campus:  Building 280, Room 1100

East St. Louis Campus:  Building D, Suite 2015 (We Care Clinic)

 Please use the following link to choose your location and your date and time: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D49ACA72BABF9C07-flushots

SIUE students may receive the flu shot for $15

In order to receive the vaccine at this price,

Students must

1.)    present your university ID and

2.)    provide payment in cash or check or this year you may choose to bill to your student account

Don’t forget to wear a mask and please plan to wear clothing that provides easy access to the upper arm injection site.

For more information on the importance and benefits of receiving a flu shot, please visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website:

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/season/faq-flu-season-2020-2021.htm

Come to the Tutoring Resource Center for help with your math, science, and business questions!

The Tutoring Resource Center will provide both face-to-face and online tutoring this fall semester as follows:

Face-to-face and online tutoring

Monday through Thursday:         8 am – 4 pm

Friday:                                                   8 am – 3 pm

Online tutoring only

Monday through Thursday       4 pm – 7 pm

Saturday:                                         9 am – 12 noon 

Sunday:                                            4 pm – 7 pm

Career Development Center

The Career Development Center is open for virtual or in-person appointments. You can make your appointment through your Cougar Jobline account or call our office at 618-650-3708. The Career Development Center can help you with your resume, cover letters, job search, LinkedIn accounts, graduate school personal statements/application, mock interviews, and much more. Our office is located on the lower level of the Student Success Center in room 0281.

Policies – YOU NEED TO KNOW!

As a resident of the Cougar Village, you are responsible for knowing the information, policies, procedures, and deadlines that are contained in the University Housing Living Guide.  To access the living guide, go to:  http://www.siue.edu/housing/pdf/SIUE-Housing-Guide-Final.pdf

Facilities Issue?  Put in a workorder!

University Housing Facilities Management (UHFM) is the unit assigned to the development and maintenance of University Housing facilities and grounds. UHFM is responsible for repairing housing units, care of the grounds surrounding housing facilities performs snow removal, maintains the cleanliness of common areas and offices in University Housing buildings oversees pest control, and much more.

In the event of any building or grounds related issues, Students need to initiate the repair by submitting a Maintenance Request to University Housing Facilities Management (UHFM). UHFM responds to student-initiated repair requests as a first priority.  To complete a work order, click HERE!!!

Get protected!  Insure yourself and your belongings!

University Housing does not insure the personal property of residents. Residents are strongly encouraged to Insure their personal belongings while living in University Housing. Students can look into renter’s insurance or their parent/guardian homeowners’ policy for potential coverage options.

SIUE is Smoke-Free, Tobacco Free, Nicotine Free

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has implemented the Illinois law that prohibits smoking and all tobacco-related products into its policies and procedures.

To view SIUE’s Smoke-Free Campus Policy, click here.

Having TV issues?  Read Me!

Charter Business has transitioned its analog video TV service to high-quality digital TV service, which provides more channels and increased HD content. As part of this transition, only TVs with a digital QAM tuner will be able to view the new digital lineup. If a TV does not have an embedded QAM tuner or is enabled with an external QAM tuner, an error message or snowy picture will appear on the TV.

What is a QAM tuner and how do I know if my TV has one? A QAM tuner allows your TV to tune to the digital or HD cable channels that Charter will be sending out. Most, but not all, TVs that were made after 2006 have a QAM tuner built-in. Most Samsung, Sony, Sharp, Panasonic, Toshiba, and Visio models have a built-in QAM tuner. Brands like Westinghouse, Colby, Element, or other lower-end brands often do not have the QAM tuner. These are only a few examples. Please be sure to check for a QAM tuner when considering a specific TV model.

• You can search online by make/model of your TV or reference your TV's owner’s manual for specific model information related to what type of tuner is present.

• An example of what the manual may say if the TV has a QAM tuner: o “Built-in digital tuner (ATSC/Clear QAM)”

o NOTE: An ATSC tuner will not work with Clear QAM. It MUST say “Clear QAM” or “Digital QAM Tuner”.

 • Additionally, if your TV remote has the (.) or (-) symbol button for easy tuning or is able to display channels with a (.) or (-) as in 5.2 or 5-2, your device likely has a QAM tuner.

NOTE: This is general information regarding integrated QAM tuner enabled TVs. It is always advised to refer to the manufacturer’s website or examine the “technical specifications” section of the owner’s manual to determine information on the QAM tuner.

How do I program my TV to view the new channel lineup?

• Most QAM tuner TVs have a "Channel Search" or "Auto Program" function that will automatically scan the incoming signals and detect the ones that are available. It may be necessary to do a channel search before your TV will allow you to tune to a specific channel.

1. Go into the TV Menu and select “Set Up”

2. Look for and select an option similar to “Channel Search” or “Auto Program”

3. The TV will automatically begin searching to identify all available channels

4. After this auto search is completed, there should be approximately 60-70 channels available for viewing (if the TV has an internal QAM tuner). If no channels are available, it is likely the TV does not have a QAM tuner.

NOTE: If you previously watched a program on channel 4, the new channel may have moved to a new number, such as 4.2 or 4-2. Please speak to your property manager about new channel lineup cards.

NOTE: Most HD TVs have the ability to modify aspect ratios. If your picture seems stretched or has black bars around the picture after the scan, please modify the aspect ratio to fit with your desired viewing experience.

When do I need to reprogram my TV to view the new channel lineup?

• The Clear QAM solution has been installed on-campus. If you have not already, you should plan to program your TV immediately. Until the TV is rescanned, your new digital TV lineup will not be viewable.

• Tivo is not compatible with the QAM solutions

Sign up for e-Lert today!

What is e-Lert? SIUE's e-Lert is a text messaging service that will be used to quickly notify faculty, staff and student cell phones when an urgent situation, such as a bomb threat, severe weather, hostile intruder, or when the University closes due to inclement weather. There is no cost to register for the alerts; however, standard rates may apply if your cell phone plan does not include text messaging.  Click on "Sign Up Now!"

Rave Guardian

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) now offers the Rave Guardian app for its students and their families. Rave Guardian is one of the best ways to not only improve personal safety, but also protect your friends by building a private safety network. This app provides instant communication with friends, family, campus safety, and even 9-1-1.

SIUE encourages all students throughout campus to utilize the app to network with friends and help increase overall safety and security of the entire student body. An important part of the Guardian app is that students can use it not only to keep themselves safe, but to help protect others. Even students who may not feel as if they need others to help keep them safe can utilize the app to be a guardian and help protect their friends.

Download Rave Guardian and Become a Guardian on Your Campus

Download Rave Guardian for Free The app is available for free on the Apple or Google app store.

Use Rave Guardian to Protect Yourself and Others

Set a Safety Time – Notify people you trust to check in on you if are alone or in an unfamiliar place.

Manage and Message Your Guardians – Invite family, friends or others to be your Guardian, and communicate with them within the app as needed.

Easy Emergency Communication – Call safety officials directly for help if you are in trouble and send text tips – including photos – if you see something suspicious.

Rave Guardian is a proven personal safety solution used on campuses across the country. To learn more, visit siue.edu/emergency.

• When you are inside, always wear a face-covering that covers your mouth and nose, except while you are in your own living unit.
• When you are outside, wear a face-covering anytime you can’t maintain a 6-foot distance between yourself and other people.
• If you have been around someone who has tested positive or think you have COVID-19 symptoms, please fill out the COVID Self-Reporting Form (https://www.siue.edu/about/announcements/coronavirus/reporting-confirmed-cases/index.shtml).
• If you are awaiting COVID-19 test results, please quarantine at home or in your living unit until you get the results back and are cleared by Health Services and University Housing.
• You are strongly encouraged to make any guests that enter your room or apartment wear a face covering at all times and maintain a physical distance of 6 feet when possible.
• Residents are expected to comply with posted occupancy limits for shared common spaces.  A maximum of four persons may occupy a room at any time.
• Please wash/sanitize your hands on a regular basis and sanitize any frequently touched surfaces in your living unit and bathroom.  
• Violations of COVID-19 expectations and guidelines may result in your removal from University Housing.