OLE MISS 2007-2008

International Exchange Student Handbook

Welcome to Oxford, Mississippi! Affectionately known as Ole Miss, The University of Mississippi is located in this beautiful town in the heart of the southeastern United States, the perfect location to experience the rich culture and warm hospitality of the American South.

We are delighted that you have chosen to study here for a semester or year, and we hope that you grow to love Ole Miss as much as we do.

We are here to help and serve you, to help you meet your academic and personal goals while studying abroad. Please do not hesitate to contact us prior to your arrival to Oxford, during your studies here, and after you return to your home country.

Warm regards,

The Study Abroad Office


CONTACTS

Study Abroad Office

The University of Mississippi

PO Box 187

359 Martindale

University, MS38677

tel - 662-915-1508

fax - 662-915-6798

Susan Oliphant

Director of Study Abroad

Ruth Maron (Exchange Coordinator)

Study Abroad Advisor & Instructor

Vanessa Cook

Study Abroad Advisor

Raney-Mills Turner

Study Abroad Admission Counselor

Velsie Pate

Administrative Assistant

Office of International Programs

Tel: 662 – 915 – 7404

Fax: 662 – 915 – 7486

The Study Abroad Office would like to give a special thanks to the following students who helped create this handbook: Vera van der Vyver, Ruan Boschoff, and Badidle Mazibuko.

Know before you go!

Located in Oxford, Mississippi, the University of Mississippi (also known as Ole Miss) is proud of its history of academic achievement.It ranks as one of the top 10 U.S. public universities in the nation graduating Rhodes Scholars. Founded in 1844, The University of Mississippi has over 13,000 students enrolled. The university campus is enormous and beautifully landscaped, with many parks and athletic facilities. In a New York Times profile of Ole Miss, Chancellor Robert Khayat said, "We are a fully integrated, open, caring, nurturing, vital community."

With just over 11,000 undergraduates, 2,276 first-time full-time freshmen, and 13,641 students total on the Oxford campus, Ole Miss is a comfortable size. We are large enough to provide comprehensive offerings and a full student life yet not so large as to be overwhelming. With students from 70 foreign countries, 47 states, and all 82 Mississippi counties, you'll meet people from all over. About 35 percent of UM's students are from somewhere other than Mississippi, 51.5% are female, and 12.1% are African-American.

Arriving to Oxford

You should fly to Memphis International Airport (MEM), the closest airport from Oxford. The airport is 1.5 hours from Oxford, and airport pick up is offered free of charge if you arrive on the official arrival date or the day before. If you arrive on another day you will need to organize transportation through the Office of International Programs (cost ~ $35). If you take a taxi from the airport to Oxford the cost will be approximately $65-100.

Before leaving home, advise your host institution coordinator of the exact date and time of your arrival. In making travel plans, you should allow enough time for both air travel and ground transportation in order to arrive at the host campus during regular office hours.

Please notify Ruth Maron of your flight details well in advance and we will arrange a shuttle to meet you.

Calendar

Fall 2007)
Orientation: / August 15 (date subject to change)
Registration: / August 16-19, 2007
Classes Begin: / August 20, 2007
Classes End: / December 1, 2007
Examination Period: / December 4-8, 2007
Vacation Period(s): / Sept. 4 and Nov. 20-24, 2007
Spring 2008
Orientation: / Between January 10 and 16, exact day to be determined
Registration: / January 10 -15, 2008
Classes Begin: / January 16, 2008
Classes End: / May 2, 2008
Examination Period: / May 5-9, 2008
Vacation Period(s): / March 10-14, 21, 2008

U.S. Holidays:

New Year’s Day1st of January (university offices closed)

Martin Luther King Day3rd Monday in January (university offices closed)

President’s Day3rd Monday in February

Good Friday & Easterlate March or early April, date varies (university offices closed)

Memorial DayLast Monday in May

Independence Day4th July (university offices closed)

Labor Day1st Monday in September (university offices closed)

Columbus Day2nd Monday in October

Veteran’s Day11th November

Thanksgiving4th Thursday in November (university offices closed)

Christmas Eve24th December (university offices closed)

Christmas Day25th December (university offices closed)

Costs and Fees

Depending on your exchange program the costs of studying at Ole Miss will vary. Please check with your home institution advisor as to which of the following applies to you.

ISEP Students

You will receive tuition, housing and meal benefits (full meal plan at Johnson Commons) at no cost. You should budget for textbooks, the student health center visit, personal expenses, travel expenses, and any special class fees.

Bilateral Exchange Students

- tuition only exchanges

You will receive tuition benefits at no cost. You should budget for housing and meals, health insurance, textbooks, the student health center visit, personal expenses, travel expenses, and any special class fees.

- tuition, housing and meals exchanges

You will receive tuition, housing and meal benefits (full meal plan at JohnsonCommons or the equivalent $ amount for off-campus dining) at no cost. You should budget for health insurance, textbooks, the student health center visit, personal expenses, travel expenses, and any special class fees.

Fulbright FLTAs

You will receive tuition benefits at no cost. You may receive housing and/or meal benefits depending on your terms. You should budget for textbooks, the student health center visit, personal expenses, travel expenses, and any special class fees.

MA Initiative Students

You will receive tuition and health insurance benefits at no cost and a graduate assistantship of $800 / month for the 9 month semester. Please note that your assistantship will be paid in two installments each month and federal & state taxes may be applied. You should budget for housing and meal expenses, textbooks, the student health center visit, personal expenses, travel expenses, and any special class fees.

Semester Costs(based on 2006-2007 AY fees and are subject to change)

  • Housing on campus - $1530 -1710
  • Housing off-campus at Campus Walk - $410 per month
  • Meals on campus - $980 (14 meals / week)
  • Health Insurance - $380 - fall semester, $540 - spring semester
  • StudentHealthCenter Visit - $66
  • Textbooks - $500-650
  • Personal & On-site Travel Expenses - $100 / week
  • Special Class fees (apply to classes with labs, art supplies etc) - $20-45
  • Calling Cards (varies by country and number of minutes) - $5-20

How to Access your Money

We encourage you to open a free student checking account to which you can deposit money; you can also withdraw cash from this account at one of the ATMs located on campus or in town.

There are also banks in town where you can exchange money or travelers checks.

WHAT TO EXPECT AT OLE MISS

Orientation Week

Orientation programs are offered each semester for new international students. These programs include an official welcome to the University, basic immigration regulations, an explanation of the US academic system and other matters important to new international students. The orientation sessions are mandatory for new international students.

This week starts off with check in at your dormitories, the new international student orientation programs, welcome dinner, and an excursion to Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley. This week is also a time to take care of the following:

  • student health center visit
  • presentation of visa documents to Office of International Programs
  • sign up for a P.O. Box
  • obtain Ole Miss ID card
  • sign up for an on-campus meal plan (optional)
  • sign up for an on-campus housing contract (optional)
  • registration for courses and changes to pre-registered courses

Weather and Clothing at Ole Miss

Average Temps (Fahrenheit)

January - 20-50

April - 60-80

July - 90-100

September - 70-80

November - 40-60

Clothing

Ole Miss students dress casually to attend class: jeans, T-shirts, shorts, sweaters. But they also dress up for special occasions: football games in the Grove, formals & other parties. The key to packing: bring a variety of clothes for a variety of temperatures. You will need a winter coat and you may also need shorts and sleeveless shirts. Also a must: athletic gear for the TurnerActivitiesCenter... for while playing tennis...or to go on one of Ole Miss Outdoors’ many trips.

Classes

Course Selection and Registration:

Information about courses offerings of academic departments may be found online at:

Search by subject or course number. While studying at Ole Miss you must enroll in at least 12 semester hours if you are an undergraduate student and 9 semester hours if you are a graduate student. While most departments’ courses are open for enrollment theSchool of Law, School of Medicine, and some graduate level courses are not available for exchange students to matriculate.

It is important to recognize the class level for which you will be allowed to register. The following is a rough guide to they type of levels you can expect: 100 – 300 class level is for freshman (1st year) or sophomores (2nd year); 300-400 class level is for juniors (3rd year); and 400 -500 class level is for seniors (4th year). While classes are often open to all years, exchange students will usually be expected to take 300-400 level classes. Check with your home university and Ole Miss Academic Advisor to be sure that you register for the right level.

  • Number of classes typical student takes per term: 4-5
  • Number of hours per week typical student spends in class: 12-15
  • Number of weeks per term: 16

While the SAO will attempt to pre-register you for courses, your course registration will be finalized upon arrival to The University of Mississippi. Once you have arrived to campus and completed the necessary steps for registration, you may drop and add classes online. Online registration for classes and registration deadlines available at

Academic Expectations and the Classroom:

The class set-up might be very different from your home country. Classes are small (maximum 20 students in most of my classes), so expect a lot of interaction. This also means that your Professor will know you by name, and call on you to answer questions. They will expect you to turn in homework, and to write daily quizzes. They will also know if you are absent! Most classes have a maximum number of absences allowed (usually 2 lectures), after which your grade will drop by a letter (from an A to a B, for instance). Be sure to read the study guide and know what is expected of you. We can not stress this enough!

Compared to classrooms in other some other countries, United States classrooms tend to be informal. However, there are some very important basic rules in the classrooms that you should be aware of:

  • Arrive on time for class. Professors do not take lateness lightly.
  • Remember to go to class prepared. Be sure to do all your reading and homework.
  • A sense of competition underlies the informality of classes.
  • Be sure to read critically and formulate your own opinions.
  • Your participation in class will almost always be a determinant of your grade. Don’t be afraid to voice your opinions, even if they differ from your classmates or professor.
  • Be aware that you will not only be expected to memorize information, but rather to think on your own, draw your own conclusions, and defend your positions.
  • Always be respectful of others’ opinions and expect to be respected for your opinions also.
  • If you encounter any study problems, communicate with your professors immediately.
  • Be sure to hand in all of your homework and assignments on time. There are strict guidelines about late assignments, which will often include dropping a letter grade per day.
  • Evaluations are made by your professors throughout the entire semester. Final tests are not the only determinant of your grade. Instead, expect a midterm test, quizzes, class participation grade and extra credit grades to add to your final grades.

Something that you might find a little strange is that A4 pages are shorter in America than in some other parts of the world. Therefore, don’t bring files or folders from your own country, as they won’t be the right size. School supplies are inexpensive in America. However, feel free to bring your own scientific calculator and other things that you prefer to use.

Grades and the GPA

What could also be surprising to you is the grading system. The GPA stands for Grade Point Average. A Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) is the GPA for all courses taken throughout the degree program, which is a different system from what you may be used to in your home country. Be aware that every course will influence your GPA.

At Ole Miss, 100-90% is an A-grade, or excellent; B-grade is 89-80%, good; C-grade is 79-70%, average; D-grade is 69-65%, below average; and a Fail (F-grade) is 65-0%. If you do everything that is required of you, as outlined by your class syllabus, you will have great success in your classes. Testing is also pretty straight forward. Even 400-level classes still have multiple choice and short answer questions, with almost no essay questions.

HOUSING

The Study Abroad Office (SAO) will pre- arrange housing in on-campus dormitories or off-campus, student shared apartments. If you wish to live in an off-campus apartment you must confirm this with the SAO at least one month before the semester starts in order to be guaranteed a spot off-campus. If you do not confirm your housing preference prior to arrival the SAO will automatically arrange housing on-campus for you. No matter where you choose to live, you will be provided linens (towel, pillow case, pillow, blanket and sheets) to use for the duration of your exchange program.

Option 1: Off-Campus Apartments – arranged by Study Abroad Office

Campus Walk

Campus Walk offers a variety of living arrangements to suit any lifestyle, as well as a variety of amenities such as a state-of-the-art fitness center, complete game/recreation center and so much more. Campus Walk offers furnished, 4 bedroom/4 bathroom apartments.
Campus Walk is a 20-25 minute walk from Ole Miss campus. Contact: 662-513-0061

Option 2: On-Campus Housing

On-campus housing is in student dormitories in shared rooms. Private rooms are also available, but at a higher rate. Dormitory rooms provide furniture including a single bed, dresser, desk, chair, closet space, and you will be provided linens by the SAO. Bathrooms are shared (14 students / bathroom). Students cannot break housing contracts once they sign for the semester or year. For more information visit the Housing Office website:

Option 3: Off-Campus, independently arranged

If you choose to live off-campus other than at Campus Walk you can find information on housing off-campus in the local newspaper, The Oxford Eagle, that provides rental information in the classified ads. The student government (ASB) publishes a booklet of information about rental houses and apartments in Oxford. This booklet is available at the Office of International Programs or at the ASB office. If you choose to live somewhere other than Campus Walk or on campus, finding a lease for less than six months is difficult and usually a year-long lease is the norm. Be advised that you will not be able to terminate your lease easily, and without financial consequences. For this reason, it is common to sublease apartments during the summer months. Be sure to request a written lease from your landlord, which should include: a description of property and total number of people allowed to live in property; specific occupancy dates; subletting allowance; deposit requirements; monthly rent amount and due date; utilities included in rent or paid separately?; security deposit amount; could your rent increase without notice?; and responsibility of maintenance repairs.

Rental costs depend on the distance to campus, environment, number of roommates, and facilities. The average monthly rent of an apartment in Oxford is between $250-500 US. Off-campus housing offers more privacy and convenience than on-campus housing.

Sample listings:
1) The Mark:
Contact number: 662-234-8718
2) Oxford Square Town House:

Contact number: 662-234-5234
3) Sterling University Terrace: (offers a free bus service to campus)
Contact number: 662-281-1335
4) University Arbors:
Contact number: 662-234-0170

Meals

On-Campus

Johnson Commons: While there are several other food courts on campus, the Commons offers all-you-care-to-eat dining. This facility offers a variety of cutting edge American entrees, ethnically-inspired foods, vegetarian selections and lots more...

Meal Plans at the Commons:

Unlimited $980

10 Meals/Week $934

7 Meals/Week $794

5 Meals/Week$737

Hours:

Open M-F , 7 am - 7 pm and for brunch and dinner on Saturday and Sunday.

Off-Campus Dining

If you decide to take meals off-campus there are numerous restaurants (from fast food to gourmet) in Oxford as well as several grocery stores.

Approximate costs for meals off-campus:

breakfast: $5-7

coffee: $1-$2

lunch: $5-10

dinner: $7-15

FACILITIES & SERVICES ON-CAMPUS

Computer Labs & Information Technology

Most professors will require you to word-process your essays and only under extreme circumstances will they accept anything hand-written. As a result, the University of Mississippi offers computer centers on campus, open between 8-12 hours per day(depending on the time of year). During exam time or towards the end of the semester, the computer centers may become congested, so plan ahead.

The Office of Information Technology ( provides a number of services to help you get connected:

  • An account on the campus email and individual web page server
  • Technical Support, 8am 0 5pm each weekday
  • NIC Cards at the IT Helpdesk
  • Access to public computing labs. (See

Students can connect to the Internet, use popular office suite software, and send email from the Weir Hall Labs. The Weir Hall Labs and GaltneyComputerCenter have been renovated, resulting in state-of-the-art public computing facilities for Ole Miss students.