BAMA ESSENTIALS
A Guide to UA Resources and Services
ACTION CARD
One Card
MANY POSSIBILITIES
What is an Action Card?
It is your student’s official University ID Debit
Card.
Your student will use the Action Card to access:
•NCAA Athletic Events (for football games your
student will also need a ticket)
•MyTickets
•Campus Entertainment Events
•Check out books at the University Libraries
•University Recreation Center, Outdoor Pool and
Aquatic Center
•Student Health Center
•Computer Labs
•Facilities and Residence halls
•Parking Decks
•Dining Dollars, Bama Cash & Meal Plans
actcard.ua.edu
ACTION CARD
One Card
MANY POSSIBILITIES
There are three types of accounts on the student’s Action Card:
Meal Plans, Dining Dollars, and Bama Cash.
Meal Plan: First year students are automatically
enrolled in the All Access Plan.
Dining Dollars:
•All undergraduates with 9+ hours are required
to purchase $300 Dining Dollars each semester.
•A balance of $300 per fall and spring semester
is automatically billed to your student’s
account. ($100 per summer term)
actcard.ua.edu
ACTION CARD
One Card
MANY POSSIBILITIES
There are three types of accounts on the student’s Action Card:
Meal Plans, Dining Dollars, and Bama Cash.
Bama Cash:
•Optional debit account for
purchases at both on and offcampus locations.
•There are over 100 locations
that accept Bama Cash.
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter:
University of Alabama Action Card Office
actcard.ua.edu
ACTION CARD
Dining Dollars
•Dining dollars are required
for students with 9+ credit
hours on-campus per semester.
•Accepted at Bama Dining
locations and campus vending.
•Typically used to grab a snack
or eat at on-campus retail
locations.
•Any unused balances at the end
of the fall semester will be
forwarded to the spring Dining
Dollars account.
One Card
MANY POSSIBILITIES
Bama Cash
•Bama Cash is an optional debit
card account.
•Money can be added online
anytime, by phone, using the UA
mobile app or at the Action Card
Office during business hours.
•Accepted at dining and other
select retail outlets on and off
campus. (Ex. gas stations, laundry,
grocery stores, pharmacies, &
restaurants)
actcard.ua.edu
ACTION CARD
actcard.ua.edu
BAMA DINING
The All Access Meal Plan.
Our Kitchen is Your Kitchen! Students can stop in for a drink, a cookie, or bowl
of cereal. No Need for grocery shopping with the All Access Plan!
What is the All Access Plan?
• The All Access Plan costs $1,578 per semester and provides our students unlimited access
to our all-you-care-to-eat locations. Which are: Burke, Fresh Food Co., Lakeside & Bryant
(for lunch only)
• First Year Students are automatically enrolled in the All Access Plan
• First Year Students who are exempt from Housing are still encouraged to purchase a meal
plan
Who Can Purchase an All Access Plan?
• Any full time University of Alabama Student
• All Freshmen will be required to have the All Access meal plan
(except for those that are exempt from housing)
bamadining.ua.edu
mealplans@bamadining.com
BAMA DINING
• Benefits of All Access Meal Plan:
• Gives students the ability to visit meal plan locations as often as they
want
• Student don’t have to keep track of how many meals they have left on
their Action Card
• Dining Halls are a great place to meet and socialize
• Great for students who snack all day or are just looking for no worries
when it comes to eating
bamadining.ua.edu
mealplans@bamadining.com
WHERE TO EAT???
• 4 All-YouCare-To-Eat
Locations
• 2 Food Courts
• Grab- N-Go
• 5 Coffee Shops
• 5 Convenience
Stores
•At least one dining location is open between 7pm- 2am
•Vegetarian options available at all dining locations
bamadining.ua.edu
mealplans@bamadining.com
Going Greek?
This is what happens next:
•All new pledges on the bid list will receive a credit for
the meal plan that was selected prior to recruitment
on your student account.
•All new pledges on the bid list will be charged for the
Greek 55 meal plan on your student account.
•Credits on the student account from the meal plan
reduction will go against any outstanding balance on
your student account.
•New pledges may choose to upgrade their meal plan at
any time.
bamadining.ua.edu
mealplans@bamadining.com
STUDENT HEALTH CENTER
Primary Health Care Services
where we see your sons and
daughters as our own.
Please encourage your
student to visit the Student
Health Center at the
first sign of illness.
www.shc.ua.edu
STUDENT HEALTH CENTER
• The SHC specializes in walk-ins
• Accepts most major health insurance plans/Insurance cards required
at time of visit
• Offers affordable health insurance on an open enrollment basis
• All students are seen, regardless of insurance or ability to pay
• Co-pays and services not covered are billed directly to student’s
account
• The Student Health Center works with specialists within the
community including University Medical Center, and DCH
www.shc.ua.edu
STUDENT HEALTH CENTER
Primary Health Care Services:
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Women’s Health, OB/GYN
Allergy/Immunization Clinic
Health Promotion & Wellness
Psychiatry Services
ADHD, ADD
Sports Medicine
Nutrition Counseling
Physical Exams
Pharmacy (Rx and OTC)
Lab/X-ray on site
Substance Abuse Counseling
Collegiate Recovery Community
www.shc.ua.edu
STUDENT HEALTH CENTER
Pharmacy Services:
• No Cash Needed
• Billed Directly to Student Account
• Transfer Existing Prescriptions by Phone
• Accepts Outside Prescriptions
• Over-the-Counter Products and
Medications Available
• Pharmacy Hours:
Mon – Thurs: 8AM – 5:30PM
Fri: 9AM – 5PM
Sat – Sun: 1PM – 4PM
www.shc.ua.edu
STUDENT HEALTH CENTER
• Quality: Since 1995 the Student Health
Center has been accredited by
AAAHC.
• Convenience: No cash needed and oncampus facilities.
• Accessibility: Bus route stops at entrance.
Hours of Operation
Academic Year
Mon – Thurs: 8AM – 8PM
Fri: 9AM – 5PM
Sat/Sun 1PM-4PM (closed game days)
Interim and Summer Terms:
Mon – Thurs: 8AM-5PM
Fri 9AM-5PM
• Insurance: Most major health insurance
plans accepted.
www.shc.ua.edu
STUDENT HEALTH CENTER
• University Admission
Requirement: Proof of 2 MMR
vaccinations, TB screening – within
the last 12 months, and Meningitis
vaccination within last five years.
• Required form is online at: shc.ua.edu
Must be turned in before move in to
on campus housing or attending
classes if living off campus.
• Recommended: Up-to-date Tetanus
and other routine immunizations.
Please turn in documentation of all
childhood vaccinations (blue card) for
medical care purposes.
www.shc.ua.edu
UNIVERSITY SUPPLY STORE
Four Locations: Ferguson Center, Tutwiler Hall, Bryant
Museum, and School of Law
Can assist you with…
• Course materials (textbooks in various formats, school supplies, kits, and
more)
• Bama clothing, souvenirs, and gifts
• Cards, magazines, best-selling trade books
• Official class rings
• The Apple Campus Store, located in the SUPe Store at the Ferg, offers
education pricing on Apple computers and software.
FERPA
•
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
•
FERPA rights transfer to the student at the age of 18 or when they begin attending a postsecondary institution regardless of age
•
A major goal we have for your first-year experience is to forge a strong partnership between
UA, our students, and the parents of UA students. To this end, a parent or guardian may
obtain non-directory information if their student has authorized a record release through
myBama, which is located in the self-service channel under Student Services>Student
Records>Record Release to Parent/Guardian (FERPA). Existence of a release does not
constitute a “power of attorney” empowering parents to act on behalf of the student.
What is protected under FERPA?
registrar.ua.edu/academics/privacy• Grades and transcripts
guidelines/
• Academic class schedules
• Information accessed in myBama
• Class rosters
• Any document designated as part of the educational record
FERPA
What can be released?
• Directory information
• Information needed by a government agency
• Some information to accrediting organizations
• Information needed in a health or safety emergency
• Some information to attorneys representing UA
• Information the student has given written consent to release
• Remember your student must sign the release (In the student
orientation packet)
IMPORTANT NOTE: The university will not disclose grades over
the phone regardless of signed release. The parent must order a
transcript to receive the student’s grades.
registrar.ua.edu/academics/privacy-guidelines/
ACADEMICS – FINISH IN FOUR
UA’s Finish in Four campaign has been designed to
publicize the tools students can take advantage of on
their way to graduation.
Visit the Career Center to explore your passion and
develop a plan to Finish in Four! career.ua.edu
Explore
-Explore all 80 Undergraduate degree programs at
www.ua.edu/majors.
Plan
-Use the Student Educational Planner in DegreeWorks to map
out your program of study semester by semester.
Once you have those two behind you,
all that’s left is to:
Study & Graduate!
ACADEMICS – DEGREE WORKS
degreeworks.ua.edu
Student View Audit
•This allows students to be able to view their past and current work to
best plan their future before meeting with an advisor.
Student Educational Planner
•This feature works in conjunction with the Student View Audit to
help plan future coursework.
“What If ” function
•“What If ” allows students to hypothetically change their
major, minor, or concentration.
ACADEMICS – DEGREE WORKS
degreeworks.ua.edu
“Look Ahead” function
•Helps students see how anticipated coursework will apply to
their degree program.
GPA Calculator
•Allows students to calculate various GPAs.
ACADEMICS – DEGREEWORKS
Student View Audit
Student’s
Academic
Summary
Detailed
Coursework
Summary
degreeworks.ua.edu
ACADEMICS - ADVISING
• Advisors are the faculty or staff member who will assist students in
selecting classes for their degree program.
• Students should get know their advisor and seek their advice.
• Encourage your student to visit their advisor regularly.
• Students seeking to change majors should see their advisor.
ACADEMICS – FACULTY
• Key to your student’s academic success.
• Students should get to know at least one professor each semester. This will help
when it comes to needing letters of reference.
• Professors prefer to communicate with the student directly.
• Mid-term grades distributed to students in 100 and 200 level courses so inquire
with your student around mid-term to ask how they are doing.
• Office hours- time dedicated to talking to students.
ACADEMICS – RESOURCES
UA has many academic resources available for all students. If there is not a
dedicated resource, have the student talk to their professor or advisor about
helping them find assistance.
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Center for Academic Success: ctl.ua.edu
Student Support Services: ctl.ua.edu/sss
Writing Center: www.writingcenter.ua.edu
Math Labs: mtlc.ua.edu
Career Center: career.ua.edu
ACADEMICS
– LIBRARIES
TOP FIVE
THINGS PARENTS
SHOULD KNOW
ABOUT
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Electronic resources available 24 hours/7 days a
week, on or off campus
Late-night-study hours in Bruno, McLure & Gorgas
Libraries; Rodgers Library open 24 hours/5 days a
week
Laptops (Macs and PCs) available for checkout
Research and reference help: in person or via phone,
email, text or Twitter
Sanford Media Center, a multimedia lab open to all
students
Gorgas Library, designated safe zone during
inclement weather
lib.ua.edu
STUDENT SUPPORT
Campus Ministries- comprised of pastors and lay leaders who serve the UA
community by offering students a place to worship and a ready ear to listen.
dos.ua.edu/campusministries.cfm
Disability Services- If your student has a learning or other disability, they should
register right away with Office of Disability Services. eop.ua.edu/disabilities.html
Dean of Students- provides a variety of resources to students including crises
assistance and opportunities to get involved and connect to campus. dos.ua.edu
Counseling Center- helps students achieve academic success and personal growth
through quality brief counseling and psychological services, outreach and consultative
services. counseling.ua.edu
EMERGENCY SUPPORT
3 on-call staff members, 24 hours a day
On-Call Dean- trained Student Affairs professional on-call 24 hours a
day, 7 days a week
Partners with campus services (Academic Colleges, Housing and
Residential Communities, Women’s Resource Center, Counseling
Center, and Public Safety)
Partners with community agencies (DCH Hospital, North Harbor, and
Tuscaloosa Police)
Call UAPD to contact the On-Call Dean at: (205) 348-5454