University of Southern California Orientation Programs
2012/13
Student Handbook
Welcome
1 Welcome from the President
2 Exploring New Challenges
by Vice President Michael Jackson
2 Getting Off to a Fast Start
by Vice Provost Eugene Bickers
Community Standards
3 Academic Integrity at USC
3 Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
Welcome Week
4 Before You Arrive on Campus
4 Move-In Day and Welcome Week
Academic Advisement
5 Advisement and Advisors
Orientation
6 Orientation Coordinators and Advisors
Academic Resources
8 Resource Guide
Information Sources
9 Catalogue, USC Student Affairs Website,
myUSC, SCampus, Schedule of Classes
Registration
10 Registration Steps
Campus Housing
11 Check In
11 Furnishings Provided
11 Items to Bring to Campus
11 Mail and Package Delivery
11 Customer Service Centers
11 Access System
12 Smoke-Free Policy
12 Wireless Access
12 Residential Housing Protection
Campus Dining
13 Dining Options and Meal Plans
Transportation
14 Parking Permits
14 Campus Cruiser Program
14 USC Bus Service
Financial Matters
15 Estimated College Costs
15 Paying Tuition and Fees
16 Financial Aid
16 USC Credit Union
16 Banking Around Campus
Student Organizations
17 Getting Involved
Published by the Division of Student Affairs,
Orientation Programs and University Publications, 2012
Welcome
Learn About USC’s Vibrant Community
“With students from all 50 states, USC is home to more
international students than any university in the nation.
01
This diversity enriches your educational experience and prepares
you to make your way in our globally interconnected world.”
– C. L. Max Nikias, President
Dear USC Student,
Welcome to New Student Orientation! We’re delighted to have you on
our campuses, and I hope this orientation gives you a strong sense of
USC and its vibrant community. You will soon discover that although
USC is a major research university, it has the feel of a small college. You
have tremendous opportunities to do research alongside faculty – an
invaluable experience if you pursue graduate studies.
We also encourage you to consider USC’s vast spectrum of minors,
which now exceeds 150, and perhaps pursue one far removed from your
own major. We hope you will make Visions and Voices a regular part of
your time at USC, and embrace the exciting social life on our campuses
and the spirit of our sporting events. With students from all 50 states,
USC is home to more international students than any university in the
nation. This diversity enriches your educational experience and prepares
you to make your way in our globally interconnected world.
During your time here, you should also venture beyond our campuses.
The university stands in the heart of Los Angeles, one of the most diverse
and dynamic cities in the world, and the de facto capital of the Pacific
Rim. You will benefit tremendously from the city’s wealth of worldclass museums, performance venues and cultural offerings, as
well as its innumerable opportunities for socializing, employment and
volunteering.
As you know, USC ranks among the most select universities
in the nation, and you should take great pride in your acceptance. Our students form a very special community, bustling
with talent, passion and curiosity. The bonds you form on our
campuses are lifelong, and you will be amazed to learn how
powerful our alumni network really is – even decades after
you graduate. It all starts here!
Fight On!
C. L. Max Nikias
President
Exploring New Challenges
Getting Off to a Fast Start
Dear New Students,
Dear USC Student,
Welcome to the University of Southern California (USC) and the
challenges and opportunities for personal development that higher
education offers. You have chosen to attend one of the most outstanding and internationally recognized universities in the world.
USC students come from all 50 states and from more than 100 foreign countries. The student body comprises students from different
races, religions, ethnicities, ages and economic
backgrounds.
This great “human mix” will give you an
opportunity to learn about others and about
yourself as you share in the common enterprise
of taking advantage of the tremendous educational programs at USC.
USC will challenge you. You will have a
chance to study under the guidance of terrific
faculty who will take a personal interest in your
development. Your work in the classroom, the
laboratories and in the university’s many student organizations and
co-curricular activities will help you develop skills and abilities you
never dreamed possible. You will also have opportunities to develop
leadership abilities, explore career interests and learn about ways to
work with others to help improve our society.
While each of you has come to USC with expectations, the
university also has expectations of you. I encourage you to embrace
the following tenets:
• Students at USC are expected to be serious scholars.
• Students at USC are expected to conduct themselves with
integrity inside and outside the classroom.
• Students at USC are expected to take responsibility for their
behavior and live by the “Principles of Community.”
• Students at USC are expected to leave the university a
better place than when they arrived.
The beginning of a new academic year is always an exciting time for
those of us on the faculty, as we get the chance to meet incoming
students from around the nation and the world. Perhaps you will bear
with me if I share a few suggestions for getting off to a fast start.
Number one: Get organized! The week is full of time to study,
to write, to exercise, to talk to your professors and to go out with
your friends. Yet it takes some practice to get the hang of managing
your schedule well, and the best time to start with that is now. Be
realistic about the amount of time you can devote to each activity,
and don’t overextend yourself at the beginning.
Number two: Get into the habit of reading your emails on a regular basis. Campus offices often use email to share information on
new opportunities. It will definitely pay to stay well-informed.
Number three: Be active, not passive, about your education.
When something does not make sense in class, ask about it.
Chances are five other people would like to ask the same question.
Seek out your professors during their office hours.
Let them know who you are, and get to know
them as individuals, not just as instructors.
Number four: Spend as much time listening
to people who disagree with you as to people
who agree. Universities facilitate the free and
open exchange of ideas, and it’s crucial to be a
tolerant and receptive listener. You may change
your mind about some things; you may not. In
any case, your point of view will be expanded,
and you will be richer for the experience.
Finally, number five: At every opportunity, explore new subjects
both inside and outside the classroom. Right now you may have a
complete career in mind, or you may really have no idea of what you
want to do in life. In either case you are now at a university that offers
a stunning variety of courses in humanities, sciences, arts and the professions. You will never have a greater opportunity to learn about new
things than you have now and in the next four years. Your exploration should extend beyond the classroom, for USC is one of the most
diverse universities in America, and we are located in the heart of the
most diverse city in America.
Welcome to our intellectual community. We are excited that you
will be joining us as students, as colleagues in our academic endeavor
and eventually as alumni who will be the face of USC in the future.
The USC community is eager to assist you in achieving your
goals and realizing your aspirations. As you join us, you will find
that the success of each USC student is integral to the mission of
the university and is our highest priority.
Sincerely,
Michael L. Jackson
Vice President for Student Affairs
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UNIVER S I T Y O F S O U T H E RN C A L IF OR N IA
Sincerely,
Eugene Bickers
Vice Provost for Undergraduate Programs
Community Standards
Learning University Community Rights and Standards
03
Successful students are aware of the expectations of them as
members of the university community. Become familiar with
university standards by reviewing the “University Governance”
section of SCampus, our student guidebook. It is available online
at www.usc.edu/scampus.
Academic Integrity at USC
USC, like all academic communities, stresses
honesty and integrity in all academic endeavors. All students are expected to be aware of
and abide by academic standards and behaviors. Those who fail to uphold the academic
integrity standards not only suffer severe consequences to their grades and their student
status at the university, but also cheat themselves and others out of learning, degrade
the value of USC degrees and diminish the
prestige of a USC education.
What constitutes academic dishonesty
at USC is spelled out in the “University
Governance” section of the SCampus student
guidebook (www.usc.edu/scampus). Academic
dishonesty is any act that gains or is intended
to gain an unfair academic advantage for a
student or that circumvents an instructor’s
course standards.
This may include, but is not limited to,
plagiarism (using someone else’s work in any
academic assignment without properly citing
the source and indicating quoted material),
cheating (such as using crib notes during an
exam, permitting another to copy work or
submitting work not completed by the student), unauthorized collaboration (preparing
academic assignments with another person
without faculty authorization) or falsifying
academic records (including falsified medical excuses or misrepresentation of official
records). As outlined in SCampus, the university recommends a grade of “F” in a course
for any found act of academic dishonesty.
Information, including the academic integrity review process and academic dishonesty
sanction guidelines, can be found in the
“University Governance” section of SCampus.
Additional information can be found at
www.usc.edu/student-affairs/SJACS.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
(The Buckley Amendment)
The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act
(FERPA, sometimes referred to as the Buckley
Amendment) is a federal law that protects
the privacy of education records for any
student at the university. To comply with
this law, USC must have written permission
from the student in order to release any
non-directory information from a student’s
“education record.”
Recognizing that many students wish
to share this information with their parents
and family members, USC has developed
an online system that:
• Allows students to grant their parents
access to education and medical records
in one step
• Allows parents to view elements of the
education records that are available in
USC’s central student information system
Students may log in to myUSC (my.usc.edu)
and click on OASIS, USC’s Web-based student
information system, and use the “Establish
Guest Access” feature to grant parents
permission to view education and medical
records. See the following instructions for logging in to OASIS and granting access.
Your authorization for access takes effect
immediately and remains in effect until you
revoke it (or until it expires, six years after
authorization). You may use OASIS to revoke
access at any time. Individuals whose “OASIS
for Guests” accounts are revoked will be notified that they no longer have access.
Important: OASIS allows you to grant
access to all elements of your education
records. If you wish to grant access to
selected elements of your records (i.e.,
financial information but not grades), you
will be directed to complete subject-specific
forms for the appropriate offices.
Once you grant online access, your parents/
family members may log in to “OASIS for
Guests” to view such information as grades,
courses and progress to degree. Directions
about obtaining access to records that are
not available online are provided through
“OASIS for Guests.”
If you have questions or feedback regarding this process, please contact the Office of
Academic Records and Registrar: ferpahelp@
usc.edu or (213) 740-6963. For more information regarding FERPA, visit USC’s FERPA
Website: www.usc.edu/ferpa.
Directions to Grant or Revoke Access
to OASIS for Guests
• Log in to myUSC (my.usc.edu) with your USC username and password.
• Click on the OASIS link under Single Sign-On
Quicklinks.
• Once logged in, click the Establish Guest Access
link on the OASIS main page.
• Read the information on the Allowing Guest Access
page.
• Click the Proceed to Grant/Remove Guest Access
button.
• Click the Create a New Account button on the
Current Guest Access page.
• Complete the New Account form.
• Click the Submit button on the New Account form.
• Review the information on the Authorization to
Release Records page.
• Select the appropriate buttons for the records you
wish to authorize.
• Click the Submit this Authorization button.
• Select the appropriate button to confirm or cancel
your authorization.
• Provide the following to your designated guest: a)
your USC ID number; b) the Guest Login ID you
defined; c) the Guest PIN you defined; and d) the
URL to gain access: www.usc.edu/oasisguest.
Note: If your guest forgets the Guest Login ID or Guest PIN
you assigned, he or she must contact you. Only students
may create, revoke and release Guest Login IDs and Guest
PINs.
STUDENT O R I ENTATION HANDBOOK
3
Welcome Week
Move-In Day and Welcome Week
New Student Orientation is your introduction to USC. Continue
your transition by talking to your parents about expectations for the
coming year (our students have some suggestions) before you arrive
on campus. The excitement of Move-in Day is followed by Welcome
Week, which will jump-start your involvement in campus activities
and the USC community.
Before You Arrive On Campus
The months before move-in can be a hectic
time. Students and parents often do not take
the time to clearly discuss expectations for
the coming year. We asked current students
to tell us what they discussed with their
parents before coming to USC. These are
the topics they suggest:
• budget (spending money, job, bill
payment, checking accounts, credit cards)
• communication (how often, via phone,
texts, mail, email or instant messenger)
• health coverage (insurance coverage,
prescription plans)
• car/no car (insurance coverage
information, parking)
• sorority and fraternity recruitment and
membership
• computer
• grades and academic expectations
• Move-In Day plans
Move-In Day
Move-In Day is the first day students can
move into their USC Housing assignment.
For the 2012–2013 academic year, MoveIn Day will be on Wednesday, August 22.
Students, alumni, parents and staff will
assist you and welcome you to the Trojan
Family.
Here are some important items you
should check off your list on Move-In Day:
•Check into university housing; you will
need your USCard or a valid photo ID.
• Meet your Resident Advisor (RA) and
learn the schedule for your mandatory
first floor meeting, as well as learn about
upcoming events, especially Welcome Week
activities designed to acclimate you to USC.
• Get a USC ID at the USCard Office in
Parking Structure X (PSX) if you have not
already done so. You will need this card
to gain entry to your residential building
and the Lyon Recreation Center, register your library barcode and use the
computer labs and printers on campus.
The USCard is also used for your meal plan
and discretionary account.
• Sign up for a fall semester meal plan (if
you haven’t already as part of your USC
Housing contract).
• Stop by the University Bookstore for
books and supplies.
• Purchase a parking permit (if needed) at
Transportation Services in PSX.
• Speak with a financial aid and/or financial
services representative (if needed).
• Settle your student account at the
Cashier’s Office.
• Pick up your orientation materials if you did
not attend a summer orientation session.
• Pick up linen ordered during the summer
from the URSC Linen Program.
More information about Move-In Day will
be sent in early August to everyone living
in USC Housing.
Move-In Day will be a highly anticipated
experience and a day for creating Trojan
memories.
Welcome Week
The orientation process continues with
our annual Welcome Week, which starts on
Move-In Day. Welcome Week activities focus
on the multitude of academic, social and cultural communities you will be a part of while
at USC. Each program offers opportunities for
you to become involved in campus life and
enriches your introduction to the new university environment.
Annual activities include the New Student
Convocation; Welcome Back Carnival, Rally
and Concert; Micro-seminars; Comedy
Show; and Dive-In Movie. Welcome Week
concludes with a Student Involvement Fair
on Wednesday, August 29. At the fair, you
can learn more about various programs and
organizations available for your continued
involvement at USC. A calendar of events will
be available in late July. You can sign up for
Welcome Week activities beginning August 1.
Academic Advisement
05
Advisement and Advisors
At the University of Southern California, we are strongly committed
to the belief that your education belongs to you. Academic advisors are
here to assist you in making the most of your educational opportunities. As you choose from our wide array of majors and minors, take
advantage of the expertise of our academic advisors.
Here at USC, undergraduate advisement is a
terrific resource. There are a variety of academic policies, rules and regulations for every major
and degree program. Our staff and faculty
advisors are here to help guide every student’s
academic career. The university-wide network
of advisors is available to assist you in understanding and meeting your academic goals and
curricular requirements.
At orientation, you will meet with your academic advisor to discuss course selection and
registration. If you cannot attend an orientation session, you must contact the office of
Orientation Programs at (213) 740-7767 and
review the information regarding your academic program and policies included in your orientation packet before contacting an academic
advisor. To schedule an advising appointment,
refer to the list below and call the number
listed with your major.
If you are undeclared or undecided about
your major, the USC Dornsife College Advising
Office will be your academic home. Their advisors will help you select courses for registration
as well as help you explore possible majors.
To ensure an excellent academic start, the
university has instituted mandatory advisement
for all incoming students. In other words, you
must receive academic advisement before you
can register for classes. Advisement for firstyear students serves as an introduction to USC’s
academic opportunities. Advisement for transfer
students is a critical factor in moving from one
academic institution to another.
Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and
Sciences
- Dornsife College Advising Office CAS 120
740-2534
- American Language Institute JEF 206
740-0090
- American Studies PSD 101 740-3800
- Anthropology GFS 220A 740-5806
- Archaeology PSD 101 740-3800
- Art History VKC 351 740-4552
- Biological Sciences PSD 101 740-3800
- Chemistry SGM 416 740-6716
- Classics GFS 220A 740-5806
- Comparative Literature CAS 120 740-2534
- Computer Science SAL 306 740-4779
- Earth Sciences ZHS 117 740-6109
- East Asian Languages and Cultures
PSD 101 740-3800
- East Asian Area Studies CLH 101
740-2992
- Economics KAP 300 740-7525, 740-5403
- English THH 404H 740-3725
- Environmental Studies CAS 120 740-2534
- French PSD 101 740-3800
- Gender Studies THH 422 740-2792
- General Studies/Interdisciplinary Major
CAS 200 740-2961
- Geography KAP 462E 740-8298
- Health and Humanity CAS 120 740-2534
- History SOS 153 740-1659
- International Relations VKC 301 740-8630
- Italian CAS 120 740-3800
- Judaic Studies HUC 749-3424
- Kinesiology PED 109 740-2480
- Linguistics GFS 214A 740-3891
- Mathematics KAP 470B 821-0449
- Neuroscience PSD 101 740-3800
- Philosophy PSD 101 740-3800
- Physics and Astronomy SGM 416
740-6716
- Political Science VKC 214 740-3621
- Psychology SGM 501 740-2203
- Religion GFS 200A 740-5806
- Slavic Languages and Literature
THH 255 740-2735
- Sociology KAP 352 740-8851
- Spanish PSD 101 740-3800
- Thematic Option CAS 200
740-2961
- Undecided/Undeclared CAS 120 740-2534
Professional Schools
Accounting, Leventhal School of
ACC 101 740-4838
Architecture, School of
HAR 210 740-2090, 821-0746
Business, Marshall School of
BRI 104 740-0690
Cinematic Arts, School of
- Cinematic Arts SCB 105 740-8358
- Writing for Screen and Television
SCA 335 740-3303
Communication and Journalism, Annenberg School for
ASC 140 740-0900
Dramatic Arts, School of
DRC 104 740-1286
Engineering, Viterbi School of
RTH 110 740-4530
Fine Arts, Roski School of
WAH 116 (213) 821-1290
Gerontology, Davis School of
GER 108 740-1729
Independent Health Professions
- Occupational Therapy CHP 133
(323) 442-1865
Medicine, Keck School of
- Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
UVI Suite E210 740-1060
Music, Thornton School of
LPB 200 740-4721
Public Policy, Price School of
RGL 102 740-4723
Others
- AFROTC PED 112 740-2670
- AROTC PED 110 740-4026
- Athletics HER B30 740-3801
- NROTC PED 101 740-2663, 740-1839
- Structured Curriculum Program
STU 301 740-0776
- Writing Program JEF 150 740-1980
STUDENT O R I ENTATION HANDBOOK
5
Orientation
Orientation Coordinators and Advisors
Orientation Coordinators
Jessica Frey, Senior
Major: Theatre
Minor: Cinematic Arts
Hometown: Hollister, CA
Honors and Activities: National
Orientation Directors Association Showcase
Award, Alpha Lambda Delta honor society,
greek life, Panhellenic Executive Board,
Theatre Students Association
Hobbies and Interests: Acting, comedy,
dancing, skateboarding, Disneyland, watching movies and TV, laughing, the beach
Neelam Savla, Graduate
Major: Political Science & Psychology
Minor: Environmental Studies
Hometown: Northridge, CA
Honors and Activities: Trustee Scholar,
Dornsife Dean’s List, USC tour guide,
Center for Excellence in Teaching
Undergraduate Fellow, Order of the Torch,
Mortar Board National Senior Honor
Society, Dornsife Ambassador
Hobbies and Interests: Dancing, anything
about USC, LA Lakers, travel, exploring LA
Orientation Advisors
Kevin Barth, Sophomore
Major: Computer Science & Business
Administration
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Honors and Activities: Presidential
Scholar, Spirit Leader, Campus Crusade for
Christ, greek life
Hobbies and Interests: Swimming, water
polo, soccer (Manchester United and Real
Madrid), Tim Tebow, intramural sports,
stand-up comedy, snowboarding, Pokémon,
Speed Racer, Sonic the Hedgehog
John Canlas, Junior
Major: Kinesiology
Minor: Sports Media Studies
Hometown: Glendale, CA
Honors and Activities: Student athletic
trainer assistant for football and basketball,
greek life, Lyon Center official, University
Residential Student Community Community
Outreach Coordinator
Hobbies and Interests: Playing and watching sports, comedy and action movies, new
music, passing out while studying
Melina Charis, Junior
Major: English
Minor: Psychology & Organizational
Leadership and Management
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Honors and Activities: Associated Trustee
& Presidential Scholars, greek life, Dornsife
Ambassador, Thematic Option, Emerging
Leader Program, Alpha Lambda Delta honor
society
6
Hobbies and Interests: Writing, exploring
LA, theatre, cooking, movies, the beach,
adventures
Poly Chuong, Senior
Major: Business Administration
Hometown: San Diego, CA
Honors and Activities: Trojan Marching
Band, volunteer income tax assistance associate at Deloitte, USC Accounting Society
Hobbies and Interests: Stand-up comedy,
History and Discovery channels, motorcycling along the coast and on racetracks
Adam Feisst, Sophomore
Major: Business Administration &
International Relations
Minor: German
Hometown: Eau Claire, WI
Honors and Activities: Trustee Scholar,
Thematic Option, Dean’s List, USC tour
guide, Daily Trojan, building government,
Dornsife Student Ambassador, Freshman
Advocacy Board, Queer & Ally Student
Assembly, German Club, Community Health
Involvement Project, Global Health Club,
OUTreach Club, Alpha Lambda Delta honor
society, Associated Trustee & Presidential
Scholars, Explore USC host
Hobbies and Interests: Foreign languages,
travel, Europe, culture, longboarding, running, biking, swimming, friends, new foods,
texting, video games, movies, exploring LA,
Wisconsin, cheese curds, singing, dancing,
coffee shops, Facebook
Dani Haberman, Junior
Major: Theatre
Hometown: Canyon Country, CA
Honors and Activities: Alpha Lambda
Delta honor society, Merry Men, Residential
Education, Slanderous Tongues Theatre
Hobbies and Interests: Theatre, music,
vocal jazz, American Sign Language, special FX and gore makeup, improv comedy,
Disney, fantasy novels
Tim Heidorn, Junior
Major: Theatre
Hometown: Las Vegas, NV
Honors and Activities: School of Theatre
Dean’s List, USC Admissions intern, Troy
Camp, Colleges Against Cancer, Theatre
Students Association
Hobbies and Interests: Acting, reality
shows, Big Brother, student films, reading
for pleasure, Yahoo! News bulletins, eye
contact in the elevator
Teja Henry, Senior
Major: Political Science
Hometown: Riverside, CA
Honors and Activities: Building government chair, women’s rugby, Resident
Counselor, SCaller, National Association
of College and University Residence Halls
Recognition Chair 2013
U N I VER S I T Y O F S O U T H E RN C A L IF OR N IA
UNIVER
Hobbies and Interests: Soccer, football,
cultures and languages, travel, exploring
Cole Jones, Junior
Major: Sociology
Hometown: Alvin, IL
Honors and Activities: Dornsife Dean’s
List, Recreational Sports Membership
Services, Queer & Ally Student Assembly
Executive Board, Second Chance Prom
Event Coordinator
Hobbies and Interests: Volleyball,
Charmed, food (grilled cheese, pizza,
Freebirds), music (Marina & the Diamonds,
Britney Spears, Ellie Goulding), working out,
laughing, Tumblr, slow lorises
Laura Kasper, Senior
Major: Cinematic Arts, Critical Studies
Minor: Communication and the
Entertainment Industry
Hometown: Geneva, Switzerland
Honors and Activities: Women’s Ultimate
Frisbee, Alternative Spring Break, Trojan
Vision, Ski & Snowboard Team, building
government, Relay for Life, Dance Included,
European Student Association
Hobbies and Interests: Travel, mountain
biking, cooking, TV, movies, reading
Ujin Kim, Junior
Major: Business Administration
Minor: Cinematic Arts & International
Relations
Hometown: Corona, CA
Honors and Activities: Delta Omicron
Zeta leadership fraternity, resident advisor,
Asia Pacific Arts online magazine, stylist for
Marshall/ POSE Magazine, USC Center for
Risk and Economic Analysis of Terrorism
Events (CREATE), Art History Department,
Residential Education, Neon Tommy, Dean’s
List
Hobbies and Interests: Freelance makeup,
films, documentaries, TV, music, gender/
sexuality, reading, sleeping, Ayn Rand,
museum hopping, globe trotting, food, flea
markets, art, modern architecture, culture
Vicky Meng, Junior
Major: Accounting
Hometown: Changchun, China
Honors and Activities: Marshall Women’s
Leadership Board, International Students’
Assembly, Career Advantage Program,
Beta Alpha Psi accounting honor society,
Leventhal Dean’s List, PwC’s xTREME
Games, KMPG’s International Case
Competition, USC Volunteer Income
Tax Assistance, Trojan Investing Society,
Emerging Leader Program
Hobbies and Interests: Shopping, music,
movies, piano, reading biographies, coffee,
spicy food, friends and family
Daniel Mondoza, Junior
Major: Business Administration
Minor: East Asian Languages and Cultures
Hometown: Victorville, CA
Honors and Activities: Trojan Marching
Band, Marshall Undergraduate Advising
Hobbies and Interests: Basketball, linguistics, investing
Corey Norris, Sophomore
Major: Architecture
Hometown: Gaithersburg, MD
Honors and Activities: Trustee Scholar,
Triathlon Team, Alpha Rho Chi architecture
fraternity
Hobbies and Interests: Sports, art/sculpture, travel, shopping, food, Downtown,
YouTube, music, wrestling alligators
Cricket Oles, Junior
Major: Economics & International Relations
Hometown: Salt Lake City, UT
Honors and Activities: USC tour guide,
Teaching International Relations Program,
Dornsife Dean’s List, SCoutfitters
Hobbies and Interests: Volunteering, running, hiking, reading, USC football
Dylan Purdy, Junior
Major: Psychology
Minor: Forensics and Criminality
Hometown: Crete, IL
Honors and Activities: Khoir Practice A
Cappella, Troy Camp, Joint Educational
Project
Hobbies and Interests: Music, singing,
theatre, friends, the Bee Gees, sleeping,
Wheel of Fortune
Josh Romanu, Sophomore
Major: Biological Sciences
Hometown: Fullerton, CA
Honors and Activities: Dean’s Scholar,
Baccalaureate/M.D. program, greek life,
USC Interaxon
Hobbies and Interests: Soccer, surfing,
water polo, adrenaline sports, friends, the
outdoors, piano, relaxing, neurological
anatomy, Chuck, spontaneous activities
Maheen Sahoo, Junior
Major: Philosophy, Politics and Law
Minor: Communication Law and Media
Policy
Hometown: Bellevue, WA
Honors and Activities: Undergraduate
Student Government residential senator,
Society 53, Dornsife Student Ambassador
and Dean’s List, Daily Trojan sportswriter,
USC Leadership Scholarship recipient
Hobbies and Interests: Animal prints,
puns/bad jokes, politics, news, Netflix, USC
sports, purple, laughing
Faatima Seedat, Senior
Major: Neuroscience & Global Health
Hometown: Phoenix, AZ
Honors and Activities: Alternative Spring
Break coordinator, Alpha Phi Omega service
fraternity, Southern California Homeless
Initiative, Phi Sigma Biological Sciences
Honor Society, Teaching International
Relations Program, Trojan Health Volunteers
07
Frey
Savla
Barth
Canlas
Charis
Chuong
Feisst
Haberman
Heidorn
Henry
Jones
Kasper
Kim
Meng
Mondoza
Norris
Oles
Purdy
Romanu
Sahoo
Seedat
Sherikian
Strickland
Tan
Traiman
Vasku
Veer
Hobbies and Interests: Reality TV, reading
gossip magazines and Harry Potter, scrapbooking, travel, Taekwondo
Aleek Sherikian, Junior
Major: International Relations
Hometown: Glendale, CA
Honors and Activities: Multicultural greek
life, intern for Hines & Hunt Entertainment
and Schonbrun DeSimone Seplow Harris &
Hoffman LLP
Hobbies and Interests: Cycling, hiking,
reading, baking, cooking, basketball, travel,
the Laugh Factory, late night food truck
hopping, new places in LA, watching Suits
Kativa Strickland, Junior
Major: Kinesiology
Minor: Business
Hometown: Laguna Beach, CA
Honors and Activities: USC Presidential
Scholar, greek life, Pre-Dental Honors
Society, USC Bing Scholar, human resources
assistant at USC Facilities Management
Services, Women and Youth Supporting
Each Other
Hobbies and Interests: Running, hiking,
the beach, swimming, singing
Choon Siong Tan, Junior
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Hometown: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Honors and Activities: Malaysian government scholarship, Malaysian Students’
Association, mentoring program
Hobbies and Interests: Travel, foreign languages, yoga, snorkeling, learning
Devra Traiman, Junior
Major: Sociology
Minor: Photography and Social Change &
Human Rights
Hometown: Scotch Plains, NJ
Honors and Activities: Troy Camp, Joint
Educational Project, Community Outreach
through Distribution of the Arts, Peer
Health Educator, Dornsife Ambassador,
Delta Omicron Zeta leadership fraternity,
Freshman Engagement Fellow at USC Hillel,
Explore USC Host, Work-Study job, Dornsife
Dean’s List
Hobbies and Interests: Photography,
singing, Harry Potter, cooking, Lord of the
Rings, dance, human rights, Mexican food,
travel, coffee, education, Almond Honey
Bunches of Oats, the beach, shoes, pasta,
tomato-basil mozzarella, USC football
Katrin Vasku, Senior
Major: International Relations (Global
Business)
Hometown: Wiener Neustadt, Austria
Honors and Activities: Ski & Snowboard
Team, Figure Skating Club, Marshall
International Exchange Program (Vienna),
Dornsife Dean’s List, DEFL (Diplôme
d’études en langue française)
Hobbies and Interests: Acting/theatre,
running, surfing, basketball, volleyball, singing, horseback riding, martial arts, piano,
yoga, travel, extreme sports, hiking, drawing, film production, hip hop dance
Anisha Veer, Junior
Major: Business Administration &
Psychology
Hometown: Hyderabad, India
Yang
Honors and Activities: Marshall Dean’s
List, CALPIRG, Marshall Women’s
Leadership Board, Red Cross, Joint
Educational Project, international exchange
host, social psychology research assistant,
ballroom and Latin dance team
Hobbies and Interests: Eating, travel,
exploring the world, yoga, hugs, art walks,
Calvin and Hobbes, concerts, cooking,
heartfelt movies, flash mobs, making puppies and kids laugh, learning, loving, living
Steve Yang, Senior
Major: Economics
Minor: Music Recording
Hometown: Yorba Linda, CA
Honors and Activities: Phi Sigma Kappa,
volunteer at soup kitchen
Hobbies and Interests: Playing guitar,
drums, bass; recording and producing
music; songwriting; DJing; snowboarding
STUDENT O R I ENTATION HANDBOOK
7
Academic Resources
Find Answers to Your Academic Questions
This guide provides resources for a variety of academic issues.
The publications and Websites described on the previous page are
a great place to start learning about all that USC has to offer. We
have an impressive array of student services and programs that offer
everything from tutoring to career advice to registration help.
Take advantage of them!
Academic Integrity
-See SCampus
Credit by Examination
- See academic department
Adding Classes
-See Schedule of Classes
Deadlines
-See Schedule of Classes
Drop/Add Forms
- Registration, REG Lobby,
(213) 740-8500
Degree Progress
- See academic department
- Degree Progress, JHH 010,
(213) 740-7070
Advising
Major Requirements
- See departments
Mandatory Restrictions
- Dornsife College Advising Office,
CAS 120, (213) 740-2534
Undeclared Majors
- Dornsife College Advising Office,
CAS 120, (213) 740-2534
Pre-Professional Services
- Dornsife College Advising Office,
CAS 120, (213) 740-2534
Careers/Jobs/Internships
- Career Center STU 110, (213) 740-9111
Catalogue
- www.usc.edu/catalogue
Change of Address/Name
- Transcript Verification Window, REG Lobby
- my.usc.edu, click OASIS
Change of Major
To Obtain Form
- Degree Progress, JHH 010,
(213) 740-7070
- Dornsife College Advising Office,
CAS 120, (213) 740-2534
To Obtain Signatures
- New and old department
To Return Form
- Degree Progress, JHH 010,
(213) 740-7070
Completed Course Summary
- my.usc.edu, click OASIS
8
UNIVER S I T Y O F S O U T H E RN C A L IF OR N IA
Disability Services
- Disability Services and Programs, STU 301, (213) 740-0776
Dropping Classes
Deadlines
-See Schedule of Classes
Drop/Add Forms
- Registration, REG Lobby,
(213) 740-8500
Enrollment Verification
- Transcript Verification Window,
REG Lobby
- my.usc.edu, click OASIS
Final Exam Schedule
-See Schedule of Classes
Freshman Seminars
- Freshman Seminar Program, CAS 200, (213) 740-2961
- www.usc.edu/fsem
Grades
Change
- Academic Review, JHH 113, (213) 740-7741
Grade Report
- my.usc.edu, click OASIS
Removal of Incompletes
- Academic Records and
Registrar, JHH 106,
(213) 740-5586
Honor Societies
-See SCampus
-See USC Catalogue
Learning Differences
- USC Kortschak Center for
Learning and Creativity,
STU 311, (213) 740-7884
Leave of Absence
- See academic department
-See USC Catalogue
Major
Declaring
- Department office
Requirements
- Department advisor
-See USC Catalogue
Minor
Declaring
- Department office for
the corresponding major
Requirements
-See USC Catalogue
- Department advisor
Restrictions (Holds)
Descriptions and
Contact Information
-See Schedule of Classes
- my.usc.edu, click OASIS
SCampus
- www.usc.edu/scampus
Schedule of Classes
- www.usc.edu/soc
STARs Report
- my.usc.edu, click OASIS
Structured Curriculum Program
- Center for Academic Support,
STU 301, (213) 740-0776
Pass/No Pass Forms
- Registration, REG Lobby,
(213) 740-8500
Textbooks
- USC Bookstores,
3rd Floor, (213) 740-8398
- www.uscbookstore.com
Permit to Register
- Registration, REG Lobby,
(213) 740-8500
- my.usc.edu, click Web Registration
Transcripts
- Transcript Verification Window,
REG Lobby, (213) 740-7445
- www.usc.edu/dept/ARR/
transcripts
Placement Exams
Testing Dates
- Center for Testing and
Assessment, STU 301,
(213) 740-7166
Tests Required for Your
Major
- See your department/school
Transfer Credit Statement
- Degree Progress, JHH 010,
(213) 740-7070
Tuition Refund Insurance
- www.usc.edu/webregistration
Tutors
- Center for Academic Support, STU 301, (213) 740-0776
Probation
- Academic Review, TRO 101, Web Registration
- www.usc.edu/webregistration
(213) 740-7741
Withdrawal from Class
Registration Appointments
Deadlines
- my.usc.edu, click Web -See Schedule of Classes
Registration
Registration Confirmation
- Registration, REG Lobby,
(213) 740-8500
- my.usc.edu, click Web Registration
Withdrawal from USC
- Registration, REG Lobby,
(213) 740-8500
Information Sources
09
Discover What USC Has to Offer
The following is a list of handbooks and
useful Websites that are available to help you
get acquainted with what USC has to offer.
Catalogue
At 960 pages, the course Catalogue is your
academic roadmap for USC. Organized by
school, the Catalogue lists detailed descriptions and requirements for every major,
minor and program offered at the university
as well as course descriptions. It’s the book
both current and prospective students refer
to for information regarding everything from
general education requirements to interdisciplinary programs. The Catalogue is published
by the University Publications office and is
updated annually. A copy is distributed to all
entering students at their Orientation sessions.
Catalogues are also available for purchase at
the University Bookstore for $17 each.
USC Student Affairs Website
This Website is your online guide to the
many programs and services provided by
the Division of Student Affairs. Information
on the Website includes student activities,
academic support, career services, health
services, residential education, international
services, student publications and numerous
other departments and programs. The site
also includes the What’s Happening link
to student programs and events, student
profiles and videos. To find out more, visit
www.usc.edu/student-affairs.
MyUSC
MyUSC is the university’s portal designed
to give students, faculty and staff personalized
access to wide-ranging campus resources in a
single location on the Web. Through myUSC,
you can customize your own home page
based on personal preferences and interests.
To access myUSC, click “popular links” on
the USC home page or go to my.usc.edu and
log in.
SCampus
While the Catalogue details what USC offers
academically, SCampus is the book that offers
information about how to make your college
experience more fulfilling and well-rounded.
Planning Calendars, Student Services, Student
Activities, University Governance and Explore
L.A. are just a few of the sections in this student guidebook. The departmental telephone
directory and maps section are particularly
popular with students. The oldest publication
for students at USC, SCampus is distributed
during Orientation and is available online at
www.usc.edu/scampus. You can also pick
up a copy at the Undergraduate Student
Government Office, Ronald Tutor Campus
Center 224.
Schedule of Classes
Perhaps the most widely used publication on
campus is the Schedule of Classes. Published
online every semester, it details what classes
are offered, what professor is teaching the
class, when and where the class will be
taught, as well as how to register for your
classes once registration begins. It also
includes the final examinations schedule,
general education courses, distance education courses, course descriptions for each
class, required textbook lists, and course
syllabi and faculty bios for many classes.
The Schedule of Classes is available
online at www.usc.edu/soc.
Registration
Planning Your Schedule
Before you can register, you must complete
the following steps.
Obtain all registration materials
•Pick up registration materials at
Orientation Programs (www.usc.edu/
orientation), Student Union B-7.
These materials include:
• USC Catalogue: Your academic contract
with the university, the Catalogue contains
academic major requirements and descriptions of every class offered at USC.
• SCampus: A student guidebook with policies and procedures relating to university
governance, descriptions of USC programs
and services, maps and telephone directory.
Meet with your academic advisor
Obtain a Permit to Register
• New students who attend orientation
will receive a Permit to Register document.
Students who do not attend orientation
must pick up their permit at the Registration
Building. Please bring your official letter of
admission and valid ID (driver’s license or
passport).
• Continuing students may access their
Permit to Register information on myUSC
(my.usc.edu) or on OASIS (www.usc.edu/
OASIS) on the Permit to Register page.
Clear all holds or restrictions
• Your Permit to Register will list any
restrictions on your account. Your
advisor can tell you if your record
contains holds that may prevent your
registration and how to clear them.
A complete list of holds appears in
the Registration Procedures section
of the Schedule of Classes (www.
usc.edu/soc).
Select courses from the
Schedule of Classes
• Refer to the online Schedule of
Classes for course descriptions.
• Remember to select backup
classes that can fit into your schedule in case you encounter closed
classes.
Obtain D clearance
•Check for courses that require clearance.
If you see a “D” next to the 5-digit class
number, you must contact the department
that offers the course and request a D clearance. Example: 23166D
• Contact information for obtaining D
clearances is listed below the department headings in the Schedule of Classes.
Register for classes on
Web Registration
Follow the instructions below:
1. Log in to the USC Portal (my.usc.edu)
using your email username and
password.
2.Select the Web Registration link
under Single Sign-on Quicklinks.
3. Select each course in which you wish
to register by clicking the Add to
MyCourseBin button in the middle
of the screen.
4.Click the MyCourseBin link.
5.Click the Add This Course button.
6. Review the list of courses in which you
are about to register.
7.Click the Submit button.
Please read all system messages carefully to ensure
you are properly registered for your courses.
To drop a class from your program:
• In MyCourseBin, click the Unschedule link
next to the course you wish to drop.
• Click the Drop This Class button and proceed to drop the section.
• Review the list of courses you are about to
drop and click Submit.
After completing your registration, you may
print a copy of your registration confirmation
from Web Registration.
Campus Housing
11
Getting Ready for Move-In Day
Why live in university housing? For one thing, you’ll be close to
your classes, athletic events and libraries. For another, you’ll find
that your fellow residents – a mix of students from Brooklyn,
Bangkok or Boise – are facing the same challenges as you are.
You’ll make friendships that will last a lifetime.
Check In (August 22)
The following steps will make your move-in
much easier:
• Get your USC picture ID from the USCard
Office in Parking Structure X. You will need
this card to gain entry to your building.
• Bring valid picture ID, such as your USC
student ID, a driver’s license or passport.
• Pick up your room, building and mailbox
keys at the appropriate Customer Service
Center for your building. You will receive
further instructions from USC Housing.
• Remember that keys can only be made
available to you at a single location, so it is
important to refer to the instructions sent
from USC Housing for the appropriate times
and locations.
• Be sure to sign up with the USCard Office
for any meal plan required by your housing
assignment if you haven’t already done so.
• Make any necessary payments at the USC
Cashier’s Office, which is open during regular business hours Monday through Friday.
Other Items Available at Check In
Information will be available at check in
on the following additional services, offered
by separate companies:
• Bottled water delivery
• Laundry service
• Renters’ insurance for personal property,
fire and theft
Furnishings Provided
All university housing facilities are furnished.
Every resident in university housing is provided
with a bed, desk, desk chair, three dresser
drawers and closet space. Apartments are
also furnished with appropriate living and
dining room furniture. Kitchen facilities vary.
Some apartments have “full kitchens” with
cabinet space, a sink, a full-size refrigerator
and stove; some also come with dishwashers.
“Kitchenettes,” found in most bachelor
apartments, have a microwave and a minirefrigerator only. All residence hall rooms
come with a microfridge – a small refrigerator
and microwave combination.
Items to Bring to Campus
Don’t forget to bring such items as towels,
blankets, a bedspread or comforter, sheets
(twin-sized, extra-long 36’’ x 80’’), pillow(s)/
pillowcases, an alarm clock, toiletries, hangers, decorations (such as posters, pictures or
calendars), a fan and a cell phone.
If you will have a kitchen, remember to
bring silverware, dishes, glasses, cooking
utensils, pots, pans and kitchen appliances,
or wait to coordinate your kitchen needs with
your roommate(s). If you are assigned to an
apartment with a full kitchen you may wish to
bring a small microwave.
Shipping of Personal Belongings
If you ship anything via U.S. Mail or a private
express service, it must be prepaid and timed
to arrive after you do. USC cannot provide
storage space. You must have moved in to
receive any shipments or they will be refused.
Storage Space
Although storage space is not available in
university owned housing, there are private
storage rental companies near campus that
you can locate when you arrive. However,
you will probably find that bringing so many
belongings and needing to rent a storage
space away from campus is an inconvenience.
Please note that all university furniture must
remain in its assigned apartment.
Mail and Package Delivery
The U.S. Post Office is responsible for mail
delivery to most North University Park area
housing buildings. Most University Park
Campus buildings, however, have their mail
delivered by Customer Service Centers (CSC).
To ensure proper mail delivery, please refer
to the CSC addresses on this page. You will
receive your room or apartment number when
you check in.
Packages that do not fit into mailboxes are
accepted by the CSCs and held for residents
to pick up. You will receive a “package slip,”
which must be presented along with your ID
to claim your package. Please remember, we
cannot accept packages before your check in.
Customer Service Centers (CSC)
University Park Campus
- Arts & Humanities Residential College
(213) 740-8860
- International Residential College at Parkside
(213) 740-1941
- New Residential College (213) 740-1492
- Fluor Tower (213) 740-2651
- Pardee Tower (213) 740-3626
North University Park
- Cardinal Gardens (213) 743-5200
- Century Apartments (213) 821-8400
- Sierra Apartments (213) 743-5277
- Troy Hall East Apartments (213) 743-5288
Access System
The Access Control System Network is an
electronic entry-and-monitoring system that
operates in almost all USC housing facilities.
The Access Network’s closed circuit television
and alarm system contribute to residents’
safety. If you are a resident of a university
owned housing facility, your USCard will
function as an electronic “key” to gain entry
to your building or apartment complex. Your
USCard will be programmed to grant access
to your housing and parking facilities as well
as the many buildings on campus that are
access controlled after 5 p.m.
Housekeeping and Maintenance Services
The maintenance and cleanliness of university housing facilities is very important. USC
Housing has custodial staff to maintain the
public areas in each building, and a maintenance staff to handle repairs. To request a
repair, you can place a work order by contacting your Housing Customer Service Center
or calling the Housing Maintenance Office at
(213) 740-4646. This office is open 24 hours
a day, seven days a week. Work orders can
also be entered online at hsmtma.usc.edu.
STUDENT O R I ENTATI ON HANDBOOK
11
Housing Services
Laundry Facilities
Most USC housing buildings have at least one
on-site laundry room containing washers and
dryers. These machines are owned and operated by a private company. Residents must
provide their own detergent. The university
recommends that
students do
not leave
laundry
unattended.
Vacuum Cleaners
Each Customer Service Center offers vacuum
cleaners for resident use. Residents may check
out the vacuum cleaner by exchanging a valid ID
(USC student ID or driver’s license). The limit for
use is usually one hour, unless otherwise stated.
Smoke-Free Policy
USC has a smoke-free policy to meet the
needs of residents who prefer to live in a
smoke-free environment. All University Park
Campus, North University Park and Health
Sciences Campus housing facilities are smokefree environments, where smoking is not
allowed even if a roommate gives consent
and even if the resident is the sole occupant
of the residence hall or apartment. All common areas, including apartment balconies of
any housing facility, are also designated as
non-smoking areas.
Pets
For legal, safety and health reasons, no
pets other than fish (tank size of 10 gallons or less) are permitted. Violators are
subject to disciplinary action, a fumigation
fee and charges related to any necessary
cleaning of the room or apartment.
Internet and Cable Connections
All university housing facilities are fully
equipped with cable TV (requires a
set with a digital tuner) and Ethernet
connections (one per resident), and
buildings have access to USC’s wireless
network. However, due to structural
requirements to meet earthquake
codes, wired hook-ups in your room
will always be the fastest and most
efficient.
Wireless Access
USC’s wireless network is a private network, accessible to USC account holders
and guests. There are two ways to connect to the USC wireless network: USC
Wireless and USC Wireless Plus.
• USC Wireless: USC Wireless is an open
network. You can connect without entering
your username and password. Because USC
Wireless is an open network, Information
Technology Services (ITS) recommends that
you use USC’s Virtual Private Network (VPN)
software to protect your personal information when using this network. See usc.edu/
its/vpn for instructions.
• USC Wireless Plus: USC Wireless Plus is a
faster, encrypted network, available only
to USC account holders. When connecting
to USC Wireless Plus for the first time, you
may need to configure your wireless device.
For instructions, see usc.edu/its/wireless/plus.
Go to usc.edu/its/mobile for information
about how to connect your media-enabled
mobile device to the USC wireless network
and access your USC email.
ITS recommends that you register laptops
and other mobile devices at usc.edu/its/
connect/registration. For more information,
visit usc.edu/its/wireless or contact the ITS
Customer Support Center at (213) 740-5555
or consult@usc.edu.
Residential Housing Protection
Blue-light phones, located in garages, lobbies
and other places throughout the campus area,
are a direct link to the Department of Public
Safety. In an emergency, push the button on
the phone and a DPS dispatcher will answer.
In addition to Public Safety officers, there
is a full-time, radio-dispatched Residential
Housing Protection/student officer staff. They
patrol all university housing facilities from
8 p.m. to dawn and are additional “eyes
and ears” for Public Safety. The Residential
Housing Protection service is provided for the
health, safety and well being of residents and
their property. During semester and spring
breaks, the Residential Housing Protection service is extended to 24 hours a day.
Campus Dining
13
Choosing a Meal Plan
Dining Options and Meal Plans
A variety of dining options are available
throughout campus. These include USC
Hospitality Residential Dining with Café ‘84,
EVK and Parkside Restaurant; The Ronald
Tutor Campus Center featuring a variety
of quick service dining options, coffee and
specialty beverages and convenience items;
Trojan Grounds; and a variety of cafes located
throughout campus such as the Coffee Bean
& Tea Leaf in the School of Cinematic Arts,
the Law School Café, Literatea, The Shop
Café in the Architecture building, Tutor Café
and Popovich Café.
Across from campus on Figueroa near the
Galen Center, students can find dining and
sports-viewing options at the Lab, a gastropub
with a casual atmosphere featuring a variety
of sandwiches and entrees; and Rosso Oro’s,
a pizzeria that offers New York-style thin crust
pizza and pastas, as well as music and shuffleboard. McKay’s, next to the Radisson, is a fine
dining establishment that serves breakfast,
lunch and dinner.
All freshmen assigned to residence halls and
apartments have required meal plans. When
you confirm your housing contract, you will
be automatically enrolled in the default plan
for that building. If you want to change your
meal plan to another available option, you
must do so during the first two weeks of the
meal plan period. These plans allow you to
use your USCard to purchase food and beverages in USC Hospitality venues. Meal plan
options are outlined here. Call the USCard
Office at (213) 740-8709 or visit www.usc.
edu/uscard.
For additional information about meal
plans or general questions about the services
provided by USC Hospitality, please call (213)
740-6285 or visit hospitality.usc.edu.
2012-2013 Meal Plan Information
Residence Hall / Apartment Meal Plans
Cardinal Plan
Provides: Unlimited meals in USC Hospitality
Residential Dining venues**.
Residence Locations: The minimum meal
plan requirement for residents living in New
and North Residential Colleges; University
Residential College at Birnkrant; Marks Hall;
Marks Tower; Pardee Tower; Trojan Hall; Fluor
Tower; Webb Tower; and Arts & Humanities
and Parkside International Residential
Colleges.
Optional Meal Plans
Gold Plan
Provides: Unlimited meals in USC Hospitality
Residential Dining venues** and $500 Dining
Dollars* per semester.
Residence Locations: Available as an optional upgrade to all residents except those living
in Honors House.
Community 50 Meal Plan
Provides: 50 meals in USC Hospitality
Residential Dining venues** and $100 Dining
Dollars* per school year.
Availability: Available to any USC student
not enrolled in a required meal plan or as a
supplement to any meal plan. This plan may
be purchased or renewed at any time and
may be used throughout the school year.
Trojan Plan
Provides: A declining balance plan that resets
at the end of each semester. This plan may be
used in USC Hospitality Residential and Retail
Dining venues located on the University Park
Campus. There are no minimum or maximum
spending limits.
Residence Locations: Available as an optional
upgrade to all residents except those living in
Honors House.
Community 25 Meal Plan
Provides: 25 meals in USC Hospitality
Residential Dining venues** and $50 Dining
Dollars* per school year.
Availability: Available to any USC student
not enrolled in a required mean plan or as a
supplement to any meal plan. This plan may
be purchased or renewed at any time and
may be used throughout the school year.
*Dining Dollars may be used in any USC Hospitality
Residential and Retail Dining venue located on the USC
University Park Campus.
**USC Hospitality Residential Dining venues include Café
84, EVK and Parkside Restaurant.
Note: Information regarding meal plans and prices is accurate at the time of publication. All meal plan names and
pricing are subject to post-publication changes.
Community Apartment Plan
Provides: 50 meals in USC Hospitality
Residential Dining venues** and $100 Dining
Dollars* per semester.
Residence Locations: All residents living
in Century, Cardinal Gardens and Parkside
Apartments.
STUDENT O R I ENTATI ON HANDBOOK
13
Transportation
Getting Around Campus
Parking Permits
If you bring a car to campus, you will want to
purchase a parking permit. Parking permits for
the fall, spring and summer terms are available for purchase online at www.usc.edu/
parking or at the USC Transportation office,
located in Parking Structure X (PSX). Parking
permits available for purchase are: on-campus
residential, on-campus commuter, off-campus
residential, carpool and Parking Center.
Call when you are ready to leave. A dispatcher will ask for your current location, your
destination and the number of passengers.
A campus cruiser will pick you up in approximately 15-20 minutes. You may request either
a phone call or text message alerting you that
your cruiser has arrived. For the University
Park Campus, call (213) 740-4911, and for
the Health Sciences Campus, call (323) 4422100.
Entering the Lottery
During the parking lottery registration period,
visit the USC Transportation Website, create
and log in to your Parking Account, and select
up to eight parking structure/lots by clicking
on “Add or Edit Parking Waitlists.” Purchases
can be made by check, cash or through your
USC student fee bill account. Please check our
Website for the most current prices. Permits
can be mailed to you or picked up at the USC
Transportation office. For more information
and online permit registration/purchase, contact USC Transportation at (213) 740-3575 or
visit www.usc.edu/parking.
USC Bus Service
USC buses run during the fall, spring and
summer terms. Their routes transport residents of off-campus and non-university housing back and forth to the University Park
Campus. The buses also provide free transportation to the USC Health Sciences Campus,
the USC Parking Center and Union Station.
Lottery Dates
• Fall housing residents/commuters: May 1 June 30
• Fall term: July 22 at noon
• Spring term: November 1 - December 7
• Summer term: April 1 - May 10
Permits are sold for the academic year (two
semesters); you will be billed once in the fall
and again in the spring. If you don’t need
your spring permit, return it to the USC
Transportation office to avoid charges.
Campus Cruiser Program
Campus Cruiser provides a safe ride home for
all students, staff, faculty and visitors to any
non-retail location within one mile of campus.
Cruisers are available fall and spring semester
6 p.m. - 2:45 a.m., summer 6 p.m. - 12:45
a.m., and from Leavey Library from 3 a.m. to
6 a.m. Cruisers do not operate during university holidays.
14
U N I VE RS I T Y O F S O U T H E R N C A L IF OR N IA
LA Live Shuttle
www.lalive.com/usc
USC Transportation provides a free weekend shuttle to LA Live, downtown’s newest
nightlife destination, which features a Regal
Cinema and a variety of restaurants and clubs.
The shuttle departs from the front of the Lab
gastropub and the 901 Bar on Figueroa every
30 minutes. The shuttle runs from 6 p.m. to 2
a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Yellow Cab
(800) USC-TAXI
www.usc.edu/uscard/yellowcab
Students can use Yellow Cab within Los
Angeles city limits 24 hours a day and pay
with their USCards. Fares include tips and
groups travel for one price. Pickup locations
are Gate 3, Gate 5 and the Radisson Hotel.
Ridesharing Program
Ridesharing offers several time and money saving alternatives to commuting to USC.
Vanpool: If your schedule coincides with
traditional working hours, you may join a vanpool at one of more than 18 pickup locations.
Carpool: You may carpool with one or more
USC students, faculty or staff members and
qualify for reduced cost parking permits. For
more information, visit transnet.usc.edu or the
USC Transportation office.
Zimride
www.zimride.com/usc
Zimride is an online social networking tool
aimed at carpooling and vanpooling. Zimride
is exclusive to USC students, faculty and staff
and is fully integrated with Facebook. Simply
join online for free, create a profile with your
ride preferences and share the ride.
Zipcar
www.zipcar.com/usc
Zipcar is a car-sharing service for USC students, faculty and staff older than 18 that
offers pay-as-you-go access to low emission
vehicles. You can rent a Zipcar for a day or
hours. Insurance, gas and car maintenance are
included. Zipcars are located on the University
Park Campus and in the north campus area.
To register, visit www.zipcar.com/usc. If you
do not have a California driver’s license or are
licensed outside the U.S., you must provide a
five-year driving record with your application.
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Enterprise Rent-A-Car, located in the USC
Transportation office, offers the USC community special services, including rentals for students ages 18 to 20 and discounted rates for
faculty, staff and students age 21 and over.
Bicycle Policy
Bicycle registration is required by California
law and university regulation. You can register
your bike at the Department of Public Safety
(DPS) office in Parking Structure A from 9
a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Bicycles may be parked only in bicycle racks
in areas specifically designated for this purpose. Lock your bike to these racks to deter
theft. Do not park your bike in a doorway,
on stairs or blocking any handicapped access.
Violating bikes will be impounded. For more
information, contact DPS at (213) 740-9565.
Financial Matters
15
Managing Your Finances
Please read this section carefully for information about paying tuition
and fees, student financial services, financial aid, USC Credit Union
services, check cashing on campus, local banking and more.
Estimated College Costs (2012–2013)
Full-time undergraduate living in university
housing (estimated):
Tuition (24-36 units)...........................$43,722
Lab Fees............................................$5–$500
Room and Board................................$12,440
Books and Supplies*.............................$1,050
Transportation.......................................$828
Personal Spending and
Miscellaneous...................................$1,974
Mandatory Fees......................................$678
First Semester Orientation Fee.................$150
*Used books, rentals and e-books from USC
Bookstore will lower amount.
Paying Tuition and Fees
Your student account on USCe.pay (available
by logging in to your myUSC portal page) will
reflect your tuition charges, mandatory fees,
optional fees and, if applicable, financial aid
credits. It will list your current financial obligation to the university (“Account Balance”).
Depending on when you registered and made
any changes to your enrollment, your enrollment-related transactions may appear on two
or more different monthly billing statements,
all available on USCe.pay.
The account balance will include this semester’s tuition and fees, any prior balances and
any other miscellaneous charges, less any
financial aid, payment plan credits and other
credits and/or payments. Also listed will be
your current balance due (“Billing Balance”)
and the date by which this balance must be
paid (“Payment Due Date”). If you have set
up a monthly payment plan, this will also be
available to you on USCe.pay.
Once you have financial transactions on
your student account, you can access your
record on USCe.pay through myUSC (my.usc.
edu). You can set up and control access to
guest user accounts on OASIS or USCe.pay
for your parents or others who may be helping you with your education. An OASIS guest
account grants access to all education records
available online. A USCe.pay guest account
grants access only to your student account
and payment plan.
You should check your account on USCe.pay
any time you make a change to your enrollment. In addition, we email monthly billing
notices to all students who have outstanding
balances or activity on their student accounts
during the month to their USC email addresses. You can have notices emailed to your
guest users by providing their email addresses
when you set up their accounts. USC does not
mail billing statements for enrolled students.
Although we accept payments from third
parties, you are ultimately responsible for settling all debts to the university by the appropriate deadlines. Non-receipt of a bill does not
relieve you of this obligation. You may use
USCe.pay to print an online statement showing your tuition and fees.
If any private parties (including family
members) are assisting you in paying for your
expenses and require a monthly billing statement showing tuition and fees before they
will issue payment, it is your responsibility to
register early enough to accommodate them.
We recommend that you register a minimum
of 40 days before the settlement deadline.
To avoid late fees, you must register and
have your tuition, fees, housing, dining and all
other charges paid or deferred by the settlement deadline published in the Schedule of
Classes each semester. If you fail to register
and settle your account on time, you may be
assessed late fees and/or finance charges until
your bill is settled.
Non-receipt of a bill does not relieve you
of this settlement deadline. Using the Web
Registration auto scheduler feature but failing to register for any courses before the
tuition and fees payment deadline is not a
valid reason to request a waiver of the late
registration fee. Students whose checks are
returned unpaid by the bank or whose credit
card authorizations or electronic bank account
payments are declined by the bank will be
subject to the late fees described above until
their accounts are paid in full.
Elective insurance (Tuition Refund Plan) is
available that provides coverage for tuition and
mandatory fees (excluding health insurance)
for students who suffer serious illnesses or
accidents that make it necessary for them to
leave the university before the semester is
completed. You must accept or decline the
insurance when you register. If you accept
the insurance, a charge equal to approximately .40 of 1 percent of your tuition and
mandatory fees will be added to your student
account. The Tuition Refund Plan insurance
rate is determined by July 1 prior to the start
of the new academic year.
Students may opt to purchase or decline
Tuition Refund Plan insurance up until the end
of week three of the fall and spring semesters,
or the week three equivalent in special sessions.
Students who wish to change their Tuition
Refund Plan insurance setting may do so on
Web Registration by clicking the Tuition Refund
Insurance button and following the prompts.
The Tuition Refund Plan is offered through
a private insurance carrier, Dewars, Inc.
Further information and application brochures
are available from the Cashier’s Office and
Registration and Records.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy
Act (Buckley Amendment) prohibits the disclosure of financial information to anyone other
than you. Students who wish to give their
parents or other individuals access to their
student accounts must sign an authorization
form which allows Student Financial Services
personnel to release financial information.
Paying Your Bill
You will be notified via email sent to your
USC email account (ends in @usc.edu) when
your billing statement is available online each
month. USC does not mail billing statements
to enrolled students.You may pay your bill via
the Internet (USCe.pay), by mail or in person
at the Cashier’s Office. You can access USCe.
pay by logging in to myUSC and selecting
the USCe.pay service. USCe.pay allows you to
manage your student account online. You can
pay your tuition and fees by transferring funds
from your savings or checking account, or
STUDENT O R I ENTATI ON HANDBOOK
15
Managing Your Finances
by charging to your American Express, VISA,
MasterCard or Discover card.
If you are paying by mail, please follow the instructions on your Registration
Confirmation or monthly billing statement. Be
sure to mail your payment early enough for
the university to receive it by the settlement
deadline or late fees and finance charges
will accrue. For account balance information
or questions regarding your account, call the
Cashier’s Office at (213) 740-7471. Outside the
Southern California area, call (800) 225-1222.
Student Financial Services
USC offers a monthly payment plan in fall and
spring semesters that allows you to spread the
cost of tuition and fees billed to your account
(less any aid applied to your account) for each
term over five months. A separate online
application is required each term, and you
must be registered for classes at the time of
application. For more information, visit
www.usc.edu/sfs and click on “Payment Plan.”
The Office of Student Financial Services disburses and collects Perkins and other campusbased loans and administers the payment plan.
Before you receive your Federal Perkins
Loan, Health Profession Student Loan, Loan
for Disadvantaged Students or any institutional
loan, you must authorize USC to credit the
funds to your student account by electronically
signing a master promissory note. The university has partnered with ECSI, which currently
services these loans, to help with this process.
An email will be sent to your official USC
email address (ends in @usc.edu) with instructions on how to accept and sign for these
loans electronically. Note: You will need your
FAFSA pin to complete the process for Federal
Student Loans.
If you have already signed a master promissory note, you will not be asked to electronically sign another promissory note except for
Health Profession Student Loans, Loans for
Disadvantaged Students and institutional
student loans. Questions on traditional need-
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U N I VE RS I T Y O F S O U T H E R N C A L IF OR N IA
based financial aid or other alternative financing programs may be referred to the financial
aid window in the lobby of John Hubbard Hall
(JHH). More information and frequently asked
questions are available at www.usc.edu/sfs.
Financial Aid
A college education is one of the most important investments you will ever make, and a
degree from a highly competitive university
such as USC is one of the few investment
opportunities with an all but guaranteed
return. By nearly every measure, an education from USC, with its top-ranked programs,
world-class faculty, powerful alumni network,
and vibrant Los Angeles campus, will place
you in a family of achievers – confident, capable people who accomplish great things.
USC administers one of the largest financial
aid programs in the United States. We encourage you to take advantage of the financial
resources USC has to offer. Several financing options exist to help you pay your USC
expenses. If you have not yet applied for needbased financial aid and wish to do so, you
must act quickly. U.S. citizens and eligible noncitizens may qualify for federal financial aid,
including the Federal Direct Stafford Loan and
the Federal District Parent PLUS Loan. Financial
aid counselors are available by phone, email or
in person. For more information, visit
www.usc.edu/contactfao.
In addition to scholarships and need-based
financial aid, USC offers other financing
options to cover your cost of attendance. You
can pay from savings or current income, the
USC Payment Plan or the USC Pre-payment
Plan. For more information regarding USC
payment plans, visit www.usc.edu/sfs.
services. You and your family are invited to
join and take advantage of: free checking
accounts and free bill pay; high yield savings accounts; money market accounts; CDs;
MasterCard credit cards; and MasterMoney
debit cards. Once you’re a member, you’re
a member for life with access to products
and services to help you achieve your dreams
while at USC and long after graduation.
Here’s a sample of the services we offer.
• Totally free checking accounts: With no
minimum balance or direct deposit requirements, our checking account is free of
monthly service fees.
• Free bill pay: It’s easier than ever to pay
your bills on time without going to the post
office. And if you do not live in the LA area,
online bill pay makes us more convenient.
• Free ACH funds transfer from any financial instituion: Our free ACH (automated
clearinghouse) funds transfers allow you to
quickly transfer funds from your existing
financial institution into your parents’ or
your own USC Credit Union account or vice
versa. With a minimum transfer amount of
$250, funds will be available as soon as the
next business day.
• Off campus access: Enjoy surcharge-free
withdrawals at more than 28,000 co-op
network ATMs in all 50 states and 7-Eleven
stores. You can also make transactions at
the 6,600 CU service centers across the U.S.
• Mobile and Online access: Get account
information, perform transactions and send
electronic payments to virtually any person
or business through our Mobile and Home
Banking services. Or conduct transactions
on campus at our ATMs, Student Union
branch (STU) or Flower Street branch (CUB).
USC Credit Union
The USC Credit Union is the only financial
institution headquartered on campus dedicated to serving the Trojan Family. We offer
every service banks do, but we’re a not-forprofit financial cooperative – owned by our
members – so our profits do not go to stockholders. We give them back to you through
better interest rates, and low or no fees on
Banking Around Campus
There are several banking instiutions in the
general campus vicinity.
• USC Credit Union
Student Union (STU), Suite 106
3601 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0921
(213) 821-7100
www.USCcreditunion.org
Student Organizations
17
Getting Involved
There are numerous benefits for getting involved in co-curricular
activities. It is important for you to plan your involvement and not just
let it happen to you. Decide if you want to focus on academic student organizations tied to your major or if you want to get involved
in a variety of different organizations. The choice is yours. Either way,
involvement is the key to a great experience at USC.
• USC Credit Union
Flower Street (CUB), 1st Floor
3720 South Flower Street
Los Angeles, CA 90089-2280
(877) 670-5860
www.USCcreditunion.org
• Health Sciences Campus
1969 Zonal Ave., Suite 101B SRH 101B
Los Angeles, CA 90033
(323) 442-1898
www.USCcreditunion.org
On-campus ATMs are on the exterior
wall of the Student Union across from
Moreton Fig. For off-campus ATMs, visit
www.USCcreditunion.org.
• Bank of America
985 West Jefferson Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90007
(213) 763-8907
• Chase
3335 South Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA 90007
(213) 745-7928
• Wells Fargo Bank
141 West Adams Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90007
(213) 745-7208
Check Cashing
USC’s check cashing policy allows up to $25
to be cashed per day in the Cashier’s Office.
There is a $0.25 service charge. To qualify:
• You must have a current USCard along
with a valid form of identification such as a
driver’s license or military ID.
• You must be currently enrolled at USC.
• Your financial account must be in good
standing.
A Multitude of Choices
There are over 750 student organizations
at USC and they fall within one (or a combination) of the following categories: academic
interest, honor societies, recreational, religious, political, social, service, cultural, special
interest or residential.
The Student Involvement Fair is held the first
Wednesday of every fall and spring semester.
This is an excellent opportunity for you to find
out about a wide variety of student organizations. Some questions you might want to ask
these organizations may include:
• What is the name of your organization?
• Is your organization a student affiliate
of a larger organization?
• How long has it been an organization at
USC?
• What is its purpose?
• What are some of your organization’s
successful projects and programs?
• How often do you have meetings?
• What expectations do you have for
members?
• What are the opportunities for
leadership now and in the future?
• What is the time commitment
expected of members?
If you miss the Student Involvement Fair,
don’t worry! A list of all student organizations
is available online at www.usc.edu/stuorgs.
If you can’t figure out what the organization
is about from the name of the group, visit its
Website. It is important to research the various organizations.
You can also talk with your friends, your
Orientation Advisor, faculty members or
Student Affairs staff, or stop by the Peer
Leadership Consultant office, located in the
Ronald Tutor Campus Center 330.
Once you decide to get involved with a particular student organization, you can email the
student organization, call the president, go to
the meetings or put a note in their mailbox.
If you want to start your own organization, it’s easy to do. The Peer Leadership
Consultants can help you get involved. For
more information, contact (213) 740-5341.
Tickets to Athletic Events
Students are admitted free to all athletic
events except football. Athletic events are free
on a first-come, first-served basis as long as
students have their current USC ID cards in
possession. Once students are registered, they
are sent an email allowing them to purchase a
USC football season ticket online within a specific timeframe. The ticket is good for all home
games and also allows students to participate
in some away game lotteries such as UCLA,
Cal and Stanford. Once a student purchases a
football season ticket, it is electronically put on
his or her USCard and scanned for entrance at
Gate 28 at the Coliseum. Spring admits will be
sent an email once the Ticket Office receives
all their information from the Registrar’s
Office. For more information, contact the USC
Ticket Office at (213) 740-GOSC or visit uscticketoffice.com.
Trojans Care for Trojans
tc4t@usc.edu
sait.usc.edu/ca/tc4t
Trojans Care for Trojans, a Student Affairs
initiative, offers connections to institutional
support and resources for Trojans coping with
personal difficulties. It encourages students
to care for each other and the entire campus
community and provides a private and anonymous service for students to express their
concerns about fellow members of the Trojan
Family. The interactive Website features educational videos, a list of campus and community
resources and an anonymous request form.
We Are Considerate. We Are USC.
As part of an ongoing effort, USC has
launched the “We Are Considerate. We Are
USC.” campaign encouraging students, faculty
and staff to think of “considerate” as the sixth
trait of a Trojan. The current focus is bicycle
safety on the University Park Campus. Bicyclists
should follow guidelines, which include sharing campus pathways, walking bikes in designated high-traffic areas, parking bikes in racks,
encouraging safe riding and focusing when
biking on campus. All members of the community are asked to participate by pledging to
be considerate during their time at USC.
STUDENT O R I ENTATI O N HANDBOOK
17
editor: Cristy Lytal design: Rick Simner Design
Role and Mission of USC
The central mission of the University of
Southern California is the development of
human beings and society as a whole through
the cultivation and enrichment of the human
mind and spirit. The principal means by which
our mission is accomplished are teaching,
research, artistic creation, professional practice
and selected forms of public service.
Our first priority as faculty and staff is the
education of our students, from freshmen to
post-doctoral researchers, through a broad
array of academic, professional, extracurricular
and athletic programs of the first rank. The
integration of liberal and professional learning is one of USC’s special strengths. We
strive constantly for excellence in teaching
knowledge and skills to our students, while
at the same time helping them to acquire
wisdom and insight, love of truth and beauty,
moral discernment, understanding of self, and
respect and appreciation for others.
Research of the highest quality by our
faculty and students is fundamental to our
mission. USC is one of a very small number
of premier academic institutions in which
research and teaching are inextricably intertwined, and on which the nation depends
for a steady stream of new knowledge, art
and technology. Our faculty are not simply
teachers of the works of others, but active
contributors to what is taught, thought and
practiced throughout the world.
USC is pluralistic, welcoming outstanding
men and women of every race, creed and
background. We are a global institution in a
global center, attracting more international
students over the years than any other
American university. And we are private,
unfettered by political control, strongly
committed to academic freedom and proud
of our entrepreneurial heritage.
An extraordinary closeness and willingness
to help one another are evident among USC
students, alumni, faculty and staff; indeed,
for those within its compass, the Trojan Family
is a genuinely supportive community. Alumni,
trustees, volunteers and friends of USC are
essential to this family tradition, providing
generous financial support, participating in
university governance and assisting students
at every turn.
In our surrounding neighborhoods and
around the globe, USC provides public leadership and public service in such diverse fields
as health care, economic development, social
welfare, scientific research, public policy and
the arts. We also serve the public interest
as the largest private employer in the city
of Los Angeles, as well as the city’s largest
export industry in the private sector.
USC has played a major role in the development of Southern California for more than a
century, and plays an increasingly important
role in the development of the nation and the
world. We expect to continue to play these
roles for many centuries to come. Thus our
planning, commitments and fiscal policies are
directed toward building quality and excellence in the long term.
University of Southern California
Orientation Programs
Division of Student Affairs
Student Union B-7
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0921
Tel (213) 740-7767