Juniors who do NOT wish to participate in Commencement must move out of their residence hall and check out with their CC between 12:00pm and 5:00pm on or before Thursday, May 23. Juniors who wish to remain on campus after exams to participate in end-of-year activities and Commencement must move out of their residence hall and check out with their CC prior to 2:00pm on Saturday, May 25. Due to the many end-of-year activities, staff will NOT be able to move out any students on Friday, May 24. Juniors who have not submitted the following form must do so as soon as possible to inform Student Life of their intended move out date.

Seniors must move out of their residence hall and check out with their CC prior to 2:00pm on Saturday, May 25. Due to the many end-of-year activities, staff will NOT be able to move out any students on Friday, May 24.

During the week leading up to move out, students will have specific tasks to complete each day to ensure that they will be ready on the day they move out. This Final Week Checklist will be posted by each room and will be checked each night by their CC. Please note that students will NOT be permitted to attend hall or campus events until their CC confirms that all tasks have been completed.

Once a student is ready to move out, their CC will stop by their room and confirm that they have properly followed all Checkout Procedures. Please note that the student and a legal guardian will both need to be present to sign the Room Condition Report. Once all checkout procedures have been completed, the student will immediately leave campus. Students may not stay in another student’s room or lounge. Students may only return for the Commencement ceremony, if they choose to do so.

Students and families should review all documents to prepare for move-out and consider taking items home over the extended weekend to make this process even easier. Students are also advised to return to campus with boxes to pack their belongings.

Please make sure to check out with me before you leave so that I can double-check that your room is clean! There is not a cleaning crew that will clean each individual room over the summer, our cleaning crew only cleans the common areas - so keep that in mind. Any items that are left in your room will have to be removed by me, and any dirt left in your room will have to be cleaned by me and you will incur a move-out fine. 

Please join us as we graduate our 43rd class of residential students on Saturday, May 25th at 9:00am on Watts Lawn. The ceremony is open to NCSSM seniors and their families. We welcome the junior class to participate in Commencement, though junior attendance is not mandatory.  No tickets are required UNLESS inclement weather necessitates moving indoors. If Commencement is moved indoors, each senior will receive 4 tickets: 2 tickets for the NCSSM Eilber Physical Education Center (PEC),  and 2 tickets to livestream locations around campus: the Auditorium, Lecture Hall, and Music Suite. If the ceremony is moved indoors, juniors will not participate in the ceremony and will not receive tickets to the PEC or reserved livestream locations. Juniors and their families will be invited to livestream the event from other locations. As a reminder, all students must move out of their residence hall rooms and check out with their CC no later than 2pm on Commencement day. The entire event will be livestreamed on the NCSSM YouTube Channel. For more information about Commencement please visit: https://www.ncssm.edu/commencement

The Senior Leadership Campus Service process is coming to a close. Senior Leadership announcements will be sent out on Tuesday, April 16 at 4:00pm and applicants will have until Friday, April 19 to submit their decisions to program coordinators. Please note that the SLSC process does not account for every senior campus service assignment. Juniors should reach out to any employees that they may be interested in working with next year if they chose not to participate in the SLCS process.

The Spring Final Assessment Schedule has been shared by Academic Programs.  Synchronous final assessment blocks are arranged to minimize exam conflicts and to minimize conflicts with the AP Exams scheduled for Friday, May 17.  Academic Programs will work directly with students and instructors to resolve those conflicts in the weeks before the end of the semester.  As in previous semesters, Academic Programs have indicated deadlines for submitting projects, papers, and take-home exams by academic discipline to ensure that all asynchronous assessments are not due at the same time.

I will be hosting a self-care station the night before prom and a cartoons and cereal station for the morning after prom. If anyone would like to provide any materials or snacks for it, let me know!

The Prom Committee is excited to extend an invitation to all residential students to join us for a night at the Moonlit Meadows of Prom 2024. Prom will occur on April 13th from 8pm-12am at the Museum of Life and Science in Durham. Click HERE for details about the event, how to purchase tickets,important forms, transportation options, and more!

Each year, the Prom Committee invites NCSSM families to participate in the festivities by volunteering the night of Prom at the Museum of Life and Science. There are many opportunities to be involved, from helping out with set up, to organizing the coat check, to serving appetizers, desserts, and drinks, to directing students throughout the museum, and of course the dash to clean everything up and pack it away in record time at the end of the night. Even if you can’t join us at the museum for prom night, you have the opportunity to purchase desserts for students to enjoy! For more information about volunteering at Prom, check out this link and be on the lookout for an email from Trish Aiello in the coming weeks for signups! 

In keeping with tradition, Student Life will also host an After Prom event for students to enjoy late night pizza in the PEC after prom ends. Additional details about the event and how to participate will be shared with students after Spring Break.

As you and your student make plans for Prom 2024, please do not hesitate to reach out to the Prom Coordinators at prom@ncssm.edu with any questions.

Residence halls will close on Friday, March 22nd at 5:00pm and will reopen on Monday, April 1st at 12:00pm. Since this is a long break students must unplug all items in their room, including fridges and fish tanks. Students should properly defrost their fridge to avoid puddles or mold growth over the break. Students are encouraged to take home as many items as possible that they will not need for the remainder of the year. 

Juniors and Seniors will receive an email with information concerning move-out in the next week or two.  In the meantime, best practice is to start evaluating which items you may be able to take home over the upcoming spring break.  The more items you can get home over spring break and our final extended weekend of the year, the easier move-out will be for you. Good items to consider taking home are winter coats and clothes, extra furniture, and large items.

The Senior Leadership Campus Service (SLCS) selection process is underway! Almost twenty different assignments participate in this process so that juniors can apply for several positions. An overview of the process and the various positions can be found on the site. 

Please note that the SLCS process does not account for every senior campus service assignment. There are many opportunities for leadership in campus service to consider. Juniors should reach out to any employees that they may be interested in working with next year.

Just a quick reminder that the Residence Halls will be closing on Thursday, February 25th at 5:00pm. Halls will reopen on Sunday, February 28th at noon.

Students will complete an electronic Extended Sign-Out Form during hall meeting. On this form they indicate where they are going for the break, who they are traveling with, and how they are getting to their destination. If students have specific questions about checkout procedures for Extended Weekends, they should speak to me.

In January we also look forward to a week long series of events that we call the 4th West Olympics! Because of the generally lighter course load in January, we have more time to play games and build community as a hall this month. 

January Term (J-Term) is a special session during which NCSSM provides significant opportunities for students to engage in unique educational experiences. These experiences include both regular coursework, offered in a different format, and unique learning opportunities beyond the standard curriculum, both in and out of the traditional classroom context. J-Term aims to engage students in a rigorous exploration of a subject area of great interest in a way that contributes to their academic and personal growth and serves them well in their future academic aspirations. J-Term also provides an opportunity for students to interact with their peers from our Morganton campus; some Morganton students will be visiting Durham for their classes, and vice-versa. J-Term travel courses also include students from both campuses.

Just a quick reminder that the Residence Halls will be closing on Thursday, January 25th at 5:00pm. Halls will reopen on Sunday, January 28th at noon.

Students will complete an electronic Extended Sign-Out Form during hall meeting. On this form they indicate where they are going for the break, who they are traveling with, and how they are getting to their destination. If students have specific questions about checkout procedures for Extended Weekends, they should speak to me.

Winter is quickly coming upon us and I know that all the students here are looking forward to the extended winter break!

This November we started off our month with tea and puzzles after check with our sibling hall, 1st Beall. We also had the return of a few hall favorites: trash the movie night, with the new FNAF's movie, capture the flag, aux battles, and other warm, indoor activities! We are also gearing up towards the annual fourth floor s'more's and winter semi-formal events. 

Throughout January of each year, students take a break from regular coursework during J-Term to engage in employee-led educational opportunities that extend beyond the classroom. Examples of past J-Term experiences include Capes and Culture, Introduction to Aviation, the Science of Breadmaking, Fantastic Fungi, and extended travel to Costa Rica or the American West. J-Term begins on January 3rd and ends on January 25th. You can view your student’s assigned J-Term class or classes on Blackbaud.

January Term (J-Term) is an essential part of the NCSSM Academic Program. Since class meeting patterns are different during J-Term, attendance is calculated differently. One unexcused hour of missed class will be recorded as one unexcused absence. J-Term is considered its own term for attendance purposes. The number of accumulated absences reverts to zero at the beginning of spring semester.

Semi-Formal, NCSSM’s annual winter dance, is Saturday, December 2nd from 8:30 – 10:55 PM in the PEC Gymnasium. All students are invited to enjoy the evening with friends and hallmates! There will be festive winter decorations, music, snacks, a photo booth, and dancing!

Students planning to attend are encouraged to bring semi-formal dress clothes back to campus after the break. Appropriate attire includes a dressy skirt, shirt and tie (jacket optional), dress pants, a dress, and dress shoes.

In keeping with tradition, several opportunities will be available for parents and families to be involved with Semi again this year. More information about how to provide support will be shared in the coming weeks.

We were all greeted in October by the first few modular units arriving on the old softball field, cooler temperatures, and lots of spooky treats.

Some hit programs this month were Gaga Ball in the gym after check, S'more's Night with 3rd Bryan and their new CC, and eating a combined total of 200 plates of conveyor belt sushi at Rockin' Rolls. 

NCSSM’s Black Student Union is proud to present the first cultural fest of the year, AFRICAFEST 2023: Our Gold Grows Within. The fest will be held on December 3rd at 7pm.

Our theme this year is Black Variety, highlighting the diversity and versatility of what it means to be Black. Join us as we delve into stereotypes, uplift the richness of our culture, and celebrate all the different expressions of being Black in America. This is a free event but we have limited seating so be on the lookout for tickets dropping soon!

Semi-Formal, NCSSM’s annual winter dance, is Saturday, December 2nd from 8:30 – 10:55 PM in the PEC Gymnasium. All students are invited to enjoy the evening with friends and hallmates! There will be festive winter decorations, music, snacks, a photo booth, and dancing!

Students planning to attend are encouraged to bring semi-formal dress clothes back to campus after the break. Appropriate attire includes a dressy skirt, shirt and tie (jacket optional), dress pants, a dress, and dress shoes.

In keeping with tradition, several opportunities will be available for parents and families to be involved with Semi again this year. More information about how to provide support will be shared in the coming weeks.

Don’t forget that the second set of progress reports for your students will be released on November 3rd. To view your student’s progress report you will need to log into blackbaud and select the “progress” tab. Then click where it says “report cards” to open all the progress reports for this year. Select either “Semester 1 - Durham” or “Semester 1 - Durham (no comments),” depending on whether you want to view grades and teacher feedback, or just grades.

If you have concerns about your student’s performance, please let me know. I always meet with students who have multiple Cs or a D to help develop a plan for improvement, but will be happy to meet with anyone if there are concerns. It is also important that your student reach out to their individual teachers, guidance counselor, and the Center for Advising and Academic Success for advice on how to improve. This is also a good time for students to evaluate whether they should be attending tutorials more often.

Just a quick reminder that there are several extended breaks scheduled over the next couple of months. In each instance, halls will close at 5pm on the closure date and reopen at noon on the opening date:

• Closed Friday, November 17th - Sunday, November 26th

• Closed Friday, December 8th - Tuesday, January 2nd

For the Thanksgiving and Winter breaks we ask that students unplug all items in the room. This includes fridges and fish tanks. Students should defrost their fridges completely and clean out excess water before they leave for the break. They should also make sure that they take any houseplants or fish home.

Greetings from CC Hannah and 4th West's new mascot this year, Sue the Dino! For families of seniors, our old mascot Cardboard-Pitbull will no longer be reigning over the 4th West tower as he has finally decided to move on to college. We wish him and last year's seniors the best of luck there! 

This August just FLEW by with how many fun activities and get-to-know-you games we had! Even the crazy storm that knocked out most of our power, (shout out to the few generators that survived) led to snow-day-esque activities around campus with classes canceled. We had water games to stay cool and even played board games by lantern light. Nothing dampens a Unicorn's spirit (except maybe the dampness from how sweaty were all were)!

Thank you to all of the parents who helped out by offering for new friends to stay over if they lived far away! Also, thank you to the parents who helped provide our hall snacks this month!

Check out upcoming things to come this September and a recap of August activities below:

Family Day is an opportunity for students and families to participate in activities that share aspects of living and learning at NCSSM. Come meet your student’s instructors, counselors, and other members of the campus community, while getting a first-person feel for your student’s schedule. This year Family Day is on Saturday, September 9th.

The Tentative Family Day Schedule is now available, but please keep an eye out for a finalized version and more details as Family Day approaches. A copy of your student’s schedule will be released electronically the week before Family Day, and paper copies will be available at the registration desk.

I will be available from 10AM - 2PM in the 4W hall lounge to meet / answer questions / etc!

The NCSSM Community is excited to host college day on our Durham campus on Thursday, September 28, at the end of the academic day from 3:15 to 5:30 pm. This is an amazing opportunity for juniors and seniors to learn more about colleges across the country and explore what school might be right for them in the future.

In the past representatives from more than 70 schools from around the country have been available to talk with students and families about their schools, the college admissions process, financial aid, and scholarships. More information about the schools represented at the college fair this year and student requirements for attendance will be shared in the coming weeks.

As September draws to a close, faculty across campus will be completing grading assignments so that we can release progress reports for your students on September 22nd. To view your student’s progress report you will need to log into Blackbaud and select the “progress” tab. Then click where it says “report cards” to open all the progress reports for this year. Select either “Semester 1 - Durham” or “Semester 1 - Durham (no comments),” depending on whether you want to view grades and teacher feedback, or just grades.

If you have concerns about your student’s performance, please let me know. I always meet with students who have multiple Cs or a D to help develop a plan for improvement, but will be happy to meet with anyone if there are concerns. It is also important that your student reach out to their individual teachers, guidance counselor, and the Center for Advising and Academic Success for advice on how to improve. This is also a good time for students to evaluate whether they should be attending tutorials more often.

Just a quick reminder that the Residence Halls will be closing twice during September.

• Closed Friday, September 1st at 5:00pm. Opens Monday, September 4th at noon.

• Closed Friday, September 29th at 5:00pm.  Opens Sunday, October 8th at noon.

Students will complete an electronic Extended Sign-Out Form during hall meeting.  On this form they indicate where they are going for the break, who they are traveling with, and how they are getting to their destination.  If students have specific questions about checkout procedures for Extended Weekends, they should speak to me.

For many students their time at NCSSM will be the first time they have experienced sharing a room with someone. It is natural for there to be some growing pains as students adjust their habits and learn to live together. For this reason we encourage students to spend their first few weeks getting to know one another and discussing their sleep habits, study preferences, and what makes them feel comfortable in their shared space. After the first extended roommates will work together to craft a roommate agreement; this agreement will outline how they will respect one another’s space, accommodate each other's sleep and study habits, what they can borrow and share with each other, and how they will keep their room clean. The agreement is a living document and can be revisited as needed throughout the year.

While we hope that all students will get along well, it is possible that your students develop a conflict with their roommate that they have trouble navigating on their own. If this occurs you or your student should let their CC know. We will work with the students to mediate the conflict and work towards a mutual resolution. It is imperative that you speak only to your student about any conflict they are having, do not contact the other student or their family. If the conflict continues the CC may ask that the students work with either the Assistant Director or Director of Housing and Residence Life to continue working towards a solution. NCSSM operates at full occupancy; therefore, room changes are not easy to accommodate. it. No room changes will be approved during the 1st quarter of the school year. Changing rooms is considered only if all conflict resolution options have been exhausted, a space is available, and the move is considered a positive step for all parties involved. For these reasons, a room change should not be viewed as a likely outcome to resolve a conflict.

Student Health, often referred to as the Clinic, is located on the first floor of the Hunt Residence Hall. The Clinic is staffed by a nurse, medical assistant, and a family nurse practitioner. Our medical director oversees the Clinic’s daily operation and is present in the Clinic one day a week. The Clinic is staffed and equipped to manage most acute and chronic illnesses that occur while students reside at NCSSM. Common over-the-counter medications, bandages, splints, and crutches are dispensed at no additional charge to students. Prescriptions, if required, can be picked up from a local pharmacy. Some problems may require additional care, in which case students are referred to area professionals. Families will be notified if this referral is necessary. 

Students are prohibited from keeping certain types of prescription medications in their rooms (e.g., narcotics, psychotropics, stimulants). These medications must be retained and distributed by the Clinic. Students may keep over-the-counter medications in their rooms for their personal use (e.g., pain relievers, cold medications, stomach remedies, herbal remedies, vitamins, etc.).

The clinic is open Monday - Friday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. After hours and on the weekends students can reach out to CCs on duty for help; the CCs will contact a 24 hour telephone nursing service called Healthlink to seek advice on how to aid your student.

Students may schedule telehealth appointments and in-person appointments, as well as medication drop-off/pick-up appointments. The Clinic is not open to drop-in appointments as it has been in the past.

As students prepare for the first extended weekend it is important to understand that we use a special sign out for these weekends away from NCSSM:

• Halls close at 5pm on Friday, September 1st and reopen at noon on Monday, September 4th.

• Students will sign a virtual Extended Sheet during hall meeting. On this form they indicate where they are going for the break, who they are traveling with, and how they are getting to their location. 

• If a student is not departing early and their final destination is home or they are being picked-up by a parent/guardian, they do not need to fill out any forms other than the virtual Extended Sheet, including their LiveSafe app. 

• If a student is departing before the day the Extended Weekend begins they will need to have a parent/guardian sign them out at Bryan desk or complete the Student Travel Permission Form and sign out at Bryan desk with whomever is picking them up. They will also need to sign out on the LiveSafe App. 

If a student's final destination is not home and they are not being picked up by a parent/guardian, or if they are taking the train or Greyhound bus, they will need to submit the Student Travel Permission Form, sign out on LiveSafe, and sign out at the Bryan desk.

CCs are available 24 hours a day to assist your students. The Bryan CC desk is staffed each day from 7:30am to 1:00am. All other CC building offices are staffed beginning at 6:30pm each day. Outside of these hours there will always be 2 CCs on call while students are on campus. The contact numbers for the on-call CCs are posted at each CC desk and can be viewed here. If your student has an emergency they are encouraged to reach out to the on duty CCs. 

NCSSM also has Campus Safety Officers available 24 hours. They can be contacted at 919-416-2911