General University Information for International Students
Academic and Personal Advising
All Richmond students are assigned to a member of the University faculty in his/her area of academic interest who serves in an advising role to a small group of students. The advisor meets individually on a regular basis. The academic advisor is a faculty or staff member who is trained to assist students with choosing and registering for appropriate course work in order to ensure progress toward the desired degree and toward a desired profession or graduate-level program of study. In addition, the advisor serves as a resource to help students make a successful adjustment to the academic demands of the University. An internatioal student advisor is available to counsel students with regard to cultural and personal adjustment and assimilation into the University community, and can provide advacacy for the students when needed and to work as a liasion with community clubs and organizations. Many students turn to the international student advisor for assistance with financial matters, cultural issues, special dining needs, etc. The international advisor is a key campus resource. Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is staffed with professional counselors who work individually with students in need of more long-term personal counseling needs.
Academic Demands and Student Study Habits
While some students choose to study in their residence hall rooms, most study in one of the University's libraries or classrooms. A typical student at Richmond will spend approximately 15–17 hours per week in a classroom or lab. In addition, students must spend equal or greater time outside those hours engaging in research, reading and writing in preparation for class time. Professors expect students to keep up with assignments and to participate actively in classroom discussion. Grades are decided based not just on final exam results, but also on the merits of research papers/projects and in-class participation.
Advanced Standing Credit
Advanced standing credit is awarded through a number of methods. Credit is awarded by individual departments for the College Board Advanced Placement (AP) Tests, International Baccalaureate (IB) Higher Level exams and British 'A' Level exam grades of A through C. Students may request consideration of other courses/external exam results by contacting the Registrar's Office. For specific information regarding any of the above, contact an Admission Officer or the Registrar's Office.
Campus Housing and Heath Services
Since the majority of academic and social activities at the University occur on campus, we establish a priority for international students to be housed. An important part of the "American" college experience is living with other students from different backgrounds. Most students live in double occupancy residence halls. Air conditioning is available in several of the halls. All students are asked to complete a "lifestyle questionnaire" so that they are matched with a roommate who will share similar living habits . The type of questions on the lifestyle questionnaire include things such as "Do you study with music playing?" or "Are you a messy person or a tidy person?". All residence halls at the University are single-gender. During school breaks international students may arrange to remain on campus in the residence halls or international house. Many students on break, though, choose to travel with other students or visit the homes of friends/faculty during school holidays. A Student Health Center is provided for all University students. The cost is covered in the room and board fee. Available care includes doctors visits and prescription service. Additionally, Richmond has one of the nation's finest medical centers–the Medical College of Virginia-nearby, in addition to other excellent hospitals.
Campus Life
The University of Richmond campus is located in a residential area, seven miles from downtown Richmond, Virginia. There are nearly 275 clubs and organizations that UR students have to participate in during times when they are not studying or in class. Student life and campus organizations include those relating to athletics, student government, political clubs, social clubs, community service organizations, campus publications and more.
Career Development Center (CDC)
The CDC provides comprehensive career services to our students. Its mission is to assist students in identifying and implementing realistic educational and career goals. Staff members provide individualized career counseling and help students develop systematic skills to approach the job search or graduate school selection process. The CDC sponsors programs such as a 600-member alumni network, an annual Career Expo and Graduate School Fair. Each year, approximately 250 employers come to campus to recruit and interview students.
Climate
The city of Richmond experiences all four seasons. Students should be prepared to dress for weather as cold as 1 degree Celsius and as hot as 31 degrees Celsius. The winters here are typically mild, with a few snowfalls annually. For the winter months, students dress in sweaters and slacks or skirts. All students should have warm coats. In the fall and spring, students should be prepared for a variety of climates. It is necessary to have a raincoat and umbrella. The summer is typified by heat and humidity; therefore, most students dress in shorts and short-sleeved shirts during the summer months.
Computer Facilities
Information Services administers student laboratories, which provide access to word processing, spreadsheets, curriculum software, statistical software, programming languages and the Internet. Equipment available to students includes IBM personal computers and compatibles, Macintoshes, VAX terminals, and Unix work stations. In addition, a campus-wide data network allows students access to the mainframe computers and library information from computers in their residence hall rooms. Students are not required to provide their own computers, but many choose to do so. The public computer facilities are more than adequate for student needs. If you wish to purchase a computer, the University does have a purchase plan that allows students to buy computers at a reduced rate.
Dining Facilities
The University has two primary dining facilities. All students who live on campus are required to participate in the meal plan, because there are no kitchen facilities in the residence halls. There is a staff dietician who will work with individual students who may have unique dietary needs.
The Honor Code
The Honor System is a fundamental philosophy and instituted policy of many post-secondary schools in the U.S. The function of the Honor Code is to encourage academic honesty and integrity at all times. Breaches of the Honor Code are cheating, plagiarism, lying, academic theft, disclosing honor council information, registration irregularity and failure to report an honor code violation. At Richmond, every student has a personal responsibility to support and uphold the integrity of the University by living by the principles stated within our Honor Code.
Library Facilities
The University has outstanding libraries: Boatwright Memorial, the Science Library, the Music Library and the T.C. Williams School of Law Library. The total collections of these facilities exceeds one million items. In addition, students have access to the resources in other libraries through the interlibrary loan program. The libraries are networked with a computerized data access system which allows students easy access to information. Computerized resources such as Infotrac and Newsbank help give students fast and easy access to indexed data.
Religious Life
The University has students who come from 42 different religious traditions from around the world. The Office of the Chaplaincy serves students who are interested in continuing to practice their religious traditions, explore spiritual issues and meet other students with similar values. There are a number of different student organizations, such as the Greek Orthodox Student Union, Jewish Student Association, the Muslim League and others, which allow students to interact with others of shared religious traditions.
Security
The University of Richmond maintains an active crime-prevention program. The University of Richmond Police Department is the only accredited private university law enforcement agency in the United States. UR campus police is a full-service law enforcement agency providing services 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The primary purpose of the Campus Police is to support the academic community through maintenance of a peaceful and orderly community, the provision of general emergency services, and protection of life and property on campus. The Police Department provides an escort service for female students between the hours of 7 p.m. and 2:30 a.m. throughout the week. In addition, women's residence halls are equipped with an access system, whereby students need to be residents of a particular hall in order to go beyond the lobby area.
Immigration Issues
The International student advisor works to ensure that all immigration matters are handled appropriately and that pre-arrival information and orientation information are provided. International students must present appropriate immigration forms to a U. S. Consular Officer when applying for visas. The University cannot complete the appropriate immigration forms (Form I-20 or IAP-66) until all required documents have been received.
Transportation
The city of Richmond is easily accessible to major routes of transport. Richmond International Airport is served by USAir, Delta, United, Continental and American Airlines. Dulles International Airport, located near Washington D.C., is one of the nation's major international airports. Flights from many international airports are more likely to come directly to Dulles. Ground transportation is available from the Washington D.C. area to Richmond and is easy to arrange. Washington D.C. is two hours from Richmond by ground transportation. With regard to on campus and local transportation, the University campus is relatively small and self-contained; therefore, students do not find it necessary to have personal vehicles. Downtown Richmond is accessible through the public bus system, which has a bus stop at the front gate of the University campus.
Writing Center and English as a Second Language (ESL) Tutoring
The Writing Center is staffed with trained and experienced tutors who enjoy working with students from all academic disciplines. The staff work with students whose English proficiency varies. In addition, there is a certified teacher of English as a Second Language (ESL) on staff to work individually with non-native English speakers in need of assistance with written and oral English skills. The ESL teacher is not-full time, and we do not have a full ESL program; however, individual students may set up appointments to work with the teacher on a limited basis.