August 2017
A Message from Cerri Banks
Dean of Students and Vice President for Student Affairs
Welcome and congratulations!
My name is Cerri Banks and I am the Dean of Students and Vice President for Student
Affairs at Skidmore. I hope that you are as excited as I am to be a part of the Skidmore
community. I also hope that you are proud of all that you have accomplished to get
to this moment.
Everyone on campus is eagerly awaiting and preparing for your arrival. The staff in Facilities is making sure that the campus is beautiful and that the buildings are clean and safe. The faculty and staff in Academic Affairs are finalizing their syllabi and schedules for an exciting fall semester. In Student Affairs, we are working to make sure that you are able to enter the community and thrive.
When you arrive on campus for Orientation, you will begin to get to know the campus and the Skidmore community. Since joining the Skidmore last year, I have accrued a list of the things that make the community so great:
- A beautiful campus setting
- A commitment to sustaining a diverse community and learning across differences of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, social class, religious and spiritual practice, and global perspectives
- A friendly, helpful, talented, and supportive faculty and staff who are experts in their areas of knowledge
- A fierce commitment to student learning and thriving at the highest levels of excellence both inside and outside of the classroom
- I am eager to see what will be on your list after your first few weeks at Skidmore.
Creative Thought really does matter at Skidmore College and you will find that you can pursue almost any interest you may have. Skidmore is fully committed to the liberal arts and we believe that your education here will prepare you in important ways for any path you choose to take.
Take advantage of all that is here. The Student Government Association oversees approximately 100 clubs and organizations; students participate in research projects with faculty; student performances are plentiful throughout the academic year; visiting artists and lecturers are regular features on our weekly calendar; and our athletic teams are competing hard to represent the college well in intercollegiate athletics.
Take a chance. Learn to play a new instrument, write for the school paper, travel abroad, become a mentor, try a new sport, visit your professors during office hours, secure an internship, and spend time with people who are different from you. Ask lots of questions and reach out for support early if you find yourself facing challenges. Doing so is an excellent way to make your college experience both fun and successful.
Best of luck as you continue to prepare to embark on this exciting journey. I cannot wait to meet you.
Cerri Banks
Dean of Students and Vice President for Student Affairs
Checklist of Upcoming Deadlines
August Checklist
| Activity | Due Date |
| Submit ID picture | July 1—August 21 |
| Write RAP | July 1—August 30 |
| Complete online alcohol education class (instructions will be mailed to your SKIDMORE email account) |
August 1—31 |
| Register for Skidmore Urgent Notification System (SUNS) | Ongoing |
| Create email account | Ongoing, upon receipt of letter from IT |
Past Deadlines
If you have missed any of these deadlines, please contact the appropriate office as soon as possible.
| Activity | Due Date |
| Residential Life Housing Questionnaire | Contact Residential Life |
| Registration | Contact the Registrar |
| Mail in Health Forms | Contact Health Services |
For a complete list of dates and deadlines, visit the Dates and Deadlines page on the FYE website.
London First-Year and Opportunity Program students should use the dates and deadlines for your programs:
Orientation Information |
|
Maps and Directions
Post Office Reminders
Your student mailbox assignment will be available the week of August 7. To obtain
your assignment and mailbox combination, please visit the Post Office website and click on student mailbox information. You will be asked to log in with your username
and password.
Incoming mail and/or packages should be addressed:
John/Jane Doe—Class of 2021
Mailbox #____________
Skidmore College
815 N Broadway
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
Important: Do not use "PO Box" as the local post office will send your mail elsewhere in town, which will delay your items. Be sure to have mail addressed to your "Mailbox."
Field Trips: Important Information If You Are Under 18
If your Scribner Seminar has scheduled a field trip* and you will not be 18 years old by the date of the trip, Skidmore requires a parent or guardian to give permission for you to attend. Parents and guardians should email permission messages to the FYE Office.
Sample e-mail
Dear FYE,
This email grants permission for [student’s full name] to attend field trips on [dates] for his or her Scribner Seminar [name of seminar] and permission to attend the following trip/s [date/s]. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at [phone and/or email].
Sincerely,
Name
* Students under age 18 should inquire of their faculty members whether or not a field trip is planned.
Your Skidmore ID
Your ID is essential for your first day at Skidmore. It is not just for the dining
hall and library; your ID is also the key to your residence hall, your room, and a
declining balance card. Prior to arriving on campus, we ask you to upload a photo
for your ID. Once approved, your photo will be processed, and your ID will be available
at your residence hall when you check in on your first day of Orientation. However,
students who do not submit appropriate photos (or never submit photos) will face unnecessary
delays when they arrive on campus.
Please use the guidelines below when submitting your photo. Photos that do not follow these guidelines or are deemed inappropriate will not be processed.
Between July 1 and August 21, incoming students should upload a photo for their student IDs.
Photo Submission Guidelines
- This picture is for identification purposes
- The picture must be in color
- The picture must be less than 500 KB in size
- The picture must be a minimum of 300 x 300 pixels
- The picture must be a file type of .jpg, .jpeg, .gif., or .png.
- Please use plain light color or blank background
- No hats, sunglasses, jewelry, or garments that obstruct the view of your face
- Eyeglasses should be worn if normally used by students
- Eyes should be open and looking at camera
- There should be a small space between your head and the top of the image
- Head should be positioned directly facing the camera, not leaning on anything
Any questions or concerns should be directed to the Card Office at 518-580-5854.
Required Wellness Education Course for Incoming First-Year Students
We know you're excited about coming to Skidmore and we are thrilled to welcome you to our community. Skidmore College is deeply committed to the health, wellbeing, and happiness of its community members. In an effort to prepare you for the unique challenges and responsibilities of college life, we require that every new incoming Skidmore student take the Think About It course offered through our partnership with CampusClarity.
We believe you'll enjoy the assignment. It is an innovative, engaging, and informative online course, created with students for students. In the course, you will examine the interconnected issues of hooking up, substance abuse, sexual violence, and healthy relationships through a variety of interactive, realistic scenarios and guided self-reflection exercises. The course promotes a healthier and safer campus environment for everyone.
- The course will become available to you on August 1, 2017. The deadline for completing
the course is August 31, 2017. Failure to complete the course may result in a hold on your Skidmore account and
a fine.
The instructions and the link for accessing the course will be sent to your Skidmore email address. Once you click the "Start Training" button, you will be taken to the login page. Please enter your Skidmore email address to log in.
Think About It takes about two to two-and-a-half hours to complete. You can work at your own pace from any computer. You can leave and return to the course at any time. When you return, the course will open to the page where you left off.
If you have questions about accessing the course, please contact Kimberly Golemboski at 518-580-5484.
Please note: We will also be assigning a second and third course throughout your first year at Skidmore. Additional information and instructions for these courses will be sent to your Skidmore email account once the semester begins.
Connect by Communication
Connect through Respect
Connect through Conversation
by Ann Marie Przywara, Associate Dean of Residential Life and Student Conduct
Whether you were assigned one roommate or two, it is important that you make time to contact your roommates before you arrive on campus. These first conversations are a simple way to begin to develop your relationship.
Consider asking questions such as:
- Where are you from? What is your home like?
- How did you choose Skidmore College?
- What academic major are you considering?
- What do you hope to get out of college?
- What clubs and organizations would you like to join?
- What are some of your hobbies and interests?
- Have you ever lived with another person?
- What kind of music do you like?
- Are you a morning or a night person?
When you contact your roommate(s), also consider having a conversation about the space in the room, the items you will bring, and what you are willing to share. Of course, you should be prepared to answer these questions for your roommates!
Sometimes after talking to roommates, students worry that they are different from their roommates. However, developing a friendship is not the main factor in having a great roommate relationship. The key is open and ongoing communication.
If you find that you need help, please do not hesitate to contact your Resident Assistant (RA). Your RA is an upper-class student who is hired from a highly selective pool of applicants. RAs participate in two weeks of training on topics including mediation, counseling skills, and how to access campus resources. When it comes to your roommate concerns, your RA is there to help. He or she will not choose sides, but rather will work with you and your roommates to find a solution to the matter at hand.
If all else fails, you can apply for a room change. Please note that a room change is not your first option in resolving an uncomfortable situation. It is important to invest in finding a solution to any issue at hand.
As you prepare for meeting your roommates, keep in mind what some former "triplets" were happy to share about living in a triple room.
- "I ended up loving my two roommates, but I think an important thing to do at the beginning of the year is to communicate. We sat down and talked about how each of us studied, and how much we wanted personal space, and if it was okay to use each other's things."
- "I got to meet a lot of people (through my roommate) who I probably wouldn't have met otherwise."
- "It was nice to have two automatic buddies to go to the D-Hall with!"
Show your Skidmore pride!
You're in, you're official. You're #Skid4Life now! Follow us on Instagram @SkidmoreCollege and @LifeAtSkidmore, and send a snap of your new room to SkidmoreCollege for a chance to be featured in our Snapchat story!