Frequently Asked Questions

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If my child gets sick or injured, where should s/he go? Health Services is located on the first floor, Coker Hall which is easy access to all residential students. Health Services is staffed from Monday - Friday by a registered nurse who is an employee of Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center. The nurse makes referrals to physicians, as needed. Students who become sick or injured (outside of intercollegiate athletics) outside of regular office hours, can go to the Emergency Room at Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center which is about five minutes from campus.

What about Health/Accident Insurance? All residential students are covered under a basic sickness and accident plan. Residential students can also elect to take an additional policy for greater coverage. All commuters are covered under a basic accident policy. These plans are in addition to any personal/family insurance plan that the student may have coverage. Intercollegiate athletes have a separate policy through the Athletic Department.

How can I verify that my student is a full time student at Coker College for my insurance company?
Just ask your student to go by the Registrar’s Office to have the form completed. It can be mailed from the Campus Post Office.

What immunizations and examinations are required to live in the residence halls? Freshmen students who wish to live in the residence halls must have up to date immunizations and a recent physical examination to be filed in Health Services. Immunizations must include: two MMRs (measles, mumps, and rubella vaccinations), tetanus within ten years, a TB skin test, and menningitis vacine.

Will parents be notified if a student needs medical attention? Parents of dependent students are normally notified of a significant accident or illness. Basic communication is expected between the student and the parent.

If a student can not attend classes because of illness, accident, or emergency, who should be notified? Students who cannot attend class because of illness should contact their professors and go to Health Services. Students who would be absent from several days and who are not on campus, should also notify the Office of Student Services who will notify professors.

Do most students have a vehicle? Many students have a vehicle on campus but it is not a necessity. Transportation on and around campus is up to the student. To go off campus, many students have bicycles or cars. Public transportation is very limited. Catching a ride with a friend is very common.

What are the computer requirements? Computers are not required but many students have their own personal computer. Those that do not have a computer have adequate access to computers in the residence hall study lounges as well as in the Computer Center and Library. You can see specific information about computers at Coker by going to these web pages: Campus Computing.

Is every student assigned an advisor? How often should they meet? Every student is assigned an faculty member from one of the 12 academic departments to serve as their academic adviser. Once a student declares their major, their adviser is normally from the department of their major. Student should at least meet with their advisor twice per semester but more often if there are problems. Undecided majors are assigned

When and where does a student register for classes? A student already enrolled preregisters for the next semester about half way through the current semester. The process begins with the student meeting with their advisor and discussing the schedule of courses that is prepared by the Registrar. Registration actually occurs at the beginning of each term and is a time when students receive financial clearance and confirming the course schedule.

What is Drop-Add? After registration, the student had approximately one week to make changes to their schedule, i.e. drop or add classes. At the end of the drop/add period, no other changes can be made in their schedule.

When does a student declare their major? A student can declare their major at any time. By declaring a major, student’s are assigned an advisor from the department of the major. Undecided majors are assigned advisors trained to assist the student who is unsure of which major they wish to pursue.

What is the general layout of the residence hall? The typical residence halls at Coker College consists of approximately 30 occupants per floor in double rooms and community baths. As students progress academically at Coker, they gain priority in housing and are eligible for suite style or private rooms.

Living spaces are furnished with beds, desks, chairs, blinds, closets or wardrobes, phone jacks, cable and data connections, and overhead lights. Student must provide linens, pillows, desk lamps, telephone, computer, rugs, refrigerators, and microwave.

How is residence hall activity organized and conducted? Residence hall activity is organized by resident advisors (RA’s) and Mentors. An RA lives on every floor and is responsible for upholding the college’s policies and rules as well as serving as counselor, advisor, and friend. Two mentors also live on each freshmen floor and have responsibility to assist freshmen in the adjustment process.. Besides the RA, the Director of Residence Life and the Coordinator of the Freshmen Year Experience live on campus. These two adults are responsible for the overall residence life program.

All residential life staff are trained extensively before students arrive to handle problems, crises, enforcement of policies, and assisting students.

What resources are available to assist students? Depending on the situation, students needing help can speak with the RA or mentor on their hall. They can also call the Director or Assistant Director of Residence Life. If problems related to a physical or mental issue, we have a personal counselor as well as a nurse and direct referral to a local physician’s office. Other resources include the Writing Center, Career Services, Math Lab, Information Technology, as well as the student’s academic adviser.

How safe is the campus? Our campus is experienced very little crime and our crime statistics point to this fact. This a link the most recent campus crime report: Crime Report (PDF). (You will need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this file).

Coker contracts with a national security firm to provide Security Officers 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Security Officers are also in direct contact with the Hartsville Police Department if needed. Local police have access to our campus 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.

Additionally, all residence halls have doors that are controlled by card access only. A Resident Adviser makes rounds each evening and many times are accompanied by a Security Officer.

On campus, lighting has been upgraded which has increased visibility and protection.

How can a parent know how well the student is doing academically? Ask your student. Mid term grade reports are placed in the student’s mailbox around the 8th week of the semester. Final grades are mailed to the dependent student at their home address.

Where can the student go for help if things become overwhelming? The Office of Student Service is available for problem solving and support. Staff can help direct the student to the appropriate office as it relates to personal counseling, career development, academic difficulties, job needs, to roommate conflict.

What career planning is available to students? The Center for International and Experiential Education maintains job listings and internship possibilities for students. Throughout the year, sessions and workshops are held on job searches, resume writing, and interview preparation. Additionally, recruitment fairs are also held on campus as national and regional firms come to campus and interview our juniors and seniors.

When will my student’s books be available? Typically, professors give the campus bookstore their reading list during the summer and books are ordered. Normally, all books are available by August 15th of the each year. Student’s should probably wait until after the first class to purchase the books. This will allow the professor to discuss if some books are required and others are recommended.

Where can I get more information on about Orientation? For a complete New Student Orientation schedule of activities, click here:Orientation Schedule

How can I get residence hall dimensions? Click here: Rooms

What can my son or daughter bring to College? For suggestions, click here: Shopping List (PDF)
(You will need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this file).

What can’t my son or daughter bring?

What laundry facilities are available on campus? Each residence hall has laundry facilities. These are available at no charge to the residents as a part of the room rate.

Where do students attend church? Many denominations are in walking distance of campus. Several churches send shuttles to pick interested students up and return them after services. Others are active through campus organizations and plan special functions for interested students. More information is available during orientation.

What banks are available for Coker students? Currently, Bank of America, Carolina Bank, First Citizens Bank, Hartsville Community Bank, Mutual Savings and Loan, SPC Cooperative Credit Union, and Wachovia are all located within walking distance of campus. Bank of America currently has an ATM machine on the 1st floor of the Student Center

Can I connect my computer to the campus network from my room? Yes, as long as your computer meets the minimum network requirements and you bring or buy a network cable. There are enough ports in the residence hall rooms for each student to have access to one.

How are the residence halls and rooms cleaned? A professional custodial staff cleans all of the residence hall public areas including hallways, lounges, and community bathrooms on a daily basis (Monday-Friday). However, they do not pick up after students. All students are responsible for their own rooms and bathrooms where applicable.

Is cable TV available? Basic cable is provided in each residence hall room as a part of the room package.

Where can my son or daughter pick up mail? Every on-campus student is assigned a mail box in the Campus Post Office and his/her box number should be used for addressing all incoming mail and parcels. The Campus Post Office also sells stamps and handles package mailing by parcel post, UPS, and Federal Express. The Campus Post Office is open Monday - Friday from 8:30 A.M to 5:00 P.M.