As tuition costs rise across the country, most students do not realize what they are paying for when they send their tuition checks in the mail. Because education has become expensive, it is important for students to get the most bang for their buck -- but it is up to the students to make sure they get that bang. \nIU Dean of Students Richard McKaig said students need to be aware of all their options when at school.\n"IU is a good buy and when you come here, you should get all of what you paid for," he said.\nThe following are some crucial areas IU students should be aware of when trying to be successful:
Main Library\nAt the Main Library alone, there are 4,221,520 books available for reference. But that is a well-known fact. What is not known is students have access to the other IU libraries not on this campus through online catalogs. Books can be sent from those libraries and storage facilities around the state to the IU-Bloomington Main Library by request. Also, students have access to millions of other documents through a vast amount of online databases to which IU subscribes and students receive free access.
University Information Technology Services\nUITS, with offices on the Bloomington and Indianapolis campuses, develops and maintains a University-wide information technology environment to support excellence in research, teaching, outreach and lifelong learning, according to the UITS Web site. \nIU also has a number of agreements with software vendors, offering programs like Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat for free to students.
IU Health center\nThis clinic supplies students with on-campus health care during the day. The pharmacy offers students prescriptions at a discounted price because of arrangements with the government and manufacturers.
Student Recreational Sports Center and School of Health, Physical Education, & Recreation\nThe SRSC and HPER are two state-of-the-art facilities that help students stay in shape. Students can receive a massage, spend time playing basketball or lift weights. These two facilities are part of a fee tacked on to each student's tuition, but the amount of times a student can use these facilities is endless.
Basketball, Football, Auditorium\nThe athletic teams at IU have a rich history on campus. Student tickets for basketball and football games are discounted and the other IU athletic teams do not charge admission to home events. Also, the Broadway-quality shows being performed at the IU Auditorium have discounted tickets for students as well.\n \nStudent Employment Office\nThe Student Employment Office assists students in locating part-time, summer and temporary jobs by making current job vacancies available on a year-round basis. All currently enrolled students and their spouses may use the services of this office, according to the SEO Web site.
Career Development Center\nWith a talented staff, four specialized units and one of the most comprehensive career libraries on campus, the CDC offers a wide array of services to help IU students of any major reach their academic and career goals.
Greek organizations and other student groups\nWith over 40 fraternities and sororities on campus offering a variety of social functions, volunteer opportunities and the Little 500, there is a plethora of activities to take advantage of year-round.
