FAQ

Who do I contact if my student has an emergency?

There will always be a Community Coordinators available assist your student, 24 hours a day. The Bryan CC desk is staffed daily from 7:30am to 1:30am. All other CC building offices (Hunt, Royall, and Hill) are staffed beginning at 6:30pm each day. 

Outside of these hours, there will always be two 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. The number for the Bryan desk is 919.416.2825

If your student has an emergency they are encouraged to reach out to the on-duty or on-call CCs. While you are welcome to reach out to them, your student's assigned CC may not be available at all times.

NCSSM also has Campus Safety and Security Officers available 24 hours. They can be contacted in non-emergencies at 919.416.2911. In emergencies, they can be contacted at 919.416.2711; please note that these calls are handled by a radio and you should allow a few seconds to pass before speaking after the officer has spoken.

I have concerns about my student, but it is not an emergency.

If you have any concerns about your child that are not time sensitive, please feel free to email your CC. The nature of my position means I typically am working atypical and irregular hours, so I may not be able to answer or return a phone call right away, but I can guarantee a 24 hour turn around. I check my emails and text messages consistently throughout the day and am happy to respond to your concerns in whatever method is most convienent, whether via email, text, or phone conversation. 

Email: axel.battista@ncssm.edu

DialPad: (919) 416-2823

My student is having a roommate conflict - what do I do?

For many students, 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! 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 weekend, 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 student develops a conflict with their roommate that they have trouble navigating on their own. If this occurs, you or your student should reach out to their CC. They 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: please refrain from contacting the other student or their family. If the conflict continues, the CC may refer the students to either the Assistant Director or Director of Residential Education and Housing to continue working towards a solution.

NCSSM operates at full occupancy; therefore, room changes are not easy to accommodate. No room changes will be approved during the first 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. A room change should not be viewed as a likely outcome to resolve a conflict. 

How are meals provided for students?

NCSSM contracts with an off-campus food service provider for meals. The NCSSM dining hall, known as the “PFM,” serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner Monday-Friday and brunch and dinner Saturday-Sunday. On occasion, the dining hall will also host special events (e.g. Senior Breakfast, cookouts, snow cones, and more). All meals are provided at no cost to the students. Dining hall hours and weekly menus can be found here.

Are there any transportation options available for students?

Yes! While students are not allowed to have cars on campus, we typically can get them where they need to go. CCs provide transportation to most medical appointments as well as transportation to the Durham Amtrak and Greyhound stations. 

In order to arrange medical appointment transportation, your child should contact the clinic. In order to arrange transportation to the train or bus station, please submit a student travel permission form and call Bryan desk at 919.416.2825.

Additionally, Community Coordinators offer off campus activities for their hall. CCs frequently take students off campus for grocery runs, food runs, trips to the mall, etc.

Should a student wish to travel somewhere within 30 miles of campus with a friend, they may choose to bike, take the local bus, or use a ride share service. Please note that the school is not responsible for these forms of transportation and students should communicate their plans with their parents and use precaution when traveling in these ways.

All students need to submit a LiveSafe ticket each time they leave campus (except for extended weekends).

Things CCs do NOT provide transport for:

What happens if my student gets sick?

Student Health Services, 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 medical concerns 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, nausea medications, herbal remedies, vitamins, etc.).

The Clinic is open Monday - Friday from 8:00am to 4:00pm. 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 currently open to drop-in appointments.

Depending on the severity of the illness (or injury), a student may temporarily need to return home to recover. We will contact you if this is the case so that you may pick your student up. Absences due to illness (whether a student is off-campus or on-campus) will be excused at the discretion of the clinic, and students should work with their instructors to catch up on course material.

If your student becomes ill or has a medical emergency after clinic hours, Community Coordinators will contact our on-call nurse team for assistance in evaluating the concern.

Can my students have off-campus guests?

Students may have visitors on campus from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM Mon-Thurs,  8:00 AM to 11:00 PM Fri-Sat, and 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM on Sunday. All visitors must sign in at Bryan Desk and receive a visitor badge. Students are responsible for their guests' actions and any damage caused.

While on campus, students must always accompany their guests. Please note that guests, including parents/guardians, cannot access student rooms unless the occupants are present. Guests also are not allowed to stay on-campus overnight.

Students living in Beall are not allowed to have individuals who were assigned male at birth (including siblings, cousins, and off-campus friends) in their rooms, halls, or lounges without permission from a staff member, or unless accompanied by a parent/guardian.

How do students send and receive mail?

How should letter and packages to me be addressed?

Student's Full Name

NCSSM, Mailbox Number (Ex. B101 or L101)

1219 Broad Street

Durham, NC 27705-3577


Can packages or letter be sent to my campus address before I move in?

Yes. Your mail will be placed in your mailbox and packages will be held in the Mail Services for you to pick up after you move in. Normally, mail is placed in mailboxes daily (Monday-Friday after 12:00pm).


Where can I find my mailbox information?

Your mailbox number and combination can be found on your Focus account or you can contact Mail Services. There are two student mailbox areas on campus: Beall and Lobby. Your mailbox will begin with the letter of the mailroom in which you have been assigned (Ex. B101 or L101). Beall mailboxes are in Ground Beall and Lobby mailboxes are in the Bryan Lobby.


Can I ship heavy items such as a futon or mini refrigerator?

Yes; however, you are responsible for transporting these items to your room.


Will I be notified when I receive a package?

If the package is small enough, it will be placed in your mailbox. For larger packages, you will receive a package pick up notification from the Mail Services Department on the day your package is received and every three days after the package is received until it is picked up. Packages left in Mail Services over 30 days will be returned to the sender.


If I receive an email delivery notification from the carrier (UPS, FedEx, etc.) before I receive a notification from Mail Services, may I come and pick up my package?

No. All packages must be checked in through the NCSSM notification system and once done you will receive an email to pick up your package. However, if you do not receive a NCSSM notification within three hours after the carrier delivery please contact Mail Services.


Do I need anything to pick up my package?

Yes. Your NCSSM ID card or another type of picture ID is required.


Can I give my roommate or friend my ID to pick up my package?

No. Only you may pick up your package(s). Packages will not be released to roommates, siblings, friends, etc.


Where do I pick up my package(s)?

Packages may be picked up from Mail Services located in Room 151 of the ETC Building. Mail Services hours are Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 12:00pm and 1:30pm - 4:30pm.


Can I send mail from campus?

Yes. You must prepare your own mail. Envelopes and stamps can be purchased from the school store. There is a blue USPS mailbox located on the walkway between the ETC building and Bryan Lobby. Mail is picked up Monday - Friday at 3:00pm and Saturday at 10:00am.


Can I send packages from campus?

Yes. Your package must be taken to Mail Services. The packages must be prepared and have a pre-paid label. If you need assistance with packaging and weight of the package, Mail Services can assist you. It is your responsibility to obtain the package label.

How can my student do their laundry? How much does it cost?

In order to use the laundry machines, students will need to pay either by using a credit or debit card on the card reader or by using the CSCPay Mobile App. The app uses Bluetooth to connect a smartphone to the laundry machines in your building and allows you to use money from your CSCPay account on the washers and dryers, monitor how much time is left on the machines, and see which machines are available for use. It costs $1.50 for a wash cycle and $1.25 for a drying cycle. 

The laundry facilities for Beall students are located outside Ground Reynolds C. 

Is my student able to miss curfew check and/or spend the night off-campus?

With guardian permission, yes! We have specific guidelines regarding curfew hours. Curfew is 10:00 PM from Sunday to Thursday and 11:00 PM on Fridays and Saturdays.

If your child needs to miss curfew, they must be signed out at one of the main offices. Please note that if someone other than a parent or guardian will be picking up your child, we require you to complete the Student Travel Permission Form at least 48 hours in advance. This form allows our Community Coordinators to verify the information provided with a legal guardian.

It's important to emphasize that no one, including grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, friends, or even the president, may sign out a student to miss curfew without explicit permission from a parent or guardian of the student. 

If your travel plans change after signing your student out (i.e. you decide to bring them back a day later than anticipated), please call Bryan Desk to update us.