Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Do I have to purchase a student ID card?
A. All students are encouraged to obtain a student ID card. Without it, you will not be able to check a book out of the library, attend WVU athletic events, and attend many of the fun activities that occur on the Potomac State campus. Students who reside on campus must have a student ID card in order to dine in the Potomac Commons.
Q. Can I bring my vehicle to campus?
A. Yes. College provided parking spaces are available but limited and a parking permit is required. Please keep in mind that there is no overnight parking on streets adjacent to the College.
All students who have a vehicle on campus must purchase a parking permit ($40) and park in designated parking areas. Parking rules are strictly enforced by both Campus Police and the Keyser City Police.
Q. How do I get a parking permit?
A. Parking permits cost $40 for the entire academic year. All members of the campus community who plan to park a vehicle on campus must display a valid PSC parking permit. Parking permits may be purchased during Student Services Days prior to the start of each semester in the Church-McKee Auditorium. Once classes have begun, permits may be purchased by going to the Campus Police Office and obtaining a permit and then going to the Cashier's Office located on the 100-level of the Administration Building to actually pay for their permit.
Q. Can I live off-campus?
A. Potomac State College requires all single, full-time students to live in College-operated housing. Students living at home with parents within reasonable commuting distance of PSC (50 miles), married students, students with children, and students 21 years and older are exempt from this requirement.
Q. How can I find out more about campus life at PSC?
A. Students and parents/guardians are strongly encouraged to read the Potomac State College of WVU Student Handbook and the WVU Student Conduct Code. Students who are residing in College-owned housing should read the Residence Life Handbook.
It is a good idea to read all mailings from the College that arrives before the school year begins. The College Web-site is also an outstanding resource for both student and parent/guardians to explore.
Q. I would like more information about getting involved with community service projects.
A. Potomac State College students and staff have a long-standing tradition of being active in the community. Many of the College's sports teams do community service projects as do several student organizations. If you would like to get involved in projects such as Habitat for Humanity or the local food pantry, you should contact the Community Service office at 788-6868.
Q. Does PSC have fraternities or sororities?
A. No.
Q. I have participated in Student Government in high school and would like information about getting involved in PSC's Student Government.
A. PSC's Student Government Association is very active on campus and welcomes students who want to get involved in the organization. Feel free to stop in the Student Affairs office located in room 104 of the Administration Building to talk to a staff person who can answer all of your questions.
Q. I want to be involved when I get on campus and would like more information about student organizations.
A. There are approximately twenty active student organizations on campus and all of them welcome new members.
Q. Does PSC offer intramural activities?
A. Yes. There is a wide array of activities planned for students throughout the year including flag football, soccer, softball, and basketball to name a few.
Q. When is the first day of classes?
A. The 2011 fall semester begins on August 22, 2011.
Q. Does PSC provide transportation to train stations or airports?
A. Yes and No. The College does provide a free shuttle service to and from the Amtrak station in Cumberland, Maryland (approximately 20 miles north of Keyser) during opening weekend, Thanksgiving break, spring break and at the end of each semester. From Cumberland, students can catch a train to either Washington or Pittsburgh. To learn more about the shuttle service to the train station just call the Residential Education office at 304-788-7407. Student shuttles are by reservation only.
There are cab companies in the area that will drive students to regional airports. Be sure to contact the cab company well in advance since this trip does take several hours.
Q. How do I get a WVU football ticket?
A. When WVU tickets become available, students should go to Morgantown the day of the game. Once in Morgantown, students should go to the ticket window at the North Gate of Milan Puskar Stadium and present your Potomac State College student ID card to purchase a student ticket. The cost of a student ticket is $10.
Students can only purchase tickets in person the day of the game. Student tickets may NOT be available for all games.
Normally, when tickets are available, WVU will notify PSC's Student Affairs office one day prior to the game and then Student Affairs will post a message on student MIX mail accounts.
Before each home game, students may inquire about ticket availability by contacting the WVU Ticket Office at 1-800-WVU-GAME.
Q. How do I get a WVU basketball ticket?
A. When tickets are available, students have to go to the Coliseum and show their PSC student ID card and pay $7 to obtain a student ticket.
Before each home game, students may inquire about ticket availability by contacting the WVU Ticket Office at 1-800-WVU-GAME.
Q. Does PSC provide transportation to WVU for football or basketball games?
A. No. Normally, there are students traveling to events in Morgantown and it is fairly easy to snag a ride with another student. You may want to offer to help pay for gas.
Q. Will the College notify parents or guardians if their student is taken to the hospital?
A. It depends. Federal laws prevent College personnel from notifying parents/guardians unless it is a life or death situation and that call is usually made by hospital personnel. There are times when the College does not even know that a person is in the hospital as hospital personnel are not permitted to notify anyone unless they receive permission from the student.
If a student was transported by ambulance to the hospital from the residence halls, normally Residential Education or Health Center personnel will contact parents as a courtesy unless of course the student strongly objects and it is not a life or death situation (potential for harm to oneself or to others).
Q. Will the College notify parents/guardians if their student is arrested?
A. No. Again, Federal laws prevent the College from releasing this type of information.
Q. When will the College notify parents/guardians if something is wrong?
A. There are circumstances when the College can legally notify parents/guardians. Obviously, in life and death situations (potential for harm to oneself or to others), the College normally will want to get parents/guardians involved unless of course the student is strongly opposed to notifying one or the other parent (there are times when a student does not want to have contact with a particular parent and the College will weigh this into the decision of contacting parents).
If a dependent student has been found responsible for violating the College's alcohol and/or drug polices, Judicial Affairs personnel will contact parents/guardians either by telephone or by mail.
If a student has not been seen or has been reported missing, the College will normally contact parents to inquire about the student's whereabouts.
Q. Who should I call at night or on weekends when there is an emergency and I need to contact my student?
A. It is best to try to contact the student by telephone in his/her room or by cell phone. If you do not get a response, you can contact Student Affairs at 304.788.6842 Monday through Friday from 8 AM until 4:30 PM and University Police, after hours and on weekends at 304-788-6931 and they will try to get a message to your student. The College cannot force a student to return a telephone call.
Q. Does the College allow alcohol on campus?
A. Absolutely not! Not even if the student is of legal drinking age. College personnel and University Police strongly enforce all alcohol and drug polices and state laws. Students who violate these policies/laws will have a College conduct hearing. Students who violate alcohol and/or drug policies/laws could receive College sanctions up to and including expulsion from WVU along with other legal ramifications.
Q. Do I get a refund if my student is removed from the residence halls for violating residence hall polices?
A. No. Students who are removed from College-owned housing as a result of conduct sanctions are not refunded any of their room money for the semester.
Q. What happens if my student gets caught drinking in the halls?
A. They will be written up by Residential Education personnel and they will face sanctions up to and including expulsion from WVU. In addition, they will likely be cited by University Police and will have to appear before the magistrate and likely pay a fine and court costs that amount to approximately $200. Their name will also probably appear in the local newspaper. They will have a criminal record that will negatively impact their College major and career choice. Normally, residence hall students are kicked out of housing after two incidents involving drugs or alcohol; if the student commits a major offense, he/she could be immediately removed from housing. Potomac State sanctions also apply at WVU in Morgantown.
Q. Can a student get in trouble for bad behavior off campus?
A. Yes. The West Virginia University Student Conduct Code applies off campus. If a student does something off campus, more than likely that individual will be cited by the appropriate legal authority AND face College sanctions.