Swoop Scoop

New student orientation is fun and exciting. It is also very busy and a little hectic. For that reason, students must complete several items prior to attending. Among other things, clearing informational holds is one of them:

You MUST clear informational holds prior to orientation
There are certain informational holds that students must get cleared from their account before they can register for classes. Since you will be registering for classes at Orientation, you need to have this requirement fulfilled before you get there. The good news is these are VERY EASY to take care of. In fact, you can do it right now!

Informational Holds
UNF is required to share certain information with every student. To comply with this requirement, we place registration holds on your account. All you have to do is read the information and press a button that confirms you have read and understand the information. Not all students will see every hold. Below is a list of possible Informational Holds with an explanation of the hold:

• Bright Futures

Regulations regarding the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship changed during the 2009 Florida Legislative Session. If you withdraw from a course(s) you will be required to repay a portion of your Bright Futures Scholarship. The amount you will be required to return will be proportionate to your scholarship level and the number of credit hours from which you withdraw. For more information regarding withdrawing from courses and the repayment of Florida Bright Futures, please visit the Bright Futures website before you submit your request to withdraw.

• Excess Hours Surcharge-

The Florida Legislature established a law in 2009 to encourage undergraduate students to complete their baccalaureate degrees in the most efficient way possible. The Law (1009.286) requires universities to charge students an additional fee for excess attempted hours (i.e. courses completed, failed, withdrawn). For a complete definition of what comprises “attempted” hours, refer to subsection (3) and (4) in Florida Statute 1009.286. Referred to as the Excess Hours Surcharge, students will be charged a fee equal to 50 percent of the tuition rate for each credit hour in excess of 120 percent of the number of credit hours required for the undergraduate degree. Most (not all) undergraduate degree programs at UNF require 120 semester credit hours for graduation; thus, students who attempt 144 or more semester credit hours will be subject to this surcharge. You should speak with your academic advisor regarding how many credit hours are required for your bachelor’s degree program. This law applies to students entering a state university or community college for the first time in the 2009-2010 academic year and thereafter.

• Legislative Update-

In 2011, the Legislature modified the statute and changed the threshold to 115% for students entering in fall 2011 or later. For example, a degree program that requires 120 semester hours to graduate will be subject to the excess credit hour surcharge for any credits taken after 138 semester hours (115% of 120 semester hours). The surcharge percentage is determined by your start date. If you started between fall 2009 and summer 2011, the surcharge is 50% of the normal tuition rate.  If you started in fall 2011 or later, then the surcharge is 100% of the normal tuition rate (Note: The surcharge is assessed only on the tuition portion of the semester hour cost, not on the fees). The Legislature modified the statute again in 2012 and changed the threshold to 110% for students entering in fall 2012 or later. Students in this cohort would incur excess hour surcharges for coursework attempted above 132 credit hours for a degree program requiring 120 credit hours.

• Financial Responsibility for Tuition, Fees and Other University Charges-

Students registering for classes or obtaining goods and services through UNF are advised that the Cashier’s Office communicates all financial account information via electronic services using online secured portals via myWings at and sends you important notices via your UNF email account. You should review your account history available on myWings prior to registering for classes and before the tuition payment deadline each semester. It is your responsibility to review your UNF account status and email account weekly.

The Cashier’s Office provides account information electronically for the following categories, and more:

• Account History
• IRS Tax Form 1098-T
• Direct Deposit Authorization Form

Students will receive an email notification to their UNF email account when their account has a balance due. It is your responsibility to review your account and make payment by the published deadline. Students who have not paid their fees or made payment arrangements prior to the tuition payment deadline will be charged a $100 late payment fee. If your account becomes delinquent, you understand that you will not be allowed to register for the next semester nor receive transcripts. If you are a graduating student you will not receive a diploma. In addition, you will be responsible for all past tuition and fees as well as collection costs, including penalties, interest, attorney’s fees and court costs. These costs may add over 33 1/3% to the balance due. All litigation of disputes of these charges will be done in the State of Florida, Duval County.

• VA Benefits-

For students receiving VA Benefits, if you withdraw from a course(s), your benefits may change and you may owe all or a portion of your benefits back to the VA. Additional information is available at www.gibill.va.gov.

• IRS Tax Form 1098-T Tuition Statement-

For tax years beginning with 2009 and all subsequent years you will access and print IRS Form 1098-T Tuition Statement through myWings. You must keep your contact information, including your physical address and telephone numbers up to date in myWings. If you do not consent to receive an electronic copy of IRS Form

1098-T, you should complete a request to receive a paper copy available here. The University will provide a confirmation in writing of the withdrawal consent, including the date on which it takes effect. Withdrawal of consent does not apply to an electronic statement that was furnished before the date on which the withdrawal takes effect. This applies to every tax year after which the electronic consent is withdrawn.

• Code Red Campus Alert System–

The Code Red Campus Alert System gives campus administrators the ability to communicate with students, faculty, and staff in the event of an urgent situation on campus such as campus closings, severe weather or security incidents. By entering a telephone number, the University will have the ability to send you a voicemail when an urgent situation on campus arises. The privacy and priority of this information will be preserved and will not be shared with third parties for commercial purposes or purposes other than this notification system. When the Code Red Campus Alert System is activated you will receive a call from 999-911-9999 on your phone.

How to clear your holds
All holds can be viewed in your myWings account. Follow these steps to view and clear your Informational Holds:

1. Log into myWings
2. Click on Student tab
3. Click on Student Self Service in the My Records Channel
4. Click on Student Records
5. Click on View Holds
6. Click on Each Hold to View and/or Clear it

Contact appropriate departments for assistance or any questions regarding holds.