Student Assistance & Support
Student Assistance & Support
Student Assistance and Support provides one-on-one support, including interventions, advocacy, referrals and follow up for students who are experiencing difficulties related to mental health, physical health, personal and family emergencies, financial issues and/or other areas of concern.
The Office also provides support and guidance to faculty and staff who have concerns for students and to parents and family members who are seeking help on their student's behalf. The Office seeks to:
- Enhance students' and their family members' knowledge of various University policies, procedures and campus support resources
- Facilitate the referral to and promote the use of campus resources
- Empower students' sense of personal responsibility, self-advocacy and the ability to function autonomously
- Promote students' help-seeking skills in crisis and experiencing challenging life events
Case management is not counseling or therapy. Rather, case managers have the opportunity to develop close helping relationships with students while coaching students toward appropriate self-care and self-advocacy.
Services Provided
Absence Verification
On occasion students may have a need to miss class for a medical, personal or family emergency. Should this need arise, Student Assistance and Support can assist a student with the following actions: advocating for absence(s), makeup work, and extended academic deadlines.
The Office CANNOT assist with any requests for absence verification for participation in out-of-classroom activities such as student conferences, personal activities, etc. Those requests must be directed to the student's faculty member(s). Any requests for academic accommodations due to a qualified, documented disability should be submitted through the Accessibility Resources department.
The following are examples of how Student Assistance and Support can assist:
Medical Emergency. Documentation of the circumstance, illness or condition must be on medical practice letterhead with the name and phone of the provider/practice, signed and dated by the attending physician, and include the dates of treatment as well as the student's anticipated date to return to class/work.
Personal/Family Emergency. Special circumstances involving an immediate family member (spouse/partner, parent, sibling, child, grandparent.) We must be able to establish a relationship between the student and the immediate family member in order to advocate for an academic excuse. Circumstances that do not meet the "immediate family member" criteria listed above may require the student to meet in person.
In cases of family illness, the student must provide medical documentation of the family member’s illness, which must be presented on medical practice letterhead, signed and dated by the attending physician, and include the dates of treatment. We must be able to verify the relationship between the student and the immediate family member.
In the unfortunate circumstance where a student experiences the loss of an immediate family member, the student must provide an obituary, memorial service pamphlet or other documentation that identifies the student as related to the deceased. Such documentation must include date of the family member's passing, date of funeral/memorial service, and the city and state the services were held.
In each case, the Office must have documentation in order to verify the circumstance, take action and advocate on behalf of a student. The Office may take steps to call medical providers or others to validate any documentation submitted.
Please note that while we can help verify the documented circumstance, such verification does not guarantee an excused absence, rescheduled coursework and/or makeup exam. The final decision regarding the actual absence verification and/or accommodation lies with the individual faculty member.
Authority for us to advocate for such requests ends once grades are posted for the student (including a single grade for a course or grades for multiple courses.)
SUBMIT ABSENCE VERIFICATION REQUEST (opens in new tab)
Attach any supporting documentation to the online form.
Documentation can also be sent via the following:
- Faxed ATTN: Student Assistance and Support to 336-770-1575
- Mailed ATTN: Student Assistance and Support, 1533 South Main Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27127
- Delivered in person to Room 114 in Hanes Student Commons
Withdraw Process
I'm thinking of withdrawing from the University. Where do I start?
Need some advice? Need someone to help you identify alternatives? If you are considering withdrawing from the University a good first point-of-contact is your advisor.
The withdraw process begins with Student Assistance and Support. To set up a time to meet call 336-770-3283. In addition, the Office assists students experiencing circumstances beyond their control requiring their withdrawal from classes for the current term.
What are my options for withdrawing?
Transfer/No longer want to be enrolled
Students who are leaving UNCSA to transfer to another institution or who have decided
to no longer remain enrolled at UNCSA must complete a Withdrawal Request form online.
Withdrawal Request form (opens in new tab)
Each student who withdraws from UNCSA also will complete an exit interview. Please contact the Office for Student Assistance and Support at 336-770-3283 to set up a time to complete the interview.
Extenuating Circumstances Partial or Full Withdrawal (Must get prior approval through the above withdrawal request process.)
A partial (single course withdrawal) or full withdrawal (all classes) for students who are unable to complete their course work for the semester due to an unforeseen circumstance may include but not be limited to the following:
- Personal/Family Emergency. Students may be withdrawn completely from all courses due to special circumstances
involving an immediate family member (spouse/guardian, parent, sibling, child.) The
Dean of Students Office must be able to establish a relationship between the student
and the family member in order to grant the withdrawal. In cases of family illness,
the student must provide medical documentation of the family member's illness, which
must be presented on medical practice letterhead, signed and dated by the attending
physician, and include the dates of treatment.
In the unfortunate circumstance where a student experiences the loss of an immediate family member, the student must provide an obituary, memorial service pamphlet and/or other documentation that identifies the student as related to the deceased. Such documentation must include date of the family member's passing, date of funeral/memorial service and the city and state the services were held. Students must also be able to articulate how the situation is affecting their academic and personal obligations. - Medical/Mental Health Emergency. Students may be withdrawn completely from all courses due to special medical and
psychological circumstances. Students seeking a withdrawal from all classes for medical
or psychological reasons must submit a completed Health Evaluation Form.
- Military Orders. Students may be withdrawn completely from all courses when being called to military duty. Students must provide official military orders signed and dated by a commanding officer/designee. Orders must include the date of departure.
Students who request a full withdrawal with extenuating circumstances specifically after the withdrawal deadline has passed must be able to show why they did not use their withdrawal credits.
Reasons which do not meet the criteria:
- Poor performance in course work
- Missed deadlines
- Academic and or grade troubles
- Probationary standing
- Financial trouble
- Involvement in a legal situation as a defendant
Student Assistance and Support will not accept requests after the last regularly scheduled class meeting prior to the final examination for the course(s) in question except where earlier requests could not have been foreseen. Students who utilize a FULL withdrawal with extenuating circumstances after the drop/add deadline will be required take the following semester off from UNCSA.
Once you are ready to begin the process for a Withdrawal with Extenuating Circumstances, please start by completing one of the following request forms:
Partial withdraw extenuating circumstances Request (opens in new tab)
Full withdraw extenuating circumstances Request (opens in new tab)
Food Insecurities (Pickle Pantry)
The UNCSA Pickle Pantry provides free food and related items to students facing food insecurity and in need of assistance. The Pantry provides supplemental support. This means the pantry does not supply all the food you will need for two weeks, but our goal is to cut your grocery bill at least in half. We always have vegetables, fruits, soups, pasta or rice, at least one protein, cereal and other items available for your selection. The Pickle Pantry is completely supported by donations from the UNCSA community and friends of UNCSA.
Who Is eligible?
UNCSA undergraduate and graduate students who do not have a full on-campus meal plan.
Participants who have applied for Pickle Pantry support.
Pickle Pantry Application (opens in new tab)
Want to donate?
The Pickle Pantry is always accepting donations of non-perishable food items. Some
of the most requested items are snack sized nuts, protein bars, and protein shakes
in addition to personal hygiene items such as deodorant, body wash, toilet paper and
feminine hygiene products. Donations can be brought to the Hanes Student Commons Student
Affairs Office Suite on the lower level.
Student Affairs Emergency Fund
Emergency funds are available to UNCSA students who experience circumstances that may jeopardize their health, safety and/or performance. One-time funds may be granted to students to help alleviate financial hardship that are brought on by these circumstances. These funds may be used for such necessities as rent, emergency medical bills, utilities, etc.
If you believe you have a circumstance and would like to have your situation evaluated for emergency funds, please complete the Emergency Fund Request form
Emergency Fund Request (opens in new tab)
If you have additional questions about the Student Affairs Emergency Fund please contact Student Assistance and Support at 336-770-3283.
Meal Plan Assistance (Allen Carnes Bread Basket)
The Allen Carnes Bread Basket is a meal plan assistance program that takes unused block meals from inactive One Card accounts as well as block meal purchased specifically for the Allen Carnes Bread Basket and disburses meal swipes to students in need.
Approved students have emergency meals added to their One Card. A recipient swipes their One Card at the Dining Hall like all the other students so their financial need can remain private.
Receive Meals
Students apply for and are set up for meals on an emergency basis through the Student
Assistance & Support department in the Student Affairs Division by emailing Marsha Dove. Examples of when students may need an emergency can include: emergency housing displacement,
awaiting disbursement of financial resources, and depletion of meals on a plan with
no financial means to replenish.
Donate Meals
The Bread Basket was started in 2016 with the One Card, Business Operations, Dining
Services and Student Assistance and Support offices. The program was renamed in 2019
for Allen Carnes, the former Associate Vice Chancellor for Business Operations and
one of the founding champions of the Bread Basket program. To donate to the Allen
Carnes Bread Basket, contact Auxiliary Services .
Re-entry to UNCSA following a withdrawal
Students who decide to return to UNCSA following a withdrawal for any reason must contact the case manager located in the Student Affairs Office before being allowed to reapply to the university. The case manager may require written documentation from a medical provider to support a student’s readiness to resume the reapplication process.
