University of Colorado at Boulder students have a central place to go when they need help with academic and student life as Ralphie's Resource Center enters its second year.
The center in Norlin Library exists to help with the administrative aspects of being a student, including using the Personal Look-Up Services or PLUS system, navigating graduation requirement information and making the most of what CU-Boulder has to offer.
Ralphie's Resource Center is coordinated by manager Robyn Sandekian and student services adviser Scarlett Pontón de Dutton. Both are CU alumnae, which gives them an understanding of campus life both as students and as staff members.
Since opening in June 2001, Ralphie's Resource Center has assisted more than 19,500 people. On average, 90 students come in daily to ask questions during the academic year.
Because many students' first interaction with Ralphie's Resource Center occurs during freshman orientation, many people assume that Ralphie's is only open to freshmen. In fact, graduate and undergraduate students, faculty, staff and parents are welcome to come in for help.
The staff at Ralphie's helps members of the CU community become familiar with campus services. Collaborative projects during the first year of operation included working with Wardenburg Health Center's Sexual Health Education Office to host free HIV testing and with the Department of Housing's Campus Card Office as an additional location for distributing RTD stickers.
The staff also maintains CU-Boulder's "Ask Ralphie" Web site, an important gateway of information for current and prospective students and the general public.
Ralphie's Resource Center is located on the first floor of Norlin Library by the east entrance. Until Aug. 30 the center will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The center will be closed Aug. 31-Sept. 2 for the Labor Day holiday weekend. Regular fall hours begin on Sept. 3 and will be from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The center is funded by the Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer and the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs.
For additional information call (303) 735-RALF or (303) 735-RALP or visit the Web site at .