Loyola University Chicago

• Bookstore
• Business Office
• Computer Center
• Counseling Services
• Food Service
• Laundry
• Library
• Office of the Senior Academic Advisor
• Office of the Dean of Students 
• Office of Campus Ministry

This office ensures the proper implementation of Loyola University Chicago's academic policies as well as any local policies that have been enacted specifically for the John Felice Rome Center (JFRC). Among the services provided to students are assistance with registration, processing of add/drop, pass/fail and audit requests, withdrawal petitions and transfer applications.

The senior academic advisor assists students in organizing tutorials. She aids students with special needs in obtaining necessary academic accommodations in conjunction with the Learning Disabilities Office of Loyola in Chicago and provides general academic counseling to students. She also works with Loyola's Office of the Bursar and Office of Student Financial Assistance in Chicago concerning problems that may arise with student accounts.

This office welcomes students from all over the United States and eases their adjustment to a new culture, a new language and a new learning experience. The Dean of Students, Todd Waller, is assisted by the current staff of Student Life Assistants (SLAs), each of whom, having graduated from college and having lived in Rome, is a mature, invaluable resource to students. SLAs for the 2009-2010 academic year:

• Anna Carlson
• Martha Espinosa
• Gabriella Fortunato
• Ted Parran
• Kyle Trusgnich 

The responsibility of this office extends to all facets of student life outside the immediate concerns of the Academic Office. Under the guidance of the staff in the office of the Dean of Students, the JFRC provides such general university services as counseling and guidance, housing, health and food services, recreation and student activities.

The special character of the JFRC program, however, adds another dimension to the function of the office of the Dean of Students, namely, the enrichment of the student's foreign study experience. Advice is given about the adventures of life in a foreign country and use of a foreign language, travel, exploration of the European historical and artistic heritage, and an appreciation of cultural differences.

This office also assists students in obtaining their residency permits (permessi di soggiorno) from the police (questura) and plans co-curricular activities. The Dean of Students and his staff of SLAs provide guidance to students in organizing social and cultural events, such as lectures on Italian life and culture and exchange socials with Italian students. This office also moderates the JFRC's newsletter, Ciao Roma, and the yearbook on CD which chronicles the events and friendships of this study-abroad experience. Students are invited to take advantage of these services. They are intended to contribute to the depth and appreciation of the study abroad experience.

By reason of its nature and function, Loyola University Chicago has always attempted to provide for the education of the whole person. As an essential aspect of this goal, the school is concerned with the spiritual life of its students. The JFRC provides the means whereby students can successfully integrate their spiritual values with the other values contributing to their maturing outlook on life.

Father Ted Bohr, S.J., is director of campus ministry for the Rome Center Campus. Students are encouraged to assist Father Bohr in celebrating Mass and other liturgical events. The campus chapel is the site of regular religious services.

The ministry office offers information regarding opportunities for attending Roman Catholic liturgies in Rome, visits to the Vatican and other major religious sites, and the locations and times of services of other faiths in Rome. Special arrangements are made each semester for JFRC students to participate in a papal audience.

The JFRC offers a unique environment rich in possibilities for personal and social development. The faculty and staff are available to help students adjust to the new setting and during any emotionally upsetting moments. Students should be advised, though, that psychological services are not provided and regular therapy is not available.

The Business Office at the JFRC handles several financial transactions: money exchange, cashing of traveler's checks and money orders, security envelopes, and the collection of various fees.

• The money exchange service is limited to changing $ (U.S. dollars) to € (Euro); the rate of exchange is posted each working day.
• Traveler's checks and money orders may be cashed at the Business Office. PLEASE NOTE THAT NO PERSONAL CHECKS MAY BE CASHED AT THE ROME CENTER. Unfortunately this includes personal checks received as gifts for birthdays or Christmas. See Finances and Fees for ways to cash personal checks and transfer funds from the U.S.
• Valuables such as jewelry, money and traveler's checks may be kept in special insured safekeeping envelopes in the Business Office.
• Several fees are also collected by the Business Office: mailbox key deposits, damage payments and fines, and yearbook purchase are some examples. Payment in full of the amount billed must be received by the due date or a late payment fee will be added to the student's account.

A credit card machine is installed in the Business Office at the Rome Center. Credit cards accepted are MasterCard and Visa. Payment for school-sponsored trips or for books may be made by credit card.

The Business Office has posted hours. At especially busy times, the office may extend its hours.

As stipulated in the Room Application and Contract, the Rome Center provides two meals per day in the cafeteria. Be advised that there is no meal service during these periods:

• Fall semester break
• Thanksgiving recess
• Break between semesters
• Spring semester break
• Easter recess 

The cafeteria service is provided by an Italian catering company and the menu items are predominantly Italian. Students with special dietary needs should contact the Dean of Students in Rome for detailed information to ensure that they will not encounter any difficulties with the differences they may find in the food. Italian cuisine is among the most delectable in the world and discovering its variety is an integral part of a student's JFRC experience.

Besides the cafeteria food service, there is also a separate coffee bar, "Rinaldo's Café," where cappuccini, soft drinks, snacks and continental breakfast may be purchased. This family-run establishment is normally open every day except Saturday from 8:00 AM to 11:00 PM.

There are coin-operated washing machines and dryers at the JFRC. Tokens for the machines are on sale at the porter's desk. The JFRC also runs its own laundry service. In the same area there are large sinks where clothes can be washed by hand and lines for drying. Dry cleaning, which is very expensive, can be done at nearby establishments.

The Rome Center bookstore sells textbooks for all JFRC courses. Textbooks may be purchased in €, $, or traveler's checks. A percentage (usually 15%) is added to the price of a book to cover shipping and customs' charges. Once purchased, books cannot be returned for reimbursement if the student drops a course. Books in good condition that will be used in future courses may be returned at the end of the semester. The JFRC bookstore does not sell notebooks or other school supplies. These can be bought at a local department store or at any stationery store in the vicinity.

The JFRC library is open daily. In addition to numerous volumes for reference, research, and circulation, the library provides the following services: guide books, maps and train schedules, newspapers and magazines, computer printing and photocopying. There are study areas in the library as well as a large reading room/study hall on the first floor.

The JFRC provides over forty IBM-compatible computer stations for its students. All are connected with the Internet, and those in the computer labs are accessible 24 hours a day. To avoid spreading computer viruses, students should not bring diskettes from the U.S., but rather obtain a virus-free, preformatted diskette from the JFRC for printing personal files to the local printers in the labs.

The JFRC also offers wireless access in the library and "Rinaldo's Cafe." If students wish to avail themselves of this service, once in Rome they will be provided with the electronic information necessary for accessing the Internet through the JFRC's system. They also may need to acquire a wireless access card in Rome to ensure compatibility. In deciding whether to take a personal computer with them, students should bear in mind that it represents that much more valuable personal property for them to look out for while they are abroad.