Parent and Family FAQs

The student’s faculty adviser and the Office of Academic Services and Retention are excellent resources for discussions about degree requirements, appropriate electives, changes in academic plans, etc.

As a rule of thumb, most students should spend at least two to three hours per week in preparation outside class for every credit hour they are in class. Since most students take 15 credit hours, they should plan to spend at least 30 to 45 hours per week studying, depending on individual study habits and course requirements.

Adelphi’s Learning Center and Writing Center provide students with an opportunity to enhance their reading, writing, critical thinking, research and study skills. Seminars on special learning topics, review sessions for particular courses and individualized tutoring are also available, at no cost.

Over one-third of the first-year class enters undeclared, and many students will also change their major after they begin. The University requires all undergraduates to declare a major upon completing 60 credits.

If a change of majors is made within the first two years, it probably will not delay graduation. After that, it may add a semester or more. Students contemplating a change of major should seek advice from their academic adviser or visit the Office of Academic Services and Retention.

Parents should be aware that the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 as amended, also known as FERPA or the Buckley Amendment, limits the information concerning student records that the university can release to third parties, including parents, regardless of the student’s age. If you wish to have access to these records, your student will need to contact the office responsible for the records in question (for example, the Office of the Registrar for academic records) and complete a consent to release form giving the university permission to share their information with you.

There is no simple answer. It depends upon the credit load, financial need, involvement in co-curricular activities and family responsibilities. Keep in mind that being a full-time student is a full-time endeavor. A course of 15 credits requires about 45 to 60 hours per week in classwork and homework. And to do well academically requires getting plenty of rest and being alert and receptive during class. Therefore, the more outside work a student is engaged in, the less time they will have available for academic study. If your student must work, a job on-campus is preferable to one off-campus. The Center for Career and Professional Development is available to help students find jobs on- and off-campus.

Incoming first-year students who complete the housing application and deposit by May 1 will be eligible to participate in New First-Year Online Room Selection, which takes place primarily on June 15 and June 16. Otherwise, the housing staff reviews the room/roommate preferences to see if the student had selected another student to room with. The staff assigns by gender, class and year to determine which students would best fit with each other. More information is available from the Office of Residential Life and Housing. 

The Office of Residential Life and Housing has two closings per year, one at the end of each semester. During each closing, students must be out 24 hours after their last final or by 5:00 p.m. on the last day of finals, whichever comes first. In the case of the fall closing, students who are returning to the residence halls in the spring will be permitted to leave personal belongings in their rooms over the break. Students should bring all valuables home during this break. For those not returning in the Spring and for all checkouts in the Spring semester, all students’ belongings must be removed.

All residents in good standing are allowed to have up to three visitors at a time in their rooms, but they must accept full responsibility for the conduct of their visitors when present in the residence halls. Students must register their visitors with the hall attendant. All overnight guests must be approved by the residence hall director.

There is no post office on campus. Mail is delivered to each individual building Monday through Friday. It should be available each evening. All mail should be addressed with the following information:

Adelphi University
Student’s Name
Student’s Residence Hall and Student’s Room Number
One South Ave, PO Box 701
Garden City, NY 11530-0701

Large packages that will not fit in the student’s regular mailbox will be delivered Monday through Friday to the package room located in Post Hall. Students will be notified by email when they receive a package and they should bring their student ID card at pickup. For all packages and letters, it is critical to include the student’s name, residence hall name and room number, as these items will not be delivered without the information. Check with the carrier regarding proper labeling instructions.

There is a kitchenette in the main lounge of each building, with a stove, oven, sink and microwave; however, all residents are still required to have a meal plan.

ATM services are available on the main levels of the Ruth S. Harley University Center and Post Hall.

All students are permitted to bring cars to campus, however, there are some parking restrictions for resident first-year and sophomore students. These restrictions and other instructions are available from the Office of Public Safety and Transportation.

The Adelphi Enterprise CarShare program is another option for students who do not have a car on campus.

Adelphi University has consistently been ranked as one of the safest campuses in the country by the organization Safe Campus. The University has long been committed to maintaining a comprehensive safety and crime prevention program for all members of the Adelphi community. With the assistance of our students, faculty and staff, and through cooperative efforts with the Garden City community and the Garden City Police Department, this program has contributed to an excellent record of safety. Garden City remains one of the safest neighborhoods on Long Island, and Adelphi is one of the safest campuses in the country.

For immediate communication with the Department of Public Safety and Transportation 24 hours a day on the Garden City campus, there are multiple blue-light exterior emergency call boxes, including several that are solar powered, as well as extensive red interior telephones that require no dialing. For additional safety measures, CCTV systems are located throughout the Garden City campus.

In addition to on-campus safety measures, the Department of Public Safety and Transportation has arranged for a number of merchants in the Garden City area to post stickers in their windows, identifying their participation in the Student Protection Program.

The first course of action is for you to contact your student by cellphone or text message. If the student is a resident, contact the Office of Residential Life and Housing. A staff member will attempt to contact them. If reached, they will be encouraged to contact you. If your student is not in their residence hall, a message will be left in the student’s room or mailbox. During class hours, a message will be left at the student’s next scheduled class. In non-class hours, a message will be left in the student’s room or mailbox. During times when University offices are closed, call the Office of Public Safety and Transportation‘s 24-hour Command Center.

If the student is a commuter, the parent may contact the Public Safety Command Center and an attempt will be made to contact them. If reached, they will be encouraged to contact you.

Year-round, Adelphi’s Health Services offers essential support, education and resources to help you stay healthy and get the care when you need it. If a student becomes ill, they may come to the Health Services Center, located in Waldo Hall. If the student is not able to come to the Health Services Center, the Department of Public Safety and Transportation should be called. The health services personnel will treat and/or refer the student as needed.

Parents will be notified in case of illness of a student who is under 18 years of age. All students who become ill on campus are encouraged to keep their parents informed. A student over the age of 18 must give the Health Services Center personnel permission to speak with parents, except in serious or life-threatening emergencies.

Clubs and organizations, evening and weekend programming, Multicultural Center, Adelphi Gives Back etc.

The are multiple opportunities for Parents and Families to get involved. For example, the Center for Student and Community Engagement oversees the Parent and Family Association, Spirit Weekend, the Holiday Lighting Spectacular, and other campus initiatives that take place throughout the year.

The Center for Recreation and Sport offers a variety of different opportunities for students such as gym access, group fitness classes, club sports, dance teams, and more. For more important on these opportunities, visit campus-recreation/facilities/.

Adelphi offers a variety of on-campus engagement opportunities for students such as clubs and organization, DEIB Mentoring Program, Commuter Assistants, the Student Lounge, Multicultural Center, and more!

Yes, Residential Life and Housing offering Break Housing and Summer Housing.

Please click here safety-transportation/transportation/shuttles/) for more information on the Shuttle schedule, drop off and pick up locations, and more.

The Interfaith Center is open to Adelphi University’s entire community, providing opportunities for worship, fellowship and sharing of religious traditions and the Mindfulness Center is intended to help people bring a greater sense of calm and to support the well-being of the body, mind and spirit.

Adelphi’s Panther Pantry can help, providing members of our community with basic food items, free of charge. The pantry addresses other needs, too, offering personal care products, clothing and household items. All are free for the asking. Just drop by the pantry or order online from our virtual menu. Either way, we’ll protect your privacy, as all pantry use is confidential.

Students can change their meal plan using their eCampus Housing Self Service tile and using the “Meal Plan” tab.

*Please note, the meal plan can only be changed in the first two weeks of the semester.