Winter Student Resources

Welcome to the Ox-Bow Resource page! We are excited that you have registered for a class and will be joining us on campus this winter. Below you will find a number of topics that will prepare you for your time on campus. If you have any questions feel free to contact us. Download the full Student Orientation Guide.

Arrival to Ox-Bow

Please plan to arrive between 2:00 and 5:00 pm EST on Sunday, January 3rd, 2016. Upon arrival, please check-in in the dining hall, located on the first floor of the Inn. There you will be given your housing assignment along with parking and unloading instructions. Please make sure you arrive on time. Attendance to your first class meeting, Sunday evening at 8:00 pm, is mandatory. If something happens and you are going to be late the first evening we ask that you notify the campus office as soon as possible by calling (269) 857-5811.

*Work-Scholarship students: you must be on time or your award will be jeopardized.

Sunday/First Day Schedule

  • 2:00 – 5:00 pm: Arrival
    Check-in, onsite paperwork
     

  • 5:30: ORIENTATION
    Meeting for all Students
     

  • 6:00: DINNER
     

  • 6:45: WORK
    SCHOLARSHIP MEETING
     

  • 8:00: FIRST CLASS MEETING

Transportation to Campus 

Students provide their own transportation to and from Ox-Bow. We strongly encourage students from Chicago to make use of the Greyhound/Indian Trails bus service to Holland or to make every effort to carpool. For a full list of transportation options, please download the orientation guide.

 

Bus

Greyhound and Indian Trails buses service the West Michigan area. Indian Trails operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motor coaches in Michigan. The closest stop is in Holland, MI (twenty minutes north). Please call Indian Trails at 1(800) 292-3831 and/or Greyhound at 1(800) 231-2222 for schedule information regarding your departure city. You can also visit their websites at www.indiantrails.com and www.greyhound.com.

*Ox-Bow will pick you up from the Holland Bus Station! A taxi shuttle will take you to and from the bus station. Please email Shanna Shearer (sshear@saic.edu) if you plan on taking the bus.

 

Carpooling

We have set up a Doodle account so that students can communicate about traveling to and from Ox-Bow. Please check out the links below to find rides.

 

Transportation to Ox-Bow

Sunday, January 3, 2016: http://doodle.com/poll/gxwn8hhwzgri5rrf

 

Transportation from Ox-Bow

Saturday, January 16, 2016: http://doodle.com/poll/sksbsqt8dngrrs2z

Internet and Phone 

Part of the charm of life at Ox-Bow is experiencing a haven away from the busyness of life. That being said, and due to the location of the camp there is limited Internet and cell reception on campus. General access computers are not available, but we do have Wifi in the main inn so feel free to bring your laptop. There are landlines in the old and new inn, which are available to students to make local calls, and can be used for others to contact you, while on campus. The numbers (posted above each phone) are (269) 857-7634, (269) 857-7904, and (269) 857-1682.

Scholarship Information

Merit Scholarships

Those students receiving a merit scholarship will be notified by Monday, November 9th. Once you register for a class, your scholarship will be reported to the SAIC scholarship office. Please note that many times it takes a few weeks before these scholarships are processed and appear on your account. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about your award 1(800) 318-3019.

 

Work Scholarships 

In the winter, Ox-Bow awards 11 work scholarship positions to students. If you are a work scholarship recipient, you should have received a work scholarship contract that outlines your responsibilities. If you would like a copy of these duties, please email us. Some work assignments begin on Sunday after dinner, so you must be present at the 5:30 pm orientation and at the 6:45 pm work-scholarship meeting. If you aren’t able to fulfill the responsibilities outlined or have to drop your class, please notify us as soon as possible so that we can give someone else the opportunity. The award covers room and board and will appear on your SAIC Peoplesoft account. Please note that many times it takes a few weeks before these scholarships are processed and appear on your account.

Billing 

All winter classes are billed through SAIC. Charges will appear on your PeopleSoft account. If you are not an SAIC student, but are taking the class for credit the school will bill you directly. You may make a payment directly to the Bursars office or send a check to our office, and we will deliver it to the bursar’s office.

Drop Policy

To drop a course, students must submit a request in writing to Ox-Bow’s registrar. Call 1(800) 318-3019 for more information. Simply not attending does not constitute a drop. Additionally, it is not possible to drop an Ox-Bow course through the SAIC Self-Service or through the SAIC Registrar. The following drop fees will be assessed dependent on when you drop your course:

  • From the first day of registration until 4:30 pm, Tuesday, December 15, 2015: Students will receive a full refund minus a $250 drop fee. 
  • After the 4:30 pm, Tuesday, December 15, 2015, Drop Deadline: No refunds will be given. Drops due to an unforeseen emergency (i.e. hospitalization, etc.) are eligible to be contested through the School of the Art Institute of Chicago's Refund Review Board. Documentation is required, and refunds are typically partial. Please contact Ox-Bow’s registrar at ox-bow@saic.edu or (800) 318-3019 for a refund review forms and information.