Information for Parents and Guardians
This section provides the information that has been most frequently requested by the parents and supporters of our campus residents. Please use this information as a tool to help educate your student on how to manage their housing accommodations, contract, meeting with deadlines, and complying with policies.
If you do not find the information you want, check out the other REACH pages, or email REACH at housing@sonoma.edu.
Information & Resources
Parents and guardians of current residents will be subscribed to a monthly electronic announcement service called Parent e-Newsletter. If you would like to opt-out of this subscription for the Academic Year, you may do so once you have received the first newsletter.
We will provide you with monthly updates of:
- Important dates
- Upcoming events
- Essential contract information
Sharing this information keeps you informed of news and events in the Residential Community (RC). Very similar information is distributed to the residents in a monthly newsletter called MyRC Newsletter.
The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. FERPA gives parents/guardians certain rights with respect to their student's education records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. Students to whom the rights have transferred are "eligible students."
Generally, schools must have written permission from the parent/guardian or eligible student in order to release any information from a student's education record. However, FERPA allows schools to disclose those records, without consent, to specific parties or under specific conditions such as health and safety, as outlined in 34 CFR § 99.31
Please visit the FERPA site for detailed information.
In accordance with California State University policy, entering students are required to provide SSU with copies of official records showing full immunization to the diseases listed below. All incoming new students are required to submit immunization documentation to the SSU Student Health Center through the My Health Portal tile on their My SSU Online Services Portal. Students are able to access their My Health Portal after they have paid their SSU Enrollment Reservation Deposit.
| CSU students are REQUIRED to obtain the following vaccine: | |
| Required Immunization | Required Dosage |
| Hepatitis B (Hep B) | Three (3) doses at correct intervals for students who were age 18 or younger when they first enrolled at SSU, even if they are now older than 18 ( CA Health & Safety Code, Sec. 120390.5) |
| Recommended Immunizations | Recommended Dosage |
| COVID-19 Vaccine | Information about COVID-19 Vaccine Requirements |
| Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) | Two (2) doses with first dose on or after 1st birthday; OR positive titer (laboratory evidence of immunity to disease- must be a quantitative/numerical result). |
| Varicella (Chickenpox) | Two (2) doses with first dose on or after 1st birthday; OR positive titer. History of contracting the disease does not meet compliance. |
| Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis (Tdap) | One (1) dose after age 7 |
| Meningococcal conjugate (Serogroups A, C, Y, & W‐135) | One (1) dose on or after age 16 for all students and age 21 or younger |
| Screening/Risk Assessment: Tuberculosis (TB) | Tuberculosis risk questionnaire: Incoming students who are at higher risk* for TB infection, as indicated by answering “yes” to any of the screening questions, should undergo either skin or blood testing for TB infection within 1 year of CSU entry. *Higher risk includes travel to/or living in South & Central America, Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East; prior positive TB test; or exposure to someone with active TB disease. |
| Hepatitis A (Hep A) | All students regardless of age |
| Human papillomavirus (HPV) | For women and men through age 26 |
| Influenza (Flu) | Annually; All students regardless of age |
| Meningococcal B (Meningitis B) | Students age 16 – 23 who elect vaccination after discussion with their healthcare provider |
| Meningococcal conjugate (Meningitis) | Students up to age 23 |
| Pneumococcal | For students with certain medical conditions (e.g., severe asthma, diabetes, chronic liver or kidney disease) |
| Poliovirus (Polio) | Regardless of age, if the series was not completed as a child |
| Immunizations for international travel | Based on destination |
Health & Accident
During the period covered by the License Agreement, the student is encouraged to obtain health and accident insurance. Many dependent students are covered under their parents' or guardians' insurance. However, if you are interested in purchasing health insurance please visit the CSU Health Link site which is a program affiliated with Sonoma State's Associated Students. The Associated Students can be reached at (707) 664-2815.
Personal Belongings
The University has no insurance to cover the personal or property damage of students. Students are strongly encouraged to obtain such insurance, such as a renter's policy. Sometimes this will be covered under a parent's or guardian's homeowners policy, but you will want to check with your insurance agent about the details.