Student Success

University Of Saint Mary Glossary Terms  

 

Academic Advisor 

Academic Advisors are available to assist you with any questions you may have related to your academics. Academic Advisors can help you decide on a major, enroll in classes, and prepare for transfer and/or graduation. At USM (University of Saint Mary), counselors act as Academic Advisors.  

 

Academic Calendar 

The academic calendar provides essential information, such as deadlines and semester-specific dates. USM’s academic year begins in August and ends the following May. The Summer Session runs from May through August. The Fall Semester runs from August – December, and the Spring Semester runs from January – May.  

 

Academic Probation 

If your cumulative (overall) GPA falls below a 2.0, you will be placed on academic probation. You must bring your GPA up to or above a 2.0 in subsequent semesters to return to good academic standing. 

 

Academic Suspension 

If you earn below a 2.0 GPA for a semester, while on academic probation, you will be placed on academic suspension for the following semester. This is also known as failure to meet SAP (satisfactory academic progress). You will be suspended from enrolling for the upcoming major semester (Fall or Spring). Upon return to USM, you will be placed on academic probation and must maintain a 2.0 GPA until you return to good academic standing.  

 

ACCUPLACER 

ACCUPLACER is the system used for placement tests at USM. First time freshmen and transfer students are required to take both writing and math ACCUPLACER diagnostic tests. New students who already have a bachelor’s degree are exempt from taking the assessments.  

Alerts (Textcaster) 

Students, faculty, staff, and administrators are strongly encouraged to sign up for USM textcaster alert. These include emergency notifications and other important campus information sent via email or text messages directly to mobile phones. An opt-in is required for the messaging service. To sign up go to www.stmary.edu/alerts  

 

Associate Degree 

An undergraduate degree is awarded after a course of post-secondary study lasting two to three years. It is a level of qualification above a high school diploma, GED, or matriculation.  

 

Business Office 

The Business Office is where you can pay tuition and fees and get answers to financial questions related to paying for services at the USM. Contact billing@stmary.edu. With any questions.  

 

Campus Counselor 

The campus counselor is available to help you with all personal issues that can affect either your academic progress or health and well-being. All USM students are given access and are encouraged to make an appointment and meet with the Counselors on campus.  Check out Campus Counseling’s Page here https://www.stmary.edu/campus-counseling-services  

 

Capstone 

The student capstone is at USM is the final project/assignment given to you to help you synthesize and demonstrate what you’ve learned throughout your studies.  

 

Catalog 

The University Catalog is a list containing institutional, academic, and student life policies and procedures. The catalog does not contain a list of course dates and times, but rather an overview that guides you in degree course selection. 

 

Citation Styles 

APA, MLA, and Chicago are all writing formats used at the university level. Citation machine and Purdue Owl are two very good sources available for help when writing and citing in any of the three styles.   

 

Course Load 

The course load is the number of credit hours you are enrolled in each semester. You are allowed to take at least 12 credits which gives you full-time status; 6-8 credit hours equals part-time status.  The maximum amount allowed is 18 credit hours.  

 

Core Values 

At USM, we honor our core values of Community, Justice, Respect, and Excellence. We encourage curiosity and conversation, servant leadership and exploration, while a spirit of gratitude lives in everything we do.  

 

Credit Hour 

Every degree, certificate and/or program requires completion of a certain number of credit hours to be eligible for graduation. Specifically, one credit is equivalent to three hours of student work per week. Depending on the class, credits may vary. Most courses are 3 credit hours.  

  

Course Code 

The course code is a reference code associated with the individual courses based on each field of study. The course code contains letters in the beginning classifying the specific subject, followed by the number code classifying the specific class. The course codes of each course you're enrolled in can be found on your Espire or Engage portal. For example, MA = Math, EN = English, BI = Biology.  

 

Cumulative GPA 

Often called cumulative GPA, this your career GPA of USM courses. Semester GPA’s are calculated and average together to create your cumulative GPA. You can project/calculate your GPA using your e-spire account.  

 

 

Degree Progress 

Degree Progress is a way for undergraduate and graduate students to check on their progress towards their degree. Giving updated details on the credit hours you’ve earned, credit hours you still need, current GPA and Probation status, and a printable degree audit report PDF. You can also see your degree progress via your e-spire account.  

 

Drop a Course 

Dropping a course is sometimes necessary. There are different timeframes for dropping a course. Students should refer to the academic calendar for the exact dates for corresponding refund status. A “W” stands for “Withdraw” and it will not affect your overall GPA. You will also receive notifications in your school email. You should also check with program advisor,  Financial Aid office, if you are an athlete, an athletic representative/coach to make sure you are still eligible to play.  

 

Electives 

Electives are courses you take for credit. You usually have some freedom to select electives that are of interest to you.  

 

Engage 

Engage is the online learning management system that USM uses to support and upload classwork. Professors use Engage to post assignments, grades, class information and syllabi. You will use Engage to turn in your work, participate in discussions, and take quizzes/tests (if online). 

 

Espire  

This is the main landing page for your USM information. Enrollment information, the finance portal, records, forms, and other important resources can be found on Espire. 

 

FAFSA 

The Free Application for Financial Student Aid is an application you must fill out to determine your eligibility for federal financial aid. The FAFSA results will require you to be considered for certain scholarship needs.  

 

Federal Work-Study 

Federal Work Study (FWS) is a part-time employment opportunity offered to students who have financial needs, so they can earn money to meet their educational expenses. You can request a FWS occupation on the FAFSA and it is awarded per academic year on a first-come, first-served basis. 

 

FERPA 

FERPA stands for the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act. This is a federal law that protects the privacy of education records, establishes the right of students to inspect and review their educational records, and provides guidelines for correcting inaccurate information. 

 

Financial Aid 

Financial Aid is a funding that’s available to help you pay for your college expenses. There are many varieties of aid, such as grants, loans, scholarships and work-study. The Financial Aid Office is available to help you identify ways to pay for college. 

 

Full-Time Vs. Part-Time 

Students enrolled in 12 or more credit hours per semester (Fall and Spring) or 6 credit hours in the summer are considered full-time. Total credit hours below these totals would mean a student is part-time. Students enrolled in 12 or less credit hours (Fall and Spring) or 3 credit hours in the summer are considered part-time.  

 

General Education  

Courses that are required to be taken and accredited for students to begin taking classes regarding their major/minor. Ex: Math, Science, History, and English.  

 

Graduation 

The celebration through the events of a convocation and hooding ceremony, along with the commencement ceremony. Graduation is the culmination of the hard work and dedication you put forth throughout your years at the University. Of course, to graduate you must meet the specific requirements and you must also apply for graduation when you have met the necessary requirements.  

 

GPA 

A GPA or Grade Point Average is a numerical representation of your overall academic performance. Each letter grade has a numerical value associated with it, and GPA is calculated by averaging all of your final course grades quality points divided by the number of credit hours you are enrolled in.  

 

Hold 

Holds occur on student accounts for various reasons. Often, this is because of failure to satisfy the payment policy. Information on the payment policy can be found here.  Contact the business office for more information about a hold on your account. \ 

 

Information Technology Department (IT) 

The IT Department on campus provides immediate technical support and access to IT related technology services for students and employees. Located on the bottom level of Miege Hall. 

 

Keleher Learning Commons 

The Keleher Learning Commons (KLC) is the library/academic center on USM’s main campus. It’s home to Spiro’s Coffee Shop as well as printing resources, Career Services, and book check out.  It’s also home to every student as a place for academic collaboration, small group gatherings, and academic resources.  

 

Major 

A major is an educational track that one chooses to study and specialize in. It is the subject that you will be focused on pursuing for roughly a third to half of the courses you'll take through college.  

 

Office Hours 

Time periods where the professor or advisors will be on campus in their office and are available to meet with anyone needing to reach them in person outside of their teaching schedule. Recently, more and more instructors also utilize virtual office hours via Zoom or Microsoft Teams. 

 

Outcomes 

As of May 2022, USM’s outcomes are as follows; graduation rates are 55%, acceptance rate is at 60%, the average cost after aid is $22K, and employment rates for students post-graduation is 93%.  

 

Pass/Fail 

All internships, practicums, and weekend workshops are graded Pass (P) or Fail (F) unless otherwise noted. A “P” is not included in the GPA calculation. An “F” is included in the GPA calculation 

 

Peer Review 

Following the completion of an assignment, preferably a paper, you can have a student or faculty member peer review your work prior to submitting it to the teacher. The peer review helps give you a secondary outlook to make sure any errors are corrected.  In regards to research, a peer reviewed paper or article is generally recognized as a legitimate source of research/information.  

 

Prerequisites 

A prerequisite is a course that a student must take and pass prior to enrolling into the second course after it. For example, English Comp I is a General Education course on campus that is required by students to be taken and passed. However, in order to move on to English Comp II, you’ll need to pass the prerequisite course (English Comp I).  

 

Quality Points VS. GPA 

Once the semester is over, students will be given a grade for each credit hour they are enrolled in. Each grade received earns you a certain amount of quality points. For example, if you are enrolled in 15 credit hours and you earn an A in each of your classes. In total you would have earned 60 quality points. The formula to determine this is [(QP x Credit Hour)/total credit hours].  

Semester 

The time period that divides the school year into 16 week terms. At USM, there are 3 school semesters throughout the year that are available for students to enroll in and take classes in. The school year begins in the Fall with a 16-week semester. Followed by the Spring semester of another 16 weeks. Then lastly, a summer session of eight or 16 week long classes (depending on the course). Fall and Spring semesters also have eight week accelerated courses referred to Fall I and II and Spring I and II.  

 

Sport Eligibility Rules 

Students must have a GPA of 2.3 or higher in order to compete in a program for the University. This goes for incoming students out of high school, transfer students, and returning students. For returners, the GPA of the previous semester will determine your eligibility to compete.  

 

Student ID Number 

A six-digit identification number is given to every new incoming student. The number will be given to you on your very own ID card with your photo and bar code that permits access to facilities on campus, your dorm room, and the cafeteria for meals.  

 

Student Government Association (SGA) 

The SGA was formed to ensure democratic representation and governance amongst the student population. The SGA allocates the student activity funds yearly and acts as the voice of the student body. Members of SGA work to better the life for students on campus; making fun activities, games, challenges, etc. for all students to participate in, make new friends, and earn rewards if available. Most importantly the SGA disseminates important information to the student body so that everyone stays updated on campus news.  

 

Student Email 

Your assigned First.Last@my.stmary.edu account is your personal USM student email used for on campus information and communication via classes and daily updates.  

 

Transcript 

Student transcripts serve as the official record of a student’s coursework at a university, including grade history and degrees. Access to your unofficial transcripts can be received through Espire, Human Resources, or the Registrar's office. To obtain official hardcopy transcripts (often needed for transferring, job applications, scholarships, etc.), you must request a certified copy using the link above. 

 

Transfer 

USM participates in a universal reverse transfer program with Kansas’ community colleges. The innovative program allows you to receive your associate’s degree from your most recent community college by combining the credits you earned at the community college and the credits you earned while here at USM.