New Student Orientation
Twin Cities Campus
New student orientation for the Twin Cities campus is held approximately two weeks prior to the beginning of each semester. This is an opportunity to become acquainted with the university and the services available to students. All new students are strongly encouraged, and in some programs required, to attend the orientation session for their programs.
Winona Campus
New student orientations for graduate students on the Winona campus are scheduled by program.
Rochester Center
New student orientation for the Rochester center is held each semester, during the first scheduled week of class. This is an opportunity to become acquainted with the university and the services available to students. All new students are strongly encouraged, and in some programs required, to attend the orientation session for their programs.
Support Services for Persons with Disabilities
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota complies with applicable federal, state, and local laws concerning access to educational benefits and programs. For the purposes of this policy, a student with a disability is one who
- Has a physical or mental impairment that materially or substantially limits a major life activity;
- Has a record of such an impairment; and
- Is regarded as having such an impairment.
A student with a disability who requests academic assistance must provide professionally recognized documentation of the disability and the need for services requested. Determination of eligibility for academic support services will be made by a dean. Determination of the specific services for eligible students will be made by the dean with input from any appropriate administrative and faculty members, taking into account the eligible student’s stated preferences. The services provided will be within the legal parameters of "reasonable accommodation."
While requests to determine eligibility may occur at any time during the student’s career at Saint Mary’s University, a request for specific services relating to a preexisting condition must be made at least 30 days prior to the beginning of each course. This time frame allows the university to secure the approved services. Saint Mary's University establishes and maintains curriculum and degree requirements for all students.
Textbooks
Twin Cities Campus
All students taking classes at the Twin Cities campus may purchase textbooks at the Saint Mary’s University Bookstore located in La Salle Hall on the Twin Cities campus. Textbook availability is based on registration numbers; students are encouraged to register early. Please note that titles will not be given over the phone.
Refund Policy
Students may return books, with the receipt, for a 100% refund one to six days after the first day of class. From day seven to 14 a 75% refund will be given, with the receipt. Books should be returned in the condition they were purchased. Course packs and special print material are nonrefundable. Special session class material is nonrefundable.
Dropped classes will have two weeks from the first day of class for a 100% refund. Proof of schedule change must be obtained from the school and provided with book and receipt. Course packs and special session class material are nonrefundable.
For hours and questions, contact the Barnes & Noble Bookstore at Saint Mary’s University at 612-728-5170.
Rochester Center
Students enrolled in master's programs may purchase textbooks at 851 - 30th Avenue SE (507-285-7202). Students enrolled in the Doctorate of Education program may purchase textbooks through MBS Direct: Call 1-800-325-3252 or visit direct.mbsbooks.com/smumn.htm on the web.
Off-Campus Sites
Textbooks for all off-campus classes may be purchased through MBS Direct: Call 1-800-325-3252 or visit direct.mbsbooks.com/smumn.htm on the web. Course number and site are required when contacting MBS. Instructors expect that students purchase books for off-campus courses prior to the first day of class.
Security
Twin Cities Campus
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota is committed to creating a safe environment free from physical, sexual, emotional, and intellectual harassment and assault. Services are provided to promote such an environment. Refer to the policy against discrimination, harassment, and assault.
Saint Mary’s University has a number of security measures in place designed to create a safe environment.
Campus Security Services
Lighting—Special care has been taken to provide bright outside lighting on the building and in the parking lot. Shrubbery is kept low in public areas.
Building Access—All rear and side entrances to La Salle Hall are locked at all times. The 2500 Park Avenue entrance is open during business hours, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays, with a receptionist on duty. The rear parking lot entrance is open after 4:00 p.m. on days classes are held.
Martin De Porres Hall and Mother Teresa Hall are maintained as locked buildings at all times. Anyone wishing to meet with someone in Martin De Porres Hall or Mother Teresa Hall must first check with the receptionist in La Salle Hall. Any faculty or staff members inviting visitors to Martin De Porres Hall or Mother Teresa Hall should instruct them to first check in at La Salle Hall’s reception area.
Security Service—Saint Mary’s University provides security personnel stationed in the parking lot and throughout the premises. These guards interact with students, faculty, and staff on personal safety issues and are available for escort.
Security Paging—The security office is located in La Salle Hall and messages may be left on voice mail at 612-728-5100 ext. 159. Guards can be reached by radio from the reception desk.
Reporting Criminal Actions
All criminal actions occurring on the university premises must be reported to the Minneapolis Police Department and to the university. Security services employed by the university are considered a service to students, faculty, and staff in assuring their own personal safety. University security personnel do not have the authority to make arrests. The Minneapolis Police Department is called for all criminal actions.
Students should report crimes to the university by using forms available in the security office. The university will respond as you request on this form. Confidentiality is assured by maintaining the forms in a locked file and by only using the aggregate numbers in reports each September. Should it be necessary to alert the members of the campus community to the occurrence of a crime, a special memorandum will be issued from the office of the vice president and made available in all classes.
Students may use the university’s internal grievance procedure to handle actions of discrimination, harassment, or assault from within the university community.
The Twin Cities campus recognizes no off-campus student organizations and is not responsible for unofficial meetings of students, faculty, or staff.
Personal Safety Sessions
Orientation sessions are offered each semester. The safety and security offerings include discussions on awareness of dangerous situations, prevention strategies, and options for reporting crimes. The specialized procedures in cases of sexual assault are also covered in these sessions. These one hour sessions include resource materials and group discussion. They are available to all students, faculty, and staff at no cost.
Financial Aid
Twin Cities Campus & Rochester Center
Students wishing to apply for guaranteed student loans should contact the financial aid office on the Twin Cities campus to receive an application packet. Students whose employers reimburse their tuition costs need to file tuition reimbursement forms with the business office. Tuition reimbursement forms are available through the financial aid office on the Twin Cities campus.
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
Twin Cities Campus
Financial Aid Office
2500 Park Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55404-4403
1-866-437-2788 Ext. 153
Winona Campus
Students wishing to apply for guaranteed student loans should contact the financial aid office in Winona to receive an application packet. Students whose employers reimburse their tuition costs need to file tuition reimbursement forms with the business office. Tuition reimbursement forms are available through the financial aid office on the Winona campus.
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
Winona Campus
Financial Aid Office
700 Terrace Heights
Winona, MN 55987-1399
1-877-304-4273, ext. 1437
Student Health Insurance
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota offers students the option of obtaining health insurance. To be eligible for coverage, students must be registered in at least three credits at the time of enrolling in the program.
The plan is offered through Rust and Associates, and is underwritten by American Bankers Life Assurance Company. For more information, please contact: Rust & Associates, 508 Kellogg, Ames, Iowa, 50010-6228; toll-free 800-336-0747.
Cancellations due to Weather
The decision to cancel classes is made by university administrators.
Twin Cities Campus
Students attending classes on the Twin Cities campus are advised to listen to WCCO-AM 830 or KSTP-AM 1500. Students may also dial the general number (612-728-5100) to hear the answering system broadcast message that is updated to communicate weather-related cancellation information after an official decision has been made.
Winona Campus
In Winona, students may hear announcements on KWNO (FM99.3 and AM1230), KAGE (FM95.3 and AM1380), KHME (FM101.1), and KSMR (campus radio station).
Rochester Center
Students attending the Rochester center may listen to KROC (FM106.9 and AM1340) for announcements, and WIZM (FM93) will announce the closing in LaCrosse.
Off-Campus Sites
An individual decision is made for each site. Site liaisons and faculty members will be notified of the decision to cancel at a particular site. Voice mail, e-mail and calling trees, if previously arranged, will be activated.
Campus Ministry
Twin Cities Campus
Drawing on the university’s Catholic roots, the goal of the campus ministry is to offer services in our church’s traditions, to extend a supportive, spiritual, and ecumenical environment for all members of our campus community, and to draw strength through greater involvement with our inner selves and the university.
The Saint La Salle Meditation Chapel is located on the first floor of La Salle Hall at the Twin Cities campus. The chapel offers a quiet space for meditation and prayer to students, faculty and staff. In addition, there are regularly scheduled liturgies and reflection services for members of the campus community. These times are posted in advance of the day the event is offered.
The Community Spirituality Team was formed as an outgrowth of campus ministry at Saint Mary’s University’s Twin Cities campus. The purpose of the team is to foster a sense of spiritual connection among the students, faculty, staff, and families at the campus in an inclusive and ecumenical manner. Special events are planned during the year.
The team hopes that its efforts are able to enrich the lives of those working or studying at
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.
Day Care
Twin Cities Campus
A list of local licensed day care providers is available to students and faculty at the front desk of La Salle Hall on the Twin Cities campus. This list is obtained from Hennepin County. Saint Mary’s University does not endorse or have any official relationship with any of the day care providers on the list. The list is made available to assist students in their search for adequate day care. Individuals interested in using any day care service are encouraged to thoroughly investigate the service prior to leaving their children in the service’s care.
Privacy and Disclosure of Education Records and Student Information (2003)
1. The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the university receives a request for access to the records from the student. Students should submit to the registrar, dean, program director, or other appropriate official a written request that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect. The university official will arrange for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the university official to whom the request was submitted, that official will advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
2. The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading. Students may ask the university to amend records that they believe are inaccurate or misleading. They should write the university official responsible for the record, clearly identifying the part of the records they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading.
If the university decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the university will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his or her rights to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will ne provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.
3. The right to consent to the disclosure of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.
One exception that permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the university in an administrative, professional, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position, a person serving on the Board of Trustees, a person or company with whom the university has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent), or a student serving on an official committee (such as a disciplinary or grievance committee) or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility to the university.
Upon request, the university may disclose education records, without consent, to officials of another school in which the student seeks to enroll.
4. The right to refuse to permit the designation of any or all of the following categories of personally identifiable information as Directory Information, which is not subject to the above restrictions on disclosure:
a. Name, home address, home telephone listing, and campus email
address
b. State of residence
c. Age and date and place of birth
d. Sex and marital status
e. Name of advisor
f. Name and address of parent(s)
g. Major field of study
h. Classification as a freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, or
graduate student
i. Class schedule and class roster
j. Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
k. Weight and height of members of athletic teams
l. Dates of attendance and graduation, and degrees received
m. The most recent educational institution attended
n. Honors and awards received, including selection to a Dean’s list of
honorary organization, and the grade point average of students
selected
o. Photographic, video, or electronic images of students taken and
maintained by the university.
Student may prevent the release of any or all of the categories of Directory Information outlined above by notifying the Program Director, in writing, of the categories of information the student does not want disclosed. Notification must occur within ten (10) calendar days of the first scheduled day of classes for the fall, spring, or summer terms. The university will honor all written requests for nondisclosure for one(1) academic year; therefore, students must request nondisclosure annually.
5. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the university to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is: Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C., 20202-4605.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. They are: |
