The creation of duplicate student records has become a significant problem and results in an incomplete student transcript. The process of combining multiple records for a single student involves the collaboration of many people in several units and is very time consuming. Before creating a new record, please consider the following:
1. If the student application indicates the applicant attended the University as a student or is (or has been) an employee, then a record already exists. Also be sure to ask the student whether or not they have had a name change. This will eliminate duplicate records under two different names.
2. Consider variations of names when searching (i.e. William, Bill). Also look for a match in birth date, Social Security number, address, phone number, and email address.
3. If you suspect a previous record exists but cannot find one, contact the Imaging/Files unit at asrfiles.umn.edu, and they will check for you. They will also search for students who attended the University prior to the mid-70s.
To perform a search for a duplicate record, please follow the steps below:
1. In the "Names panel" in PeopleSoft, search by entering the last name and first name of the student. You can also search by entering the first 2-3 letters of both the first and last name. If a potential match is found, click on "Primary Name" in the "Names" panel to see if a middle name is entered and a match is made. If the middle name could be a previous last name, proceed with another search using the middle name as the last name.
2. In the "Names" panel in PeopleSoft, you can also do a search for the student's National ID number (Social Security number). This number could be associated with another record. Before you search, though, be sure to remove both the student's first and last name.
3. Sort your search results by clicking on the individual column headings (name, birth date, SSN, etc.). This will help narrow your search.
4. Follow up with all results. Personal data comparisons can be made by following the path in PeopleSoft under Campus Community > Personal Information (do not choose Personal Information Student, because you want to search all records for that person, not just a student one) > Add/Update a Person. The name, ID number, birth date, address, phone number, and email associated with that record will display.
5. Perform a final search. If no match is found, you can perform a final search by following the path in PeopleSoft under Campus Community > Personal Information (do not use Personal Information Student) > Search/Match. Click "Search." In the results list, click on "UM Person Search." Type in the first and last name of the student. Then click on the "Search Result Code" spyglass and click on "Look Up." When the search results appear, click on UM_RESULT_NOMSK, then click on "Search." Look for possible matches by checking both the "Results" and "Results2" tabs. Be sure to check all rows at the top right of the column headings.
If you are in contact with the student, please ask him or her for information to help you determine if a record already exists. Please be very diligent in checking for already existing records before you create a new one. For questions regarding duplicate records, please contact Pat Rickard.
Friday, December 20, 2013
FERPA Q&A: Communicating with students who have a full suppression
Question: Can colleges and/or departments within the college communicate to students with a directory or full suppression of their record?
Answer: It depends. College staff, including those in a marketing department, can send college-related communication to students, including those who have suppressions on their records, if the information pertains to their role as a student. University staff who have a "need-to-know" may access student contact information, regardless of suppression level. The information of students with address or full suppressions, however, cannot be given to individuals or organizations outside of the University. Colleges should, of course, be respectful of any student's desire to "opt out" of marketing-type communications.
Answer: It depends. College staff, including those in a marketing department, can send college-related communication to students, including those who have suppressions on their records, if the information pertains to their role as a student. University staff who have a "need-to-know" may access student contact information, regardless of suppression level. The information of students with address or full suppressions, however, cannot be given to individuals or organizations outside of the University. Colleges should, of course, be respectful of any student's desire to "opt out" of marketing-type communications.
A change in Portal project leadership
Portal Project Director Susan Geller is leaving for an opportunity to join Interfaith Outreach and Community Partners in the role of associate director. Susan has made great progress on the Portal Project and the University is grateful for her leadership. William Dana will be the new Portal project director. This will be a dual role for William, who will retain his current role as Student Project director. He brings sound leadership skills (as exhibited in the Student Project), strong relationships with the Finance and HRMS projects, and extensive experience with myU to this new role. Plans are underway to ensure a smooth transition for both the Student and the Portal teams.
Thursday, December 19, 2013
System Status retires Friday, Dec. 20
System Status, the web page used to communicate about IT outages, will be retired on Friday, December 20 and will be redirected to its replacement, IT Service Status. Generated by the University's IT Service Management tool, ServiceNow, IT Service Status can be accessed by the public and does not require authentication.
Unlike System Status, Service Status does not rely on the University network, enabling IT to communicate with the University even if the network is down. Another advantage is the ease with which incident, problem, and change records can be associated and tracked. Take a quick video tour of the new IT Service Status page and learn how to create outages in Service Now.
Unlike System Status, Service Status does not rely on the University network, enabling IT to communicate with the University even if the network is down. Another advantage is the ease with which incident, problem, and change records can be associated and tracked. Take a quick video tour of the new IT Service Status page and learn how to create outages in Service Now.
Satisfactory academic progress credit completion
Beginning fall 2013, the cumulative credit completion ratio requirement changed from 75% to 67%. Students must now successfully complete at least 67% of the credits they attempt in order to be eligible to receive financial aid. The total credits attempted to date (including any course in which the student was enrolled past the drop/add period) will be compared to the total credits they actually earned.
This change was made to ensure the University is in alignment with federal regulations prescribed by the Department of Education.
This change was made to ensure the University is in alignment with federal regulations prescribed by the Department of Education.
Grade distribution report now live
At the request of the Faculty Consultative Committee (FCC), grade distribution information by subject and course level has been created for public view, excluding Duluth. The Grade Distribution Report lets you see the average number of grades students earned in a subject and course level during a particular term (1xxx to 5xxx level).
The information is public and viewable by anyone. Information on how to access the Grade Distribution Report can be found on the Registration page on the One Stop website.
The information is public and viewable by anyone. Information on how to access the Grade Distribution Report can be found on the Registration page on the One Stop website.
Monday, December 16, 2013
Online Student Data Update training
The Academic Support Resources (ASR) Training Team recently launched Student Data Update (SDU) training that may be used in lieu of in-person SDU training. SDU training is necessary to be granted update access in PeopleSoft. Registration for online training begins today, Monday, December 16.
Registration and training is available in ULearn, the University's Learning Management System that allows for administration, tracking, and reporting of training content. The online training video and related activities will take approximately 60-90 minutes to complete. Following confirmation of having completed the video(s), as well as submitting the Access Request Form, access to update data in PeopleSoft will be granted.
Online training provides users a self-paced environment that can be re-launched for future use. In-person training will still be available, but it is no longer required. Registration for both in-person and online training will be in ULearn.
Registration and training is available in ULearn, the University's Learning Management System that allows for administration, tracking, and reporting of training content. The online training video and related activities will take approximately 60-90 minutes to complete. Following confirmation of having completed the video(s), as well as submitting the Access Request Form, access to update data in PeopleSoft will be granted.
Online training provides users a self-paced environment that can be re-launched for future use. In-person training will still be available, but it is no longer required. Registration for both in-person and online training will be in ULearn.
Annual service outage January 4 & 5
The University's annual data center maintenance outage is scheduled for 6 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 4, with restoration scheduled to begin at 6 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 5, 2014. The maintenance outage requires a complete shutdown of the primary data center and will affect many IT services, including One Stop self-service applications, PeopleSoft, and Moodle. The Grade Distribution Report will be unavailable beginning Friday, Jan. 3 at 3 p.m. BI reports will be unavailable beginning 12:01 a.m. January 4. It is expected that all affected services will be restored by noon Sunday.
The list of affected services, as well as updates during the maintenance period, will be
available on the University's IT Service Status page. (Note: You may need to expand the Planned Maintenance section to view the list). Click here for a complete list of affected services.
Questions and concerns should be directed to Data Center Operations Services service owner Joe Zanmiller at jpz@umn.edu.
The list of affected services, as well as updates during the maintenance period, will be
available on the University's IT Service Status page. (Note: You may need to expand the Planned Maintenance section to view the list). Click here for a complete list of affected services.
Questions and concerns should be directed to Data Center Operations Services service owner Joe Zanmiller at jpz@umn.edu.
Friday, December 6, 2013
One Stop and University Veterans Services limited service on Dec. 12
On December 12, University Veterans Services, as well as the St. Paul and West Bank One Stop locations, will close at 1:30 p.m. for a staff event. If a student needs to meet with a counselor after 1:30 p.m., please direct him or her to the One Stop in the Science Teaching and Student Services building.
The front desk in Williamson Hall (room 160) will remain open until 4:00 p.m.
The front desk in Williamson Hall (room 160) will remain open until 4:00 p.m.
Clarification of Graduate Degree Plan milestone designators
Recently, there has been increasing confusion regarding the status designators for the Graduate Degree Plan (GDP) in various UM Reports. Currently, the Graduate Degree Plan milestone is serving a dual purpose -- recording completion of the GDP itself, as well as completion of master's final exam and doctoral prelim oral committees. Below are explanations of each designator.
"Not complete" -- committee is assigned and approved; GDP is not completed
"In Progress" -- GDP is completed; committee is not yet assigned and/or approved
"Complete" -- GDP and committee are completed
If there are any questions, feel free to contact the Graduate Student Services and Progress (GSSP) office at gssp@umn.edu.
"Not complete" -- committee is assigned and approved; GDP is not completed
"In Progress" -- GDP is completed; committee is not yet assigned and/or approved
"Complete" -- GDP and committee are completed
If there are any questions, feel free to contact the Graduate Student Services and Progress (GSSP) office at gssp@umn.edu.
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Student Work Stream Finishes IDPs
University business analysts, subject matter experts, and members of functional steering committees from the Student work stream recently concluded nine months in IDP -- evaluating what PeopleSoft has delivered and what our business requirements are and making decisions on what the system would look like after upgrading.
This work translates to:
Thanks to a cohesive, highly effective team, in addition to the experienced guidance from implementation partner CedarCrestone, the University will benefit from a much more mature system. It’s also been an opportunity for staff to not only contribute to the project, but to meet people outside of their unit and home campus.
Associate Vice Provost and University Registrar Sue Van Voorhis, who serves as the business process owner for the Student upgrade and the Portal said, “We’ve been able to break down barriers. This is a very united group. Everyone is so committed to making this a success and going with our principles.”
Read the full story here...
This work translates to:
- 694 IDP sessions equaling roughly 16,621.5 hours
- 93 change requests
- The replacement of more than 26 homegrown self-service applications
- The replacement of 100 UM Reports
- Discussion of all business processes
- A 55% demodification rate
Thanks to a cohesive, highly effective team, in addition to the experienced guidance from implementation partner CedarCrestone, the University will benefit from a much more mature system. It’s also been an opportunity for staff to not only contribute to the project, but to meet people outside of their unit and home campus.
Associate Vice Provost and University Registrar Sue Van Voorhis, who serves as the business process owner for the Student upgrade and the Portal said, “We’ve been able to break down barriers. This is a very united group. Everyone is so committed to making this a success and going with our principles.”
Read the full story here...
New Graduate & Professional Student advising website
The new Graduate & Professional Student advising website offers resources for faculty and students to maximize the advising relationship and deal constructively with conflicts that may arise. The new site is a collaboration of the Academic Civility Work Group, the Student Conflict Resolution Center and the Graduate School, and features a wide array of tools and tips developed by the Work Group.
Student Work Stream Finishes IDPs
Upgrading to a new version of software is like moving into a new house. Some things in the new house will be different and not everything you used before will be useful. You need to decide what to bring with you so that you can do what you need to do (cook a meal, wash your clothes, pay your bills, etc.) without bringing what is unnecessary. For example, if your new place has central air, you can probably leave those heavy, energy-hogging, inefficient window units behind. The gorgeous mailbox with your family name on it may not be of much use if the postal service uses the built-in mail slot.
University business analysts, subject matter experts, and members of functional steering committees have spent the past nine months in IDP evaluating what PeopleSoft has delivered and what our business requirements are so that we pack our moving boxes as light as possible for the move to 9.0.
"There is a shift in how analysts are resolving issues," said William Dana, project director of the Student Systems project. "We don't just look at what we're doing, but how we are doing it."
Guiding their decisions, the team followed three principles:
- Utilize delivered 'Self-Service' functionality for students, faculty, and staff.
- Wherever possible, use delivered PeopleSoft functionality without customization or implement the industry-standard, best-practice approach.
- Improve or retain UM business process best-practice solutions not delivered in PeopleSoft.
So what does nine months of IDP look like? The 694 IDP sessions equaling roughly
- 16,621.5 hours resulted in:
- 93 change requests
- The replacement of more than 26 homegrown self-service applications
- The replacement of 100 UM Reports
- Discussion of all business processes
- A 55% demodification rate
"It was a lot of work, going through IDP and examining our processes," said Kris Wright, director of the Office of Student Finance and chair of the Financial Aid and Student Financials Functional Steering Committees. "It allowed us to fix things we knew were not working well, but didn't have the time to address otherwise. We found we could use delivered functionality to get the same result as some of our modifications did. Going 'vanilla' will be far less costly for the institution, which means less cost to the students for the same level of service. Further, going 'vanilla' will more easily allow us to accept, test, and use the new software PeopleSoft will be sending us in the future."
"We're making a large institutional investment, and we will be able to take more advantage of that based on the work we have done up until this point. It will be a more efficient system," Dana said.
And thanks to a cohesive, highly effective team, in addition to the experienced guidance from implementation partner CedarCrestone, the University will benefit from a much more mature system. It's also been an opportunity for staff to not only contribute to the project, but to meet people outside of their unit and home campus.
Associate Vice Provost and University Registrar Sue Van Voorhis, who serves as the business process owner for the Student upgrade and the Portal said, "We've been able to break down barriers. This is a very united group. Everyone is so committed to making this a success and going with our principles."
Feedback continues to be of the utmost importance in ensuring success of the upgrade to build for the future. Dana and Van Voorhis emphasized that faculty, staff, and students should continue providing feedback as the project progresses.
"The involvement of stakeholders has been overwhelmingly positive," Dana said. "Even in this early phase of the project, lots of people provided invaluable input." He added, "We've really fully untied the knot. That's a credit to the team and their dedication and passion they have brought to this effort."
Up next: ensuring that the system does what it needs to do and the users can accomplish their business. That means technical development of the approved changes, writing test scripts and completing testing, preparing and delivering training, and performing security analysis. Change management and communications efforts are also being planned to make sure that the move to the new "house" of PeopleSoft 9.0 will be as smooth as possible.
For more information and ways to get involved with the project, please visit upgrade.umn.edu.
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Correction to grades due dates
Recently, the grades due dates on the One Stop website were incorrect. The final day to submit grades is Friday, December 27 (not Sunday, December 29). These changes are now reflected on the One Stop website and Academic Calendar.
2013 GAPSA Outstanding Adviser Award
In an effort to acknowledge excellent advising among U of M graduate and professional faculty, the Graduate & Professional Student Association (GAPSA), in partnership with the Student Conflict Resolution Center, the Provost's Office, and the Graduate School, acknowledged five advisers for their outstanding service to the University. Award recipients were recognized at GAPSA's Annual President's Reception on November 4. Congratulations to all the winners!
2013 Outstanding Advising Award Winners:
Jake Bailey, Ph.D. | Earth Sciences
Kathleen Call, Ph.D. | Health Policy and Management
Brad Greiman, Ph.D. | Agricultural Education
Pamala Jacobson, Pharm.D. | Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology
Donald Truhlar, Ph.D. | Chemistry
2013 Outstanding Advising Award Winners:
Jake Bailey, Ph.D. | Earth Sciences
Kathleen Call, Ph.D. | Health Policy and Management
Brad Greiman, Ph.D. | Agricultural Education
Pamala Jacobson, Pharm.D. | Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology
Donald Truhlar, Ph.D. | Chemistry
Interdisciplinary Faculty Advisory Committee formed
A new Interdisciplinary Faculty Advisory Committee has been formed to advise the Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Education on issues, trends, best practices, challenges, and opportunities in intercollegiate, interdisciplinary graduate education. The goal is to enhance the University's ability to foster interdisciplinary inquiry and prepare future generations of interdisciplinary scholar/researchers.
Committee co-chairs are Professors Mary Jo Kreitzer (Director of the Center for Spirituality and Healing and Professor in the School of Nursing) and Susan Galatowitsch (Professor and Head of the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology). Committee members are listed on the Graduate School website. More information about the new committee and its initiatives will be provided as the committee's work progresses.
Committee co-chairs are Professors Mary Jo Kreitzer (Director of the Center for Spirituality and Healing and Professor in the School of Nursing) and Susan Galatowitsch (Professor and Head of the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology). Committee members are listed on the Graduate School website. More information about the new committee and its initiatives will be provided as the committee's work progresses.
Spring 2014 registration now open
Queued registration for spring 2014 began on Tuesday, November 12. Open registration begins December 6. As a reminder, colleges and programs are now able to place/remove the following holds:
If you are interested in being able to place/remove holds, please email Amber Cellotti directly. However, in order to be able to place holds and give access, you must have completed Student Data Inquiry and Student Data Update training in PeopleSoft. If you're not sure you have completed these, you can check your training history on the HR website.
- OJ - general hold
- OM - too many incompletes
- OG - doctoral program not filed
- OF - master's program not filed
- OL - GPA requirement not met
If you are interested in being able to place/remove holds, please email Amber Cellotti directly. However, in order to be able to place holds and give access, you must have completed Student Data Inquiry and Student Data Update training in PeopleSoft. If you're not sure you have completed these, you can check your training history on the HR website.
Upcoming deadlines
Monday, December 2: Deadline to apply for December 2013 graduation. Students must download their graduation materials and submit the Graduate Application for Degree no later than this date.
Monday, December 16: Deadline to apply for spring 2014 advanced master's status. Students seeking an advanced status must have an approved Graduate Degree Plan (GDP) on record and have completed all GDP coursework and thesis credits (if plan A) prior to the deadline.
Monday, December 16: Deadline to apply for spring 2014 advanced master's status. Students seeking an advanced status must have an approved Graduate Degree Plan (GDP) on record and have completed all GDP coursework and thesis credits (if plan A) prior to the deadline.
Change to Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
Federal regulations require the financial aid office to monitor satisfactory academic progress toward completion of degree for financial aid recipients. This review includes a qualitative component (GPA) and a pace or progression component (credit completion ratio) to ensure students complete their degree within the maximum timeframe.
Beginning fall 2013, the credit completion ratio component of the policy changed from 75% to 67%. This will ensure the University is in alignment with guidelines prescribed by the Department of Education.
Beginning fall 2013, the credit completion ratio component of the policy changed from 75% to 67%. This will ensure the University is in alignment with guidelines prescribed by the Department of Education.
ESUP update
Several project teams have spent the past eight months in Interactive Design & Prototyping (IDP) sessions looking at the 8.9 functionality versus the 9.0 and reviewing all modifications that have been made up to this point. Currently, 60% of modifications have been removed. The teams have also written over 500 functional designs and are currently working on business process documentation to facilitate training opportunities.
The change management and communication team will work to ensure stakeholders know what the changes are and how they are impacted by them. Next steps include preparing test scripts, performing security analysis, starting system training, and completing plans for training, change management, and communication.
Staff should continue attending Town Halls and RAC meetings and reading the weekly update emails. Additionally, tech staff should connect with IDEAA. IDEAA is a community of practice around Integrating Data, Enterprise Architecture, and Applications. It is how the University developer community can discuss ESUP and data integration. The main goal is to get information about changes to data integration to those that create applications and reports.
If you know of somebody in your unit who fits that description, please make sure they are aware of the opportunity to participate in this community of practice. More information is available at http://z.umn.edu/ideaa.
The change management and communication team will work to ensure stakeholders know what the changes are and how they are impacted by them. Next steps include preparing test scripts, performing security analysis, starting system training, and completing plans for training, change management, and communication.
Staff should continue attending Town Halls and RAC meetings and reading the weekly update emails. Additionally, tech staff should connect with IDEAA. IDEAA is a community of practice around Integrating Data, Enterprise Architecture, and Applications. It is how the University developer community can discuss ESUP and data integration. The main goal is to get information about changes to data integration to those that create applications and reports.
If you know of somebody in your unit who fits that description, please make sure they are aware of the opportunity to participate in this community of practice. More information is available at http://z.umn.edu/ideaa.
Liberal education contact information
Please contact the following people regarding liberal education (LE) questions and/or concerns:
Partial credit waiver for LE requirements
For future requests, advisors can send an email directly to APASLE@umn.edu with the details for the particular request for each individual student.
Please note that these waivers have already been done for the appropriate international students for fall semester 2013. Also note that if you sent an email requesting a partial credit waiver to Laurel Carroll between September 30 and October 9, those requests have been transferred to Margo Mueller, and she will be reviewing them, so you don't need to resubmit them. If you have questions about a particular request, please contact Margo at 6-7867, m-muel@umn.edu.
Petition to waive/substitute an LE requirement
Academic policy petitions requesting to waive an LE requirement should be directed to 220 Morrill Hall, attention: Leslie Schiff, schif002@umn.edu, 5-8653.
Request to place returning students under "old" LE requirements, to evaluate U of M quarter courses for LE and WI, and other requests related to degree requirements
Please direct these to Suzanne Bardouche, bardouch@umn.edu, 6-9159.
Questions about whether a current course has been approved for LE
Contact Leslie Schiff, schif002@umn.edu, 5-8653, or Rachel Rodriguez, webe0354@umn.edu, 4-1328.
Partial credit waiver for LE requirements
For future requests, advisors can send an email directly to APASLE@umn.edu with the details for the particular request for each individual student.
Please note that these waivers have already been done for the appropriate international students for fall semester 2013. Also note that if you sent an email requesting a partial credit waiver to Laurel Carroll between September 30 and October 9, those requests have been transferred to Margo Mueller, and she will be reviewing them, so you don't need to resubmit them. If you have questions about a particular request, please contact Margo at 6-7867, m-muel@umn.edu.
Petition to waive/substitute an LE requirement
Academic policy petitions requesting to waive an LE requirement should be directed to 220 Morrill Hall, attention: Leslie Schiff, schif002@umn.edu, 5-8653.
Request to place returning students under "old" LE requirements, to evaluate U of M quarter courses for LE and WI, and other requests related to degree requirements
Please direct these to Suzanne Bardouche, bardouch@umn.edu, 6-9159.
Questions about whether a current course has been approved for LE
Contact Leslie Schiff, schif002@umn.edu, 5-8653, or Rachel Rodriguez, webe0354@umn.edu, 4-1328.
FERPA Q&A: Posting information on social media
Question: What should you do if a student posts a question or comment on social media and the response would require release of private student data?
Answer: Students are often more relaxed about posting their private information in public spaces than they should be. Even if the question was asked in a "public forum," such as Facebook or Twitter, we should never include private student information on any social media site.
If you are able to answer the question with general, publicly available information, please do so, as other students (or readers) may be interested in the response. If the person has posted private information, you may want to send a direct message to him or her explaining the importance of not posting that information publicly.
Answer: Students are often more relaxed about posting their private information in public spaces than they should be. Even if the question was asked in a "public forum," such as Facebook or Twitter, we should never include private student information on any social media site.
If you are able to answer the question with general, publicly available information, please do so, as other students (or readers) may be interested in the response. If the person has posted private information, you may want to send a direct message to him or her explaining the importance of not posting that information publicly.
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
2013 Veterans Appreciation Day
University of Minnesota students and staff are invited to attend the 7th annual Student Veterans Appreciation Day on November 12, 2013 at Coffman Memorial Union. The event recognizes the contributions of University student veterans, military members, and their families to our country.
This year's event will feature a short program, including the University's Military Color Guard, Marching Band, and featured speakers veteran and University head wrestling coach J. Robinson, and University student veteran Zach Benson. A chili luncheon will be provided for guests, and the event is free and open to the public.
For more information, including program details, visit the One Stop website.
This year's event will feature a short program, including the University's Military Color Guard, Marching Band, and featured speakers veteran and University head wrestling coach J. Robinson, and University student veteran Zach Benson. A chili luncheon will be provided for guests, and the event is free and open to the public.
For more information, including program details, visit the One Stop website.
Friday, October 18, 2013
Update on Special Committee on Graduate Education (SCGE)
The Special Committee on Graduate Education (SCGE) will mainly focus on programs offering PhD research degrees, particularly those that the National Research Council has identified as central to its assessment of graduate education in the United States. The committee is aimed at moving forward not backward, meaning they are not tasked with evaluating the wisdom of past actions. There are four subcommittees which include:
The goal of the committee was to have membership representation from the top ranked NRC graduate programs, and each college with a PhD graduate research program. Individuals were selected by Graduate School staff and the FCC.
The subcommittees started meeting in late September, and they will be done formulating their preliminary recommendations by the end of October. The entire SCGE will meet twice in November to consider these preliminary recommendations and to decide on the final SCGE committee recommendations. The final report will be delivered to the Provost and FCC by December 1, 2013.
- Graduate student financing
- Facilitation of the graduate student experience and ensuring program quality
- Graduate program enrollment management
- Oversight of, and advocacy for, the visibility and quality of graduate education
The goal of the committee was to have membership representation from the top ranked NRC graduate programs, and each college with a PhD graduate research program. Individuals were selected by Graduate School staff and the FCC.
The subcommittees started meeting in late September, and they will be done formulating their preliminary recommendations by the end of October. The entire SCGE will meet twice in November to consider these preliminary recommendations and to decide on the final SCGE committee recommendations. The final report will be delivered to the Provost and FCC by December 1, 2013.
FERPA Q&A: Making copies of education records
Question: Are you required to make copies of information in a student education record?
Answer: According to FERPA, institutions are only required to make copies of information in a student's education record if not doing so would deny the student access to the information. For instance, if a student lives so far away from the institution that he or she cannot reasonably come to the institution to view the records.
As a public institution in the state of Minnesota, however, our state law (the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act) requires making copies if requested by the subject of the data. If so, the institution may stamp or write "issued to student" on the materials.
Answer: According to FERPA, institutions are only required to make copies of information in a student's education record if not doing so would deny the student access to the information. For instance, if a student lives so far away from the institution that he or she cannot reasonably come to the institution to view the records.
As a public institution in the state of Minnesota, however, our state law (the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act) requires making copies if requested by the subject of the data. If so, the institution may stamp or write "issued to student" on the materials.
New graduation packet delivery process
Effective Monday, October 21, graduate students will be able to download their own graduation packet materials from the Graduate School website. Graduate Student Services & Progress (GSSP) will remain available for assistance if needed, but will no longer print and send a requested packet to a student or program.
This change will not only allow students to get their information faster, but their personal information (e.g., name, address, degree sought) will be auto-populated in the form. After a student has requested their packet and the system has verified they have completed their eligibility milestones (e.g. active status, approved degree plan, approved final committee), they will be prompted to download their materials.
All graduation packet materials have been redesigned to reflect this process change. This includes:
Please update your materials, handbooks, and websites to reflect this change. A message will be added to the October 28 Graduate & Professional Update.
If you have questions regarding this notice, please contact GSSP at gssp@umn.edu.
This change will not only allow students to get their information faster, but their personal information (e.g., name, address, degree sought) will be auto-populated in the form. After a student has requested their packet and the system has verified they have completed their eligibility milestones (e.g. active status, approved degree plan, approved final committee), they will be prompted to download their materials.
All graduation packet materials have been redesigned to reflect this process change. This includes:
- Exam forms and Reviewers Report forms
- Graduation checklists
- Making Graduate Application for Degree pull info from PeopleSoft
- Formatting & Submission Guidelines
Please update your materials, handbooks, and websites to reflect this change. A message will be added to the October 28 Graduate & Professional Update.
If you have questions regarding this notice, please contact GSSP at gssp@umn.edu.
One Stop limited closure Wednesday, Oct. 23
The West Bank and St. Paul One Stop Student Services locations will be closed from 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 23, 2013 for a staff event. The Science Teaching and Student Services location will be open with full service.
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Student Degree Progress update
The fall 2009 cohort graduation rates will be finalized in the next few weeks, and colleges have been asked to follow up with students to ensure timely degree progress. To reach the University's goal of a 60% graduation rate, a total of 3,229 degrees must be posted. Currently, 96 are still needed. Colleges are reminded that it is appropriate to backdate a degree to the last term the student was enrolled in degree-applicable courses.
Student data for the second year through sixth year cohorts will also be sent to colleges. This information will help the University become more proactive regarding student degree progress.
Student data for the second year through sixth year cohorts will also be sent to colleges. This information will help the University become more proactive regarding student degree progress.
Passing of Laurel Carroll
The Twin Cities campus community lost a valued colleague this month with the passing of Laurel Carroll. Laurel was a highly respected staff member in the Office of Undergraduate Education. For more than 35 years, Laurel played important roles in numerous areas that support undergraduate education on the Twin Cities campus, including admissions, placement testing, degree requirements, curricular changes, course access, educational policy, the four-year graduation plan, and liberal education requirements.
One of Laurel's most important and valued roles was in coordinating and supporting the operations of the Council on Liberal Education. Her dedication to the work of the committee was vital to the development and implementation of the new Liberal Education requirements in 2010. Her attention to the myriad of details, policy implications, and processes of implementation were exemplary.
A memorial event for Laurel will be held Wednesday, November 20, from 3-5 p.m. in the Campus Club of Coffman Memorial Union. Additional information will be announced soon.
One of Laurel's most important and valued roles was in coordinating and supporting the operations of the Council on Liberal Education. Her dedication to the work of the committee was vital to the development and implementation of the new Liberal Education requirements in 2010. Her attention to the myriad of details, policy implications, and processes of implementation were exemplary.
A memorial event for Laurel will be held Wednesday, November 20, from 3-5 p.m. in the Campus Club of Coffman Memorial Union. Additional information will be announced soon.
Minnesota Transfer Curriculum clarification
There have recently been questions regarding the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MnTC). The MnTC is the result of a collaborative effort by all two- and four-year colleges and universities in Minnesota to help students transfer their work in lower-division general education. The University has clarified the policy to waive Liberal Education (LE) requirements by indicating that previous Minnesota community college AA degrees and the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MnTC) must be completed prior to the first term of enrollment at the University of Minnesota. Many community colleges require students to request the MnTC designation on their transcript, but if there is no date of MnTC achievement, it is difficult to understand how and when a student achieved the MnTC.
Some considerations Admissions uses in determining when to post the LE waiver flag for a MnTC include the following:
-If it is clear on the community college transcript that no University of Minnesota courses were transferred back, we will add the MnTC.
-If it is clear that the AA degree was achieved prior to a student's first term of enrollment at the University of Minnesota, a student's LEs will be waived. (The AA degree is dated on a community college transcript.)
-If courses from the University of Minnesota were transferred to the community college, the MnTC will not be added.
Students who completed the MnTC after enrolling at the University of Minnesota may be eligible to have the policy waived, but they must fill out an Academic Policy Petition.
Some considerations Admissions uses in determining when to post the LE waiver flag for a MnTC include the following:
-If it is clear on the community college transcript that no University of Minnesota courses were transferred back, we will add the MnTC.
-If it is clear that the AA degree was achieved prior to a student's first term of enrollment at the University of Minnesota, a student's LEs will be waived. (The AA degree is dated on a community college transcript.)
-If courses from the University of Minnesota were transferred to the community college, the MnTC will not be added.
Students who completed the MnTC after enrolling at the University of Minnesota may be eligible to have the policy waived, but they must fill out an Academic Policy Petition.
Friday, October 4, 2013
Visa to be accepted for tuition payments
Effective Monday, October 7, the University of Minnesota will accept Visa credit and debit cards for online tuition and fee payments. The University's credit card processing vendor assesses a non-refundable 2.75% service fee whenever a credit or debit card is used. Those planning on paying with a debit card can avoid that service fee by paying directly from a bank account. Select the eCheck payment option and enter both a bank account and routing number. Questions? Contact One Stop Student Services at onestop@umn.edu or 612-624-1111.
Interdisciplinary Doctoral Fellowships available
Interdisciplinary Doctoral Fellowships are available to support outstanding Ph.D. students whose current or proposed dissertation topic is interdisciplinary and who would benefit from interaction with faculty at one of the University's interdisciplinary centers or institutes. Many centers and institutes have early application deadlines, starting October 18. For deadlines and more information, see Interdisciplinary Doctoral Fellowships.
College sign-off on Petition form
Just a reminder that colleges or designated representatives must sign-off on the Petition form before submitting to Graduate Student Services & Progress (GSSP). If the form is turned in without the required signature, the petition will be sent back to the graduate program.
Friday, September 20, 2013
Transfer international coursework process
All transfer international coursework must be reviewed by Graduate Admissions. Please refer to International Coursework quick start guide for complete process.
The GDP will have a new section at the bottom of the transfer coursework section requiring programs/colleges to check-off that all international coursework was reviewed by the Graduate Admissions office. An updated GDP form will be available on Monday, September 23. The quick start guide will be added to the Graduate School website under "Info for Faculty & Staff" page early next week.
The GDP will have a new section at the bottom of the transfer coursework section requiring programs/colleges to check-off that all international coursework was reviewed by the Graduate Admissions office. An updated GDP form will be available on Monday, September 23. The quick start guide will be added to the Graduate School website under "Info for Faculty & Staff" page early next week.
Online Student Data Inquiry training
The Academic Support Resources (ASR) Training Team is in the final stages of developing a Student Data Inquiry (SDI) training video that may be used in lieu of in-person SDI training. SDI training is necessary to be granted view access in PeopleSoft. Registration for online training begins Monday, September 30.
Registration and training will take place in ULearn, the University's Learning Management System (LMS) that allows for administration, tracking, and reporting of training content. The online training video and related activities will take approximately 40-60 minutes to complete (much less time than the previous two and a half hours of in-person training) and will include information regarding FERPA and a short interactive quiz. Following confirmation of having completed these steps, as well as submitting the Access Request Form, access to view PeopleSoft will be granted.
Online training provides users with a self-paced environment, and it can be re-launched for future use. In-person training will still be available, but it is no longer required. Registration for both in-person and online training will be in ULearn.
Registration and training will take place in ULearn, the University's Learning Management System (LMS) that allows for administration, tracking, and reporting of training content. The online training video and related activities will take approximately 40-60 minutes to complete (much less time than the previous two and a half hours of in-person training) and will include information regarding FERPA and a short interactive quiz. Following confirmation of having completed these steps, as well as submitting the Access Request Form, access to view PeopleSoft will be granted.
Online training provides users with a self-paced environment, and it can be re-launched for future use. In-person training will still be available, but it is no longer required. Registration for both in-person and online training will be in ULearn.
Revised Petition form available online
The Graduate School Petition form will now require college-level sign-off. The form has been updated to reflect this change. Colleges are expected to begin this practice beginning October 1, but are encouraged to implement earlier.
Viewing classroom availability in Astra Schedule
When using Astra Schedule, schedulers should reply on the request forms to view classroom availability. Using the grid calendars is no longer necessary to request a classroom. You can now request space and see availability in the same place.
To view the schedule of a specific general purpose classroom, use the General Purpose Classroom Search. Choose the building you are interested in, then select the room name. The room details will appear on the right hand side of the screen. Click on the "Room Schedule" link to bring up the daily calendar for the classroom. If you prefer to see an entire week or month at a time, you can easily switch your view by using the buttons on the upper left-hand corner of the calendar.
To view the schedule of a specific general purpose classroom, use the General Purpose Classroom Search. Choose the building you are interested in, then select the room name. The room details will appear on the right hand side of the screen. Click on the "Room Schedule" link to bring up the daily calendar for the classroom. If you prefer to see an entire week or month at a time, you can easily switch your view by using the buttons on the upper left-hand corner of the calendar.
Update from Bob McMaster
Bob McMaster, Vice Provost & Dean of Undergraduate Education, recently provided an undergraduate education update to the Registrar's Advisory Committee (RAC). Highlights from his presentation included the following:
- Bob is working with all undergraduate education units on a strategic plan for undergraduate education, which will be incorporated into the overall Undergraduate Strategic Plan for the entire university.
- A team is being organized to work on researching several critical questions that will be addressed during the next 5-10 years to continue improvements in undergraduate education (e.g., How do we continue to close the retention gap on our campus?).
- The PeopleSoft Upgrade student group is on track for the launch in October 2014.
- The remodel to Northrop is slated to be completed by 2014. The grand re-opening is scheduled for April 4, 2014.
- The University is up for reaccreditation in 2015-16. Between now and then, there are a series of initiatives underway that will help us to prepare.
- Graduation and retention rates remain a high priority. The graduation rates have improved significantly over the last decade, but have remained fairly steady at 58% over the past two years, so it will be important to discover what factors, including the structure of the University curriculum, may be slowing time to graduation.
- Another high-priority initiative is the President's Emerging Scholars Program (PES). Previously named Access to Success, PES now enrolls nearly 500 students each fall, who receive scholarship aid and enhanced support from this program. PES admits students who, if using only the primary, formal metrics (e.g., GPA, ACT score), wouldn't be admitted to the University. When secondary factors are also considered, students are admitted based on the primary factors, and also considering secondary factors such as community involvement and leadership skills.
- Enrollment numbers continue to increase, and this year there are more undergraduates on campus than ever before (over 31,000), despite the downward slope of graduating high school students. Demographics for the undergraduate population show as 52% from the Twin Cities.
- Bob is working with all undergraduate education units on a strategic plan for undergraduate education, which will be incorporated into the overall Undergraduate Strategic Plan for the entire university.
- A team is being organized to work on researching several critical questions that will be addressed during the next 5-10 years to continue improvements in undergraduate education (e.g., How do we continue to close the retention gap on our campus?).
- The PeopleSoft Upgrade student group is on track for the launch in October 2014.
- The remodel to Northrop is slated to be completed by 2014. The grand re-opening is scheduled for April 4, 2014.
- The University is up for reaccreditation in 2015-16. Between now and then, there are a series of initiatives underway that will help us to prepare.
- Graduation and retention rates remain a high priority. The graduation rates have improved significantly over the last decade, but have remained fairly steady at 58% over the past two years, so it will be important to discover what factors, including the structure of the University curriculum, may be slowing time to graduation.
- Another high-priority initiative is the President's Emerging Scholars Program (PES). Previously named Access to Success, PES now enrolls nearly 500 students each fall, who receive scholarship aid and enhanced support from this program. PES admits students who, if using only the primary, formal metrics (e.g., GPA, ACT score), wouldn't be admitted to the University. When secondary factors are also considered, students are admitted based on the primary factors, and also considering secondary factors such as community involvement and leadership skills.
- Enrollment numbers continue to increase, and this year there are more undergraduates on campus than ever before (over 31,000), despite the downward slope of graduating high school students. Demographics for the undergraduate population show as 52% from the Twin Cities.
Programs now able to add/remove Graduate School holds
A group met over the summer to determine the feasibility of programs placing and removing Graduate School holds for their own students. It was decided that colleges and programs will be given access to place/remove the following holds:
If you are interested in being able to place/remove holds (above), please email Amber Cellotti directly. However, in order to be able to place holds and give access, you must have completed Student Data Inquiry and Student Data Update training in PeopleSoft. If you're not sure you have completed these, you can check your training history on the HR website.
- OJ - general hold
- OM - too many incompletes
- OG - doctoral program not filed
- OF - master's program not filed
- OL - GPA requirement not met
If you are interested in being able to place/remove holds (above), please email Amber Cellotti directly. However, in order to be able to place holds and give access, you must have completed Student Data Inquiry and Student Data Update training in PeopleSoft. If you're not sure you have completed these, you can check your training history on the HR website.
FERPA Q&A: Requirements for maintaining education records
Question: What are the requirements for maintaining student education records?
Answer: FERPA does not have a requirement for how long or which student education records must be maintained by an institution. University staff, however, must comply with federal, state, and University retention requirements. FERPA states that if an education record is maintained by the institution, even if it is not required to be maintained, the University must protect it from unauthorized disclosure. The University must also make the education record available for the student to inspect or review, if requested.
For more information about record retention, see the University's retention schedule.
Answer: FERPA does not have a requirement for how long or which student education records must be maintained by an institution. University staff, however, must comply with federal, state, and University retention requirements. FERPA states that if an education record is maintained by the institution, even if it is not required to be maintained, the University must protect it from unauthorized disclosure. The University must also make the education record available for the student to inspect or review, if requested.
For more information about record retention, see the University's retention schedule.
Graduate Degree Plan transition check-in
Thursday, October 3, 9-11 a.m. - Ruttan Hall, room B26 (St. Paul campus)
Monday, October 7, 9-11 a.m. - Folwell Hall, room 32 (East Bank)
These sessions will serve as a follow-up to the transferring of review and accountability for accuracy of the Graduate Degree Plan (GDP) from Graduate Student Services & Progress (GSSP) to programs and colleges.
Please RSVP here. If you are unable to make the sessions, please take a moment to provide input regarding what is going well, what could be improved, and any further resources you may need. A Google hangout will be available.
Monday, October 7, 9-11 a.m. - Folwell Hall, room 32 (East Bank)
These sessions will serve as a follow-up to the transferring of review and accountability for accuracy of the Graduate Degree Plan (GDP) from Graduate Student Services & Progress (GSSP) to programs and colleges.
Please RSVP here. If you are unable to make the sessions, please take a moment to provide input regarding what is going well, what could be improved, and any further resources you may need. A Google hangout will be available.
New graduate packet delivery process
Graduate students will soon be responsible for downloading their own graduation packet materials from the Graduate School website. Graduate Student Services & Progress (GSSP) will remain available for assistance if needed, but will no longer print and send a requested packet to a student or program.
Formal communication will be sent in the upcoming weeks. The expected launch is Monday, October 21.
Formal communication will be sent in the upcoming weeks. The expected launch is Monday, October 21.
Thursday, September 19, 2013
MN Dream Act eligibility
Please share this information regarding the Minnesota Dream Act with your students. Both undergraduate and graduate students are eligible.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Am I eligible to benefit from the Minnesota Dream Act?
The Minnesota Office of Higher Education will determine who is eligible to benefit from the Dream Act. Generally, students are eligible if they have attended a Minnesota high school for at least three years, have graduated from a Minnesota high school (or earned a GED in Minnesota), and have registered with the U.S. Selective Service (applies only to males 18 to 25 years old).
You must apply by October 2, 2013 to receive financial aid benefits for fall 2013 semester. Need more information? Visit the Minnesota Office of Higher Education Dream Act website for details.
For further questions, please contact One Stop Student Services at 612-624-1111.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Am I eligible to benefit from the Minnesota Dream Act?
The Minnesota Office of Higher Education will determine who is eligible to benefit from the Dream Act. Generally, students are eligible if they have attended a Minnesota high school for at least three years, have graduated from a Minnesota high school (or earned a GED in Minnesota), and have registered with the U.S. Selective Service (applies only to males 18 to 25 years old).
You must apply by October 2, 2013 to receive financial aid benefits for fall 2013 semester. Need more information? Visit the Minnesota Office of Higher Education Dream Act website for details.
For further questions, please contact One Stop Student Services at 612-624-1111.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
ESUP: What's Changing?
Since the Enterprise Systems Upgrade Program (ESUP) kicked off in October 2012, people have wanted to know what is going to change when the new system goes live. Users of the University's enterprise student system expect the look and feel of the system to change, but they also know that this is the first time that there has been a comprehensive examination of the related business processes since 1999. The question on everyone's mind is: what will change as a result of that examination and how?
Until the Interactive Design and Prototyping (IDP) activity for business processes was complete and the team recommendations made their way through ESUP governance, it was difficult to discuss the changes that might be happening. With the Student work stream nearing the end of the IDP phase, a picture of the new system and its associated processes is becoming more clear.
The Student work stream has done a tremendous job of following the three principles of their system's upgrade:
The work of IDP was centered on an entire business process and as the recommendations for those business processes are approved through ESUP governance, they are being made available on the ESUP What's Changing? website. On that page, you will see a list of approved changes that are now being communicated to the University community. A short description of the recommendation for the process is on the page, as well as a link to more detailed information.
This will not be the only venue for communicating these changes. More opportunities, including training, will be available as we near go-live in fall 2014. If you have questions or feedback on the information available on the page, please email esup@umn.edu.
Until the Interactive Design and Prototyping (IDP) activity for business processes was complete and the team recommendations made their way through ESUP governance, it was difficult to discuss the changes that might be happening. With the Student work stream nearing the end of the IDP phase, a picture of the new system and its associated processes is becoming more clear.
The Student work stream has done a tremendous job of following the three principles of their system's upgrade:
- Utilize delivered "Self-Service" functionality for students, faculty, and staff.
- Wherever possible, use delivered PeopleSoft functionality without customization or implement the industry-standard, best-practice approach.
- Improve or retain U of M business process best-practice solutions not delivered in PeopleSoft.
The work of IDP was centered on an entire business process and as the recommendations for those business processes are approved through ESUP governance, they are being made available on the ESUP What's Changing? website. On that page, you will see a list of approved changes that are now being communicated to the University community. A short description of the recommendation for the process is on the page, as well as a link to more detailed information.
This will not be the only venue for communicating these changes. More opportunities, including training, will be available as we near go-live in fall 2014. If you have questions or feedback on the information available on the page, please email esup@umn.edu.
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Upcoming Astra Schedule user groups
A series of Astra Schedule user groups is scheduled for this fall. Session topics will address issues that schedulers experience in their day-to-day use of Astra Schedule. They also serve as an opportunity for users to share ideas with each other and receive help solving specific problems.
No registration is required to attend. Locations and times for each session are as follows:
Thursday, September 26, 9-10:30 a.m., Nolte Center 140
Friday, October 25, 1:30-3 p.m., STSS 512B
Tuesday, November 19, 9-10:30 a.m., Nicholson Hall 110
Tuesday, December 17, 9-10:30 a.m., STSS 512B
No registration is required to attend. Locations and times for each session are as follows:
Thursday, September 26, 9-10:30 a.m., Nolte Center 140
Friday, October 25, 1:30-3 p.m., STSS 512B
Tuesday, November 19, 9-10:30 a.m., Nicholson Hall 110
Tuesday, December 17, 9-10:30 a.m., STSS 512B
Friday, September 13, 2013
Honors subplan to become a second major plan
Currently, Honors students on the Twin Cities campus are identified with the University Honors Program (UHP) subplan. Each undergraduate major on the Twin Cities campus has an "honors" APAS version of the major with the honors requirements embedded in the APAS. This can be confusing to students. Starting fall 2013, the Twin Cities campus will stop using the honors subplan and start using an honors second major plan. This will allow for creation of a separate Honors APAS and allow colleges to clear students for graduation who have met all their degree requirements but are still completing their honors requirements.
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Scheduled system outage
During the week of September 15-22, scheduled system upgrades will take place between 4-7 a.m. As a result, several One Stop users will experience intermittent network outages of up to 90 minutes. During these outages, you may not be able to register for classes, view the course schedule, or use the class search.
Monday, September 9, 2013
Change to display of student record information
Recently, a change was announced in how student record information is displayed for students participating in College in the Schools (CIS). Effective immediately, any student (past or present) will now be listed as a non-degree student on his or her student record.
This change is effective for all system campuses and will affect the information displayed on the student's transcript. The decision to make this change was prompted after a review of our peer institutions in the Big Ten and how they categorize students in CIS.
For questions related to this change, please contact Emily Holt in the Office of the Registrar at eholt@umn.edu.
This change is effective for all system campuses and will affect the information displayed on the student's transcript. The decision to make this change was prompted after a review of our peer institutions in the Big Ten and how they categorize students in CIS.
For questions related to this change, please contact Emily Holt in the Office of the Registrar at eholt@umn.edu.
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Registration reminders
- Starting September 10, students will need a permission number to add a class to their registration. Programs can give out permission for courses, except 8333 and 8444.
- Starting September 17, students will need to use the registration exception request form to add classes to their current enrollment.
Tech priorities
To get the latest scoop on the University's IT news and activities, check out the IT priorities video by Vice President and CIO Scott Studham. He outlines the progress made during the past year, as well as the University's IT priorities going forward.
The top 4 priorities as outlined are:
The top 4 priorities as outlined are:
- Improve usability and effectiveness of our current tools, expand hype-cycle exploration, and advance mobile applications
- Modernize academic technology spaces to accommodate bring your own desktop (BYOD) and access to specialized software
- Improve end user support and computer management practice
- Rapidly expand wireless coverage indoors and outdoors on campuses
Student Records Town Hall
The next ESUP Student Records town hall will be held Friday, September 13 from 8:30-10 a.m. in 402 Walter Library. Visit the website for more information on the ESUP Student Project Work Stream.
Update on continuous enrollment for post-baccalaureate students
Last week, an email was sent to all graduate and departmental master's students (i.e. DMS) who have not registered for fall 2013 classes indicating they will be discontinued if they do not register by Monday, September 16. If discontinued, students will need to be readmitted to their program.
A separate announcement was sent to all Directors of Graduate Studies, College Coordinators, and Plan Level Coordinators from Sue Van Voorhis announcing the delay of release of the local readmission workflow. The decision was made jointly by ASR and the Graduate School following conversations about the need for a critical review of the readmission process. The full message can be seen here.
On September 17, graduate and departmental master's students who have not registered will be discontinued. A complete list will be available in UM Reports (UM Reports < Student & Instruction < Student Records < Discontinued Students).
A separate announcement was sent to all Directors of Graduate Studies, College Coordinators, and Plan Level Coordinators from Sue Van Voorhis announcing the delay of release of the local readmission workflow. The decision was made jointly by ASR and the Graduate School following conversations about the need for a critical review of the readmission process. The full message can be seen here.
On September 17, graduate and departmental master's students who have not registered will be discontinued. A complete list will be available in UM Reports (UM Reports < Student & Instruction < Student Records < Discontinued Students).
Delay of release of local readmission workflow
To: Directors of Graduate Studies, College Coordinators, and Plan Level Coordinators
From: Sue Van Voorhis, Associate Vice Provost
Re: Delay of release of local readmission workflow
I am writing to inform you of a decision to delay the launch of the Local Readmit Request workflow as referenced in an earlier communication from Academic Support Resources (ASR). The decision to delay the use of this tool was made jointly by ASR and the Graduate School following conversations about the need for a critical review of the readmission process. Specifically, such a review should be conducted with departments, colleges, and the Graduate School to ensure appropriate oversight and documentation accompanies the launch of any automated process. We will still discontinue graduate and departmental master's students (i.e., DMS) as outlined in the Master's Degree: Performance Standards and Progress policy and the Doctoral Degree: Performance Standards and Progress policy.
Here is how you should proceed with readmission at this time:
For graduate students (i.e., GRD)
The process for readmission remains unchanged. They should continue to use either the Request for Express Readmission or the Online Application for Readmission.
For DMS students
Many DMS programs and/or their college have an existing process for returning students to active status; this process should be applied to those students who require readmission after discontinuation for non-enrollment. If you are unsure of how to proceed, please contact the Office of the Registrar at otr@umn.edu 612-626-4432.
I apologize for the inconvenience this delay may cause you. I do believe this is in the best interests of moving toward a stable, long-term solution to quickly readmit our students, while still adhering to best practices in graduate education.
If you have any questions about this message, please contact me directly.
From: Sue Van Voorhis, Associate Vice Provost
Re: Delay of release of local readmission workflow
I am writing to inform you of a decision to delay the launch of the Local Readmit Request workflow as referenced in an earlier communication from Academic Support Resources (ASR). The decision to delay the use of this tool was made jointly by ASR and the Graduate School following conversations about the need for a critical review of the readmission process. Specifically, such a review should be conducted with departments, colleges, and the Graduate School to ensure appropriate oversight and documentation accompanies the launch of any automated process. We will still discontinue graduate and departmental master's students (i.e., DMS) as outlined in the Master's Degree: Performance Standards and Progress policy and the Doctoral Degree: Performance Standards and Progress policy.
Here is how you should proceed with readmission at this time:
For graduate students (i.e., GRD)
The process for readmission remains unchanged. They should continue to use either the Request for Express Readmission or the Online Application for Readmission.
For DMS students
Many DMS programs and/or their college have an existing process for returning students to active status; this process should be applied to those students who require readmission after discontinuation for non-enrollment. If you are unsure of how to proceed, please contact the Office of the Registrar at otr@umn.edu 612-626-4432.
I apologize for the inconvenience this delay may cause you. I do believe this is in the best interests of moving toward a stable, long-term solution to quickly readmit our students, while still adhering to best practices in graduate education.
If you have any questions about this message, please contact me directly.
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
September Astra Schedule demonstrations
In May, the Office of Classroom Management (OCM) implemented a new, system-wide classroom and event scheduling system called Astra Schedule. You can use Astra Schedule to request both departmental and general purpose classroom space for an event. A quick start guide is available for additional step-by-step instructions. Demonstrations of Astra Schedule will be held at the following locations on campus:
Friday, September 6, 9-10 a.m., STSS 512B
Friday, September 13, 2-3 p.m., STSS 512B
Friday, September 6, 9-10 a.m., STSS 512B
Friday, September 13, 2-3 p.m., STSS 512B
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Continuous enrollment for graduate and professional students
To: Director of Graduate Studies, College Coordinators, Plan Level Coordinators
From: Frank Blalark, Office of the Registrar
Re: Continuous enrollment for graduate and professional students
Effective fall 2013, all Twin Cities and Duluth graduate and professional students, except those enrolled in first professional programs (i.e., J.D., M.D., Pharm. D., D.V.M., D.D.S., L.L.M. degrees), will be required to register each fall and spring term in order to maintain active status. Students who have not yet registered for the upcoming term (excluding summer) will be discontinued.
An email notice from One Stop Student Services will be sent to any graduate and professional student not registered the week before classes start. If the student has not registered by the end of the second week of classes, they will be discontinued.
Those who wish to resume graduate work must request readmission to reactivate their status. It is at the discretion of each program and/or college to determine the best readmission path for a student. The student can be readmitted by the college or program via the Local Readmit Request form, which will be available on this page in the coming weeks. The college or program can also refer the student to the Graduate School, where they can apply through the express readmit or readmission process.
Students who experience circumstances that prevent them from maintaining active student status will also have the option to request a leave of absence. Full information on the Leave of Absence and Reinstatement from a Leave: Graduate Students can be found online.
In all cases, students should contact the major program for which they are applying for information about program content, deadlines, and whether additional materials (such as GRE scores or letters of recommendation) are needed.
Please contact me directly at blala001@umn.edu if you have any questions regarding this announcement.
Regards,
Frank Blalark
Director, Office of the Registrar
From: Frank Blalark, Office of the Registrar
Re: Continuous enrollment for graduate and professional students
Effective fall 2013, all Twin Cities and Duluth graduate and professional students, except those enrolled in first professional programs (i.e., J.D., M.D., Pharm. D., D.V.M., D.D.S., L.L.M. degrees), will be required to register each fall and spring term in order to maintain active status. Students who have not yet registered for the upcoming term (excluding summer) will be discontinued.
An email notice from One Stop Student Services will be sent to any graduate and professional student not registered the week before classes start. If the student has not registered by the end of the second week of classes, they will be discontinued.
Those who wish to resume graduate work must request readmission to reactivate their status. It is at the discretion of each program and/or college to determine the best readmission path for a student. The student can be readmitted by the college or program via the Local Readmit Request form, which will be available on this page in the coming weeks. The college or program can also refer the student to the Graduate School, where they can apply through the express readmit or readmission process.
Students who experience circumstances that prevent them from maintaining active student status will also have the option to request a leave of absence. Full information on the Leave of Absence and Reinstatement from a Leave: Graduate Students can be found online.
In all cases, students should contact the major program for which they are applying for information about program content, deadlines, and whether additional materials (such as GRE scores or letters of recommendation) are needed.
Please contact me directly at blala001@umn.edu if you have any questions regarding this announcement.
Regards,
Frank Blalark
Director, Office of the Registrar
Friday, August 23, 2013
ESUP Academic Advisement team progressing
The ESUP Academic Advisement team recently reached its first milestone: completion of the Phase 1 workbook. This workbook represents a record of the work completed during the "Plan & Discover" phase. While the document can at times be highly technically-focused, it can provide a feel for the plan and scope for the work of the team.
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Welcome & Orientation event for new graduate and professional students
The Graduate School, in collaboration with the Council of Graduate Students, will hold a Welcome & Orientation event on Saturday, September 7 from 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. This event is designed to introduce new graduate and professional students to the University, the graduate community, and the broad range of resources and services available to support their success. More information is available at www.grad.umn.edu/orientation.
Approval process for international coursework on Graduate Degree Plan
All international coursework that will appear on a Graduate Degree Plan needs to be approved by Jim Rowan in graduate admissions before the college can sign off on the form. It is the responsibility of the program/college to ensure that Jim approves international coursework. Please contact Jim at j-rowa@umn.edu to have international coursework evaluated.
Friday, August 16, 2013
FERPA Q&A: Storing student information
Question: What's the best way to store information about students?
Answer: Student data (e.g., grades, attendance, test scores, advising appointment information) should be stored on central servers, not on personal computers, hard drives of computers that more than one person has access to, flash drives, or laptops.
It is important to keep in mind that portable electronic devices stored with sensitive information can easily be lost or stolen. If this occurs, the affected students must be notified that their non-public (or suppressed public) student data has been released.
Answer: Student data (e.g., grades, attendance, test scores, advising appointment information) should be stored on central servers, not on personal computers, hard drives of computers that more than one person has access to, flash drives, or laptops.
It is important to keep in mind that portable electronic devices stored with sensitive information can easily be lost or stolen. If this occurs, the affected students must be notified that their non-public (or suppressed public) student data has been released.
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Student degree progress update
The new degree credit summaries on APAS (Academic Progress Audit System) rolled out last fall. The change allowed students and advisers to see a summary of credits considered degree credits and elective credits, and what courses do not meet the requirements for the student's declared program(s).
Some recent highlights regarding student degree progress include the following:
--Creating an APAS tutorial on the One Stop website.
--Providing colleges with degree progress data for NHS and NAS students prior to the enrollment period to help identify potential graduates.
--Completing an extensive comparison of program requirement information on collegiate websites. This has helped detect any discrepancies appearing in PCAS.
--Identifying a program requirement that was causing issues for students and working with the department to adjust the curriculum.
The biggest and most time sensitive goal for student degree progress is to reach a 60% graduation rate for the fall 2009 cohort. As of right now, 2,895 degrees have been posted, but a total of 3,229 are needed by approximately October.
Questions regarding student degree progress should be directed to Tracy Fischer at fisch074@umn.edu or 6-1301.
Some recent highlights regarding student degree progress include the following:
--Creating an APAS tutorial on the One Stop website.
--Providing colleges with degree progress data for NHS and NAS students prior to the enrollment period to help identify potential graduates.
--Completing an extensive comparison of program requirement information on collegiate websites. This has helped detect any discrepancies appearing in PCAS.
--Identifying a program requirement that was causing issues for students and working with the department to adjust the curriculum.
The biggest and most time sensitive goal for student degree progress is to reach a 60% graduation rate for the fall 2009 cohort. As of right now, 2,895 degrees have been posted, but a total of 3,229 are needed by approximately October.
Questions regarding student degree progress should be directed to Tracy Fischer at fisch074@umn.edu or 6-1301.
Be aware of phishing
Phishing is a serious security issue at the University. If you're not already familiar, phishing is the practice of using fraudulent emails and copies of legitimate websites to obtain financial data from computer users for purposes of identity theft. U of M Information Security has established a phishing examples blog that lists examples of phishing targeting the University community. Of particular importance are phishing schemes that exist to compromise accounts in order to target individual PeopleSoft self-service options.
Friday, August 9, 2013
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has announced early November deadlines for student applications for the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP). The GRFP provides three years of graduate education support for students who have demonstrated potential for significant achievement in science and engineering research. For eligibility information and application instructions, see the program description.
Faculty are encouraged to inform qualified students of a fall semester NSF GRFP Writing Seminar led by Professor Scott Lanyon (Head and Professor; Ecology and Behavior).
Faculty are encouraged to inform qualified students of a fall semester NSF GRFP Writing Seminar led by Professor Scott Lanyon (Head and Professor; Ecology and Behavior).
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Resources available for Graduate Degree Plan (GDP) review
Just a reminder that Mike Brown, Graduate Student Services and Progress Coordinator, is still available through the end of August to assist with the Graduate Degree Plan (GDP) review process and answer any questions you may have. To have Mike come to your office, please email him at mlbrown@umn.edu to schedule an appointment.
Also, tutorials on reviewing the Graduate Degree Plan to meet policy compliance are available on the Graduate School website under Info for Faculty and Staff.
The Graduate Degree Plan Checklist can also be found on this page.
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
How does it work in 9.0?
As ESUP progresses, many people are interested in what PeopleSoft delivers today. Oracle's User Productivity Kit (UPK) is a tool that will be used to deliver training and "in application support" (the Help button on PeopleSoft pages) in the 9.0 environment. It can be used to create simulations and documentation of PeopleSoft system processes.
Since our current student and human resources systems are highly customized, the University of Minnesota purchased UPK materials illustrating the latest off-the-shelf or "vanilla" PeopleSoft functionality so users and stakeholders can familiarize themselves with its capabilities and limitations. Some, not all, processes have associated UPK materials and the Student UPK materials can be found online as soon as they are available.
Please note: It is important to understand that these UPK materials present delivered functionality only, without further refinement or branding. Although eliminating costly modifications remains a primary objective of ESUP, these materials do not accurately represent what will be implemented at the University of Minnesota.
Friday, July 26, 2013
Third Party Billing now located in Fraser Hall
Third Party Billing has moved to 169 Fraser Hall. The office's contact information remains the same, but the mailing address for third party authorization sponsors has changed to the following:
Third Party Billing, Office of Student Finance
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
169 Fraser Hall
106 Pleasant Street SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Third Party Billing can also be reached at tpbill@umn.edu or 612-625-8559.
Third Party Billing, Office of Student Finance
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
169 Fraser Hall
106 Pleasant Street SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Third Party Billing can also be reached at tpbill@umn.edu or 612-625-8559.
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Continued changes to Williamson Hall Service Center
The Williamson Hall Service Center (room 160) will continue to serve graduate and professional students and provide general reception and assistance for all guests to Academic Support Resources and Williamson. The area will be fully staffed by student workers, who will be trained to support the GSSP team. As always, GSSP team members will still be available for assistance upon request.
You will also notice the reception area of 160 Williamson has been remodeled to create a space designed to receive and assist visitors. We hope these changes help in continuing to provide the best possible service to our students, staff, faculty, and visitors.
You will also notice the reception area of 160 Williamson has been remodeled to create a space designed to receive and assist visitors. We hope these changes help in continuing to provide the best possible service to our students, staff, faculty, and visitors.
Graduate Degree Plan tutorials
Tutorials on reviewing the Graduate Degree Plan to meet policy compliance are now available on the Graduate School website under Info for Faculty and Staff.
Mike Brown, Graduate Student Services and Progress Coordinator, will still be available to assist with the process and answer any questions you may have. Appointments are available between 8 a.m.-12 p.m., M-F. To have Mike come to your office, please email him at mlbrown@umn.edu to schedule an appointment. If you are unable to meet during this time, Mike is available most afternoons on a walk-in basis at the service center desk in Williamson 160. You can also reach him by email or by phone at 5-5833.
Mike Brown, Graduate Student Services and Progress Coordinator, will still be available to assist with the process and answer any questions you may have. Appointments are available between 8 a.m.-12 p.m., M-F. To have Mike come to your office, please email him at mlbrown@umn.edu to schedule an appointment. If you are unable to meet during this time, Mike is available most afternoons on a walk-in basis at the service center desk in Williamson 160. You can also reach him by email or by phone at 5-5833.
Thursday, July 18, 2013
FERPA Q&A: Amending an educational record
Question: Can a student request to have information removed from or amended in his or her educational record?
Answer: Yes, under FERPA, students may request that inaccurate or misleading information be removed from or amended in their educational record. The amendment procedure, however, may only be used to challenge facts that are inaccurately recorded, not to challenge a grade, an opinion, or a substantive decision made by an institution about a student. University policy requires the student to identify the record in question and provide a written statement explaining why the amendment should be made.
Answer: Yes, under FERPA, students may request that inaccurate or misleading information be removed from or amended in their educational record. The amendment procedure, however, may only be used to challenge facts that are inaccurately recorded, not to challenge a grade, an opinion, or a substantive decision made by an institution about a student. University policy requires the student to identify the record in question and provide a written statement explaining why the amendment should be made.
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Temporary solution for room schedule displays
The Office of Classroom Management's (OCM) new system-wide classroom and event scheduling system, Astra Schedule, went live in May. It replaced the former classroom schedule viewers and request process.
The transition requires a replacement of the content on the room schedule displays for Cooke, Folwell, Nicholson, and STSS classrooms. To access the new room inventory page, a QR code is available on the room displays for mobile-device users. You may also view the content with a computer or laptop using the provided URL located on the room displays.
In the meantime, OCM is working with its room scheduling display vendor to write a new interface in the coming year. When complete, OCM will transition back to posting the daily room schedules on the currently installed room schedule displays. There are no plans to add more displays outside of the new classrooms.
The transition requires a replacement of the content on the room schedule displays for Cooke, Folwell, Nicholson, and STSS classrooms. To access the new room inventory page, a QR code is available on the room displays for mobile-device users. You may also view the content with a computer or laptop using the provided URL located on the room displays.
In the meantime, OCM is working with its room scheduling display vendor to write a new interface in the coming year. When complete, OCM will transition back to posting the daily room schedules on the currently installed room schedule displays. There are no plans to add more displays outside of the new classrooms.
New mass email template
University Relations recently released a new mass email template. The template is compatible with multiple screen sizes, from mobile to desktop. Guidelines for using the template are also available.
Thursday, July 11, 2013
GSSP closed on July 19
The Graduate Student Services and Progress (GSSP) office will be closed on Friday, July 19 for a staff retreat. Walk-in, phone, and email services will not be available during this time. Full service will resume at 8 a.m. Monday, July 22.
GSSP contact information reminder
Just a reminder that all emails to GSSP must be sent to gssp@umn.edu. Please update your materials to reflect this change. Once an email has been sent to gssp@umn.edu, you will receive an email saying a ServiceNow ticket has been opened. A GSSP team member will contact you within one business day of your request. No further action is required until a team member gets in touch with you.
When your request is completed, you will receive an automated response saying "we believe the issue has been resolved." If you ever feel this is in error, please reply to the email from ServiceNow, and the ticket will be reopened.
When your request is completed, you will receive an automated response saying "we believe the issue has been resolved." If you ever feel this is in error, please reply to the email from ServiceNow, and the ticket will be reopened.
Graduate student workflow process improvements
Effective immediately, the Graduate Degree Plan (GDP) milestone must be on the student's record before they can access the committee workflows. This means the GDP must be approved by the college and/or program, in addition to central data entry completed by Graduate Student Services & Progress (GSSP) and the Office of the Registrar (OTR). Also, a student is allowed only one committee request per degree objective (i.e., master's, PhD) in the workflow at the same time.
If a student requests a committee before their GDP is approved and processed, they will receive a message explaining why their new request cannot be processed; additionally, if a student requests a committee while already having a committee in queue, they will receive a similar message.
If you have questions about this notice, please contact GSSP at gssp@umn.edu.
If a student requests a committee before their GDP is approved and processed, they will receive a message explaining why their new request cannot be processed; additionally, if a student requests a committee while already having a committee in queue, they will receive a similar message.
If you have questions about this notice, please contact GSSP at gssp@umn.edu.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
New module in Student work stream
A new module has started in the Student work stream: Academic Advisement. Academic Advisement (within PeopleSoft Enterprise Campus Solutions) is used to track the requirements and policies that a student must satisfy in order to graduate. For ESUP, Academic Advisement will be implemented for graduate programs and evaluated for use for undergraduate programs. This work was part of the initial program plan and represents no change in scope, timeline, or budget.
The team for Academic Advisement is being formed right now and a kick-off is being planned for later this summer. More information can be found on the Academic Advisement webpage.
The team for Academic Advisement is being formed right now and a kick-off is being planned for later this summer. More information can be found on the Academic Advisement webpage.
New area of work for ESUP: Academic Advisement
A new module has started in the Student work stream of the Enterprise Systems Upgrade Program: Academic Advisement. Academic Advisement (within PeopleSoft Enterprise Campus Solutions) is used to track the requirements and policies that a student must satisfy in order to graduate. For ESUP, Academic Advisement will be implemented for graduate programs and evaluated for use for undergraduate programs. The team for Academic Advisement is being formed right now and a kick-off is being planned for later this summer.
Updates on the progress of the Academic Advisement team will be included in monthly meetings of the Registrar's Advisory Committee, the College Advisory Group, and the PBED Digest. To sign-up for the PBED Digest or the RAC listserv, please email asrcomm@umn.edu. More information on the Academic Advisement webpage.
Updates on the progress of the Academic Advisement team will be included in monthly meetings of the Registrar's Advisory Committee, the College Advisory Group, and the PBED Digest. To sign-up for the PBED Digest or the RAC listserv, please email asrcomm@umn.edu. More information on the Academic Advisement webpage.
Graduate Degree Plan transition
Effective July 1, the review of and accountability for accuracy of the Graduate Degree Plan (GDP) transitioned from Graduate Student Services & Progress (GSSP) to programs and colleges. This is a result of continued efforts to transfer the locus of authority from the Graduate School to individual graduate programs and colleges.
Graduate education policy requires review and approval of the GDP at the graduate program level. Collegiate units must also ensure accurate review of the GDP; however, it is at the discretion of the college to determine who will sign as the collegiate unit representative in the space provided on the revised version of the GDP. The process for declaring minors will remain unchanged.
The Graduate School website will have the following resources available:
If you need assistance or have any questions, please refer to this announcement regarding office hours and appointments.
Thank you for your cooperation during this transition.
Graduate education policy requires review and approval of the GDP at the graduate program level. Collegiate units must also ensure accurate review of the GDP; however, it is at the discretion of the college to determine who will sign as the collegiate unit representative in the space provided on the revised version of the GDP. The process for declaring minors will remain unchanged.
The Graduate School website will have the following resources available:
- July 1: Degree plan checklist to assist program and college staff with review of the Graduate Degree Plan provided to ensure accuracy and compliance with Graduate Education Policy.
- July 1: Updated Graduate Degree Plan form.
- July 8: Tutorials showing how to review the degree plan to meet policy compliance for:
- Doctoral students
- Master's students
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificates
If you need assistance or have any questions, please refer to this announcement regarding office hours and appointments.
Thank you for your cooperation during this transition.
Bursar Office closure
The Bursar Office permanently closed on June 28, 2013. Students are encouraged to make tuition payments online through their Student Account. Due dates and payment options are available on the One Stop Student Services website. Drop boxes in Williamson Hall, Coffman Union and the St. Paul Student Center will no longer be available. The drop box in the Science Teaching and Student Services (STSS) building will remain. To pay by mail, students will need to print a copy of their bill and send it with a check, money order, traveler's check, or cashier's check to the following address:
University of Minnesota Twin Cities
NW 6443
PO Box 1450
Minneapolis, MN 55485-6443
Student questions regarding tuition payments should be directed to One Stop Student Services at 612-624-1111 or onestop@umn.edu. Questions from staff on how student payments will be processed should be directed to Student Account Assistance at 612-625-8007 or sfcmail@umn.edu.
University of Minnesota Twin Cities
NW 6443
PO Box 1450
Minneapolis, MN 55485-6443
Student questions regarding tuition payments should be directed to One Stop Student Services at 612-624-1111 or onestop@umn.edu. Questions from staff on how student payments will be processed should be directed to Student Account Assistance at 612-625-8007 or sfcmail@umn.edu.
Friday, June 21, 2013
Changes to the Williamson Hall Service Center this summer
Effective July 1, the One Stop Student Services location in 160 Williamson Hall will close. Students can access walk-in counseling at one of the three other One Stop Student Services locations. Graduate Student Services and Progress (GSSP) will continue to serve graduate and professional students at the Williamson Hall location (8 a.m.-4 p.m. M-F).
East Bank: 333 Science Teaching & Student Services (STSS) (8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. M-Th; 8 a.m.-4 p.m. F)
West Bank: 130 West Bank Skyway (8 a.m.-4 p.m. M-F)
St. Paul: 130 Coffey Hall (8 a.m.-4 p.m. M-F)
Students can also reach One Stop staff by email or by calling 612-624-1111 from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. M-F, or 1-800-400-8636 toll-free from outside the Twin Cities metropolitan area, or 612-626-0701 (TTY for hearing-impaired students only).
If you have any questions for One Stop Student Services, please email onestop@umn.edu. Questions relating to Graduate Student Services & Progress can be directed to gssp@umn.edu.
East Bank: 333 Science Teaching & Student Services (STSS) (8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. M-Th; 8 a.m.-4 p.m. F)
West Bank: 130 West Bank Skyway (8 a.m.-4 p.m. M-F)
St. Paul: 130 Coffey Hall (8 a.m.-4 p.m. M-F)
Students can also reach One Stop staff by email or by calling 612-624-1111 from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. M-F, or 1-800-400-8636 toll-free from outside the Twin Cities metropolitan area, or 612-626-0701 (TTY for hearing-impaired students only).
If you have any questions for One Stop Student Services, please email onestop@umn.edu. Questions relating to Graduate Student Services & Progress can be directed to gssp@umn.edu.
APAS page on One Stop website update
The "What is APAS?" page on the One Stop website was recently updated. It includes a tutorial which helps students better understand their APAS report.
Questions the tutorial will answer:
What is an APAS report?
How will I, my adviser, and my college use my APAS report?
What information is important to me?
What are my degree requirements?
What are my major program requirements?
How do I satisfy the writing intensive and liberal education requirements?
Where do I see a summary of the courses I am taking, have taken, or that have transferred in that meet certain requirements?
Your feedback is appreciated. All comments and questions about the webpage and tutorial can be directed to apasle@umn.edu.
Questions the tutorial will answer:
What is an APAS report?
How will I, my adviser, and my college use my APAS report?
What information is important to me?
What are my degree requirements?
What are my major program requirements?
How do I satisfy the writing intensive and liberal education requirements?
Where do I see a summary of the courses I am taking, have taken, or that have transferred in that meet certain requirements?
Your feedback is appreciated. All comments and questions about the webpage and tutorial can be directed to apasle@umn.edu.
July RAC canceled
The July Registrar's Advisory Committee (RAC) meeting has been canceled due to the 4th of July holiday. It will resume the first Monday in August. If you have any items of importance to share before August, please email Sue Van Voorhis or Kess Knight, who will communicate with the group via email.
OCM adds more video conferencing classrooms
In 2011, the Office of Classroom Management (OCM) and the Office of Information Technology (OIT) announced a partnership that added video conferencing capabilities to the classroom technology system in Humphrey Center 25. The partnership was such a success that OIT is transferring three additional video conferencing rooms into OCM's inventory. The new video conferencing classrooms will be used for courses and events beginning fall semester 2013.
The new classrooms include:
Magrath 4 (St. Paul)
Peters 145 (St. Paul)
Peik Hall 165 (East Bank)
A fourth classroom, Peters 155 (St. Paul), will be converted into a general purpose classroom during fall semester and will be ready for spring 2014 courses and events.
The new classrooms include:
Magrath 4 (St. Paul)
Peters 145 (St. Paul)
Peik Hall 165 (East Bank)
A fourth classroom, Peters 155 (St. Paul), will be converted into a general purpose classroom during fall semester and will be ready for spring 2014 courses and events.
Friday, June 14, 2013
Graduate Degree Plan review assistance
During July and August, Mike Brown, GSSP Coordinator, will be available to assist with the Graduate Degree Plan review process and answer any questions you may have. Appointments are available between 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., Monday - Friday. To have Mike come to your office, please email him at mlbrown@umn.edu to schedule an appointment. If you are unable to meet during this time, Mike is available most afternoons on a walk-in basis at the service center desk in Williamson 160, by email, or by phone at 5-5833.
Friday, May 31, 2013
Commenting On & Grading Student Writing: A Workshop for Teaching Assistants
Teaching assistants new to grading and commenting will have opportunities to become familiar with strategies and resources supporting effective and efficient practices. Seasoned teaching assistants looking for a tune-up are welcomed as well.
Wednesday, August 28 - Thursday, August 29
1:00 - 4:00 p.m. - Location TBA
Cost: FREE
Important information related to registration:
Participants will...
This workshop has been well received by graduate students in the past; many indicate that it provided them with pragmatic, foundational response practices.
Please forward this message to any interested graduate student TAs.
Wednesday, August 28 - Thursday, August 29
1:00 - 4:00 p.m. - Location TBA
Cost: FREE
Important information related to registration:
- registration is required
- registrants are expected to attend both afternoon sessions
- TAs must register themselves
- a letter of participation will be provided for those who complete the workshop
Participants will...
- become familiar with the attributes of MINIMAL marking
- practice commenting on a diverse sampling of student writing
- recognize the functions of comments in provoking revision
- discuss methods for identifying and using fair grading criteria and for working with criteria supplied by others
- practice assigning grades to an array of of student writing from social sciences sciences, humanities, etc.
- learn strategies recommended by a panel of experienced TAs
This workshop has been well received by graduate students in the past; many indicate that it provided them with pragmatic, foundational response practices.
Please forward this message to any interested graduate student TAs.
Funding for Interdisciplinary Grad Groups (IGG) announced
Five new and four existing interdisciplinary graduate groups received funding in the 2013 Graduate School competition. Intended to facilitate collaboration among faculty, staff, and students with similar interdisciplinary interests, Interdisciplinary Graduate Groups (IGG) also seek and support the development of research, educational, or training activities that expand and enhance interdisciplinary graduate and professional education.
For more information, see the funding announcement.
For more information, see the funding announcement.
Transcript fee increase
Effective July 1, 2013, the price of all transcripts, regardless of ordering method or format, will increase from $12 per transcript to $15. The International Priority delivery fee will increase from $20 to $25 for each address. The International Priority delivery fee for duplicate diplomas will also increase from $20 to $25 for each address. This cost increase is effective for all system campuses.
All paper transcripts will continue to be processed within one business day (certified PDF transcripts can be processed and delivered within minutes of being ordered, regardless of the time of day).
The updated form will be available July 1. Please discard any outdated materials and update any documents, websites, etc. to reflect this change.
This price increase will ensure that the University is able to continue providing fast and efficient service to students and alumni.
All paper transcripts will continue to be processed within one business day (certified PDF transcripts can be processed and delivered within minutes of being ordered, regardless of the time of day).
The updated form will be available July 1. Please discard any outdated materials and update any documents, websites, etc. to reflect this change.
This price increase will ensure that the University is able to continue providing fast and efficient service to students and alumni.
Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Education Henning Schroeder appointed CGS/NSF Dean-in-Residence
Dr. Henning Schroeder has been offered a prestigious 12-month appointment as Council of Graduate Schools (CGS)/National Science Foundation (NSF) Dean-in-Residence in Washington D.C., beginning September 2013. To ensure continued leadership in graduate education, Provost Hanson has appointed Dr. Sally Kohlstedt to serve as acting vice provost and dean of graduate education while Vice Provost Schroeder is away from his position.
Click here for more information.
Click here for more information.
Graduate Education Council (GEC) election results
Results from the spring 2013 Graduate Education Council (GEC) election are now available. Created in response to the recommendations for restructuring graduate education, the GEC serves as a University-wide advisory body to the vice provost and dean of graduate education. The five newly-elected faculty members will begin serving three-year terms in fall 2013.
Friday, May 17, 2013
FERPA Q&A: Orientation and student FERPA rights
Question: When do students' rights begin under FERPA?
Answer: Student rights, as they relate to his or her University record, begin as soon as a record is created. This means that all students attending orientation are protected under FERPA, even though they have not yet officially registered.
During orientation, some colleges may use peer advisers or other student staff to assist students with questions or registration. Student employees have responsibilities related to FERPA just as any full-time employee at the University does. Staff with access to student record information should only access what they need to fulfill their job duties. Student staff have the same duty to keep record information about other students private.
Answer: Student rights, as they relate to his or her University record, begin as soon as a record is created. This means that all students attending orientation are protected under FERPA, even though they have not yet officially registered.
During orientation, some colleges may use peer advisers or other student staff to assist students with questions or registration. Student employees have responsibilities related to FERPA just as any full-time employee at the University does. Staff with access to student record information should only access what they need to fulfill their job duties. Student staff have the same duty to keep record information about other students private.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
One Stop closed on May 29
On May 29, all One Stop Student Services locations will close at 11:30 a.m. for a staff event. Walk-in, phone, and email services will not be available during that time at any of the four One Stop Student Services locations. Full service will resume in all locations at 8 a.m. on Thursday, May 30.
One Stop limited service on May 22
On May 22, the St. Paul, West Bank and Williamson One Stop Student Services locations will be closed from 8:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m. for a staff event. If you need to meet with a counselor during this time, please come to the location in Science Teaching and Student Services.
Update on Faculty Roles List database
Improvements continue to be made to the Faculty Roles List database. Reported issues of application error by non-authenticated users has been fixed. Non-authenticated users should now have access to the database, but it has been ensured that they do not have access to or can change program faculty responsibility records. Issues of slow loading on the "Search by faculty" function has also been corrected.
Portal Priorities Survey | Closes May 20
The Enterprise Portal team is gathering opportunities and needs for a new portal planned for late 2014. Your input will help as the team starts to prioritize opportunities and begin the design work. Please fill out this 10-15 minute survey by May 20.
Follow this link to participate in the survey or copy and paste the URL below into your internet browser:
https://umn.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_4Hm9ub7ZW8DrpcN
Follow this link to participate in the survey or copy and paste the URL below into your internet browser:
https://umn.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_4Hm9ub7ZW8DrpcN
Monday, May 13, 2013
One Stop academic calendar feedback
Academic Support Resources (ASR) staff are in the process of reviewing the One Stop Student Services academic calendar. The goal is to include academic dates that are the most useful and important to students, faculty,and staff, using more student friendly language. The review team welcomes your thoughts and suggestions. If you have a recommendation, please email Tina Falkner.
Repeat policy update
As mentioned previously, a PDF has been posted on the One Stop website that contains guidelines for undergraduate students petitioning to enroll in a course for a third time. These guidelines reflect the University's policy on repeating a course, which states students may repeat a U of M course or its equivalent once. So far, enforcement of the policy has been well received, and few issues have been reported.
Upcoming change to event scheduling
On May 20, 2013, OCM will launch a new electronic room reservation system called Astra Schedule. A quick start guide will be available that includes instructions on how to request a classroom for an event using the new system. Scheduling staff will conduct demonstrations of the new request process and calendar functionality of the new software at the following locations across campus:
Saint Paul: Tuesday, May 21, 9-10 a.m., Ruttan B35
West Bank: Wednesday, May 22, 2:30-3:30 p.m., Blegen 10
East Bank: Thursday, May 23, 9-10 a.m., Nicholson 155
If you have any questions about this change, email OCMSoftwareHELP@umn.edu.
Saint Paul: Tuesday, May 21, 9-10 a.m., Ruttan B35
West Bank: Wednesday, May 22, 2:30-3:30 p.m., Blegen 10
East Bank: Thursday, May 23, 9-10 a.m., Nicholson 155
If you have any questions about this change, email OCMSoftwareHELP@umn.edu.
Friday, May 3, 2013
Policy best practice session: Application of Graduate Credits to Degree Requirements
These policy best practice sessions are related to the transition of review and accountability of the graduate degree plan from Graduate Student Services & Progress to programs and colleges on July 1.
Upcoming sessions:
-Thursday, May 23, 10-11:30 a.m. - St. Paul (McNeal Hall, Room 146)
-Thursday, May 30, 2:30-4 p.m. - East Bank (Nicholson Hall, Room 125)
No RSVP necessary.
Upcoming sessions:
-Thursday, May 23, 10-11:30 a.m. - St. Paul (McNeal Hall, Room 146)
-Thursday, May 30, 2:30-4 p.m. - East Bank (Nicholson Hall, Room 125)
No RSVP necessary.
New graduation packet messaging
Effective immediately, graduate students will experience a new interface and different messaging when requesting their graduation packet online. Eligibility milestones (e.g. active status, approved degree plan, approved final committee) for a student will now be checked at the time they log in to request a packet.
If a student has not completed one or more of the milestones listed, a message displays explaining what they are missing and steps they must take to correct it. We would like you to be aware of this new interface and messaging as it may generate questions from students.
If you have questions regarding this notice, please contact GSSP at gssp@umn.edu.
If a student has not completed one or more of the milestones listed, a message displays explaining what they are missing and steps they must take to correct it. We would like you to be aware of this new interface and messaging as it may generate questions from students.
If you have questions regarding this notice, please contact GSSP at gssp@umn.edu.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
CTS will discontinue event support and AV equipment rental effective May 15
Effective May 15, 2013, Classroom Technical Services (CTS) event support and AV equipment rental services will be discontinued. This will be the only change in services. CTS remains very invested in the design and installation of classroom presentation systems, as well as dynamic digital signage services.
If you have any questions regarding this change, please contact Wanda Marsolek.
If you have any questions regarding this change, please contact Wanda Marsolek.
UMSurvey to be decommissioned
Please be advised that UMSurvey will be decommissioned August 2, 2013. In its place, Qualtrics - a more robust and user-friendly survey tool - will be available to University of Minnesota affiliates.
NOTE: You must take action in order to retain data collected in UMSurvey and/or to retain survey questions. Please export the data you wish to retain from UMSurvey and save them as a CSV file before August 2, 2013.
Instructions for how to export your data are available on the UMSurvey "Accessing Your Data" web page under "Exporting Results." A forthcoming transition plan will include how to create a Qualtrics account, access to training, how to migrate some surveys, and how to upload your CSV files.
NOTE: You must take action in order to retain data collected in UMSurvey and/or to retain survey questions. Please export the data you wish to retain from UMSurvey and save them as a CSV file before August 2, 2013.
Instructions for how to export your data are available on the UMSurvey "Accessing Your Data" web page under "Exporting Results." A forthcoming transition plan will include how to create a Qualtrics account, access to training, how to migrate some surveys, and how to upload your CSV files.
Friday, April 19, 2013
FERPA tutorial
Do you have a new staff member, or are you looking for a FERPA refresher? Check out the new FERPA tutorial. (Click on the ULearn link to sign in and then enter "FERPA" in the search box.)
If you have questions about FERPA, or if you have a topic you would like to see featured in a future FERPA Q&A, contact Dan Delaney or Tina Falkner.
If you have questions about FERPA, or if you have a topic you would like to see featured in a future FERPA Q&A, contact Dan Delaney or Tina Falkner.
Graduating Students - Loan Exit Counseling
Students who have applied to graduate this spring will be receiving emails asking them to complete any required loan exit counseling. Any questions or concerns should be directed to Student Account Assistance at stdtloan@umn.edu or 612-625-8007.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Faculty Role List Database
The Faculty Role List Database went live on April 8 and links to the database are available on the Staff and Faculty tab as well as the Students tab on the Graduate School website. If changes (e.g. additions, deletions, amendments) need to be made to faculty information, staff with edit access may update the database as needed by logging into the database and using the "add a faculty member" button or clicking on the name for a faculty member to update roles or to remove from the list. Note that email notifications are now active.
Friday, April 12, 2013
New Associate Dean for Curriculum and Assessment Coordinator
Leslie Schiff recently accepted the position as the new Associate Dean for Curriculum for the Office of Undergraduate Education (OUE). One of Associate Dean Schiff's main goals is to increase the four-year graduation rate. She will also be responsible for connecting curricular efforts and information across OUE units, across colleges, and with other campus offices that serve undergraduate students.
Additionally, a new Assessment Coordinator was hired last month. Steven J. Hawks will serve as a campus-wide resource on undergraduate assessment and will work with faculty, staff, and administrators to coordinate assessment efforts of Twin Cities undergraduate student learning. He will serve as a key member of the Undergraduate Assessment Executive Committee and the Undergraduate Assessment Steering Committee.
Both positions will report to Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Education Bob McMaster.
Additionally, a new Assessment Coordinator was hired last month. Steven J. Hawks will serve as a campus-wide resource on undergraduate assessment and will work with faculty, staff, and administrators to coordinate assessment efforts of Twin Cities undergraduate student learning. He will serve as a key member of the Undergraduate Assessment Executive Committee and the Undergraduate Assessment Steering Committee.
Both positions will report to Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Education Bob McMaster.
Repeat guidelines for students and Scholastic Committees
A PDF has been posted on the One Stop website that contains guidelines for undergraduate students petitioning to enroll in a course for a third time. These guidelines reflect the University's policy on repeating a course, which states students may repeat a U of M course or its equivalent once.
A PDF has also been posted for Scholastic Committees. Questions regarding this process or the policy should be directed to the student's college advising office.
A PDF has also been posted for Scholastic Committees. Questions regarding this process or the policy should be directed to the student's college advising office.
How to find out more about ESUP
There are several ways to remain informed about Enterprise Systems Upgrade Program (ESUP) progress and news.
Subscribe to the ESUP blog
Information will be shared on the ESUP blog frequently. Posts can be directly delivered to your inbox by entering your email address in the "Subscribe by Email" window at upgrade.umn.edu. Once your subscription is activated, you will receive an email alerting you to any new ESUP posts late in the afternoon on the day they are published. If there is no post, you won't receive an email.
Sign up for the weekly ESUP Student update
If you'd prefer a weekly email with updates from both the ESUP blog and the Student work stream, you can be added to the distribution list by contacting Kate Sophia .
Join the Student Records Stakeholder Engagement group
Those interested in Student Records topics can join the Student Records Stakeholder Engagement Google group to receive details on Town Hall meetings and invitations to occasional surveys about topics being discussed in the Interactive Design & Prototyping (IDP) process.
Subscribe to the ESUP blog
Information will be shared on the ESUP blog frequently. Posts can be directly delivered to your inbox by entering your email address in the "Subscribe by Email" window at upgrade.umn.edu. Once your subscription is activated, you will receive an email alerting you to any new ESUP posts late in the afternoon on the day they are published. If there is no post, you won't receive an email.
Sign up for the weekly ESUP Student update
If you'd prefer a weekly email with updates from both the ESUP blog and the Student work stream, you can be added to the distribution list by contacting Kate Sophia .
Join the Student Records Stakeholder Engagement group
Those interested in Student Records topics can join the Student Records Stakeholder Engagement Google group to receive details on Town Hall meetings and invitations to occasional surveys about topics being discussed in the Interactive Design & Prototyping (IDP) process.
Friday, April 5, 2013
Graduate Degree Plan best practice sessions
These best practice sessions served as a formal kick-off for transitioning review and accountability of the graduate degree plan from Graduate Student Services & Progress to programs and colleges. The formal transition will start July 1.
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Change of status (adding a master's while pursuing a PhD)
Students on the PhD track must officially be active in a master's degree plan in order for them to initiate their master's final examination committee. The student must submit a degree plan for their MA or MS as early as possible as to not delay the completion of their degree. If the master's degree is in the same major as the PhD, the student must submit a graduate degree plan. If the student is completing a MA or MS in another program outside of their major, they must complete a change of status. If students are pursing the master's degree on the way to PhD, programs must assign an adviser for the master's degree, even if it is the same adviser for the PhD.
Faculty Role List database
The deadline to enter data was Friday, March 29. However, data can still be entered, but please email grad-wfg@umn.edu when you have completed entering the data. The database will be rolled out April 8. If data has not been entered, the student will see a message indicating the data was not entered and to contact the graduate program for more information.
2013 Doctoral Research Showcase
More than sixty recipients of prestigious doctoral fellowships presented their research in a casual and conversational environment at the 2013 Doctoral Research Showcase on April 9 from 12-2 p.m. Folks had the opportunity to interact with them one-on-one and learn how their work benefits students, scholars, and communities across the state, the nation, and the world. Visit http://z.umn.edu/drs for more information.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)