New class cancellation email

As of December 15, students who are enrolled in a class that is canceled will receive an email notifying them of the cancellation. The email process runs daily from PeopleSoft for students at Crookston, Duluth, Rochester, and Twin Cities. Below is a sample of the email sent to a Twin Cities student (note that the contact information in the email is personalized for each campus):

If you have questions about this information, contact Stacey Tidball, Director of Continuity and Compliance, at tidball@umn.edu.

Transfer guides for coursework within University system

Transfer guides are now available online for liberal education coursework completed by students who want to transfer to the Twin Cities campus from another University system campus. Students and advisors can access the transfer guides from the Admissions site: Liberal Education Course Transfer Guides. There, each campus has a dedicated page under Minnesota (MN) schools: Crookston, Duluth, Morris, and Rochester.

Withdrawal guide on One Stop

A withdrawal guide (formerly called the withdrawal checklist) has been added to the One Stop site for Twin Cities and Rochester students. To navigate to the page, go to onestop.umn.edu > Academics > Leave, transfer, return > Take a leave of absence. From there, students can learn about maintaining active status, and can branch out to either apply for a leave of absence, or review the withdrawal guide.

New report in MyU: Class Enrollment Summary

The Class Enrollment Summary is intended for faculty and staff that need live class enrollment information. Class time, days, session, room number, room size, enrollment capacity and the number of students currently enrolled are included in the report, which exports directly to Excel.

To access the report, sign into MyU. Go to Key Links > Reporting Center and look under the Enrollment menu in the Student Services section. Several improvements to this report will be made in near future. If you have any feedback on this report, please contact srhelp@umn.edu.

New reports in Reporting Center

On Monday, November 21st, two new reports were added to the Reporting Center in MyU to support the Academic Standing process. In the past, Office of the Registrar staff ran queries manually and sent output to college staff during Academic Standing runs. These reports replace that process and can now be run ad hoc by staff to better suit the individual timing needs of each college.

First is the Academic Standing Mismatch Report. The purpose of this report is to show which student’s Academic Standing action does not match their Academic Standing service indicator value. Note: Previously, only records of students with GOOD academic standing that had incorrectly matched service indicators were sent out to twin cities college staff. This report now shows mismatches between any academic standing action and service indicator that does not conform to the current documentation.

Second is the Academic Standing Change Report. The purpose of this report is to notify staff of changes to Academic Standing from one run to the next for a particular term, especially for the catch-up run that is done for the prior term before we run the current term. Please reach out to srhelp@umn.edu if there are any questions or concerns regarding these reports and changes.

Study Away program is live

On October 14, the website for the Study Away program went live from University Relations (UR). The intention of the site is to provide a high-level overview of information, whereas more detail lives on One Stop, on the Study Away page. The application for Study Away is available from both sources.

ASR created a new plan and sub-plans under the "MULTU" academic program for Study Away for tracking and reporting purposes. The program started in October with registration available for spring term. Many of the designated courses within the Study Away program for each campus have prerequisites, which may require students to obtain permission numbers for registration. The intent for registration is that students will stick to a package of courses that is offered on a campus other than their home campus.

Leave of absence changes

In the fall, the Undergraduate Policy & Practices group reviewed the leave of absence practices and recommended a few changes, including updates to the Leave of Absence form. The group identified six categories of reasons for leave of absence and modified the form to reflect the categories. The reasons can now be tracked in PeopleSoft and a guide will be published soon on the ASR website and in the Advising Toolkit.

FERPA Q&A

Q: May I email my class list a list of everyone’s grades on a recent exam if I use student ID numbers instead of student names?

A: No, this is not permitted by FERPA. Even when you do not use students’ names, distributing grades using personally identifiable information such as a student ID number is prohibited. The best practice is to only distribute grades to individual students rather than using a list.

Working with University Data Self-Help Guide

One of the key recommendations from the Analytics and Data Integration fCoP was to help improve general understanding of enterprise data; what is available, where it comes from, how it is defined, how it is organized, how to use it, and where to go for help.

In response, EDMR partnered with OIT to develop an Overview to Working with University Data Self-Help Guide. This guide contains information on how to get access to data, how to use data and reports, how to improve understanding of existing data, and where to go for help. Keep in mind that this is the initial launch of the site, and that additional content will be added throughout the year based on your feedback.

You can share your feedback by using the “Give feedback” button located in the upper right corner of the Self-Help Guide. Also, for ServiceNow articles you can add your feedback directly into the page by selecting one of the options under the “Was this page helpful?” section (see this example).

Changes to ECAS and key links added to MyU

On October 23, the following changes were implemented in ECAS:

• Remove the CCE Catalog Description field for all system campuses.
• Remove 'Additional Course Information (for catalog production)' field for Morris campus.
• Remove the Student Learning Objectives, Writing Intensive, and Strategic Objectives & Consultation sections for Rochester.
• Improve functionality and text description of the Instructor Contact Hours field.
• Add functionality for the Community-Engaged Learning course attribute (all campuses except for Morris).
• Adjust which courses are routed to the Twin Cities’ Graduate School approval level.

Additionally, editors and approvers for ECAS and PCAS proposals will now see key links to log in to these systems in MyU.

ARFs moving to ServiceNow workflows

The Provisioning & Request team has been working towards converting all of our Access Request Forms (ARFs) that are PDFs into ServiceNow workflows. View the current list of forms that are or will be updated. If you would like to see an example of a converted form, the "HR PeopleSoft" form in the central part of the page has been completed.

Search for online classes by Mode of Instruction

In an effort to reduce confusion on how to search for online classes, the "Online course" course attribute has been removed from both the class and course searches. Users should now use instruction mode, "Completely Online," in the Class Search to search for online classes. In the Course Catalog Search, the text "online sections may be available" will display in the results if the course has the ONL course attribute, but "Online course" is no longer a search option.

Students can order transcripts by career

A new feature was added to the Parchment storefront on Sunday, October 23 for transcript orders. Students now have the option to order an official transcript for an individual career level. They have been able to request this in person, but now have the option to do this online. If you have any questions, email otr@umn.edu.

Change to Reporting Center: preferred name

Beginning November 17 (by 1:00 p.m.), six reports in Reporting Center will reflect a student’s preferred name instead of their primary (legal) name. If a student has not listed a preferred name, their primary (legal) name will continue to be used. The six reports that will use preferred name include:

• Student selector (report ID 314)
• Major/minor roster (report ID 233)
• Student group roster (report ID 2) 
• Dean’s list (report ID 230)
• Degree applicant (report ID 195)
• Student addresses (report ID 88) (This is a drill-through report linked to the other reports.)

APAS reports will also include a student’s preferred name. Students can enter a preferred name via MyU > My Info. This change has been implemented to give students more control over how their personal information appears to others. In the future, additional reports will begin using preferred names instead of primary (legal) names.

Degree progress tool in MyU

On October 23, the University of Minnesota's Twin Cities and Rochester campuses launched a new tool within MyU to help undergraduate students better track their degree progress and plan for timely graduation. The tool utilizes data from APAS to calculate a student's progress within their degree program. Students will receive recommendations, based on their individual progress, to help guide them toward four-year degree completion (for fall NHS admits) and timely completion (for other admit types).

Undergraduate students can find this tool in MyU under Academics > Degree Progress. Additionally, an interpretation guide for this new tool is available in the Advisor Toolkit. If you have questions, contact the Student Degree Progress team at asr-sdp@umn.edu.

FERPA Q&A

Q: A Native American student group would like an email list of a college’s students that identify as Native American. May we supply the email list?

A: Under FERPA, an institution cannot designate race, gender, or ethnicity as “directory information.” You therefore cannot supply the email list in this case. However, you may facilitate if you like by communicating the Native American student group’s interest in hearing from students. Interested students may then “opt in” by contacting the group.

New ASR website launched

A redesigned Academic Support Resources (ASR) website launched in September. The site hosts information on training, support resources, ASR departmental contacts, and links to applications managed by ASR. The url for the site remains the same (asr.umn.edu), but internal links have changed. This means you may need to update any bookmarked pages you have. Watch a short video introducing the new ASR website.

RAC October meeting

The October meeting of the Registrar’s Advisory Committee (RAC) will be on Monday, October 3, from 9:30-11:30 a.m. in Bruininks Hall 131A. The order of this meeting will be flipped; we will start with items for everyone so that the grad/prof-only staff can leave when we reach the undergrad-only items. This will give us more flexibility in our agenda. Please note that there will be no WebEx for this meeting.
If you haven’t already, add the RAC calendar to your Google calendar. To see the time, location, and agenda for each meeting, add the following (very long) email address to the field in the “Other calendars” area: umn.edu_g032eou5mlap93fev2do6vmp7g@group.calendar.google.com.

Election day for students and staff

All day and evening classes will be held on election day, Tuesday, November 8, 2016 as scheduled. University policy does not consider voting as a legitimate absence from classes. Most state polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m, with a few exceptions. Messaging to students about planning for election day and information on how to register has been included in the Undergraduate Update and other newsletters. Students should make arrangements to vote before or after class, or via an absentee ballot. Per Minnesota state statutes, employees have the right to take time off work to vote without losing your pay, personal leave, or vacation time. More information about voting can be found on the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State site.

ECAS fixes and enhancements

On September 25, more fixes and enhancements were made to the Electronic Course Approval System (ECAS). The changes include:

• Removing a Topics attribute in ECAS will now remove the attribute in PeopleSoft.
• Updated or removed links on the main ECAS page to outdated resource materials.
• Deleting or changing a Liberal Education requirement will now delete and/or add the attribute in PeopleSoft.
• Added a Freshman Seminar attribute option.
• Added Learning Abroad attribute option.
• Added a cross-listing option.
• Updated text descriptions for multiple fields.

FERPA Q&A

Can I email a student at an alternative address if she isn't responding to her University email?

If a student is not responding to their University email, you may email an alternative address to request they check their University email account. However, you should not exchange private student data in the communication to an alternative email address. Without the University’s authentication, we cannot be assured that the email is accessed by the intended recipient.

Registrar's Advisory Committee September meeting

The next Registrar's Advisory Committee (RAC) meeting will be held Monday, September 12, from 9:30-11:30 a.m., in Humphrey 50B. Bob McMaster will be presenting. All future RAC meetings will be in-person only, no longer offering the online component. This is due to staffing changes on the Twin Cities campus that affect the technical support of RAC online. Minutes will still be shared and available following the meeting.

OTR and OSF staff move to Fraser Hall

Office of the Registrar (OTR) and Office of Student Finance (OSF) staff have moved to 200 Fraser Hall. From OTR, this includes the academic records unit, imaging and files unit, and the graduate education unit. OSF staff that have been working in tight quarters since the ceiling fell in their old space are now moved into 200 Fraser. The move allows for more integration and cross-training opportunities across the Twin Cities OTR and OSF units. OTR staff may still be contacted at otr@umn.edu or 612-626-4432. Please update any materials to reflect the new address.

New Advising Center for St. Paul students

Last week renovations to 130 Coffey Hall on the St. Paul campus concluded, resulting in a new, integrated Advising Center for the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) and One Stop Student Services. As of Monday, August 29, full service of both One Stop and CFANS advising has resumed in the renovated space.

Along with services offered by One Stop, CFANS students can get drop-in advisement for simple, quick questions. Students are still asked to make appointments with their advisors for more complex issues. In addition, students can meet with the University Honors Program advisor. More advisors and services will be joining the space in the coming year.

Mandatory sexual assault training for students

On August 9, the Office for Student Affairs contacted University students to inform them about a new, mandatory online training regarding sexual assault: Haven (for undergraduate students under the age of 25) and Haven Plus (for undergraduates over 25, graduate students, and professional students).

By Minnesota law, the University must implement a training on these topics and require students to take it. However, the training is not an academic requirement and is not tracked on the academic transcript. Students who do complete the training can see it reflected on their Experience Record.

New Class Time Conflicts workflow online

A new online Class Time Conflict Approval workflow launched on August 15 for all University of Minnesota students to complete when requesting to enroll in classes with overlapping times. The form can be found at http://z.umn.edu/timeconflict. Quick start guides have been created to assist students and advisors and instructors when completing the form. The paper form will remain available until the start of spring 2017 registration, but staff are encouraged to start using or sharing the new online form before then.

FERPA Q&A

What is the proper protocol when a military recruiter requests student contact information?

Per the Solomon Amendment, military recruiters are permitted to request student directory information. The Office of Institutional Research is the designated campus department that fulfills these requests.

CollegiateLink

Beginning fall term 2016, the Twin Cities campus will be using CollegiateLink for Student Group registration. CollegiateLink is an online organization management system offered through Campus Labs. It is used to help students connect with events and involvement opportunities at the University of Minnesota. The database records student group profiles, membership rosters, events, and provides students with the opportunity to compile records of all of the events in which they are involved.

Erik Dussault (project manager) and Janet Crittenden (business analyst) are currently demonstrating what CollegiateLink is and how it can benefit departments and college offices. They are scheduled to present at the Registrar's Advisory Committee, Council on Undergraduate Education, and the Advising Steering Committee. Erik and Janet will be reaching out to other departments and college offices over the next nine months to present what CollegiateLink can do for their students. The plan is to roll out an experience record to students at the fall 2017 student orientation.

Class time conflict workflow

The project to migrate the Class Time Conflict form from a paper process to an online process (i.e., WorkflowGen) recently concluded informal usability. Students and instructors provided feedback, and the process will be tested during the beginning of August. We anticipate the workflow will have a soft launch in August. More details about the process and the launch date will be communicated in the coming weeks.

Undergraduates see borrowing history before accepting loans

When degree-seeking undergraduate students with a loan history respond to their financial aid award, they will be presented with an estimate of their total borrowing (if their financial aid package includes loans). They will be able to review the estimate of their total loans, an estimated monthly payment, and how that compares to other University of Minnesota graduates. While the estimate does not reflect loans taken out at other institutions, certain other loans, or any repayments made, it should help students understand where they stand and inform their future borrowing decisions. Students can review this information later by going to the communication center within their Student Center (via MyU). Similar initiatives at other universities have yielded positive results.

Financial aid award notices sent

The week of July 18, Financial Aid Award Notices were sent to currently active undergraduate students; graduate and professional students received their notifications earlier in the month. The notice directs students to MyU so they can view and respond to their award offers. Students must have completed the FAFSA and turned in any additional documents that were requested prior to receiving an award. Students who have not yet completed the FAFSA should be encouraged to do so using the IRS data retrieval tool that is part of the application.

Google account end of life policies

Starting June 2016, student access to email is tied to their “Active” status in Peoplesoft. Students who are active in Peoplesoft have access to email, regardless of their enrollment status.

When students are discontinued by their college, they will continue to have student email access for a period of two years. This access is contingent upon students logging into their student email account at least once every 90 days. Students who do not log in will lose access, but their data will be preserved, and access (and the associated data) can be restored upon request to the IT Help Desk.

Students who have not been reactivated at the expiration of the two year window will lose access to their student email account. However, all data in that account will be preserved and restored when the student is reactivated in Peoplesoft.

Students who do not reactivate beyond the two year window but who have an academic need for continued email access should contact their academic advisor. Advisors may then contact the IT Help Desk to request that email access for the student be extended.

A message titled, “Email: Student Access” has been added to the MyU: Advising Center.

PeopleTools 8.55 and PeopleSoft Campus Solutions 9.2 upgrade

The University has started to plan for the upgrades to both PeopleTools 8.55 in April 2017, and PeopleSoft Campus Solutions (PS CS) 9.2 in 2018.

PeopleTools 8.55 is a prerequisite of PS CS 9.2, and will provide facelifts to the user interface, such as a more contemporary look to different menus and functions. Released in December 2015, PS CS 9.2 delivers new visual guides to help casual users better navigate the system and execute activities more easily. ASR has begun the initial stages of planning for this project. Carrie Otto has agreed to lead the PS CS 9.2 upgrade project.

A rough timeline has been developed by the Administrative Computing Steering Committee (ACSC) and the Operation Advisory Steering Committee (OASC). Visit The Record blog to see the timeline »

May-June 2016

• Preparation activities: gather, itemize, and familiarization of resources
• Build project plan details
• Form teams, organize project

July-January 2017

• July-August
• Educate IT staff and gain familiarity of PS9/T8.55
• Review release notes
• Release test instance, OIT
• September-January
• ASR fit gap kick-off, October
• Fit gap & priority determinations
• Review/redesign business process
• MIDHEUG updates from other schools upgrading

January-April 2017

• Testing of tools
• Update documentation for tools
• Determine tech resources for code, design, and testing

May 2017-February 2018

• Finalize CS 9.2 design changes
• Retrofits and coding, developers
• Testing
• Training, communication, documentation, and change control

February 2018

• Go live

Application of Credits for Students Earning Graduate Degrees policy available for public comment

The Application of Credits for Students Earning Graduate Degrees policy (formerly Application of Graduate Credits to Degree Requirements) is now available for public comment on the University’s Policy Library.

There are two significant changes to this policy. One is allowing the use of graduate level courses completed as an undergraduate; previous policy required that all courses be completed post-baccalaureate. The second is the structure of the number of credits required for completion as a degree-seeking graduate student. The revised policy no longer outlines a specific percentage of courses that need to be completed as a University student (previous policy stipulated 60%) and a set number of credits that may be completed in common between two master’s degrees (previous policy was 8 credits). Rather the revised policy stipulates a “core” number of credits that must be completed as a degree-seeking graduate student and the remaining number of credits needed to complete University minimums can be fulfilled by transfer credits, non-degree, and credits in common.

The deadline for comments is Saturday, July 23, 2016. Please take time to review this policy as well as the frequently asked questions. Your feedback will help to provide clarity for where there is concern and assist the Graduate Education Council (GEC) Policy Subcommittee with creating additional FAQs to support this policy.

FERPA: What do you do when a parent insists on coming to a student's orientation and registration session?

The transition to college and independence is often more challenging for parents than it is for students. It is not unusual for a parent to insist on attending an the orientation and registration session for an incoming student. Regardless of how this situation is handled, it can be awkward. From a FERPA perspective, you should obtain written permission from the student prior to allowing the parent to attend either of these activities. In practice, however, often the most practical thing to do is to take the student away from his or her parent and ask if he/she wants the parent to be present during these sessions and explain to the student that it truly is his/her choice. If the student agrees to the parent being present, have him or her agree to this in writing. If the student does not want to have the parent present, politely explain to the parent that orientation and registration activities are only for the student.

Policy update

Four policies recently completed the comprehensive review process and have now been approved:

• Academic Unit Authority Over the Curriculum and Major: The amendments include defining “academic plan” to include certificates and aligning the language with the policy for Adding, Changing, or Discontinuing Academic Plans.
• Admissions for Undergraduates: Twin Cities: This policy was updated to clarify the language, align it with current practice, and clearly identify the responsibilities of the applicant, admissions, colleges, Provost.
• Campus Specific Credit Requirements: The policy now includes minimum requirements for minors and certificates (at least 3 upper division credits at the campus in question).
• Course Numbering: The updated policy has a new policy statement to address the purpose of the policy and a definition of “Independent Study.” The table of course numbers is now in an appendix and the policy language was aligned with the policy for Application of Graduate Credits to Degree Requirements.  

Other policies that went through comprehensive review this academic year include Awarding Posthumous Degrees; Educational Materials Conflict of Interest: Twin Cities, Crookston, Morris, Rochester; Instructional Time per Course Credit: Twin Cities, Crookston, Morris, Rochester; and Scheduling Examinations, Final Examinations, and Study Days: Twin Cities, Crookston, Morris, Rochester.

Upcoming policies being reviewed include:

• Managing Student Records

Leave of Absence project update

The Undergraduate Policy Group is reviewing all aspects of the Leave of Absence policy and practices, including best practices for taking a leave (e.g., who should/should not be on a leave and effective dating for mid-term leaves), understanding financial aid implications (e.g., exit counseling, loan deferrals, students enrolling at other institutions), and adding more information online for students and advisors.

New Director of University Honors Program

Professor Matthew Bribitzer-Stull has agreed to serve as the new Director of the University Honors Program (UHP). On June 13, he will take over that role when Professor Serge Rudaz returns to his faculty position in the Department of Physics, after having served as the Founding Director of the UHP for eight years.

One Stop Student Services: St. Paul Location

The St. Paul One Stop location (130 Coffey Hall) has moved to the temporary location of 101 Coffey Hall while renovations are being completed. The renovations are scheduled to conclude in 130 Coffey Hall this August resulting in an integrated advising center for the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) and One Stop.

Financial aid packaging timelines for undergraduate students

Incoming new high school students received estimated financial aid packages beginning in late-February. From late-June to early-July, the Office of Student Finance (OSF) cancels estimated financial aid awards in order to  create the actual financial aid award packages for these students. Students can access their  actual financial aid package in mid-July, once tuition and fees have been finalized.

Continuing undergraduate students and new transfer students will be able to view their financial aid award notices in mid-July.

If students have questions, please have them contact One Stop Student Services.

Satisfactory Academic Progress: What you should know and why you should care

For continuing students, financial aid satisfactory academic progress (SAP) evaluation will begin on May 31. Some students will be suspended from further financial aid eligibility because they have not met these standards (either grade point average or credit completion ratio). Students who have documented mitigating circumstances that interfered with their ability to meet SAP standards may submit a Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal. The SAP appeal is available on the One Stop website. An important component of the SAP appeal is the adviser developed academic plan that is realistic and leads to meeting SAP standards, and obtaining their degree.

Academic Standing reporting updates and timeline

There will be no changes to the existing Academic Standing Report (formerly the Probation Report) for the spring 2016 academic standing run. Updates to this report are planned for later this summer. The team is working on transferring two queries into reports that will be accessible to you through the MyU Reporting Center. One is a report that checks for anyone with an academic standing that doesn't match the service indicator placed by the college. The other is a report that checks for anyone who received an academic standing during the cleanup run that is different than their original academic standing for that semester.

The Academic Standing run dates for spring 2016 are:

• May 20-26: Spring 2016
• August 25: Final run of spring 2016

The full schedule can be found on the One Stop website.

Finally, as a courtesy, last year the Office of the Registrar and One Stop sent an email to students who are registered for summer classes and how that can impact their academic standing; a copy of the updated email can be found here. This communication will be sent to students again this summer; however, it will be evaluated as to whether to continue sending and will be seeking your feedback.

Academic Support Resources (ASR) staffing updates

Congratulations to Ingrid Nuttall, director, Office of the Registrar, on her new position of IT Manager of Enterprise Systems in the Office of Information Technology (OIT). Her last day in ASR will be Friday, May 27. Ingrid, no doubt, will bring to OIT her high energy presence, professionalism, improv talents, and project management skills. She has been instrumental in many directives across the University over the years and will be missed by many. Her infectious personality has allowed partnerships to be built across many units, paving the way for helping faculty, staff, and students at the University.

Jeremy Todd, Office of Classroom Management, will step in as the interim director. He has been very involved in the various projects and process that occur in OTR the past few years. He assisted in the Office of Student Finance transition of directors. Jeremy is well versed in the workings of Academic Support Resources units. Please feel free to contact him with any questions at toddx012@umn.edu. A search for a permanent director will begin shortly.

FERPA: Can a committee request the name of the student with the highest grade point average of a certain cohort to award the student at an awards banquet?

If the committee requesting the information consists of employees from your institution, you should be fine providing the information to them under the “school official” exception to signed consent, which can be found in detail in §99.31(a)(1)(i). However, if the committee is not comprised entirely of employees at your institution, you have two options available. If you have an “honors and awards” category in your directory information, you could provide the name or names, absent the specific GPA, to the committee. If you have any question about directory information in particular, reference §99.37. Alternatively, you can obtain written consent from the student to disclose this information to the committee.

Final grade entry

The following message will be sent the week of May 2 to all Twin Cities instructors teaching a course in spring 2016:

You are receiving this email because you are teaching a class on the Twin Cities campus for the spring 2016 semester. If you do not have grade entry responsibilities, you may disregard this message. Please note: the information below is intended to complement what you may have already received from your college or department, including processes specific to your unit.

Things you must know!

• When verifying grade rosters, make sure you select the final grade roster from the drop down menu; the menu defaults to midterm roster (see Fig. 1). If you do not see the grade rosters you expect, please contact your department class scheduler. 
• If grades have been transferred from Moodle, they must be approved in PeopleSoft. When you are ready to submit your grades, change the Approval Status to Approved and click Save (see Fig. 2). 

Verify access to grade rosters 

You should verify that you have access to all of your assigned grade rosters before the last day of instruction. To do this, access your Faculty Center in the MyU: Teaching tab and view the Grade Rosters for the classes you teach. When grade rosters are created, you will see an icon that looks like a person inside a square next to the class in Faculty Center. Click that icon to view the roster (see below for an example). Using the dropdown menu, verify a Final Grade roster has been created.

Class rosters and grade entry for courses owned by the School of Public Health are available only through the School of Public Health grading system. Faculty within the Medical School and the Law School typically do not access their grade rosters electronically and should contact their administrative support if they have questions.

Deadlines and NR grades

As a reminder, spring 2016 grades (full semester) are due on Wednesday, May 18 (see the complete list of grading due dates). Grades should be entered utilizing the MyU: Teaching tab by 11:59 p.m. on the date that they are due. Please remember that a grade of "NR" (Not Reported), will be given to students who are not assigned a grade by their instructor by the grading due date. Once NR grades are entered, grades cannot be uploaded or imported from Moodle, and a grade change must be done for all NR grades.

Uploading grades directly from Moodle 

Use this guide to uploading gradebooks from Moodle to the final grade roster in PeopleSoft. Make sure that the final grade roster has been created prior to uploading from Moodle. Grades will be posted nightly.

Additional resources available on One Stop Faculty website 

How-to guides on entering grades, making changes to grades, and more are available in the Grades section of the One Stop Faculty website. Grading due dates, frequently asked questions, and the grading and transcript policy are also available.

Tech tips

• Clear your browser's cache
• Try http://upgrade.umn.edu/technology/index.html or using another browser
• Use Faculty Center in only one browser or tab at a time
• Grade entry will work on mobile devices (e.g., phones, tablets)

Where to go for help 

See our Quick Start Guides for grades. If you encounter issues with grades entry, please contact the Student Records Training and Support Team at (612) 625-2803 or srhelp@umn.edu.

Planning for final exams

The following message was sent on Monday, April 25 to all faculty teaching an undergraduate course at the Twin Cities campus:

As we prepare for the start of finals week on Monday, May 9, we would like to remind you of the University policies surrounding final examinations.

Students with final exam conflicts such as a religious observance (e.g., prayer), three (or more) final examinations in one calendar day, or two exams scheduled at the same time will be expected to notify and provide documentation to instructors as soon as possible. Instructors are expected to make appropriate accommodation to eliminate the conflict.

Full text regarding scheduling and final examinations can be found in this University policy. The policy states that if a comprehensive exam is given, it must be given during the final examination period. Comprehensive exams may not be given during the class sessions before the final exam period. Although late-semester examinations may rely on cumulative knowledge from the semester, if they are not comprehensive in nature they must be given in that class during the term and not during the final exam period. If only one examination is given during the term, that examination may not be given during the last week of classes. Instructors can expect students to contact them if they have three exams on the same day, two exams scheduled at the same time, or other exam conflicts or concerns.

Please note that during finals week building hours may vary from standard classroom hours. Be sure to carry your U Card with you at all times. For more information about specific building hours, visit the individual building details page via the Campus Maps website.

Other resources

• Final exam schedule
• Common exam schedule
• Final exam regulations

If you have additional scheduling concerns, please email ocmsched@umn.edu. For policy related questions about exam scheduling, please contact Sue Van Voorhis or Stacey Tidball.

Auto-enroll wait list process for May/summer and fall 2016

The auto-enroll wait list process for all summer 2016 sessions on the Twin Cities campus began around 11:58 p.m. on Tuesday, April 26 and will run through the first day of the session in which the class is scheduled. The auto-enroll process for fall 2016 began around 11:58 p.m. on Wednesday, April 27 and will run through the first day of the session in which the class is scheduled. Students can add themselves to a wait list through the first day of the session.

If you encounter any issues with wait listing or the auto-enroll process, please contact the ASR Training & Support Team at srhelp@umn.edu. More information on how students can add themselves to a wait list can be found in this guide.

(Graduate education) New automated email communication for Graduate and Professional Students

Graduate Student Services & Progress (GSSP) and the office of the Registrar (OTR) is automating the current congratulations email sent to graduate students after they have cleared their degree requirements to align it with the Letter of Certification. With the new process, an email (titled "Your degree award") will be automatically sent to the graduate students' University email approximately 24 hours after they have cleared degree requirements in PeopleSoft. This new automated communication will provide better service to students seeking more timely notification and proof of degree completion. Automation will go live by the end of April 2016, and any old processes will be retired once the new process is live. Stay tuned for more information at the Registrar's Advisory Council meeting on Monday, April 4.

FERPA: I am a supervisor - can I assign FERPA training to my direct reports?

There is not a centralized process for assigning the FERPA training but it can be assigned by a supervisor. The supervisor can go to Ulearn (via MyU), search for the FERPA tutorial, and click the "assign" button. Then, a list of the supervisor's direct reports appears for assigning the training. It is recommended to assign FERPA training to new employees. For employees that are obtaining PeopleSoft access, the basic Student Data Inquiry training also includes FERPA information and a referral to the tutorial.

MyU & PeopleSoft Unavailable During PeopleTools Update April 23-24

MyU and PeopleSoft applications will be unavailable for system updates on Saturday and Sunday, April 23 and 24; please plan accordingly. Service is expected to be restored by approximately noon Sunday, April 24. In addition, PeopleSoft Finance will be unavailable for an extended time for normal weekend maintenance. The outage will affect all campuses.

Based on their analysis to date, the update team anticipates there will be no action or change to business processes for most end users.

Details and updates can be found on the University’s Service Status website.

New procedure for granting PeopleSoft Access to student workers

Starting April 25, student workers who need view-only or basic update access to PeopleSoft Student Administration pages will be required to complete the online training courses available through the University of Minnesota's Learning Management System. These courses may be launched and completed by the student worker at their convenience.

Those who require additional access (e.g., program/plan, registration) will be granted the access with the understanding that their supervisor will provide the needed training and be responsible for all work completed by the student worker. As always, for any access to be established, an Access Request Form (ARF) with the appropriate ARF attachment must be submitted and processed by Provisioning and Requests (PAR).

May/summer term and fall 2016 registration

May and summer term registration begins on Tuesday, April 12 for students admitted to degree or certificate programs. May and summer term registration opens for non-degree and visiting students on Tuesday, April 19.

Fall registration appointment times run from Thursday, April 14-Thursday, May 5 for students admitted to degree and certificate programs. Registration for non-degree and visiting students begins Friday, May 6. The fall 2016 registration time table can be found on the One Stop website. Twin Cities students received an email the week of March 28 with instructions on how to find their appointment time and other important reminders. A notification was also added to MyU letting students know their appointment time is now available.

FERPA: Are photos of students taken at events protected by FERPA?

Yes, photos that identify students in their educational or academic environment are protected by FERPA. In these cases, you should get student permission to share the photo. For example, consent is needed to use a student’s photo taken in a classroom setting in marketing materials or on your website.

New Office of Student Finance director announced

Tina Falkner has accepted the position of Director of the Office of Student Finance (OSF) within Academic Support Resources, effective February 22. Tina has served as the Interim Director of the OSF since May 2015. During that time, she has focused on sustaining an inclusive, engaged environment for the team and has helped build bridges between (and within) OSF and their key stakeholders.

Thanks again to the search committee, interview committee and everyone who attended the open forums to learn about Tina's vision for the Office of Student Finance.

Classes on caucus night (March 1)

A Board of Regents resolution authorizes the University to schedule classes on caucus night. The resolution states, "Minnesota state statutes limit the scheduling of events after 6:00 p.m. on the day of a major political party precinct caucus, but allow the University to schedule such events, including classes, if they are specifically authorized by the Board." To review the complete resolution, please see the minutes from the Board of Regents Educational Planning & Policy Committee meeting on December 8, 2005.

Students must notify instructors in advance if they wish to attend their party's caucus; this resolution states that instructors are expected to accommodate these requests.

If instructors wish to attend their party's caucus, or if enough students indicate they will be attending their caucus so that holding class becomes impractical, instructors may either cancel class or make reasonable alternative arrangements.

An email stating this was sent to Twin Cities instructors of Tuesday night classes on February 9. An announcement was also added to the Twin Cities student and faculty view of MyU.

Estimated Financial Aid Award Notices set to be sent

Incoming freshman who are planning on attending the University of Minnesota beginning fall 2016 will start receiving estimated financial aid award notices the first week of March. These letters show students the cost of attending the University and a very solid estimate of the financial aid (i.e., scholarships, grants, loans) they are eligible to receive. Students and their families often use these letters to assess the financial fit of the University to their budget and compare financial aid offers from different institutions. All students, including returning students, will receive their official financial aid notifications in early July after tuition and fees have been set by the Board of Regents.

Academic Support Resources technical projects updates

The ASR Technical Projects resource has been updated with new planned, in-progress and recently completed projects. This information is being compiled on the ASR Technical Project Updates webpage. These projects largely address issues that our users have identified related to their work with the Office of the Registrar, the Office of Student Finance and the Office of Financial Aid.

Mid-term notifications start February 10

University Senate Policy requires instructors of 1xxx-level courses to provide in-progress notifications to students who, based on performance in the course thus far, appear to be in danger of receiving a grade of D, F, or N. Instructors can enter mid-term grades starting February 10, 2016 by going to the "Grade Rosters" tab of MyU's Faculty Center. A "Mid-Term Grade Entry" quick start guide is available to help instructors.

Graduate Program Coordinators meeting

The inaugural meeting of the Graduate Program Coordinators Network (GPCN) meeting is scheduled for February 16 from 8:30-10 a.m. in 155 Blegen Hall. The GPCN is the result of feedback from our constituents for a formalized community where departmental and program staff can gather to share information, best practices, and discuss issues and opportunities. A formal invitation was sent January 15. An online option will be available for those on the Duluth campus and who require remote participation; however, in-person attendance is strongly encouraged. If you have any questions, please contact Ingrid Nuttall at ingridn@umn.edu.

IT Planned Service Interruption

IT’s primary data center will undergo maintenance between 6 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 9 and noon Sunday, Jan. 10. This interruption will affect many IT services, including PeopleSoft.

A complete list is available, and an up-to-the-minute status will be available on the University’s IT Service Status page during the maintenance window.

Reporting Center training

Starting in January, a new online training will be required for users requesting access to private student data in the MyU Reporting Center. The training is brief (less than 10 minutes total) and highlights FERPA requirements, as well as provides helpful information on how to use the different report types in the Reporting Center.

Reporting Center private student data access is included for staff requesting 9.0 PeopleSoft Campus Solutions student data inquiry (SDI) or student data update (SDU) access. Staff requesting this access will not be required to take this new Reporting Center training, but it may be helpful to view the various types of reports available in the Reporting Center. For more information and to register for this training, visit z.umn.edu/reportingcentertraining.

Students’ 1098-T forms available online by January 31

The 1098-T form (provided to assist students with filing for education tax benefits/tax credit deductions) is now provided online rather than mailed. The form will be available for students to view through MyU no later than January 31. Students may also grant access to a parent or guest to view the form by granting access to their student account.

One Stop & SAA preparing spring 2016 cancels list

One Stop Student Services will begin working on the cancel list for students who are registered for classes but have a past due balances at the University. If students are registered for spring 2016 and have a past due student account, their registration will be cancelled. Each account is examined closely to ensure that students do not have any aid options or charges that look out of the ordinary. One Stop works closely with the Office of Student Finance and Student Account Assistance to present any options to students to retain their registration.

Proposed name change to an APAS report

There is a proposal that the “Generic Student Course Report” be renamed the “Student Course Report” to better reflect the report contents. This is the report that lists for students when APAS is unable to locate a match between the degree program for a student and a degree audit coded in APAS. Please submit feedback on this name change to trau0001@umn.edu.

Continuous enrollment for graduate and professional students

All Twin Cities and Duluth post-baccalaureate students enrolled in a graduate or departmental master's program (excluding Twin Cities MBA students) that have not registered for spring 2016 term received an email the week of January 11 indicating they must register by Monday, February 1, or they will be discontinued.

Program staff who have students requesting permission for GRAD 999, xxxx-8777, xxxx-8666 and xxxx-8888 may issue the necessary permission provided students have met internal eligibility requirements. Students requesting permission for xxxx-8333 and xxxx-8444 should be directed to the Graduate Student Services office at gssp@umn.edu.

If a student is discontinued and wishes to resume graduate work, he or she must request readmission to reactivate his or her status. It is up to the program or college to determine the best readmission path for a student. In all cases, students should contact the major program for which they are applying.