Policy reminders

As we near the start of the term, we wanted to share a few policy reminders. The Mandatory Attendance policy requires students to attend the first class meetings for all classes in which they are enrolled unless they have prior approval from their instructor to be absent. Please consult the policy FAQ for more details on how this policy applies to online classes or when students register after the first day of classes. 

Please also consult the Excused Absences and Makeup Work policy and the Makeup Work FAQ. Reasonable accommodations must be made for students who miss class due to excused circumstances, including:

• Illness, especially for in-person or blended classes
• Religious holiday observance
• Pre-approved first-day absence
• Late registration

Instructors are expected to observe scheduled class times as stated in the Teaching and Learning policy. 

We also recommend reviewing the Student Conduct Code.

Course Works

With the rollout of Course Works, instructors should submit textbook and course material orders to the University Libraries and/or the campus store if they have not done so already. The sooner materials are adopted, the sooner students will have access to the required materials and make informed program option decisions. The last day for Twin Cities students to opt out of Course Works is September 16th. For additional information, please see Course Works Faculty and Instructor FAQs.

U Card reminder

With the start of the term approaching, remember to bring your U Card to ensure access to campus buildings. You can find entrances with a card reader by reviewing Campus Maps and turning on the layer for Accessibility in the top right. 

FERPA Q&A

Q: We set our students up into groups for various cohorts. We would like to provide contact information (e.g., email) for each student in the group so the students and instructors can communicate with each other. What are the FERPA rules regarding this information?

A: For students that are registered in the same class section, the information can be shared as long as it is done securely. If the information is shared more broadly, such as with an entire cohort, the information is more limited. The access to student information must be limited to only those who need it and should exclude students with full suppression, as well as exclude address, phone, and email information unless you have their written permission to include it. For example, you could send a Google form to everyone in the group to get their permission.

Additionally with the "limited directory" policy for student contact info, students' home addresses, phone numbers, and emails are not shared with other students unless it is part of a student group or similar activity. 

 

New Registration training course

A refreshed version of the Registration training course will be released in early August. Only new users who are responsible for administratively registering students are required to take this course.

APAS and GPAS User Group meetings

Academic Progress Audit System (APAS) is the degree audit tool students use to track their undergraduate degree requirements. The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, August 20, 2024, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. via Zoom. Best practices, training, and helpful tips and tricks are shared along with timely information. All APAS users are welcome and encouraged to attend. To be added to the calendar invite, email apasle@umn.edu.

The Graduate Planning and Audit System (GPAS) is a tool accessed through MyU that consists of two parts that work together: the planner and the audit. The GPAS User Group meets quarterly in January, April, July, and October on the last Monday of the month. The next meeting is scheduled for July 29, 2024, from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. via Zoom. Best practices, training, and helpful tips and tricks are shared along with timely information. All GPAS users are welcome and encouraged to attend. If you are interested in attending the meeting, please join the GPAS User Group.

Policy update for Student Services Fee

The Student Services Fee policy was approved in June as a new stand-alone administrative policy, providing a framework for implementing and administering the Board of Regents policy. With these approval came a key change to how the fee is assessed. 

Previously, the fee was assessed based on the number of on-campus credits a student was enrolled in. Starting with fall 2024, off-campus and online courses will be included in the calculation. The fee is mandatory for all students enrolled in a degree program and registered for six or more credits per semester or three or more credits per summer session. This change will ensure students can get the support they need to be active, engaged members of the campus community through student centers, recreational centers, health and wellness services, student activities and organizations, and more. The Student Services Fee is not assessed based on an individual student’s interest or ability to access specific services funded by the fee. 

Some students remain exempt from the fee regardless of how many credits they are enrolled in:

• Non-degree-seeking students
• Students participating in a full-semester study abroad program
• Students enrolled in programs that have been approved for an exemption in the annual process 
• Post-secondary enrollment options (PSEO) students 
• Concurrent high school enrollment students
• Students receiving the Regents Tuition Benefit
• Students participating in the Senior Citizen Education Program

Because the fee is mandatory outside of the above exemptions, the Student Services Fee waiver will be retired after the deadline for summer term. 

More information about the Student Services Fee can be found at ssf.umn.edu.