Family Guide
This page is provided so that parents, supportive friends and relatives, and others significant in students’ lives will have the opportunity to review the Family Guide and to view information about specific UALR programs and services. Be sure to check out the information posted in the menu at the left of this webpage under the Taking Care of Business heading. Your student’s success is important to us. To view the Family Guide, select the link below or visit the Office of Campus Life.
Welcome to UALR!
You are reading this guide because someone you care about is entering the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR). It may be your child, sibling, friend, or other relative, but it is someone that you want to support. The Office of Campus Life recognizes how important a support-system is to the success of a new student. This Family Guide includes information regarding the University structure, the grading system, and higher education terms that are used often. You will also find ideas to help you help your student from a distance. This and other official publications that communicate academic policies are always available online at ualr.edu, such as the Undergraduate Catalog and Student Handbook.
Structure and Organization
The University of Arkansas System is made up of 17 public campuses and units. UALR joined the System, which is led by a president and board of trustees, in 1969, but it was founded in 1927. Chancellor Joel Anderson currently leads this dynamic, centrally located and civic minded university. An overview of the internal structure will help you to understand how policies and procedures are administered. Faculty members are organized into departments by their subject area or discipline; each department is headed by a chairperson. Related departments are organized within colleges, and each college plus several other units on campus, such as the Ottenheimer Library, are headed by a dean. All deans report to the provost/ vice chancellor for academic affairs. The university is formed by all of these colleges and administrative units, but without students there will be no UALR. Student education and intellectual growth is the reason we are here. Welcome to UALR!
Advising & University College
ualr.edu/advising
All undergraduate students are initially in University College.
The college houses the Office of Academic Advising and provides the first academic home for all entering and transfer students regardless of their intended academic major. Every student must be advised every semester before they can register for courses. An academic advisor will help your student select how many and which classes to take, but the student has the final choice. A standard full-time load is 4 courses or 12 credit hours (credit hours per course may vary). Advisors also help students understand the core curriculum requirements, offer advisement for the associate of arts in general studies degree (AAGS), refer them to student resources on campus, and interpret placement tests. For example, a student with an ACT test score of 19 will receive additional advising within the Academic Success Center.
Students must meet the specific admission requirements for their intended major before admission is granted to that program of study. Academic advisors will help you plan to meet your specific requirements. Students who wish to request admission into the college of their intended major/minor from either University College or another UALR college need to do so by using boss.ualr.edu. After declaring a major and being accepted into the program, advising will take place within the department.
A Flexible Core Curriculum
The UALR Undergraduate Catalog contains a list of specific courses and requirements that make up the core courses almost every student must complete. A standard unit of measurement for university level work that will be applied toward a degree in higher education is a credit hour; the typical 3-credit-hour course is based on meeting 50 minutes a day for 3 days a week throughout a fifteen week semester. The current core is 44 credit-hours or about 18 courses (if each course is 3-credit-hours); although additional lower level courses might be needed to prepare for these core courses. The core courses fall within the following categories:
English and Communications – 9 credit hours
Fine Arts and the Humanities – 9 credit hours
Social Sciences – 15 credit hours
Science – 8 credit hours
Math – 3 credit hours
Within a category a student will have choices and options as to which course best fits their goals. There are substitutions and additional requirements within some degree programs, which are defined in the Undergraduate Catalog.
First Year Colloquium
Planning for graduation begins on day one! UALR wants to assist all incoming freshmen students in making the transition to college and staying on a path to success. Beginning with the fall 2011 term, there will be several versions of a course called First Year Colloquium. All full-time freshmen, including transfer students with less than 12 credit hours, will be required to take this course. First Year Colloquium courses will all be limited in size so that students can learn about and use campus and off-campus resources. They will also focus on strategic goal-setting and time management. Service-learning projects that apply classroom-learning to real situations will be available. Ask your academic advisor which section of First Year Colloquium is the right one for you.
Student Privacy and Their Records
Under the provision of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA - also known as the Buckley Amendment - is found in Title 20, section 1232g of the United States legal code), student education records are private and will not be disclosed to anyone except the student without written consent of the student through the Office of Records and Registration. This includes parents and guardians. There is also an option in BOSS so that students may block the release of personal contact information in the form of a student directory, which is distributed on campus. UALR policies and procedures are in full compliance with regulations implementing FERPA. Copies of this act and its implementing regulations are on file in the Office of Campus Life and are on reserve in the UALR Ottenheimer Library. Policies and procedures regarding student records are published each academic year in the UALR Student Handbook, which can be accessed online at ualr.edu/deanofstudents.
Registering for Classes
The Course Schedule and a Registration Guide for each term will be posted online at boss.ualr.edu and linked in the upper right hand corner of the ualr.edu webpages. Students will be issued an identification number and a PIN (Personal Identification Number) to access the Banner Online System Services or BOSS. Printed Registration Pocket Guides will be available in the Office of Records and Registration and the Office of Campus Life. Important dates and deadlines are listed within the guides, and they are important to student success. Helpful facts about scheduling:
•
The academic year is made up of terms, semesters, or sessions. UALR currently has a 15-week term in the fall and a 15-week term in the spring, as well as a 10-week summer term and three 5-week summer terms.
•
Classes are scheduled in a variety of ways in order to meet the needs of students. In the online course schedule days of the week are represented by M, T, W, F, & S for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, & Saturday - but Thursday is R and Sunday is U.
•
TBA means to be announced.
•
When the word Staff appears instead of an instructor’s name, it just means that the department has yet to assign the instructor.
•
Section numbers that begin with 99 designate an online course.
•
The length of a standard 3 credit-hour class is defined by a University-wide administrative memorandum (#635.1 updated in 2006) as 50 minutes of instruction that will take place 45 times in a regular term. Typically, MWF classes meet for 50 minutes while MW or TR classes meet for 75 minutes (1 hr. & 15 min.). Once a week evening classes are about 150 minutes (2 hr. & 30 min.).
•
For more information about the course entries, see the Guide to UALR section of the undergraduate catalog.
Students are referred to and classified by the number of credit hours they earned toward their degree.
Freshmen
Students who have earned less than 30 hours
Sophomores
Students who have earned more than 30 hours
Juniors
Students who have earned more than 60 hours
Seniors
Students who have earned 90 hours or more
Making the Grade
Attendance requirements and grading standards are determined by individual instructors and communicated to the student at the beginning of each semester. These standards are stated in the course syllabus, which is distributed by each instructor at the beginning of each term and communicates expectations, schedules, and other important information. The online UALR Registration Guide and the UALR Registration Pocket Guide also list critical dates during the semester when absences should be avoided.
Grade reports are available online at boss.ualr.edu to each student at the end of each spring and fall term and at the end of each summer term offered. They may be mailed with a written request made at the Office of Records and Registration. Because of federal law, the university cannot provide parents or other family members with information on grades without the expressed written permission of the student.
Students are expected to maintain a grade point average of 2.00 each semester and cumulatively. If the student falls below a 2.00 GPA, he or she is placed on probation. After two successive terms of academic probation, if the student’s current term and cumulative GPA are below 2.00, the student will be placed on academic suspension for one semester.
Grades are expressed as letters, with equivalents as follows:
| Letter Grade | Grade Points |
|---|---|
| A=Excellent | 4 |
| B=Good | 3 |
| C=Average | 2 |
| D=Passing | 1 |
| F=Failure | 0 |
| I=Incomplete | Not Applicable |
| AU=Audit | Not Applicable |
| W=Withdrawn | Not Applicable |
| MG=Missing Grade | Not Applicable |
| IP=In Process | Not Applicable |
A Grade Point Average (GPA) is computed easily using quality points (A = 4, B = 3, etc.) as illustrated in the following example of one student enrolled in five courses (12 credit hours).
Tuition Payment and Educational Funding
Financial assistance is available from federal, state, private and institutional sources. Federal programs include the Pell Grant, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, and Federal Family Education Loan programs. Various scholarship programs are administered by the State of Arkansas. UALR offers a number of scholarships from a variety of sources. Eligible students may also qualify for veterans’ educational benefits. If awarded a work study, contact Counseling and Career Planning Services for further information.
First students should complete the Free Application Federal Student Aid at fafsa.ed.gov. The deadline for private UALR scholarships is the March 1 preceding the fall term. The final deadlines for general UALR financial aid applications are November 1 for the fall term, April 1 for the spring term, and June 1 for the summer term. Check for priority deadlines, which are always earlier, and get more information at the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid. Application deadlines for state programs vary.
Select the BOSS link in the upper right-hand corner of any UALR webpage where you can access a Tuition and Fee Estimator. Administrative withdrawal will result from checks returned for insufficient funds. Each semester has its own payment deadline. Check the UALR Registration Guide at boss.ualr.edu or the UALR Registration Pocket Guide for the appropriate semester information. Tuition charges for audited courses will be the same as courses taken for credit.
UALR tuition and fees may be deferred using an installment payment plan during the fall and spring semesters. Students must sign up for the payment plan on or before the payment due date, and pay 25% down and 25% on the 15th of each month. There are no interest charges but plan users are charged a $30 processing fee due when the plan is established.
The Cashier’s Office, which is located in the Administration North Bldg. Room 204, also has an after-hours drop box (no cash). Payments by bank draft or credit card can be made at boss.ualr.edu. UALR’s official method of correspondence is via the student’s assigned ualr.edu email address. This includes tuition statements and bills.
Textbook purchase depends upon the number of courses enrolled in and course requirements. Students may purchase used books at a reduced cost and may sell books in the UALR Barnes and Noble Bookstore buy back program.
Safety and Parking
ualr.edu/publicsafety
The Department of Public Safety provides law enforcement 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Student patrols provide escort services. Flashing blue lights identify emergency phones with direct lines to the Department of Public Safety. The phones appear in numerous locations throughout campus. In compliance with the Campus Security Act, UALR provides notice of crimes that take place on our campus. This information is available from the Department of Public Safety and the Office of the Dean of Students.
The Central Arkansas Transit city bus system has bus route schedules that serve the UALR campus. Visit cat.org for schedules. Local taxi cabs and shuttle services are also available.
Because of the privacy act we cannot give out a student’s class schedule or class location over the phone to parents, family members or friends, even in emergency situations. However, we will be happy to assist by getting a message to the student as quickly as possible. To get a message to a student, please call the Office of the Dean of Students at 569.3328 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. After regular office hours, you can call the Department of Public Safety at 569.3400 for assistance.
UALR has an Emergency Notification System which will be used as an alert system to notify students as quickly as possible when needed. The following methods will be used:
•
Email - sent only to your ualr.edu email address.
•
Phone - messages via AlertXpress originating from the Department of Public Safety. You must sign-in to BOSS with your UALR T-number and PIN, and go to the Personal Information page to enter optional contact information, up to six phone numbers may be registered.
•
Text message - opt-in using your BOSS account.
•
Outdoor Loudspeaker System and Sirens - will activate simultaneously with the citywide Little Rock Office of Emergency Services for warnings like tornado alerts. Periodic testing of these systems will occur.
•
P.A. Systems - patrol officers will issue announcements from their vehicle loudspeakers.
•
Campus Signs - watch the 28th Street marquee and other message boards for safety alerts.
•
Evacuation procedures for fires, tornados, and earthquakes are posted in every building on campus. You are encouraged to become familiar with the procedures in each building.
Students are encouraged to lock rooms if residing in student housing and to secure vehicles at all times when not occupied. Valuables, such as purses, bookbags, jewelry, money, etc., should be secured in the trunk of a vehicle if the vehicle is left unoccupied.
Student Health
ualr.edu/health
Health Services provides health care for any UALR student who is currently enrolled in classes. There is a nominal fee included in tuition costs; therefore there is no charge for most services provided. Health Services is staffed with RNs and APNs (Advanced Practical Nurses) and there is also a physician available for consultation. Services provided include:
• Routine physical exams
•
Treatment for illnesses, including prescription medications as needed
• Evaluation & treatment of injuries
• Family planning services
•
Health screenings, including pap smears, cholesterol, and other lab tests
•
Vaccinations
•
Allergy shots
•
Temporary and permanent disability parking
Walk-ins are always welcome. Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and Tuesday evening by appointment in the Donaghey Student Center, 102. Our telephone number is 569.3188 or you can visit ualr.edu/health.
Housing
ualr.edu/housing
The UALR Office of Student Housing offers a variety of services to meet the housing needs of the diverse student population. Campus housing includes a traditional residence halls as well as campus apartments but students are not required to live on campus. There are many options in metropolitan Little Rock, including apartments, duplexes, and houses for rent.
2011-2012 Calendar
ualr.edu/www/events
Certain times of the year are busier and more stressful than others as a college student. Understanding when those times are will help you to provide the encouragement and support your student needs. Consult the Student Services section at ualr.edu/records for deadlines and details that will help with planning and preparation throughout the term. Here is an example of what the months may bring:
2011
August
12 - Early Registration Ends & Payment is Due
13 - Regular Registration Begins
11 - Deadline for Freshmen Admission Credentials
17 - Regular Registration Ends & Payment is Due
19 - Fall term classes begin
24 - Last day to Adjust Schedules
September
1- Refund of Excess Financial Aid begins
5 - Labor Day Holiday (Campus Closed)
October
17 - Mid-term grades post on BOSS
November
11 -
Last Day to Drop an Individual Class & Receive a “W” (Does not affect the GPA - 0% Refund)
24 - 27 - Thanksgiving Holiday (Campus Closed)
December
5 -
Last Day to Withdraw from All Classes (Does not affect the GPA - 0% Refund)
- Last Day of Classes
6 - Finals Begin
15 - Commencement 7:00 pm
16 - Final Grades are Posted
19 - 31 - Winter Holiday Break (Campus Closed)
Spring Term Dates Overlap with the Fall Term
December
5 - Early Registration Begins
10 - Regular Registration Begins
2012
January
6 - Early Registration Ends & Payment is Due
- Deadline for Freshmen Admission Credentials
13 - Regular Registration Ends & Payment is Due
16 - Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday (Campus Closed)
17 - Spring term classes begin
23 - Last day to Adjust Schedules & Payment is Due in Full
TBA - Refund of Excess Financial Aid begin
March
26 - 30 - Spring Break Holiday (Campus Closed)
April
13 -Last Day to Drop an Individual Class & Receive a “W” (Does not affect the GPA - 0% Refund)
May
8 - Last Day of Classes
-
Last Day to Withdraw from All Classes (Does not affect the GPA- 0% Refund)
9 - Finals Begin
18 - Grades are Posted on BOSS
TBA - Commencement
All dates are subject to change. Visit the online
Academic Calendar for updates - ualr.edu/www/events.
Glossary
Academic Advisor
Staff or faculty member designated to assist an individual throughout his or her college career as an academic resource person.
Academic Calendar
The Academic Calendar contains key dates important to every student, including the registration deadlines, start and end dates of classes, holidays, and exam days. It is approved by the Faculty Senate, subject to change, and published by the Provost’s Office. View the calendar online or see the undergraduate catalog.
Academic Clemency
This is a policy whereby students who have been away from UALR for at least two full years can petition to remove earlier course work form their UALR academic record. The purpose of the policy is to allow students a second chance in college.
Academic Freedom
“Right” of faculty to decide what, within reason, will be done in the classroom, such as course content, teaching methods, attendance policy, etc.
Academic Probation
A student will be placed on Academic Probation at the end of a grading period if their cumulative GPA drops below a 2.00. A student will be placed on Probation Continued at the end of a grading period if their cumulative GPA remains below a 2.00 and were on Academic Probation at the end of the previous term. Students on Academic Probation are limited to 13 credit hours each semester.
Academic Suspension
If, after two successive terms of academic probation, the student’s current and cumulative GPA is below 2.00, the student will be academically suspended for one semester. If suspended at the end of the spring term, the student will be eligible to return the following fall term. If suspended at the end of the fall term, the student will be eligible to return for the summer term.
Associate Degree
Usually called the two-year degree, an associate’s degree (an A.A. or A.S.) requires completion of a minimum of 62 credit hours. At UALR each associates degree is designed so the credit can also be applied toward a related baccalaureate degree at UALR or elsewhere.
Baccalaureate Degree
Also called a bachelor’s degree (a B.A. or B.S.), this is the standard undergraduate college degree. It is often referred to as a four-year degree, but some students complete it in three years while others may need a longer period of time. The number of credit hours depends on the area of concentration or discipline, but a minimum of 124 credit hours is required.
BOSS
The Banner Online Service System or BOSS is a secure website with many useful tasks related to the University’s administrative information system. Students must login using their T-number and Personal Identification Number (PIN). Some of the common tasks related to BOSS are: registering for classes; adding or dropping courses; viewing academic records, grades, and transcripts; declaring a major; seeing financial aid information; checking an account balance and making a payment; changing UALR passwords; updating personal contact information; and applying for graduation.
Change Check
Any surplus amount of money will be refunded after all tuition and fees have been deducted from the agreed upon Financial Aid awarded to a student. The refund is distributed in the form of a change check which can be picked up in the Cashier’s Office or deposited directly to a checking account.
Colloquium
An academic seminar, sometimes taught by a series of instructors.
Core Curriculum/ Core Requirement
The core curriculum at UALR is a 44-hour requirement designed to provide a foundation for the student’s further academic and professional activities. Required of all students seeking baccalaureate degrees, the core curriculum includes options from across the disciplines, including arts, humanities, sciences, and social sciences. The core courses are designed to help students develop fundamental competencies, and they include active teaching and learning strategies, reading and writing experiences, and critical thinking activities. A list of the core courses is located in the undergraduate catalog.
Corequisite
A course that must be taken at the same time of another course is called a corequisite. If a course has a corequisite, the course description specifies it.
Course Description
A description of each course can be found in the UALR Undergraduate Catalog. A course description also can be seen when conducting an online class search by clicking on the name of the course. The course description will contain information regarding prerequisites, corequisites, and other pertinent information.
Course Number
A four-digit numbering system is used to designate each course at UALR. The first digit identifies the level of the course: 1 for freshman, 2 for sophomore, 3 for junior, 4 for senior, 5 and above for graduate-level courses. The second digit is the number of credit hours. The last two numbers are assigned by the department.
Credit Hours
This is the standard unit of measurement for university-level work applicable toward a degree. One credit hour is equal to one 50-minute class period per week, per semester. Thus the usual three-credit hour course is based on meeting 50 minutes a day, three days a week for a semester. For laboratory work, one credit hour is equal to two or three hours of laboratory work. Thus, a laboratory that meets for one three hour session once a week for a semester would have one hour of credit. The term “credit hour” is often shortened to “hours”. UALR measures its work in semester credit hours; if you’re transferring from a college that uses quarter hours, the Office of Records and Registration will convert them into semester hours for you.
Degree
The term “degree” refers to a designation such as Associate of Arts, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science in Education, Bachelor of Business Administration, and other general designations. UALR offers seven undergraduate degrees. All UALR undergraduate majors are grouped under one of these designations.
Department, College, or School
A department is the basic administrative unit at UALR. It consists of a group of faculty members and their chairperson. The department appoints faculty, develops courses and programs, and advises students. Departments with related interests are organized into colleges. Academic administrative units without departments are called schools.
Developmental Courses
Courses at the “0” level are developmental courses and do not count toward the 124 hour minimum for graduation; nor do grades received count in the cumulative grade point average.
Drop and Add
A period of time is designated after classes have begun during which students may adjust their course schedules by adding or deleting (dropping) a class or classes without penalty. To determine deadlines for each semester, consult the academic calendar or registration guide.
Elective
An elective is any course that is not required, either by the University’s core requirements or by the requirements of a major or minor. Many degree programs will list the number of elective hours available. Electives may complement the rest of a student’s work or be taken just for fun.
Experiential Learning
The UALR curriculum includes a number of courses that allow or require students to work for credit in a professional or career setting. Sometimes this is a part of the regular course; other times it is a separate course. In the latter case, the course may have in its title an expression such as “cooperative education,” “field experience,” “internship,” “practicum,” “special project,” or “student teaching.”
Full-Time Student
A full-time student must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 credit hours. Financial aid often requires that a student attend full-time.
Fully Admitted Student
These are typically new students who have submitted all credentials necessary by the application deadline. Credentials include a GPA of at least a 2.0 on high school core courses by the end of high school and any one of the following:
•
Completed application for admission
•
Official high school transcript or GED scores showing: a 2.5 cumulative GPA for high school or an official, passing GED test score
•
An ACT composite of 21 (enhanced) or a combined verbal/math SAT I score of at least 990 (re-centered) taken within the last five years.
•
Proof of two MMR immunizations (required of all applicants born after January 1, 1957)
Good Standing
A student is considered in good standing at the end of a grading period if your current term and cumulative GPA are 2.00 or above.
Grade Point Average (GPA)
GPA is the indicator of a student’s academic performance, with a 4.0 being the highest level of performance. Quality Points are assigned to each letter grade received (e.g., A = 4; B = 3; C = 2; D = 1; F = 0). Some developmental course grades are excluded. The GPA is the standard measure for retention and graduation requirements. Your semester grade report will show both the semester and the cumulative GPA.
Incomplete
The designation “I” or Incomplete is given when the instructor feels that circumstances beyond your control prevented completion of a course requirement. It allows you to finish a course requirement within a 90-day period after the semester is over. It is the student’s responsibility to discuss the problem with the instructor and request a grade of Incomplete. If the student receives an “I” and fails to complete the work on time, the result will be the “I” administratively changed to an “F.”
Lower-Level
Freshman and sophomore courses (UALR course numbers beginning with 1 or 2) are called lower-level courses.
Major
A major consists of coursework in a student’s primary area of academic concentration in addition to the UALR core requirements. Students are encouraged to declare a major as soon as possible on BOSS or in the Office of Academic Advising.
Minor
A minor contains coursework in a student’s secondary area of academic concentration. A minor is required in all undergraduate degree programs unless the major program specifies that a minor is not required.
Orientation
An orientation is an introduction to the university for students new to UALR. This is a time when students learn about rules, procedures, facilities, personnel, services, etc.
Prerequisite
Course required to have been successfully completed prior to enrollment in a more advanced related course. If a course has a prerequisite, it is listed in the course description.
Privacy Act
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) establishes the confidentiality of student records and the conditions under which students and others may review a student’s educational records. These records, including grades, are confidential and may only be released to the individual student to whom they pertain. For more information, consult the University Student Handbook or the Dean of Student’s office.
Records and Registration, Office of
Administrative Staff that is responsible for student records, transcripts, class registration, and graduation. This office is located in the Administration South Building.
Section
A Section is mentioned when the same Course is offered at different times with different instructors. Each different offering is referred to as a section. When registering, make sure that you enroll in the section, as well as the course, you want.
Syllabus
Course outline of expectations, assignments, requirements, schedule, and materials needed for each specific class. Typically, the instructor distributes the syllabus during the first class meeting.
Testing-out
This phrase refers to receiving college credit by making an appropriate score on a comprehensive test in a certain area. UALR offers such test in two ways: those designed by UALR departments and those designed by national programs such as College Level Examination Program (CLEP). There is a charge for taking such tests. Contact the Office of Testing Services and Student Life Research for details.
Transcript
This is the continuous, formal, and official record of your work at a university. If you are a transfer student, you are required to request that the Office of Records and Registration at all universities you have attended previously send an official transcript in a sealed envelope to UALR. The transcript lists all courses you take, grades, major and minor, and degree awarded. An unofficial and incomplete version of it, sometimes used by advisors, is called a worksheet.
Undergraduate
This term refers to academic work leading to the associate or baccalaureate degrees and to students working toward these degrees. It is used in comparison to “graduate,” which refers to academic work taken by students who already have a baccalaureate degree.
Undergraduate Catalog
The catalog is an official publication of UALR, which is revised annually. It establishes degree programs, course offerings, and academic regulations that affect undergraduate students from date of enrollment through degree completion. Therefore, students should retain their original undergraduate catalog until graduation and granting of a degree by the university.
Upper-level
Junior and senior courses (UALR course numbers beginning with 3 or 4) are called upper-level courses. A baccalaureate degree requires a minimum of 45 upper-level credit hours.
Withdrawal
The letter “W” is recorded when a student voluntarily and officially drops a specific course or all enrolled coursed at the university within a specified time period. If you never attend classes for which you are registered, you remain legally liable for tuition and fees, unless you follow official withdrawal procedures. In order to withdraw, you must obtain an official form from the Office of Records and Registration. For deadlines please refer to the academic calendar.