Registration and Academic Records

Academic Year

The undergraduate College academic calendar is divided into three semesters: the fall semester extends from late August to mid-December, the spring semester extends from mid-January to mid-May, and the summer semester extends from mid-May to mid-August.

Academic Credit

Credit is recorded in semester hours. One 50-minute class period per week throughout the semester is the equivalent of one semester hour. Therefore, a three-credit course will meet for 50 minutes three times a week, or 75 minutes two times a week or 150 minutes once a week. For every credit hour, a minimum of two hours per week outside of class time is expected. There are also blended courses where the contact hours may be reduced, but additional online and/or mobile components are required. In blended courses where the contact hours are decreased, the outside of class time expectations will increase to be the equivalent of a face-to-face contact credit hour.

Classification of Students

Transfer students’ classification will be based on the number of accepted transferable credits and designated as one of the four classifications indicated above.

Course Load

The usual student load is 15 to 16 credits per semester. A student who wishes to carry more than 18 credits in any given semester must have approval from the dean of student success and the dean of the school in which the student’s major is housed. Tuition is charged for all courses carried for credit, for all courses repeated, and for all courses audited.  Candidates for graduation in the normal eight-semester time period must earn an average of at least 15.25 credits per semester. Exchange courses (Saint Mary’s University/WSU Cooperative Program) are included in the student course load when determining full-time or part-time status.

Course Numbering

Courses numbered from 100 to 299 are lower-division; those numbered from 300 to 499 are upper-division. Graduate courses are numbered 500 and above. Courses numbered below 100 do not apply toward any graduation requirement.

Lower-division courses at Saint Mary’s University are intended to provide an introduction or general study in an area or discipline.  Characteristics for coding lower-division courses at Saint Mary’s University include:

• Introducing basic language, terminology, concepts, techniques/methodology, and ways of thinking/learning within a discipline.
• Providing breadth or general knowledge in the context of a relatively broad survey of topics.
• Developing essential skills, attitudes, and practices important in many different areas or disciplines.

Upper-division courses at Saint Mary’s University are intended for advanced study in an area or discipline and are not generally available to first-year students. Characteristics for coding upper-division courses at Saint Mary’s University include:

• Specializing in the language, terminology, concepts, techniques/methodology, and ways of thinking/learning to develop specific intellectual and professional abilities within a discipline.
• Providing in-depth study of a discipline’s theories and methods, as well as understandings of the applications and limitations of those theories.
• Integrating across multiple topics to recognize deeper, predictable patterns and to recognize relative values of different approaches, investigating potential biases, viewpoints, and/or intentions within the scholarship underlying the discipline.

Course Registration

Initial registration and subsequent changes must be completed online or filed in the registrar’s office. Under normal conditions, the registrar will accept registration changes only from the student. It is the student’s responsibility to monitor his/her class schedule throughout the semester. A student is allowed one calendar week after the beginning of the semester in which to add and drop courses. Registration for short courses which begin later in the semester is open until the end of the add/drop deadline for that short session; please see the add/drop/withdrawal schedule in the registrar’s office for those dates. Students will be charged a late registration fee for each course registered after the approved registration period. In order to preserve the integrity of the university transcript, students must be registered for a course in the semester in which they take it.

Overlapping Courses Policy and Approval Procedure

In extraordinary circumstances, it may be possible for students to register for two courses that are offered at the same time. For this request to be considered, a student must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.000 and the signatures and comments from both course instructors, his or her advisor, and the department chair(s) for both courses. The student must submit the completed Overlapping Course Approval Form to the office of the academic deans in which the courses are housed for final approval. Forms can be obtained from the Registrar’s office and must be completed before the end of the add/drop period of the semester in which the student wishes to take the courses.

Saint Mary’s University/WSU Cooperative Program

Saint Mary’s University and Winona State University (WSU) have a history of inter-institutional cooperation. This history includes the sharing of courses and library services. The primary objectives of the Saint Mary’s University/WSU Cooperative Program are to provide expanded educational programs and services, to increase opportunities for students, staff and faculty through the sharing of these programs and services, and to achieve a more efficient use of existing resources.

1. The cooperative program is designed for undergraduate students only.
2. A Saint Mary’s student must be registered full-time at Saint Mary’s University to enroll in the cooperative program at Winona State University.
3. No more than half of the academic load may be taken at Winona State University.
4. A Saint Mary’s student may only major in a field available at Saint Mary’s University.
5. Course substitutions in a major field require the permission of the Saint Mary’s University department chair at the home institution. Courses in a student’s major that are taken at Winona State University will count toward the total required for graduation. A course substitution form must be completed if courses will fulfill major or general education requirements.
6. Most courses at WSU are open to Saint Mary’s University students provided prerequisites are met and space is available.
7. Requests for exceptions to the above guidelines must be secured from the student’s major academic dean.

Courses taken at WSU are not included in the student’s GPA. Tuition is paid only to Saint Mary’s University. The student will be required to pay for special course or lab fees at WSU. To register in the program, a student must fill out an intercollegiate registration form, available from the registrar’s office. Upon receipt of the registration permit, an eligible student then presents it to the WSU registrar during its regular registration period. A Saint Mary’s University student may obtain library privileges at the WSU library by presenting his/her Saint Mary’s University barcoded identification card.

Graduate Students and College Courses

Graduate students may enroll in undergraduate courses at the College with approval of their program director. Graduate students may not take courses for zero credit. Graduate students pay the graduate tuition rate and are responsible for any course fees.

Credits Attempted

The number of credits attempted is the total number of credits in which grades of A, AB, B, BC, C, CD, D or F are recorded. Incomplete (I) credits are not calculated into credits attempted until the incomplete grade has been replaced by a passing or failing grade. Credits from a given course are recorded as attempted only once. All repeated courses remain on the transcript, however, the highest grade received is the course grade used when the cumulative GPA is calculated.

Credits Earned

The number of credits earned is the total number of credits for non-repeated courses in which a grade of A, AB, B, BC, C, CD, D or P is recorded. Credit may be earned for a repeated course only when the original grade was an F or NC.

Course Repeats

A course may be repeated, but credit for a given course can be earned only once. The original grade is not removed when the course is repeated. Only the higher grade is computed in the GPA. Courses repeated under the pass/no credit grade option do not affect a student’s GPA. Students who wish to improve their GPA by repeating a course must do so under the traditional A-F grade system. A grade(s) from courses repeated at other institutions will not replace grade(s) for courses taken at Saint Mary’s University.

Course Withdrawal

After the change of registration period, a student may withdraw from a semester-length course(s) by submitting the approved course withdrawal form to the registrar’s office. It is the student’s responsibility to withdraw from a course for which the student is registered but does not plan to attend. When a student withdraws from a course, the student will receive a grade of W. Failure to withdraw from a course a student is not attending will result in a grade of F. Appropriate consideration should be given prior to a course withdrawal since it may affect student enrollment status, financial aid status or other considerations.

A student may withdraw from a semester-length course up to the 12th week of the semester. In this case the permanent record will show a notation of W after the course. Specific dates for course withdrawal deadlines may be obtained from the registrar’s office. Withdrawal dates for short courses may also be obtained in the registrar’s office.

Course Incompletion for Active Military Duty

Students called to active military duty prior to the completion of a semester have the following options. They must indicate in writing to the registrar, before departure, which option they choose.

The student may request to withdraw from the course(s); the student will receive a full tuition refund.

If the student is close to completion of the semester, he/she should consult with staff in the student success center. The staff will assist the student in arranging for the completion of his/her course work with his/her instructors. The student would then be required to complete the remaining required course work upon his/her return to the university. The student’s transcript would reflect a grade of incomplete.

Leave of Absence

A leave of absence is a period of time when a student is not enrolled in classes but intends to reenroll. Reasons for a leave of absence may include, but are not limited to: studying abroad, medical, family, military, or other emergencies.

Students requesting a leave of absence should contact the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs and Student Life and complete the Leave of Absence Request form. Students are also encouraged to meet with Financial Aid to discuss the effect the leave of absence may have on their loan repayments terms and grace period.

A leave of absence initiated during a semester results in a grade of W unless otherwise approved by the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs. A leave of absence taken after the last day of classes, but before a semester ends, requires that the student is graded in all courses for which they are officially registered. Any grades earned prior to leave of absence approval will remain on the student’s transcript.

A leave of absence may be approved for up to two consecutive semesters. Written notification of return must be submitted to the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs a minimum of 60 days prior to the first class day of the return semester.  Students returning from a leave of absence do not need to re-apply to the university.

Students on a leave of absence are not permitted to live in University residence halls. Upon completing the University Leave of Absence Request form, the student’s Housing Contract is canceled. Any refund is determined by the student’s move out date.

Withdrawal from the University

Federal law requires institutions and/or the student to return the portion of your financial aid that is considered UNEARNED, called Return to Title IV. This policy applies only when during the term, the student withdraws from ALL classes AND the percentage of the term completed is equal to or less than 60%. Course load reductions that leave a student with at least one remaining class are not affected by this policy, but may result in reduction in Institutional or State aid. Returning of Federal aid must be done within 45 days of the student’s withdrawal. The following example illustrates how the policy works:

1. Calculate the percentage of the term completed (# days completed / # days in semester x 100). If greater than 60%, then no return of Federal financial aid is required. If less than or equal to 60%, then proceed to step #2.
2. Determine the percentage of Federal financial aid EARNED by multiplying the total amount of Federal financial aid received for the term by the percentage in step #1. You are permitted to keep this amount in your student account.
3. Determine the amount of UNEARNED Federal financial aid that must be returned to financial aid programs accounts by subtracting the amount of EARNED Federal financial aid (determined in step # 2) from the total amount of financial aid received for the term.
4. There are specific calculations that determine how much of the UNEARNED financial aid must be returned to the federal program(s) by the institution and how much must be returned by the student.
5. There is a prescribed order in which funds must be returned to the programs:
   1. Unsubsidized Direct Stafford Loan
   2. Subsidized Direct Stafford Loan
   3. Federal Perkins Loan
   4. Federal PLUS Loan
   5. Federal Pell Grant
   6. Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)
   7. Federal TEACH Grant
   8. Iraq/Afghanistan Service Grant

It is possible, depending on the date of withdrawal, to have no refund of tuition and fees, although part of the Federal financial aid may be required to be returned. For example, if a student withdraws from the university after the end of ALL refund periods, it is possible that the student may owe the full amount of billed costs. Even if the student does not finish the term, he/she may still be charged for these fees.

If, when the Financial Aid Office is completing the Return to Title IV worksheet, it may be determined that additional aid could have been disbursed to the student and/or parent.  A post-withdrawal disbursement will be offered in writing to the student or parent. The student or parent will have 30 days from the date the notice is sent to respond.  The notice will include if any of the post-withdrawal disbursement will be used to reduce a student’s current tuition bill.

Furthermore, if the withdrawal occurs after the end of ALL refund periods but on or before 60% of the term is completed, the student may be required to repay all or part of the financial aid as determined in steps #1-5 above. If the student is required to repay all or part of your financial aid, they will be notified of the amount required to be repaid. In addition, future registration at Saint Mary’s University and requests for academic transcripts may be denied until repayment is complete.

Students may withdraw from the university any time before the start of the final exam period with the following stipulations:

1. Students who withdraw within the last 10 class days before the start of the final exam period will not be allowed to return to Saint Mary’s the following semester. Students wishing to return to the university may apply for readmission after one semester has elapsed. Appeals may be considered when there are extenuating circumstances.
2. Students who withdraw from the university within the last 10 class days but before the start of the final exam period in two consecutive semesters of attendance must appear before the academic standing committee before being readmitted for subsequent semesters.
3. Students withdrawing before the 10 day class deadline may apply for readmission.
4. The permanent records of students who withdraw from the university before the start of the final exam period will show grades of W for all courses in progress. The final exam period includes study day. Final grades for courses completed prior to withdrawal will remain on the student’s record. Once the final exam period starts students may not withdraw.

Withdrawal from the University

Students who are considering withdrawal from the university are encouraged to discuss their circumstances with a staff member from the Student Success and First Generation Initiative Office. Staff can assist students in navigating this decision and provide more information about the withdrawal process. Students are required to complete the online university withdrawal survey to be officially withdrawn from the university. The survey is an opportunity to provide the university with valuable feedback. Students should contact the Student Success and First Generation Initiative Office for the online withdrawal survey link. Once the survey is complete, the Registrar will withdraw the student and Cardinal Central will determine any refund of tuition, room, board, and fees that applies. The Financial Aid Office will determine if federal financial aid needs to be refunded.

Students are allowed only four institutional withdrawals throughout their undergraduate career.

Withdrawal Date:

The withdrawal date is the date you complete the exit survey.  If you fail to withdraw officially, the withdrawal date will become the midpoint of the term, unless the institution can document a later date.  In certain circumstances if an earlier date of last academic activity is determined, this date may be used in the calculation of “earned” federal aid.

Institutional and State Refund Policy:

The Return of Title IV policy, cited above, only considers federal aid. Saint Mary’s is also required to determine if any institutional, state or private financial aid must be returned if you completely withdraw.  Saint Mary’s offers pro-rated tuition refunds and on-campus room refunds through the sixth week of classes. Board will be refunded through twelve weeks.

If you withdraw during a period of time that allows for a refund of tuition, a portion or all of your institutional, state and/or private funding may be reduced or cancelled.  If you receive a 100 percent refund on all courses for a particular term, all institutional, state and private funding must be returned to the appropriate aid program(s). If your institutional refund was not used to fully repay the Return of Title IV aid, a proportional share of the remaining institutional refund must be returned to the appropriate non-federal aid program(s).

Auditing Courses

An audited course is one in which a student is allowed to sit in class and participate; the student is not expected to complete papers or exams. A grade of AU on a transcript indicates an audited course and no credit is earned. A student who wishes to audit a course instead of taking it for credit must obtain permission from the instructor of the course and must complete a signed add card. A student may not change a course registration from credit to audit or from audit to credit after the designated deadline as indicated by the registrar. Audited courses are charged at the rate of half of the per-credit fee charged for the academic year in which the course is audited.

Pass/No Credit Option

Students may elect to take courses normally offered for a letter grade under the P/NC credit grading option. In such courses, the student receives either the grade of P for pass or NC for no credit. A grade of P is equivalent to a grade of C or higher. A grade of NC is equivalent to a grade of CD or lower. The following restrictions govern the use of this option:

1. A student may take no more than two such courses in any one semester and no more than eight courses in the total academic program.
2. General education courses or major/minor courses, with the exception of AP, IB, CLEP, field explorations or internships, cannot be taken for P/NC without the approval of the office of the academic dean from the student’s declared major or the dean of student success if no major has been declared.
3. The option is not available to first-semester first-year students or transfer students in their first semester at Saint Mary’s.
4. The option is not available to students whose cumulative GPA is less than 2.000.

Credits earned under this option are counted toward the total number of credits required for graduation but are not used in determining a student’s GPA. Before registering for a course under the P/NC option, the student must indicate the grading option on the add/drop card signed by the instructor and turned in to the registrar’s office. Students intending to take a course as a P/NC option may change from P/NC to a letter grade by submitting the add/drop card by the end of the first week of the semester. For short session courses contact the registrar’s office for specific dates each term.

Grade Reports

Mid-term and final grades are available to students online through their online account.

Incomplete Grades

The incomplete “I” may be given by an instructor only when the student is passing the course and an event occurs that is beyond the student’s control (i.e., hospitalization, death in the immediate family, etc.) that precludes the student from completing the required work. A student or care giver must request an “I” grade. The assignment of an incomplete grade must be approved by the office of the academic dean from the school of the student’s declared major or from the dean of student success if no major has been declared.

It is the responsibility of the student to consult with the instructor to determine a plan for completing the required work for the course. This work must be completed and the “I” grade replaced by a letter grade within four weeks after the beginning of the next regular semester (fall and spring semesters). If this is not done, the “I” grade will be changed to an F grade. If this failing grade results in a GPA which is below the academic standards of the university, the academic warnings and penalties will apply, even though a new semester has already begun. Requests for an extension must be made to the office of the academic dean from the school of the student’s declared major or from the dean of student success if no major has been declared, within the first three weeks of the semester. Incompletes are never granted to allow a student further time to improve a grade after the semester has ended. The way to improve an undesirable grade is to repeat the course at Saint Mary’s University.

Change of Grade

If an instructor discovers an error in a student’s final grade, an amended grade report is filed in the registrar’s office. The change of grade must be filed within one semester of the date of the original grade submission. Changes of grades cannot be made on the basis of work done after the end of the semester. The way to improve a grade of F or NC is to repeat the course at Saint Mary’s University. In most cases, only the instructor concerned may change a grade. Grades may be lowered after the end of the semester in cases of cheating or plagiarism.

Any grade change that results in a change of a student’s placement on an academic penalty, dean’s list, or honors at graduation will be handled by the registrar and appropriate designations will be made to the student’s record.

Grade Appeal Process

If a student believes that an incorrect grade has been given, the student should consult with the instructor. If the instructor refuses to change the grade, the student may consult the department chair of the course. The chair will attempt to mediate the matter with the student and the instructor. If the matter is not resolved through the intervention of the chair, the student may appeal to the dean where the course is housed.

Grades earned as a result of the academic dishonesty policy cannot be further appealed.

Grade Points and Achievement Levels

In order to evaluate the overall quality of course work, a system of grade points is used. The number of grade points earned in a given course is the number of credits for that course multiplied by the grade point corresponding to the grade earned in that course, as follows:

Grade Point Average

The grade point average (GPA) is determined by dividing the total grade points earned by the total number of credits attempted.

Transfer Credit

UNDERGRADUATE TRANSFER POLICY

When students enter Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, the Office of the Registrar evaluates all previously completed coursework from regionally accredited postsecondary institutions with a grade equivalent of C- or better, with the exception of preparatory, developmental, or remedial level coursework. Courses taken during the 2020-2021 academic year on a Pass/Fail, Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory, or similar grading scheme may also be reviewed. Students whose prior academic experience includes coursework completed outside of the United States and its territories should contact the registrar for information regarding international credentialing evaluation services. Coursework completed in the Armed Forces of the United States and in programs of the United States Armed Forces Institution (USAFI) will be reviewed on a course by course basis, but current and former enlisted service members will automatically be granted three (3) credit hours upon entry to the university. 

Individual academic departments make the determination as to how transferred courses will meet specific academic requirements. Programs with competitive admission classification may have restrictions regarding transfers that differ somewhat from the following. Saint Mary’s has prepared course equivalency guides for various two-year and four-year colleges and universities throughout the region. Students may request a review of courses from other colleges and universities by providing a course syllabus or outline. Transferred coursework not meeting course equivalency may be used as course substitution if approved by the academic department. Transfer courses that do not directly meet institutional or programmatic requirements may be applied as general elective credit. Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota generally does not allow for duplicate courses to count for credit. Students may not receive a letter grade in a course at SMUMN and retake it at another institution to replace the grade. Transfer credit will not be granted for coursework completed at another institution during any period when a student was suspended from Saint Mary’s for academic misconduct.

A student at the undergraduate college who has earned at least twenty-four (24) credits as a degree-seeking student at another postsecondary institution after completing high school or a GED program will have the INT101 general education course requirement waived. A student who has earned an associate of arts (AA) degree prior to enrolling at Saint Mary’s undergraduate college will be considered to have completed all requirements for general education with the exceptions of needing to complete an approved theology course and INT499.

Transfer credit will be officially applied to the student’s academic record at Saint Mary’s and will appear as such on the official transcript. All transfer credit awards are made in semester credits. Transcripts for evaluation that use a system other than semester credit are converted to semester credits and rounded to the nearest hundredth. A student’s grade point average does not transfer into the university. Grade point average is based only on grades earned at SMUMN.

Applying students will have transcripts reviewed as they are received by the Office of Admissions. A student’s application will not be considered complete until all transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended are received. The residential college in Winona offers baccalaureate degrees while Saint Mary’s Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs offers Bachelor of Science completion degrees and certificate programs. Despite offering different degree types and serving populations at different points of their educational journey, these campuses have a shared endeavor and purpose rooted in the Lasallian Catholic tradition.

Transfer applicants should ensure that they are applying to their desired program at the correct campus and that all transcripts and other correspondence associated with the college application are being sent to the proper office. Transfer applicants looking to attend an SMUMN program should have all transcripts sent to the appropriate admissions office prior to starting an academic program:

Residential College
Office of Admissions

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota

700 Terrace Heights #2

Winona, MN 55987-1399

Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs (for Bachelor Completion/Certificate)

Office of Admissions

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota SGPP

2500 Park Avenue

Minneapolis, Minnesota 55404

Students seeking review of any course taken outside of Saint Mary’s after starting an academic program should have official transcripts sent to the appropriate Saint Mary’s Registrar:

Residential College

Office of the Registrar

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota

700 Terrace Heights, #37

Winona, Minnesota 55987

Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs - for Bachelor Completion Programs

Office of the Registrar

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota SGPP

2500 Park Street

Minneapolis, Minnesota 55404

Credit by Examination

A student, through experience and/or personal study, may possess competencies/knowledge of academic subject matter normally obtained through class participation in a given course. The student may demonstrate this knowledge and earn credit, if appropriate, by taking a comprehensive exam covering the materials in a given course. Academic departments determine which courses are eligible for credit by examination and administer the exam. Such exams are strictly graded on a pass / no credit basis, and taking such an exam does not replace a previously earned grade, and will not remove the old grade from being calculated in the student’s GPA. A maximum of 15 credits may be earned in this manner.  Credit by Examination credits will be billed at per-credit charge.

Credit for Prior Learning (PLA)

Saint Mary’s University recognizes that many students come with college-level learning that has occurred outside of the traditional college classroom.  Students may obtain college credit for this learning by participating in the Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) process. 

Students seeking credit through the PLA process must first obtain approval from the Dean of the College.  Once approved, students take CM325 – Prior Learning Exploration during which they create a portfolio that documents evidence of their learning.  PLA assessors then review the portfolio for college credit.  Students may be granted up to 35 credits for their PLA portfolios. 

Students cannot duplicate credits transferred as part of the PLA process.

Program for Advanced College Credit (PACC)

Saint Mary’s University has developed alliances with many private high schools in the tri-state area of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois. The Program for Advanced College Credit (PACC) offers dual enrollment college credit to qualified secondary students in their participating high schools. These courses follow university-approved syllabi and are taught by approved instructors in collaboration with SMU content area faculty members. For more specific information regarding PACC, including lists of participating high schools, available courses and instructions for registration, please visit the website at www.smumn.edu/pacc.

Post Secondary Enrollment Option (PSEO)

Minnesota law allows high school juniors and seniors (whether currently in public, nonpublic or home schools) to take courses at eligible post-secondary institutions without paying for tuition or books. Students who enroll in courses with a course fee will be billed at the beginning of the semester and are responsible to pay for those course fees. These courses fulfill high school degree requirements and may transfer into colleges/universities the student may choose to attend. Saint Mary’s University participates with Minnesota high schools in this program.

Any student who has not taken the ACT but meets the GPA requirements must take the Math and English placement exams when they come in for their interview.  If they do not place into E130  , they will not be admitted into PSEO

The ACT composite score must be a 23 or higher with 21 Math (500 SAT) and 19 English (461 SAT) subscores.  If composite is met but subscores are not, students can take our Math and/or English placement exams to prove they meet our initial math and writing requirements.

Any student who receives a grade of “C” or lower in any course will not be allowed to continue in the PSEO program.

Advanced Placement (AP) Credit

Students with advanced placement (AP) test scores of 3, 4 or 5 may request credit and advanced placement by submitting the scores to the registrar.

College-Level Examination Program (CLEP)

Credit is granted for appropriate CLEP subject examinations; credit is not granted for CLEP general examinations. Saint Mary’s University follows the guidelines of the American Council on Education (ACE): scores of a minimum of 50 are required for all subjects with the exception of Level 2 French, German and Spanish. Students taking the Level 2 language CLEP exams must score 63 in the French, German or Spanish language to earn credit.

International Baccalaureate (IB) Credit

Students with International Baccalaureate (IB) test scores of 4 through 7 may request credit and advanced placement by submitting the scores to the registrar. Saint Mary’s University accepts IB scores only on the Higher Level exams.

Saint Mary’s University Advanced Placement Examinations

Incoming first-year students who choose not to participate in any of the above-mentioned advance placement programs may apply directly to the appropriate department at Saint Mary’s University for credit through examination; students may receive up to a maximum of 8 semester credits. The student should apply for advance credit at the time of matriculation and no later than the end of the first semester of attendance at SMU. A fee is charged for some examinations.

Students who complete one semester of study in Spanish with a final grade of at least B will earn 2 credits for each class bypassed in the language sequence (courses numbered 101, 102, 201 or 202). A maximum of 8 credits may be earned that count toward a minor and as elective credit that count toward graduation. If the student earned a 3 or higher through the AP program, she/he may receive 4 100-level credits. A maximum of 8 credits may be earned through the AP program and/or SMU AP program.

Official Transcript

A transcript of credits will be issued by the registrar’s office at the written request of a student. Transcripts may be held if the student’s account is not current or there are holds restricting the release of transcripts.

Official Notices

Official notices are sent via e-mail and/or distributed to student mailboxes in the Toner Student Center. When a notice is communicated to students in either of these ways, it has been officially communicated. Students should check their SMU e-mail accounts and their campus mail boxes often so they do not miss official notices.

Confidentiality of Records

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their educational records.

• A student has the right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the university receives a request for access. The records that are viewable include only the documents that were created at SMU. The student should submit to the registrar, dean, head of the academic department, or other appropriate official a written request that identifies the record(s) he/she wishes to inspect. The registrar will arrange for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the university official to whom the request was submitted, that official will advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.

• A student has the right to request that the university amend his/her records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading. The student must request the amendment in writing, clearly identifying the part of the record he/she wants changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the university decides to not amend the record as requested by the student, the university must notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his/her rights to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when the student is notified of the right to a hearing. Any request for grade changes must follow the procedure as outlined elsewhere in this catalog.

• The student has the right to consent to the disclosure of personally identifiable information contained in his/her records, except where FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. School officials with a legitimate educational interest may have access without the student’s consent. A school official is a person employed by the university in an administrative, professional, supervisory, academic, research or support staff position; a person or company with whom the university has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor or collection agent); a person serving on the board of trustees; or a student serving on an official committee (such as a disciplinary committee) or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. The Minnesota Private College Council is a school official with whom the university shares certain student data (address, age, student classification, financial aid, etc.) for research, legislative, advocacy, and public policy purposes.  A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility to the university. Upon request, the university may disclose education records without consent to officials of another school in which the student seeks to enroll or is already enrolled.

• The university designates the following information as directory information, which may be released without student consent and is not subject to the above regulations: name, local and permanent mailing addresses, telephone numbers, university email address, dates of attendance, registration enrollment status (course schedule is not directory information), class year, major field of study, awards, honors, degree(s) conferred, past and present participation in officially recognized sports and activities, physical characteristics (height/weight) of athletes,  prior schools attended, the most recent educational agency or institution attended,  date and place of birth, hometown, photographs and other visual images. 

• A student may prevent the release of any or all of the categories of directory information outlined above by notifying the registrar, in writing, of the categories of information the student does not want disclosed. Notification must occur within 10 calendar days of the first scheduled day of classes for the fall, spring, or summer terms. The university will honor all written requests for nondisclosure for one academic year; therefore, students must request nondisclosure annually.

• A student may file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the university to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is: Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C., 20202-4605.

In order for a parent or guardian to receive information about their student’s progress, the student must complete the online Consent to Disclose.

Student Complaint Policy and Procedure

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota (SMUMN) is committed to respecting all members of our university community and providing a quality educational experience for all students. The objective of the Student Complaint Policy and Procedure is to ensure that the concerns and complaints of undergraduate or graduate students are addressed fairly and are resolved promptly.  Complaints related to this policy are usually the result of behavior that the student feels is unjust, inequitable, or creates an unnecessary hardship. 

Students may file complaints if they believe a problem is not governed by SMUMN other complaint or appeal procedures. Many of the other complaint policies may be found in the SMUMN Student Handbooks and Catalogues.  If there is a question regarding which appeal or complaint procedure is the most appropriate, students should contact the Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Services (School of Graduate and Professional Programs) or the Dean of Students (College). After consulting with the student, the Associate Vice President of the Dean or their representatives will direct the student to the most appropriate procedure.

Procedure

Whenever possible, students are encouraged to seek an informal resolution of the matter directly with the faculty or individual(s) involved. Often a complaint can be resolved in this way. However, if an informal approach is neither successful nor advisable, the student should use the following procedure:

• A student complaint form should be submitted to the Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Services or the Dean of Students. It should contain (at a minimum) the date and time of the alleged conflict or action, the reason(s) for the complaint, a summary of the complaint, a list of other persons who may provide information and any appropriate documentation. The student must also include the resolution or outcome he or she is seeking. The complaint must be submitted within ten (10) business days of the alleged conflict or action.
• Upon receipt of a completed form, a conference will take place with the student and the Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Services or the Dean of Students or their designees.
• The Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Services or the Dean of Students or their designees will notify appropriate persons and request any information or documentation needed to resolve the complaint.
• The Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Services or the Dean of Students or their designees may attempt to resolve the complaint by encouraging discussion between the student(s) and the faculty member/administrator or by taking the appropriate action to resolve complaint.
• A review of the complaint with the supervisor(s) or others in the line of supervision may be used when deemed appropriate and beneficial to the process.
• All relative documentation and possible outcomes must be submitted by the student or other appropriate persons within ten (10) business days of the date the complaint is filed.
• When possible, the final resolution (or a finding of “unresolved”) will be filed in the Dean of Students office or the Student Services Office  within fifteen (15) business days of the date the complaint is filed. If there are circumstances requiring an extension of this deadline, the staff member assigned to the complaint will notify the parties involved.
• If the student is not satisfied with the outcome of the complaint, a committee will be appointed to review the information and render a final decision. The committee will consist of representatives appointed by the Vice President for the Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs, the Vice President for Academic Affairs (College), and the Vice President for Student Life.  Their decision will be final.

Documentation

A record of all complaints and their resolution will be documented and the records will be kept in the Dean of Students office on the Winona campus and the Student Services Office on the Twin Cities campus.