Missouri State University Parent Guide

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Terms to Know

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TermDefinition
Boomer’s Crew Boomer, Buster, and Growl—the mascots you will see at sporting events and other University sponsored activities.
Bursar Office in Carrington Hall that acts as the cashier for the university; accepts cash, personal checks, money orders, cashier’s checks, traveler’s checks, and most major credit cards.
Carillon A collection of 48 bronze bells located in a 140 foot tower attached to the Meyer Library. These bells can be heard through campus.
CLEP (College Level Examinations Program) Allows students to receive credit by examination instead of course enrollment. For more information, contact the Counseling and Testing Center in Carrington Hall 311 at (417) 836-5116.
Convocation The official ceremony designed to welcome new students to the University. It is held the Sunday afternoon before classes begin.
Course Catalog Contains information about every college, department, major, and course located within the University. It also offers general information about the university, and its policies, programs, offices, and services.
Curricular Learning Communities Two or more classes that are linked together. Incoming freshmen students enroll and participate in these courses with the same group of students.
Deferred Payment The option to charge items from the University Bookstore, Taylor Health and Wellness Center, BearHouse Entertainment, Bear Necessities, It’s a Greek Thing, Paw Prints, and ETC. This option allows the convenience of paying for items on the same bill as student’s required student fees.
Dual Enrollment Refers to high school students who are receiving both high school and college credit while enrolled in a college course.
Hold A block which prohibits students from functions such as registering for courses or receiving a transcript or diploma.
Hall Director Full-time staff members who manage the daily operations of the residence halls.
JQH Arena Named after John Q. Hammons, the arena where the Missouri State Bears and Lady Bears play basketball; concerts and other community events are often held here. Live Account (Outlook) The student e-mail system on campus.
Meal Plan Students living in the residence halls may choose meal plans that offer 10, 14, 19, or unlimited number of meals per week in the dining centers.
My.MissouriState Portal for student information and records; only accessible by students.
Partners in Education (PIE) A program is designed to facilitate communication between first-year students and their families. If your student chooses to complete the PIE form located in the SOAR student handbook, the “partner” indicated on their form will have increased access to the student’s information for the student’s first year.
Plus/Minus Grading Grading system approved in 2008 that gives instructors the option of grading their classes on a plus/minus scale (A, A-,B+,B,B-,C+,C,C-,D+,D,F).
Prerequisite Specific requirements that must be completed prior to enrolling in a given class, program, or field of study. Prerequisites often apply to the completion of other courses.
Provost The chief academic officer of the University. The Provost is responsible for providing primary administrative leadership, direction, and evaluation for all academic activities and faculty affairs of the University.
PSU Abbreviation used for the Robert W. Plaster Student Union.
Recruitment The term used to describe the mutual selection process for joining a fraternity or sorority.
Residence Hall The term used for “dorm.” Residence halls offer a community environment for the students to live, learn, and grow, rather than just a place to sleep at night.
Residence Assistant (RA) Trained student leaders who live on each residence hall’s floor and wing and are selected because of their desire and ability to be of service to other students.
RHA Residence Hall Association serves as the student voice in the residence halls. The RHA General Assembly is comprised of student leaders from each residence hall.
SAC Student Activities Council is a student-run organization responsible for providing quality programs for a diverse student body throughout the entire year.
Service-Learning A type of experiential education that combines and pursues both academic achievement and community service in a seamless weave, requiring the use of effective reflection exercises.
SGA Student Government Association is the official voice of the student body at Missouri State.
SOAR The Student Orientation, Advisement, and Registration program, which is committed to helping new Missouri State University students and their families make successful transitions to university life.
Suitemates Some residence halls on campus offer suite-style rooms where 4-6 people share a suite with multiple bedrooms. The students who live in the same bedroom are considered roommates, while the students who stay in the other bedroom(s) would be considered suitemates.
Supplemental Instruction (SI) A series of optional review sessions for students taking historically difficult courses. SI is provided for all students who want to improve their understanding of course material and improve their grades.
Syllabus A document provided by a course instructor that outlines the instructor’s contact information, required material, information about what the course will cover, attendance policy, available points, grading procedures, and important dates and deadlines for tests, papers, and projects.
The Pride Missouri State’s 300 member marching band.
The Standard The official student-run newspaper of Missouri State University.
Withdrawal Dropping all courses at Missouri State University. To withdraw, students must submit a written request to the Office of the Registrar, Carrington Hall 302.
XF Letter grade assigned to students who commit academic dishonesty or cheating.
ZipCard Student photo ID cards. They can be used as a meal card for a meal plan or BearFare, deferment for goods to the student’s account, and a library card. ZipCards also have a debit function which uses money from a prepaid balance.
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