Academic Advisor – A faculty member assigned to students based on the area of study to help guide students with course selection and career development.  Undeclared students’ advisors are assigned out of the Advisement Center.

Academic Freedom – The right for faculty to determine how a course is to be managed and taught.

Academic Integrity/Honesty – The pursuit of education and scholarly activity free from fraud, deception or cheating.  Failure to comply with the University Academic Honesty policy as outlined in The Key may result in judicial action.

Academic Progress – The number of credits a student must earn each semester in order to maintain eligibility for the purposes of financial aid.  In most cases, full time academic progress is the successful completion of 12 credit hours per semester.

Academic Warning – If at the completion of the second semester or any subsequent semester, a student's cumulative QPA falls below 2.0, he/she will receive an academic warning for the following semester. Part-time students will be evaluated every 12 credits beginning with the completion of 24 credits and will receive an academic warning whenever this evaluation shows their QPA to have fallen below 2.0. A student is allowed only one semester of academic warning.

Academic Probation – Should the cumulative QPA of any student who has received an academic warning fall below 2.0, the student will be placed on academic probation for the subsequent semester. A part-time student who has received an academic warning must bring his/her cumulative QPA up to 2.0 or higher within 12 semester credits attempted, or be placed on academic probation.

Add/Drop – Refers to the process of adding and/or dropping courses from a schedule during a specified period of time at the beginning of the semester.

Advising Center – The place where all undeclared or undecided students can receive academic advising, career exploration and professional guidance in selecting a major course of study.  The Advising Center is located on the first level of the Stratton Administration Building.

Advisement - The process students and advisors engage in to select courses in the most appropriate and educationally beneficial sequence possible.

Admission – The process which students are formally accepted to the University and a specific degree program.  (Many students are accepted as undeclared.)

Adult Student or Adult Learner – Refers to the population of students who are generally 25 years of age or older.

(Student) Activity Fee – A fee all undergraduate students pay that is used to fund student organizations, activities, athletics and many other student oriented programs and services.

Alpha Sigma Lambda (ASL) – A nationally recognized academic honor society for the adult student and continuing educational learner.

Associate’s Degree – An educational degree awarded by community colleges and technical schools for the successful completion of an academic program of approximately 60 credits.

Bachelor’s Degree – An educational degree awarded by a four-year college or university for the successful completion of an academic program of approximately 120 credits.

Book Buy Back – The period at the beginning or end of the semester when students can sell old textbooks back to the student bookstore for cash.

Blue Book – A small blue covered book of lined blank paper that many professors require students to use for essay tests.  Blue Books are available in the student bookstore.

Bulletin/Course Catalog (Undergraduate) – A comprehensive listing of course offerings, majors and degree completion requirements for a given two year period. 

Commencement – Also known as Graduation.  A ceremony that takes place at the end of the fall or spring semester where degrees are awarded to graduating students.

Certificate Programs (s) – Credit and non-credit programs that usually require less credit than a degree program that give students an in depth understanding of a particular subject.

CLEP Tests – Tests that measure student’s knowledge level in a particular academic area that are used to award college credits when a certain score is achieved.  Scheduling CLEP exams can be coordinated through Academic Services.

Colleges – An academic grouping of majors, departments and programs that are normally headed by a Dean. Kutztown University’s colleges include: College of Education, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, College of Business, College of Visual and Performing Arts, and College of Graduate Studies. 

Commuter Student Association (CSA) – Is a student run organization that, in affiliation with the Student Union and Involvement Services Office, woks to enhance student life for commuters at KU.

Connections – See Orientation.

Course Prefix/Number/Section – Descriptions used to denote and organize academic courses:  (e.g. ENG 101 201)  Prefix = ENG; Number = 101; Section = 201.

Credit/Credit Hour – The numerical value assigned to each university course or program of study.  In most cases, 1 credit equals 50 minutes of course work over a 15 week period; 3 credits equals 150 minutes per week.

Credit by Exam – See CLEP Tests.

Clubs/Organizations – Student centered organizations that exist for the pursuit of a particular interest or mission.  Students can create new organizations or participate in existing organizations. There are well over 100 student organizations at Kutztown University.

Drop/Add – See Add/Drop

Electives – Courses that are not required that students opt to take in order to meet graduation credit requirements.

Financial Aid - The process of applying for financial assistance. Financial aid (grants, scholarships, loans, student employment) may come from a variety of sources that have different requirements. 

Full Time Student – For the purposes of financial aid eligibility, a full time student is someone who successfully completes 12 credits per semester; 24 credits per year.

General Education (Gen Ed) Courses – A core body of courses required to be taken that are designed to provide a well rounded education that promotes logical reasoning, communication, and cultural understanding. Typically, general education courses comprise approximately ½ of the credits required for bachelor’s degree.

ID Card/KU Card (KU One Card) – The official university identification card that all students are required to possess.  The KU Card also serves other functions such as the meal card, bookstore account, library card, door access, and other functions.

(The) KEY – The Official Kutztown University Student Handbook that provides important academic and administrative policies as well as the Student Code of Conduct that all students are responsible for knowing and following.  This document can be downloaded from the Student Involvement Services website at www.kutztown.edu/admin/involvement under the resources link.

(The) Keystone –  a.) The student newspaper that generally comes out once a week during each semester b.) A building on the south side of campus that houses athletic facilities such as the arena, field house, athletic department offices, academic offices, and classrooms.

Keystonia – Kutztown University’s yearbook.

Leave of Absence – Students may apply for a leave of absence for personal and/or medical reasons; requests are processed through the Registrar’s Office.

Matriculated – Refers to the status of a student who is accepted into a program of study by the college (e.g. - liberal arts and sciences) AND a specific department (e.g. – biology) and keeps a current registered status.

Mid-Term – The mid-way point of a semester. Projects, exams and papers are often targeted around this period of time.

Non-Traditional Student – A term used to generally describe adult students or those students who are 25 years of age or older.  However, there are other socioeconomic criteria that can be also be used to identify non-traditional students in addition to age.

On-line Student Services – Refers to a general grouping of services offered to students over the web. These services may include course registration, billing, course schedules, grades, etc.  Log in at https://portal.kutzown.edu/oss

Orientation (Connections, New Student Programs) – The official entry process to the University where students learn vital information and services to assist them in preparing for college life.

PIN Number (Personal Identification Number) – A numerical identifier that allow students to access on-line student services.

Part Time Student – For the purposes of financial aid, any student who takes less than 12 credits per semester or 24 credits per year.

QUINCY – The computer system used by the Rohrbach Library for students to search for books and holdings.  QUINCY can be accessed at the library or on the Internet at http://www.kutztown.edu/library

Registrar – Refers to both a person and office that are responsible for managing the course scheduling process, tracking grades, coordinating transcripts, etc.  The Registrar’s Office is located on the main level of the Stratton Administration Building.

Scan-Tron – A small, narrow standardized form that many professors use for students to record test answers onto in order to process grades quickly. “Scan-Trons” are available for purchase in the student bookstore for 15 cents.

SGA/SGB – SGA stands for Student Government Association which all undergraduate students are a part of as an enrolled student.  SGB is the Student Government Board and is the elected body that represents the SGA in many student related issues and determines policies and funding for student organizations.

Student Code of Conduct – The official code of conduct in the Key that outlines the policies, procedures and guidelines that students must adhere to while attending the University.

Student Handbook – Also known as the Key.  See the Key for more information.

Syllabus/Syllabi – The listing of course requirements, assignments and schedules that faculty give to students for each class.  Syllabi = more than one syllabus.

Transcript – The official academic record that lists every course taken at the University and what grade was assigned for each class.

Transfer Credit – Refers to the credit received from classes taken at other colleges or universities. Transfer credits may count toward degree requirements but grades received at other institutions are not factored into a student’s grade point average.

Withdrawal – Refers to the process of withdrawing from a course after the designated “drop and add” period.  There are several types of withdrawals such as Withdrawal – P (passing) and Withdrawal – F (failing).

Back to Guide