Essential Course Vocabulary

From Borders, 2nd edition, Glossary

Academic Advisor:

 A professor or

staff person within UTEP who assists in

planning a student’s academic program of

study.

 

Academic Probation: Based on grade

point average and automatically assigned

by the Registrar’s Office if GPA falls below

2.0.

 

Administrative Hold: A “hold” placed on

your record that does not allow you to

register.

 

Alum, Alumnus/a (Alumni, plural): A

graduate or former student of UTEP.

 

Alumni Association:

Organization of

UTEP graduates and former students.

Works closely with the Alumni Office to

coordinate events and programs such as

Homecoming, Season of Lights, Top Ten

Seniors and the Official UTEP Ring.

 

Amplified Sound Areas: The grassy area

in front of the Union Dinner Theater, Leech

Grove, Geology Lawn, and UGLC

Amphitheater. (Contact Dean of Students

for more details).

 

ATLAS Lab

:

 

Computer Center/ Lab in the

Undergraduate Learning Center (UGLC).

Open to all registered students.

 

ATMs: Automated Teller Machine - ATM

for Wells Fargo is located in the West

Union Parking lot. ATM for Bank of

America is located in the Union East, first

floor, directly across from the Mail Room.

 

Bachelor’s Degree: Degree earned

after completion of required credit hours

within a particular field of study in addition

to general requirement courses.

 

Blue Book: A standard examination booklet

used for essay exams, available in the

Bookstore.

 

Bookstore:

The University Bookstore sells

textbooks, greeting cards, scantrons, a variety

of books and magazines, and UTEP clothing.

 

B.S.: Bachelor of Science.

 

CAB:

Campus Activities Board, a

component of the Student Development

Center. CAB is responsible for programming a

variety of entertainment in and around the

Union and at various sites across campus.

 

Cardiac Hill: The famous hill that connects

inner campus to outer campus. Located near

Graham Hall.

 

Cheating: The unauthorized use of aid during

a test or taking an examination for another

student. (See Student Conduct and Discipline

for more details).

 

Classification: Specific designation for

degree-seeking lower and upper division

students, including: Freshman = student has

earned less than 30 credit hours; Sophomore

= student has earned between 30-59 credit

hours; Junior = student has earned between

60-89 credit hours; Senior = student has

earned over 90 credit hours before graduation;

and Graduate = student who has earned a

bachelor’s degree and is enrolled in graduate

level courses.

 

CLEP: College Level Examination Program;

academic skills test. By taking this exam you

may earn credit towards classes you have not

taken before that may be accepted towards

your major. Check the Course Catalog for

more information.

 

Commencement:

Graduation ceremony,

generally held the Saturday immediately

following the last day of finals.

 

Commuter Student: Student who does

not live on campus and who has to drive

back and forth to UTEP.

 

Convocation: A ceremony honoring the

outstanding achievements of students,

faculty and staff of UTEP. Held in the fall

and spring semesters.

 

Co-op: An opportunity to gain hands-on

experience in your field of study. Generally

lasts two or more semesters. Co-ops are

paid positions. Contact the University

Career Center at 747-5640 for more

information.

 

Course Number: The number which

identifies what course you are taking

(for example: UNIV 1301).

 

Dean’s List: An academic honor

automatically bestowed upon students

each semester they receive a grade point

average (GPA) of 3.5 and are attending

UTEP full-time.

 

Decal, parking:

 University Parking Permit.

This decal must either be attached to the

front windshield or hanging from the

rearview mirror of your car at all times while

parked on UTEP property. Call the Traffic

Office at 747-5724 for more information.

 

Deferment: If a financial aid check is not

available by the financial aid tuition

payment deadline, a deferment will prevent

the recipient’s registration from being

canceled.

 

Disciplinary Probation: A set amount of

time given to a student during which he/she

must maintain a level of behavior which

does not violate any of the University rules

and regulations. If he/she violates any of

the University rules during that time of

“probation,” the offense will require a more

severe penalty-usually a time of suspension

from the university. Probation means that

any further violation(s) will be a “second

offense” and an increased sanction will be

assessed.

 

Doctoral Degree: The highest degree you

can receive after earning your Masters

degree.

 

Double Major: Concurrently fulfilling the

requirements of two approved majors.

 

Drop/Add: To decrease or increase the

number of courses for which you have

registered. Must complete the appropriate

forms. Check the class schedule for

deadlines.

 

Elective: Depending on your degree

plan, courses may count towards the total

number of hours required. Contact the

Dean’s Office of your College (where your

degree plan is filed) for specific details.

 

Emergency Phones: (Yellow Phones):

Phone boxes located throughout campus

and parking lots. Each phone is hooked

directly to the UTEP Police Department and

free of charge.

 

Expulsion: Permanent termination from the

University of a student’s privilege to attend

the University.

 

FAFSA: Free Application for Federal

Student Aid.

 

Financial Aid:

Any loan, part-time

employment, grant or scholarship offered to

help a student meet the cost of attaining an

education and related expenses.

 

Financial Aid Award:The amount of aid (money)

that is being offered to you for the academic year.

 

Fraternities and Sororities: Membership based

student organizations that focus on

learning to get along with all types of people,

making lifelong friends, participating in a

variety of campus activities and becoming

involved in other campus organizations.

 

Full-time student: A full-time student is

enrolled for 12 or more credit hours per

semester at the undergraduate level and 9

hours at the graduate level. For Financial Aid

purposes, anyone who takes 12 or more

credits (undergraduate) or 9 credit hours

(graduate) hours is considered a full-time

student.

 

FWS: Federal Work Study.

 

General Catalog:

 To graduate you must

complete the requirements listed in the

catalog. Keep the catalog for the year you

were first admitted and enrolled at UTEP, as

those are the requirements you have to

meet. No catalog more than seven years old

may be used to determine the course

requirements for a degree. The seven year

period begins with the year the catalog was

issued, regardless of the student’s first

semester of enrollment. Contact your

Academic Advisor if you have any questions.

 

Grade Point Average:

A four-point grading system, used to measure academic

performance. (4.0=A, 3.0=B, 2.0=C, 1.0=D, 0.0=F)

 

Graduate Assistants (G.A.): Graduate

students that are hired to teach courses or to

assist in the teaching of courses. Graduate

Assistants may also have other duties and

responsibilities depending on departmental

need. Also known as AI's (Assistant Instructors).

 

Graduate Record Exam (GRE): a

standardized test to continue school at the

graduate level.

 

Greek:

A member of a fraternity or a sorority.

The term derives from the Greek letters used

to identify each organization.

 

Grievance Procedures:

A question, complaint, or statement of grievance that is

made because of any non-academic matter.

Please consult “General Policies and

Procedures” section of this book. For

academic matters, refer to the Student Welfare

and Grievance Procedures,

studentaffairs.utep.edu/dos under Student

Conduct.

 

Harassment: Annoying conduct which

creates an intimidating, hostile, offensive

working or educational environment.

 

Hazing: Any action or situation which

recklessly or intentionally endangers the

mental or physical health or safety of a student

for the purpose of initiation or admission into

an organization. Hazing is illegal in the State

of Texas.

 

Independent Study: Students who wish to

take a course without attending the classroom

all the time. If a student wishes to take an

independent study course, he/she is required

to take tests, attend periodic classes, complete

term papers, etc.

 

Internship:

An opportunity to gain hands-on

experience in your field of study. Generally for

one semester. Internships can be volunteer or

paid positions. Contact the University Career

Center at 747-5640 for more information.

 

Intramural Sports:

Programs designed to

allow everyone to participate in a variety of

athletic events, from highly structured

competitive leagues for team sport to

unstructured activities.

 

Job Listings:

The University Career Center maintains a list of full-and part-time

employment, both on and off campus. Contact

them at 747-5640 for more information.

 

LACIT:

Liberal Arts Center for Instructional Technology. Computer center

located on the fourth floor of the Liberal Arts

Building. Open to all registered students.

 

Loans, student: A small or large sum of

money that is borrowed for educational

attainment. These debts must be paid back.

 

Local/Permanent Address: Local address

is your address while at UTEP. Permanent

address is the address where you can

always receive mail (like your parent’s

house). Sometimes, the local and

permanent addresses are the same.

 

Major:

A student’s primary course of

study.

 

Master’s Degree (M.A., M.S., M.S.W., etc.):

Degree earned after a Bachelor’s Degree.

 

Minor: A secondary course of study that

enables students to develop expertise in an

additional approved area of study.

 

Non-Degree-Seeking Students:

Students who wish to be enrolled in

university level courses but have no desire to

earn a degree.

 

Plagiarism: To take ideas or writings

from someone else and present them as

your own. ..

 

Prerequisite: Courses that are needed

before you can be accepted into a college or

take subsequent classes.

 

Prospector, the:

 UTEP’s student

newspaper. Published each Wednesday

during the fall, spring and summer

semesters.

 

Provisional: Temporary; conditional.

 

R =Thursday, as listed in the Schedule of

Classes.

 

Registration:

The process of enrolling in classes at the University.

 

Residence Life Assistant (RLA):

A student who has been appointed to live in the residence

halls with other resident students. A Residence

Life Assistant helps students with any problems

they may have and also informs students of the

rules and regulations in the residence halls.

 

Restrictions: Specific conditions imposed on

students which would restrict future presence

on campus and participation in university

related events.

 

Rush: An opportunity to check out and join the

fraternities and sororities on campus.

 

SAR: Student Aid Report (for financial aid).

 

Scantron: A form used mainly for multiple

choice exams. May be purchased at the UTEP

Bookstore.

 

Schedule of Classes:

 List of classes offered each semester; contains important deadline

information and is published each semester.

 

SAA:

Student Alumni Association. Student

organization sponsored by the Alumni Office

that encourages student involvement in

campus-wide activities and bridges the gap

between being a student and becoming an

alum.

 

SDC:

Student Development Center, located at

106 Union West (747-5670).

 

Student Identification Number (SID): can also

be your Social Security Number or number on

your Student ID card.

 

Student Support Services Program (SSSP):

A federally funded program to assist students in

successfully pursuing a university degree by

providing the necessary support services

needed for success in college.

 

Syllabus: Typed summary of course requirements and assignments

handed out in class at the beginning of each semester.

 

TASP: Texas Academic Skills Program.

 

TBA: To be announced.

 

Teaching Assistants (T.A.): Students that are hired to help assist a

professor.

 

Telephone Registration: The process of registering for classes using a

touch-tone telephone and access code.

 

TRCC: The Tomas Rivera Conference Center located at Union East on

the 3rd floor.

 

UGLC: Undergraduate Learning Center. Classroom building located

next to the Centennial Museum.

 

Withdrawal: The process of dropping one or all courses registered

for in a specific semester.

 

WRC:

 Women’s Resource Center, a student resource center offering a

wide variety of services and programs focusing on women’s issues,

located at Union West, Room 112 (747-5291).

Contents copyright © UTEP, 2008.

Corrected 7/10