Navigating Your Academic Journey: A Comprehensive Guide to UMPI Student Resources

The University of Maine at Presque Isle (UMPI) offers a wide array of resources designed to support students throughout their academic journey. This guide provides an overview of key services, policies, and procedures to help students make the most of their college experience.

Academic Policies and Procedures

Understanding UMPI's academic policies and procedures is crucial for student success. The University expects students to become familiar with these guidelines, as outlined in the University Catalog and the Student Handbook, and to assume responsibility for abiding by them. Failure to do so does not constitute a waiver. Enrollment implies that students understand and accept the obligation to comply with University regulations and procedures and that they will endeavor to meet the academic standards of the University.

Attendance and Participation

Individual faculty members determine the attendance policy for each class, and it is included in the class syllabus. Students are expected to review the class attendance policy during the add/drop period. Students are expected to arrive punctually and to attend all classes. Any necessary absences should be discussed with the professor beforehand whenever possible. Any work missed must be satisfactorily completed. Students who never attend a class or classes in which they are enrolled may be dropped for non-attendance.

For online courses, active participation is expected. For fully asynchronous courses and for asynchronous elements of hybrid courses, “participation” is defined as the student’s virtual presence for and participation in discussions, activities, and related forms of electronic contact occurring in a course’s learning environment(s), e.g. participation in online discussion about academic matters, podcast viewing, group writing sessions, whole-class or one-on-one chat, completion of assignments.

Academic Records and Transcripts

The UMPI Registrar’s Office maintains the official academic record for each student in perpetuity. UMPI gives each graduate one complimentary official transcript with the diploma. Additional official copies may be obtained from the Registrar’s Office. Current students may obtain an “unofficial” transcript at any time by visiting the Registrar’s Office in person, or by selecting Unofficial Transcript from the drop-down box labeled “other Academic” in the Maine Street Student Center.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law designed to protect the privacy of a student’s education records. When a student attends the University, the rights under FERPA belong to the student, regardless of the student’s age. Students have the right to inspect and review all of the student’s education records maintained by the University. The University must comply with a request for access to records within a reasonable period of time, but not more than 45 days after it has received the request.

Generally, the University must have written permission from the student before releasing any information from a student’s education record. UMPI has designated certain information contained in the education records of its students as directory information for the purposes of FERPA. Students can request that their directory information not be released at any time while they are an enrolled student at UMPI. Students can sign into the MaineStreet portal and select Student Center, then select Privacy Setting from the drop-down menu.

Immunization Requirements

Maine State law requires that all students who are enrolled full-time or part-time in a degree program or who are taking at least 12 credits through the Continuing Education Department show proof of immunity to the following infectious diseases: measles (rubeola), rubella (German measles), mumps, tetanus, and diphtheria. The University is not allowed to permit any such student to be enrolled or to attend classes without a certificate of immunization or other evidence of immunity.

Immunization records must indicate the date of immunization and the immunization agent and are REQUIRED to be signed or stamped by a physician, nurse, public health official, or school health provider who administered the immunization. Please do not submit original records as immunization records will be kept on file and not returned. Send copies of records to the Admissions Office, 181 Main Street, Presque Isle, ME 04769.

Academic Advising

Professional advisors assist new matriculated students with initial registration and assign students to faculty advisors in their intended majors. Students must meet with their faculty advisors at least once each semester to register for the upcoming term; however, students are strongly encouraged to maintain close contact with their advisors throughout the semester. Advisors are available to assist students with all matters relating to their academic goals. It is also important for students to recognize their role in the advising relationship. Advisors cannot help students who do not seek out their advice.

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Many students choose to begin their academic career as an undeclared major. Undeclared students will be encouraged to explore their educational and career interests with the objective of choosing a major as soon as possible. UMPI does not require students to complete a minor. However, a minor allows students to develop expertise in additional offerings within a discipline or outside of one’s declared major. Students must be active in at least one major in order to pursue a minor, although multiple minors can be linked to the completion of a single major. Students must meet with their professional advisor to declare a minor before it will appear on their transcript.

Course Registration and Changes

Each fall and spring an advisement and registration period is held for continuing students to select their courses for the following semester. During this period, students register for courses in the order of class level (seniors first, juniors second, sophomores third, freshmen fourth). Non-degree students may enroll in up to 9 credit hours of coursework. Courses numbered between 100 and 299 are lower-level courses.

During the first five days of the semester, students may add course(s); during the first ten days of the semester, students may drop course(s) without notation on the record. After the Add/Drop Period, students may request to withdraw from a class or classes or from the entire term and receive a notation of W on their record by completing the appropriate form prior to the deadline. All students leaving any class or the term without officially withdrawing will receive grades of F or L in their class(es).

Grading Policies

Students auditing a course pay regular tuition and receive no credit for the course, but will have the notation AU recorded on their transcripts. Students may elect to take one course per semester on a pass/fail basis. A Directed Study is the offering of a catalog course on an individual basis by an appropriate faculty member to a qualifying student. An Independent Study will also be considered on a case-by-case basis when the applicant is a practicing teacher or a graduate pursuing an alternative route to teacher certification who is in need of a required course.

An I (incomplete grade) means that, in consultation with the student, the instructor has postponed the assignment of a final grade to allow the student time to complete specific work not turned in before the end of the semester. If the incomplete work is not submitted within the time allotted by the faculty member, the grade may automatically be changed to an “F” grade. Students receiving an “I” grade are not allowed to re-register for the same course until the incomplete has been made up or converted to an “F” grade.

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MaineStreet Portal

MaineStreet is the technology hub for the University of Maine System. MaineStreet allows you to access and manage your academic records and financial information, all in one site. Your degree requirements are listed in boxes that are “open” when that requirement is Not Satisfied. For help with any of these steps, including how to decide what classes to add to your wish list, ask your professional academic advisor.

Student Support Services

UMPI is committed to providing a supportive environment for all students. A variety of services are available to help students succeed academically, personally, and professionally.

Student Affairs

The VP of Student Affairs Office oversees our Student Affairs offices and staff as they provide a wide variety of services, programs, and activities designed to help students make the most of their college experience both in and out of the classroom. The VP of Students office oversees the UMPI CARE Team, composed of faculty and staff from across campus serving in student-facing supportive roles.

Food Insecurity Resources

UMPI Offers a variety of resources for students experiencing food insecurity issues. Through our partnership with Sodexo, we also offer the Swipe Out Hunger program. This program provides meals to students that can be redeemed at Kelley Commons (our campus dining hall).

Academic Support

Professional staff members meet with individual students to help them assess their learning styles, to develop goals for their academic programs, and to assist them in implementing strategies that will maximize their performance. The Student Support Services Program (SSS) provides professional and peer tutoring in math, language arts, science and study skills in general, and peer tutoring in additional subjects; individualized and limited group personal, academic, career and/or financial counseling; assessment proctoring; and liaison services and academic accommodations for students with disabilities.

The Tutoring Center provides peer tutoring in all courses, including math, science, reading and writing. Professional tutoring is also available in math and science. Students may also access tutor.com via a direct link found in each course’s Brightspace shell. The UMPI Writing Center offers one-on-one tutoring for writers at all levels of course work on all types of writing projects. Our peer tutors are trained to assist students at all stages of the writing process, from brainstorming a topic through revising a completed paper.

Counseling Services

The Counseling Services Office offers free confidential counseling for anyone troubled by specific problems or general concerns. The mission of Counseling Services is to support the intellectual, emotional, social, and cultural development of students in a multicultural environment. Counseling Services offer a wide range of services that include individual counseling, crisis management, psycho-educational workshops and programs, a resource and referral service, and consultation to student groups, faculty, and the college community.

Disability Services

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Disability Services assists students with physical, psychological, and learning disabilities in fulfilling the fundamental requirements of the curriculum by accessing reasonable accommodations to ensure that they have equal access to educational opportunities at the University. Students wishing to request accommodations should meet with the Director of Student Support Services at the beginning of each semester to review their documentation and discuss their courses. The University requires that a copy of a recent assessment, completed by an appropriate service provider, be on file with Disability Services.

Career Readiness

The Office of Career Readiness offers assistance to students in defining their career goals and promoting effective career planning skills. The office also assists students with resumes, secures experiential career learning activities such as internships or service learning activity placements, offers job search strategies, facilitates contacts between students and prospective employers, and provides resource information. UMPI offers degree-seeking students access to an online job board called UMPI CareerLink as a job search tool. Career readiness events and skill-building activities are sponsored by the office throughout the year.

Student Health Services

University policy requires that all students enrolled in nine or more credits per semester must carry health insurance. In order to comply with this requirement, UMPI makes available a comprehensive Student Health Insurance Plan to all students enrolled in the University. The Student Health Center is located in the Emerson Hall Annex and provides students with a range of on-campus professional medical services. A registered nurse practitioner holds regular office hours Monday through Friday during the semester. Northern Light A.R. Gould is only a short distance from the campus. It is an accredited hospital and offers complete medical care services.

Information Technology

Students are provided with a wide variety of information technology at the Presque Isle Campus. The Department of Information Services manages three computer labs on campus and two at the Houlton Center. Students use computers for writing, communicating, and research. URSUS - the library’s computerized catalogue, common to all campuses of the University of Maine System - and the Internet provide access to books, periodicals, and information resources from around the world. Standardized software applications are installed on lab computers. The University is dedicated to keeping computer resources current and students informed about using them. Information Services is committed to Green Campus initiatives and has instituted a printing reduction program to save paper. Each semester students will receive a predefined printing allotment. Charges apply after the quota has been reached. UMPI offers Microsoft Office free to students/staff/faculty.

International Student Services

UMPI’s Primary Designated School Official (PDSO), located on the first floor of South Hall, provides international students with advice and assistance in meeting immigration requirements both before and after arrival to the United States. UMPI also provides cultural advising and personal counseling through the Student Activities office located in the Campus Center.

Campus Life and Activities

UMPI offers a vibrant campus life with numerous opportunities for students to get involved and connect with their peers.

Intramural and Recreational Activities

Opportunities for all students to participate in club sports, intramurals, wellness classes, and the fitness center exist through services provided by this office. The intramural program promotes non-varsity athletic competition and allows students to participate in recreational activities in many different areas and offers both co-ed and single-sex options. Intramural activity is an ideal way for students to be involved with the UMPI campus community.

Residence Life

The Office of Residence Life is dedicated to creating an atmosphere where students can complement their classroom experience with further personal development through out-of-class education. Students are encouraged to meet new people, participate in educational and social programming, share experiences, and get involved in the community. Residents are exposed to civic responsibilities and to expectations of community life. There are three residence halls at the University. Living in the halls provides ready access to campus services and programs.

Safety and Security

A primary concern of the University is the safety and security of its people and their possessions. A full-time professional police officer is available throughout the academic year during regular University business hours. Students at UMPI are expected to adhere to the University of Maine System Conduct Code, which is “designed to promote the peaceful pursuit of intellectual and subsidiary activities at UMPI and to ensure the safety of persons engaging in those pursuits while they are at the University.

National Student Exchange and Study Abroad

The National Student Exchange program offers undergraduate students an opportunity to study for up to one year at one of more than 200 colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. UMPI also partners with U.Maine’s Office of International Programs (OIP) to offer students opportunities to study abroad.

Orientation Programs

Orientation programs are held just prior to the start of the fall and spring terms. The purpose of the orientation program is to ease the transition of new students to the University community. During the fun-filled orientation program, students will learn about academic and cocurricular expectations and responsibilities, develop meaningful relationships with faculty, staff, and fellow students, and identify campus resources and tools that will assist in their academic success and personal growth. The orientation program is designed for new and transfer students and their families.

Additional Resources

Student Handbook

The Student Handbook consolidates all the information needed by a student including - but not limited to - University policies, the Student Conduct Code, and local information.

Equal Opportunity

Discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, including transgender status or gender expression, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, or veteran’s status in employment, education, and all other areas of the University is illegal. The Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity is responsible for compliance with the letter and spirit of these laws and with University policies and diversity goals.

Password Security

The larger the set of characters you choose from, the more possibilities that a computer has to guess for each character of your password. It’s possible to follow the guidelines above (and the strong password policy) and still have a password you can remember and don’t have to write down. Don’t use passwords that are based on things that could be easily guessed (a spouse or child name, for instance), but start with something memorable, for example, a portion of a song lyric, sprinkle some upper and lowercase, numbers and special characters and you’ll have a password that you can more easily remember.

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