22

General Information

23

Financial Aid General InformationThe Department of Financial Aid Services pro-vides educational financial planning informa-tion to students and their families, deliversfinancial aid funds to qualified students, andoffers a variety of services including scholar-ship search, part-time job locator service, anddebt management information. The departmentsupports institutional aid efforts for maximiz-ing enrollment and diversity of students. Finan-cial Aid Services is located in Room 255, Whit-more Adminstration Building, tel. (413) 545-0801, TTY/TDD (413) 545-9420. Office hoursfor telephone contact are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.,Monday through Friday. Reception hours forvisitors are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)The U.S. Department of Education requiresthat students receiving federal financial aidmeet University academic status standards en-suring academic progress toward a degree orcertificate program of study. Measurement forSAP is conducted at the close of the springsemester. To meet the University’s academicstatus standards, students must maintain a mini-mum grade point average of 2.0. Students areexpected to maintain the necessary credit hoursto ensure graduation within 10 semesters. Fail-ure to maintain these standards will, at a mini-mum, place the student on academic probation-ary status. If a student does not meet theUniversity’s academic status standards after aprobationary period, he or she may becomeineligible to receive federal financial aid. Anappeal process is available for students whomay lose or have lost financial aid due tofailure to maintain SAP after probation. Con-tact the Financial Aid office for more infor-mation.

Applying for Financial AidThe University uses the Free Application forFederal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the RenewalApplication for Federal Student Aid. Thesestandard forms are the only applications used todetermine eligibility for all the need-based fi-nancial aid programs. The FAFSA is availableat most high school guidance offices and col-lege financial aid offices. The Renewal FAFSAis mailed directly from the federal governmentto students who filed a FAFSA in the previousyear. The FAFSA is also available on the Internetat: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. Students shouldcomplete the FAFSA or Renewal FAFSA afterJanuary 1 for the upcoming academic year. Tomeet the University’s March 1 financial aiddeadline, mail the FAFSA to the processingcenter by February 15. Copies of parents’ andstudents’ federal income tax returns and otherdocuments may be requested by Financial Aid

Financial Aid

Financial Aid

Services. All information submitted to Finan-cial Aid Services is held in strictest confidence.

Types of Financial AidScholarships and Grants

Federal Pell Grants provide grants to stu-dents with exceptional financial need. Studentspursuing their first undergraduate degree areeligible for consideration. Awards range from$400-$3,750 per year for full-time enrollment.These amounts are subject to change. Part-timedegree students are also eligible.

Army ROTC Scholarships are offered for two,three, and four years and are awarded on meritto the most outstanding students who are inter-ested in becoming officers in the U.S. Army.Scholarships range from $9,000 to $16,000annually and pay the cost for tuition and fees.Scholarship winners additionally receive $200per month stipend up to 10 months annuallyand $450 each school year for textbooks. Formore information, call (413) 545-2321. The De-partment of Military Science also offers ten$1,000 grants each year to enrolled cadets basedon merit. Applications for two- and three-yearscholarships, as well as the $12,000 grants, areavailable in January for award during the nextschool year.

Air Force ROTC offers two-, three-, andfour-year scholarships to qualified new andcontinuing college students. Scholarships startat $9,000 per year for tuition and mandatoryfees. While attending school, students receivemoney for books and $150 in tax-free spend-ing cash per month. For more information, call(413) 545-2437/51, e-mail:afrotc@acad.umass.edu or visit the Web page: www.umass.edu/afrotc.

MASSGRANT: This need-based grant isawarded to full-time undergradaute Massachu-setts residents. Awards to qualified students withneed range from $300-$1,350 per year. Out-of-state students should inquire with their stateagency for similar scholarships. Part-time de-gree students may be eligible to receive MassGrant if they have 6 to 11 credits.

University Awards: The University providesgrants and scholarships from various sources toin-state and out-of-state students who demon-strate financial need. Award amounts rangefrom $200 to $8,000 per year. These awardsinclude Tuition Grants, University Scholar-ships, McNair Scholarships, Tuition Waivers,Traffic Fines Scholarships, and University ofMassachusetts Grants.

Federal Supplemental Educational Oppor-tunity Grant: A need-based grant funded by thefederal government and administered by theUniversity. Awards range from $100 to $4,000.All undergraduate students with demonstratedfinancial need are considered for this grant.

Tuition Waiver ProgramsWaivers of tuition are available to Massachu-setts residents as defined under Mass GeneralLaws Chapter 15A, Section 19 to members ofthe following categories:1. National Guard Tuition Waiver - All mem-

bers of the Massachusetts Army NationalGuard enrolled in a full-time or part-timecourse of study are entitled to a waiver oftuition costs under the provisions of theEducation Assistance Bill. Students partici-pating in this program may pursue an Asso-ciate, Bachelor’s, Master’s or Doctoral de-gree program as well as individual fulfill-ment programs.

2. Veterans - U.S. Veterans from World War II,Korean, Vietnam, Lebanese Peace KeepingForce, Grenada Rescue Mission, The Pana-manian Intervention Force or The PersianGulf. For more information, call DianneDelisle at (413) 545-0939, University’sVeteran’s Assistance and Counseling Ser-vices, 425 Amity Street, Amherst, MA01002.

3. Native Americans - Native American stu-dents who are enrolled members of a fed-eral- or state-recognized tribe or nation orwho can verify affiliation with a tribal coun-cil or Native community and have resided inthe state of Massachusetts for at least threeyears before admission to the Universitywill be considered for a tuition waiver.Eligible students must be registered as full-time students in a degree or certificate pro-gram. Students will continue to receive thetuition waiver upon written verification oftheir satisfactory completion of each se-mester. Entering freshmen must submit:1. a completed Native American TuitionWaiver application; 2. verification of ac-ceptance to the University of MassachusettsAmherst (for example, a copy of his or heracceptance letter) and 3. a letter requestingthe tuition waiver. Contact the Native Ameri-can Students Support Program, 11 BartlettHall, tel. (413) 577-0980.

4. Senior Citizens - Persons over the age of 60.Contact the Bursar’s Office, 215 WhitmoreBuilding, for details.

5. Armed Forces - An active member of theArmed Forces (Army, Navy, Marine Corps,Air Force or National Guard) stationed andresiding in Massachusetts. Contact theUniversity’s Veteran’s Assistance andCounseling Services, 425 Amity Street,Amherst, MA 01002.

6. Adopted Students - The Department of So-cial Services Adopted Child Tuition Waiveris open to all students aged 24 or under whohave been adopted through the department

24

by state employees or other eligible Massa-chusetts residents, regardless of the date ofadoption.

7. High Scorers on Standardized Tests - TheStanley Z. Koplik Certificate of MasteryWaiver for high MCAS/AP scorers is avail-able to students who establish their candi-dacy by taking the grade 10 MCAS test, getan “advanced” score in at least one testsubject and “proficient” or better scores onthe remaining sections, and go on to score athree or better on any AP exam.

8. Foster Care Students - Department of SocialServices Foster Care Children Tuition Waiv-ers and Grants are available to current orformer foster children aged 24 or youngerwho for at least 12 consecutive months havebeen placed in the custody of the Common-wealth through a Care and Protection Peti-tion.

Need-Based LoansFederal Perkins Loan: A need-based loan ad-ministered by the University. Repayment be-gins six months after graduation or 6 monthsafter the borrower ceases to be enrolled at leasthalf-time. The repayment period is 10 years at5 per cent interest. Awards range from $200 to$3,000 per year.

Massachusetts No Interest Loan: This is aneed-based loan offered by the University andfunded by the eligible state residents. To beconsidered, students must be taking at least 12credits and have filed a FAFSA with FederalStudent Aid Programs. No interest is chargedand there are no origination fees. Repaymentbegins six months after graduation or with-drawal from school and may not exceed 10years. The minimum monthly payment is $50.

William D. Ford Federal Direct SubsidizedLoan: A need-based federal loan administeredby the University of Massachusetts Amherst.The application and promissory note for thisloan are completed at the school. Eligibility forthis loan is determined by completing theFAFSA or the Renewal FAFSA. First yearstudents may borrow as much as $2,625; sec-ond year students may borrow up to $3,500.Students who have completed two years ofundergraduate study may borrow up to $5,500for each year thereafter. The federal govern-ment pays the interest on the subsidized loanswhile you are enrolled in school and duringyour six-month grace period after graduation orwithdrawal from school. The federal govern-ment will allow at least ten years to repay thisloan and offers several flexible repayment plans.

Employment ProgramsFederal Work-study Program: A need-basedprogram providing students with part-time em-ployment in a variety of on-campus depart-

ments and off-campus agencies. Awards rangefrom $1,200 to $1,800. Students are paid weeklyand use these funds to help with personal ex-penses or other educational costs.

Job Listing ServiceThe Office of Financial Aid Services/StudentEmployment Office provides students with cur-rent listings of on- and off-campus jobs. Thisservice is designed to assist students in findingtemporary, part-time, and seasonal jobs to helpmeet their educational costs. Jobs are postedoutside of Room 243 in the Whitmore Admin-istration Building and on Financial Aid Ser-vices’ Home Page at: http://www.umass.edu/umfa

Alternate Loan ProgramsThere are several loan programs available tosupplement financial aid or to assist familieswho do not qualify for federal, state, campus-based or private funds.

William D. Ford Federal DirectUnsubsidized Loan

This loan is available to all eligible students,regardless of family income or financial need.Students must complete the FAFSA or Re-newal Application to be considered for thisprogram. Interest for the Unsubsidized FederalDirect Loan accrues from the day the loan isdisbursed. The promissory note for this loan iscompleted with the University’s Financial AidOffice. Borrowers may receive both the subsi-dized and unsubsidized loans for the same loanperiod, although the combination of both can-not exceed the following loan limits:

Dependent Student Independent StudentFreshman $2,625 $6,625Sophomore $3,500 $7,500Junior $5,500 $10,500Senior $5,500 $10,500

Federal Direct PLUS Loan Program offersloans up to the cost of attendance minus finan-cial aid per academic year to qualified parentsof undergraduate dependent students. The in-terest rate is variable and repayment begins 60days after the second disbursement.

Mass Plan: A credit based, fixed- or vari-able-rate loan available through the Massachu-setts Education Financing Authority (MEFA).Parents may borrow the total cost of educationminus any financial aid received. For an appli-cation, contact MEFA, tel. 1-800-449-MEFA.

Additional Services

Financial Aid Services’ Home PageFinancial Aid Services maintains a home pageon the World Wide Web (a global computerinformation network). Helpful information isavailable on a variety of topics, including fi-nancial aid application procedures, student

employment, and loan information. Access tothe Financial Aid Home Page is available at:http://www.umass.edu/umfa

Scholarship Search ServicesfastWEB Scholarship SearchfastWEB (Financial Aid Search through theWeb) provides students at the University freeaccess to a scholarship search via the Internet.This search service provides information onscholarships, grants, and funds for which youmay be eligible from a database of over 400,000sources. When you initiate a scholarship search,an electronic mailbox will be created for you.As new scholarship opportunities arise thatmatch your eligibility, the information will beautomatically forwarded to your electronicmailbox. Access to the fastWEB program isavailable through the Financial Aid Home Page.Please refer to the previous section for informa-tion on the Financial Aid Home Page.

Payment PlanAcademic Management Services (AMS): Al-lows students and their families to budget tu-ition and fee expenses over a ten-month period.For program details, contact AMS, tel. 1-800-556-6684.

Financial Aid

25

Amherst CampusExpenses are approximately $10,107 per yearfor an in-state student. The following estimateof a year’s expenses, based partly upon lastyear’s costs, includes only those items whichare strictly University-related and does notinclude amounts for clothing, laundry, travel,parking, etc.

The University reserves the right to changeany fees without advance notice.

Estimated Annual ExpensesMassachusetts ResidentsTuition .................................................$ 1,714Required Fees ......................................... 3,498Rent/Telecommunications ..................... 2,743Meal Plan ............................................... 2,152

Total .................................................. $ 10,107

Non-ResidentsTuition .................................................$ 9,856Required Fees ......................................... 3,609Rent/Telecommunications ..................... 2,743Meal Plan ............................................... 2,152

Total .................................................. $ 18,360

Annual tuition for New England RegionalStudents is $2,571. There is also an annual feeof $850 for health insurance, which is waivableonly if the student has comparable coverage.

Tuition SurchargeThe Massachusetts Board of Higher Educationrequires all universities and state colleges toassess a tuition surcharge to students who ex-ceed 118 percent of required credits in an aca-demic degree program. This surcharge appliesto in-state undergraduates and students en-rolled through the New England Regional Ex-change Program and is equal to the non-resi-dent tuition rate per credit.

Payment Due DateIn accordance with University policy all chargesfor tuition, fees, board, and room rent are dueand payable by the bill due date. Payments afterthe due date will incur a $50 late charge. Thereis a separate charge of $25 for returned checks.No student may register until all Universitycharges are paid in full. Continued enrollmentis dependent on timely payment of all Univer-sity charges. Bills for all charges will be ren-dered in advance with due date shown.

Explanation of Fees and PaymentsCurriculum Support FeeThe Curriculum Support Fee helps to offsetseveral years of permanent reductions in stateappropriations funding by providing financialresources to support the educational and gen-

eral mission of the campus, including bothacademic and institutional support activities.

In-State TuitionAs a state institution, the University offers theprivilege of in-state tuition to all students enter-ing from the Commonwealth. Eligibility foradmission under the residential rate is deter-mined by policy established by the Trusteesand is detailed under “Tuition Classification.”

Service FeeFunds received from this fee are used to pro-vide students with a comprehensive program ofFine Arts Council events and reduced studentticket prices, men’s and women’s intercolle-giate athletic programs, and the transit system.They also support bond payments for student-used campus buildings.

Student Activities FeeThis fee supports undergraduate student gov-ernment, various agencies providing servicesand activities for students, and over two hun-dred existing Registered Student Organizations(RSOs) as well as any new RSOs which stu-dents may create.

Health Fee (Basic)The Basic Health Fee is mandatory for allstudents. It covers most services at UniversityHealth Services.

Student Health Insurance PlanThe Student Health Insurance Plan covers stu-dents for accidents, emergencies, and hospital-ization on and off campus for a 12-monthperiod. State law requires hospital insurancefor all students. Students who have other hospi-talization insurance and want to waive the in-surance plan must do so by filling out theinsurance waiver card found in the tuition bill.Questions regarding the state insurance re-quirements can be answered by accessing theMassachusetts Division of Health Care Financeand Policy’s Web site at www.state.ma.us/dhcfp.A student Family Plan is also available; contactthe University Health Services, (413) 577-5192for further information.

Entering FeeThe Entering Fee is charged once, upon astudent’s entry to the University. It providesstudents with intramural athletics programs,and All Campus Card used as identification forvarious activities, and copies of official under-graduate transcripts.

Graduating FeeThe Graduating Fee is charged once during thestudent’s senior year. It provides students withstate-of-the-art career information, job match-ing and employment referral through the Ca-reer Center, and for the commencement exer-cises and related events.

Refunds

Tuition and Fee RefundsA student who makes an advance payment andthen for any reason does not attend any part ofthe next semester or term at the University willbe given a full refund of tuition and fees (ex-cluding the prepayment for counseling andadmissions services).

A student who leaves the University for anyreason, except as specified below, before asemester is completed will be granted a pro ratarefund of tuition and fees.

For students receiving any form of financialaid the refund schedules as required by federallaw will apply.

A student who is suspended or expelled fromthe University for disciplinary reasons forfeitsall rights to a refund.

Refund Schedule

Regular Terma. Up to and including the first day of classes—

100%.b. Within the first two weeks of semester or

term—80%.c. During the third week—60%.d. During the fourth week—40%.e. During the fifth week—20%.f. After the fifth week—no refund.

Summer Sessiona. During the first week—60%.b. During the second week—20%.c. After the second week—no refund.

Room Rent RefundsA student who has made an advance paymentof room rent will be granted a full refund ofrent, less any applicable housing cancellationfee, if he or she fails to attend any part of thenext semester or term, or does not reside in aresidence hall.

Any students who occupy their assignedaccommodations and subsequently leave theUniversity prior to the end of the first full classweek shall automatically be charged a mini-mum of $250 for their rooms. Any studentswho leave the University during the secondthrough fifth weeks shall be charged $250 plus20 percent of the remaining balance for eachweek or part thereof. No refunds will be madeafter the fifth week of the academic semester.Refunds will be made during the refund periodonly to students who officially withdraw fromthe University through the Registrar’s Officeand according to the Registrar’s official with-drawal date. The Dean of Students Office isauthorized to make exception to the above onlyfor reason of “extreme emergency.” Any ex-ception made, however, shall not apply to the$250 minimum charge which shall be levied inall cases automatically.

Expenses

Expenses

26

Overdue AccountsOverdue accounts will be considered sufficientcause for cancellation of registration as Uni-versity regulations prohibit final registration,graduation, or granting of any credit for anystudent whose account with the University isunpaid. Any delinquent accounts will be causefor Administrative Withdrawal and must bepaid prior to readmission to the University.Unpaid accounts will be referred for collectionaction at which point collection costs of 33%will be added to the bill.

Full Disclosure — Annual In-State Per Stu-dent Cost of Education at the University ofMassachusetts AmherstThe University of Massachusetts is funded byseveral sources. The most significant fundingsource is the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,which annually subsidizes the University’s coststo educate a student through annual state appro-priations which greatly reduce the cost of atten-dance for students. The average annual perstudent cost of education for the 1998-99 aca-demic year at the University of MassachusettsAmherst was approximately $15,114 and rep-resents the total cost to support a student’sentire University experience (instruction, re-search, student services, buildings and groundsmaintenance, the administration, etc.). The stateoperating subsidy averages approximately$10,773 per student per year and certain othercampus revenues are also used to support thesecosts. Tuition and non-auxiliary fees1 chargedto in-state students in 1999-2000 were $3,987or 25 percent of the total cost of education.Costs for books, supplies, transportation, androom and board are added to these tuition andfee charges to determine the in-state cost ofattendance estimated at $11,902. This is roughlythe figure from which a student’s financial aideligibility is determined.

These rules and regulations, approved in 1995by the University’s Board of Trustees, andcurrent as of publication, apply to the classifi-cation of students at the University of Massa-chusetts as Massachusetts or non-Massachu-setts students for tuition and fee purposes.

The Massachusetts Board of Higher Educationmay revise this policy after the publicationdeadline for the 2001-2002 catalog. In thatevent the revised policy will supersede the fol-lowing.

Part I. Definitions.1.1 “Academic period” shall mean a term orsemester in an academic year or a summersession, as prescribed by the Board of Trusteesor under their authority.

1.2 “Continuous attendance” shall mean en-rollment at the University for the normal aca-demic year in each calendar year, or the appro-priate portion or portions of such academicyear as prescribed by the Board of Trustees orunder their authority.

1.3 “Emancipated person,” for the purposes ofresidency classification for tuition, shall meana person who has attained the age of 18 yearsand is financially independent of his or herparents, or if under 18 years of age, (a) whoseparents have entirely surrendered the right tothe care, custody, and earnings of such personand who no longer are under any legal obliga-tion to support or maintain such person; or (b)a person who is legally married; or (c) a personwho has no parent. If none of the aforesaiddefinitions applies, said person shall be deemedan ‘unemancipated person.”

1.4 “Parent” shall meana) the person’s father and mother, jointly;b) if the person’s father is deceased, the person’smother; if the person’s mother is deceased, theperson’s father;c) if a legal guardian has been appointed by acourt having jurisdiction, the legal guardian;d) if neither the father nor mother is living andno legal guardian has been appointed, the per-son who then stands in loco parentis to theperson;e) if the father and mother are divorced, sepa-rated or unmarried, the parent who has beenawarded legal custody of the person; or, if legalcustody has not been awarded, the parent with

whom the person lives. With respect to anyadopted student, the word “adoptive” shouldbe inserted before the words “father” and“mother” wherever used.

1.5 “Reside,” “residency” or “resident” shallmean “domicile,” i.e., a person’s true, fixed andpermanent home or place of habitation, wherehe or she intends to remain permanently.

Part II. Classification.2.1 For the purpose of assessing tuition andfees, each student shall be classified as a “Mas-sachusetts resident” or a “Non-Massachusettsresident.” A person shall be classified as aMassachusetts resident if he or she (or theparent of an unemancipated student) shall haveresided in the Commonwealth of Massachu-setts for purposes other than attending an edu-cational institution for twelve months immedi-ately preceding the student’s entry or reentry asa student.

Physical presence for this entire twelve-month period need not be required as long asthe conduct of an individual, taken in total,manifests an intention to make Massachusettshis or her permanent dwelling place.

Part III. Determination of Residency.3.1 Proof of Residency.a) Each case will be decided on the basis of all

facts submitted with qualitative rather thanquantitative emphasis. A number of factorsis required for residency to determine theintention of the person to maintain perma-nent residence in Massachusetts. No singleindex is decisive. The burden of proof restson the student seeking classification as aMassachusetts resident.

b) The following shall be primary indicia ofresidency:1) For unemancipated persons, the residency

of parents, having custody, within Mas-sachusetts;

2) Certified copies of federal and state in-come tax returns;

3) Permanent employment in a position notnormally filled by a student;

4) Reliance on Massachusetts sources forfinancial support;

5) Former residency in Massachusetts andmaintenance of significant connectionsthere while absent.

c) The following shall be secondary indicia ofresidency, to be considered of less weightthan the indicia listed above in subsection b):1) Continuous physical presence in Massa-

chusetts during periods when not an en-rolled student;

2) Military home of record;

TuitionClassification(Rules and RegulationsGoverning the ResidencyStatus of Students for Tu-ition Purposes)

1 Non-auxiliary fees include fine arts, curricu-lum, and student activities.

Tuition Classification

27

3) All other material of whatever kind orsource which may have a bearing ondetermining residency.

3.2 Proof of Emancipation.A student asserting that he or she is an emanci-pated person shall furnish evidence to supportsuch assertion. Such evidence may include:a) Birth certificate or any other legal document

that shows place and date of birth;b) Statements of the person, his or her parent(s),

guardian(s), or others certifying no financialsupport;

c) Legal guardianship papers — court appoint-ment and termination must be submitted;

d) Certified copies of federal and state incometax returns filed by the person and his or herparent(s);

e) Where none of the foregoing can be pro-vided, an affidavit of the emancipated per-son in explanation thereof and stating fullythe grounds supporting the claim of emanci-pation.

3.3 Presumptions, etc.a) Residency is not acquired by mere physical

presence in Massachusetts while the personis enrolled in an institution of higher educa-tion. (See Section 2.1)

b) A person having his or her residency else-where than in Massachusetts shall not beeligible for classification as a Massachusettsresident for tuition purposes, except as hereinprovided.1) Any person who is registered at the Uni-

versity as a Massachusetts resident shallbe eligible for continued classification asa Massachusetts resident for tuition pur-poses (until attainment of the degree forwhich he or she is enrolled) during con-tinuous attendance at the institution.

2) The spouse of any person who is classi-fied or is eligible for classification as a“Massachusetts resident” is likewise eli-gible for classification as a “Massachu-setts resident.” This provision will notapply in the case of a spouse in the UnitedStates on a non-immigration visa.

3) A person who is an immigrant/perma-nent resident of the United States (or hasapplied for such status) is eligible to beconsidered for Massachusetts residencyfor tuition purposes provided that he/shemeets the same requirements for estab-lishing residency in Massachusetts as arerequired of a United States citizen. Non-citizens who are in (or who have appliedfor) refugee/asylum status are likewiseeligible to be considered for Massachu-setts residency for tuition purposes pro-vided that he/she meets the same require-

ments for establishing residency in Mas-sachusetts as are required of a UnitedStates citizen. All non-citizens must pro-vide appropriate documentation to verifytheir status with the United States Immi-gration and Naturalization Service.

4) Those students whose higher educationpursuits are funded by the Department ofWelfare, the Massachusetts Rehabilita-tion Department, or any of the other Com-monwealth of Massachusetts public as-sistance programs.

c) A person does not gain or lose in-state statussolely by reason of his or her presence in anystate or country while a member of the ArmedForces of the United States.

d) For the purposes of this policy the followingpersons shall be presumed to be Massachu-setts residents:1) A member of the Armed Forces of the

United States who is stationed in Massa-chusetts on active duty pursuant to mili-tary orders, his or her spouse and depen-dent students.

2) Full time faculty, professional staff, andclassified staff employees of the Univer-sity of Massachusetts system and theirspouses and dependent students.

Part IV. Appeals.4.1 Any student or applicant who is unwillingto accept the initial ruling relative to his or herresidency classification, or who wishes to seekreclassification, may file a “Residency Reclas-sification Form.”

4.2 Any student or applicant who is unwillingto accept the ruling relative to his or her resi-dency classification may submit an appealthrough the appeal process established by thecampus at which that student or applicantseeks reclassification. The decision on appealis final and may not be appealed further.

4.3 In any case where the Admissions Office isunable to make an initial determination basedon the evidence submitted, the applicant maybe required to submit a “Residency Reclas-sification Form” to the Admissions Office fortheir review before being finally classified as aresident or a non-resident.

Part V. Penalties.Misrepresentation in or omission from any evi-dence submitted with respect to any fact, whichif correctly or completely stated would begrounds to deny classification as a Massachu-setts resident, shall be cause for exclusion orexpulsion or other disciplinary action by theUniversity.

Policy and ProceduresThe 1975 Family Educational Rights and Pri-vacy Act and subsequent legislation allowpresent and former students at educational in-stitutions access to education records kept onthem, as well as basic protections of privacy oftheir records. The law does not apply to appli-cants seeking admission to the University. “Edu-cation records” are defined as records whichare: “(1) Directly related to a student; and (2)maintained by an educational agency or institu-tion or by a party acting for the agency orinstitution.” The law specifically exempts per-sonal records kept by instructional, supervi-sory, and administrative staff, as long as thoserecords are not accessible or revealed to anyother person except a substitute; records of alaw enforcement unit of an educational agencyor institution created by the members of the unitfor law enforcement purposes; records of em-ployees of an educational institution; andrecords which are created or maintained by aphysician, psychiatrist, psychologist, or otherrecognized professional or paraprofessional,and which are created, maintained or used onlyin connection with the treatment of the student.

The law specifically grants the following rightsof access to students:

1. The right to inspect and review the content ofthe student’s personal education records;

2. The right to obtain copies of those recordswhen a) failure to provide such copies wouldeffectively prevent the student from exercisingthe right to inspect and review his/her educa-tion records; b) when the student has submittedhis/her written consent to allow the Universityto disclose certain personally identifiable in-formation from the student’s education record,and the student requests a copy of the informa-tion to be disclosed; and c) when the Universitytransfers the student’s education records toanother educational institution, and a copy ofthose records is requested by the student.

The University will continue to provide cop-ies of the transcript upon written request andpayment of a nominal fee. Departments willprovide copies of a student’s departmental edu-cation records to a student upon his/her writtenrequest. The student may be charged for thecost of reproducing those records.

FamilyEducationalRights andPrivacy Act –A Summary

28

3. The right to a response from the institution toa reasonable request for explanations and inter-pretations of those records;

4. The right to an opportunity for a hearing tochallenge the content of those records;

5. If the education record of a student includesinformation on more than one student, the rightto inspect or review only that part of the mate-rial or document which relates to such student.

The University develops and maintains severaltypes and varieties of education records onstudents. A list of what types of records aremaintained by the University, where they arekept, what University official has major re-sponsibility for those records, who has accessto those records and why, and what it will costyou to obtain a copy of those records, is avail-able for inspection in the following locations:

Dean of Students Office227 Whitmore Administration Building

Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Office362 Whitmore Administration Building

A complete copy of the University’s proce-dures and policies regarding the Family Educa-tional Rights and Privacy Act is available forinspection at either of the offices listed above.

Access to RecordsStudents can request to see any of their educa-tion records covered and defined by the FamilyEducational Rights and Privacy Act. The re-quest to see records is to be made at the specificdepartment which maintains those records.

If possible, immediate access will be allow-ed to an individual’s records. In any case, thedepartment must allow access to a file within45 calendar days.

The law permits the University to releaseand/or publish, without students’ permission,directory information. This is defined asstudent’s name, local address, home address,major, local telephone number, e-mail address,date and place of birth, acknowledgment of astudent’s participation in officially recognizedactivities and sports, weight and height of mem-bers of athletic teams, date(s) of attendance,degree, certificates, awards received, the mostrecent previous educational agency or institu-tion attended by the student, and the dollaramount of money earned on the state or trustpayroll. Students who do not wish to have theirdirectory information released may contact theDean of Students Office.

Other Rights and Requirementsof this LegislationIn addition to the above, the law sets forth otherrights and requirements regarding educationrecords maintained on students:

1. The University cannot require nor attempt toinfluence students to waive any rights grantedunder this legislation, as a condition of admis-sion, receipt of financial aid, or receipt of anyother services or benefits.

2. Parents’ financial records and related paren-tal financial information shall not be released tostudents unless authorized by the parents. Anyinstitutional office maintaining such recordsshall either store such records in a file separatefrom records subject to review or conspicu-ously stamp such records “Confidential—notto be released to student.”

Confidential letters and confidential state-ments of recommendation of students placed ineducation records prior to January 1, 1975,need not be released to students provided thatsuch letters and recommendations are beingused only for the purpose for which they werespecifically intended. All other education re-cords of a particular student shall be open forinspection by that student unless access is re-stricted as follows:

A student may waive his/ her right of accessto evaluations and recommendations submittedon or after January 1, 1975, provided however,that the student must, upon request, be notifiedof the name of each person who has submittedsuch a confidential evaluation or recommenda-tion; such evaluations and recommendations tobe used only for the purpose intended; and awaiver may not be required as a precondition ofadmission to the institution or receipt from theinstitution of financial aid or any other servicesor benefits.

3. The University will not permit access to orrelease of a student’s education records, andpersonally identifiable information containedtherein to third parties, without the student’swritten consent, except:

a) To other University officials who have alegitimate educational interest in a student’srecord. The University defines “Universityofficials” as any professional employee whois head of an office, department, school,college, or division, or their specified desig-nee. “Legitimate educational interest” is de-fined as academic status check or evalua-tions, research, curriculum evaluation or de-velopment, institutional/statistical evaluationand analysis, student placement, and admis-sion evaluation;

b) To authorized representatives of the Comp-troller General of the United States, the Sec-retary of Education, or state educational au-thorities, or officials of other educationalinstitutions in which the student seeks toenroll;

c) In connection with a student’s applicationfor, or receipt of, financial aid, provided thatpersonally identifiable information may bedisclosed only as may be necessary for suchpurposes as:1) to determine the eligibility of the student

for financial aid;2) to determine the amount of financial aid;3) to determine the conditions which will be

imposed regarding the financial aid; or4) to enforce the terms or conditions of the

financial aid;

d) To state and local officials to whom suchinformation is specifically granted or al-lowed under state statutes;

e) To organizations conducting studies for, oron behalf of, educational institutions for thepurposes of developing, validating, or ad-ministering predictive tests, student aid pro-grams, and improving instruction, providedthat the identity of students is not revealedto other than representatives of such organi-zations;

f) To recognized accrediting organizations car-rying out their accrediting functions;

g) In compliance with a judicial order, or pursu-ant to any lawfully issued subpoena, pro-vided that the University makes a reasonableeffort to notify the student of the order orsubpoena in advance of compliance there-with;

h) In connection with an emergency situation,if the knowledge of such information is nec-essary to protect the health or safety of astudent or other persons;

i) When the disclosure is to an alleged victimof any crime of violence of the results of anydisciplinary proceeding conducted by theUniversity against the alleged perpetrator ofthe crime with respect to that crime; and

j) When the disclosure is to teachers and Uni-versity officials and officials at other schools,of information concerning disciplinary ac-tion taken against the student for conductthat posed a significant risk to the safety orwell-being of the student or other membersof the University community.

4. The University must maintain a record, to bekept with the education records of each stu-dent, which will indicate all parties, other thanthose specified above, who have requested orobtained access to a student’s record, and thelegitimate interest that such parties have inobtaining such information. This record will beavailable only to the student, the Universitypersonnel records, and persons and organiza-tions listed in 3, above.

Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act

29

Housing

Housing

5. Third parties may not receive informationfrom student’s education records unless anduntil a student requests in writing that theserecords be released. Records will be transmit-ted with the statement that they are being sentunder the continuing restrictions of the FamilyEducational Rights and Privacy Act.

6. The University must make public notice ofthe categories which it determines to be direc-tory information, and allow a reasonable periodof time for a student to inform the Universitythat any or all of the information designatedshould not be released without his/ her consent.

7. A person may file a written complaint re-garding violations of this Act or its regulationswith: Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S.Department of Education, 600 IndependenceAve., SW, Washington, D.C. 20202-4605.

This summary of the legislation is providedin the Undergraduate Catalog in compliancewith the Act. Complete FERPA regulations forthe Amherst campus of the University are avail-able in the Dean of Students Office, 227Whitmore Administration Building.

PolicyRecognizing the educational advantages ofboth classroom instruction and co-curricularexperiences, and the great extent to which resi-dence hall living can contribute, the Board ofTrustees of the University has adopted a policywhich requires that entering students and soph-omores be housed in University residence halls.Refer to the Code of Student Conduct, Under-graduate Rights and Responsibilities for spe-cific expectations, and for specific residencyinformation.

ExemptionsExempt from this policy are married students;veterans of the U.S. Armed Services; membersof fraternities and sororities who have beenauthorized to reside in their respective houses(within approved maximum capacities); juniorsand seniors; and students who live in and com-mute from the home of their parent(s) or court-appointed guardian(s) within a 40-mile radiusof the campus.

All non-exempt students requesting permis-sion to live off campus are to submit requests tothe Housing Assignment Office, 235 Whitmore,tel. 545-2100.

Room AssignmentsTo reside on campus, each student must sign ahousing contract each year. This contract willbe active for as long as the student lives in theresidence halls. Upperclass resident studentshave the opportunity to select rooms in thespring of the preceding year. Notification ofassignment for entering students is made inlate August (or late January for the springsemester).

Living OptionsThe University provides a variety of livingarrangements. It offers four basic systems: “tra-ditional” residence halls, suite-style residencehalls, the sorority/fraternity “Greek” system,and Family Housing. All plans offer opportuni-ties for intellectual, cultural and social activi-ties and include coeducational units.

Residential AreasThe Central and Northeast Residential Areasconsist of 18 coeducational and single sex resi-dence halls housing approximately 1,269 stu-dents. Halls in Northeast and Central are gener-ally smaller than those in other residentialsettings.

The Orchard Hill Residential Area accom-modates approximately 3,220 students in fourcoeducational residence halls. Each of the unitshas staff and faculty residents who provideseveral cultural and academic programs andwho coordinate the collegiate aspect of theResidential Academic Program.

The Southwest Residential Area houses 5,228students in both high-rise and low-rise build-ings. A variety of academic and cultural pro-grams are provided within the “complex,” tend-ing to provide effective small-group identitiesand maximum contact between students, fac-ulty, and staff.

The Sylvan Residential Area houses 1,319 stu-dents in suite-type residence halls, affordingstudents an opportunity to build close livingrelationships within small groups by sharingquarters in a suite-style arrangement.

All residential areas offer a wide range of edu-cational programs within the halls includingthree-credit courses, workshops, and colloquia.

Residents of a hall may, in consultation withthe Housing staff, work toward establishingcharacteristics, programs, and facilities uniqueto that hall.

Residence Life StaffArea Directors. Each residence area is admin-istered by an Area Director to whom hall staffin the area report. Area Directors are respon-sible for the planning and direction of all stu-dent personnel administrative activities in theirassigned residence halls, for the supervision ofprofessional and student staff, for advisingelected student officers and committee chair-persons, and for appropriate individual andgroup advising.

Residence Directors are professionals who workwith their hall (or cluster) staffs, and AreaDirectors in the operation of residence halls (orclusters). They provide leadership and supportto the residence hall student staff, facilitate thework of elected house government officers andcommittee chairpersons, serve as resource per-sons and uphold University expectations; pro-vide individual and group advisement out ofconcern for the welfare of the students withinthe residence halls; and carry out administra-tive responsibilities associated with the opera-tional aspects of residence halls.

Assistant Residence Directors are graduate stu-dents who share responsibilities with the Resi-dence Director and function primarily in theareas of supervision, management of judicialcaseload, community development, and gen-eral administration.

Resident Assistants are undergraduates whoreceive direct supervision from the ResidenceDirectors. Their duties include helping to es-tablish a climate in which students feel free toseek assistance and in which the educationalgoals of the University are emphasized; advis-ing individual students in personal, social, andacademic matters; working jointly with theirsupervisors and house governments in provid-ing for the daily operation of the residence

30

Food Services

halls; interpreting and maintaining regulationswith respect to student life on campus; andassisting with administrative tasks in the resi-dence halls.

Maintenance and OperationsStaff are responsible for the management ofbuildings in specified residential areas. Opera-tions Managers coordinate facilities work ineach residential area. Maintenance and Opera-tions staff work collaboratively with ResidenceLife staff in the coordination of maintenanceand custodial activities, and on such mattersas interior design, residence hall openings andclosings, furniture replacement and inventory,key control, recycling, and project planning.

Special Projects Coordinator is primarily re-sponsible for supervising summer groundswork in areas adjacent to the residence hallsand those surrounding Family Housing apart-ment units. The staff is composed solely ofstudent employees who remain engaged withgrounds related tasks all year long. Membersof this staff also assist with the RecyclingProgram which operates during the academicyear. The coordinator works collaborativelywith Maintenance and Operations and Resi-dence Life staff on a variety of projects, includ-ing moving furniture and equipment, plantingflower beds, creating exterior sitting areas, re-planting grass, selecting and planting replace-ment trees, and preparing areas for memorialplantings.

FurnishingsStudents are assigned furnishings for use dur-ing the period of occupancy. These furnishingsmay vary from hall to hall, but include at leasta bed frame and mattress, desk unit and chair,and wardrobe or closet.

All residence halls are served by a Univer-sity telecommunications system that includeslocal calling service, access to long distancetelephone service, voice mail, and high-speeddata. Residents are required to provide theirown telephones.

InsuranceIt is not possible for the University to carryinsurance to compensate students or theirfamilies for losses suffered on the campus dueto such hazards as fire, theft, or water damage.For most families, insurance covering poten-tial loss is highly desirable, either as a rider totheir current home insurance policy or as anindependent contract.

Room RentThe halls are managed by the Housing ServicesOffice, which provides for the daily mainte-nance and cleaning of all facilities. Rents are

University Food Services, tel. 545-2472;www.aux.umass.edu/diningservices, offersmenus with a wide selection of food at eachmeal. These menus, designed by a task force ofstudents, managers, chefs, and a dietician, arebased on sound nutritional patterns, surveys ofstudent food preferences, and comments fromstudents and staff members.

Five dining facilities, serving students withall-you-can eat options, are located in residen-tial areas: Hampshire, Berkshire, and HampdenDining Halls in Southwest; Worcester DiningHall in Northeast; and Franklin Dining Hall inCentral. Hampshire, Worcester and Franklinare open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays, and10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends. Berkshire isopen from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Worcesterand Berkshire are open until 9 p.m., Monday toWednesday. Hampden serves dinner for allUniversity sports teams, on weekdays only, 5 to8 p.m. The UCard (the University student IDcard) serves as a meal ticket, and is required forentrance to all facilities for meal plan partici-pants.

All the meal plans are “Block Plans,” offer-ing a specific number of meals for the wholesemester with no weekly limit. The deluxe planprovides unlimited access to all of the dininghalls. The value plan offers 224 meals persemester, an average of two meals per day. Thebasic plan offers a total of 160 meals per semes-ter, an average of 10 meals per week. All threeplans offer guest passes and also meal ex-changes, which allow students to eat in retailfacilities during the semester. Meals on theseplans can be eaten any day of the week, includ-ing weekends, at any of the dining halls. YourCampus Meal Plan (Light, Commuter Express,and Economy) is available to residential stu-dents with 54 or more completed credits, off-campus students, and graduate students, Mon-day through Sunday, at any dining hall andmany cash operations on campus. The koshermeal plan is offered for a fee additional to anyof the meal plans and includes dinner during theweek. It is served at the Hillel House, next tocampus. Butterfield residence hall, a studentcooperative, offers meals as part of the deluxeplan for residents of Butterfield and a limitednumber of other students.

Meal plans are mandatory for all under-graduates who are required to live in Universityresidence halls and have fewer than 54 com-pleted credits. Exemptions will be approved forextenuating circumstances only. Applicationscan be obtained by contacting Food Services.Refunds are pro-rated on a weekly basis andwill be subject to an administrative fee if theapplication is received after the semester be-gins. Students who are not required to purchase

Housing

set so as to provide a fund sufficient to payoperating costs and capital repair costs. In or-der to ensure the minimum possible room rent,the University endeavors to maximize hall oc-cupancy. This requires that a student be heldfinancially responsible for room rent once reg-istering for and occupying a room in a resi-dence hall.

Family HousingThe University owns and manages two apart-ment complexes for eligible students. Apart-ments in North Village are unfurnished. Lin-coln Apartments feature a small number offurnished studio and one-bedroom units. Theseunits would typically include a table/desk unit,several chairs, a couch, a dresser, a bed andmattress. The additional monthly charge for afurnished studio is $25 and $30 for a one-bedroom apartment. All Family Housing apart-ments are equipped with a stove and a refrigera-tor. Utilities are included in the rent. Assign-ment of apartments is made through applica-tion (earliest application date given first con-sideration). A tenant is expected upon com-mencement of the lease (one year) to pay thefirst month’s rent in advance, and a securitydeposit equal to one month’s rent. Applicationsand specific information may be obtained fromFamily Housing, Wysocki House, 911 NorthPleasant Street, tel. 545-3115.

Off-Campus HousingA card file of off-campus house, apartmentand room rentals is maintained by the Com-muter Services and Housing Resource Center.Also provided is information about localrealtors, garden apartment developments, clas-sified newspaper rentals, and persons seekingroommates. Specific information may be ob-tained from the Commuter Services and Hous-ing Resource Center, 428 Student Union, tel.545-0865.

31

Health Services

Executive Director: Bernette Melby

University Health Center: 577-5000Mental Health Services: 545-2337Patient Services-Health Plan Information:

577-5192New Student Immunization Program: 577-5275

University Health Services (UHS) is an ambu-latory care center, accredited by the Joint Com-mission on Accreditation of Healthcare Orga-nizations. UHS provides comprehensive ser-vices including medical care, eye care ser-vices, health education, and mental health ser-vices. UHS serves University students, staff,and faculty.

Basic Health Plan (BHP)All students taking five or more credits areautomatically billed for the non-waivable man-datory Basic Health Plan. Coverage begins onSeptember 1 for the fall and February 1 for thespring. Most services at UHS are covered bythe BHP, including unlimited visits in GeneralMedical Clinics, Urgent Care Services, Labo-ratory, Radiology, and Physical Therapy. Spe-cialty services and after-hours care require aco-payment. Routine eye care services are notcovered by the BHP and are available on a fee-for-service basis.

Student Health Insurance Plan and StudentFamily PlanThe University offers a Student Health Insur-ance Plan to provide for hospital and specialtycare to students. Students are automaticallyenrolled in the Student Health Insurance Planunless they fully demonstrate comparable cov-erage by submitting an Insurance Waiver Cardto the Bursar with payment of their tuition bill.Enrollment in the Student Health InsurancePlan meets both the Commonwealth of Massa-chusetts and the University requirement that allstudents have adequate comprehensive healthinsurance. The Massachusetts Division ofHealth Care Finance and Policy’s Web site,www.state.ma.us/dhefp, can answer questionsregarding the Commonwealth of Massachu-setts’s insurance requirements.

Students, spouses, same-sex domestic part-ners, and/or their children may, for an addi-tional fee, join a Family Plan which combinesthe Basic Health Plan and the Student HealthInsurance Plan.

Entrance RequirementsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts requiresall students to have adequate immunization.Protection is required against measles (twodoses required), German measles, mumps, teta-nus, and diphtheria, at the time of enrollment

for all students. In addition, beginning Septem-ber 2001, all entering freshmen and healthscience students will be required to have pro-tection against hepatitis B. The immunizationquestions on the New Student ImmunizationForm, completed and signed by your healthcare provider, will satisfy this requirement.Failure to have adequate levels of immuniza-tion at the time of matriculation will lead toadministrative sanctions during the first se-mester. Please contact your health care practi-tioner to update your immunizations prior toenrollment.

Medical CarePhysicians, nurse practitioners, physician as-sistants, and other health professionals work asa team to provide medical care to students atthe Health Center. Complete facilities locatedat the Center include radiology, laboratory,pharmacy, physical therapy, and an Observa-tion Unit. Specialty services such as an allergyand travel clinic are also provided, as are con-sultation in orthopedic surgery, general sur-gery, and obstetrics and gynecology.

Any student who is under medical supervi-sion prior to entrance is urged to have his/herphysician write to the Health Services, givingreports and instructions in appropriate detail. Inbrief, the Health Services attempts to provideeach student with a coordinated and compre-hensive program of health supervision formerlyprovided by the family physician.

All visits to the Health Services are treatedas confidential. No information is releasedwithout the permission of the student.

Mental Health CarePsychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, anda psychiatric clinical nurse specialist provideservices to individuals, couples, children, andfamilies. The brief intervention model includes24-hour and year-round emergency services, aBehavioral Medicine Clinic, an Eating Disor-ders Clinic, group programs, medications pre-scribed by psychiatrists and a psychiatric clini-cal nurse specialist, and consultation and edu-cation services to community groups and orga-nizations. The multicultural staff, sensitive to avariety of needs and backgrounds, have variousinterests and skills, and can be matched to aclient’s interests and needs.

Health Education and OutreachHealth promotion programs address a widerange of issues through workshops, peer educa-tion programs, special events, for-credit courses,consultations, theater performances, media ad-vocacy, and printed materials. Through proac-tive outreach and risk reduction programs, stu-dents are supported in identifying personalhealth risks and making health-enhancing

Health Services

a meal plan but who wish to eat in a dining hallhave several options for doing so. They maypurchase a meal plan or the new Your CampusMeal Plan for the semester, a single meal on acash basis, or meal options for a five-day period(strip tickets).

Food Services operates three conveniencestores located in Worcester, Franklin, andHampden dining halls. Each stocks a variety ofgroceries, frozen foods, and sundries and isopen daily. Food Services also offers snack barservices daily in Hampden and weekdays inWhitmore and the Physical Plant.

Various cafés and snack bars are located inthe Campus Center/Student Union complex.Services range from fast foods and multina-tional foods in the Hatch Food Court to finedining. The Coffee Shop offers a variety of fastfood items and the Blue Wall Coffeehouseserves gourmet coffee, cookies, pastries, andice cream. Subscribers to Your Campus MealPlan can use Campus Center cafés and thesnack bars. Full catering is available for stu-dent, staff, and faculty events.

The University Club, tel. 545-2551, is opento students and their families during commence-ment and for catered events throughout theyear.

32

Director of Libraries: Margo CristHours of Opening (a recording): 545-0414Reference and Information: 545-0150Circulation Office: 545-2622Web site: www.library.umass.edu

The University Library System has four sites:the W.E.B. Du Bois Library, the BiologicalSciences Library, the Physical Sciences andEngineering Library, and the Music ReserveLab. Present library holdings include morethan 5.5 million books, periodical volumes,and government documents; over two millionof these items are in microformat. Consult theLibrary’s Web site for access to its extensivecollection of electronic resources and services.

The W.E.B. Du Bois Library is the locationfor most reference materials, and the book andperiodical collection in the social sciences andhumanities. As well, it houses the microfilmcollection, a law collection, the University ar-chives, special collections and rare books, andthe Government Documents collection. Thereserve reading collection and audio-visual re-serve materials are available on the Library’sthird floor. The Music Library is on floors 18and 19 of the Du Bois Library and includesmusic materials and listening facilities. TheMusic Reserve Lab, with listening facilities, islocated in the Fine Arts Center. Most of thescience collection is found in two branch librar-ies: the Biological Sciences Library, tel. 545-2674, on the second floor of the Morrill ScienceCenter, and the Physical Sciences and Engi-neering Library, tel. 545-1370, on the secondfloor of the Lederle Graduate Research Center.

A current UCard, the University photographicI.D., serves as a library card. Reference librar-ians provide information about the library sys-tem and the use of its collections, and aboutFive College library cooperation. They offerinstruction in using electronic resources anddeveloping strategies for research through classsessions, workshops and individual appoint-ments.

choices in their lives. Topics include alcoholand other drugs, tobacco control, sexual health,body image, eating disorders, stress manage-ment, HIV/AIDS, relationship violence, women’shealth, men’s health, international studenthealth, nutrition, and athletic health enhance-ment.

The Student Health Advisory Board workswith the Health Services staff in reviewingpolicy, evaluating services, and initiating anddeveloping new programs. Students are urgedto participate in the activities of the Board.

Campus Activities

The Campus Activities Cluster of Student Af-fairs assists in creating a diverse andmulticultural University community by foster-ing a wide range of co-curricular programs andactivities. In cooperation with the StudentGovernment Association, (545-0341), Cam-pus Activities seeks to maintain, improve andexpand student participation, decision making,leadership development and policy setting inorder to best serve the needs of the Universitycommunity. Staff assist students, staff, andfaculty in responsibly planning social, cultural,and educational activities. A resource room forRegistered Student Organizations, StudentUnion Building, room 314, is provided jointlyby the Student Government Association andthe Campus Activities Office.

Campus Activities sponsors a comprehen-sive activities Web site at http://www.umass.edu/events/calendar.htm. SEF (Something Ev-ery Friday) is a weekly entertainment seriessponsored by Campus Activities; its events arelisted on the events Web site.

Campus Activities also provides a broadrange of support services in the areas of pro-gramming and advising via the followingagencies: Center for Student Businesses, tel.545-2166; Massachusetts Daily Collegian,545-3500; Student Union Visual and Perform-ing Arts Space, 545-0792; Student Union CraftCenter, 545-2096; UVC-TV 19, 545-1336; ra-dio station WMUA, 545-2876; Student LegalServices Office, 545-1995; Commuter Servicesand Housing Resource Center, 545-0865; Of-fice of ALANA Affairs, 545-2517; and StudentCenter for Educational Research and Advo-cacy, 545-0355.

There are seven Cultural Centers withinCampus Activities: Anacoana, 545-4387;Josephine White Eagle, 545-1888; Latin Ameri-can, 545-1571; Malcolm X, 545-1256; MartinLuther King, 545-0578; Sylvan, 545-4712; andYuri Kochiyama, 545-1822.

The Cultural Centers are responsible for ini-tiating programs to promote cultural awarenessin the different residential areas and to sponsorannual activities such as the Malcolm X cook-out, Kwanzaa, and the UMass Powwow, for theUniversity community.

Campus Activities central office hours are10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays in room 416, Stu-dent Union Building. For information and foruse of the service elevator if necessary foraccess, call 545-3600.

Other ServicesLibrary System

33

Campus Career Network

One Career Center Way, 545-2224

The Campus Career Network is a programconsisting of twelve career and field experi-ence advisers located in academic schools andcolleges, and a central office for on-campusrecruiting.

Even before they graduate, students need tomake a number of life decisions. They areencouraged not to wait until their final year, butto begin exploring the world beyond the Univer-sity early, with the aid of qualified CareerNetwork staff. To help them make intelligent,well-informed career choices, the Universityoffers career planning assistance, opportuni-ties to obtain practical, preprofessional experi-ence through co-ops and internships, resuméreferral, and on-campus recruiting.

Career Planning: Various career planning ser-vices are available to help students make goodcareer choices from their first year until aftergraduation. A computer-assisted guidance sys-tem, individual career counseling, and work-shops introduce students to career planning. Anannual graduate school fair, numerous careerfairs, and alumni career panels are a few of theways that help them explore occupations andgraduate education.

Students may obtain individual career plan-ning assistance by major, simply by contactingthe Career Planning Adviser assigned to theirparticular school or college: Engineering, 545-6251; Food and Natural Resources, 545-6011;Humanities and Fine Arts, 545-6255; NaturalSciences and Mathematics, 545-6264; PublicHealth and Health Sciences, Nursing and Edu-cation, 545-6252; Social and Behavioral Sci-ences, 577-0417.

Field Experience: The Campus CareerNetwork’s internship and cooperative educa-tion programs encourage students to exploreacademic and personal interests, acquire newskills, make professional contacts, and learnmore about the world at large during the sum-mer or academic semester. Opportunities existin Massachusetts, other New England states,and many other locations throughout the U.S.Many offer attractive salaries which can offsetsome of the cost of attending the University.

Students may obtain individual assistancewith co-op and internship planning by contact-ing the Field Experience Adviser assigned totheir particular academic unit: Engineering,577-0419; Food and Natural Resources, 577-0421; Humanities and Fine Arts, 545-6266;Isenberg School of Management, 577-0418;Natural Sciences and Mathematics, 577-0428;

Other Services

Social and Behavioral Sciences, 545-6267.For majors in the Health Sciences, contact545-6265.

Employment Referral and Other Services:Many students as they approach the senior yearhave questions pertaining to full-time employ-ment which may be answered by the CareerNetwork staff assigned to their major.

Pre-employment services include the oppor-tunity to interview with employers on campus,a computer-assisted resumé referral program,and career fairs, all putting students in touchwith employers throughout the state, across thecountry, and even around the world. Job inter-views by employers who recruit on campustake place at the One Career Center Way loca-tion and are arranged by the staff of the Em-ployment Options department of the CareerNetwork. Students register for campus recruit-ing and apply for interviews and job vacanciesdirectly on the Network’s Website: www-ccn.acad.umass.edu. They may also consult withstaff at any time or call 545-2224 and ask tospeak with someone in Employment Options.

Other services located at One Career CenterWay include the Credentials Service, the FieldExperience administrative office, and AlumniCareer Services.

All Career Network locations are open Mon-day-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. For further infor-mation, contact the central office, One CareerCenter Way, tel. 545-2224.

Dean of Students Office

227 Whitmore, 545-2684

The Dean of Students Office helps students re-solve University-related problems which theyhave been unable to resolve themselves. Stu-dents who need assistance in negotiating thebureaucracy of a large campus can seek theadvice of the Dean of Students and other full-time staff. The goal of the office is to respondto individual student needs and concerns. Spe-cific services include:

Counseling and Referral: Assisting and ad-vising students contemplating withdrawal fromor re-enrollment at the University; providingreferrals for academic and personal concerns.

Short-Term Emergency Loans: Offeringshort-term loans to students to cover unex-pected situations.

Tuition Classifications: Determining Mas-sachusetts residency for tuition purposes.

Student and Family Support: Providing asingle point of contact within the University forstudents and families in times of crisis.

Honor Societies: Advising several honor so-cieties, including the Alpha Lambda Delta fresh-man honor society, the Golden Key nationalhonor society and the Mortar Board seniorhonor society.

University Judicial System: Implementingand monitoring the University judicial systemto ensure that the rights of all individuals arerespected.

Disability Services

231 Whitmore, 545-0892 V/TTY

Disability Services works to ensure that rea-sonable and effective accommodations andsupport services are in place for students withdocumented physical, auditory, vision, and/orchronic disabilities. In order to identify theaccommodations and determine the appropri-ate and available resources for these accommo-dations, students are strongly urged to meetwith a consumer manager during the applica-tion process.

Advocacy, counseling, and support are pro-vided at all levels of academic and administra-tive programs and services, including but notlimited to: admissions, orientation, housing,transit, enrollment management, class/lab as-sistants, notetaking, communication, campusaccess, adaptive equipment, advising, and othernon-personal areas.

Consumer managers are skilled in the fieldof disability services at the post-secondarylevel, as well as being highly knowledgeable indisability issues, laws, and resources, and areavailable to meet with prospective and inter-ested students, parents and/or guidance coun-selors.

Disability Services is open year-round, Mon-day-Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Appointmentscan be made by calling the office, tel. (413)545-0892 V/TTY. Those who need sign lan-guage or oral interpreters can also call (413)545-0892 V/TTY in advance to request inter-preting services for the day of appointment orcampus visit.

Everywoman’s Center

Everywoman’s Center (EWC) is a multiculturalwomen’s center based at the University ofMassachusetts Amherst, providing a range ofservices to the diverse cultural and linguisticpopulations of the University and HampshireCounty. EWC’s mission is to provide leader-ship in promoting educational access and eq-uity for women, to empower women to take

34

control of their lives, and to strengthen theconnections among women. EWC works tostop the cycles of all forms of oppression,particularly those based on gender, age, class,ethnicity, race, mental and physical ability,sexual orientation, and spiritual belief.

Major programmatic components include in-formation and referral; 24-hour comprehen-sive rape crisis services; short-term counsel-ing; workshops, training and community orga-nizing on issues of violence against women;advocacy and cultural, educational, and socialprogramming for women of color; supportgroups.

Women interested in developing their skillsby working with any EWC programs are spon-sored and supervised by professional staff-women. Training and practicum or internshipcredit is offered through the University andother colleges.

Everywoman’s Center, in Wilder Hall, isopen Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday,9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Wednesday, from noon to4 p.m. Wilder Hall is wheelchair accessible.Rape crisis services are located in Nelson Houseat 513 E. Pleasant St., Amherst. For informa-tion and referrals, tel. 545-0883. For 24-hoursexual assault crisis services, tel. 545-0800.EWC has a TTY in operation for both numbersduring business hours.

Fine Arts Center

The Fine Arts Center is a regional culturalcenter which serves the campus communityand western Massachusetts with internation-ally recognized performing and visual artsevents, and multicultural and educational pro-grams. The Center’s Performing Arts Seriesannually features national and internationalartists in classical music, dance, theater, Broad-way, jazz, and popular events. University, Am-herst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and Smithcollege students may purchase tickets to Per-forming Arts Series events for reduced prices.The Center is one of the University’s premierecultural and educational programs.

Serving as a forum for American arts, theCenter has a long history of designing andimplementing programs which present a worldview of the arts. The New WORLD Theater hasa national reputation as a presenter and pro-ducer of works by playwrights of color. Per-forming arts at the Center also include Jazz inJuly, Residential Arts, Asian Dance and MusicProgram, Magic Triangle Jazz series, and thePerformances Plus series which brings 8,000school-age children annually to campus.

Other Services

The University Gallery is nationally recog-nized for its contemporary art installations.Exhibitions specialize in sculptural installa-tions and works of art on paper. The Galleryfrequently tours its shows nationally and pro-duces professional catalogues which are ex-changed with peer institutions. It houses a per-manent collection of 2,500 works of art onpaper. Hampden and Central galleries exhibitemerging and established artists from NewEngland and New York. Augusta SavageGallery is a multicultural, multi-arts facility,promoting the work of artists of color andencouraging artistic expression of issues ofculture and identity.

Fine Arts Center educational programs pro-vide opportunities for student enrichment inthe arts. Performances and exhibitions are inte-grated wherever possible with workshops, mas-ter classes and residencies at the University andon the campuses of Amherst, Mount Holyoke,Hampshire, and Smith colleges. Jazz in Julyoffers summer workshops in improvisationwith contemporary jazz artists. The interdisci-plinary general education course, The LivelyArts, integrates classroom experience with per-formances and exhibitions for 500 studentsannually.

The University Arts Council awards grantsto subsidize innovative and culturally diverseprograms presented by student groups, aca-demic departments, and arts organizations. TheCouncil is funded primarily through the stu-dent Arts Fee and administered by an appointedrepresentative body that includes six under-graduate students, three graduate students, onealumnus, six faculty members, and two staffmembers. The Council maintains many of thepublic art sites on campus in collaboration withPhysical Plant and the Department of Land-scape Architecture and Regional Planning.

The Fine Arts Center complex houses the2,000-seat Concert Hall, the University Gal-lery, the Frank Prentice Rand Theater, BezansonRecital Hall and the academic departments ofArt, Music and Dance, and Theater. BowkerAuditorium in Stockbridge Hall is adminis-tered by the Fine Arts Center.

The Department of Music and Dance, The-ater Department, University Productions andConcerts, and various Registered Student Or-ganizations present each year their own diverseprograms of concerts and performances.

Learning Support Services

Contact: Susan Bronstein1020 W.E.B. Du Bois Library, 545-5334

The Learning Support Services (LSS) providesa full range of academic support services. Itsmission is to improve retention and graduationrates at the University of Massachusetts Amherstby providing the learning support programsand self-development activities that give stu-dents the skills necessary for college success.Open during the academic year, LSS providesthe following programs and services:

Peer Tutoring Program for individuals andsmall groups on a walk-in basis, and by ap-pointment when needed.

Supplemental Instruction Program for tradi-tionally difficult academic courses providingregularly scheduled, out-of-class, peer-facili-tated study sessions. These informal reviewseminars help students compare notes, discussreadings, develop organizational tools, and pre-dict test items.

Video Supplemental Instruction, in whichthe instructors of traditionally difficult coursesplace their course lectures on videotape. Thetaped lectures are used instructionally by atrained VSI Peer Leader and are stopped andrestarted as needed to allow time for students toask questions, interact, and discuss concepts.

A Study Skills Program which consists ofworkshops aimed at providing students withthe tools needed to become more effectivelearners, including such skills as note-taking,time management, and test-taking strategies.

A Multimedia Lab which offers computer-aided, video, and audio instruction, and a li-brary of written materials to assist students.

Students have access to PCs and Macintoshcomputers with current word processing andcomputer-aided instruction programs. LSS staffare available to answer questions about soft-ware and computer usage. Other equipment,including video and audiotape players, is avail-able for academic use at the center.

Information on LSS courses and tutor certifi-cation may be found in the “Special Programs”section of this catalog, and on our web page at:http://www.umass.edu/lss.

35

Office of InformationTechnologies

www.oit.umass.edu/

The Office of Information Technologies (OIT)provides telecommunications and general com-puting and networking services to Universitystudents, faculty, and staff.

Computing facilities include 13 personalcomputer labs and classrooms located acrosscampus, and central host computers runningthe UNIX operating system. Most of the ap-proximately 325 computers in the classrooms/labs have been deployed within the last threeyears; about 70 percent are Windows-based,and 30 percent are Macintosh-based. iMacs arealso available for email and Web browsing. Allof the facilities support access to email, theInternet, and the Web. Various applicationsprovide word processing, desktop publishing,statistical analysis, spreadsheets, graphics, scan-ning of images or text, and creation of personalWeb pages.

The Assistive Technologies Center is a col-laboration of OIT, the Library, Learning Dis-abilities Support Services, and Disability Ser-vices, and is open to any member of the Univer-sity community or resident of the Common-wealth of Massachusetts who has a disabilitydefined by the Americans with Disabilities Actand requires an accommodation such as scan-ning assistance, screen readers, text enhance-ments, and text enlargers.

Most administrative and academic buildingsand almost all of the rooms in student residencehalls have direct high-speed Ethernet connec-tions to the campus network backbone. Duringthe fall of 2000, approximately 75 percent ofthe students living in the residence halls hadtheir computers connected to the network. Oth-ers used dial-in connections to the campusnetwork. OIT supplies software for makingthese connections at little or no expense to thestudents, distributes software that has beensite-licensed for the University community’suse, and supports an online directory of allcampus-assigned email addresses (students,faculty, and staff).

For a half-yearly $30 fee, students haveaccess to most of these facilities and services,with each allotted 30 Megs of disk space forstoring email messages, and 100 Megs of diskspace on the UNIX host computers for Web andother files. The IMAP email service supportsaccess from email clients on a personal com-puter as well as through a Web interface.

OIT provides extensive assistance, consult-ing, and training services to members of the

Other Services

University community. During semesters, theHelp Desk is open for 10 hours per day, fourdays per week, and 8 hours for two other days.

The Help Desk is backed up by SoftwareSupport, which can consult on more difficultquestions. PC Hardware Support can diagnoseand repair most computer equipment on a fee-for-service basis. The Online Help Desk atwww.oit.umass.edu/help/ provides a tailoredsearch of one of the most extensive and variedcollections of online documentation of anyuniversity.

OIT offers workshops on a wide range ofsubjects each semester and during January andsummer breaks. There is a modest fee for theworkshops; some also have a charge for coursematerials. In addition, OIT supports computer-based training on many Windows systems andapplications.

Students may contact the Help Desk beforecoming to campus for further informationabout OIT services. The telephone number is(413) 545-9400; the Help Desk Web site is:www.oit.umass.edu/hds/hd/; and the email ad-dress is: help@oit.umass.edu.

Many University courses include Web pages,online discussions, and email as integral as-pects. The University Library catalog and bookavailability information are accessible throughthe Web. Academic departments conduct ma-jor research on computer-related subjects, andthe campus is a full participant in Internet 2.

Ombuds Office

The Ombuds Office was established to assistany member of the University community inresolving a University-related problem or griev-ance which is not being redressed through nor-mal channels. Among the problems the OmbudsOffice handles are interpersonal disputes, aca-demic disputes, administrative matters, per-sonnel issues, and ethical concerns. Some ofthe problems on which the Ombuds Office canoffer advice or assistance to students includecourse/degree requirements; academic disputes;grading policy and practice; allegations of aca-demic dishonesty; harassment; delays in ser-vices or decisions; conflicts with instructors,employers, or administrative offices; and con-flicts arising with roommates or co-workers, orin the classroom. The Ombuds Office can fre-quently secure needed information and reason-able outcomes where delay or disagreement isthe problem. A member of the Ombuds staffcan function as a neutral intermediary in dis-putes and can often facilitate informal settle-ments where formal procedures fail. TheOmbuds Office can also provide mediationwhen appropriate.

In addition, the Ombuds Office can answergeneral questions about the University or pro-vide referrals to the appropriate person or agencyfor further information. Records, contacts andcommunication are normally confidential.

Although appointments are not required, it isbest to call to arrange a convenient time to meetwith a member of the Ombuds staff. For infor-mation, or to arrange an appointment, pleasecontact Kay Politella, support staff, Room 823,Campus Center, or telephone 545-0867. TheOmbuds Office can also be contacted by e-mail: ombuds@ombuds.umass.edu

Parking

Any vehicle may park in the Campus CenterVisitor Parking Garage or in visitor meteredspaces with proper payment. Permits are re-quired in all University of Massachusetts park-ing lots from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday throughFriday. Parking permits may be purchased atParking Services, located in Lot 25, near theMullins Center, at the north end of campus.

Convenient permit parking is extremely lim-ited on campus. Parking Services maintainswait lists for all parking lots.

After 5 p.m. or on weekends, parking oncampus in legal parking spaces is not restricted.Open parking is never allowed in reservedspaces, including handicapped, resident staffor state vehicle spaces, fire lanes, and 24-hourreserved lots.

All vehicles must comply with theUniversity’s published motor vehicle regula-tions, copies of which are available at ParkingServices.

For more information, visit the Parking Ser-vices Web site at: www-parking.admin.umass.edu or call (413) 545-0065.

Public Radio

WFCR at 88.5 FM is a public, noncommercialstation broadcasting news, jazz, classical andfolk music, and special interest programs.Studios are located in Hampshire House, tel.545-0100.

The National Public Radio member stationand Public Radio International affiliate servesover 140,000 listeners in Massachusetts, Con-necticut, Vermont, and New Hamphsire.WFCR/88.5FM is the public radio licensee ofthe University of Massachusetts Amherst andoperates with the advice and support of Amherst,Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and Smith col-leges. Student internships in news, marketing,and development are available, and students

36

may be employed at the station as part-timecontrol board operators, production assistants,or work study support staff. There is also astudent radio station, WMUA, in the CampusCenter.

Robsham Memorial Centerfor Visitors

The Robsham Memorial Center for Visitorsprovides a central location to serve and assistvisitors to campus in obtaining information,referrals, directions, and general material aboutthe University, as well as offering a variety ofother hospitality services. Follow signs to the“Visitors Center” which is located on the southside of the campus, on Massachusetts Avenue,and opposite the flagpoles between theWhitmore Administration Building and theSchool of Management. Hours are weekdays, 9a.m.-4:30 p.m.; weekends (except June-Au-gust), 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. The facility is closedon some state and federal holidays. Telephone:(413) 545-0306; fax: (413) 545-9466.

Research Centers andInstitutes

Center for Applied MathematicsCenter for Economic DevelopmentCenter for Education PolicyCenter for Educational AssessmentCenter for Energy Efficiency and Renewable

EnergyCenter for the FamilyCenter for Geometry, Analysis, Numerics, and GraphicsCenter for International SecuritiesCenter for Jewish StudiesCenter for Manufacturing ProductivityCenter for Neuroendocrine StudiesCenter for Nutrition in Sport and Human Per-

formanceCenter for Organizational and Community De-

velopmentCenter for Process Design and ControlCenter for Public Policy and AdministrationCenter for Real-Time Intelligent Complex Com-

puting SystemsCenter for Research in Art and TechnologyCenter for Research and Education in Women’s

HealthCenter for Rural MassachusettsCenter for Spectator Sport ResearchCenter for the Study of Communication Envi-

ronmental Institute

Other Services

Institute for Advanced Study in the HumanitiesInstitute for Science, Technology, Engineering

and Math EducationMassachusetts Institute for Social and Economic

ResearchNonprofit CenterNortheast Regional Environmental Public

Health CenterPolitical Economy Research InstituteRenaissance CenterScientific Reasoning Research InstituteSmall Business Development CentersSocial and Demographic Research InstituteStatistical Consulting CenterStrategic Information Technology CenterTranslation CenterUMass Transportation CenterWater Resources Research Center

Other Facilities

Animal CareArts Extension ServiceAcademic Instructional Media ServicesCartographics Information Research ServicesCenter for TeachingCentral Microscopy FacilityChild Care SystemCooperative Fishery UnitCooperative Wildlife Research UnitDigital Photographic Research ServiceEngineering Computer ServicesFive College Foreign Language Resource CenterInstitute for Governmental ServicesLabor Relations and Research CenterMarine StationMassachusetts Agricultural Experiment StationMassachusetts Information Scanning UnitMicroanalysis LaboratoryOffice of Institutional ResearchPhotographic ServicesPsychological Services CenterPublications OfficeScholarly JournalsSensorimotor Control ClinicStudent Affairs Research and Information Ser-

vicesUniversity Foreign Language Resource CenterUniversity PressVeterans Assistance and Counseling ServicesWildlife Research Unit

Other Services

Other services include varied student activi-ties, and many of the Student Affairs servicesmentioned above. Additional services support-ed by the University are the campus religiousactivities, and the Alumni Association, inwhich all University graduates are grantedmembership.