STUDENT SERVICES

The University provides a variety of activities, programs, and services to support and complement the academic offerings and to expand the total growth of the student.  The various components of the co-curricular program relate to the University's mission and educational philosophy by contributing to the cultural, intellectual, physical, emotional, and social development of students.  The student development philosophy underlying these activities and services focuses on the personal growth and education of the student and is based on the premise that all students have the right to develop to their full potential.

Student Union

The Student Union is the center of University activity.  It provides a wide range of services and benefits for students as well as social, cultural, and community service programs.  It fosters a close, informal relationship among students, faculty and staff.

This facility includes Le M?lange Snack Bar and dining commons, Le Bistro Caf?, the Game Room, racquetball courts, two television rooms, Le Bijou Theater, the Cotillion Ballroom, and various meeting and banquet facilities.  It also houses University Health Services, Student Life, Bookstore, Post Office, Union Services and Facilities, Camp and Conference Office, the Placement Office, the Student Government Association, the Student Programming Association, and Interfraternity and Panhellenic councils.

Student Identification Cards

Identification (ID) cards are issued by the Office of Student Life to students for use during their association with or attendance at the University.  The person issued the card is responsible for its use and for any charges or purchases made with it.  It provides access to designated events, facilities and services, and the University reserves the right to limit or revoke such access.  Misuse may result in disciplinary action.  The card must be surrendered when the student withdraws from the University or upon demand by a University official.  Lost or stolen cards should be reported immediately to the Office of Student Life where a replacement card may be obtained for a fee of $5.

Academic Computing and Instructional Technology

The Department of Academic Computing and Instructional Technology develops and coordinates plans for academic computing and instructional technology for the five undergraduate colleges, the Junior Division, and Graduate Studies. The Department also supports university research efforts requiring large electronic databases (e.g., Compustat, Citibase, and ICPSR) or statistical analysis (e.g., SAS, SPSS, SHAZAM). Three "open" labs, consisting of 110 state of the art computers, the Cenac Center, located in the College of Business; the WAC Computer Lab, located in Ellender Memorial Library; and the Engineering and Petroleum Sciences Lab, located in the College of Life Sciences and Technology, are available to all enrolled students.

Many departments have dedicated computer classrooms or labs for specific majors. Art, business administration, computer science, criminal justice, education, English, family and consumer sciences, legal assistant studies, mass communication, mathematics, music, nursing, and office information systems are among the areas that have dedicated computer facilities. In addition, large databases and statistical analysis software are available on all "open" lab computers. Valid student ID?s are required for entry.

Writing Across the Curriculum Writing Center

The Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) Writing Center is staffed with writing consultants to assist students with writing assignments from any subject area. Consultants are trained to guide students through the writing process. The WAC Computer Lab, providing technical assistance which is supported by Instructional Technology, is also available in the same facility. Valid student ID?s are required for entry.

Computer Services

The University main computer center in Room 155 of Peltier Hall provides services to students, faculty, staff, and administrators. The computer configuration consists of an IBM 9221 computer system, model 170, with 128 million-byte main memory. The system has two magnetic tape drives and 72 billion-byte disk capacity. The campus has a fiber optic cable system connecting buildings; in addition, more than 1500 terminals and personal computers are connected to the network. Its server is operated by a NOVELL operating system which connects users to the campus main network (NSUNET), the state computer network (LaNet), and Internet.

Computer Services assists students, faculty, staff and administrators with their data processing needs.

University Health Services

University Health Services (UHS) provides both health education and health-care services to students.  The staff attends to students' acute health concerns and teaches health promotion and disease prevention strategies.

Students are required to submit a statement of immunization status. The immunization statement allows UHS personnel to determine if students are in compliance with state and institutional requirements. The student?s proof of immunization form is kept as part of the student's confidential health records.

UHS is located in the Betsy Cheramie Ayo Nursing Building. Services are available from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday during fall and spring semesters and from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. during summer sessions.  Nurses are available whenever Health Services is open.  Physician services are available on the premises four hours per day, Monday through Friday, when classes are in session during the fall and spring semesters, and two hours per day during the summer session.  After hours, students with urgent health concerns may call or go to the Emergency Room at Thibodaux Regional Medical Center for advice or care.

Food Services

Union Services and Facilities supervises the food service operations of the University.  Vernon F. Galliano Hall Cafeteria is a spacious, centralized dining facility offering nutritious food, student-oriented menus, and a wide range of services to the campus community including several meal plans to fit the busy lifestyles of students, faculty, and staff, reasonable cash prices to the public, traditional local cuisine, and a catering department to accommodate the hospitality needs of the University public.

Residential Services

The experience of living on campus is one of the most important phases of University life.  The Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana system places the welfare of the student as the top priority in the establishment and operation of all higher education institutions.

Positive Board action has been taken in the acquisition and construction of essential housing, dining, student life, and academic facilities for the established institutions.  The Board expects students to utilize these facilities to their fullest and in the best interest of all concerned.

The University requires that all full-time undergraduate students, regardless of age or whether or not emancipated, live on campus as long as space is available unless exempted by the institution for good and reasonable cause, such as:

1. A case where it appears that a full-time undergraduate student will suffer significant hardship or because financial, medical, or other reasons are shown to be sound and sufficient.

2. In the case of a non-traditional student where such individual is by virtue of age and experience incompatible with the educational objectives and values sought to be provided by the on‑campus residence program.
3. Undergraduate students living with parents, grandparents, married brother or sister, or in supervised sorority or fraternity housing.
4. Students who are married or who maintain single-parent households.

Requests for exemptions should be directed to the Office of Residential Services.

Nicholls has seven modern, air-conditioned residence halls.  Accommodations consist of four‑student suites (two rooms with adjoining baths with two students sharing a room), except in the case of two men's residence halls. Students may also contract for a private room.  All rooms come with comfortable furniture.  Requests for applications and questions regarding housing should be directed to the Office of Residential Services.

Residence hall accommodations are operated on a room-and-board plan; that is, all students living in the residence halls must contract for both services.  The contract for room and board is for two semesters (fall and spring) or a single summer session.  Students entering into a contract must live in the residence hall for the entire contract period and must pay rates as published in the most current University Bulletin.  The housing and food service contract does not include official University holidays, e.g., Thanksgiving, Mardi Gras, Easter, Spring Break, and days between semesters.  Arrangements for housing during official holidays can be made with the Office of Residential Services.

The current cost of the Housing and Food Service Plan for the regular semesters is $1,501 (double occupancy) or $1,951 (single occupancy) per semester which must be paid in full at the time of registration.

The current cost of Housing and Food Service for the seven-week summer session is $700 (double occupancy) which must be paid in full at the time of registration.  Students who fail to pay room and board fees when due will be subject to eviction from the residence halls; and meal privileges will be cancelled.  The student will remain indebted for the balance due the University.

Refund requests for the Housing and Food Service Plan received prior to the opening of the residence halls will be refunded in full.  Students who resign after the opening of the residence halls will be issued a refund in accordance with the tuition fee refund schedule, less any applicable daily charges administered prior to the beginning of classes.  The housing and food service contract deposit will be forfeited.

Students who remain enrolled, but elect to move from the residence halls will generally not have the right to any refund of fees paid under the housing and food service contract.  The housing and food service contract is a binding contract entered into between the student and the University.  Breaking the contract by leaving the residence hall before the end of the contract period makes the remainder of the contract due and payable immediately.  Only in exceptional cases may any portion of the contract amount be refundable.  No refund or credit will be issued to any student who is moved from the residence halls/cafeteria due to disciplinary action.  An appeal in writing through the Director of Residential Services to the Vice Presidents for Student Affairs and Business Affairs, outlining the nature and severity of the changed conditions, is necessary for any refund to be considered.  The housing and food service contract deposit will be forfeited.

Applications for housing and food service may be filed at any time and must be accompanied by a $150 retention and damage deposit. Checks or money orders should be made payable to Nicholls State University.  A student may cancel this contract and recover the deposit if written notice of cancellation is received by the Office of Residential Services no later than 45 days prior to the opening of the residence halls for the contract period. If a student does not claim housing space by 5 p.m. on the day before the first day of classes, the deposit will be automatically forfeited.  The deposit (for students meeting all obligations of the contract) will be refunded at the end of the contract period, less any charges for damage and indebtedness due the University.

University Apartment Housing

The University has a total of twenty one- and two-bedroom apartments.  These facilities are unfurnished other than for kitchen facilities.  A $100 deposit is required.  A one-bedroom unit rents for $300 per month and a two-bedroom unit for $350 per month.  Applications and fees for housing should be directed to the director of Residential Services.

University Police

University police officers are responsible for law enforcement and vehicle traffic control on campus.  Officers are police commissioned by the City of Thibodaux and by the director of Public Safety for the State of Louisiana.  They have the right to carry concealed weapons, exercise the power of arrest, and enforce federal, state, and local laws.  The Office for University Police is within the administrative area of Student Affairs.

Officers must be graduates of a basic law enforcement training academy.  The department of University Police is administered by a director assisted by an assistant director, a communication officer, four part-time student workers, and a secretary.

EMERGENCIES.  Emergency calls are initiated through the Complaint Desk Officer by dialing 448-4911 (on campus, dial 4911) or by reporting to the office at Ardoyne Drive and Madewood Drive.  Police service is available and officers patrol the campus 24 hours each day of the year.  Depending on the existing emergency conditions and the seriousness and nature of the problem, the appropriate University officer will be notified, or the problem will be addressed directly by the police officer investigating if it is within his or her jurisdiction to do so.

AUTOMOBILE REGISTRATION.  Any person who operates and parks an automobile on campus must pay a registration fee for an official permit valid from August 15 of each year through August 14 of the next year.  The fee is $25 for the academic year and $10 for the summer session.  The fee must be paid at the Controller's Office during class registration or within the first seven class days of the fall semester.  Decals may be picked up at the University Police building during office hours upon presenting a receipt from the Controller's Office.  Special and temporary parking permits may also be obtained at the University Police Office.  Fees are subject to change without notice.

PARKING FACILITIES.  Printed regulations, signs, and street and curb markings notify drivers of parking and traffic regulations.  Printed regulations are obtained with the registration of an automobile at the University Police Office.  Parking spaces are available for non-ambulatory disabled persons.  Special parking privileges may be obtained through the University Police Office.

Bookstore

The University Bookstore, located next to the Post Office in the Student Union is open Monday through Friday.  During the first week of classes in the Fall and Spring Semesters,  Bookstore hours are extended to accommodate students with evening classes.  Hours are posted.

Students are allowed two weeks from the beginning of the Fall and Spring Semesters and two days during Intersession and Summer Semesters to return books due to schedule changes.  Dates are posted in the Bookstore.  To obtain a refund or exchange, the student must present both a course schedule and the original cash register receipt to the Bookstore.  All books can be returned for refund in kind or exchange. New books must be in clean and unmarked condition. Shrink-wrap packages must be un-opened.  The Bookstore is not responsible for used books which have torn or mutilated pages; these should be checked before purchasing.  A full copy of the Return Policy is available at the Bookstore.

The Bookstore sells new and used textbooks and buys books from University students during examination week at the end of each semester.  Buy-back dates are posted and students are paid up to 50% of the current new retail price on all textbooks that will be used the following semester at the University.  If the textbooks are not used the following semester, the student is offered a price based on the national market.  New book prices are established by the publishers.  Selection of textbooks is the responsibility of the academic departments.  Books can be reserved or ordered on-line at www.bkstore.com/nich.

The Bookstore stocks all required textbooks and materials.  Reference books, cookbooks, paperbacks, and a widely diversified stock of staple materials and supplies are available.  Specialty items, stationery, NSU merchandise, greeting cards, graduation supplies, snacks, balloons and magazines can also be purchased.  Special order items may be made for materials not in stock.  Special order items are not returnable. U.P.S., fax, sign making, binding and lamination services are provided for a small fee.

Book drops located between the doors and the merchandise area are provided for students to place their books and personal items while shopping.  Lockers are also provided for such use.

Bookstore accepts cash, personal check, travelers cheques, MasterCard and Visa, American Express, and Discover.

Post Office

The University post office located in the Student Union, is a contract station for the United States Postal Service, and offers all the usual services except the issuance of postal money orders. 

Camp and Conference Services

The Office of Camps and Conferences develops youth and adult non-credit programs, which provide opportunities for intellectual and personal development.  Fees for these programs vary, depending on the topic, the number of hours of instruction and the supplies required.  Individuals may register for these programs in person, by mail, by phone, or online.

The Office of Camps and Conferences also contracts with off-campus groups that want to use Nicholls State University facilities and services.  The Office of Camps and Conferences will provide a one-stop service for coordinating food and housing services and the scheduling of university facilities.

Youth Programs: The Office of Camps and Conferences provides marketing, registration, and administration services.  Local, university, and national presenters direct and teach the programs.  All youth programs and camps are open to the public.  Classes are held year round including weekends, holidays, and evenings.

Adult Programs: The Office of Camps and Conferences adult non-credit programs are of two major types: community enrichment and professional development.  These programs are generally open to the public and do not require that participants have a high school diploma.  Most classes are scheduled in the evenings or on Saturdays.  Each semester, a brochure describing the current offerings is made available to the public.

Community enrichment courses are primarily special interest classes, designed to expand one?s horizons and create new interests.  Courses offered vary from semester to semester and include a variety of topics ranging from folk art to financial planning and from microcomputers to Cajun dancing.

Professional development courses include seminars, conferences, and workshops aimed at individuals already in the workplace who need to update their knowledge and skills.  Because these non-credit courses are flexible, they can be quickly arranged to meet the constantly changing needs of area businesses and industries.  These programs are held on the NSU campus in Thibodaux, at local businesses, or other convenient locations.

Career Planning and Placement

The Career Services Center at Nicholls, located in the Student Union Ballroom, provides professional coaching and career counseling as well as a comprehensive program on resume writing.  Students, as well as alumni, are encouraged to register with the Career Services Center during their junior year in college.  The office will help students find part-time and summer employment while attending college and full-time employment after graduation.  The On-Campus Recruiting Program is designed to assist graduating seniors, graduate students, and alumni with their job search during the spring and fall semesters.  A career library, which contains literature on various companies throughout the United States, is available for career research and interview preparation, and the video reading library offers job candidates videotaped materials on interviewing and up-to-date books on job search skills and resume writing.  Career Day, an event sponsored by the Career Services Center each October, brings representatives from more than 100 local, regional, and national companies to the campus to interview students and alumni.  Throughout the academic year, special Job Search seminars are offered to teach students how to prepare resumes and to learn interviewing skills.  Alumni are offered all services and training materials. 

University Counseling Center

The University Counseling Center (UCC) provides personal counseling for such concerns as depression, stress, self-esteem, anxiety, eating disorders, career issues, and relationship issues.  Individual, group, and couples counseling sessions are offered.  Workshops and presentations are also offered to the campus community and through classes, student organizations, and residence halls.  These services are provided by trained counselors.

Disabled Student Services

Programs and services for students with disabilities are available through the Office of Disabled Student Services which assists students in making adjustments to university life. Students with disabilities must first self-identify with the Office of Disabled Student Services and provide current documentation of their disability from an appropriate licensed professional regarding the nature and extent of the disability and the recommended accommodations.  Before any accommodations will be made documentation must be provided.  The Office of Disabled Student Services is located in  Peltier Hall, Room 101, in conjunction with the Testing Center. 

Testing Center

The Testing Center in Peltier Hall, Room 101, administers a variety of tests pertinent to prospective and enrolled University students, and others.  The following tests are of importance to prospective students: American College Test (ACT), ACT Residual, and the University Pre-Enrollment Placement (PEP) tests.  The PEP tests are used by Nicholls to place students in the correct levels of English, mathematics and reading.  Enrolled students may avail themselves of tests required for admission to advanced study.  These include, the Graduate Record Exam (Subject Areas), Miller Analogies Test (MAT), Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). Other tests which may be of importance to both prospective and enrolled students are the National League for Nursing (NLN), Center for Nursing Education and Testing (ACE), College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), Automotive Service for Excellence (ASE) and correspondence exams.

Speech and Hearing Center

The Jo Carol Nolen Speech, Language, and Hearing Center, located in Talbot Hall, has a dual function. It offers clinical practice to students training in communicative disorders.  It also offers diagnostic and management services to college students, children, and adults in the Nicholls area to help them overcome communication disorders which could impair their educational, professional, and cultural growth.  Such disorders include articulation problems, fluency disorders, voice disorders, aphasia, laryngectomy, and speech disorders associated with cleft palate and cerebral palsy.  Individuals with varying degrees of hearing impairment are also seen for evaluation and rehabilitation.

Family Resource Center

The Family Resource Center provides on-site support to families in the region.  Its mission is to support and strengthen families by offering resources, information, and skill development classes.  Family and individual support through the center is available through a toll-free telephone line answered by volunteers from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with after hours and holiday coverage through an answering machine.  Annually, a community resource directory is published.  The center provides skill building out-reach programs and on-campus programs for students in parenting, budgeting, self esteem, family communications, nutrition, positive discipline, conflict resolution and others on demand.  A staff is available to address, develop and implement new ideas and programs identified by professionals and community residents.  Outreach programs are made available through schools, daycare centers, churches, businesses, and recreation facilities.  The center is open for the lending of resources, parent support groups, and services.

NSU-Family Service Center

Bus Service

Ascension, St. Charles, and St. James Parishes provide bus transportation to Nicholls. For further information students should contact their local parish school board office.

Voter Registration

Students may register to vote in the Office of Student Life. When a student first obtains an identification card, he or she will be offered a voter registration form; if the student is already registered to vote, or does not wish to register, he or she must so indicate in writing.