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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, College Television Network, Information Desk, Le Bijou Theater,
the Cotillion Ballroom, and various meeting and banquet facilities.
It also houses Student Life, Bookstore, Post Office, Union Services
and Facilities, Camp and Conference Office, the Career Services Office,
the Student Government Association, the Student Programming Association,
Peer Assistance, I.D. Card System, and Interfraternity, Panhellenic,
and National Panhellenic Councils.
Identification (ID) cards are
issued by the Office of Union Services and Facilities 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 $10.
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.
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 (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.
Le M?lange, a full-service snack
bar area, in the Student Union, offers a wide selection of food and
beverages at reasonable prices. Hot and cold sandwiches, local entrees,
salads, snacks, and pastries are available daily for the customer's
convenience and taste preference. Le Bistro Cafe, also in the
Student Union, features specialty coffees, mini po-boys, and Mexican
cuisine.
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:
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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.
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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.
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Undergraduate students
living with parents, grandparents, married brother or sister,
or in supervised sorority or fraternity housing.
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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 $1,576 (double occupancy) or $2,101 (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 $712 (double occupancy) or $902 (single 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.
The University reserves the right
to conduct inspections for damage and repairs, for compliance with housing
and University regulations, and protection of the health and safety
of occupants or other persons. The University reserves the right
to change or cancel residence hall accommodations of any student in
cases where such action is deemed necessary. Other regulations pertaining
to residence halls are contained in the Residence Hall Contract and
Regulations and in the Code of Student Conduct.
University
Apartment Housing
The
University has a total of twenty unfurnished apartments (one and two
bedroom). 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.
The order of priority for assignment
of apartments is as follows: (1) students with dependents, (2) students
with co-habitants who are not eligible for assignment to the residence
halls, (3) emergency housing for faculty-staff (for terms of less than
six months), and (4) students eligible for assignment to the residence
halls.
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 1 of each year through August 31 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.
The operation of a vehicle on
the campus is a privilege granted by the University. The purchase
of a parking permit does not guarantee the registrant a parking space,
nor does it imply that the University assumes responsibility for that
vehicle or its contents. Students, faculty, and staff are deemed
to know and understand campus parking regulations by virtue of their
choosing to take advantage of campus parking facilities. Each
parking violation incurs a $20 fine, with a penalty for late payment.
Bookstore
The
University Bookstore, located next to the Post Office in the Student
Union building, is open Mondays through Thursdays from 7:30 a.m. until
5:00 p.m. and on Fridays from 7:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. During the
first two weeks of classes in the Fall and Spring Semesters, Bookstore
hours are extended to accommodate students with evening classes.
Hours are posted reflecting said times and dates.
Students
are allowed to obtain a full refund on textbook purchases during the
first week of class in a semester, with a receipt. After
the first week of class, a full refund will be given up to 30 days
after start of classes, with a receipt, if within 2 days of
purchase or with proof of schedule change. All other textbook
refunds within the first 30 days will be honored at 75% of the purchase
price, with a receipt. Textbooks must be in original
condition. Refunds for Summer Session will be accepted for ONE
WEEK ONLY AFTER THE START OF CLASS. Returns for special
course sessions such as Intersession are not allowed after the 2nd
day of class. A full copy of the Return Policy is available
at the Bookstore.
The
University Bookstore buys used books back every day. However,
the best time to sell used books is during finals week. Selling
your textbooks back at the end of a term can cut your net textbook
expense by up to one half. Buyback dates and times are posted
prior to finals exam week. The Bookstore will pay up to 50% of the
book?s selling price, if it was requested by your professors for required
use for next term, if the bookstore is not overstocked and if it is
in good condition. If the book does not meet these criteria,
the price paid is then based on the current national demand.
For the protection of the students on campus, we always require
those selling books to show current student identification.
Selection
of textbooks is the responsibility of the academic departments.
Course book information requests are sent to the academic departments
by the Bookstore every semester. These book requests are completed
and returned to the Bookstore so that the textbook procurement cycle
can take place. New book prices are established by the publishers.
Used books retail for 75% of the new book price.
The
University Bookstore stocks all required textbooks and materials.
Reference books, cookbooks, paperback readings, and a wide variety
of staple materials and supplies are also available. Specialty
items, NSU merchandise, greeting cards, graduation supplies, and snacks
can also be purchased. U.P.S. services, fax services, sign making,
binding and lamination services are all provided for a small fee.
The Bookstore accepts cash, personal
checks, travelers cheques, Master Card, Visa, American Express, and
Discover as tender for purchases. A special program called ?Textbook
Reservations? is not available so that textbooks can be reserved on
line at www.bkstore.com/nich.
The University Bookstore can be reached by phone at (985) 448-4540 or
by fax at (985) 448-4928.
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.
Post Office boxes are available
for rent and it is currently a cash only operation.
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.
For additional information about
youth and adult non-credit programs, contact the Office of Camps and
Conferences: by visiting the office in the lobby of the Student Union
(office hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday);
by mailing to P. O. Box 2119, Thibodaux, LA 70310; by calling (985)
448-4534; or by visiting our website at www.nicholls.edu/cnc.
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.
All UCC services are confidential
and free of charge for registered students, faculty, and staff. The
UCC is located in 227 Elkins Hall. Office hours are 8:00 a.m.
to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Call 448-4080 for information
and appointments. For after hour emergencies call University Police
at 448-4911.
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. Call
448-4430 for information and appointments.
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.
Specialized tests and inventories
useful in helping the students are given in conjunction with the Freshman
Studies and Academic Success. Students requesting special testing
accommodations must have documentation on file in the Office of Disabled
Student Services.
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.
The center is under the direction
of the Department of Allied Health Sciences. All diagnostic and
management services are performed or are closely supervised by qualified
personnel who have earned the Certificate of Clinical Competence from
the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and who are licensed
by the Louisiana Board of Examiners for Speech Pathology and Audiology.
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.
The University Community agency
network (U.C.A.N.) operates through the Family Resource Center and provides
information about and refers individuals to various non-profit agencies.
Students are encouraged to volunteer in assisting with the telephone
line. UCAN is located in the portable building to the rear of
the Family and Consumer Sciences Building.
NSU-Family
Service Center
The NSU-Family Service Center
is dedicated to enhancing the social and cultural infrastructure of
south central Louisiana. The Family Service Center operates as
an intake center for referrals from the Office of Community Services
and Families in Need of Services programs. The center provides
supportive services to families and utilizes a family systems perspective
in treatment planning and service delivery. Parenting skills training,
home-based counseling programs, mentor programs, support groups for
families, respite, health services, homemaker and housing assistance,
substance abuse services, independent living skills, individual and
family therapy and play therapy are supportive services provided to
families in the Lafourche, Terrebonne and Assumption parish areas.
The case management services funded by and delivered through the Family
Service Center accommodate the needs of families by establishing permanency,
safety and well-being and promote community involvement so every family
has an opportunity to experience a quality of life conducive to maximizing
individual potential.
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.
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Thibodaux, Louisiana 70310 
