Student services

Disability Services

• obtains and files disability-related documents
• certifies eligibility for services
• determines reasonable accommodations based on student and staff needs
• develops plans for the provision of such accommodations for staff and students
• schedules sign language interpreters for University classes when requested by students

Additional services are discussed in the Disability Services handbook available at the main office.

McNamara Alumni Center
Suite 180
200 Oak Street SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455
612-626-1333 (V/TTY)
http://ds.umn.edu/

Recreational facilities

University of Minnesota recreational gyms and facilities are available on both the Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses. The newer of the two gyms is located on the Minneapolis campus and includes the Aquatic Center with an Olympic-size pool. The Minneapolis facility includes racquetball and squash courts, treadmills, Stairmasters, Nordic tracks and much more. The facilities are open to all qualified students, staff and faculty. The following are acceptable forms of eligibility.

1. All students who pay the student service fees.
2. All students who are registered for a minimum of one credit and purchase a participation permit.
3. Faculty and staff who have purchased a participation permit.
4. Current students, faculty and staff who purchase a $5.00 guest pass.
5.  Individuals participating in Rec. Sports or Kinesiology classes that present a paid class receipt are eligible for that class program.
6. Non-University Sport Club Members who present a current “non-affiliate card”.
7. Any spouse of an eligible individual who presents a current spouse card.

St. Paul and Minneapolis facility hours vary. For more information on recreation hours and facilities contact:
Minneapolis Gym 612-625-6800 http://www.recsports.umn.edu/facilities/urc.html
St. Paul Gym 612-625-8283, http://www.recsports.umn.edu/facilities/spg.html

Library information

The two main libraries on the Twin Cities campus are Walter Library (East Bank) and Wilson Library. Wilson Library (West Bank) is the main source of information for M.Ed. students in the deaf/hard of hearing education program.

The Libraries has been adding full-text journal articles to its databases, and there are now more than 1,000,000 complete articles available online from Libraries and remote computers. The newest library initiatives include: Research QuickStart, Research QuickStudy, CourseLib, InfoPoint, Electronic Text Reseach Center, and IMAGES.

Student service fee

The student service fee is a charge that is applied to all day school students registered for six or more credits. With this fee you are eligible to participate in various student programs as well as the recreational facilities and Boynton Health Services.

Housing

Graduate students may choose from among University residence halls, which provide both room and board, and from off-campus apartments or rooms. Information on these options can be obtained from:

www.umn.edu/housing/

Health services

All registered graduate students have access to the University Health Services. Supplementary personal health insurance is required by the University of Minnesota and can be purchased through a group policy or through a private institution. Please note: there is a deadline for applications. Questions regarding health insurance for graduate students can be directed to: Graduate Health Insurance 612-624-0627 or 612-625-6936. During the hours that Boynton Health Services is closed, emergency care is available at the University Hospital emergency department. For detailed information, see Welcome to Boynton, a brochure available at Boynton Health Services. General information and a copy of the brochure may be obtained by calling 612-625-8400.

Services for students from abroad

Counseling and advisory services are provided for students from other countries. All international students are invited to address their inquiries to:

Financial aid

As is the case at most universities, assistance is available in a variety of forms on and off campus.

All institutional financial aid packages are handled through the campus financial aid office (address listed below). Types of assistance include Guaranteed Student Loans, PLUS Loans, SELF Loans, and University Loans. Also, work study money and limited scholarship money may be awarded based on need. Students who obtain work-study financial aid may find it easier to obtain an assistantship. If you are interested in any of the above, you may contact the Student Financial Aid Office.

There are various assistantships offered at the University of Minnesota. While some positions are posted in the department, all assistantship postings can be found in the Graduate Assistants Office, 100 Donhowe Building, 319 15th Ave. S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55414. Most of the assistantships also include partial to complete tuition waivers depending upon the number of hours worked (e.g., 25% [10hrs/wk] position = a 50% tuition waiver; a 50% [20hrs/wk] position = a 100% tuition waiver). It is recommended that you check periodically for assistantship openings.

Many employment opportunities for special education students have been provided by the College of Liberal Arts Advising Office, General College, Institute on Community Integration (ICI), various departments in the College of Education and Human Development, as well as outside community settings. The Student Employment Office lists many opportunities for on-campus employment.

Revised March 2003