Miscellaneous Terms

   
Academic Probation:

Academic probation is a warning that a student has fallen out of “good academic standing.”  Typically, this is determined by a combination of cumulative and term GPA (your overall GPA and semester GPA, respectively).  Probation is a warning that you must improve your academic performance otherwise you may be dismissed by your academic college and you may not graduate.  Each college at the University of Iowa has its own standards for staying in good standing:

Dean’s List: Students who achieve a grade point average of 3.50 or higher on 12 semester hours or more of UI graded course work during a semester or summer session and who have no hours of I (incomplete) or O (no grade reported) for that enrollment are recognized by inclusion on the Dean's List for that semester.
Degree Audit: A degree audit is used to determine a student’s academic progress towards their desired degree.
Degree Applications:

Students must apply for a degree for the session in which they intend to graduate.  

http://registrar.uiowa.edu/degree-application

Dismissal:  Students may be dismissed from their college if they do not improve their academic performance after being placed on academic probation.
Dropped Class: Students may elect to drop classes during the semester for various reasons (cost of tuition, unexpected illness or injury, lack of academic preparation for a specific course, etc.).  Dropping is different from withdrawing because withdrawing involves dropping all classes in a semester, not just some.  If you drop a class after the end of the second week of class the course will continue to appear on your transcript with a mark of “W.”  Classes marked with a “W” do not count towards your GPA.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA): Federal law that governs the privacy of student educational records, access to those records, and disclosure of information from them.
First-Generation College Student: First-generation college students are the first in their family to earn a four-year degree.
General Education: General Education courses in various areas of study are required for graduation.  General Education allows students to explore a variety of courses and helps them become well-rounded in their studies.  General Education requirements vary from college to college.
Graduation with Distinction:

The Office of the Registrar certifies to the dean of the college the names of students eligible to graduate with distinction. The college awards degrees "with highest distinction" to students in the highest 2 percent of the graduating class, "with high distinction" to students in the next highest 3 percent, and "with distinction" to the next highest 5 percent. Ranking is based on students' grade point averages for all college level study undertaken before the final registration.

To be eligible for graduation with distinction, students must complete a minimum 60 s.h. of University of Iowa credit of which at least 45 s.h. must have been completed before the student's final registration.

HawkID:  The HawkID is your personal identification used along with your HawkID password to access most online services at the University of Iowa. It is usually made up of some combination of your first, middle and last name. For example, John F Doe might have the ID jfdoe.
Higher education: Higher education includes education after the high school level.  Institutions of higher education include universities, colleges, seminaries, institutes of technology, community colleges, and vocational schools. 
Iowa One Card: The Iowa One Card is the student ID card for University of Iowa Students.  It is used for after hours access to the Learning Commons at the Main Library, checking out Library materials, meal plans and doing laundry in the residence halls, and other tasks.  
Living-Learning Community (LLC): 

First-year students belong to LLCs where they can connect with a community while blending the residential and academic experience. 

http://housing.uiowa.edu/living-learning-communities

Mandatory Fees:

Most students enrolled at the University of Iowa must pay mandatory fees that help pay for the facilities and services offered to them. 

http://registrar.uiowa.edu/mandatory-fees

Office Hours: Many faculty members hold regular weekly office hours.  These hours are a time for students to drop-in and get to know their professor/instructor and/or receive additional help with the course material.  No appointment is necessary for office hours.
President's List:  University of Iowa undergraduate students who achieve a grade point average of 4.00 on 12 semester hours or more of UI graded course work and who have no hours of I (incomplete) or O (no grade reported) for two consecutive semesters (including summer session) are recognized by inclusion on the President's List.
Residency: Residency is used to determine a student’s tuition rate.  In-state means the student is considered a resident of Iowa whereas out-of-state students are residents of another state.  A student can become a resident of Iowa by following the guidelines on the registrar’s website: http://registrar.uiowa.edu/residency
Tuition:  Tuition owed to the University of Iowa is determined by the number of semester hours a student is enrolled in.  Tuition does not cover the cost of books, fees, or room and board.
Transition:  The transition to college occurs as students move from familiar environments and experiences (ex. high school, living with their parents, and/or working full-time) to unfamiliar environments and experiences (living on campus or in an apartment, taking classes at the college level, etc.).
Withdrawal:  Withdrawal means a student has decided to drop all their classes for a given semester.  This does not necessarily mean students have withdrawn from the university.  Students who choose to withdraw from a semester must process a Withdrawal of Registration.  Once the semester begins, only a portion of tuition may be refunded.  Please see the registrar’s website for further information about deadlines for withdrawing and what percent of tuition may be refunded:  http://registrar.uiowa.edu/withdraw