Academic Information

The mission statement of the Athletic Department recognizes the important responsibility of establishing and maintaining academic standards of performance and progress toward completion of academic objectives for all students participating in the intercollegiate athletic program at the University. In recent years, the Athletic Department has given increased emphasis to its academic responsibilities. Coaches have been more aggressive in promoting and encouraging academic performance among their athletes. There are minimum performance standards mandated by the NCAA, the Mountain West Conference and the institution. As the department looks to the future, the coaches and administration believe that ongoing goals representing higher standards of academic performance should be set.

As a student-athlete, you are now embarking upon an opportunity of a lifetime, the chance to receive a degree from a major university and excel in a competitive sports program. To accomplish both, there are certain requirements that you must be aware of regarding eligibility and graduation.

Although graduation may seem like a lifetime away, it really is not. You are encouraged to meet regularly with your academic advisor in order to stay updated with the academic and athletic eligibility requirements.

Any time questions arise regarding academic and/or athletic eligibility, contact your athletic advisor. Listed below are the athletic advisors and their assigned sports. You can find your advisor in Johnson Center.

We have a strong commitment to you in your academic endeavors. More importantly, we are committed to your welfare as a student-athlete at the University of New Mexico. By dedicating yourself to working hard and utilizing the support services available, you can realize your unlimited potential for academic growth as you make progress toward earning your degree. All of us in academic advisement will strive to assist you and challenge you to become selfconfident and independent in your academic endeavors.

An important component to the Athletic Academic Advisement Program is our mentoring/tutorial program. This is a beneficial program for you, the studentathlete. The UNM student-athletes who utilize this support service realize the value of this program. The goal for every student is maximizing your level of academic achievement. Our mentors and tutors can be a valuable link toward this objective.

MENTORS
Mentors are responsible for monitoring your academic progress. They conduct study hall sessions with your specific sports team and implement programming necessary to enhance the learning process. Mentors encourage each student to keep up with assignments, papers and exams by working on such study skills as time management and organization. The objective of the mentor is to advise students according to their needs and skill level. Mentors keep an attendance log and provide weekly progress reports on each student. Those students who exhibit a need or desire to have special assistance will be matched up with a mentor.

TUTORS
Tutors also have a valuable role in your academic development. They are responsible for establishing effective working relationships, assessing individual abilities and then implementing appropriate teaching methods with each student. The goal of tutorial programming is to provide assistance in specific content areas as well as general study skills. Subjects requiring tutoring on a regular basis include English, Math, Economics, Biology, and Chemistry. Additional subjects in the social sciences also require tutors.

The Athletic Academic Advisement Center conducts mentor and tutorial training at the beginning of each semester. The academic coordinator will present guidelines to follow and will demonstrate how mentors and tutors can effectively communicate with students within ethical boundaries. Additionally, training will address other pertinent areas such as schedule flexibility, time sheets, teaching strategies, goal setting, confidentiality, and various rules and regulations pertaining to today’s student-athletes.

CORE CURRICULUM
The University has adopted a Core Curriculum, which all undergraduate students must complete as part of their baccalaureate program. The Core consists of several groups of courses designed to enhance each student’s academic capabilities. Its goal is to give all students at the University a grounding in the broad knowledge and intellectual values obtained in a liberal arts education and to assure that graduates have a shared academic experience.

The required courses encourage intellectual development in seven areas of study: writing and communication; social and behavioral sciences; mathematical reasoning; scientific methods in the physical and natural sciences; the humanities; the fine arts; and languages. The Core consists of lower-division courses, which develop these skills and abilities, and students are strongly encouraged to complete the program early in their college careers.

However, the University recognizes that the highly structured nature of many degree programs and the presence of numerous transfer and nontraditional students requires flexibility on its part and the substitution of other courses for Core requirements will be allowed on a case-by-case basis.

Transfer and reentering students will receive advising in the college and department to which they are admitted in order to establish an appropriate program which will meet their needs and the aims of the Core. Approval of exceptions is handled on a departmental and college basis. Except as noted below, students may apply AP or CLEP credit to the Core requirements.

Departments and colleges may restrict student choices within the Core to meet departmental and college degree requirements.

A grade of C (not C-) is required in all courses used to fulfill the requirements of the Core Curriculum. Courses taken CR/NC can be applied to the Core, subject to general university and individual college and department regulations on the number of credits that can be taken CR/NC and the applicability of courses taken CR/NC to the individual degree. (Please refer to the 2003-2005 catalog or the following section on grading options for more information.)

The Core Curriculum applies to all new and reentering students starting UNM in Fall of 1999. Continuing students are not subject to the Core Curriculum

GENERAL ACADEMIC REGULATIONS
Students are responsible for complying with all regulations of the University, their respective colleges, and the departments from which they take courses, as well as for fulfilling all degree requirements. Students are advised to familiarize themselves with the academic regulations of the University.

CHANGE OF COLLEGE
All undergraduate students are enrolled in a college or program upon admission to the University. Students who desire to change their enrollment from one college to another within the University must petition the dean or director of both the college in which they are currently enrolled and the college in which they wish to enroll. A change in college after the third week of the semester is effective for the next semester. At the time of graduation, students must be enrolled in the UNM college from which they receive their degree.

CLASS HOURS AND CREDIT HOURS
A class hour consists of 50 minutes. One class hour per week of recitation or lecture throughout a semester earns a maximum of one credit hour. A one-class hour per week of laboratory, orchestra, chorus, studio, or physical training throughout a semester earns from one-third to one-half credit hour.

COURSE NUMBERING SYSTEM:
Courses offered at the University are numbered 001 through 799:

  • 001 to 100 may or may not carry credit, but are not applicable toward a baccalaureate degree and are not calculated in the grade-point average.

  • 001 to 199 courses, lower division, normally open to freshmen.

  • 200 to 299 courses, lower division, normally open to sophomores.

  • 300 to 499 courses, upper division, normally open to juniors and seniors, fifth year undergraduate, graduates.

  • 500 to 799 courses, graduate and professional, normally open only to students enrolled in the graduate school, the School of Law or the School of Medicine.

    Note: Undergraduate students may not enroll in graduate problems (courses numbered 591, 592) for undergraduate credit.

    Freshmen, in some instances, qualify for courses numbered in the 200’s. Courses numbered 300 and above are not open to lower division students (freshmen and sophomores) except in rare instances and then only with the approval of the college dean. When appropriate, an instructor may disenroll freshmen from courses numbered 300 and above. See the individual colleges’ sections of the UNM catalog for specific regulations.

    UNM GRADING SYSTEM
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    GRADES
    The grades awarded in all courses are indicative of the quality of work done. Their significance in most courses is as follows:

    A Excellent 4 Grade points per credit hour

    B Good 3 Grade points per credit hour

    C Satisfactory 2 Grade points per credit hour

    D Barely Passing 1 Grade point per credit hour

    F Failed 0 Grade points per credit hour

    CR Credit Gives credit for the courses but is not computed in the grade-point average. At the graduate level, CR is used to report completion of a master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation. (See the following pages for specific information concerning Pass/Fail (CR/NC) option grading). CR credit is the equivalent of at least a grade of C but is not computed in the grade-point average.

    NC No Credit Not computed in the grade point average. At the graduate level, NC is also used to report unsatisfactory completion of master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation. Certain workshops and courses may be offered under CR and NC as defined above.

    PR Progress This grade is issued to indicate that a thesis or dissertation is in progress but not complete. In the semester when the thesis or dissertation is complete, CR or NC is reported.

    I Incomplete The grade is given only when circumstances beyond the Student’s control have prevented completion of the work of a course within the official dates of a session (SeePolicy on Removal of Incomplete).

    Audit Audit is recorded for completion of enrollment in an Audited course. No credit is earned for an audit grade option.

    WP Withdrawal All approved course withdrawals after the sixth week Passing of classes are subject to the grade of WP, if passing the course at the time of withdrawal.

    WF Withdrawal All approved course withdrawals after the sixth week of Failing classes are subject to the grade of WF, if failing the course at the time of withdrawal. The grade of WF will be calculated as a failing grade in the student’s grade point average.

    WNC Withdrawal,
    No Credit Not computed in the grade-point average. WNC indicates officially withdrew with unsatisfactory (D or F) performance in Pass/Fail (CR/NC) option enrollment or course approved for Pass/Fail (CR/NC).

    W Withdrawal A “W” is used for approved administrative withdrawals FRACTIONATED GRADES
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    UNM utilizes a fractionated grading system. Following are the allowable grades and associated grade points.

    Grade Points Grade Points
    A+ 4.33 C+ 2.33
    A 4.00 C 2.00
    A- 3.67 C- 1.67
    B+ 3.33 D+ 1.33
    B 3.00 D 1.00
    B- 2.67 D- 0.67

    A failing grade of F = 0 points
    Note: Graduate students may not receive C-, D+, D or D- grades.

    GRADE-POINT AVERAGE
    A student’s academic standing is referred to in terms of a grade-point average calculated by dividing the total number of grade points (see grades, above) earned at UNM by the total number of hours attempted. These hours must be attempted in courses with letter grades and the courses must be numbered 101 and above.

    Courses given a grade of WP, W, CR, NC, PR, or I are excluded in the gradepoint average calculation.

    The standing of all students (including those who withdrew from the University during the session) with respect to scholarship is checked at the end of each semester and summer session. At such times, all students who are deficient in scholarship are placed on probation, or suspended in accordance with the regulations of their college.

    NOTE: This is a general UNM grade-point calculation. Schools and colleges within the University may compute the GPA differently.

    GRADE OPTIONS
    Pass/Fail (CR/NC) Option
    This grading option is open only to undergraduate and non-degree students enrolled in non-major courses.

    CR (credit) is the equivalent of at least a grade of a C. Students who do not satisfactorily complete a course under Pass/Fail (CR/NC) grading with receive“NC” (no credit).

    A course may be changed from a traditional grade to the pass/fail (CR/NC) grade option through the fourth week of classes. A change from the Pass/Fail (CR/NC) to traditional grading system may also be made prior to the end of the fourth week of classes. NO GRADING CHANGES MAY BE MADE AFTER THE FOURTH WEEK OF CLASSES.

    A maximum of 24 credit hours graded Pass/Fail (CR/NC) will be allowed toward a baccalaureate degree. A student is permitted to enroll in only one course per semester under the Pass/Fail (CR/NC) grade option.

    Hours earned under which grading is specifically approved for Pass/Fail (CR/NC) is not included in the 24-hour maximum allowed toward degree requirements under the Pass/Fail (CR/NC) grade option.

    The following may not be taken under the Pass/Fail (CR/NC) option:

  • Courses in the University Honors Program and the Undergraduate Seminar program.

  • Courses that are part of the student’s major (as defined by the major department) with the exception of those courses especially approved for use of Pass/Fail (CR/NC) grading (such as C & J 492, Internship in Communications).

  • In some departments and colleges, courses that are part of the student’s minor (see specific college and departmental requirements).

  • Correspondence Courses

  • Courses the student is repeating after first having taken the course under the regular grading system.

    Students should be aware that certain consequences might result from exercising the Pass/Fail (CR/NC) option. Some colleges, scholarship committees, and honorary societies do not accept this grading system and convert grades of Credit (CR) to C and No Credit (NC) to F when computing grade-point averages or otherwise penalize students who use this option.

    NOTE: Students may not be penalized by a department if, when selecting or changing a major field, they have taken a course in their major on a Pass/Fail (CR/NC) option basis.

    GRADE REPLACEMENT POLICY
    Under the grade replacement policy, undergraduate students may repeat a course for a higher grade and have the lower grade removed from the grade point average. This revision is an option for students who meet specific criteria. For more information about this policy, refer to the appropriate section of the catalog or contact the Records and Registration Office.

    REGISTRATION FOR CLASSES
    Pre-Registration for the Fall will take place during the latter part of April, beginning of May while registration for Spring semester will take place after the Thanksgiving holiday. Students who are in their first two years of college should set up an appointment with their athletic advisor to make their schedule.

    All student-athletes have an ATHLETIC HOLD on their student account. This hold is in effect at all times and will prevent registration. A student athlete cannot add, drop or change a grading option without talking to their athletic advisor first. Visit or call your athletic advisor to have the hold suspended. For a student athlete who is already in a college, i.e. Anderson School of Management, College of Education, there are a number of steps to take before registering:

    1. Pick up the schedule approval form from your athletic advisor

    2. Come up with a tentative schedule for the semester

    3. Meet with the advisor in your college

    4. Have the advisor from your college sign the form indicating that the courses are acceptable to your degree program. All sections must be completed or you will have to go back and meet with your advisor again.

    5. Take the form back to your athletic advisor so he/she can suspend your hold

    6. Call I-TEL on or after your appointment date and register for classes.

    After the athletic hold has been suspended, a student-athlete may call I-TEL (246-2020) to make the appropriate changes. Once you hang up the phone, your athletic hold will go back on your account. A student-athlete CANNOT register through the Web. The suspended hold makes that impossible. If you attempt to register through your computer, your hold will automatically go back on and you must contact your athletic advisor to have the hold suspended again.

    AN ATHLETIC ADVISOR WILL NOT DROP OR ADD CLASSES FOR A STUDENT-ATHLETE. IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE STUDENT- ATHLETE TO MAKE THESE CHANGES.

    Do not expect the instructor to drop a student if the student stops attending class. Again, it is the responsibility of the student to drop his or her classes.

    YOUR HOLD IS NOT DELETED UNTIL AFTER YOU HAVE CEASED TO PARTICIPATE IN ATHLETICS AT UNM. YOUR COACH MUST PROVIDE CONFIRMATION. UNM GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

    BACHELOR DEGREES:
    Graduation from the University of New Mexico is not automatic. Application for candidacy for graduation is required. Each college may have different deadlines for degree application. Students anticipating graduation should make arrangements well in advance with their college.

    Candidates for an undergraduate bachelor degree must meet the following University minimum degree requirements and are subject to the following University limitations.

  • Students must be admitted to the UNM college from which the degree is awarded at the time of graduation.

  • Aminimum of 128 semester hours of earned credit is required.

  • Residence credit requirement: A minimum of 30 semester hours of credit, exclusive of extension and correspondence (independent study) credit, must be earned at UNM. Of these 30 hours in residence, 15 semester hours must be earned after the candidate has accumulated 92 hours of earned semester hours credit; these 15 hours, however, do not necessarily have to be the last hours of a degree program. A student may fulfill all or part of this residence requirement by attending summer session.

  • The student must have a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.0

  • The student must demonstrate a minimum competence in English writing by passing English 102 with a “C” or better or attaining a suitable score on an authorized proficiency test prior to graduation.

  • Amaximum of 24 semester hours of Pass/Fail (CR/NC) grading option course may be applied toward a bachelor degree.

  • Amaximum of 40 semester hours of extension and correspondence (independent study) credit may be applied toward a bachelor degree and not more than 30 of these hours may be correspondence credit.

  • Major and minor residence requirements: At least one-half of the minimum number of credit hours required for major study and one-fourth of the minimum for minor study must be class or laboratory work earned in residence at UNM. A senior transfer student may satisfy this requirement with the approval of the major department with at least one-fourth of the total minimum hours required for the major. Most colleges will not accept Introductory Studies courses or T-courses to satisfy any of these requirements.

  • Students must contact their College office upon completion of 90 hours in order to initiate and complete the graduation process. Additional degree requirements for the specific bachelor degree will be found in the appropriate college section of the UNM catalog.

    DISHONESTY IN ACADEMIC MATTERS
    Each student is expected to maintain the highest standards of honesty and integrity in academic and professional matters. The University reserves the right to take disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal, against any student who is found guilty of academic dishonesty or otherwise fails to meet these standards. Any student judged to have engaged in academic dishonesty in course work may receive a reduced or failing grade for the work in question and/or for the course.

    Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, dishonesty in quizzes, tests, or assignments; claiming credit for work not done or done by others; hindering the academic work or other students; misrepresenting academic or professional qualifications within or without the University; and non-disclosure or misrepresentation in filling out applications or other University records.

    If you should ever feel faced with a situation (i.e., peer pressure, desperation, etc.) that causes you to consider an action that will result in academic dishonesty, you should talk with either your coach or academic advisor immediately to explore options to resolve the situation.

    LAPTOP COMPUTERS
    Laptop computers are available to all student-athletes on a first come first serve basis. The laptops are for students to use when they are on the road traveling for competition. In some cases, a student may use a laptop in the conference room in Johnson Center; however, priority will be given to those students traveling with their team.

    The laptops are housed in the athletic advisement office. The first step to checking out a laptop is to contact your coach. Your coach has the laptop approval form, which is to be signed by him or her then taken to athletic advisement. It is highly suggested that you make a reservation for a laptop. You may do so through your athletic advisor.

    Following are the policies, which apply to borrowing a laptop computer.

    1.) The computer has been checked over and it is in proper working order. Upon return it will be checked, if there is anything wrong with the computer the student will have to pay for any repairs.

    2.) The computer will be checked out with a carrying case and a computer cord. If it is not returned in the same condition, the student will be charged for a new case and/or computer cord.

    3.) If any information about the computer is needed you can refer to the manuals located in the carrying case. If the manuals are not returned the student will be charged with replacing them.

    4.) If the computer is stolen or lost, the student must replace it.

    5.) All work must be saved on a disk. All files left on the hard drive will be deleted upon return. Do not load any software onto this laptop. Do not download any information from the Internet on to this computer. Doing so could result in you losing your privileges to check out a laptop. You may also have to pay for any damages which may be caused by Internet downloads or software being installed on the computer.

    6.) A virus check will be run upon return. If a virus is detected, you will be charged for the cleanup of the laptop.

    COMPUTER LAB
    The student-athletes at the University of New Mexico have access to a computer lab available solely for student-athletes. The lab is housed within the Athletic Advisement office and includes 10 computers and 2 printers for student use. All of the computers have internet access.

    TIPS FOR SUCCESS IN THE CLASSROOM
    DO

  • Arrive early to class

  • Sit in the first three rows

  • Introduce yourself to the professor and/or TA

  • Know your professor’s name

  • Turn cell phones off

  • Take notes

  • Review notes prior to class

  • Arrive prepared to participate (this could impact your final grade)

  • Hand in assignments on time or early (if you are traveling)

  • Hand in excuse forms PRIOR to traveling

  • Meet with the professor during office hours

  • Recopy notes after class

    DON’T

  • Go to class unprepared

  • Leave class early (Instructors do notice)

  • Socialize during lecture

  • Sleep in class

  • Arrive late to class

  • Take a cell phone to class

    •