Glossary

College can be a confusing time. With all the new terms and processes, it can sometimes feel like everyone is speaking a different language. Below we’ve defined a few terms that you’ll hear on campus frequently.

Accessibility Compliance

The Office of Accessibility Compliance works with students who have disabilities to best help them achieve equal opportunities across campus in terms of academic accommodations and/or residential and dining needs.

Advisor

Faculty member assigned to help you with planning course schedule. You can view your advisor in Montibus. As an incoming student, you do not meet with an advisor to have your schedule created. Instead, your schedule is created for you after you have completed your class registration tasks.

The Den

An online app that displays all events happening in the week and tracks a student’s involvement to provide them with points that can be cashed in for prizes. All registered student clubs and organizations are listed in The Den.

FAFSA

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is only available to US citizens applying for government grants (free money), loans (have to be paid back), and income-based scholarships and grants (governmental and institutional funding).

FERPA

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). FERPA gives college students the right to select to whom their private information is shared. Students will fill out the FERPA form to either grant or not grant the college the permission to speak to parents/selected individuals about financial aid, billing, classes/grades, etc. If a student does not fill out this form, the college will not be able to communicate any personal information about these items.

Montibus

Online student portal. All information pertaining to billing, class scheduling, and personal contact information is housed in Montibus.

Nelnet

A third-party tuition payment plan service used by the college. Payment plans can be set up through Montibus and offer students several options for making payments over time.

North Campus & South Campus

North Campus is the central hub of campus, providing close access to academic and student support buildings, The Summit dining hall, as well as residential facilities. South Campus—a two minute drive from North Campus—features additional residential, dining, and academic facilities. South Campus is also home to Wildcat Lake where our students can enjoy the fresh air and numerous outdoor activities the property offers. In nice weather, a student can walk the scenic Hemlock Trail which connects North and South Campus.

The Office of Financial Aid

The Office of Financial Aid handles all scholarships and loans, receives your FAFSA, and updates and issues financial aid offer letters. They are NOT able answer questions related to individual bills or payment information. Those questions can be directed to the Office of Student Accounts.

RA

Resident assistant (RA). An RA is a current student assigned to specific residential halls to be a point of contact for everything from emergencies to support.

Peer Ally

Peer Allies are an organization of students dedicated to helping their peers achieve personal wellness and academic excellence. They live in the residence halls and are trained by Counseling and Wellness Services to provide non-judgmental, positive, confidential peer support.

Registrar

Located in the Chaffee Center, the Office of the Registrar is your go-to for transcript questions, changing/declaring a major, and any other class registration questions you may have after speaking with your advisor.

Student Accounts

Located in the Office of Business Affairs, Student Accounts handles all billing and manages student payment plans. They do NOT handle loans, issue scholarships, or manage other forms of financial aid. Questions of that nature can be directed to the Office of Financial Aid.

Title IX

Title IX is a U.S. Department of Education statute that prohibits discrimination and harassment on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, color, age, religion, national and ethnic origin, disability, genetic information, protected veteran status, or other individual distinctions at educational institutions. Possible violations of Title IX should be reported to the Executive Director of Compliance and Title IX Coordinator at Lees-McRae.