Students requesting readmission after an absence of three or more years may be treated as external transfers in the determination of credits and grade point average. Credit is allowed for all University of Maine at Fort Kent courses passed at the level of C- or higher. All grades remain on the academic transcript but are removed from the calculation of the cumulative grade point average.

To be eligible for Fresh Start, students must have a minimum of 30 credits remaining toward degree completion and must complete those 30 credits in residence at the University of Maine at Fort Kent. Students receiving a fresh start are ineligible for Valedictorian or Salutatorian awards. Fresh Start may impact a student’s eligibility for financial aid due to the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy. Information is available at https://mycampus.maine.edu/group/umfk/satisfactory-academic-progress.

Students must meet the readmission guidelines for their program of study.

Compensation for online courses shall use the following prorated formula for a three credit course: In cases of course enrollments with at least 20 but fewer than 50 for a core faculty or adjunct faculty member, additional compensation will be $100 for each student over the enrollment of 19 students. Example: For a course enrollment of 29, the faculty will receive additional compensation for each student over 19 ($100 x 10 students = $1,000). The credit hours shall be determined by the enrollment at the start of the third full week of classes.

All core faculty have the opportunity to advise but only those who are willing to attend training sessions should be assigned advisees. Requirements for being an advisor should be written and circulated by the Academic Advising Task Force or the Office of Vice President for Academic Affairs. Those wishing to advise should be asked to acknowledge with a signature that they understand their responsibilities. Adjunct faculty should not be assigned advisees unless they have an on campus office or access to said office space where they can meet students. Additionally they must attend the appropriate training sessions. Both classified and professional staff may be assigned advisees given approvals by the appropriate channels (VPAA Division Chairs Program Coordinators). All academic advisors should be endorsed by the appropriate division chairs as competent academic counselors and mentors.

New faculty and specified staff should be given a training session(s) to acquaint them with policies and procedures for academic advising and student course registration. Faculty and specified staff should be informed of their role in student retention. Faculty and specified staff should be fully aware of all of the aspects of academic advising at UMFK.

1. All academic advisors should be given periodic workshops in mentoring substance abuse diversity training and other appropriate student related needs.

2. All academic advisors should be given a yearly seminar on course and program changes and new requirements within their advising area. Responsibility for creating/scheduling these seminars rests with the Academic Advising Task Force and the Office of Vice President for Academic Affairs.

3. All advisors should be appropriately informed with respect to the status and form of the General Education component.

4. Academic advisors should be identified with majors programs and degree options.

5. Academic advisors should be mentors and aware of procedures for referring students who need special counseling. Depression Suicide Medical/ Mental Illness. SUGGESTED TRAINING TOOLS: An advisor checklist of important tasks (2 or 4 year plan advisor transfer career aid). Catalogue updates (new programs policy changes). Five year plan for all course rotations. Planning worksheets for all programs. Contact list for referrals (financial aid housing issues tutoring etc). Recommended course sequencing (especially the General Education component). List of transferable courses to and from UMS member campuses. Catalogues for all UMS campuses and other Maine schools. Transfer information from AA to BA and BS degree programs (Forestry to Public Safety). Copies of all completed articulation agreements. Annual full campus meetings (systematic distribution of information/changes).

The assignment of a permanent academic advisor to transfer students (non-teacher certification or RN to BSN programs) depends on the period of time during the student?s academic career. There are three defined time periods: A. ACCEPTANCE: Prior to the first day of classes that is from the time the student is accepted until the first day of classes. B. FIRST SEMESTER AT UMFK: The first semester at UMFK. C. SECOND SEMESTER UNTIL GRADUATION: The beginning of the second semester at UMFK until graduation. A. Currently assigned to coordinator of academic advising. B. At the beginning of the first semester the coordinator of academic advising continues as the permanent advisor. During the first semester but prior to advising week (that week prior to the pre-registration period) the coordinator works with the student to select an advisor within the student?s area of interest. Once selected the coordinator notifies the Registrar?s Office of the change in permanent advisor. C. The discipline-specific advisor selected by the end of the first semester continue until graduation.

Students enrolled in the RN to BSN program will upon admittance to the university be assigned to a single designated advisor by the Nursing Division. This advisor will serve as the student’s permanent advisor throughout the course of their enrollment in the aforementioned academic program of study.

The assignment of a permanent academic advisor for students enrolled in the teacher certification program depends on the period of time during the student’s academic career. There are three defined time periods:

A. ACCEPTANCE: Prior to the first day of classes that is from the time the student is accepted until the first day of classes.

B. FIRST SEMESTER AT UMFK: The first semester at UMFK.

C. SECOND SEMESTER UNTIL GRADUATION: The beginning of the second semester at UMFK until graduation.

GROUP 1: TEACHER CERTIFICATION-ELEMENTARY EDUCATION

A. This group to be automatically assigned to the Director of Student Teaching.

B. This group to be automatically assigned to their respective EDU 327: Curriculum and Instruction instructor.

C. Currently the EDU 327 instructor. At the point in the process where the student applies for student teaching they be transferred to the Director of Student Teaching. The Director of Student Teaching remains the permanent advisor until graduation.

 GROUP 2: TEACHER CERTIFICATION-SECONDARY EDUCATION

A. This group to be automatically assigned to the coordinator of academic advising.

B. The Education Division will designate specific faculty depending on their expertise to specific secondary certification areas. Students will be assigned to respective faculty members at the direction of the division.

C. At the point the student applies for student teaching the Director of Student Teaching becomes the permanent advisor until graduation.

Incoming freshman are assigned to the coordinator of academic advising as a procedural matter. The coordinator or a designate initially handles registration. Other aspects of the advisor (mentoring or career counseling are not yet addressed). Freshman then take HUM 102 in their fall semester. Their seminar instructor becomes their advisor. Over the course of the semester the seminar instructor works with the student to discuss the intended major/area of interest to determine who the appropriate “permanent advisor” should be. Aside from teacher certification and RN to BSN nursing students there should be a formal “hand-off” to the discipline-specific permanent advisor at a specifically defined point in the semester determined by the First Year Experience committee. By formal we are referring to a face to face process with all relevant paperwork being completed at that time and transferred to the Registrar’s Office for processing.

The Director of Student Teaching in the Education Division or a designate of the chair of the division shall have specific responsibility for the academic advising and course registration responsibilities for persons enrolled in the teacher certification program. These responsibilities are a calendar year responsibility. Compensation for said responsibilities will be individually negotiated between the individual and the Vice President for Academic Affairs as the situation warrants.  Students will be assigned this individual as their advisor in the initial stages of their enrollment/acceptance into the program. The Registrar will provide timely notification of advisee roles to the advisor and/or the designate.

A designate of the director of the Nursing Division shall have specific responsibility for the academic advising and course registration responsibilities for persons enrolled in the RN to BSN program. These responsibilities are a calendar year responsibility. Compensation for said responsibilities will be individually negotiated between the individual and the Vice President for Academic Affairs as the situation warrants.  Students will be assigned this individual as their advisor in the initial stages of their enrollment/acceptance into the program. The Registrar will provide timely notification of advisee roles to the advisor and/or the designate