Academic Resources
Office of Admissions for Adult Programs
The Office of Admissions for Adult Programs is the primary point of contact for
prospective College of Graduate and Professional Studies students interested in the
Bachelor of Professional Studies, Post-Baccalaureate Initial Teacher Licensure, Master
of Education, and Master of Business Administration, as well as programs in postbaccalaureate
business and education certificates. Prospective students should contact
the admissions office to attend information sessions, schedule individual interviews, or
request application materials. New students and students seeking readmission after an
absence of three or more consecutive terms (excluding summers) must apply through the
admissions office. The admissions office provides services that include:
• Information and application materials for degree and certificate programs;
• Monthly information sessions;
• One-on-one preadmission counseling;
• Transfer credit evaluation for the Bachelor of Professional Studies;
• Review of applications; and
• Ongoing communication with prospective students throughout the admissions
process.
Office of Advising and Student Services
The Office of Advising and Student Services provides the services necessary for planned enrollment in and completion of College of Graduate and Professional Studies degree and certificate programs. Services include:
• Academic advising while enrolled in course(s);
• Review and approval of course selections and registration;
• Review of previous higher education experience in relation to transfer credit;
• Specialized advising for students in academic jeopardy;
• Referrals for employment/career advising through the Professional Experiences
and Networking (PEN) Program in preparation for continued or new employment
after program completion;
• Prematriculation advising in preparation for enrollment in specific courses and
programs; and
• Degree completion audits.
The Office of Advising and Student Services also serves as a clearinghouse for all student services. Professional staff members are available to provide advising services to students on a scheduled or a walk-in basis. Additional services include financial aid referrals, disability service referrals, and academic skills workshops.
Computer Labs
The College of Graduate and Professional Studies has three computer labs that are available for student use during regular College hours. The labs are managed by the University’s Department of Information Technology support staff. All lab computers provide access to the Internet, scanning, and document printing ($0.10 per page), as well as instructional programs and the latest business and academic software.
Internship (Professional Experiences and Networking Program)
The College of Graduate and Professional Studies (CGPS) offers students professional
internships, allowing qualified individuals the opportunity to complete professional
projects where they may apply and expand their knowledge under expert guidance.
Faculty in the various CGPS programs advise students on their internship projects. The
interns are supervised by their internship supervisor, the employer.
Internship credit awards range from three to six credits. No more than six
internship credits may count toward the minimum number of credits required in a
major or concentration. Undergraduate degree-seeking students who have transferred/
accumulated at least 45 semester credits toward the degree with at least 12 semester
credits completed at CGPS with a minimum overall 2.5 grade-point average (GPA) are
eligible to participate in the Professional Experiences and Networking (PEN) Program.
Graduate students must have completed a minimum of 6 semester credits of course
work at CGPS and have earned a 3.0 GPA or higher as a degree student to be eligible
for an internship project. Students who are interested and eligible to participate in the
internship program should contact the CGPS internship director. Students who wish to complete an internship at an agency where they already have
completed an internship, or at an agency where they have been employed or volunteered,
or in a University administrative office, must seek approval from the program director
and the CGPS internship director. Instructions for these specially approved internships
are available in the Office of Advising and Student Services at CGPS.
Instructional Development Lab
The Instructional Development Lab (IDL) is located in Room 110. The purpose of the lab is to provide faculty, staff and students with the hardware and software tools needed to produce high-quality multimedia presentations. The hardware available includes flatbed scanners, negative/slide scanners, video capture equipment and CD-Writers. The software installed allows for editing of graphic images, and video production.
Library
The College of Graduate and Professional Studies (CGPS) Library conducts library
user instruction designed to foster information literacy, critical thinking skills, and lifelong
learning. This instruction is accomplished by providing individual reference service and
employing interactive technologies, course-related library instruction, and Web-based
tutorials.
The Library’s collection consists of a small circulating book collection with the
focus on business, education, and information technology, a noncirculating reference
collection, journals in many formats, and a reserve desk. Faculty and students have full
access to the print and electronic collections maintained at the Simpson Library on the
University’s campus in Fredericksburg through document delivery or by visiting the
Simpson Library. The libraries’ shared catalog, VIRTUA, is available on the Web from
the CGPS Library home page.
Equipped with computers that are linked to the University’s network, the Library
provides access to the full array of Web-based resources made available by the Virtual
Library of Virginia (VIVA). These databases are proprietary, available only to paid
subscribers or qualified users of the services. Students can access these databases from
any computer on either campus or from home with a password. The Library also
supports an extensive interlibrary loan service.
Network and Computer Use Policy
Users of information technology resources at the University of Mary Washington must apply them responsibly and within limitations. Users who fail to meet their responsibilities or who fail to operate within the limitations may have their network privileges suspended or revoked and may be subject to other disciplinary actions. Using University-owned computers, networks, or other information technology resources constitutes acknowledgment that the user understands and commits to compliance with the University’s Network and Computer Use Policy and related policies and procedures.
Background
The UMW computer network consists of an institution-wide backbone, local area network, and many shared computers, as well as personal desktop computers and other computing devices. The various systems administrators work to ensure that network privileges are properly maintained for all University users. Users also must meet certain responsibilities and are subject to certain limitations, many of which are listed below.
Priorities of the Network
The UMW computer network and other information technology resources should
be used, and will be maintained and administered, in accordance with the following
priorities:
Highest and Primary: To support the education, research, and administrative
purposes of the University of Mary Washington.
Medium and Secondary: To support other uses indirectly related to the
University of Mary Washington purposes with education or research benefits
including personal communications.
Lowest and Least Important: Recreation and entertainment.
Disclaimer
The University of Mary Washington will investigate reported violations of the rules set
forth below and will impose appropriate sanctions. However, the University assumes no
responsibility for user conduct.
Users should be aware that there are many services on the Internet that they might
find offensive or that involve risks. Users must accept responsibility for their own
navigation of the Internet.
Privacy
The UMW computer network is owned and operated by the University of Mary
Washington, an agency of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Faculty and staff must
recognize that computer-generated documents (e.g., old e-mail) may be “public records,”
subject to provisions of Virginia’s Freedom of Information statutes. Furthermore, all
users must understand that electronic communications may not be secure and that
during the course of ordinary management of information technology services, technical
staff may inadvertently be exposed to the content of user files.
In specific and unusual circumstances, the content of user files may be examined
under the direction of a system administrator of the system holding those files. This may
be done only at the direction of the President or Executive Vice President. See related
policy at http://www.umw.edu/policies/web/monitoring_employee_electr.
Safety
While unwanted or unsolicited contact cannot be controlled on the network, network users who receive threatening communications in violation of this policy or state or federal law should bring them to the attention of the Department of Information Technologies and/or the University Police.
Intellectual Freedom
The network provides an open forum for the expression of ideas, including viewpoints
that are strange, unorthodox, and unpopular. Opinions expressed there must be
presented in a manner that is free of obscenity (as defined by Code of Virginia section
18.2-372), forgery, and other illegal forms of expression, which are not acceptable uses of
the University’s network and are in violation of University policy. In addition, expressions
of opinion may not be represented as the views of the University of Mary Washington,
and individual users are responsible and accountable for any material posted and
transmitted on the network in violation of this or other University policies, or state or
federal law.
User Responsibilities
To enjoy the privileges of network access, each user of University information
technologies is expected to meet certain responsibilities and honor certain limitations. If
a user is found to have knowingly violated either of these principles, his or her network
access may be suspended. Depending on the seriousness of the violation, the user may
also be subject to other University disciplinary actions, and violations of federal or state
laws will result in referral to the appropriate legal authorities.
The following list of responsibilities applies to the use of all University-owned
computers and of the University’s networks; additional responsibilities may be associated
with specific networks, information technology services, and computers at the University.
• Users must operate within the appropriate federal or state laws and University
policies and must not engage in any conduct that presents a risk to the
operating integrity of the systems and their accessibility to other users (see also
“Responsibilities for Computing Devices Connected to the University of Mary
Washington Network” at http://www.umw.edu/policies/network/devices).
• Users must abide by the terms of all software licensing agreements and copyright
laws. Users must not make copies of or make available on the network copyrighted
material, unless permitted by a license.
• Users must not use the network resources of the University to gain or attempt to
gain unauthorized access to remote computers, networks, or systems.
• Users may not use the University’s networks to access, produce, or distribute
pornography in violation of the law.
• Any network traffic exiting the University is subject not only to provisions of this
policy, but also to the acceptable use policies of any network through which or into
which it flows.
• Users should notify the Department of Information Technologies (654-2255 or
it-abuse@umw.edu), system administrators, and the appropriate authorities about
violations of computer laws and policies, as well as about potential vulnerabilities in
the security of its computer systems and networks.
• Users are to respect the rights of other users, including their rights as set forth in
other University policies for students, faculty, and staff; these rights include but are
not limited to privacy, freedom from harassment, and freedom of expression.
• Users may not place on any University-owned computer system any type of
information or software that:
– infringes upon the rights of another person; or
– gives unauthorized access to another computer account or system.
• Users may not misrepresent themselves or their data on the network.
• Users are responsible for the use of their accounts. No user may give anyone else
access to his or her account, or use a UMW computer account assigned to another
user. A user must not attempt to obtain a password for another user’s computer
account.
• Users are responsible for the security of their passwords. This includes making
sure no one else knows it. A user who suspects someone knows his or her password
should contact the Department of Information Technologies to have that password
changed.
• Users of personal computers are responsible for protecting their work by
making regular backup copies of their work files and storing the copies in a safe
location. They should set the frequency of backup based on their ability to recreate
information added since the last backup.
• Users must not attempt to monitor other users’ data communications, nor read,
copy, change, or delete other users’ files or software, without permission of the
owner(s).
• Users must not attempt to circumvent data protection schemes or exploit security
loopholes.
• Users must not deliberately perform acts which are wasteful of computing
resources or which unfairly monopolize resources to the exclusion of others.
• Users must not deliberately perform acts that will impair the operation of
computing equipment, peripherals, other devices, or networks. This includes, but
is not limited to, tampering with components of a local area network (LAN) or
the high-speed backbone network, otherwise blocking communication lines, or
interfering with the operational readiness of a computer.
• Users must not run or install on any of the computer systems of the University, or
give to another user, a program that could result in the eventual damage to a file or computer system and/or the reproduction of itself. This includes, but is not limited
to, the classes of programs known as computer viruses, Trojan horses, and worms.
• Users may not use the University’s computer systems or networks for solicitation
of funds or for commercial purposes. This includes solicitations for charitable or
community organizations.
• Users may not use the University’s networks to distribute chain letters.
This policy and related material supplement the existing policies in the Student
Handbooks, the Faculty and Adjunct Faculty Handbooks, the Administrative Faculty
Handbook, and the Classified Employees Handbook. These cover such acts as theft of
computer services (including copyrighted computer programs), theft or mutilation of
UMW property such as computer equipment, and the unacknowledged or unauthorized
appropriation of another’s computer program, or the results of that program, in whole
or in part, for a computer-related exercise or assignment. Ultimately, any and all network
conduct or misconduct is subject to the same policies that govern conduct in other
University venues, and it is regulated and dealt with as described in the handbooks cited
above.
Violations
Violations or suspected violations of the policies and principles enumerated above should be reported promptly to the Department of Information Technologies (654-2255 or it-abuse@umw.edu) or to the appropriate University disciplinary system.
Office of Disability Services
Through the University’s Office of Disability Services, the College of Graduate and
Professional Studies provides reasonable and appropriate accommodations to qualified
students with disabilities. These accommodations may include—but are not limited
to—extended time on tests, note taking assistance, sign language interpreters, enlarged
print materials, permission to tape record lectures, and distraction-reduced testing sites.
In order to receive services, students must provide appropriate professional
documentation of a substantially limiting disability and discuss appropriate
accommodations with the director of disability services. Documentation guidelines
for specific disabilities may be requested from the office at 654-1266 or viewed on
the web site at www.umw.edu/disability. The director verifies the disability, assists in
arranging reasonable accommodations, and acts as a liaison among students, faculty, and
administration on issues relating to services or accommodations.
Testing
College Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests are computer-based only and
available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Each exam is scheduled
individually through the testing coordinator at the College of Graduate and Professional Studies (CGPS) at 286-8012. Each exam consists of two sections of 45 minutes each.
Exam and site fees apply. A complete listing of CLEP exams accepted by CGPS is
available in the Office of Advising and Student Services.
The University’s National Testing program provides a quality testing environment for
the hundreds of teachers and graduate school applicants who live in the Fredericksburg
area. On scheduled Saturdays throughout the year, the PRAXIS Series, the Graduate
Record Exam (GRE) Subject Tests, the ACT, and the Law School Admission Test
(LSAT) are given on the University’s Fredericksburg campus.
To register for a national exam, candidates must contact their exam site, as
registration is not handled through CGPS. For more information about these tests
and to register, visit these web sites: www.ets.org/praxis for PRAXIS, www.gre.org for
GRE, www.act.org for ACT or www.lsac.org for LSAT. Contact the University’s testing
coordinator at 286-8015 for more information.
The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is scheduled individually and
is only offered at various computer-based testing (CBT) centers throughout the country.
Students interested in taking the GMAT should consult the GMAT Bulletin or go to
http://www.mba.com/mba/TaketheGMAT.
Videoconferencing Center
Area businesses can arrange to use two state-of-the-art videoconferencing theaters
at the College of Graduate and Professional Studies to connect with their colleagues
in public and private videoconference locations around the globe. Each 28-seat
videoconferencing theater is equipped with two cameras, four monitors, a wide-screen
video projector, voice- or touch-activated microphones, touch pad control panel,
fax machine, networked computer, VCR and a visual presenter. Organizations and
individuals can conduct annual meetings, press conferences, sales meetings, seminars,
board of directors meetings, training sessions, strategy planning, and employee
interviews.
Scheduling, training and coordination services are offered for two-way and multi-site
connections. The videoconferencing theaters are available during normal business hours
five days a week and at other times subject to advance arrangements.
Writing Center
The CGPS Writing Center offers writing help free of charge to all CGPS students. Students can obtain assistance with all types of writing projects, from research projects to résumés, and with all aspects of writing, from brainstorming a research topic to proofreading a paper. The Writing Center’s trained tutors work with students one on- one to improve writing performance. While the Writing Center accepts walk-ins, appointments are strongly recommended. For best results, students should submit an electronic copy of their writing in advance and bring a copy of the professor’s assignment sheet to their Writing Center tutorial session. For more information, visit the Writing Center online at http://www.umw.edu/cgps/writing.