Welcome
The Northern State University Student Handbook includes information about services, administrative policies and procedures, and other helpful material about NSU. This handbook has been developed for your use by the Student Affairs Office and funded by student activity fees. It is the responsibility of every student to be aware of current policies. Other helpful resources include the Graduate and Undergraduate Catalog and the Residence Life Handbook. Questions about these policies, or other information should be directed to the Dean of Student Affairs, NSU Student Center Room 201, 605-626-2530. Since the policies, programs, and services contained herein are subject to continuous review and evaluation, the University reserves the right to make changes at any time without notice.
Letter from the President
We at Northern State University could not be happier that you made us your first choice! We are confident that your experience will be satisfying and rewarding. It is important that you take advantage of all the university has to offer. While your first goal may be to do well academically, you should not take lightly the importance of excelling outside of the classroom. Our student life division provides numerous opportunities for involvement in social and recreational activities. Aside from just being fun and personally rewarding, many employers look beyond an applicants degree program and grades to insure that the candidate is well rounded. A history of volunteerism, intercollegiate and intramural sports, leadership in student government or social groups, can impress an employer as much as a modest increase in grade point average.
I am always struck to see the relationship between students' academic achievement and participation in campus activities. The old suspicion that students with the strongest grade point averages spend all their waking hours in a dorm room is simply not true. The most capable students invariably excel in all aspects of campus life. We would like to challenge you to be among this group!
I am pleased that you selected Northern and trust that you will take advantage of all we have to offer. I look forward to meeting you on campus.
Patrick J. Schloss
NSU President
Letter from the Interim Dean of Students
On behalf of the staff of the Division of Student Affairs, welcome to Northern State University. We may be somewhat biased but we feel that your choice is a good one. NSU has over a hundred years of helping students to succeed in meeting their educational goals. We are confident that we will help you also to be successful.
We can only help though. It’s up to you to attend class, work hard, and to apply yourself to the required tasks. Those don’t guarantee success but they surely are necessary to be successful. The university will be different from high school. No one is going to force you to go to class—or even to get up in the morning let alone work hard. But we will give you extra help and assistance when you need it. That’s a promise.
However, university life is more than just hard work and study. Mostly it is about the people you meet and the new friends you make. Having met a considerable number of alumni from 10, 20, 30, 40, and even 50 or more years ago the one significant memory of NSU that keeps popping up is that of the friends they made at NSU. (NSU had a few other names over the years—they’ll be on the test.) Next are memories of their classmates and university staff.
For you to have those same kinds of memories it will be essential that you get involved in the activities and to participate in the events. Go to concerts and plays. Attend visiting lectures and programs. Go to dances and athletic events. Get involved in student government. Take part in Gypsy Days. Do it all with the new friends you meet and you’ll have great times at NSU—and wonderful memories as an alum.
The Northern State University Handbook & Planner is provided to aid you in keeping both your class schedules and assignments in order and to help you organize the important part—your social life. Also included are the offices and phone numbers of the programs and people available to help you. And lastly, the student policies and procedures that govern your life as a student at Northern State University.
Remember: work hard, get involved, and have fun—you owe it to yourself.
Bob Courtney
Interim Dean of Students
Mission Statement
The legislature established Northern State University to meet the needs of the State, the region, and nation by providing undergraduate and graduate programs in education and other courses or programs as the Board of Regents may determine. (SDCL 13-59-1)
The Board implemented SDCL 13-59-1 by authorizing graduate and undergraduate programs in education to promote excellence in teaching and learning, to support research, scholarly and creative activities, and to provide service to the State of South Dakota, the region, and the nation. The Board approved a special emphasis on E-learning in the university curriculum and service.
Curriculum
Degrees are authorized at the associate, baccalaureate, and masters levels.
The following curriculum is approved for the university.
A. Undergraduate Programs
Associate degree programs in arts and sciences, business, education and fine arts. Baccalaureate degree programs in arts and sciences, business, education, and fine arts.
B. Graduate Programs
Masters degrees in education and E-learning.
Vision
Northern State University is a historic, public institution of higher education established on an attractive campus in Aberdeen, South Dakota. The NSU community takes pride in the institution and in providing an advanced teaching and learning environment. Integrating technology across the curriculum, NSU offers excellence in liberal and professional education with programs in Arts & Sciences, Business, Education, and Fine Arts.
Values
NSU's students, faculty, and staff are drawn together by the following values:
Community = With strong ties to our city and region, we are a welcoming community of scholars and learners, with a focus on a student-centered environment.
Scholarship = We engage in research and creative activities in an innovative atmosphere of intellectual rigor, with academic freedom and integrity.
Citizenship = We educate
individuals for a lifetime of learning and service to their
ever-changing communities, nations, and world.
Scholarship
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Scholarly and creative activities are conducted in all authorized disciplines consistent with the academic purposes of the institution.
Public Service
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Services are offered through the following approved centers and organizational units: South Dakota International Business Center; Small Business Institute; Professional Development School; Environmental Education Center; Reading, Writing, and Mathematics Centers; Elementary and Secondary Science Teaching Center; University Speech and Hearing Clinic; Northern State University Press; University Art Galleries; Center for Statewide E-learning.
Continuing Education
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Continuing education opportunities, outreach, and public service to the state, region, nation, and internationally in concert with the approved programmatic authorization listed above.
Off-Campus Delivery
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Off-campus delivery is provided throughout the state in designated mission areas, particularly through the Capital University Center in Pierre and Cheyenne River Community College in Eagle Butte. An emphasis in electronic and computer delivery has enhanced the sites and numbers of students served through off-campus delivery.
The Institution and Campus
The South Dakota State Legislature established Northern State University in 1901 in response to the need for an institution of higher education to serve the northern region of the state. Originally known as a teacher’s college, Northern State University is now a comprehensive, multi-purpose institution serving the needs of over 2300 students.
The Northern State University campus, one of the most beautiful in the Midwest, includes 20 buildings. Among them are the Johnson Fine Arts Center which includes a 1,000-seat theater, the Berggren Recital Hall, and a lecture auditorium.
The Beulah Williams Library houses NSU’s collection of 210,000 books, archives, the Harriet Montgomery Water Resources Collection, and other publications. It is a partial federal document depository and receives all publications of the United States Office of Education. It is a full depository for South Dakota public documents.
The Joseph H. Barnett Physical Education Complex and Convocation Center seats over 8,500 people. With its offices and classrooms; 160-meter track; 25-meter six-lane pool; wrestling, weight, dance, gymnastics, and training rooms; tennis, volleyball, racquetball, handball, squash, and basketball courts; it is the pride of the NSU Wolves.
NSU’s Clark Swisher Field, which includes a football stadium and an all-weather track, is located five miles northeast of the main campus. The stadium seats 6,000 spectators for the Wolves’ football games.
The NSU Student Center houses the offices of Residence Life, Student Activities, Health Services, the Counseling Center, Minority Achievement, Disability Services, the Career Planning Center and Placement, Campus Security, the Wolves Den dining services and snack bar, the University Bookstore, and the Post Office. Thunder’s Lair offers a place for students and staff to relax during the day, and a place to dance to the latest music at night. As the core of the NSU campus community, the NSU Student Center offers social, recreational, extra and co-curricular activities; meeting rooms; and student organization offices.
The University Bookstore sells textbooks, instructional supplies, books for extracurricular reading, leisure and recreational items, and sundries. Personal checks may be cashed at the Bookstore for up to $25.00.