Glossary of Terms
Academic Advisor - Every student will have an advisor who helps students register for courses and map out their path to graduation. Every semester students must meet schedule an appointment with advisors before registering for classes. Students will need to use navigate to schedule advising appointments.
Academic Calendar - The Academic Calendar is is where you can find all the important dates for each semester. This includes class start dates, holidays, payment deadlines, last day to drop classes, when classes end, finals week, and more.
Academic Integrity - Academic integrity is truthful and responsible representation of yourself and your work by taking credit only for your own ideas and creations and giving credit to the work and ideas of other people. It involves providing attribution (citations and acknowledgments) whenever you include the intellectual property of others—and even your own if it is from a previous project or assignment. Academic integrity also means generating and using accurate data.
Academic Standing - Students will be considered in “good academic standing” if they are eligible to take classes at Jacksonville State University. Eligible academic standings consist of Good Standing, Academic Warning, and Academic Probation. To be in good academic standing a student must maintain a 2.00 GPA or higher. If a student’s GPA falls below 2.00 then they will enter different academic standing levels.
- Warning
- Probation
- Suspension
- Dismissal
Admitted Student Days - An exclusive on campus event that allows admitted students to get to know the Friendliest Campus in the South and see how their academic department at JSU supports and prepares students for their career. Attendees will also get to check important next steps off their list like registering for Gamecock Orientation, meeting with Financial Aid, and more!
Bursar - This office handles all account payments. This is referred to as the Office of Student Accounts. They will deal with student accounts once registered for classes. They can help with setting up a payment plan, locating charges on the student account, student account refunds, collections for delinquent student accounts, etc. Acceptable payments for student accounts made by cash, check, money order, MasterCard, Visa or Discover. Students may access their account and make payments through MyJaxState.
CEPS Complex - College of Education and Professionals Complex. This is located on the southwest side of the main campus and hosts all the Education major courses including Counseling and Instructional Support, Curriculum and Instruction, Family and Consumer Sciences, and Secondary Education.
Campus Tour - Upon your welcome to campus, an administrator will introduce you to The Friendliest Campus in the South through an information session. In this session, we will discuss our admissions process, housing, financial aid, scholarships, and more! After that, it’s time to tour the Gem of the Hills alongside your Gamecock Student Guides. Explore what could soon be your favorite campus spots! Take a Campus Tour!.
Club Sports - Competitive sports teams not associated with the official university Athletics. These teams compete with other university club teams across the south. Students must apply, and some sports clubs will need try-outs. University Recreation manages the club sports’ teams.
Cocky Bucks - Optional dollars available for purchase that will be added to the student’s ID card $50 minimum deposit required. May be used at all on-campus dining locations in addition to off-campus eateries such as Mason's BBQ and Struts of Jacksonville. Funds roll over from term to term until cardholder graduates or leaves JSU. May be purchased on your MyJaxState portal under dining.
Cocky Chats - Join a "Cocky Chat" to engage in on-demand virtual conversations with our experts in Admissions, Financial Aid, Career Services, or Military Services!
Commencement - Graduation ceremony. View the Registrar's Graduation page for more information.
Common Abbreviations - View common abbreviations.
Conference USA - Jax State’s current athletic conference. This determines who we play against in all major sports. We compete each year in 18 different division I sports, representing Conference USA.
Credit Hours - Courses in college are labeled as credit hours. Most courses are 3 credit hours with some 2 credit hour courses, and some 1 credit hour courses. The credit hours determine how often the class will meet each week. A 3-hour course will meet for 3 hours a week. You will need 120 credit hours to complete your degree at a minimum. Most 1 credit hour courses are reserved for labs, and they are paired with a 3-credit hour course.
DUO Security - DUO Security is a service that allows a second factor, such as a mobile device, be used for authentication. In order to better protect against cybersecurity threats and online fraudulent activities, DUO Two-Factor Authentication is required to access JSU email accounts and student financial accounts.
Dean - Administrator who oversees a specific College or unit on campus like the Dean of the Library and the Dean of Students.
Degree Audit - A degree audit is a review of your coursework (courses you have already taken, courses you are currently taking, or courses you are planning to take in the future) to determine if you have completed or are completing the graduation requirements. Your ultimate goal is to graduate, and a degree audit helps guide you towards it.
Disability Resources - Office on campus that assists students with accommodations. This office assists students with an IEP or 504 plan from high school. They can also meet with students to develop an accommodations plan. Students must have medical or mental health documentation to receive accommodation for classes. Students will need to complete an accommodations request form in order to setup an initial meeting with Disability Resources. The form can be found by visiting the Disability Resources site.
Division I - Jax State’s current Collegiate Athletic division. We are in Division I – FBS. This means we compete at the highest level in athletics. We currently have 18 division I sports teams.
Drop/Add - This refers to dropping or adding a class. When you “drop” a class it means you are removing it from your schedule. When you “add” a class it means you are adding it to your schedule. View the information for registration and dropping a course. It is always best practice to consult with your academic advisor before adding or dropping classes to make sure you are on track and taking the correct courses to graduate in the most efficient way.
Faculty - Instructors, professors, or teachers at an educational institution. Faculty typically have a specific subject or field in which they research and/or teach.
FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) - The FAFSA is the yearly application for federal student aid, such as Pell grant, work study, and federal student loans. The FAFSA can be completed online at www.studentaid.gov
FERPA - The Family and Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law regarding the privacy of student records and the obligation of the institution, primarily in the areas of release of the records and the access to these records. Under FERPA, parents and legal guardians are considered to be third-parties and may only have access to a student's education record with the consent of the student. Parents and guardians can request access to a student's educational records through the Gamecock Parent & Family Connection portal. Through the portal, such third-parties can submit an access request to their student. The request to access educational records is sent electronically to the student, and it is a student's right under FERPA to accept or decline the access request. The third-party will receive a reply via with a response to the request. Access granted by the student to parents or legal guardians will remain in effect until such time that the student revokes it. Once a student separates from the University, only requests for nondisclosure of Directory Information remain in effect.
Final Transcript - JSU has to have a final transcript from students after they graduate high school that shows their graduation date; from other colleges that show all completed courses with final grades listed and graduation date, if applicable.
First-Generation - JSU’s university wide definition of a first-generation student is a student with neither parent/legal guardian obtaining a 4-year college degree (bachelor-degree). If your parent(s)/legal guardians have a 2-year degree, you are first gen. If your grandparents or other relatives have a four-year degree, but not your parent(s) you are first gen.
Flex Dollars - Flex dollars can be used at all on-campus food locations. Voluntary flex plans are available for commuters. Weekly meal plans run Monday-Sunday and do not roll over to the following week. Block meal plans must be used within the semester they are purchased. JSU housing residents select a meal plan option on the JSU Campus Dining page. May be purchased on your MyJaxState portal under dining. For additional information view the Dining Information.
Freshman Convocation - This event kicks off the new academic year for every freshman class. This is hosted annually the evening before the first day of classes during the fall semester. Students will hear from JSU administration, including the president, faculty, staff, and the SGA. During convocation students learn about JSU traditions and have the opportunity to participate in a “class” picture. Directly after convocation students have a cookout on campus. This event is required for all first-time freshmen.
Full-Time Student - Undergraduate requirements for being a full time include a 12-credit hour course load or more. Typically, 12-18 hours is considered full time for undergraduate students. If you take more than 18 hours you must submit a course overload request. Graduate requirements for being a full-time student include a 6-credit hour course load or more. Typically, 6-9 hours is what graduate students take each semester.
GEM Email - The GEM Email is the student’s JSU-assigned email account and official form of communcation.
GO! (Gamecock Orientation) - Program for students to attend before beginning their first semester at JSU. First year students under the age of 25 are required to attend orientation. Transfer students are encouraged to attend orientation, but not required. You will register for orientation through their website. During orientation students will meet current students, meet other new students, have Q&A sessions with students, continental breakfast and lunch provided, meet with offices on campus, learn about Canvas access, learn to navigate MyJaxState, participate in an involvement fair, meet their academic advisor, and register for classes.
GPA - The grade point average (GPA) may be determined by dividing the quality points earned by the GPA hours. The GPA is not rounded. The GPA is truncated to two places past the decimal for reporting purposes.
Gamecock Market - Network on campus that offers a variety of free services to the campus community that include food, clothing (professional and casual), hygiene products, and school supplies. In order to request resources from the Gamecock Market, place an online order. Students living on campus can pick up items in Sparkman Hall once the order has been filled. Off campus students can pick up items during campus operating hours at at UREC and UPD. View the Gamecock Market website.
Graduate Classes - These classes are typically labeled 500-600 and are for students who have already completed an undergraduate degree.
Grants - Grants are sources of financial aid that generally do not have to be repaid and are considered ‘free aid’. They can come from the federal government, your state government, your school, or a private or nonprofit organization. A comprehensive list of federal and state grants can be found on the Financial Aid website.
Hardship Withdrawal - Hardship Withdrawals are only considered for serious extenuating circumstances that prevent a student from continuing or completing coursework occurring when it is past the last date to drop or withdraw and incompletes or other arrangements with instructors are not feasible. Examples of extenuating circumstances for which a student may request a Hardship Withdrawal may include physical and/or psychological illness, serious illness or death of an immediate family member, or other special circumstances. A Hardship Withdrawal under this policy is voluntary by the student and subject to approval by Jacksonville State University (JSU). Eligibility for Hardship Withdrawal is limited to students who have not taken final exams or otherwise completed course work for a final grade. A Hardship Withdrawal, when approved, withdraws a student from all courses for a given semester/term. View the Hardship withdrawal policy.
Hold - A term used to alert students that they are missing some important information, documents, payments, or other pieces of information that may prevent them from beginning the next term and registering for classes. These can be placed on students’ accounts for a variety of reasons. Students can view their holds on their MyJaxState Student profile in the upper right-hand corner. They can also get an in-depth description of their hold in their JSU Navigate portal. If a student has a hold, they are encouraged to contact the party listed by the hold immediately to get the hold removed.
Integrated Studies - A degree consisting of general studies students can obtain by satisfying the program of study. This degree is housed in the College of Arts, Humanities, and Sciences.
Intramurals - College sports offered to all students as a way to compete with peers. Students can create their own teams or join teams already created. University Rec manages intramural sports and utilizes IMLeagues for sport registrations, team rosters, competition information, and more.
Jax Cash - Required for freshmen and sophomore students taking 6 or more credit hours of in person or hybrid classes and who do not have a meal plan. University fee of $302.50 is assessed for fall and spring semesters. May be used at all on-campus dining locations. Funds roll over from term to term per academic year. For additional information view the Dining Information.
Jax First - Jax State’s term for first generation college students!
JaxApp - JaxApp is a single application that allows you to apply for over 250 scholarships including alumni, foundation, and departmental scholarships. The JaxApp can be completed September 1 – February 1 each year through your MyJaxState account.
Living Learning Communities - Living-learning communities (LLCs) at Jacksonville State University are residential housing programs that incorporate themes and build community through common goals and learning. These communities are considered a high-impact practice that will provide supplemental academic, social, and personal support for students. Students in these programs will participate in a variety of events and activities designed to help with their success on campus. Some examples of living learning communities include FirstUp - first generation college students, Leadership House for Women – reserved for women on campus exhibiting leadership potential. For a full list visit the Housing website for Living Learning Communities.
Major - View the List of majors. This is the degree you will receive upon completion of classes.
Meal Credits - Meal credits or “swipes” can only be used at the Jack Hopper Dining (the cafe). Each time you visit you will swipe your student ID and one meal credit is used. Students will have a certain number of meals they can use each semester depending on the meal plan they select. For additional information view the Dining Information.
Minor - Some majors will have a minor. This is a group of classes in the same general area with a certain number of credit hours earned.
MyJaxState - MyJaxState is Jacksonville State University's web portal that provides access to all web-based services including class registration, financial aid, student accounts, transcripts and more. You can also access quick links to GEM, Banner and CANVAS in the MyJaxState portal under the "Home" tab.
Navigate - Student portal where they can schedule appointments and check progress of classes. Students will use Navigate to schedule advising appointments, connect with Career Advisors, and schedule tutoring appointments.
Official Transcripts - An official transcript has been sent to Jacksonville State directly from the high school, college, or university you have attended. These can be sent electronically through your institutions preferred method, mailed by your institution or hand delivered in a sealed envelope from your institution. Jacksonville State University does not accept transcripts that have been opened by the student, emailed by the student/parent, or any faxed documents.
Preview Days - Preview Days are the perfect opportunity for prospective students to discover the Friendliest Campus in the South with up to four guests! Embark on a campus tour led by a Jax State Ambassador, connect with faculty members representing our 101+ academic programs, and learn about all things Jax State during an engaging presentation covering admissions, financial aid/scholarships, and housing. While on campus, you'll get to interact with current students, explore campus, including the observation deck on the 12th floor of the library (one of the most popular photo spots on campus), and much more!
Provost - Administrator who oversees all of Academic Affairs on campus including the Colleges and Deans. View the list of departments and units who report to the provost.
Proxy - this allows a student to give a parent/legal guardian access to certain information they select. This could include grades, financial records, student conduct records, etc.
Quad - Central location on campus where some student events are held. You can access Angle Hall, Ramona Wood, Daugette Hall, Hammond Hall, the Roundhouse, the Cafeteria, Leone Cole Auditorium, and Panel Hall from the quad.
Registrar - The University Registrar helps make sure all students complete programs of study and deals with class registration. A few of their services include class registration information, transfer documents, catalog information, academic calendar links, transcript requests, graduation information, and parent proxy set up.
Registration - Students will need to meet with an academic advisor before registering for courses each semester. After meeting with an advisor students may register on their own for courses online using Schedule Planner within their MyJaxState system. Make sure to check the registrar’s website for class registration information, like when registration is open. First time freshmen will register for their first semester of classes at Gamecock Orientation with an academic advisor.
Residence Hall - Residence hall refers to where students will live on campus. There are various styles of residence halls ranging from single room, double room, pod style, and apartment style. For a full list of residence halls visit the housing website.
SSC 101 - College integration seminar providing supportive guidance to students in transition from high school to college. Topics discussed include how to: utilize JSU's learning management system and other online tools, identify potential careers and develop a relationship with an academic and career advisor, know and understand JSU policies, participate in the common reading program, become active in JSU activities for students, become familiar with student services, and acquire knowledge and skills necessary to prosper as a JSU student. Mandatory for all unconditionally admitted students with fewer than 24 earned hours. Students aged 25 and older are exempt.
Scholars Code - To ensure academic honesty and provide support for students who may have engaged in minor violations, the university proposes the Scholars’ Code as means by which the course instructor can work with students in an educational and restorative manner while also securing the academic integrity of the university. This policy emphasizes several values in order to provide students a clear path forward if they have committed an offense and to provide faculty with clear steps to follow when a student has committed an offense in their class. The first of those values is the student’s academic responsibility, followed by values impacting the process through which an offense is adjudicated: nondiscrimination, equal and consistent treatment, confidentiality, and respect.
To that end, the policy consists of the following aspects:
- Violations
- Levels of offense
- Procedures and standards for course instructor reporting
- Process
- Levels of sanction based on offense
- Appeals process
This policy is intended to provide a consistent view of academic dishonesty and a practice to follow for course instructors in reporting incidents of academic dishonesty and in initiating the formal adjudication process on the university level. Link to JSU's Scholars' Code and Policy Information.
Scholarships - JSU offers several types of scholarships to help reduce the direct cost of attending school for new and continuing students. A comprehensive list of scholarship opportunities can be found on the Financial Aid website.
Semester/Term - This refers to an academic period where students will take classes. Typically, this means fall, spring, and summer. There are mini terms students can take depending on their major.
South Complex - Home to the College of Health Professions and Wellness as well our Student Health Center. This portion of campus hosts Nursing students and other various majors within the College of Health Professions and Wellness.
Squat (housing) - Housing term meaning to reselect your current residence hall for the next academic year. When reapplying for housing you can “squat” and stay in the same room next year.
Staff - Employees who work at the institution and are not in an instructional role.
Student ID Number - 9-digit student identification number assigned at the point of admission to the university.
Student Loans - A loan is money you borrow and you must pay back with interest. If you decide to take out a loan, make sure you understand the terms, conditions, and who you're borrowing the money from. Subsidized loan- a federal student loan that’s available to undergraduate students with financial need. This loan does not accrue interest while a student is enrolled in at least 6 credit hours. Unsubsidized loan- a federal student loan that’s available to all degree seeking students, both undergraduate and graduate. This loan begins accruing interest after it is disbursed to a student’s account. A list of federal and private student loans can be found on the Financial Aid website.
Student Success Center - The mission of the Student Success Center is to provide an integrated network of support to facilitate the academic and personal success of undergraduate students at JSU. This is where you can go to receive academic support outside of the classroom. Some of the services offered include Tutoring, Supplemental Instruction, Success Coaching, Gamecock Orientation, Academic Advising, Career Advising, Student Athlete Support, study hall for Fraternity and Sorority Life and Athletes, English and Math Placement Exams (EdReady), Disability Resources, and Testing Services.
TMB - Theron Montgomery Building - The Student Commons Building.
The Caf - The main hub for dining on campus. This is where the dining office is located. Buffet style setup with options for everyone, and students can use their campus meal plan or pay cash/card to eat breakfast, lunch, or dinner. If students have a meal plan it will cost one “meal swipe” each time they visit or they can pay with cocky bucks/flex dollars.
The ROC - Randy Owens Performing Arts Center.
Transcript - A transcript is a record of your GPA, cumulative earned credits, and course and grade history at JSU. The transcript also shows courses and examination credits from other institutions that have been accepted for transfer credit. Current or active students may view and print unofficial transcripts from the MyJaxState site. Official transcripts are issued by the University Registrar's Office and bear the University Seal and Registrar Signature. Official transcripts are not processed if you have an outstanding obligation, financial or otherwise. If your hold has not been cleared within thirty days of submission of your transcript request (or you fail to notify the Office of the Registrar that your hold has been lifted within thirty days of submission of your transcript request), your request will be cancelled and you will need to submit a new request once your hold has been lifted. Transcripts cannot be ordered by phone. A handwritten signature is required for the release of transcripts.
UREC - University Recreation and Fitness Center. This facility on campus houses multiple fitness and recreational opportunities. They provide services like group fitness classes, personal work out trainers, Intramural sports, sports clubs, e-sports, adventure recreation, an aquatic center, rock climbing wall, nutrition and shakes, and general hang out areas for students on campus. Students will need their student ID to visit the center. Guests are allowed but must be checked in with a current REC member and there is an additional visitor’s pass fee for guests.
Undecided - This term is often called something students will declare when entering college and are unsure what degree they want to pursue.
Undergraduate Classes - These classes are typically labeled 100-400 and are students who have not earned a four-year bachelor’s degree.
Work Study - This is a term that can refer to on campus job opportunities. You can search the Human Resources website for Work Study eligible jobs. This is granted based on a student’s FASFA completion, and a study must be eligible to apply for these jobs. These on campus jobs are reserved for the only Work Study eligible students.