Body
QA Course Overview
Required
The Quality Assurance Rubric, for the Learner Support Section 1.1 states:
Course instructions articulate or link to clear descriptions of academic, student, and technical support services offered.
From the SD Board of Regents
Expectations
- Because the instructor may be the only regular contact an online student has with a university, it is vital that they convey to the students the types of services available to them, as well as how the student can take advantage of those service, including:
- technical support services, which should include:
- a link to your technical support website
- the email address of your Helpdesk (or equivalent service)
- a phone number--preferably a toll-free number--to your Helpdesk (or equivalent service)
- the location of your Helpdesk (or equivalent service)
- academic support services, which should include:
- access to library resources
- readiness assessment
- testing services
- tutoring
- a writing center
- a math center
- supplemental instruction programs
- student support services, which should include:
- advising
- registration
- financial aid
- student life
- counseling
IMPORTANT: simply including a link to support services does not satisfy this standard. The link needs to be included with a basic description of the types of services the student will find.
Examples
- For information about the university's technical, academic, and student support services, as well as how to take advantages of these services, please refer to the DSU Online Student Handbook https://dsu.edu/academics/files/Online-Handbook_web.pdf. This document also contains important information pertaining to minimum technology requirements, registration information, as well as other university services and policies.
References
- QM FIPSE rubric VII.1, VII.2, VII.3
Copy/Paste Example
DSU Example 1:
Upload a copy of the DSU Online Handbook into your course and add a link in your Content-Getting Started Section. Also, add a link into your syllabus.
DSU Specific Example 2: (Pulled from the DSU Online Handbook)
DSU offers the following student and academic support services to you. You can take advantage of these services by contacting the service that you need with the information below. You can also check out the DSU Online Student Handbook that contains all of the information specific to the online student.
Academic Advising
An academic advisor is assigned to each student, an example of Dakota State University’s commitment to personalize education. New students are introduced to their advisor through their welcome letter. Subsequently, students should meet with their advisor to get acquainted and discuss career and educational plans. Thereafter, students should stay in contact with their advisor on a regular basis to assess progress and discuss preregistration procedures for the next semester. The advisor is the advisee’s primary contact for planning and maintaining an academic program.
Information related to curriculum changes, course schedules, grades, etc., is given to the advisor, who in turn informs the student. A student’s questions should be directed to their advisor who will either answer them immediately or find a source for answers and relay them to the student. Advisors may refer students to the appropriate department with questions or concerns as needed.
Students with a declared major are assigned an advisor who is a member of the college responsible for that major. A student with a declared major who wishes to change advisors should contact that college’s office for the appropriate paperwork. Students without a declared major are assigned an advisor who is either an instructor in one of their initial courses or a faculty member in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Each student is ultimately responsible for his/her own academic schedule and activities. The dean of each college is responsible for maintaining and evaluating the advising system within that academic unit. The provost/vice president for academic affairs is responsible for maintaining and evaluating the overall advising system.
ITS Support Desk
The ITS Support Desk provides all online and on-campus students with excellent support resources, and can assist with any sort of technical issues, such as: » Your user accounts are not working, or you are unable to log in to university resources; » You are having difficulties with your assigned DSU device or personal computer; » You are receiving error messages when accessing your online courses. » Help is available in several formats, all with a click on your computer.
DSU’s Knowledge Base Answers to many questions can be found in our knowledge base articles at support.dsu.edu. Support Desk Quick Ticket Need something that ITS provides? Submit a ticket to get assistance. Create an incident, make a request, or ask a question for any issues not found under Service categories. Your service ticket will be created and addressed during business hours. Service Catalog Need something that ITS provides? Ask for it through our service catalog. Information gets routed automatically to the team that can help you or browse the catalog to get the help you need with all your IT related problems or questions. DSU’s remote assistance DSU utilizes the Bomgar product to provide remote assistance for those who need help configuring and troubleshooting hardware and software issues.
After-Hours Help Students can call 605-256-5675 and leave a detailed issue description. Your message will be forwarded as a service ticket, and the first available technician will respond first thing during business hours. You may also submit a service ticket online by emailing help@dsu.edu. to schedule a date/time for after-hours tech support. ITS Help Desk personnel will do their best to accommodate your support needs.
IMPORTANT DSU HELP DESK’S OPERATIONAL HOURS ARE: Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. (during academic year) 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (summer break) Phone: 605-256-5675
Dropping Courses
A student may drop a class and receive tuition and fee refunds anytime during the official drop/add period. Check the academic calendar for semester add/drop dates.
Withdrawal Process
This section is applicable if dropping one or more courses, but not all courses for the semester. A student may withdraw from a class after the drop/add deadline, up until the last day to withdraw in the academic calendar. Students who withdraw during this time period earn a “WD” in the course and do not receive any refund. The “WD” grade does not affect the student’s grade point average. A student is allowed a maximum of six WD grades; after the sixth single-course withdrawal, a grade of “WFL” is assigned, which counts toward the student’s GPA the same as an “F” grade. Students are not allowed to withdraw from specific classes after the published last day to withdraw except under extenuating circumstances and only with the approval of the provost/vice president for academic affairs. Anticipated course failure does not constitute an extenuating circumstance. For questions or assistance, contact the Office of Online Education at (605) 256-5049 or online@dsu.edu.
Withdrawal from the University
When a student withdraws from all their courses in any academic term, they also withdraw from the university. If the withdrawal is after the add/drop period, a grade of “WW” will be posted for all courses for the term, and a partial refund may be calculated based on the date of withdrawal. If the withdrawal occurs after courses have begun but before the add/drop deadline for full refund, WD-101 or WD-801 will be posted to the transcript under the term to indicate enrollment. If a student is enrolled at more than one Board of Regents institution, the student must withdraw from all courses at all institutions. To withdraw from all DSU’s courses, students (undergraduate and graduate) must complete the online withdrawal form. The Registrar’s Office will coordinate the notification process so that all appropriate offices and persons are made aware of the withdrawal. The effective date of withdrawal is the date the student initiates the withdrawal process officially, either verbally or in writing, with the appropriate office. Failure to officially withdraw will result in failing grades in all courses, forfeiture of any possible refund of charges, and will impact federal financial aid eligibility. Additionally, a student is withdrawn from the university if classes have begun, and the university has administratively suspended a student for reasons such as non-payment of tuition and fees, disciplinary sanctions, etc. Dates for withdrawal are found on the Academic Calendar located here on the DSU website.
Financial Aid
Dakota State University makes every effort to help eligible students secure the finances needed to begin and complete their college education. The university provides financial aid assistance to qualifying students in the form of scholarships, grants, loans, and work study opportunities. In addition, all sources of student financial aid (agency, private, federal, state, and institutional) are coordinated through the Financial Aid Office. Any funding in addition to the student and family contribution is considered financial aid and is processed through this DSU office. For a complete listing of financial aid programs, policies, and alternative financing options, visit the MyDSU Portal or the DSU website. Application information, eligibility requirements, loan counseling, and links to current loan information can be accessed via the MyDSU Portal. Eligibility is determined annually based on the results of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), DSU scholarship application, student date of application and student financial aid satisfactory academic progress. Electronic applications for institutional, federal aid and other aid sources may be done through links found online. Students may access consumer information required for DSU to participate in federal aid programs through this office such as Student Right to Know, Placement Statistics, Crime Report, Equity in Athletics and average graduate loan debt information. Professional staff are available to assist students in determining educational funding options and understanding available programs. If students have a change in their family situation during the school year, they should contact the Financial Aid Office regarding special circumstance consideration.
Paying for Tuition/Fees
Dakota State University offers online billing and payment through SDePay. Details can be found on the student portal at MyDSU>Financial>Pay for College/Tuition & Fees or on the website. Students may also contact the DSU Cashier’s Office at Cashier@dsu.edu or 605-256-5271.
Counseling Services
We realize there is more to college than remarkable academic achievements. It is about meeting goals in all areas of your life. The Student Success Center is here to help you overcome challenges, attain life goals and enhance your personal growth. Our counseling resources are here to help you succeed academically, socially and personally. On MyDSU, you can find more information about our services, staff and resources. For more information, please contact the Student Success Center by calling 605-256-5121 or email success.center@dsu.edu. In an emergency, please call 911.
Veteran's Affairs
As a veteran, you have many educational benefits available to you. DSU is accredited by the SAA (State Approving Agency) as a Program Eligible for Veterans Benefits. We have also been recognized for five years in a row as a Military Friendly School by Victory Media and are proud to serve our growing veteran and military student population. Along with providing you with one-on-one attention with our veteran benefits coordinator, we continue to support you during your DSU career with our Military Resource Center. To help make your online education experience a success, we are happy to answer any questions. Give us a call at (605) 256-5815 or email veteran.assistant@dsu.edu. Feel free to visit our website at: dsu.edu/admissions/military.
Ordering Textbooks
One of the major functions of the bookstore is to provide the sale of required textbooks in direct support of the academic programs of the university. Used books are available for most courses at a substantial savings over new book prices.
To access the book order site, simply log into the MyDSU Portal and click on bookstore link to the right side of your screen.
Click on the “Buy Your Books” link and search by course.
Additionally, you can order your books by phone, fax, mail, email. or online:
- Phone: (605) 256-5238
- Email: bookstore@dsu.edu
- Fax: (605) 256-5020
- Online: dsubookstore.com
- Mail: 820 N. Washington Ave. Madison, SD 57042
Library Services
The Karl E. Mundt Library’s mission is to support the academic programs and information needs of all Dakota State University students, faculty and staff. The library provides access to an extensive collection of materials through its online catalog. In addition to its print holdings, the Mundt Library subscribes to numerous electronic indexes and full text research databases, most notably EBSCO’s Academic Search Premier, IEEE Xplore Digital Library, ProQuest Research Library, ABI-Inform, MLA Bibliography and Lexis-Nexis. These databases are authoritative scholarly research tools needed to support DSU’s academic programs. In addition, the library’s collection of e-books continues to grow.
The library’s website provides the on- and off-campus community with direct access to the information resources critical to the various disciplines. Materials held by other libraries are also readily available through the interlibrary loan, so the Mundt Library can quickly meet an individual’s information needs. The library also provides online access to tutorials and other research aids for independent scholars.
DSU Writing Center
The DSU Writing Center & Writing Center Online provide reading and writing support to undergraduate students across a variety of disciplines. From interpreting a course text to developing or finalizing an essay, our learning assistants can assist you at any stage of the process. In addition to one-on-one consultations, the Writing Center offers walk-in hours (on campus) and group workshops in reading, study skills, scholarly formatting, research and a variety of other topics. Distance students may access these resources through the Writing Center Online page in D2L. Our learning assistants are available to meet via video conferencing, D2L Collaborate, or provide asynchronous feedback through a D2L drop box folder. Additional information and resources are available on our D2L page. To set up your student access, please email writingcenter@dsu.edu and a member of the staff will add you to the Writing Center Online and provide additional instructions for submitting your work.
TUTOR.COM
TUTOR.COM is an online tutoring service available 24/7 to DSU students. Login to Tutor.com or find TUTOR.COM within your course(s) in D2L. With Tuor.com, you can:
- Connect one-on-one with one of our 3,000+highly qualified tutors.
- View recordings of your previous sessions. » Drop off an essay for review and feedback.
- Save your favorite tutors and see their schedule of availability.
Questions? Please visit tutor.com/contact-us or Sarah Rasmussen, Director of Online Education at Sarah.rasmussen@dsu.edu
How do I access tutoring services?
- Click on the “help” tab within the D2L course shell and then Click on DSU – Tutor.
- You will be able to sign into Tutor.com using your DSU login credentials.
- Going director to the tutor.com website will not allow students to sign up for tutoring, they must go to the link through their D2L course shell.
- Select your topic, subject, and fill out the question or concept you want help with. Make sure to have your question and any important notes in the pre-session questionnaire; this will save you time while you are in your tutoring session!