- Academic Dean
- Dean Baker and Dean Wileden handle general academic advising and information regarding academic matters such as registration, add/drop procedures. repeat options, withdrawals, academic discipline, referral information.
- Add/Drop
- The period at the beginning of each semester (ends on the 14th day of the semester) when you can change your course schedule without any implications.
- Commonwealth College
- The Honors college at the University. Located in 508 Goodell.
- CNS
- College of Natural Sciences
- CUM: Cumulative Grade Point Average
- This calculates a student's GPA earned over a student's total academic history.
- FAFSA
- Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Application required for the Financial Aid Office, 255 Whitmore.
- FERPA: Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
- This is a federal law protecting the confidentiality of student records. In compliance with FERPA, the University of Massachusetts Amherst must have a student's expressed written permission in order to release information from her/his records to any third party, including parents, spouse, or employer.
- GPA: Grade Point Average
- An average arrived at by multiplying the grade received by the number of course credit(s) then dividing by the total number of credits assessed on a semesterly basis.
- GEN ED
- General Education requirements, the core curriculum required by the University for every student.
- IPO: International Program Office
- In charge of the international exchange program. Located in 467 Hills South.
- RAC: Registration Access Code
- A number assigned to some students at registration time. If assigned, this number is needed to use the SPIRE system.
- R1
- Tier One (Basic Math Skills) University Math requirement.
- R2
- Tier Two (Analytical Reasoning) University Math Requirement.
- Prior Approval Form
- A necessary form to complete if you want to study at another school and have those courses transfer back to the University.
- Units
- Credits
- SPIRE
- The web site for the student information system, used by students, instructors, and authorized academic staff. Log on to Spire using the Campus ID number located on the Ucard.
- Spire ID
- All students are randomly assigned an 8-digit Campus ID number—also your SPIRE logon ID—which is printed on the Ucard. It has no association with your social security number or any other identifier.
- Term
- Semester
