Student Services

Academic Counseling

The Admissions Office maintains an advisory assignment list. Most students retain the same advisor throughout the program of study. Each advisor is given a file containing the information needed to advise the student, including THEA and TOEFL requirements. Students who have not passed all sections of the THEA test are directed to see the Developmental Studies Advisor before seeing an academic advisor. After the Developmental Studies Advisor assigns necessary developmental courses, the student is cleared to see the academic advisor.

Advisors are encouraged to get to know the students they advise. The goal for each advisor is to help the student formalize educational and vocational objectives, assist in the admission process, and provide academic information for use in course selection and other issues.

Personal and Family Counseling

Individual, confidential personal counseling is available to all students and their families on a limited basis. The University has contracted with a Christian counseling center to provide individual and family counseling. Provision has been made for Spanish-speaking students to receive competent counseling service in their language.

Career Planning

The Office of the Vice President for Student Development administers the Birkman Inventory, used to assist students in determining areas of ministry in which they are more apt to be successful. A Birkman-certified counselor is available to evaluate the results. Students are encouraged to participate in internship ministry experiences and explore a varied range of opportunities for future ministry.

Career Assistance

The University provides career services through the Office of Christian Service Program Director to help students find part-time employment in local churches and other ministries. Contact the Director of Christian Service Program to set up a file and develop a résumé.

The Vice President for Student Development assists students wishing to continue their education in exploring graduate study opportunities. This Office also assists graduates in finding full-time service in the ministry. Students are advised to provide the Office of the Vice President for Student Development with their résumés at the beginning of the last year of study. For more information regarding placement assistance, see the Catalog and contact the Vice President for Student Development.

Testing Services

The Registrar's Office serves as the information center for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), Texas Higher Education Assessment (THEA), and the General Education Development Test (GED).

Spiritual Formation

Students will find a number of activities and programs to help them grow in their spiritual journey. Students enjoy a campus environment where fellow Christians study, dine together, participate in intramural sports, share in classroom instruction and dialogue, and engage in daily fellowship with other students, faculty, and staff. Students are provided opportunities to participate in evangelism efforts, the Rollins Lecture Series, serve in missions projects in the San Antonio area and leadership roles in local churches, and participate in worship services celebrated during the chapel hour.

Chapel Attendance

To graduate, every student must present a certificate of chapel attendance with at least 85% attendance each semester. Attendance at Chapel will be recorded weekly the students through the use of the Christian Service Program & Chapel Student Passport. The passport is being instituted using the honor system and has been designed to facilitate documentation and reflection for both programs.

Bookstore

The campus Bookstore is located in the Rollins Dining Hall, and is open Monday through Friday during regular office hours.

Health Services

Medical and hospitalization insurance information is distributed to the students during orientation. Students are advised of the benefits of health insurance. Students are provided with limited health services on campus. Students may receive basic medical assistance at the Clinic. The Office of Vice President for Student Development administers funds to assist students with medical emergencies. The University has made arrangements with a dentist and a doctor to treat students and their families at reduced cost.

Student Center

The Student Center is located in the Rollins Dining Hall. The center is the focal point for students to enjoy time together in a relaxed atmosphere. The center is open Monday - Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 10:45 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 10:45 p.m. Unattended children are NOT allowed in the Student Center.

Gated Campus

Students enjoy a sense of security with controlled access within a fenced and gated campus. On campus, students enjoy sports fields, adequate parking, student center, and easy access to administrative and instructor offices, chapel, library, bookstore, and classrooms.

Library/Learning Resource Center

The LRC houses a comprehensive collection of books, periodicals, electronic, and audio/visual resources. The Computer Learning Center provides access to electronic resources and the Internet, including the American Theological Library Association (ATLA) serials index, Christian Periodical Index, and Southern Baptist Periodical Index. The ATLA index is a premier index of articles, book reviews, and essays in all fields of religion, spanning fifty years and over one million records, many of which are full-text versions. The LRC provides full reference service, Interlibrary Loan service using WorldCat, and personalized bibliographic instruction. The Audio/Visual Department provides services and equipment for media instruction and duplication. The open stacks, public access catalog terminals, interesting and informative displays, and study areas provide a calm and welcoming environment for study and research. Normal hours of operation are: Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., and Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Work-Study

Eligible students may arrange to work on campus doing a variety of jobs. Earnings from work-study scholarships will be applied to the student accounts. Students may not work more than twenty hours per week in the program.

Campus Mail

The University provides student mailboxes in the Rollins Dining Hall. Students may receive and send mail daily. Student mail is private and personal; it is a violation of federal law to tamper with the mail. Under no circumstance should a student read or take mail from another's mailbox.

Each student is assigned a mailbox and the box number should be used on all correspondence. A student leaving a mailbox unlocked assumes responsibility for the consequences. Students are not to tamper with mailboxes by any means. Mail is distributed Monday through Friday and by authorized individuals.

Permission must be obtained from the Vice President for Student Development before any advertising or promotional materials may be placed in student mailboxes.

Website

See the University website at www.bua.edu/placement_jobs.html (STUDENTS/Placement Services/Job Opportunities) for hyperlinks. Each contains a hyperlink to names of prospective ministers looking for a place of ministry who have submitted résumés. The Placement Service will maintain résumés for nine months. The Placement Service site contains a tab for Places of Ministry. Churches, associations, state conventions, and other ministry organizations submit requests for prospective ministers. The site also features a hyperlink to the BGCT (http://www.bgct.org/) which maintains a placement service for churches (http://www.cpis.org/), the Church Information Personnel Service.

Cafeteria

The Cafeteria provides lunch for students and staff Monday through Friday. Meal cards may be purchased at the Business Office.

Computer Center

A computer center is located in the Administration Building. Computer stations with Internet access are provided for student use in research and writing assignments.

Disabilities

In compliance with University policy, the programs and activities of the University are conducted in a manner so that no otherwise qualified disabled individual will, solely by reason of disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any such program or activity. Notification and inquiries concerning student services for the disabled should be directed to the Dean of Student Services. All information provided to the Dean of Student Services is strictly voluntary.

Military Withdrawal

Upon student withdrawal from the University as a result of being called into active military service, the University will, at the studentÍs request:

Refund the tuition paid by the student for the semester in which the student withdraws;
Grant a student (who is eligible under applicable college guidelines) an incomplete grade in all courses by designating "withdrawn-military" on the studentÍs transcript; or
As determined by the instructor, assign an appropriate final grade or credit to a student who has satisfactorily completed a substantial amount of course work and who has demonstrated sufficient mastery of the course material.

NOTICE: Students will not be considered properly registered and will not be admitted to classes until all tuition and fees required by the University have been paid. These are payable in advance (at registration) at the beginning of each semester.