Tiger Terminology

Academic Advisor: A professional staff member who guides students through course selection, degree planning and completion, and helps to identify resources for additional information and support. There are multiple academic advisors across campus who provide advising for specific areas with whom your Tiger may meet during their time at LSU.  

• During the freshman year, most students receive advising through the Center for Freshman Year.
• As students progress into their sophomore year and beyond, they may enter the Center for Advising and Counseling and served by these academic advisors while they work toward admission into one of LSU's 10 degree granting senior colleges.
• Once admitted into a degree granting senior college, students are served by academic advisors in their respective LSU senior college offering their degree program. 

Academic Calendar: The LSU Academic Calendar is published each year by the Office of the University Registrar and includes all major dates for the academic year. These dates include semester start and end dates, holidays, and important academic deadlines. Each semester students are responsible for adhering to the published deadlines. Any potential changes to the academic calendar will be communicated to students via email. Learn more. 

Academic Coaching: A 1:1 session with a college learning expert from the Center for Academic Success to provide useful tips and tools to help students achieve at the highest levels in their courses. 

Academic College: Serves as your Tiger’s academic home and location where they meet with their academic advisor. Your Tiger’s current academic college is listed on their Navigate homepage.

Academic Probation: A status assigned to a student when their GPAs are 10 or more quality points below a 2.00 GPA at the end of the fall or spring semester. Learn more.

Academic Warning: A status assigned to a student when their GPAs are .01 to 9.99 quality points below a 2.00 at the end of fall or spring semester. Learn more.

Accelerated Sessions: During a fall or spring semester, departments may offer courses at an accelerated rate. These courses are offered in the first half of the semester (Session B) or the second half of the semester (Session C). Academic deadlines or accelerated sessions differ from the traditional semester schedule and can be found on the LSU Academic Calendar under Accelerated Sessions. 

LSU Academic Programs Abroad (APA): Your Tiger's ticket to explore the globe and broaden their academic horizons while earning college credit. Short-term & longer exchange options are available. Learn more. 

Adjunct Faculty: Non-tenure track faculty member. 

ALEKS: ALEKS (Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces) are assessments utilized to determine course readiness. 

• The ALEKS PPL is an assessment of readiness for Calculus I and power level MATH courses. Students enrolled in MATH 1550 (Calculus 1) earn an ALEKS score of 76 or higher to remain enrolled in the course. Students can also take the ALEKS PPL to attempt to earn credit or another placement  in MATH 1021 (College Algebra) Learn more.
• ALEKS examinations may also be utilized in other courses such as CHEM 1201 as a beginning of semester assignment. Learn more. 

Appeal: LSU provides students with an appeal procedure for questioning the application of any regulation, rule, policy, requirement, or procedure as it applies to the individual student. Most undergraduate student appeals are routed directly to the college in which the student is currently enrolled for consideration. A list of common types of appeals and the office responsible for review of that appeal are listed in the LSU General Catalog. 

Blue Book: A book students purchase, or get from the Student Government office in the Student Union, with a blue cover containing lined paper that some instructors require students to use. They are primarily used for answering essay test questions. 

Cancellation: Students who drop all of their classes prior to the first day of class will have their registration cancelled and receive a 100% refund of tuition and fees for the semester. Students can contact their academic college to initiate a cancellation of registration. Undergraduate students whose fall or spring registration is cancelled must apply to reenter the university before they can register for a subsequent semester. Learn more..

CAS (Center for Academic Success): The LSU Center for Academic Success helps students achieve the higher levels of learning necessary for academic success in college and beyond. 

College (Senior College): A group of related departments headed by our LSU Deans. Learn more.

Commencement: A celebration at the end of each semester to honor our LSU graduates. (aka Graduation) Each semester important information regarding commencement is provided on the Office of the University Registrar website.

Communication across the Curriculum (CxC): LSU CxC is a multimodal, multifaceted program that works to improve the writing, speaking, visual and technological communication skills of undergraduates. 

Comprehensive Academic Tracking System (CATS): Provides a list of critical requirements for each semester to ensure your Tiger is progressing in their major and towards graduation. 

Credit Hours: The unit of measurement assigned to each course.

Curriculum: The general term used to describe the courses needed to graduate. 

Dean: A LSU official that is in charge of an academic college. 

Degree Requirements: Courses that must be completed to earn a degree. Your Tiger’s required degree courses are listed on their degree audit. 

Department: The on-campus office for a specific discipline. (Ex. music, psychology, engineering, etc) 

Department Chair: Responsible for coordinating all tasks within an academic department. 

Elective: A required course that your Tiger has the flexibility to choose based on what they are interested in. 

Faculty: Includes all teaching employees at LSU. 

Faculty Office Hours: Hours that LSU faculty are available to meet with your Tiger in regards to their course. Some faculty members offer drop-in hours, and some require your Tiger to set up a meeting. Details of faculty office hours are listed on your Tiger’s course syllabi and/or course Moodle page.

Finals: Comprehensive examinations given at the end of each semester.

General Catalog: The academic catalog provides current academic policies, procedures, recommended paths, course descriptions, and more information that is valuable to students.

GPA (Grade Point Average): A numerical assessment of your Tiger's academic progress.

Hold: An administrative block on scheduling that prevents registration and/or schedule adjustments i.e. adding or dropping a course. A student must take action to clear a hold. 

Incomplete: A temporary grade given to a student who has to leave a class with the intent of completing it within the next semester of attendance. An "I" appears on the transcript to indicate that a course is incomplete. 

Independent Study: Many departments offer independent study coursework that your student can request if they are interested in a special topic. You can find more information on if your major offers independent study credits through your college advisor. 

Instructor: Someone who teaches, but is not a graduate student. 

Interlibrary Loan: Also known as "I.L.L." is a free service for faculty and students. If there are materials that you need that we don't have immediate access to, you can request that we borrow it from another library. And remember, it's free!

Internship: An educational experience for your Tiger to learn from the experts in their field. Internship length, requirements, and benefits vary. 

Librarian: A professional in the LSU library that assists students with finding information. 

Library Research Guides: These online research guides are available to you 24/7 and have been curated by LSU Librarians. On these guides, you will find suggested resources for your research, as well as tutorials and how-to's. 

Major: Primary course of study for undergraduate students. 

Matriculate: A student that is enrolled in an academic college with the intent to earn a degree. 

Midterms: Examinations given halfway through the semester. Your Tiger’s midterm exams are listed on their course syllabi and/or course Moodle page.

Minor: An academic minor is a subject area that your Tiger chooses to have a secondary focus in. A minor allows a student to take more courses in a subject area different than their major. If you Tiger would like to add a minor, they must meet with an academic advisor of their current college. 

Moodle: The learning platform used at LSU where you can access your courses to see what you need to do, submit assignments, access materials, check your grades, etc. Your Tiger will learn how to utilize Moodle during Welcome Week and Orientations. Typically, class can be found on Moodle prior to the start of classes.

Navigate Platform: A platform for students where they can make an appointment with a counselor, view course schedules, join class study groups, learn about campus resources, stay up-to-date with deadlines and access recommended "To-Dos." 

Online Courses: Course content that is delivered solely online. 

Plagiarism: The LSU Code of Student Conduct defines plagiarism as "the lack of appropriate citation, or the unacknowledged inclusion of someone else's words, structure, ideas or data; failure to identify a source, or the submission of essentially the same work for two assignments without permission of the Instructor..."

Pre-requisite: Courses required before enrollment in another course. 

Proctor: A person that monitors your Tiger during an exam. 

Professor: Someone who both teaches and conducts research. 

Required Course: Course that is required for a degree. Your Tiger’s required courses are listed on their degree audit.

Research Associate: Someone who conducts research, but does not teach. 

Rubric: An explanation of how an assignment will be graded. 

SAP (Satisfactory Academic Progress): For purposes of determining financial aid eligibility under the Title IV of the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965, an institution must establish reasonable standards for measuring a student's academic progress. Learn more. 

Scholastic Warning: At the end of the fall or spring semester, wintersession, summer term, or LSU Online module, students will be placed on University Scholastic Warning if their GPAs are .01 to 9.99 quality points below a 2.00 on all work attempted. Learn more. 

Shell Study Groups: Study sessions led by a Center for Academic Success trained student tutor where participants can review class concepts, work problems, ask questions and get support. 

SI Leader: A trained LSU student that works closely with the course instructor to lead weekly SI study sessions where they work with participants to reinforce class concepts and share what they learned in the course. 

Supplemental Instruction (SI): A series of free weekly interactive study sessions offered for students enrolled in historically difficult courses through the Center for Academic Success. 

Syllabus: Course document that typically contains deadlines, class expectations, university rules & policies, and grading policies. Your Tiger will typically receive a course syllabus within the first week of class. 

TA (Teaching Assistant): A graduate assistant that helps with instructional duties for a department or professor. 

Wed-based courses: Courses offered via the web, but through LSU's traditional campus. 

Accreditation: Certification that a school or institution has met standards set by an external review organization. 

Add/Drop: An administrative action that your Tiger can make to add or drop a course. Refer to the Academic calendar for Add/Drop dates, so that your Tiger is not penalized. 

Bengal Bound Orientation: Bengal Bound Orientation is required for all incoming students and is designed to introduce your Tiger to LSU's campus while connecting them to the multitude of academic resources and student life opportunities. Learn more. 

LSU Budget & Planning: The LSU Budget & Planning website includes Tuition cost information for each academic year. Learn more. 

Classification: The number of semester hours of credit earned determines a student's classification year as follows: 

• Freshman - Fewer than 30 hours
• Sophomore - At least 30 hours, but fewer than 60
• Junior - At least 60 hours, but fewer than 60
• Senior - 90 or more

College Record: An unofficial transcript that can be printed for personal records for free. Learn more.

FAFSA: (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) A federal form that determines your Tiger's eligibility for financial aid. This form must be submitted on a yearly basis. Learn more. 

FERPA: Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act. Learn more. 

Financial Aid: Money from a variety of sources including grants, loans or student scholarships that can help your Tiger pay for college. Learn more.

GA (Graduate Assistant): An on-campus work assistantship that provides necessary support for students in graduate school through monthly stipends and non-resident fee waivers. Some include full tuition exemptions. Learn more. 

GROK: LSU's Online Knowledge Base. Learn more. 

ITS (Information Technology Services): ITS delivers University-tailored infrastructure, security, applications, communications and services to empower and enable the research, teaching and administrative functions of LSU. Learn more. 

MyLSU: Online access to course work, registration information, fee payment, and other student resources. Learn more. 

MyProxy: Students can give a parent, guardian, or any other designated person access to view fee bills and/or grades through the MyProxy account. Learn more. 

Registrar: The LSU Office of the University Registrar handles all student information changes and registration information. Learn more. 

Resignation: When a student drops ALL classes during the semester once the semester begins through the last day to resign.  Learn more.

Sabbatical: When faculty go on a break from teaching to focus on research/writing. 

Scholarship: Money that can help pay for school and does not have to be paid back. Most scholarships have to be applied for. Learn more. 

Tenure: Academic freedom earned by faculty who meet certain requirements (teaching, research, publishing, etc.) within a prescribed number of years. 

LSU Tiger Card: Your Tiger's official LSU ID card that will help them gain access to everything they need on campus. From residential hall and meal plan to athletic events and the UREC, they can't leave home without their Tiger Card! 

Transcript: Official record of courses and grades. Learn more. 

Tuition: University expenses that cover the cost of your Tiger's courses. Learn more. 

Undergraduate Cost: View the broader estimate of costs of attendance, including meals and housing.

Waitlist: When a class is full, your Tiger may be added to the waitlist in case students switch classes and a spot becomes available. 

Withdraw: Administrative action to drop a course after the semester registration deadline date. (Commonly referred to as a "W") Learn more. 

Work-study: A federal college program that allows undergraduate students who show financial need to earn money to assist with educational expenses. Learn more. 

LSU Cares: LSU Cares is a university initiative dedicated to the well-being of students and promotion of a community that cares about each of its members. LSU offers an online reporting system to help students, faculty, staff, families and friends submit reports about any potential dangers. Learn more. 

MyStudentBody: An online comprehensive health education program. All students must complete the MyStudentBody course during their time at LSU that focuses on alcohol, drugs, and sexual violence prevention education. Learn more. 

RAD (Rape Aggression Defense): A 12-hour self-defense course for women with a lifetime return and practice policy. Learn more. 

LSU Shield App: The LSU Shield mobile application provides emergency assistance, safety checks & other reporting features to keep students, faculty, staff and visitors safe. Learn more. 

LSU Title IX Coordinator: the Office of the Title IX Coordinator exists to enforce LSU's sex-based discrimination policies, educate the community about our policies, connect people to resources that can support them if they experience discrimination or retaliation, and listen to the concerns of the campus community. Learn more. 

Meal Plan: There are resident as well as commuter student meal plan options available through LSU Dining that can include Meal Swipes and Paw Points. First year and second year students living in a residence hall on campus are required to have a resident meal plan. Learn more. 

Meal Swipe: A swipe is when a student with a meal plan presents their Tiger Card to enter the dining halls on campus. One swipe constitutes the use of one "meal." 

Paw Points:  LSU Dining uses Paw Points to offer easy ways for your Tiger to pay for our on-campus dining options. Paw Points are used like cash, and your Tiger can check their Paw Point balance after their purchase at LSU dining locations. Learn more. 

Resident Assistant: Live-in service providers, leaders, role models and community builders that are carefully selected and trained to development an inclusive and engaging experience for on-campus residents. RAs serve as the primary point of contact for your our on-campus residential students. Learn more. 

Residence halls: On-campus housing options for students. 

Student Advocacy & Accountability (SAA): SAA promotes academic integrity and appropriate standards of conduct for the university. Learn more. 

TigerCASH: A debit card system that your student accesses with his or her Tiger Card (LSU ID) to provide a fast, safe, and convenient way to make purchases on and off campus. Learn more. 

Alumni: A graduate or former student of LSU.  Learn more.  

Barnes & Noble @ LSU: The official LSU Bookstore located on the corner of Highland Road and Veterans Drive. Barnes & Noble @ LSU carries textbooks, supplies, apparel, Apple products and more. 

(UCAC) Center for Advising and Counseling: The administrative unit which can serve as the academic home for students who have attempted 30-plus hours of college credit and who do not yet met the admission requirements for one of the University’s degree-granting senior colleges. Learn more. 

The Club at Union Square: Formerly the Faculty Club, The Club at Union Square is a restaurant located on the corner of Highland Road and Veterans Drive, across from Barnes & Noble @ LSU. Meal swipes from both resident and commuter meal plans are accepted in addition to Paw Points, TigerCASH, cash, and credit. 

Gear2Geaux: The LSU Student Technology Fee funds the purchase of mobile computer devices that are available for check-out at the LSU Library Access Services Desk (2nd Floor). You must be an LSU student with a student ID to be eligible for Gear 2 Geaux. Learn more. 

Greek Life: Fraternities & sororities on campus that offer leadership, friendship and service opportunities. Learn more. 

GroupX Fitness: Free group fitness classes taught by UREC fitness instructors. Learn more. 

Honors College: A college that engages a diverse population of high achieving students in a dynamic interaction of outstanding instruction, innovative research and public service. Learn more. 

Intramural sports: Athletic sports played for fun by LSU students. Registration is required to participate. Learn more.

Mailboxes: Student mailboxes are located on the first floor of the LSU Student Union. All students living on campus are charged a Mailbox Fee each semester. This charge is incorporated into the residence hall rent charge on the Fee Bill. Learn more. 

President: Our head administrator at LSU. Learn more. 

Provost: Senior academic administrator, secondary to the LSU President. Learn more. 

Sport Clubs: Student organizations that compete competitively with other universities, but are not regulated by NCAA. 

Registered Student Organization: A voluntary special interest group created by students with members that fulfill the requirements to be an official registered LSU student organization. Learn more. 

SG (Student Government): A collective voice and governing body for students on campus that addresses a wide range of issues and advocates for students' needs. Learn more. 

TigerLink: A platform run through LSU Campus Life that helps students stay updated on student organization events and news. Learn more. 

Tiger Trails: Our transportation service available to LSU students that has daily routes around campus and nearby areas. Learn more.

University Business Hours: The LSU University business hours are considered Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.  

(UCFY) University Center for Freshman Year: The academic unit for most new freshmen and some transfer and re-entry students. Learn more. 

LSU UREC (LSU University Recreation): An on-campus recreational facility that full-time LSU students have access to during their time as an active student. Part-time students may purchase a membership to enter on semesters that they are not enrolled in courses, including the summer semester. Learn more. 

UREC Field Complex: 26 acres of open space where intramural sports, sports clubs, open recreation and special events are held. 

UREC Leisure River: There is nothing lazy about the pursuit of health and wellness! Learn more. 

A

Academic Advisor: A professional staff member who guides students through course selection, degree planning and completion, and helps to identify resources for additional information and support. There are multiple academic advisors across campus who provide advising for specific areas with whom your Tiger may meet during their time at LSU.  

During the freshman year, most students receive advising through the Center for Freshman Year. 
As students progress into their sophomore year and beyond, they may enter the Center for Advising and Counseling and served by these academic advisors while they work toward admission into one of LSU's 10 degree granting senior colleges. 
Once admitted into a degree granting senior college, students are served by academic advisors in their respective LSU senior college offering their degree program. 
Academic Calendar: The LSU Academic Calendar is published each year by the Office of the University Registrar and includes all major dates for the academic year. These dates include semester start and end dates, holidays, and important academic deadlines. Each semester students are responsible for adhering to the published deadlines and any potential changes to the academic calendar will be communicated to students via email. Learn more. 

Academic Coaching: A 1:1 session with a college learning expert from the Center for Academic Success to provide useful tips and tools to help students achieve at the highest levels in their courses. 

Academic College: Serves as your Tiger’s academic home and location where they meet with their academic advisor. Your Tiger’s current academic college is listed on their Navigate homepage.

Academic Probation: A status assigned to a student when their GPAs are 10 or more quality points below a 2.00 GPA at the end of the fall or spring semester. Learn more.

Academic Warning: A status assigned to a student when their GPAs are .01 to 9.99 quality points below a 2.00 at the end of fall or spring semester. Learn more.

Accelerated Sessions: During a fall or spring semester, departments may offer courses at an accelerated rate. These courses are offered in the first half of the semester (Session B) or the second half of the semester (Session C). Academic deadlines or accelerated sessions differ from the traditional semester schedule and can be found on the LSU Academic Calendar under Accelerated Sessions. 

LSU Academic Programs Abroad (APA): Your Tiger's ticket to explore the globe and broaden their academic horizons while earning college credit. Short-term & longer exchange options are available. Learn more. 

Accreditation: Certification that a school or institution has met standards set by an external review organization. 

Add/Drop: An administrative action that your Tiger can make to add or drop a course. Refer to the Academic calendar for Add/Drop dates, so that your Tiger is not penalized. 

Adjunct Faculty: Non-tenure track faculty member. 

ALEKS: ALEKS (Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces) are assessments utilized to determine course readiness. 

The ALEKS PPL is an assessment of readiness for Calculus I and power level MATH courses. Students enrolled in MATH 1550 (Calculus 1) earn an ALEKS score of 76 or higher to remain enrolled in the course. Students can also take the ALEKS PPL to attempt to earn credit or another placement  in MATH 1021 (College Algebra) Learn more. 

ALEKS examinations may also be utilized in other courses such as CHEM 1201 as a beginning of semester assignment. Learn more. 

Alumni: A graduate or former student of LSU.  Learn more.  

Appeal: LSU provides students with an appeal procedure for questioning the application of any regulation, rule, policy, requirement, or procedure as it applies to the individual student. Most undergraduate student appeals are routed directly to the college in which the student is currently enrolled for consideration. A list of common types of appeals and the office responsible for review of that appeal are listed in the LSU General Catalog. 

B 

Bengal Bound Orientation: Bengal Bound Orientation is required for all incoming students and is designed to introduce your Tiger to LSU's campus while connecting them to the multitude of academic resources and student life opportunities. Learn more. 

Blue Book: A book students purchase, or get from the Student Government office in the Student Union, with a blue cover containing lined paper that some instructors require students to use. They are primarily used for answering essay test questions. 

LSU Budget & Planning: The LSU Budget & Planning website includes Tuition cost information for each academic year. Learn more. 

Bursar: The LSU Bursar's Office is responsible for all billing & payments for your Tiger. Learn more. 

C

Cancellation of Registration: Students who drop all of their classes prior to the first day of class will have their registration cancelled and receive a 100% refund of tuition and fees for the semester. Students can contact their academic college to initiate a cancellation of registration. Undergraduate students whose fall or spring registration is cancelled must apply to reenter the university before they can register for a subsequent semester. Learn more.

LSU Cares: LSU Cares is a university initiative dedicated to the well-being of students and promotion of a community that cares about each of its members. LSU offers an online reporting system to help students, faculty, staff, families and friends submit reports about any potential dangers. Learn more. 

CAS (Center for Academic Success): The LSU Center for Academic Success helps students achieve the higher levels of learning necessary for academic success in college and beyond. 

(UCAC) Center for Advising and Counseling: The administrative unit which can serve as the academic home for students who have attempted 30-plus hours of college credit and who do not yet met the admission requirements for one of the University’s degree-granting senior colleges. Learn more. 

Classification: The number of semester hours of credit earned determines a student's classification year as follows: 

• Freshman - Fewer than 30 hours
• Sophomore - At least 30 hours, but fewer than 60
• Junior - At least 60 hours, but fewer than 60
• Senior - 90 or more

The Club at Union Square: Formerly the Faculty Club, The Club at Union Square is a restaurant located on the corner of Highland Road and Veterans Drive, across from Barnes & Noble @ LSU. Meal swipes from both resident and commuter meal plans are accepted in addition to Paw Points, TigerCASH, cash, and credit. 

College (Senior College): A group of related departments headed by our LSU Deans. Learn more.

College Record: An unofficial transcript that can be printed for personal records for free. Learn more.  

Commencement: A celebration at the end of each semester to honor our LSU graduates. (AKA Graduation) Each semester important information regarding commencement is provided on the Office of the University Registrar website. Learn more. 

Communication across the Curriculum (CxC): LSU CxC is a multimodal, multifaceted program that works to improve the writing, speaking, visual and technological communication skills of undergraduates. Learn more. 

Comprehensive Academic Tracking System (CATS): Provides a list of critical requirements for each semester to ensure your Tiger is progressing in their major and towards graduation. Learn more.

Credit Hours: The unit of measurement assigned to each course.

Curriculum: The general term used to describe the courses needed to graduate. 

D 

Dean: A LSU official that is in charge of an academic college. 

Degree Requirements: Courses that must be completed to earn a degree. Your Tiger’s required degree courses are listed on their degree audit. Learn more.

Department: The on-campus office for a specific discipline. (Ex. music, psychology, engineering, etc) 

Department Chair: Responsible for coordinating all tasks within an academic department. 

E

Elective: A required course that your Tiger has the flexibility to choose based on what they are interested in. 

F 

Faculty: Includes all teaching employees at LSU. 

Faculty Office Hours: Hours that LSU faculty are available to meet with your Tiger in regards to their course. Some faculty members offer drop-in hours, and some require your Tiger to set up a meeting. Details of faculty office hours are listed on your Tiger’s course syllabi and/or course Moodle page.

FAFSA: (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) A federal form that determines your Tiger's eligibility for financial aid. This form must be submitted on a yearly basis. Learn more. 

Fees: Portions of your university expenses that pay for services on campus, such as the Student Health Center or Athletic event admissions. Learn more. 

FERPA: Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act. Learn more. 

Finals: Comprehensive examinations given at the end of each semester.  Learn more. 

Financial Aid: Money from a variety of sources including grants, loans or student scholarships that can help your Tiger pay for college. Learn more.

G 

Gear2Geaux: The LSU Student Technology Fee funds the purchase of mobile computer devices that are available for check-out at the LSU Library Access Services Desk (2nd Floor). You must be an LSU student with a student ID to be eligible for Gear 2 Geaux. Learn more. 

General Catalog: The academic catalog provides current academic policies, procedures, recommended paths, course descriptions, and more information that is valuable to students. Learn more. 

GPA (Grade Point Average): A numerical assessment of your Tiger's academic progress. Learn more. 

GA (Graduate Assistant): An on-campus work assistantship that provides necessary support for students in graduate school through monthly stipends and non-resident fee waivers. Some include full tuition exemptions. Learn more. 

Greek Life: Fraternities & sororities on campus that offer leadership, friendship and service opportunities. Learn more. 

GROK: LSU's Online Knowledge Base. Learn more. 

GroupX Fitness: Free group fitness classes taught by UREC fitness instructors. Learn more. 

H 

Hold: An administrative block on scheduling that prevents registration and/or schedule adjustments i.e. adding or dropping a course. A student must take action to clear a hold. Learn more.

Honors College: A college that engages a diverse population of high achieving students in a dynamic interaction of outstanding instruction, innovative research and public service. Learn more. 

I 

Incomplete: A temporary grade given to a student who has to leave a class with the intent of completing it within the next semester of attendance. An "I" appears on the transcript to indicate that a course is incomplete. 

Independent Study: Many departments offer independent study coursework that your student can request if they are interested in a special topic. You can find more information on if your major offers independent study credits through your college advisor. 

Instructor: Someone who teaches, but is not a graduate student. 

Interlibrary Loan: Also known as "I.L.L." is a free service for faculty and students. If there are materials that you need that we don't have immediate access to, you can request that we borrow it from another library. And remember, it's free! Learn more. 

Internship: An educational experience for your Tiger to learn from the experts in their field. Internship length, requirements, and benefits vary. Learn more. 

Intramural sports: Sports played for fun by LSU students. Registration is free and required to participate. Learn more. 

ITS (Information Technology Services): ITS delivers University-tailored infrastructure, security, applications, communications and services to empower and enable the research, teaching and administrative functions of LSU. Learn more. 

L

Librarian: A professional in the LSU library that assists students with finding information. Meet the Staff. 

Library Research Guides: These online research guides are available to you 24/7 and have been curated by LSU Librarians. On these guides, you will find suggested resources for your research, as well as tutorials and how-to's. Learn more. 

M 

Mailboxes: Student mailboxes are located on the first floor of the LSU Student Union. All students living on campus are charged a Mailbox Fee each semester. This charge is incorporated into the residence hall rent charge on the Fee Bill. Learn more. 

Major: Primary course of study for undergraduate students. Learn more. 

Matriculate: A student that is enrolled in an academic college with the intent to earn a degree. 

Meal Plan: There are resident as well as commuter student meal plan options available through LSU Dining that can include Meal Swipes and Paw Points. First year and second year students living in a residence hall on campus are required to have a resident meal plan. Learn more. 

Meal Swipe: A swipe is when a student with a meal plan presents their Tiger Card to enter the dining halls on campus. One swipe constitutes the use of one "meal." 

Midterms: Examinations given halfway through the semester. Your Tiger’s midterm exams are listed on their course syllabi and/or course Moodle page.

Minor: An academic minor is a subject area that your Tiger chooses to have a secondary focus in. A minor allows a student to take more courses in a subject area different than their major. If you Tiger would like to add a minor, they must meet with an academic advisor of their current college. Learn more. 

Moodle: The learning platform used at LSU where you can access your courses to see what you need to do, submit assignments, access materials, check your grades, etc. Your Tiger will learn how to utilize Moodle during Welcome Week and Orientations. Typically, class syllabus can be found on Moodle prior to the start of classes. Learn more. 

MyLSU: Online access to course work, registration information, fee payment, and other student resources. Learn more. 

MyProxy: Students can give a parent, guardian, or any other designated person access to view fee bills and/or grades through the MyProxy account. Learn more. 

MyStudentBody: An online comprehensive health education program. All students must complete the MyStudentBody course during their time at LSU that focuses on alcohol, drugs, and sexual violence prevention education. Learn more. 

N

Navigate Platform: A platform for students where they can make an appointment with a counselor, view course schedules, join class study groups, learn about campus resources, stay up-to-date with deadlines and access recommended "To-Dos." Learn more. 

O

Online Courses: Course content that is delivered solely online. 

P 

Paw Points:  LSU Dining uses Paw Points to offer easy ways for your Tiger to pay for our on-campus dining options. Paw Points are used like cash, and your Tiger can check their Paw Point balance after their purchase at LSU dining locations. Learn more. 

Plagiarism: The LSU Code of Student Conduct defines plagiarism as "the lack of appropriate citation, or the unacknowledged inclusion of someone else's words, structure, ideas or data; failure to identify a source, or the submission of essentially the same work for two assignments without permission of the Instructor..." Learn more. 

Pre-requisite: Courses required before enrollment in another course. Learn more. 

President: Our head administrator at LSU. Learn more. 

Proctor: A person that monitors your Tiger during an exam. 

Professor: Someone who both teaches and conducts research. 

Provost: Senior academic administrator, secondary to the LSU President. Learn more. 

R

RAD (Rape Aggression Defense): A 12-hour self-defense course for women with a lifetime return and practice policy. Learn more. 

Registered Student Organization: A voluntary special interest group created by students with members that fulfill the requirements to be an official registered LSU student organization. Learn more. 

Registrar: The LSU Office of the University Registrar handles all student information changes and registration information. Learn more. 

Required Course: Course that is required for a degree. Your Tiger’s required courses are listed on their degree audit. Learn more.

Research Associate: Someone who conducts research, but does not teach. 

Resident Assistant: Live-in service providers, leaders, role models and community builders that are carefully selected and trained to development an inclusive and engaging experience for on-campus residents. RAs serve as the primary point of contact for your our on-campus residential students. Learn more. 

Residence halls: On-campus housing options for students. 

Resignation: When a student drops ALL classes during the semester once the semester begins through the last day to resign.  Learn more.

Rubric: An explanation of how an assignment will be graded. 

S

Sabbatical: When faculty go on a break from teaching to focus on research/writing. 

SAP (Satisfactory Academic Progress): For purposes of determining financial aid eligibility under the Title IV of the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965, an institution must establish reasonable standards for measuring a student's academic progress. Learn more. 

Scholarship: Money that can help pay for school and does not have to be paid back. Most scholarships have to be applied for. Learn more. 

Scholastic Warning: At the end of the fall or spring semester, wintersession, summer term, or LSU Online module, students will be placed on University Scholastic Warning if their GPAs are .01 to 9.99 quality points below a 2.00 on all work attempted. Learn more. 

Shell Study Groups: Study sessions led by a Center for Academic Success trained student tutor where participants can review class concepts, work problems, ask questions and get support. 

SI Leader: A trained LSU student that works closely with the course instructor to lead weekly SI study sessions where they work with participants to reinforce class concepts and share what they learned in the course. 

Sport Clubs: Student organizations that compete competitively with other universities, but are not regulated by NCAA.

Student Advocacy & Accountability (SAA): SAA promotes academic integrity and appropriate standards of conduct for the university. Learn more. 

SG (Student Government): A collective voice and governing body for students on campus that addresses a wide range of issues and advocates for students' needs. Learn more. 

Supplemental Instruction (SI): A series of free weekly interactive study sessions offered for students enrolled in historically difficult courses through the Center for Academic Success. 

LSU Shield App: The LSU Shield mobile application provides emergency assistance, safety checks & other reporting features to keep students, faculty, staff and visitors safe. Learn more. 

Syllabus: Course document that typically contains deadlines, class expectations, university rules & policies, and grading policies. Your Tiger will typically receive a course syllabus within the first week of class. 

T

TA (Teaching Assistant): A graduate assistant that helps with instructional duties for a department or professor. 

Tenure: Academic freedom earned by faculty who meet certain requirements (teaching, research, publishing, etc.) within a prescribed number of years. 

LSU Tiger Card: Your Tiger's official LSU ID card that will help them gain access to everything they need on campus. From residential hall and meal plan to athletic events and the UREC, they can't leave home without their Tiger Card! 

TigerCASH: A debit card system that your student accesses with his or her Tiger Card (LSU ID) to provide a fast, safe, and convenient way to make purchases on and off campus. Learn more. 

TigerLink: A platform run through LSU Campus Life that helps students stay updated on student organization events and news. Learn more. 

Tiger Trails: Our transportation service available to LSU students that has daily routes around campus and nearby areas. Learn more. 

LSU Title IX Coordinator: the Office of the Title IX Coordinator exists to enforce LSU's sex-based discrimination policies, educate the community about our policies, connect people to resources that can support them if they experience discrimination or retaliation, and listen to the concerns of the campus community. Learn more. 

Transcript: Official record of courses and grades. Learn more. 

Tuition: University expenses that cover the cost of your Tiger's courses. Learn more. 

U

Undergraduate Cost: The broader estimate of costs of attendance, including meals and housing, can be found here. 

University Business Hours: The LSU University business hours are considered Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.  

(UCFY) University Center for Freshman Year: The academic unit for most new freshmen and some transfer and re-entry students. Learn more. 

LSU UREC (LSU University Recreation): An on-campus recreational facility that full-time LSU students have access to during their time as an active student. Part-time students may purchase a membership to enter on semesters that they are not enrolled in courses, including the summer semester. Learn more. 

UREC Field Complex: 26 acres of open space where intramural sports, sports clubs, open recreation and special events are held. 

UREC Leisure River: There is nothing lazy about the pursuit of health and wellness! Learn more. 

W

Waitlist: When a class is full, your Tiger may be added to the waitlist in case students switch classes and a spot becomes available. 

Wed-based courses: Courses offered via the web, but through LSU's traditional campus. 

Withdraw: Administrative action to drop a course after the semester registration deadline date. (Commonly referred to as a "W") Learn more. 

Work-study: A federal college program that allows undergraduate students who show financial need to earn money to assist with educational expenses. Learn more.