Common Terms

Common Terms - 2023

Accuplacer / CPTS
A placement test used to determine a student's knowledge and strength in specific subject areas. Scores are used to determine class placement during the student’s first semester. May be taken up to three times in a calendar year.
Advisor
Faculty member assigned to help a student determine what classes they should take in a given semester.
Associate Degree
A two year degree.
Associate of Applied Science
A two year degree that requires courses specific to a certain skill or trade. This will help a student gain an entry level job.
Baccalaureate Degrees
A degree that you are awarded after finishing 4 years of college.
Board of Trustees
The governing body of a college.
Bursar
Office where students can pay their tuition bills.
Catalog
A comprehensive volume of all courses, not all of which are necessarily offered in any given term. Course descriptions, academic calendars, tuition costs, and other important university information can be found in the catalog.
Center for Career and Employer Relations
Where students can go for career counseling and resume building. It is located in the south lobby of Vigo Hall.
Certificate
Is an award that states that the person that holds it has knowledge of a certain subject.
Concurrent Admission
A partnership between Vincennes University and another college/university. These programs help expedite the transferring process of these institutions and allow students to be dually enrolled while completing the agreement requirements.
Contact Hours
A unit of measuring educational credit based on the number of classroom hours per week throughout the term.
COPE
The COPE Student Support Services Program is an award-winning program that offers services to promote retention, graduation, and transfer to four-year institutions. You may qualify if you are a first generation college student (neither parent graduated from a four-year college), meet income guidelines, and/or have a learning or physical disability.
Credit Hours
The amount of hours that you are given credit for. This can differ for the amount of contact hours you have for a class.
Dean
The senior administrator of an academic college. Examples include Dean of the College of Humanities, Dean of the College of Technology, etc.
Dean of Students
The Dean of Students is an administrator responsible for student judicial affairs. The Dean of Students also supervises the office of Multicultural and International Student Affairs, and Student Activities.
Education Talent Search
Is a program funded by the Federal government to encourage students to finish high school and move on to higher education.
FAFSA
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is a form that students fill out to be considered for both state and federal financial aid. This application becomes available each October, and may be found here. Financial aid includes student loans, grants, and work study money. The government must receive your application before March 10 each year to be considered for the state portion. The FAFSA form must be renewed each year.
Fulltime Students
Students attempting at least 12 credit hours of course work.
GED
The General Educational Developmental test is used as an alternative option to a traditional high school diploma.
GQE
The Graduation Qualifying Exam, more commonly known in Indiana as the End of Course Assessment (ECA), is a test that must be taken so that a student can graduate high school and receive a diploma.
Intramural Sports
A program of competitive sports activities designed for those individuals who wish to compete against others in the sport of their choice.
LRC
The Learning Resource Center or the Library
Next of Kin
A student's closest blood relative.
Office Hours
The hours of the day that a professor is in his/her office so that a student can go and ask for help.
Office of Disability Services
An office at VU that helps provide equivalent education and resources to students with learning and/or physical disabilities.
Part-time Students
Students attempting less that 12 credit hours of course work.
Placement Office
An office at Vincennes University that helps students get jobs after receiving their degree.
Project ASPIREE
Is a program funded by the Federal government to encourage students to finish high school and move on to higher education.
Project Excel
Is a program offered by Vincennes University to give students, at the high school level, the opportunity to take classes for college credit and high school credit.
Provost
Vice President for Instructional Services/Dean of Faculty.
R.A.
Stands for "Residence Assistant." An R.A. is assigned to each floor in the residence hall and helps you with college questions.
Registrar
An official who handles the student's records.
Residential Life
Residential Life provides a quality, living-learning on campus environment enabling students to build friendships, expand their social horizons, and increase their understanding of themselves and others.
STEP Program
An academic support program providing comprehensive services for learning disabled students in the university mainstream. STEP is designed to help students be more successful in their college courses.
Summer Bridge
A program designed to provide incoming and freshman level students with a summer college orientation experience and the opportunity to get a head start on their academic goals.
TOpS
The Technical Opportunities Service is a program at Vincennes University that works with the states leading companies to train students to be employees at these companies.
Transcript
A document that contains the records of a student's academic progress. It contains grades, classes, credit hours earned, etc.
Tuition
The cost of classes and credit hours.
Twenty-first Century Scholars
A state run program raising the educational aspirations of low- and moderate-income families. The program aims to ensure that all Indiana families can afford a college education for their children.
Upward Bound
Operating under a federal grant, the Upward Bound Program identifies students with an interest and the motivation to attend college. Upward Bound provides services and activates including life skills workshops, cultural events, and an intensive curriculum to help improve mathematics, science, literature/composition and other academic skills.

Contact Information

Office Hours: Monday - Friday (8:00 am - 4:30 pm EST)

Vincennes Main Office: 812-888-4313
Email: VUADMIT@VINU.EDU

Jasper Main Office: 812-481-5916
Email: VUJCADMISSIONS@VINU.EDU

Fax: 812-888-5707

Questions about Bachelor's Degrees?
VUBACHELORS@VINU.EDU