Student Handbook

Student Resources

Academic Accommodations

Houston Baptist University endeavors to provide reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities on a case-by-case basis. Reasonable accommodations are made in accordance with requirements set forth in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the American Disabilities Act of 1990. Students requesting Academic Accommodations for Learning Disabilities, Psychological/Psychiatric, and Physical and Other Health Condition Disabilities that create impairment in the learning environment should access and read the university academic accommodations web pages. After reading this material, including the steps to receiving accommodations, student may contact the Disability Services Coordinator via email at 504@hbu.edu. 

Advising

The advising process is designed to help the student make important decisions related to academic and career progress. All HBU students should become familiar with their advisor and the advising process. Below are some guidelines to follow to make the advising process a successful part of the HBU experience.

During the freshmen and sophomore years, all students (except those in the College of Science and Mathematics) are assigned a Core Advisor, a faculty advisor who can help navigate the Liberal Arts Core Curriculum and counsel students on all academic matters, broad career and vocational interests, etc. Sometime during the sophomore year, students with declared majors will transfer to a Major Advisor, a faculty advisor who specializes in the student’s particular field of interest or allied field. The Major Advisor assists the student in planning major-specific educational and career goals. (Students in the College of Science and Mathematics work with a Major Advisor from the freshmen year forward.) Students may see advisors (“Core” or “Major,” as assigned) to

• discuss academic successes, failures, or other issues that may affect academic progress
• select courses for each semester
• change a major or minor
• file a degree plan
• discuss educational and career goals, and
• provide personal encouragement and support

The faculty advisor's responsibility to the student is

• to listen and help solve problems regarding academic or career issues,
• to aid in selecting appropriate courses each semester,
• to serve as a reference to appropriate campus resources, and
• to assist the student in attaining educational and career goals.

The student's responsibility to the faculty advisor is to

• come to the advising sessions prepared and ready to ask questions,
• be knowledgeable about HBU academic policies and procedures,
• know the office hours and location of advisors,
• schedule appointments with advisors,
• keep scheduled appointments on time or cancel in advance,
• accept responsibility for academic decisions,
• seek assistance before experiencing academic difficulty, and
• share information about educational and career goals.

Bookstore

The HBU bookstore is located on the first floor of the M.D. Anderson Student Center. Please refer to www.hbubookstore.com for details on hours of operations, methods of payment, textbook ordering/purchasing/buy-back, refund policies, and other services offered.

Career and Calling

Career and Calling seeks to provide assistance for students and alumni in exploring one's life calling through personal discovery, vocational exploration, and educational training. Check Career and Calling for internship and job opportunities. Other Career and Calling activities include:

• Hire-A-Husky - a web-based resume and job posting service
• Job fairs on and off-campus
• Assessment tools
• Preparation through resume building
• Dress for success tips
• Interview preparation
• Career and job search counseling
• Interviews with prospective employers
• Career seminars on campus
• Mock interviews
• Discussions pertaining to "life call" and integrating this in our vocation

For further information, please visit www.hbu.edu/careerandcalling, call 281-649-3475 or stop by the Office in Brown 287, Student Life suite on 2nd floor of M.D. Anderson Student Center.

Cashier's Office

The Cashier’s Office provide students with assistance regarding their financial student accounts. This includes financial advising regarding payments and charges, establishing a payment plan, and making tuition payments. The Cashier’s Office is available to assist students Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. by calling (281) 649-3471. Our mailing address is: HBU, Financial Services Office, Atwood II-112, 7502 Fondren Road, Houston, TX. 77074-3298. Our e-mail address is cashier@hbu.edu. Payments made in person may be in the form of cash, check, money order, MasterCard, Visa, Discover Card, American Express or debit cards. In addition, credit card/debit card payments are accepted by telephone during business hours.

Computer Labs

HBU offers a supervised walk-up lab available to all students. It is located in Atwood II, room 101. You must be a currently enrolled HBU student to use the computer lab. Guests and/or children are not allowed to accompany students into the lab.

Equipment:

• Computers
• MS-Office (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint)
• Internet connectivity
• Special software requested by professors.

Covenant Fellows Program

Email

All students are provided an HBU e-mail account once admitted to the university. This then becomes the main means of communicating official HBU business. It is imperative that students check their HBU e-mail on a routine basis. Failure to read an email will not be an excuse for missing deadlines and other important expectations placed on students. For assistance with e-mail including directions on how to point your HBU e-mail to another e-mail account contact the ITS Help Desk or call  281-649-3410.

Financial Aid

The Office of Financial Aid provides financial assistance information, advising, and help to students planning to enter and remain in the University. In order to establish the need of each applicant, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) should be submitted to the online at www.fafsa.ed.gov as soon as possible after January 1. HBU’s school code for the FAFSA is 003576. March 15 is the preferred deadline to submit the FAFSA and April 19 is the deadline for any additional documents required as a result of the FAFSA. Forms for supplying the information necessary to secure financial assistance are available in the Financial Aid Office and also online in the Financial Aid Forms Library. All merit, talent, and off-campus scholarships are coordinated through the Financial Aid Office. For further information regarding the various aid programs, contact Financial Aid at 281-649-3749.

Fitness Center

The Bradshaw Fitness Center, located at 7731 Southwest Freeway, provides  currently enrolled students the following:

• Indoor Aquatics Center with 3 pools
  • lap pool - 25 yard, 4 lane
  • exercise pool
  • whirl pool
• Fitness floor - 10,000 square feet, with cardiovascular and strength equipment
• Group Exercise classes - both land and water
• Fitness Camps and more

For additional information please visit www.hbufit.org or contact Student Life.

Food Services

HBU dining services through ARAMARK Higher Education is here to meet your dining needs. You can find daily menus, including nutritional information; hours of operation for all our locations, and buy a meal plan by visiting our website at www.hbu.campusdish.com; or call us anytime at 281-649-3259.

Baugh Dining

Real Food on Campus (RFoC) offers fresh, healthy, and diverse options that are customized to meet your lifestyle needs. Our residential restaurant located on the first floor of the Baugh Center, is about more than your traditional all-you-can-eat dining program; it's about re¬inventing your entire residential dining experience. Our menu offerings include fresh produce, vegetarian options, breakfast waffles, exhibition cooking made-to-order, grill favorites, pizza and pasta, sandwiches, home-style options, and much much more! Utilize your all-you-care¬ to-eat meals per week/semester, cash, credit and debit cards and declining balance, all at the Baugh RFoC Residential Restaurant.

Java City

Located off the main lobby of the library, this new venue opened Spring 2011. Relax and enjoy the aroma of Java City® Coffee or sip on a fresh fruit smoothie. We also offer grab-n-go sandwiches, fresh fruit cups, bagels, pastries, and more. Whether you're on the go or need to relax, stop by and enjoy some time with your friends. Use your declining balance or pay with cash or credit card.

Husky Express

Located in the first floor Hinton Center lobby (between Dillon 1 and 2) stop by and get your caffeine buzz, indulge in a salad or baked goodies, and enjoy wireless internet access. You can also use your declining balance dollars here as well.

P.O.D. Express (Provisions On Demand)

Located in the Husky Village Clubhouse, this convenience store is open from 3:30 p.m. until midnight Monday through Thursday and from 6:00 p.m. until midnight on Sundays. Health and beauty items, snacks, beverages, fresh sandwiches, salads and frozen food are available for purchase.

Tilas

Phase One of the M.D. Anderson Student Center renovation provides a true "South of the Border" meal option for breakfast and lunch. Open Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Accepts cash, credit cards and declining balance dollars.

Grille Works

Coming soon as part of Phase II of the M.D. Anderson Student Center renovation.

Huskynet

HuskyNet is our web-based interface found in the HBU Portal (MY.hbu.edu) used by students to check and update their personal information (addresses, phone numbers, etc.) or to access various tools, such as registration and add/drop classes, advising, view academic status, class schedules, grades, non-official transcripts, view financial account information and accept/decline financial aid awards, and more. The majority of students, faculty and staff will have most of their needs met through these self-service tools. For complete information on all of the services available through Information Technology Services go to www.hbu.edu/its. 

ID Cards

At the initial HBU enrollment, each student receives an ID card with the student's Huskynet number (H#). If lost, a replacement ID card will cost $10. The student ID card is used in a variety of ways, including, but not limited to 1) library resource checkout, 2) dining services (meal plan or declining balance), 3) University Bookstore book buy-back, 4) services at the Student Health Clinic, 5) attendance at Convocation and other Community Life and Worship Events, 6) Bradshaw Fitness Center access, 7) Lake House resident access, and 8) admission to HBU regular season home athletic events. Upon request, students must furnish satisfactory identification to University staff, faculty members, administrative officials, and/or police officers. The Student ID card is the official means of identification and should be carried at all times when on campus. Falsification or misuse of this card is considered a violation of University policy.

The Learning Center (TLC)

The mission of The Learning Center is to provide academic resources to facilitate student academic success.  Resources are offered free of charge and include individual and group tutoring, study groups, academic workshops, study skills assistance, and early alert systems. For more information, please visit www.hbu.edu/tlc.

Library

The Moody Library is designed, staffed, and operated in order to provide resource materials and research assistance for students, faculty, and staff. The library contains approximately 300,000 books, e-books, and other items and subscribes to or provides electronic access to over 78,000 periodicals.
Hours: The library is open 83.5 hours per week.

Hours

Holiday schedules will be posted. The library is not open during Christmas break. For more information call 281-649-3304 or visit the University's website at www.hbu.edu/moody.

Borrowing Privileges - Circulating books can be kept for a period of three weeks. To check out books, students must present a current HBU I.D. card. Books can be renewed twice if no one else needs them and must be returned to the library for renewal.  Patrons can place holds on materials that are checked out.

The automated circulation system sends notices of overdue materials via e-mail. Fines for overdue books are 25 cents per day per book and $5 per day for reserve materials. Unpaid fines and unreturned books can affect registration, receipt of grades, etc.

Reference Service - Professional librarians are on duty at the reference desk most hours the library is open. They are available to assist students in the use of the electronic catalog, periodical indexes, reference books and electronic databases, including the Internet.

When faculty members make appointments, the librarians can provide group instruction in the effective use of library resources. Open orientations are also available.

Reserve Books -Faculty members place heavily-used books on reserve at the circulation desk. Reserve check-out periods range from two hours to one week.

Non-Book Materials - The library maintains collections of CDs, cassette tapes, phonograph records, DVDs, and VHS tapes. CDs must be used in the library. All other non-book materials can be checked out for varying time periods.

Off-Campus Resources - The Houston Public Library issues cards to Houston Baptist University students valid at the Central Library and other branches. The nearest branches to Houston Baptist University are located at Fondren and Clarewood and Augusta at Westheimer.

HBU students are eligible for TexShare cards which allow them to check out library materials from any participating Texas library. All branches of the University of Houston, the University of St. Thomas, and Texas Southern University participate in the TexShare program. Rice University does not.

Interlibrary loans are available for research materials not located in the University library. Apply at the Reference Desk.

Photocopiers -The library provides three photocopy machines. Patrons can use coins (15¢ per 8 1/2" x 11" or 20¢ per 11" x 17") or declining balance cards, available at the circulation desk. The cards provide substantial savings. The library does not provide change.

Computers - Most of the computers in the library require a student log-in and password and are loaded with the same software as computers in the computer labs. Reference librarians are available to assist students in the use of library databases and other library-related online materials. A few computers are provided for the use of the general public and do not require a log-in.

Lost and Found

All lost and found items are to be taken to or retrieved from the Law Enforcement Center. Items will be held for only 30 days.

Music Performance Opportunities

The HBU School of Music invites students with musical ability to play or sing in one of the University ensembles.  A simple audition is required. Contact Dr. John Yarrington at 281-649-3027.

University Singers, Schola Cantorum - University Singers and Schola Cantorum present three major concerts a year, lead the Christmas Convocation, and perform in the greater Houston community.

Student Health Insurance

Students are encouraged, but not required, to be covered by a health insurance plan. Visit www.hbu.edu/studenthealthinsurance for more information.

Student Health Services

Health services are provided in the Health Clinic, which is located in Lake House 102.

Purpose

The purpose of HBU's Student Health Services is to promote the wellness of the campus community through health education and provision of basic health care services.


Hours of Service

The clinic will open September 4, 2012.

The last patient will be seen at 15 minutes prior to the scheduled closing time. Clinic staff will be available to see students on a first-come, first-serve basis. Non-emergency visits to the Student Health Center should be made at times that do not conflict with the student's class schedule.

Personnel

HBU's Student Health Service is staffed by licensed medical personnel: family nurse practitioners, registered nurses, and a family practice physician. All health service personnel are under the supervision of the Director of Student Life.

Clinic Services

Students are expected to present a valid HBU student ID card in order to qualify for services. A nominal fee will be assessed for services rendered. The current fee schedule is posted outside the Student Health Services Office and is subject to change. Services include, but are not limited to:

• Comprehensive physical examination
• Flu shot administration (in season)
• Immunizations and tuberculosis (TB) screening
• Administration of allergy shots as requested
• Office visits for basic health care
• Health education
• Facilitation of referrals

Financial Responsibility for Health Care

The student is responsible for the payment of all financial obligations incurred for health care. Fees for services are posted outside the clinic and on HBU Health Clinic website and are subject to change. Charges for health services will be applied to the student's Huskynet account.

Release of Records

A student must sign a formal "release of records" and pay a nominal copying fee to cover cost of materials and postage prior to any release of records, charts, or reports. To maintain confidentiality, records will be released only to the patient. A current driver's license is required to verify identification. Telephone requests for out-of-town students may be completed after the student faxes his/her signature and request in writing. Note: Contact the Office of the Registrar regarding meningitis vaccine records.

Accidents or Injuries

In the event of an accident resulting in injury, the University Police should be promptly notified at ext. 3911. This will help ensure maximum protection for students. All accidents and injuries will be handled according to the University Police's Medical Emergency Policy.

Student Publications

Houston Baptist University Media Guidelines

Houston Baptist University, acting through its Board of Trustees and its president, is the official publisher of all student publications, whether in traditional print or web format. All publications, print or web, representing or bearing the name of Houston Baptist University are expected to advance ideals in keeping with the principles of this Christian university, its Preamble, mission, and vision statement. Editors of student publications are expected to ensure that their publications uphold these same standards. In their roles as editors, students are also expected to exercise good taste, high ideals, and fair-mindedness.

Testing Services

Testing Services seeks to provide a secure, professional, supervised testing environment to meet individual, University, and community assessment needs. Institutional testing is currently offered for the following exams:

• Reading Proficiency (Pre-THEA)
• THEA Quick Test
• CLEP
• HESI
• ACT Residual
• Computer Proficiency Exam (contact: HBU helpdesk for assistance)
• Math Placement Tests (contact:  mathplacementtesting@hbu.edu)
• Spanish Placement Tests (contact: ebermejo@hbu.edu)

For information about exams, and online registration and payment, visit www.hbu.edu/testing. Contact testing@hbu.edu.

 

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