Student Handbook 2016-2017
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File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Starr King School for the Ministry Student Handbook 2016-2017 1 This edition of the Starr King Student Handbook was completed in December 2016 and January 2017 through the editorial work of Registrar Kat Croswell and Assistant to the Dean of Faculty and Internal Communications Coordinator Faryn Borella. Updating This Document All edits and updates can be suggested through emailing the assistant to the dean of the faculty. Then they will be reviewed and either approved or denied by either the Curriculum Committee, the Core Faculty, the Admissions and Scholarship Committee, the President, and/or the Dean of Faculty. Edits and changes to protocols and guidelines may be implemented and advertised during the academic year. To find the most up to date Student Handbook, please visit the SKSM website. 2 Welcome Letter Spring 2017 Dear Students and Colleagues-to-Be: I’m delighted to welcome you (or welcome you back) to Starr King School for the Ministry! Our commitment to educating the whole person, our commitment to counter-oppressive work and study, our commitment to a Unitarian Universalist, multi-religious community of learning- these are the qualities that make Starr King unlike any other theological school anywhere. Please know how precious these commitments are to all of us who serve here, and how dedicated each one of our faculty and staff are to your growth and your success. We’re glad you’re here, and we’re ready to walk with you. Every good journey begins, not just with a single step, but with a guidebook. So think of this student handbook as a guide of sorts, as you take the transformative journey toward ministry and religious leadership. Reading this handbook carefully will help you to understand the Starr King Way, to ask the right questions at the right times, and to get the support you need- from our dean of students to your advisor to your professors. I look forward to getting to know each one of you as you work toward your dreams of religious leadership. It’s an exciting time, and I’m excited for you! May you be blessed and challenged, nourished and inspired for the work and study that prepares you for this most wonderful vocation. Faithfully, Rosemary The Rev. Rosemary Bray McNatt, President Starr King School for the Ministry 3 4 Table of Contents Welcome Letter ...................................................................................................................3 Understanding Starr King .............................................................................................11 Introduction to the School ......................................................................................................... 12 Educational Philosophy............................................................................................................. 13 Advising ...............................................................................................................................14 Thresholds .............................................................................................................................15 ECO “Educating to Counter Oppression” .............................................................................24 Multiple Modes of Teaching and Learning ............................................................................28 . Field Education Learning................................................................................28 . Low Residency Learning ...............................................................................29 . High Residency Learning ..............................................................................29 Pacing your MASC and/or MDIV Educational Plan (Full-time or Part-time Enrollment Status) ........30 Program Requirements ............................................................................................................. 31 . MDIV Degree ..........................................................................................................31 . MASC Degree ..........................................................................................................32 . MA Degree ...............................................................................................................33 . Concurrent Degrees (MDIV/MA or MDIV/MASC) .................................................33 The Chaplaincy Institute (ChI) - SKSM Joint Program for Interfaith Chaplaincy...............34 Student Finances .................................................................................................................. 42 Tuition & Fees ......................................................................................................................43 MDIV & MASC tuition ........................................................................................................43 Payment Plans ......................................................................................................................44 Staying with Your Current Plan ............................................................................................44 Minimum Credits for Federal Loans ....................................................................................44 Student Health Insurance Program (SHIP) ..........................................................................44 Fees for Outside Educational Opportunities .........................................................................44 Cap on Maximum Credits for Degree Program ....................................................................45 Common MA Tuition ...........................................................................................................45 5 Certificate Tuition (UU Certificate, Multireligious Certificate) ...........................................45 Special Student Tuition and Online Student Tuition ............................................................46 Transferring Between Starr King School for the Ministry Degree Programs ......................46 Joint MDIV/MASC Degree ..................................................................................................47 Tuition Credit for Starr King School for the Ministry Certificate Students .........................47 Tuition Credit for Starr King School for the Ministry Special Students ..............................47 Tuition Credit for Transfer Students .....................................................................................48 Tuition Refund Policy ...........................................................................................................48 Student Body Fees ................................................................................................................49 Financial Aid .................................................................................................................... 49 Return of Title IV Funds Policy............................................................................................54 Starr King Institutional Tuition Scholarship Award-Donor List ..........................................55 Scholarships for Unitarian Universalist Seminarians ...........................................................57 Institutional Merit and Incentive Scholarships .....................................................................58 Starr King Institutional Tuition Scholarship Awards (ITSAs) & Timeline ..........................59 Hilda Mason Teaching Fellows ............................................................................................60 Personal Growth & Learning Expenses ................................................................................62 Student Health Insurance Program (SHIP) ...........................................................................63 FAQs-Tuition ........................................................................................................................64 6 Matriculating ...................................................................................................................65 Initial Threshold Assessment ................................................................................................66 SKSM Peer Community Support .........................................................................................66 Vocation and Formation .......................................................................................................67 UU Network (“In Care”) Ministerial Formation ..................................................................67 What is a UU Vocational Advisor? ......................................................................................68 Resources for Students Interested in UU Ministry ...............................................................68 Requirements for Clinical Chaplaincy ..................................................................................76 Registration ..........................................................................................................................77 . Background Information ...............................................................................77 . Faculty Consent .............................................................................................78 . Advisor Input ..................................................................................................78 . Registration Procedures ..................................................................................79 . Using the Student Planning Module ...............................................................80