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BHSU – Rapid City Class Schedules and Room Locations

Class schedules for Rapid City classes are found in two places in WebAdvisor. The clas schedules for Rapid City classes can be found in WebAdvisor by selecting the appropriate semester and Black Hills State. The location for classes can be found in two different places. Select "RC Not Main Campus" for computer classes, science labs, some science lectures, and noon-hour classes. Select "RC Main Campus" for evening classes held at the School of Mines campus.

For information regarding the locations of the classes -- buildings and room assignments -- it is best to look outside WebAdvisor. Go to "Academics" on the BHSU home page, then to RC Programs, then courses, and finally click on the link for the "Printable PDF schedule." This schedul is the same schedule which is available in our administrative office at 515 West Boulevard. It lists our classes by day and time rather than by prefix. Please note the key at the beginning of the schedule which tells you exactly where each classroom is located.

If you are looking for the location of your class at the beginning of the semester, it is best to check this schedule just before coming to class. As late enrollments change the size of the classes, it may become necessary to move a class to a larger classroom.

The Rapid City BHSU Bookstore

The BHSU - RC bookstore is located in the Rushmore Building at 1600 Sedivy across from the Star of the West Softball Complex. The store is on the second floor in room 207. Books for all Rapid City face-to-face classes can be purchases at the bookstore; the bookstore does not carry books for online classes. The bookstore also carries notebooks, cups, hats, shirts and other items that promote school spirit and pride with the BHSU logo. BUZZ cars can be used at the RC bookstore.

Books for RC classes can be ordered online through the BHSU Bookstore Website, but they need to be ordered in a timely manner. It takes up to four business days for a textbook to be delivered to RC depending upon the day and time at which it is ordered.

At the beginning of each fall and spring semester, the bookstore opens the first day of class and is open Monday through Thursdays with the exception of holidays. The first three days of the semester, the bookstore is typically open from 2-8 pm; it is then open from 2:30-7 PM for another seven days.

Book buy back is held at the end of the fall and spring semesters on the last two days of finals week -- Wednesday and Thursday from 2:30-7 PM.

At the beginning of each summer session, the bookstore is open for three days from 2:30-7 PM.

There is no book buy back during the summer sessions.

Again, watch your BHSU email for information regarding bookstore hours.

The Rapid City Computer Lab

The BHSU - RC computer lab is located in the Rushmore Building at 1600 Sedivy Lane across from the Star of the West Softball Complex. It is on the second floor in room 212. To access the computer lab you will need your BHSU BUZZ card.

To print your will need your BUZZ card. Remember -- BHSU puts printing money on your card each semester on a "use it or lose it basis." If additional printing money is necessary, you may add funds to your card via the BHSU website.

Computer lab hours are based on the availability of student workers. For this reason, they vary each semester. Please watch your BHSU email for hours specific to each semester. Hours are also posted at the lab.

Printing Coursework

Coursework can be printed in the BHSU - RC computer lab in the Rushmore Building at 1600 Sedivy Lane in room 212 on the second floor. BHSU puts printing funds on each student's card at the beginning of each semester. These funds can only be used for printing and they do not carry over from semester to semester; therefore they need to be used in a timely manner. Please note -- you cannot use your BHSU BUZZ card to print on the SDSMT campus. At the present time the technology which supports the BUZZ card does not allow for the transfer of funds between universities.

BHSU BUZZ Cards

BHSU student ID cards are known as BUZZ cards. These cards can be used to gain access to School of Mines Library, their swimming pool and their weight room. They can also be used to access the BHSU - RC computer lab and to print coursework. The lab is located in room 212 of the Rushmore Building at 1600 Sedivy Lane.

BUZZ cards can be obtained in Rapid City at the Higher Education Center (HEC) at 515 West Boulevard from 8 AM to 6 PM Monday through Thurdsay and from 8 AM to 5 PM on Friday.

Please contact Kristy Engle at 394-2520 to schedule a time to obtain your BUZZ card. You will need to show a picture ID when you come, and have your student ID number.

In addition to the printing funds which are put on your card by BHSU, personal funds can be added electronically to your BUZZ card. Personal funds can be used at the bookstore in both Rapid City and Spearfish as well as in numerous locations in Spearfish -- both on capus and off campus.

To add personal funds to your BUZZ card go to the BHSU website, then to "Current Students", next to "BUZZ Card" under "Quick Links", and finally to "Activate Your Account." Here you will find instructions for adding funds to your card. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Kristy Engle.

Parking in Rapid City

Parking at the Higher Education Center (HEC) is sometimes a challeng as parking is very limited. Please know that three hour parking is available directly across West Boulevard in a public parking lot as well as many of the side streets in the downtown area. Please make certain to plan for an ample amount of time when parking in a metered parking space.

There is ample parking at the Rushmore Building and it is free. No parking permit is required.

However, parking at the South Dakota School of Mines, even in the evening, does require a parking permit. This parking permit is free; it also allows you to park during the day in the parking lot along East St. Joe and adjacents to O'Hare Stadium should you need to use the SDSMT library or make up a test with Carol Thomas.

To register your vehicle and secure a SDSMT parking permit you must go to the SDSMT Facilities Services website and click on "Parking Registration" under "Online Registration." Make certain that you select "Night Class Parking." Do not select SDSM&T Student as you will then be expected to pay for the permit. Use your student ID number for "Colleague ID#."Once you have completed the application process, an email will be sent to your BHSU email account. This email will tell you when and where to pick up your parking permit. If you do not receive such an email, it means that you have not successfully registered your vehicle. Please repeat the process to make certain all information is accurate. If the car you are registering is not registered in your name, you will need to visit the Physical Plant building on the SDSMT campus.

Weather-Related Rapid City Class Cancellations

Those who have lived in western South Dakota for any amount of time can attest to the variability of the weather -- both from one area of the Hills to another and from one hour to the next. Whereas faculty members who teach evenign classes live both inside Rapid City and outside Rapid City, it is not uncommon for some classes to be held while others are cancelled. The weather could be nonthreatening in Rapid City, but beyond Rapid City, the roads could be too dangerous to travel.

Weather-related Rapid City class cancellations are reported on the BHSU - Rapid City Weather Line. This number is 394-6856. This number should be kept close at hand, especially during the months prone to inclement weather. Ideally it is programmed into your cell phone to make it readily accessible when needed!

When inclement weather is approaching, weather radar maps are watched very closely. Initially the weather line recording relates the current date and the message that all Rapid City classes will be held as scheduled. Hearing the current date serves as a signal that weather conditions are being monitored.

The decision to cancel classes begins around 2:30 PM. Instructors coming from Spearfish and other out-lying areas are contacted to find out whether they will be travelling to Rapid City to teach. As information is received from various instructors, the message changes to "all classes will be held as scheduled with the exception of those taught by 'instructor x' and 'instructor y.'" As more information is received, the message will continue to change to "all classes will be held as scheduled with the exception of those taught by 'instructor x', 'instructor y' and 'instructor z'" -- and so on. The recording is updated as soon as the instructor notifies the BHSU office at the HEC.

In the event that the Rapid City School District closes, all classes at the Rushmore Building will be cancelled.

Likewise, if SDSMT closes, all classes on that campus are cancelled.

Should the cancellations come early in the day, and should the weather improve during the course of the day, all classes that have been cancelled due to school closures will remain cancelled.

Again, please be certain to check the weather line -- 394-6856 -- to determine the status of your class during the inclement weather. Please do not call the main line for the BHSU in Rapid City. That phone line needs to remain available to office staff to contact faculty members and those from whom BHSU rents classroom space.

Please also note that the cancellations of classes on the main campus in Spearfish does not necessarily imply the cancellation of classes in Rapid City. As previously noted, Please be certain to check the weather line.

In all cases, use your best judgement in determining whether it is safe for you to travel to class. You and you alone can make that determination. Stay safe!

Business Hours for BHSU - RC Student Services

The Higher Education Center (HEC) at 515 West Boulevard is open from 7 AM until 6 PM Monday through Thursday and 8 AM until 5 PM on Friday. Services relating to admissions, placement testing, registering for classes, changing major, adding and dropping classes, withdrawing from the university, making payments, financial aide, BUZZ cards, VA benefits, name changes and the like can be found at the HEC. It is recommended that you call ahead(394-1914) to make an appointment with the person with whom you wish to meet to make certain that whoever you need is available to meet with you.

Two services that are not available at the HEC are testing and disabilities services. Those services are available from Carol Thomas who can be found on the School of Mines Campus in the Classroom Building, room 308. Carol is available to meet with you between 8 AM and 4 PM, Monday through Friday. Since Carol also proctors tests, you may want to call her at 394-5258 or email her at Carol.Thomas@bhsu.edu to make certain she is available to meet with you.

Advising

Advising services are available at the Higher Education Center in downtown Rapid City at 515 West Boulevard. Katie Pavel is available to assist you with planning your program. General education requirements are common to all degrees, advising for these courses is available no matter what degree you have chosen. Should you have questions regarding a degree that is offered only in Spearfish, Katie will set up a phone conversation with an academic advisor in Spearfish to answer questions related to your major. Please call Katie at 394-5257 to make certain that she is available at a time that works best for you. She can also be reached at Katie.Pavel@bhsu.edu.

Status sheets are also available online to assist you with your advising needs. These sheets list for you the general education requirements and the major requirements for each degree that BHSU offers. These sheets along with course rotations and our current schedule are very valuable tools in planning your program with or without an advisor.

Rising Junior / CAAP Test

The Rising Junior exam, also known as the CAAP test, is an exam required of all students. Students who need to take the test are notified through a letter sent to their current mailing address as listed in WebAdvisor. This test is offered in Rapid City on a Saturday adjacent to the week during which the test is offered on the main campus. These tests are given in November and in March. Please make certain to take this exam when so notified. If you fail to take this test when notified, you will be denied the opportunity to register for future semesters.

Test review information is available on the BHSU Rising Junior Exam website and it is also available through study sessions here in Rapid City. Information specific to study sessions in a given semester is available from Carol Thomas who can be reached at 394‐5258 or at Carol.Thomas@bhsu.edu. Please also watch your BHSU emails for information specific to each semester’s test prep sessions.

Students with Disabilities Services

Carol Thomas is the disabilities contact person for BHSU‐RC. Her office can be found on the School of Mines campus, in room 308 of the Classroom Building. She is available between the hours of 7:30 AM and 4:00 PM Monday through Friday. She can be reached at 394‐5258 or at Carol.Thomas@bhsu.edu. Carol will be able to provide you with the initial paperwork that needs to be completed and approved by the main campus before services can be provided. Once approval is given by the main campus, Carol can assist you with the approved accommodations. No accommodations can be made without approval from the disabilities office on the main campus. On the main campus, Mike McNeil can be reached at 642‐6099 or Mike.McNeil@bhsu.edu.

Tutoring Services

Tutoring services are available in Rapid City on the School of Mines campus. Tutoring times change based on the availability of those who tutor. Likewise the location of the tutoring services and the academic areas in which tutors are available change from semester to semester.

Typically tutors are available for math and writing.

Information specific to tutoring services in a given semester is available from Carol Thomas who can be reached at 394‐5258 or at Carol.Thomas@bhsu.edu. Please also watch your BHSU emails for information specific to each semester’s tutoring services.

Another source of assistance for Rapid City students is the BHSU Writing Center. While located in Spearfish, the BHSU Writing Center provides tutoring services for students who are not on campus. Information relative to online services can be found at the Writing Center website.

Testing Services

Carol Thomas is available to proctor tests for online and correspondence courses. Her office can be found on the School of Mines campus, in room 308 of the Classroom Building. She is available between the hours of 7:30 AM and 4 PM Monday through Friday. She can be reached at 394‐5258 or at Carol.Thomas@bhsu.edu. Please contact Carol directly to schedule a test. Proctor forms should be obtained from the course instructor and completed prior to taking the test.

Carol is also available on limited basis to provide make‐up tests for Rapid City face‐to‐face courses. Arrangements must be made with the course instructor to have the test delivered to Carol’s office. Please contact Carol as noted above to schedule a test.

Please note: Carol does not administer COMPASS tests. These are available at the Higher Education Center at 515 West Boulevard. Carol also does not administer CLEP tests; these are only available on the main campus.

Career Services

Carol Thomas is available in Rapid City to assist you in discovering a career that is suited to your interests and abilities. Once you have decided upon a career goal, she is also available to assist you planning an academic program which will support your chosen career. Carol can be reached at 394-5258 or at Carol.Thomas@bhsu.edu.

Faculty Contact Information

Only full-time Rapid City faculty members have faculty offices. Their offices can be found on the second floor of the Rushmore Building at 1600 Sedivy Lane just off East St. Patrick across from the Star of the West Softball Complex parking lot. Office hours are included in each course syllabus and are also posted outside of room 205 in the Rushmore Building.

Part-time Rapid City faculty members can be contacted using the information provided in your course syllabus. Different faculty members choose to be contacted in different ways so please respect their wishes by contacting them as indicated on your course syllabus. Should you not be able to contact a particular faculty member using that information, please call the Higher Education Center at 394-1914.

Safety

The safety of all students is of the highest priority for BHSU. Should you encounter any seriously threatening situation, do not hesitate to dial 911.

If you find yourself in a difficult situation in the Rushmore Building and the situation is not life threatening, please contact your instructor for guidance; otherwise dial 911.

If you are on the SDSMT campus and you find yourself in a difficult situation and the situation is not life threatening, please call 394‐6100 for assistance from their physical plant.

Any situation in which you feel your own personal safety or the safety of others was in jeopardy should be reported to the BHSU‐RC office by calling 394‐1914.

Please do not ignore threats of violence – report them immediately.

Important Dates

BHSU‐ Rapid City follows the same schedule as BHSU in Spearfish. This calendar can be found at the BHSU website. It is contained in the BHSU Student Handbook.

Holidays are observed in Rapid City as they are on the main campus.

One date of importance is census date. Census date is the last day to add or drop a class and obtain a full refund. Once census date is past, there are no refunds for classes that are dropped.

Please remember, classes can be added or dropped using WebAdvisor with one exception as noted below.

Dropping classes is not the same as withdrawing from the university. If you attempt to drop all of your classes in a given semester, you are essentially withdrawing from the university. In WebAdvisor you will be able to drop all of your classes except one. To drop that final class, you must come to the Higher Education Center and complete a withdrawal form. Please call 394‐1914 for further details.

Financial Aid

Shirley Brownell, a financial aid assistant, is available at the Higher Education Center at 515 West Blvd in Rapid City to answer questions and assist you with all aspects of the financial aid process. She works closely with the Spearfish campus, acting as a liaison to ensure that each student’s particular needs are addressed with confidentiality. Please call her at 394‐3351 or email her at Shirley.Brownell@bhsu.edu for an appointment or to verify that she is available to meet with you on a walk‐in basis.

Completing the FAFSA applicationis the first step in applying for federal student aid. Please note: there is no fee to apply. The FAFSA, the Loan Entrance or Exit Counseling, and the Master Promissory Note are all completed online. Computers are available at the Higher Education Center for students without Internet access at home. FAFSA verification documents, BHSU award letters and other financial aid documents may be turned in to Shirley in the Higher Education Center.

Financial Aid Refunds

Refunds from financial aidare available to students who meet the following criteria: 1) have registered for classes, 2) have accepted financial aid in excess of their tuition and fees on their BHSU award letter and 3) have a financial aid file that is complete at least two months in advance of the semester start date. Refunds for qualifying students will be direct deposited or mailed a few days prior to the start of the semester and will be available for you to purchase books the first week of classes. It is recommended that you request via WebAdvisorthe direct deposit of your refund to ensure the safety and timeliness of receiving your refund.

Deferments

Deferments should be requested to avoid late charges. Deferments are available only if an award letter has been received, but financial aid is not yet available to cover your bill by the semester due date. Please call Shirley Brownell at 394‐3351 or stop in the Higher Education Center just prior to or at the start of the semester, to discuss whether a deferment is an option for you.

Dropping Classes

Dropping classes or withdrawing from the university can have negative effects on financial aid that has already been disbursed to your account or refunded to you. If you have already received financial aid and are thinking of dropping classes or withdrawing from the university, please call Shirley Brownell at 394‐3351 or stop in the Rapid City Higher Education Center at 515 West Boulevard to determine what the financial consequences will be in your particular situation.

Please make certain that you withdraw from classes which you do not intend to attend.

Even if you do not attend class, you may find yourself being held financially responsible for payment for the class. This may not occur until after the end of the semester and consequently you may find yourself in a difficult repayment situation and at risk for being turned over to collections.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

In order to continue receiving federal student aid, the U.S. Department of Education requires that students maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP) toward the completion of their degrees. The satisfactory academic progress policy established by the BHSU Financial Aid Office requires that all students must complete at least 67% of the cumulative attempted hours as well as maintaining a cumulative 2.00 GPA. Carefully consider the number of credit hours you can complete successfully each semester given your personal situation and seek advice when adding or dropping courses so you are able to continue making satisfactory academic progress and receiving federal aid. Shirley Brownell can assist you with questions you might have. She can be reached at 394‐3351.

Tuition Assistance

Tuition assistance (TA) is funding paid by an outside source such as the military, federal or state veterans’ programs, the Department of Labor, the GI Bill, and the like.

Veterans applying for tuition assistance through the federal or state veterans’ assistance programs need to work with their VA offices. The VA office will then submit authorization to Kim Nida on the BHSU Spearfish campus. These authorizations must be on file with BHSU before tuition dollars can be applied.

Active duty military students will submit a tuition assistance (TA) authorization form to Kristy Engle in the Rapid City office in the Higher Education Center at 515 West Boulevard. TA forms are due in our office by the first day of classes each semester. The website to go to for processing a TA form and for questions is https://www.my.af.mil/afvecprod/. It is the student’s responsibility to submit the TA form and to pay for all tuition and late fees until the TA form is turned in to BHSU. Should the tuition assistance not cover all of the monies owed, the student’s portion of the tuition and fees can be paid online through Web Advisor ‐ SDePay with a credit card (other than Visa) or a bank debit card. Paper checks or exact cash payments can be made to Kristy Engle at the HEC.

Information regarding the GI Bill can be found by going to the BHSU Veterans Affairs website. For questions regarding tuition assistance please contact Kristy Engle at 394‐2520 or Kristy.Engle@bhsu.edu.

Student Employment

Work study positions are available in Rapid City on a very limited basis. If you have been awarded federal work study money or are interested in student employment, please contact Shirley Brownell in the Higher Education Center at 394-3351 or email her at Shirley.Brownell@bhsu.edu for further information.

Scholarships

Scholarships awarded through BHSU require students to be full time. Full time students are students with a credit load of 12 or more credits per semester. You are encouraged to complete the General Scholarship Application, which has a priority deadline of February 1st each year for the following academic year.

Scholarships awarded through non-BHSU organizations have a variety of requirements. Please note: all BHSU students receiving outside scholarships and grants for the coming year or semester must notify the BHSU financial aid office as soon as possible by completing the Outside Scholarship Information Form.

Links for the General Scholarship Application and the Outside Scholarship Information Form can be found here.

Monthly Payment Plans (MPP)

Payment options are available to all students. A monthly payment is available through Nelnet Business Solutions for a $40 per semester enrollment fee. This plan usually becomes available about a monthprior to the start of the semester‐‐shortly after the bills have been posted. To make 4 equal paymentswithout a down payment, you must sign up early—as soon as the plan is available. Payments arededucted automatically from your bank or credit card account on the 5th of each month. The MPP is notavailable once the semester begins.

Payments for RC Classes

Payments by cash or personal check can be made at the Higher Education Center in Rapid City. Payments by eCheck, debit or credit card (American Express, MasterCard or Discover -- Visa is not accepted) can be mad on WebAdvisor using SDePay.

Please note: Students are not autimatically dropped from their classes for nonpayment. Unless you drop your class(es) prior to the census date, you will be help responsible for all charges including late charges.

WebAdvisor

WebAdvisor is a very important tool that you will use throughout your college career at BHSU. On WebAdvisor you can find your class schedule, pay your bill at SDePay, check your grades, add and drop classes, and much more! Be sure to familiarize yourself with WebAdvisor as soon as possible and make certain to check it regularly for new information and announcements.

To access WebAdvisor follow the steps below:

1. Go to the BHSU website.

2. Click on “WebAdvisor” in the upper right corner.

3. Go to “WebAdvisor for Students.”

4. Click on “I’m New to WebAdvisor.”

5. Finally, follow the step-by-step instructions to access your account.

Email for BHSU and non-BHSU Students

Email and WebAdvisor are your lifelines to the university. All students taking a BHSU class have a BHSU email account regardless of their home university. Email should be checked regularly to make certain that important and timely information is not missed

To set up your email account for the very first time, follow the instructions below:

1. Go to the BHSU website and click on “Email” in the upper right corner.

2. When the new window opens, under “Student Email” click on “Login Help.”

3. A new page will appear and click “Accept.”

4. Follow the instructions to retrieve your email address and password.

5. Once you have your login information, go to the email login page and enter your information to login to your email account.

The BHSU Computer Center needs at least 24 hours to create your email account. If it isn’t ready the first time you try, wait a day and try again. If you are still having difficulty you will need to contact the BHSU Help Desk at 605-642-6580. BHSU strives to be a paperless university; thus, important information comes to you in your email and in your email only; so it is extremely important that you check it regularly for important information regarding your academic career.

Verification of Enrollment

From time to time, students need to verify their BHSU enrollment for a variety of purposes. This can be accomplished in WebAdvisor, a link entitled "Enrollment Verification Request" should appear just beneath your name. Follow that link.

Everbridge Emergency Broadcast System

Everbridge is the South Dakota university system’s emergency broadcast system. This system replaces the original 3n emergency broadcast system. Because you are taking a BHSU class, you will receive information through your BHSU email pertaining to your personal information in this system. Please make certain to read this information closely and follow the instructions that are sent.

In brief, you will need to identify how you would like the emergency message to reach you – by cell phone? By email? By land line at home or at work? By a text message? These decisions are yours and yours alone to make. The intent and purpose of this system is to assist in keeping you as safe as you can possibly be, but we cannot do that if you do not enter your personal notification information.

In the event of an emergency at SDSMT, you will receive an emergency broadcast from SDSMT if you are taking an evening class at SDSMT. If you are taking a class in the Rushmore Building you will receive an emergency broadcast from the Higher Education Center. You will also receive test broadcasts from both BHSU and SDSMT.

Please note: This system will not be used to announce class cancellations due to weather conditions. Please call the weather line at 394-6856 for this information.

Graduation Checks

The determination as to whether you are ready to graduate is made by the Records Office on the main campus and only the Records Office. It is therefore important that you phone them before you register for what you expect to be your final semester and ask for a graduation check. A graduation check is a 15 minute meeting with the Records Office to determine whether you have met all of your degree requirements. For Rapid City students this can be done over the telephone. The Records Office can be reached at 642-6092.

Transcripts

Transcript request forms are available in Rapid City at the Higher Education Center; however, official transcripts can be issued only by the main campus. The form along with the appropriate fee will need to be mailed to the main campus or brought to the HEC to be forwarded.