Requirements and Policies

• Exceptions to this requirement are granted only under extraordinary circumstances and usually require a substitution (e.g. extra honors seminar) rather than a complete waiver. Any such arrangement must be made with the director of the honors program and affirmed in an email to the scholar.

Students are required to take a minimum of three honors seminars to graduate as an Aquinas Scholar.

• These three seminars must be taken for a grade, not pass/fail. If a fourth seminar is taken, it can be taken pass/fail.
• Honors seminars are tuition-free.
• Credits earned in honors seminars do count toward the 132-credit graduation requirement at the University of St. Thomas.

Students need to maintain an overall GPA of 3.6 or above to remain a member in good standing of the Aquinas Scholars Honors Program.

• If a student's GPA dips below 3.6 during a given semester, he or she will be placed on probation and will have one additional semester to raise the GPA to 3.6 or higher.
• If a student's GPA is below 3.6 for two consecutive semesters he or she will be removed from the program and will need to reapply if he/she wishes to be reinstated.

I understand I must complete an Honors Signature Assignment in my last year of studies and submit this material to the program for review prior to graduation.

Students are bound by the University's Academic Integrity Policy as specified in the Undergraduate Catalog. Aquinas Scholars who are found to be in violation of that policy may incur additional program-specific consequences.

Students have the right to request from the director of the program at any time an audit of their progress in the completion of the requirements for the honors program, but otherwise are responsible for monitoring their own progress. Students can monitor their own progress through the "Degree Evaluation" function in Murphy Online. Apart from the degree evaluation, students will receive no written communication about the number of honors sections and seminars they have taken or about whether they have fulfilled the necessary requirements unless they specifically request this information from the director of the program.

All members of the Aquinas Scholars have the right to run for positions in the student leadership of the group.

As a member of Aquinas Scholars I have the right to use Aquinas Scholars physical facilities in the Aquinas Scholars Lounge, located in the Anderson Student Center, room 316. Use of the Lounge includes use of the PCs, printer, and to partake in refreshments offered by Aquinas Scholars. I agree not to allow non-Aquinas Scholars to utilize this space or consume products intended only for Scholars. I agree to keep my printing at a recommended monthly limit of 100-125 pages. I understand that my St. Thomas ID is encoded to gain access to the lounge during Anderson Student Center hours. I understand that I will be financially responsible for any damage I do to this room or the equipment in it.

Members of the Aquinas Scholars have the right to participate in all academic, social and service activities of the Aquinas Scholars, subject to the conditions set forth by the student organizers for the these events.

Members of the Aquinas Scholars are required to earn at least 4 points by attending events or participating in Scholars sponsored activities. Each event and activity will have a point value based upon the amount of time or effort required for participation. Upcoming events and their individual point values will be advertised each month.

Failure to attain the required point total for a specific semester will result in a one-semester probation period. Students on probation will have the opportunity to attain the next semester's 4 points. Failure to attain the required point total in two consecutive semesters will be sufficient grounds for removal from the Aquinas Scholars Honors Program.

Any funds expended for the Aquinas Scholars Honors Program must have the prior approval of the faculty director of the program. Students may not be reimbursed for funds expended without this approval.

All students in the honors program will be included on the Aquinas Scholars e-mail distribution list and will receive all e-mails related to the program. This distribution list is for the business of the Aquinas Scholars only and is not to be used for personal or commercial purposes.

Upon graduation, I have the right to be recognized as an Aquinas Scholar at the Honors Convocation, at which time I will receive the honors cords that will mark me as an Aquinas Scholar at my graduation ceremony.

After graduation, if a final check reveals that I have completed all of the requirements of the program, I have the right to have it noted on my transcript that I successfully graduated from the Aquinas Scholars Honors Program at the University of St. Thomas.

Photo/Video Release Policy: Students must authorize and grant permission to the University of St. Thomas to reproduce their photographic or video images and/or first names for the Aquinas Scholars Honors Program. Details of the policy are included in the student contracts.