Catalog

Consumer Information

Introduction

In accordance with federal regulations set forth by the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, below is a summary of consumer information that must be made available to all students at Lake Superior State University. Each topic listed gives a brief description of the information that must be disclosed and explains how it may be obtained. If you need assistance obtaining information listed here, contact the Office of Financial Aid (see address below). Paper copies are available upon request. All listed addresses end with:

Lake Superior State University
650 W. Easterday Ave
Sault Ste. Marie, MI 48783

General Information about the University

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

In carrying out their assigned responsibilities, many offices at Lake Superior State University collect and maintain information about students. Although these records belong to the university, both university policy and federal law accord students a number of rights concerning these records. The Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) established the rules and regulations regarding access to and disclosure of student records.

To fulfill FERPA requirements, the university has established Policies on Student Records. These policies outline a student’s rights regarding the records, where records about the student may be kept and maintained, what kinds of information are in those records, the conditions under which the student or anyone else may have access to information in those records, and what action a student can take if it is believed that the information in their record is inaccurate or that the student’s rights have been compromised. The policies on student records are on the Registrar’s website. For more information or to receive a copy, contact the Registrar’s Office, 650 W. Easterday Ave, Tel: (906) 635-2682.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

Lake Superior State University is committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive campus environment for all students. The Office of Accessibility Services provides accommodations to ensure that students with disabilities have an equal opportunity to enjoy the university's programs, services, and activities. 

For information regarding facilities and accommodations under The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), contact Accessibility Services, located in LIBR-233 at: accessibility@lssu.edu, or by calling (906) 635-2355.

Student Body Diversity

For information about the diversity of the university student body, contact the Office of Institutional Research, ADM 205, (906) 635-2022.

Price of Attendance

For actual tuition and fee charges contact:

Cashiers/Student Accounts
Fletcher Center, Room 110
(906) 635-2600

Business Operations Website

For estimated tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, and personal/miscellaneous expenses contact:

Financial Aid Office
Fletcher Center, Room 100
(906) 635-2678

Cost Calculator on the Financial Aid Website

Cost of Attendance on the Financial Aid Website

Net Price Calculator

This calculator is intended to provide estimated net price information (defined as the estimated cost of attendance – including tuition and required fees, books and supplies, housing and food, and other related expenses – minus estimated grant and scholarship aid) to current and prospective students and their families based on what similar students paid in a previous year.

Refund Policy and Requirements for Withdrawal

Students who are withdrawing from all classes at the university must notify the Registrar’s Office by following the withdrawal procedure outline on the Add/Drop Courses and Withdrawal Information page.

Return of Federal Financial Aid

The federal government mandates that students who withdraw from all classes may only keep the financial aid (federal Title IV and loan assistance) they have “earned” up to the time of withdrawal. Students receiving federal and state financial aid, including loans and scholarships, and institutional and private aid who withdraw from 100% of their courses at the university are subject to the repayment policy available on the Financial Aid Information Regarding University Withdrawal and Refunds page.

Financial Aid Return to Title IV Policy: Applies to students receiving federal and state financial aid including loans and scholarships and institutional and private aid.

  • First, your account will be credited according to Lake Superior State University’s Refund Policy (on or prior to the 38-day withdrawal period). The summer semester refund policy is shortened.
  • Then, your financial aid will be reduced in direct proportion to the length of time you remained enrolled, up to 60 percent of the semester.
  • Please note: If you have received a payment for excess financial aid and you withdraw, you could owe the University and/or the federal government money.
  • If there is still a credit on your account, the amount of the credit will then be applied to the remaining financial aid funds until the credit has been reduced to zero.

Textbook Information

For information regarding student textbooks and detailed lists of required course material is available on the Barnes & Noble LSSU website.

Educational Programs

Information on the university’s academic programs and degree offerings is available from the various schools/colleges. Information can be located on the Degree Programs page.

Instructional Facilities

For an interactive map of the main campus, see the Campus Map page. A printable main campus map is also available on the Campus Printable Map page. Information for campus parking can be located on the Public Safety page.

Facilities Master Plans are available to view online.

Faculty

Information on the university’s faculty and instructional personnel is available online in the Campus Directory.

Course Schedule

The course schedule may be found on the Registrar’s Course Scheduling page.

Transfer of Credit Policies and Articulation Agreements

Information about the university transfer credit policies can be found on Transfer Student Requirements page. The Transfer Equivalency Tool allows students to check how courses from list schools will transfer to LSSU.

The “reverse transfer agreement” creates a process whereby students who transfer from a community college to a university can be awarded a community college associate’s degree with the help of credits earned at the university.

The Michigan Transfer Agreement (MTA) is a partnership between Michigan’s colleges and universities that allows students to complete core college courses at one institution and transfer those credits to other partner institutions to be applied to the core requirements.

The LSSU-Wisconsin Bridge Agreement allows students transferring from the University of Wisconsin Colleges with an Associate of Arts & Science degree are recognized as having completed the general education requirements at Lake Superior State University.

The Sault College Transfer Agreement allows Sault College of Applied Arts and Technology students admitted to LSSU with the GECERT stamp (liberal studies degree) on their transcript are recognized as having completed the general education requirements at LSSU.

Study Abroad

Lake Superior State University provides many study abroad programs to the student community. Information about the programs offered and how to apply can be found on the Study Abroad page. Information about Financial Aid and funding for the programs is also available.

Accreditation, Approval, and Licensure of Institution and Programs

Lake Superior State University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC), 203 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL 60604-1413, (800) 621-7440, since 1968. Statement of Affiliation Status with the HLC is available to view. Information on institutional and programmatic accreditation can be found on the Accreditation page.

Copyright Infringement – Policies and Sanctions

This policy applies to anyone using any University Information Technology Resource. This includes, but is not limited to, Lake Superior State University faculty and staff, students, student employees, alumni, guests, and contractors. Unauthorized use and distribution of copyrighted material is illegal. Legal action against the individual as well as the university may occur, this includes all audio and video files.

Copyright infringement is the act of exercising, without permission or legal authority, one or more of the exclusive rights granted to the copyright owner under section 106 of the Copyright Act (Title 17 of the United States Code). These rights include the right to reproduce or distribute a copyrighted work. In the file-sharing context, downloading or uploading substantial parts of a copyrighted work without authority constitutes an infringement.

Penalties for copyright infringement include civil and criminal penalties. In general, anyone found liable for civil copyright infringement may be ordered to pay either actual damages or “statutory”  damages affixed at not less than $750 and not more than $30,000 per work infringed. For “willful” infringement, a court may award up to $150,000 per work infringed. A court can, in its discretion, also assess costs and attorneys’ fees. For details, see Title 17, United States Code, Sections 504, 505.

Willful copyright infringement can also result in criminal penalties, including imprisonment of up to five years and fines of up to $250,000 per offense. For more information, please see the website of the U.S. Copyright Office at www.copyright.gov.

Computer Use and File Sharing

Coming Soon

Student Activities

Information on university’s student related activities are located at the Campus Life page.

Career Services

Lake Superior State University offers assistance to students and alumni with all aspects of the career and job search process.  For more information contact the Career Services Office at CareerServices@lssu.edu.

Teacher Preparation Program Report

CAEP Accreditation Annual Reporting Measures

Information regarding Lake Superior State University School of Education CEAP Accreditation and reporting can be found on the Teacher Education Annual Accreditation Reporting page.

Student Financial Assistance

Contact the Office of Financial Aid with questions regarding financial aid or related topics.  If you need assistance or would like a paper copy of any financial aid information, please contact:

LSSU Financial Aid Office
Fletcher Center
Tel: (906) 635-2678
Fax: (906) 635-6669

Financial Aid Employee Contact Information

Most information on student aid assistance is available on the LSSU Financial Aid and the Financial Aid Basics page.

Related Links

Loan Counseling

Entrance Counseling for Federal Direct Loans

Providing Borrower Information at Separation – The personal and contact information collected at the time of exit counseling is provided to the student’s loan servicer within 60 days because the information is updated by the student at the Studentaid.ed.gov website.

Exit Counseling for Federal Direct Loans

Scholarship Fraud

Students, particularly high school seniors, will be targeted by many organizations selling their products and services, including organizations that sell scholarship searches.

The Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships urges families to be very cautious in paying for scholarship searches. While there are legitimate organizations that do charge a fee, there are organizations that take advantage of student and parent fears about meeting the costs of higher education. Estimates show that families lose significant amounts of money to scholarship fraud every year.

The College Scholarship Fraud Prevention Act enhances protection against fraud in student financial assistance. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) cautions students to look for these telltale lines:

  • “The scholarship is guaranteed or your money back.”
  • “You can’t get this information anywhere else.”
  • “I just need your credit card or bank account number to hold this scholarship.”
  • “We’ll do all of the work.”
  • “The scholarship will cost some money.”
  • “You’ve been selected by a ‘national foundation’ to receive a scholarship” or “You’re a finalist in a contest that you never entered.”

Students or families who think that they may have received information that could be a scam, contact the FTC at 877-382-4357 or visit their website at http://www.ftc.gov/.

Health and Safety

Campus Safety and Security

The Lake Superior State University Campus Public Safety Department is located on the first floor of the Administration Building on the campus of LSSU. Public Safety Officers are on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Full-time officers and student officers staff the department. Information on DPS services including reporting, crime statistics, parking, residence hall safety, and emergency preparedness may be found at:

LSSU Public Safety Department
Administration Building
Tel: (906) 635-2100

Vaccination Policy

LSSU policies and recommendations regarding new student immunizations and information on scheduled appointments can be located through the LSSU Health Care Center.

Missing Student Notification Policy

If a member of the University community has reason to believe that a student who resides in on-campus housing is missing, he or she should immediately notify Public Safety at (906) 635-2100. Public Safety will generate a missing person report and initiate an investigation.

If the Public Safety Department determines an individual has been missing for more than 24 hours, the University will notify Sault Sainte Marie Police Department and the student’s listed contact. This notification will occur no later than 24 hours after the determination that the student is missing. If the missing student is under the age of 18 and is not an emancipated individual, the University will notify the student’s parent or legal guardian and missing person contact immediately.

Residential students have the option to identify, confidentially, an individual to be contacted in the event the student is determined to be missing for more than 24 hours. This confidential contact information will be accessible only to authorized campus officials and law enforcement and may not be disclosed outside of a missing person investigation.

Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention

Students at LSSU are required to follow student code of conduct and measures are taken when violations occur. Information on these violations is available through Campus Life. Information and counseling services for students regarding alcohol and substance abuse is available through the LSSU Health Care Center.

Student Outcomes

Graduation and Retention Rates

Lake Superior State University’s graduation rate after six years for the Fall 2015 cohort class is 52%. This is the rate of degree seeking full-time undergraduate students who have graduated from their programs within the 150% of the normal time for graduation.

Lake Superior State University’s full-time retention rate from fall 2019 to fall 2020 was 73% for first time undergrads.

The Institutional Research office offers extensive data on degrees confirmed, enrollment reports, retention, and more.

Completion and Graduation Rates for Student Athletes

Reports must be provided to student-athletes, their parents, high school coaches, and guidance counselors when an athletically related student aid offer is made.

A report on the Graduation Success Rate (IPEDS-GRS) is also available online. Choose Lake Superior State University from the school drop down menu to review the graduation success rates of LSSU athletes sored by sport and year.

Intercollegiate Athletic Program

Participation Rates & Financial Support

For information on the university’s EADA (Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act) annual report can be found on the Athletics’ Compliance page and on the U.S. Department of Education EADA reports.

Compliance and LSSU Policies

Nondiscrimination Policy Statement

Lake Superior State University, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. Lake Superior State University committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, pregnancy or parenting status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, height, weight, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions. Inquiries or complaints may be addressed to the Director Human Resources and Title IX Coordinator,

Human Resource Office, Administrative Building
Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan 49783
906-635-2213.

University Complaints

The University encourages students and prospective students to address complaints relating to the institution’s policies and consumer protection issues first with personnel in the office, department, school, or college that led to the complaint alleged. If needed, senior University administrators may also become involved to help resolve complaints.

Learn more about the complaint process.

Gainful Employment

On June 28, 2019, the U.S. Department of Education announced the complete rescission of gainful employment disclosure regulations. Lake Superior State University opted for early rescission effective July 1, 2019. The intent of the gainful employment regulations was to provide students with cost and employment information for out programs that deal directly to employment (certification programs).

LSSU will no longer be providing Gainful Employment information. Inquiries may be addressed to the LSSU Financial Aid Office.

Voter Registration

Information on voting in local, state, and federal elections, including a copy of the Michigan voter registration application form, may be accessed at Michigan Secretary of State.

Michigan Voter Registration Information/Directions
Absentee Ballot Information
Registration Form (pdf)

Student Consumer Information

The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA) requires that postsecondary institutions participating in federal student aid programs make certain disclosures to students. The following information is disclosed to you as a student at Lake Superior State University (LSSU) in compliance with federal law. For additional information, including requesting a paper copy of any materials, please call the appropriate office or visit the indicated websites.

Academic Programs and Accreditations

Information concerning LSSU’s current educational programs and course descriptions is available at https://www.lssu.edu/academics. This includes information about instructional, laboratory, and other physical facilities that relate to the academic programs, as well as faculty and other instructional personnel. The University catalog provides information related to institutional/program accreditations (https://www.lssu.edu/accreditation) and approvals, as well as transferring courses and credits to LSSU (https://www.lssu.edu/admissions/transfer.php). View the Transfer Credit Policy in the catalog.  University-approved articulation and consortium agreements are available for reference at https://www.lssu.edu/admissions/transfer-program-information/. The policies and procedures related to academic governance may be accessed at https://www.lssu.edu/provost.

Alcohol and Other Drug Policy

The LSSU Alcohol and Other Drug Policy can be accessed at https://www.lssu.edu/public-safety/alcohol-policy/. The Annual Security Report (https://www.lssu.edu/publicsafety/clery/) provides information about alcohol and other drug health risks, drug alcohol laws and penalties, and campus alcohol and other drug education and counseling resources.

Campus Security Policies, Crime Statistics and Crime Log

Information regarding public safety at LSSU is provided in the Annual Security Report (https://www.lssu.edu/publicsafety).The Security Report includes crime statistics for the previous three years concerning certain crimes reported to have occurred on campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by LSSU; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus. The Security Report also includes information about police and public safety resources, reporting crimes, coordination between law enforcement agencies, fire and medical emergencies, crime prevention, victim support services, the law and LSSU policies, campus facilities, residence hall security, timely warning policy statement, the LSSU Policy on Sexual Harassment, and the LSSU Alcohol and Other Drug Policy.

In accordance with the Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act of 2000, Lake Superior State University provides the following link to the Michigan State Police Sex Offender Registry. In Michigan, convicted sex offenders must register with the Sex Offender Registry. The Michigan State Police is responsible for maintaining this registry. 

Cohort Default Rate

The cohort default rate (https://www.lssu.edu/finaid/cohortdefaultrate.php) is calculated using actual payment records of the student borrower. A 3-year cohort default rate is the percentage of a school’s borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year. Repayment begins 6 months after a student is no longer enrolled for at least 6 credit hours. Default occurs when a student is in repayment, but fails to make their payment for 270 days or more. Data from the most recent years is provided below. The numbers below represent the 3 year cohort default rate as well as the previously calculated 2 year cohort default rate which is no longer in use.

Copyright Infringement and Peer-to-Peer File Sharing Policies and Sanctions

Copyright infringement is the act of exercising, without permission or legal authority, one or more of the exclusive rights granted to the copyright owner under section 106 of the Copyright Act (Title 17 of the United States Code). These rights include the right to reproduce or distribute a copyrighted work. In the file-sharing context, downloading or uploading substantial parts of a copyrighted work without authority constitutes an infringement.

Penalties for copyright infringement include civil and criminal penalties. In general, anyone found liable for civil copyright infringement may be ordered to pay either actual damages or “statutory” damages affixed at not less than $750 and not more than $30,000 per work infringed. For “willful” infringement, a court may award up to $150,000 per work infringed. A court can, in its discretion, also assess costs and attorneys’ fees. For details, see Title 17, United States Code, Sections 504, 505.

Willful copyright infringement can also result in criminal penalties, including imprisonment of up to five years and fines of up to $250,000 per offense. For more information, please see the website of the U.S. Copyright Office at http://www.copyright.gov.

Federal Student Financial Aid Penalties for Drug Law Violations

Federal law provides that a student who has been convicted of an offense under any federal or state law involving the possession or sale of a controlled substance during a period of enrollment for which the student was receiving financial aid shall not be eligible to receive any federal or institutional grant, loan, or work assistance. The separate, written notice of the penalties for drug violations provided to students upon enrollment may be accessed at https://www.lssu.edu/finaid/druglawviolations.php.

Financial Aid

The Office of Financial Aid website (https://www.lssu.edu/finaid) includes information about the following:

  • need-based and non-need-based federal, state, local, private, and institutional financial assistance programs available to students;
  • eligibility requirements and procedures for applying for aid;
  • criteria for selecting recipients and determining amount of award;
  • methods and frequency of disbursements of aid;
  • financial aid terms and conditions, including terms applicable to employment provided as part of a financial aid package;
  • rights and responsibilities of students receiving Title IV, HEA loans;
  • the availability of financial aid for study abroad programs;
  • how financial aid is handled when students withdraw; and
  • whom to contact for questions regarding financial aid.

Federal notices concerning the terms and conditions of federal student loans, entrance and exit counseling information, drug violation penalties, and the code of conduct for financial aid professionals and advisory disclosure are available at https://www.lssu.edu/finaid/pdfs/CODE_OF_CONDUCT.pdf.

Graduation and Retention Rates (Student Right-to-Know Act)

Graduation data of degree-seeking, full-time undergraduate students at LSSU is available at https://www.lssu.edu/academic-services/career-services/. Additional information can be found in our Common Data Set at https://www.lssu.edu/institutional-research/common-data-set/.

Intercollegiate Athletic Program Participation Rates and Financial Support Data (Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act)

In compliance with the Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act, information on men’s and women’s athletic programs at LSSU is available at https://www.lssulakers.com/Compliance_Forms/2020_EADA_survey.pdf. The report includes the number of participants by gender for each team, operating and recruiting expenses, coaches’ salaries, revenues, and athletically related student aid. A copy of the report is available online on the U.S. Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education Equity in Athletics Disclosure website at http://www2.ed.gov/finaid/prof/resources/athletics/eada.html

Missing Student Notification Procedures

Notification procedures to be followed when a student residing in on-campus housing has been reported missing for more than 24 hours are available at https://www.lssu.edu/publicsafety/clery/.

Placement of Graduates

The report (in the process of being updated) provides post-graduation outcomes of LSSU baccalaureate degree recipients, including the types of graduate and professional education programs in which graduates enrolled. The report is prepared using information obtained annually from students who received a baccalaureate degree, offering a snapshot of their progress during the transition out of college.

Price of Attendance

Information concerning the cost of attending LSSU is available at https://www.lssu.edu/catalog/costs. These costs consist of tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, transportation, and any additional costs for a program in which the student is enrolled or expresses an interest. More information can be found at https://www.lssu.edu/financial-aid. A net price calculator can be found at: https://www.lssu.edu/financial-aid/net-price-calculator/.

Privacy of Student Records (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act)

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that gives students the right to review their education records, to request amendment of their records, to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information, and to file complaints with the U.S. Department of Education. Additional information regarding student rights under FERPA is available at https://www.lssu.edu/registrar/ferpa-family-educational-rights-privacy-act/. This information includes LSSU procedures for reviewing and requesting amendment of education records, notice of the types of information LSSU has designated as directory information, and students’ right to opt-out of directory information.

Refund Policy, Requirements for Withdrawal, and Return of Title IV, HEA Financial Aid

If a student withdraws or drops a course, LSSU will adhere to its refund policy as published at https://www.lssu.edu/registrar/scheduling/adddrop-courses-withdrawal-information/. Information regarding the requirements and procedures for students seeking to withdraw officially is also available at https://www.lssu.edu/registrar/scheduling/adddrop-courses-withdrawal-information/. Requirements for return of Title IV, HEA grant or loan aid are available at https://www.lssu.edu/finaid/withdrawalprocess.php.

Services for Students with Disabilities

The Office of Accessibility Services provides reasonable and effective accommodations and resources for all students with a diagnosed disability.  To receive these accommodations, students must register with the Office of Accessibility Services.

Visit the Office of Accessibility Services homepage for additional information on services and resources available to students with disabilities.

Student Body Diversity

Information about student body diversity, including the number of enrolled full-time students by gender and race/ethnicity, is provided in the Common Data Set found at https://www.lssu.edu/institutional-research/common-data-set/. The number of undergraduate students who receive a Federal Pell Grant is available at http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator.

Textbook Information/Required Course Materials

Detailed lists of required course materials will be made available to students through Barnes and Noble at Lake Superior State University (http://lssu.bncollege.com).

Vaccination Policies

LSSU policies regarding vaccinations are available at https://www.lssu.edu/health-care-center/services/.

Voter Registration

Information on voting in local, state, and federal elections, including a copy of the Michigan voter registration application form, may be accessed at http://www.mi.gov/sos.