Terms and Acronyms

A-B

Academic Renewal: Policy that permits students under certain circumstances to remove coursework from prior quarters. (See catalog for specific details).
Academic Standing: Term that applies to the status of academic performance (e.g. Good, Warning, Probation, Subject to Disqualification and Disqualification)
ACPR: American Cultural Perspective Requirement
ADA: Americans with Disabilities Act
Administrative Disqualification: Policy that allows a college and department to disqualify a student after Administrative Academic Probation, as a result of the student not making satisfactory progress toward the stated degree objective.
Advising: Meeting with a designated staff or faculty member who can assist you in navigating through your academic program.
AP Credit: Advance Placement credit. Exams taken during high school that may count for specific coursework or credit at Cal Poly Pomona.
ARCHES: The Achievement Retention and Commitment to Higher Education Success Program
Area A: The Communication and Critical Thinking GE
Area B: The Mathematics & Natural Sciences GE
Area C: The Humanities GE
Area D: The Social Sciences GE
Area E: The Lifelong Understanding & Self Development GE
Articulation: The process of evaluating, or having already evaluated, a course available or taken at another institution for transferability and/or equivalency
ASI: Associated Students Incorporated
ASI Tutoring: The program sponsored by ASI that offers tutoring services in various subjects.
ASSIST.org: An online student-transfer information system that shows how course credits earned at one public California college or university can be applied when transferred to another.
Asynchronous Instruction (instruction mode): Instruction offered via web technology, CD‐rom, or placed on student‐accessible PCs, available at time/location of students' choice.
Asynchronous (flexible time) Local (instruction mode): Course instruction uses an electronic delivery that can be accessed at a time/location that is flexible. Students may need to come to campus at specified days/times for orientation and evaluation of student learning.
AVP: An Associate Vice President
B.A.: Bachelor of Arts
B.S.: Bachelor of Science
Blackboard: Online learning management system, used for instruction and campus organizations
BroncoBucks: Money that can be added to your Bronco ID card for campus purchases
BroncoDirect: Online student/faculty/staff information portal
BroncoFusion: A day long event to welcome new students to Cal Poly Pomona
Bronco ID: An ambiguous term used for both the BroncoNumber and BroncoName
BroncoName: Your user name for online services, and the part of your CPP email address before "@csupomona.edu"
BroncoNumber: The number on your Bronco ID card (sometimes called BID)
BroncoPassword: The password used with your BroncoName for BroncoDirect, Blackboard, and other online services.
BSC: Bronco Student Center

C

CAPS: Counseling And Psychological Services
Career: As applied to your academic program, your "Career" is Undergraduate, Graduate or Credential. In terms of your professional life, this is something you should meet with your advisor or the Career Center about.
Cave: The computer room located under the Campus Center Marketplace and adjacent to the Career Center.
Children's Center: Affordable, convenient, and quality on-campus childcare services for toilet-trained children. Available to Cal Poly Pomona students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members.
CLA: Often referred to as 'the pointy building', it actually stands for "Classroom/Laboratory/Administration".
Class Standing (or Class Level): Term used to refer to any of the following: Freshman, Sophomore, Junior or Senior
Commencement: The public ceremony when you have completed your program. Not to be confused with "graduation" which is the completion of all requirements leading to the conferral of degree.
Continuous Enrollment: Enrollment from matriculation and maintained without an interruption of more than two successive quarters (including summer quarter), but which can involve more than one institution
Co-op: Short for Cooperative Education, a co-op is a structure method of combining classroom based instruction with practical work experience.
Corequisites: A course that must be enrolled at the same time as enrollment in another course; corequisites are listed in the University Catalog
Course Repeat: Opportunity to repeat a class for a better grade as outlined in EO 1037
CPELI: Cal Poly English Language Institute specializes in English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) instruction and in academic preparation for international students who plan to continue their higher education in the United States.
CR/NR: Credit/No Credit is a grading option for department-designated courses.
Credential: A document to serve as evidence of specific training, as in a teaching credential
CRSP: The College Reading Skills Program
Cultural Centers: Cal Poly Pomona has five centers that represent major cultural groups on campus: The African American Student Center (AASC), The Asian and Pacific Islander Student Center, The César E. Chávez Center for Higher Education (CECCHE), The Native American Student Center (NASC), The Pride Center (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Questioning & Resource Ally Center), and The Violence Prevention & Women's Resource Center
Curriculum: The specified set of requirements which must each be satisfied to earn a particular degree
Curriculum Sheet: Printable sheet showing course requirements for your program. Can be found on the CPP Academic Programs website.
Curriculum year/catalog rights: Normally the year you begin your studies at Cal Poly which determines which set of major and GE requirements are followed, but may change if you change majors or petition to use the current curriculum year in place upon graduation.

D-E

Disqualification I: Disqualification after not meeting CPP or Cumulative GPB threshold posted on the Registrar's Office website.
Disqualification II: Disqualification after not meeting CPP or Cumulative GPB threshold posted on the Registrar's Office website, and have been previously reinstated thrrough reinstatement or appeal.
Disqualification III: Disqualification after not meeting CPP or Cumulative GPB threshold posted on the Registrar's Office website, and previously been readmitted.
DRC: Disability Resource Center—DRC provides support services to students who have documented disabilities. DRC assists students with physical or functional limitations, including visual, hearing, mobility, motor and speech impairments. Students with serious medical conditions are also served, as well as those with learning or emotional disabilities.
Early Start: Summer program designed to assist students who need math and/or English remediation to start their studies
Early Warning: An undergraduate student with a Cal Poly Pomona grade point average between 2.0 and 2.2 is considered at risk, and an advising hold is placed on the student's registration for the following quarter. The advising hold may be released only by the approval of the student's advisor following academic advising.
ELM: Entry Level Mathematics. Exam taken prior to enrollment at a CSU campus to determine college math readiness.
EO: CSU Executive Order
EO 1037: Executive Order that deals with provisions and limitations to course withdrawal, course repeat, and incomplete grades
EO 665: Executive Order that deals with math and English remediation and writing proficiency
EOP: The Educational Opportunity Program
EPT: English Placement Test. Exam taken prior to enrollment at a CSU campus that determines college English readiness.
Executive Order (i.e. E.O. 665): Executive Orders are issued from the Chancellor's Office, The California State University and are delegated to the campus President. For example, EO 665 requires English and Math competence. At Cal Poly Pomona, students who need preparatory work in these subjects must complete required course(s) within one year from the date of enrollment. (i.e. MAT 10, 11, 12 and/or ENG 95, 96)

F-H

Face-to-Face (instruction mode): Course meets face-to face for class meetings. Students may need to go on the computer to read the syllabus or see their grades.
FAFSA: Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The application that determines if you qualify for government grants and/or loans that can help pay for education.
FERPA: The information contained in a student's educational record is protected under the Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, also known as FERPA. Only "directory information" (see catalog for what this includes) may be released to individuals outside the university without the student's written consent. However, FERPA does not require the university to release directory information.
Foal Watch: Program that allows you to assist in the delivery of an Arabian horse, even if you are not an Ag major.
Four-Year Pledge: Program designed to guarantee graduation within four years for freshmen that meet specific requirements upon entering the University.
FTE: Full Time Equivalent
Full-time: Being enrolled in 6.1 or more units
Fully Asynchronous (flexible time) (instruction mode): Course instruction uses an electronic delivery that must be accessed at specific days/times. Students do not need to be on campus for any element of course. Students may need to be available at specified days/times for orientation and evaluation of student learning.
Fully Synchronous (fixed time) (instruction mode): Course instruction uses an electronic delivery that can be accessed at a time/location that is flexible. Students do not need to be on campus for any element of course. Students may need to be available at specified days/times for orientation and evaluation of student learning.
GE: General Education
GE certification: Certification refers to official notification from a California Community College that a transfer student has completed courses fulfilling CSU (lower division) general education requirements.
Good Standing: An undergraduate student is considered to be in good academic standing if the student's cumulative grade point average is 2.0 or "C" or higher for all university level work attempted (including transfer units) and for all university level work attempted at Cal Poly Pomona. Students in good standing are eligible to enroll in the subsequent quarter and should see an advisor at least once per year.
Grade Forgiveness: Repeating a class for a better grade in accordance with EO 1037. Policy allows a student to repeat up to 16-units of coursework and exclude the first grade from the GPA calculation. See EO 1037 for more details and limitations.
Grade Point Average (GPA): Number that tells how well a student is performing. Grade Points divided by the number of units attempted on a 4.0 scale.
Grade Point Balance (GPB): Number that tells the student and advisor where the student is in relation to a 2.0 GPA.
Grade Point Balance Scale(AKA Grade Point Deficit Scale): Scale used to advise students with a negative academic standing on grades or actions needed to return to "Good" standing.
Grade Point Deficit (GPD): A Grade Point Balance when the student has below a 2.0 GPA.
Graduation: Not to be confused with the term "commencement" which refers to the event, graduation refers to the meeting of all requirements at the end of a program of study.
GWT: Graduate Writing Test
Hold (AKA Service Indicator): An activity block, usually preventing enrollment
Hybrid with Asynchronous (flexible time) Component (instruction mode): Course uses both face-to-face instruction and electronic instruction that can be completed at a time/location that is flexible.
Hybrid with Synchronous (fixed time) Component (instruction mode): Course uses both face-to-face instruction and electronic instruction that must be completed at specific days/times.

I-L

I: Incomplete—does not affect GPA, but student must contact professor to complete contract and timeline for course completion.
IC: Expired Incomplete—equivalent to F in calculation of GPA if not completed within one year immediately following the end the quarter in which it was assigned. Extension of time for completion can be requested under certain circumstances through General Academic Petition.
IGE: Interdisciplinary General Education program
IGETC: The Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum articulates lower division coursework among the three segments of higher education in California (CSU/UC/Community Colleges)
Impaction: The California State University (CSU) designates major programs as impacted when more applications are received in the initial filing period from CSU eligible applicants than can be accommodated by the campus.
Internship: An opportunity for a student to receive supervised practical training in a specific vocational setting.
Judicial Affairs: Place where student conduct cases are addressed
Julian A. McPhee: President of the California Polytechnic College when the southern California branch campus (later to become Cal Poly Pomona) was established
Julian A. McPhee Award: Award given at commencement for student excellence
Kellogg: W.K. Kellogg, who on October 13, 1949, offered control of his ranch to the State of California in order to expand the southern branch of the California State Polytechnic College. Our sister campus is located up the coast in San Luis Obispo.
Kellogg Honors College: The university's honors college
Kellogg West: Conference center located on the upper campus, adjacent to the Collins College of Hospitality Management.
Leave of Absence (LOA): Any student may "stop out" for up to two consecutive quarters—a leave of absence request is needed if you plan to be out longer. While an absence exceeding two consecutive quarters is normally considered an interruption in attendance, if the second of these quarters is the spring quarter the student will be considered to be in continuous attendance through the summer quarter.
LRC: Learning Resource Center- provides a university-wide student services: ASI tutoring, Math and Science Help (MaSH), University Writing Center (UWC), and College Reading Skills Program (CRSP).

M-P

M.A.: Master of Arts
M.S.: Master of Science
MaSH: The Math and Science Help Program Matriculation Initial enrollment in courses. Also, students who have formally been admitted to the university and have confirmed their intention to enroll in an approved program of study.
MDPT: Mathematics Diagnostic Placement Test
MEP: The Maximizing Engineering Potential Program Minor A minor course of study
Office of Student Life and Cultural Centers (OSL or OSLCC): Staff that work in collaboration with students and academic departments to coordinate university wide cultural programs and academic courses. OSLCC is where students can make new friends, become involved in campus activities, learn more about their cultural backgrounds and the cultures of others, develop leadership skills, and find ways to become engaged members of the Cal Poly Pomona community.
Ombuds: An ombuds is someone who offers confidential, neutral, independent, and informal assistance in resolving issues, problems, or concerns. Before going to the ombuds office, you should first try to resolve any issue you have with your professor, advisors, chair, or office you think will be most helpful to you. The ombuds usually only gets involved when there exist issues needing conflict resolution assistance.
Pancake: The stage area in the quad
Permission Numbers: Used by students to enroll in courses that are full (class enrollment limit), require consent, or have requisites (co-requisites and pre-requisites). Depending on the type of restriction in place, Permission Numbers are obtained from the Class Instructor or the Department Office. Permission Numbers can be entered by students when enrolling online through BroncoDirect. Class permission numbers issued to override seat capacity for closed classes are valid only during our ADD/DROP period (first 6 days of instructions) and will expire after the last day to add classes.
Pizza with the Presidents: A meeting with the Cal Poly Pomona and ASI presidents (and others) to address student questions and concerns. Yes, pizza is sometimes served.
Plan: Another term for major or minor, but usually major…
PolyCentric: University's web-based news magazine
PolyPost: Student-run paper
Pony Express: Convenience stores located on campus
Prerequisites: Requirements to be completed before enrollment in a specific course; prerequisites are listed in the University Catalog
Preview Day: A day long event for prospective students and others in the community to become acquainted with Cal Poly Pomona
Priority Registration: Window of time when eligible students are able to register for courses before the regular registration period begins.
Probation: Status of a student having either the Cal Poly Pomona GPA or the overall GPA less than 2.00.

Q-S

Quad: Located next to the Campus Center Marketplace, many campus events are held here, including commencement.
RD: Report Delayed—See the professor and find out why your grade was not posted
Registar's Office: The office that can assist you with your enrollment, academic record, transfer credit or degree progress
Renaissance Scholars: A program designed to assist foster youth in entering and progressing through college.
Repeat: Repeating a class in accordance with EO 1037
Retroactive Withdrawal: Withdrawal from all courses in a prior quarter for serious and compelling reasons. See Academic Programs website and EO 1037 for more details.
Roadmap: Printable "map" showing course sequence for your program. Can be found on the CPP Academic Programs website.
RP: Grade in progress
SEES: The Science and Educational Enhancement Program for eligible students in majors within the College of Science.
Service-Learning: Pedagogy that provides students with structured opportunities to learn, develop, and reflect through active participation and thoughtfully organized community involvement.
SSEP: Student Support and Equity Programs service areas include the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), Summer Bridge, the Undeclared Studetn Program, and Renaissance Scholars.
Stables: see University Plaza
Study Abroad: The opportunity to take courses in another country while still pursuing a degree at Cal Poly.
Subject to Disqualification: An undergraduate student is subject to disqualification if the student's grade point deficit is not at the level for academic disqualification and the student's Cal Poly Pomona or cumulative grade point average falls below 1.5 for freshmen, 1.7 for sophomores, 1.9 for juniors, or 1.95 for seniors. Academic departments may disqualify a student who is subject to disqualification if the student fails to meet the terms of the advising worksheet or fails to make progress in the major.
Subplan: The specific program of study within a major that has many program options
Summer Bridge: Residential program which helps students’ transition from high school to the more challenging University environment. Students build academic skills, develop friendships, experience campus life, and become acquainted with campus departments and resources. Workshops, seminars, and student development opportunities help participants build essential skills and go on to be a Cal Poly Pomona success!
Super Duper Senior (SDS): These are seniors who have completed at least 135% of the units to degree in their major (at least one of their majors if they have two majors). For a student enrolled in a program that requires 180 units, the student becomes a Super Duper Senior when 243 total units are earned.
Support Course: Collateral courses required in a program of study
Synchronous Instruction (instruction mode): Instruction offered via closed circuit to a second classroom, or live remote broadcast via public airwaves, web chat room, or web‐based streaming video to PCs available at specific days/times
Synchronous (fixed time) Local (instruction mode): Course instruction uses an electronic delivery that must be accessed at specific days/times. Students may need to come to campus at specified days/times for orientation and evaluation of student learning.
Synthesis: An upper division, often interdisciplinary, course that can be used for either of two (but not both) G.E. categories.

T-Z

Transfer Credit Report: Available on BroncoDirect, your TCR will list courses taken elsewhere, whether or not they are transferable, and if so any equivalencies that might exist with CPP courses. If the course does not articulate to a specific CPP course, see your advisor about the possibility of petitioning for specific course credit.
Transfer Credits: The Evaluations Office is responsible for awarding all articulated and general education transfer credit. The student may receive academic credit for other non-articulated coursework only via a General Academic Petition.
Two Year Course Schedules: Sometimes called 'course rotation sheets', these Two Year Course Schedules display a quarter-by-quarter matrix of classes offered by a department for a two year period. They offer students the opportunity to personalize their roadmap by entering the specific class offered in a particular quarter.
Two Year Pledge: Like Four-Year Pledge, a program that guarentees degree completion within a specific period of time, assuming the student meets degree and other requirements along a prescribed sequence.
University Hour (AKA U Hour): 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, when most students do not have class
University Plaza (AKA Stables): Facility that was the site of the W.K. Kellogg Arabian horse stables until the current stables were built in 1973. The weather vane, nibble marks on the doors, and replica of the Kellogg’s Corporation sign act as reminders of the University’s unique and rich heritage.
W: Withdrawal—Does not affect GPA, but as you will not earn units may affect the awarding of Financial Aid.
Waitlisting: Cal Poly Pomona allows "waitlisting" for most classes. Waitlisting provides students the opportunity to "get in line" to get into a closed class. Waitlists are processed daily while registration is open and through the last day of the quarter's Add/Drop period.
Web-Assisted (instruction mode): Course meets face-to face for class meetings. Students may need to go on the computer to read the syllabus or see their grades. In addition, students may need to get on a computer to access course materials or participate in some class activities.
Welcome Week: Week that includes various activities for new and continuing students
WU: Withdrawal Unofficial- equivalent to F in the GPA calculation and may affect the awarding of Financial Aid.

Calendars

News

The Graduation Initiative

two students working on model

With a focus on retention and improved graduation rates campus-wide, the mission of the Graduation Initiative is clear, “To reinforce quality education and promote academic success by understanding the issues that hinder retention and completion and addressing the findings with appropriate interventions, services, and practices.” Interested in learning more and getting involved? Learn more here.

Kellogg Legacy Grant Recipients

Students studying

The Kellogg Legacy Project Endowment has awarded nearly $1.6 million in grants to 25 campus programs to strengthen academics, support current and incoming students, aid faculty in teaching and research, and continue building relationships with the community... read more here.