Getting Started

Semester programs:

May 2, 2022: Registration begins for Fall 2023

May 31, 2022: First official day Graduate Summer Term 2023

May 31–June 11, 2022: Add/Drop period for Graduate Summer Term 2023

August 27, 2022: Last official day of Graduate Summer Term 2023

August 29, 2022: First official day of Fall 2023

October 10, 2022: Registration begins for Jan Term 2023

November 4, 2022: Add/Drop, Withdraw, Pass/Fail deadline for Graduate Fall 2023

November 7, 2022: Registration begins for Spring 2023

December 10, 2022: Last official day of Fall 2022

December 14, 2022: E-bills sent for Jan and Spring 2023

December 20, 2022: Grades available on GaelXpress for Fall 2022

January 3, 2023: First official day of Jan Term 2023 (varies by program)

January 13, 2023: Add/Drop, Withdraw, Pass/Fail deadline for Graduate Jan Term 2023

January 14, 2023: Tuition payment for Jan and Spring 2023

Please use the KSOE Academic Calendars for a complete list of dates to remember for Semester programs.

Trimester programs:

April 30, 2022: First official day of Summer Trimester 2022

May 6, 2022: Deadline to Add/Drop

May 9, 2022: Registration begins for Fall Trimester 2022

August 27, 2022: Last official day of Summer Trimester 2022

August 28, 2022: First official day of Fall Trimester 2022

September 2, 2022: Deadline to Add/Drop

September 10, 2022: Grades available on GaelXpress for Summer Trimester 2022

October 24, 2022: Registration begins for Winter Trimester 2023

December 14, 2022: E-bills sent for Winter Trimester 2023

December 18, 2022: Last official day of Fall Trimester 2023

January 3, 2023: Grades available on GaelXpress for Fall Trimester 2022

January 7, 2023: First Official Day of Winter Trimester 2023

January 14, 2023: Tuition payment for Winter Trimester 2023

Please use the KSOE Academic Calendars for a complete list of dates to remember for Trimester programs.

A reference for College offices you may need to contact:

• Business Office ... (925) 631-4209 or business@stmarys-ca.edu

• Counseling Department ... (925) 631-4130 or ksoecoun@stmarys-ca.edu

• Enrollment and Student Services ... (925) 631-4713 or ksoe_ess@stmarys-ca.edu

• Financial Aid Office ... (925) 631-4370 or finaid@stmarys-ca.edu

• ITS/EdTech ... (925) 631-4266 or servicedesk@stmarys-ca.edu

• Leadership Department ... (925) 631-8161 or leadership@stmarys-ca.edu

• Office of the Registrar ... (925) 631-4214 or regoff@stmarys-ca.edu

• Teacher Education Department ... (925) 631-4292 or teachered@stmarys-ca.edu

MySMC

The student portal, known as MySMC or https://my.stmarys-ca.edu can be used to access various applications, including GaelXpress, which you will use to check for classes, register, and view your bill. This is also a gateway to your SMC Email, the Library website, and GaelLearn or Moodle, among others.

Connecting to MySMC can be found from the College's website. Signing in will require you to enter your username and a password. Your username can be found on your applicant portal along with a temporary password. Your username is the first part of your SMC email address (username@stmarys-ca.edu) and the initial password is a combination of your initials and your student ID number. Additional setup instructions can be found on your Admissions portal: https://admissions.stmarys-ca.edu/apply/status.

Take a few minutes to search a few of the apps on there. You can also update your favorites for easier access.

Technical Requirements

Each student is required to access the Internet and have a working email address to participate in this program. It is ideal to have a personal computer at home, however, there are computers available for use in the Library (see p. 27). An Internet connection, broadband wired or wireless (3G or 4G/LTE), is optimum in addition to the following:

• Speakers and a microphone – built-in or USB plug-in or wireless Bluetooth (a laptop or tablet probably has these)

• A webcam or HD webcam - built-in or USB plug-in (a laptop or tablet probably has this) or, a HD cam or HD camcorder with video capture card.

Supported Operating Systems

• Mac OS X with MacOS 10.6.8 /(Snow Leopard) or later

• iOS 7.0 or later

• Windows 7, 8, 8.1, or 10

• Android 4.0x or later

SMC Email

All learners have a Saint Mary’s College-issued email account powered by Google. Your SMC credentials (ID number, user name, and temporary password) are available to you through your application portal (where you logged in to submit your application).

It is the responsibility of each student to monitor this email account, as it is the official way the College communicates with students about important matters, including notification of tuition bills and information about financial aid. Students may set up the account so messages are automatically forwarded to a personal or business email account.

The SMC email account set up is straightforward and will just take a few minutes. If at any time you need ITS to reset your password, please contact them directly (ServiceDesk@stmarys-ca.edu or 925-631-4266).

GaelXpress

GaelXpress is your way to access the Saint Mary's College internet-based administrative information system. It’s a secure Web service for SMC students and faculty and may be accessed by using your email user name and password.

1. What can I do with GaelXpress?

Students may check grades, access a snapshot of their billing statements, submit an e-check payment, apply for a parking permit, and register for courses.

2. What do I do if I forget my User Name or password?

Please contact ITS at ServiceDesk@stmarys-ca.edu or 925-631-4266 to get that information.

3. Does my Web browser need to accept cookies?

Yes. Cookies are used to verify that your GaelXpress session has not expired. You should “logout” when you are finished using GaelXpress, especially at public workstations, so that the session associated with your GaelXpress username and password is ended.

GaelLearn, also known as “Moodle,” is the Internet-based course management system used throughout the program. The URL is: http://gaellearn.stmarys-ca.edu. Moodle may also be accessed through the MySMC portal.

Please see the Student QuickStart guide under Student Resources for assistance getting started.

Once you access Moodle, a new screen will appear linking you to your courses. If the course title is gray, this means your instructor is still building the course in Moodle. Once your instructor makes the course available, the course title will be featured in red. Please click on the course title to enter the course.

If you have questions about using or accessing Moodle, Zoom, or your SMC email please contact IT Services at (925) 631-4266 or servicedesk@stmarys-ca.edu.

You will need a student ID card to access/borrow materials from the Library and for other campus services.

• Email your full name, ID number, and a headshot photo directly to photoid@stmarys-ca.edu. Your student ID number is provided on your application portal.

• The picture cannot be attached in pdf format.

• Please do not wear a hat, sunglasses, or anything that may interfere with the visibility of your photo as your ID card will not be printed if your photo is obscured or indistinguishable.

• The picture should be similar to a passport picture (full color and a white or light wall background).

• You may pick up your Student ID at the Business Office or arrange to pick it up at The Rheem Off-Campus Student Study Space.

Parking

All faculty, staff, students, and visitors coming to campus must pay for parking.

Once you have set up your SMC email account, look for an email with “Welcome to the New Online Permit Application System” in the subject section. The body of the email will say:

Welcome to the New Online Permit Application System for Saint Mary's College of California. Login to https://www.thepermitportal.com with the Username: __________ and Password: _______.

You may go directly to the Permit Portal to purchase your permit or packet. If you are unable to access the Permit Portal, please follow the instructions below.

• Go to “MySMC”

• Once there, click on the “Public Safety” tile

• Go to the permit portal app

• Under “Select Agency” choose Saint Mary’s College

• Log in with your User name and password sent to you from the Permit Application System

• Make your selection and place your order

You will receive an email letting you know when to pick up your packet and may do so at the guard station located at the end of Saint Mary's Parkway after turning off Saint Mary’s Road. Parking is permitted in the lots that are marked S (students) and that are not reserved (signed) for special events. Parking is not permitted in fire lanes and other restricted areas at any time.

If you have any problems with securing a permit after you have received the email with your User name and password, please contact the Public Safety & Transportation office by emailing psadmin@stmarys-ca.edu. You may also visit the Parking and Transportation website for additional information, including commuter carpool programs.

Program of Study

The Program of Study is a list of courses in your major that must be completed in order to graduate with your degree or credential. Oftentimes, courses in the major have been scaffolded by the Program Director, which means that courses must be taken in a particular order so that you may move along successfully in the learning process. If you are not already in possession of your Program of Study, please contact your department's Senior Administrative Assistant.

After you have your Program of Study and have set up your SMC email, you will be ready to register.

Textbooks

You should plan on spending an average of $100 per course; texts for some courses cost substantially more, and some courses have no texts. Alternatives to purchasing texts (e.g. e-textbooks and rentals) are acceptable. Plan on sufficient lead-time to order texts to ensure you have everything that is required before the first class session.

Textbooks may be ordered at any online site you choose (e.g., Amazon or Barnes & Noble). Be sure to use the ISBN number when you order your texts to ensure you have the correct edition.

Textbooks are also available at the Saint Mary’s College Bookstore. Online orders may be submitted at http://www.stmarys-ca.edu/bookstore and can be mailed to you.

To purchase books from the SMC Bookstore:

1. Go to the following website: http://stmarys-ca.bncollege.com

2. Term: (this is a drop down selection that varies)

3. Department: (variable)

4. Select the course number (variable)

5. Select your section

6. Click “Find Materials”

7. For each book, "Select a Format" from the pull down menu (buy new, buy used, rent, etc.)

8. Click the "Add Items to Cart"

9. Select "Check Out" -- you may sign in or continue as a guest (both work)

10. Choose the shipping option: you can pick up your books at the bookstore or have them shipped to you

11. Select your payment option and provide the required information

12. Review your order and click Submit

The library has a new service for the SMC community called SMC Library Pickup. This service allows SMC to request print books and DVDs from the collection through Albert, the Library catalog, or Link+, and then the items can be picked up at a special location outside the library such as The Rheem Off-Campus Student Study Space (see SMC resources).

Zoom is the preferred method of video conferencing used by the College. Each student will have access to Zoom and may video chat with members of the cohort and/or the instructor by setting up or “hosting” a meeting. Meetings may last up to one hour.

Zoom can be accessed through the MySMC portal. A tutorial for using Zoom can be found at https://www.stmarys-ca.edu/edtech/zoom.

You may also find The Student's Guide to Zoom from the University of North Carolina to be a helpful resource.

If you have questions about using or accessing Moodle, Zoom, or your SMC email please contact IT Services at (925) 631-4266 or servicedesk@stmarys-ca.edu.