The Institutional ADA Office in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act as Amended (ADAAA) of 2008 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is responsible for ensuring that students with disabilities are afforded and provided reasonable accommodations. The Office is designed to address any and all requests for ADA accommodations inclusive of but not limited to academic testing accommodations, medical leave of absences and/or temporarily disabling conditions that may require some level of accommodations. The Office is proactive in engaging in the interactive process and maintains the highest level of confidentiality. As reflected in its mission statement: The Institutional ADA Office is committed to providing a supportive and nurturing environment for all students who choose to attend UTMB.

UTMB Student Health and Counseling (SHC) provides enrolled students evidence-based mental health services to treat adjustment, personal, and psychological concerns that may interfere with their ability to function and succeed academically. Services include short-term individual, couples, and group counseling, crisis intervention, skills-based workshops, prevention-focused outreach programs and self-help resources, consultation and training, and referral assistance to university or community resources.

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) offers all UTMB students the opportunity to talk privately about personal, academic, or other concerns in a safe, confidential setting. Counseling appointments are offered Monday-Friday; some sessions may be offered virtually for established clients. Support and consultation are also available for staff, faculty, and others who have concerns about the biopsychosocial well-being of a student. Providers include licensed psychologists and a psychiatry consultant.

Crisis intervention services can be scheduled during business hours for students experiencing thoughts of harm to self or others, a mental health crisis (e.g., psychosis or mania) or who have recently experienced a traumatic event (e.g., sexual or physical assault). The purpose of crisis intervention services is to assess safety concerns and establish any needed treatment or referral. The student crisis line is also available 24/7/365 at 409-747-HELP (4357).

In addition to in-person services, all UTMB students have access to Timely Care, a virtual mental health and well-being platform for currently enrolled UTMB students offering support in over 240 languages. Services provided include 24/7, on-demand emotional support; support for developing healthy behaviors; yoga and meditation sessions and group conversations on a variety of health and well-being topics; evaluation and medication management with referral, and convenient mental health virtual counseling sessions (up to 9 visits per year).

UTMB has been actively involved in Distance Education and Off-Campus Instruction for over a decade in support of the changing requirements of our student population. UTMB continues to focus on the quality of the educational experience using advanced distance education delivery methods. Current programs offering distance education opportunities are located in the School of Nursing (BS, MS, PhD) and the School of Health Professions (Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Physical Therapy, Respiratory Care). UTMB has a well-developed telecommunications infrastructure that supports distance education – both online and broadcast courses – established with a combination of grant and state funds. Instruction is provided via streaming video and narrated PowerPoint lectures, web-based instructional lessons, on-line interactive course laboratories using video and animation, interactive discussion and chat sessions, on-line testing and evaluation, comprehensive on-line review materials, the Internet, and occasional on-campus laboratories.

The Academic Technology Center (ATC) supports the design and development of curriculum and multimedia instructional material for a web-based educational environment. This is accomplished by providing consultation, training, and production services and by providing ready access to development tools and equipment. The objectives of ATC are to provide ready access to a set of development tools that faculty and staff can investigate, test and evaluate in order to gain familiarity with the process.

The ATC promotes campus collaboration in web-based instructional development by establishing a center that can act as a focal point for individuals with related expertise and facilitate campus-wide instructional development by offering instructional, consulting and production services to those wanting to develop courseware, and by providing location and acquisition services for those wanting to review material produced elsewhere.

The mission of the UTMB Office of Financial Aid is to empower students with financial resources and information to attend The University of Texas Medical Branch. The Financial Aid Staff is committed to providing quality service and valuable resources to students regarding the financial aid process, budgeting assistance, and student debt management. Financial Literacy resources also are provided. The Office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and walk-in students are always welcome; virtual meetings are available.

Financial Aid Staff assist all students with every aspect of the financial aid process; including: completing the FAFSA, application process and timelines, financial counseling, disbursement of funds, payment of tuition and fees, exit interviews, and collections. Further, the Office serves as a resource for students who are U.S. military veterans, as well as students interested in federal work study opportunities. The Office staff can also provide information about other funding sources such as grants, scholarships, research and teaching assistantships, loans, emergency loans and external aid.

Prospective students who wish to attend University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB) on an F-1 visa work directly with International Student Office at UTMB to obtain the I-20 form necessary to apply for the visa. I-20 forms (certificate of eligibility for nonimmigrant [F-1] student status) are not issued before an individual is accepted into a degree seeking program, all TOEFL or IEFTS scores, International Student Financial and Information Form and supporting documentation are received. Guidance is provided by the Office to international students as they apply for a visa and prepare for the interview, including required documents. Tuition and fee calculations are provided as well estimated living and personal expenses. Guidance is provided for traveling to the United States and checking in once arriving on campus.

Current students on a F-1 visa are advised how to maintain their F-1 visa status while a student at UTMB. They also are provided guidance on documents needed if traveling outside the United States, and requirements that must be met if curricular practical training (CPT), optional practical training (OPT), or STEM practical training opportunities are desired.

The mission of the Moody Medical Library of the University of Texas Medical Branch is to advance the education, research, patient care and public service programs of the university by obtaining, applying and disseminating biomedical information and the tools for its management and use. Housed in a modern five-story building and centrally located on the UTMB campus in Galveston, is the oldest medical library in Texas and one of the largest medical research libraries in the Southwest. The library supports an environment in which individuals using personal computers in classrooms, offices, laboratories, hospitals, libraries and homes can access and obtain biomedical information when and where they need it, and in the format most appropriate to their need, regardless of where that information is located physically. The Library makes computers in public areas available to students, faculty, staff and the general public to provide access to library collections and other information. The Library is open to the public and students from unaffiliated institutions. Clients not affiliated with The University may use materials in-house.

The Library provides comprehensive information support services to all who are engaged in teaching, patient care, research, administration, and public service at The University of Texas Medical Branch. The Library promptly provides clients with appropriate information in suitable formats, endeavoring to meet clients' needs as fully as possible. The Library provides access to information resources that are not a part of its collection via electronic and other networks. Services include preparing information products tailored to specific needs, screening and selection of information, providing in-depth consultation on information management issues, providing accurate answers to specific questions and assisting clients in the use of the Library, its resources and services.

The Library provides self-service library research and study opportunities. It maintains hours of operation which reflect its commitment to meeting the needs of its clients. The building, collections and electronic information systems are designed and organized to facilitate unassisted use of the Library. Sufficient seating and work space are available to meet demands during peak periods. The Library's catalog and selected literature citation databases are available to remote sites via the campus communications network.

Library staff provide instruction in information acquisition and management skills. Staff teach clients who are using traditional library materials, bibliographic and other databases, the online catalog, and other electronic resources. Liaisons are assigned to departments to establish close working relationships between faculty/staff and librarians and can assist with current literature searches, current references for grant applications, support for systematic reviews, classes and orientations tailored to individual departments. Expert search assistance is also available for those wishing to do their own searches.

The Moody Medical Library participates in library consortia, which allow reciprocal borrowing privileges among cardholders of the member libraries. This service requires no special card--just a UTMB ID and driver's license. When needed materials are not available online, the Library can make copies or scans of items it owns. The Library can get copies of items not available in MML by borrowing from libraries throughout the U.S. There is no charge for this service.

Located on the third and fourth floors of the Library, the group study rooms are equipped with dry erase boards. These rooms are available for 2–4 students to reserve for up to four hours at a time. Group study rooms are also available by reservation in the Health Education Center (HEC), where they can be used by 2–12 people for up to four hours at a time.

The Moody Medical Library also houses the largest and the most significant collection in the history of the biomedical sciences in the southern United States. The historical holdings, which amount to over 30,000 titles, constitute an important resource not only for the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston but also for the state and the nation. The Truman G. Blocker, Jr. History of Medicine Collections at the Moody Medical Library hold over 18,000 titles and 10,000 pamphlets and reprints documenting the development of Western medicine and allied sciences. The library's holdings of books published prior to 1501 place it among the top medical sciences libraries in the United States. The immunology collection contains a large number of books and off-prints previously owned by Louis Pasteur and are considered the most significant outside of the material held by the l' Institut Pasteur in Paris, France. In addition, foundational works in immunology by Edward Anthony Jenner (1749-1823) and Benjamin Waterhouse (1754-1846), as well as microbiology and the germ theory of disease by Heinrich Hermann Robert Koch (1843-1910) and Paul Ehrlich (1854-1915), are available.

The special collections came into being mostly through the efforts of Truman G. Blocker, Jr., M.D.(1909-1984), plastic surgeon, medical educator, and the first President of UTMB. The expansion of the rare book library began in the late 1960s. With funds provided by foundations, UTMB clinical departments, and with donations from various individuals, the historical collections grew steadily in the 1970s and the 1980s. The collections includes rare books with strengths in anatomy and surgery; anesthesiology; immunology; occupational medicine; psychiatry and behavioral sciences, as well as selected institutional records, personal papers of UTMB faculty and alumni including the Centennial Oral History, and records of several Texas organizations in the health sciences. A collection of visual materials includes 10,000 photographs, mostly relating to UTMB, with 6,000 portraits of historical figures in medicine, and more than 100,000 postage stamps, and 5,400 hospital postcards. Artifacts include about 2,000 items including microscopes, medical and surgical instruments, pharmaceutical collection, antique diagnostic cardiac and x-ray equipment, medical scales, laboratory glassware and various surgical instruments.

After a student has been accepted for admission, a scholarship application can be accessed and completed online. Each school determines their scholarship application timeline prior to the beginning of each academic year; for the SHP, applications open March 1 and close May 15. Students are notified of the application availability through their UTMB email account. Once the scholarship application process is closed, all applications are reviewed by school-specific scholarship committee members to determine the final recipients.

In the SHP, there are more than 60 individual scholarships, with many having multiple recipients each year. In a recent year, nearly 150 student scholarship recipients were recognized at the annual SHP scholarship luncheon. Some scholarships are awarded to new incoming students (i.e., recruitment scholarships), while others are reserved for continuing students who meet specific scholarship criteria. In general, eligible students must have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher; some academic scholarships require a 3.5 grade point average. Further, some are need-based scholarships and will require a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) be completed. Students are encouraged to provide information regarding honor and awards received, leadership roles, and community and professional activities that may make them more competitive for some scholarships. The UTMB Scholarship Office also provides information on scholarships offered by external agencies or organizations.

The UTMB Student Health and Counseling office provides holistic health care services that include acute medical care as well as psychiatry and psychological counseling through CAPS (see separately). Student Health provides equitable and accessible services to all students and is comprised of a dedicated team of board-certified advance practice providers, a registered nurse, medical assistants, and administrative staff. They provide services via in-person or virtual appointments in order to accommodate the needs of students, which include the needs of health, safety, and accessibility.

The UTMB Student Health Services prides itself on being the students‘ primary care provider away from home, offering excellent medical care through a full range of primary care services, and it collaborates with specialists within UTMB. As needed, a referral can be made to a specialist, and the staff can assist the student with making an appointment. The clinic offers an array of primary care services, including: 1) evaluation and management of acute illnesses and injuries such as sore throat, URI, Covid-19, UTI, STDs, and occupational exposures; 2) diagnosis and management of chronic medical conditions such as non-insulin dependent diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, allergic rhinitis, hypothyroidism, etc.; 3) diagnosis and treatment of dermatologic complaints; 4) preventive care, including age-appropriate screening such as well women exam/pap smears, contraceptive management, well men exams, cholesterol and diabetes screening, and STD screening; 5) medication refill(s); medical excuses; 6) required history and physical examinations (occupational, school, residency, away rotations); and 7) pre-travel health assessments. They also provide immunizations (including COVID and influenza) and referrals for Physical Therapy as well as outside referrals to specialists in the community. They work closely with other University departments, including the Counseling Center, and Disability Resources and Services to meet the students’ clinical needs.

Every member of the University - student, faculty, and staff - makes a commitment to strive for personal and academic integrity; to treat others with dignity and respect and to honor the rights and property of others. From time-to-time issues may arise that are not in keeping with our commitment to this goal. The Office of Student Ombudsman facilitates communication and assists students in reaching understandable resolutions. A student ombudsperson will listen to the student, answer questions, explain University policies and procedures, help the student analyze the situation and help develop options for resolving the student’s concern, all while providing a safe place and ensuring respect for the individual.

Standards of Practice govern the Office of Student Ombudsman. The ombudsman is independent in structure, function, and appearance to the highest degree possible within the organization. As a designated neutral, the ombudsperson remains unaligned and impartial. The ombudsman strives to promote procedural fairness in the content and administration of practices, processes, and policies. The person in this role does not engage in any situation which could create a conflict of interest. The ombudsman holds all communications with those seeking assistance in strict confidence, and does not disclose confidential communications unless given permission to do so. The only exception to this privilege of confidentiality is where there appears to be imminent risk of serious harm. As an informal resource, the ombudsperson does not participate in any formal adjudicative or administrative procedure related to concerns brought to his/her attention. The Student Ombudsman Office is located in Lee Hage Jamail Student Center. To make an appointment call: 409-747-9055, or contact Dr. James E. Blankenship.

The Student Success Center (SSC) is committed to providing direction and support for students in the School of Health Professions (SHP) and School of Nursing (SON). The SSC assists students in reaching their goals and ensuring the quality of student life and learning. It focuses on the combined efforts of academic support, non-academic advising, and retention. The SSC connects students to campus and community resources and services to help overcome barriers that interfere with academic success. It offers academic support services for students such as virtual, in-person, and "after-hours" appointments to accommodate students' schedules. The SSC fosters an inclusive, welcoming environment to empower students to transition to UTMB successfully and as health care professionals. Three staff members provide specialized advising/counseling services and academic success workshops.

Specialized advising/counseling is a personalized, one-on-one meeting with a trained senior learning specialist/academic counselor who supports students to improve skills and performance. Working with an academic coach helps students to ‘study smarter’ by developing skills in time management, goal setting, and test preparation. The senior learning specialists/academic counselors are not academic advisors. Conversations with departmental advisors focus on mastering specific course content and meeting curriculum requirements, whereas senior learning specialists/academic counselors allow space for everything in between, like learning strategies, life management skills, and earning strong grades.

The Student Success Center offers a series of workshops addressing the things successful students do to excel in their courses and prepare them for future careers. Academic success workshops provide students with opportunities to gain skills in areas such as: 1) academic recovery; 2) stress, anxiety & time management; 3) study, note & test taking skills;, 4) career and organization planning; 5) additional student support resources, and 6) bi-weekly wellness workshops. Lastly, the SSC can direct students to Thrive at UT, which is specifically designed for students throughout the University of Texas system. It helps students to create healthy habits by providing resources on community, mood, mindfulness, and more.

The Veterans Affairs Office assists student service members, veterans, and dependents in receiving entitled educational benefits and achieving educational goals. To receive services, students must be accepted into an approved program, complete the required application, and provide the appropriate documentation.

The Veterans Affairs coordinator assists students with enrollment certifications for veterans educational benefits, tuition exemptions, military scholarships entitled by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense and the Texas Veterans Commission. Although the office works to ensure that DVA, DD and TVC regulations are satisfied, it does not have authority to make judgments regarding benefit status, determine the eligibility of individuals for veterans educational benefits, or approve payment of benefits.

All veterans are directed to speak with their Educational Services Officer (ESO) or counselor within their Military Service prior to enrolling in University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.

Communications can be directed to Jill Sanchez at 409-266-0085 or Elisabeth Sanders at 409-772-9807.

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