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Current Students

While the Office of Academic and Student Affairs is often the first stop for students seeking assistance with academic questions, we recognize that academic performance can be influenced by other personal issues. We encourage students to seek help from our office as well as the resources below.

On Gateway, you’ll find forms, course and exam schedules,
vexam pin information, course descriptions and more.

Computer and Technology Services

Whether it be assistance with laptop configuration to access St. Mary’s University network, installation of software or simple technical questions, the Law Information Technology Department, located in Raba Room 101B, is here to support you.

Until further notice, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the LAW IT department is primarily offering technical support remotely. Barring any emergencies, in person assistance is by appointment only. Submit a request  to lawtech@stmarytx.edu or call the TSC helpdesk  at  (210) 431-4357. You can also submit a KACE service ticket by visiting servicedesk.stmarytx.edu. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Hours of Operation

Regular Hours: Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. * hours subject to change during finals and holidays

Most assistance is provided to students on an ad hoc basis; however, students are welcome to make an appointment or ask questions either via email at lawtech@stmarytx.edu or by phone at 210-431-4357. We will respond to these inquiries as promptly as possible.

Office hours during final exams can be found  on Gateway.

Services for Students

Laptop setup will vary depending on the operating system that the student brings in. In conjunction with the TSC (located in the Blume Academic Library across from Starbucks) common tasks that the Law IT team can assist with include:

  • Assistance connecting to the university’s wireless network (EDUROAM)
  • Assistance installing Office 365
  • Gateway password reset and MFA setup

ExamSoft/Examplify: Depending on the instructor, students will have the option of either hand writing or taking a computerized version of their final exams. For those who opt to take the exam using their laptops, an email will be sent out via their St. Mary’s email account a month prior to finals with directions on downloading and using the software. Students will have the option to take un-graded practice exams to ensure that their computer works well with the testing software. Students can contact the Law IT department if they need assistance downloading and/or installing the software. Examplify is fully compatible with Windows and Mac operating systems. Chromebooks and iPads are NOT supported.

It is highly recommended that a student temporarily disable their antivirus while using the testing software to minimize performance issues. Students can visit the ExamSoft website to see the minimum tech specs and for additional information regarding the application.

Troubleshooting

Students experiencing technical difficulties with their systems may bring their laptops in to be analyzed by the staff. If a student brings in a contaminated laptop, we do provide limited spyware and malware analysis and removal; however, we do not re-image computers. Please note that we reserve the right to require systems coming in with LimeWire or related P2P software to be formatted before being serviced.

Mandatory Laptop Program

All incoming first-year law students, M.Jur. and LL.M. students are required to have a laptop for their legal studies. Currently, other than strongly recommending against solely using Chromebooks for conducting course work, there are no restrictions placed on which make and model can be purchased as long as the below listed criteria are met.

Windows:

  • CPU = Intel or AMD processor
  • RAM = 8 GB
  • Hard Drive = 10 GB or higher free disk space
  • Operating System: Windows 10 and 11
  • Valid and up to date antivirus protection
  • Webcam and mic
  • It is strongly recommended that laptops have valid warranty protection

Apple:

  • CPU = Intel processor or Apple’s M1 chip
  • RAM = 8 GB
  • Hard Drive = 10 GB or higher free disk space
  • Operating System: OSx 10.14 (Mojave) and higher
  • Valid and up to date antivirus protection
  • Webcam and mic
  • It is strongly recommended that laptops have valid warranty protection
  • IMPORTANT: Please note that neither iPad nor iPad Pro meet this requirement if you plan on using ExamSoft

St. Mary’s Law has partnered with Dell to offer students approved pre-configured laptop options with academic pricing. Visit the link below for more information on these models.

Laptop Rental

Through the current Laptop rental program, students can check out a laptop from the Law IT office for a short period of time.

Failure to return the unit when it is due can result in the denial of future laptop requests.

Please note that the laptops are rented out on a first-come, first-served basis, and require students to fill out a rental agreement form. Students are required to show Law IT staff their student ID in order to check out a unit. Finally, during final exams, laptops are reserved exclusively for students taking exams.

Fill out the form below and Law IT will contact you.

  • MM-DD-YYYY

Email services

  • Students may access their St. Mary’s email through the Gateway portal.
  • On-campus students can enter Gateway as the URL
  • Off-campus students can access it from the following URL: gateway.stmarytx.edu

As per the Executive Administrative Council of the University, the following email policies apply:

  • Email addresses will be assigned to students upon the completion of the university application process
  • Students have a mailbox limit size of 50Mb. They will receive warning messages from the system administrator as their mailbox size reaches this threshold.
  • Accounts will remain active as long as they are accessed on a frequent basis
  • Full access and functionality of St. Mary’s email accounts for graduates will continue assuming that the account is checked. If the account remains inactive (i.e. unchecked) for six months or longer, the account will be disabled.

Examinations

Students are obligated to comply with all final exam protocols. For more information, visit the Proctoring Guidelines and Procedures webpage.

Rescheduling of Examinations

Any student wishing to take a final examination on a date or at a time different from the scheduled date and time must submit a written request to the Assistant Dean for Law Student Affairs at least three (3) days prior to the beginning of the exam period, other than in cases of bona fide medical or other emergency. A bona fide emergency does not include the following circumstances:

  • Conflict with weddings, receptions, or similar special events;
  • Conflict with travel plans or reservations;
  • Conflict with employment plans, opportunities, or obligations;
  • Examinations scheduled on sequential days or two examinations scheduled on the same day, or exams that are spread out over the exam period;
  • Permission of the instructor alone; and
  • Minimization of commuting time.

The Assistant Dean shall not grant any request in a case not involving a direct conflict or bona fide medical or other emergency without offering the alternate time to all students enrolled in the course. Because multiple administrations of an exam pose a risk to the security of the contents of the exam, the Assistant Dean will ordinarily decline to offer an alternate time to all students enrolled in the course and will deny the individual student’s request to take the exam on a different date or at a different time.

Conflicts for Final Exams

Whenever a student is scheduled for exams that are to occur during the same time period or during overlapping time periods (or emergencies that can be accommodated), one of the exams will be rescheduled for the scheduled alternate test day.

If a student has more than two exams scheduled to begin within a 24-hour period, he or she may work with the law administration to reschedule one of the exams as a conflicting exam. As an example, if a student has exams scheduled at 8 a.m., 1 p.m., and 6 p.m.; or 1 p.m., 6 p.m., and 8 a.m.; or 6 p.m., 8 a.m., and 1 p.m.; or 8:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 8:00 a.m.; or 8:00 a.m., 6:00 p.m., and 8:00 a.m.; or 1:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. and 1:00, p.m.; or 6:00 p.m., 1:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., one of the exams may be rescheduled since the student has three consecutive exams.

A student with an exam conflict must notify the Office of the Assistant Dean for Law Student Affairs no less than two (2) weeks prior to the first day of the final exam period. If a student fails to meet this deadline, the faculty member of the rescheduled exam will be notified of the late exam change. The Assistant Dean for Law Student Affairs shall have sole discretion to determine which exam will be rescheduled and the alternate time for the exam.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

A student with an approved accommodation must submit their accommodation letter to the Assistant Dean for Law Student Affairs no less than five (5) business days prior to a scheduled mid-semester assessment and ten (10) business days prior to the first day of the final exam period if the student wishes to use the accommodation in the assessment. With the exception of an unexpected medical issue, exam accommodations will not be granted if documentation is received after the deadline.

St. Mary’s University is committed to nondiscrimination as outlined in the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendment Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. We are committed to compliance with the statutes and regulations of nondiscrimination due to handicapping conditions in admission, treatment or access to its educational programs or activities and in employment in the University’s programs or activities.

For more information on Accommodations, please contact the Office of Student Accessibility Services.

Support for Pregnant and Parenting Students

St. Mary’s University is committed to creating an accessible and inclusive environment for parental and pregnant students.

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities including academic, educational, extracurricular, athletic, and other programs or activities of schools. This prohibition includes discriminating against a student based on the student’s pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, or recovery from any of these conditions. Title IX also prohibits a school from applying any rule related to a student’s parental, family, or marital status that treats students differently based on their sex..

Students may request adjustments based on general pregnancy needs or accommodations based on a pregnancy-related complication.