Welcome to Student Services on MySonoran! Sonoran University Student Services is proud to offer support services, assistance and resources to our students and partner with students to maximize their success at Sonoran University and beyond.
This intranet portal is accessible to all Sonoran University students and is designed to offer many features and resources. Please utilize the menu on the left to navigate to different Student Service offices, which include contact information and appointment scheduling.
Student Support Services
ND Student Success Team
Academic Advisor:
Learning Specialist:
Student Success and Retention Manager:
MS Online Student Success Team
Online MS students who require assistance should first contact their Student Success Coach:
Please use the button below to schedule an phone or in-person appointment with the following individuals:
Schedule Appointment
Students should request an Absence Policy Criteria Review to determine if their absence meets policy criteria. A review is only necessary if the student is missing or will miss an assignment deadline, exam or quiz, clinic rotation, mandatory course attendance, or any other required graded assessment activity per the course syllabus due to:
There are two steps that must be completed, within 24 hours of occurrence unless incapacitated*, to request an Absence Policy Criteria Review:
If you have any question about the policy or the process, please feel free to contact the Dean of Students at DOS@sonoran.edu.
NOTE: The Dean of Students only reviews the request to determine if it meets the criteria of the policy. Additional documentation may be required to make a determination. However, meeting policy criteria does not guarantee that the absence is excused. Course objectives and requirements are identified in the course syllabus. Faculty make the final determination in how and if those objectives can be met, including the potential to complete any missed items.
If your illness is determined to be transmittable due to symptoms, you may also be placed on an Illness Quarantine Protocol. Students placed on quarantine must remain off campus until released by the Dean of Students.
*Incapacitation occurs when a student is completely impaired, helpless, and unable to perform any functions for themselves or mentally make any decisions or interact with others. Incapacitation may also occur when student is physically restricted from any means of communication with the school due to occurrences such as hospitalization, communications blackout due to natural disaster, or similar physical restrictions not under direct control of the student.
+Bereavement is limited to three days. Please identify the situation with the Dean of Students in your request. Notification to DOS may exceed 24 hour time limit depending on the situation.
^ Transmittable Illness Quarantine Protocol consists of two parts:
1. Students should stay home, if ill, for at least a period 24 hours. You must notify the Dean of Students of your illness through the Absence Criteria Review Request form, and their course faculty, and will be placed on Illness Quarantine Protocol, if you are exhibiting any of the following symptoms:
Note: Some students with mild symptoms may continue to participate in virtual sessions, if available, with faculty’s direct permission, especially regarding clinic rotations.
2. Students placed on quarantine may return to campus by verifying with the Dean of Students that they meet both of the following criteria:
2024 Student Engagement Survey Update
In December of 2023, the Office of Student Success and Retention partnered with the VP of Student Affairs to administer the Student Engagement Survey for all Sonoran students. The survey was completed by 108 students between all programs, which is about a 20% completion rate.
Survey Purpose
The purpose of the survey is to measure student engagement, participation, connection and belonging at Sonoran University and examine the connections between engagement, student persistence and graduation. Ultimately our goal is to enhance the student experience and support your success.
Use of Data
The Office of Student Success and Retention is working with the Office of Academic Assessment to review both the qualitative and quantitative data from the survey and will prepare to share the data with students during the Spring quarter.
The survey results will be used to
Please look out for communication regarding survey results during the Spring quarter. if you have any questions, you may reach out to the Student Success and Retention Manager at studentretention@sonoran.edu
The Retention Planning ProcessEvery 5-7 years Sonoran University refreshes its Strategic Enrollment Management Plan. Retention planning, an integral and cyclical part of enrollment management planning for all higher education institutions, helps us proactively map out strategies to help our students feel like VIPs and facilitate their success and development as future healthcare professionals. It is also integral to Sonoran's financial wellbeing. Best practices in retention planning engage multiple university constituencies, faculty, students, and staff. Universities are measured by the success of its students, including graduation rates, student loan repayment, and alumni satisfaction. Graduation rates rise or fall gradually (over 4 to 6-year intervals) as the outcome of year-to-year retention. Retention itself depends on adopting best practices that give each student the best chance to succeed (and ultimately graduate). The planning process is following a series of seven steps. Step 1: Generate and analyze aggregate and disaggregate enrollment, retention, and graduation data.Step 2: Interview leadership on the state of student retention, past retention initiatives and considerations for increasing retention at Sonoran (Academic Program Deans, President, V.P. of Academic Affairs, V.P. of Student Affairs).Step 3: Conduct virtual focus groups with key Sonoran constituents (faculty, students, and staff) on student retention. Step 4: Hold a cross functional retention planning meeting where retention initiatives are identified and prioritized based on the feedback/results of steps 1-3.Step 5: Document retention goals and milestones, findings, and recommendations in the form of a Student Success and Retention Plan. Prioritize final initiatives by rating each on potential impact, resources (including budget and people), and ease of implementation. Step 6: Implementation.Step 7: Assessment.
2024-2028 Sonoran University Student Success and Retention Plan
Planning for the 2024-2028 Sonoran University Student Success and Retention Plan began in Fall Quarter 2023. University leadership identified eleven high impact retention initiatives to pursue. High Impact InitiativesThese initiatives are designed to enhance our support systems and represent a significant step forward in our commitment to supporting the holistic success of our students. Each initiative is assigned a coordinator(s), tasked with developing a proposal and timeline for implementation. Ultimately, they will also outline goals and methods for assessing effectiveness and impact. The retention coordinator may also reach out to the original retention planning group for assistance or feedback.
Initiatives are designed to address one of two themes identified in the December 2023 retention planning workshop: 1. Developing an improved transition process, considering data from the current state analysis. How can we prepare students for an experience they’ve never had before, and what can we do to shape the first quarter experience to get our students on the road to success? 2. Create retention initiatives/action plans with a focus on Identifying ways we are currently providing feedback and how feedback can be enhanced to provide more engaging and successful experiences.
Initiatives to improve/enhance communications:
Initiative Coordinator(s)
C1.1: Document/Enhance Feedback Process to improve communication between students, faculty, and leadership.
Executive Asst. to the VP of Student Affairs
C1.4: Integrate classroom assessment techniques through faculty academy for frequent and effective feedback.
VP of Academic Affairs
C2.1: SGA Class Presidents to schedule meetings with course faculty each quarter to foster relationships and share class feedback for enhancement.
Program Deans/DOS
C2.2: Increase student course evaluation participation to 35% (e.g. dedicated class time for evaluation).
Faculty Senate Pres./
Dir. Academic Assessment
C3.4: Create an organizational chart or directory accessible for students, faculty, and staff with defined roles and responsibilities and contact information.
Academic Services Manager/
Initiatives to improve/enhance transitions:
T1.1: Enhance MS clinical transition by introducing a clinical pinning ceremony.
Dean, College of Nutrition/Student Success and Retention Manager
T1.3: Engage and support students who join new cohorts and create student office hours for open study groups.
Student Success and Retention Manager
T2.1: Implement additional Orientation sessions throughout POS (at key points of transition).
Academic Program Deans
T4.1: Reimagine the Student Mentor Program.
Learning Specialist
T4.2: Identify at-risk determinants upon matriculation and pinpoint first-year pinch-point courses.
VP of Student Affairs/VP of Academic Affairs
T4.3: Enhance the Student Success First Year/First Quarter Experience through the use of CARE intervention forms and early assessment in key courses.
Faculty (TBD)
Acknowledgement and Background
Student Participants
Sonoran University’s Executive Council, Academic Program Deans, and Dean of Students wish to acknowledge the student volunteers who participated in meetings, discussions, and planning during the December retention workshops. We are very grateful for their time, energy, and contributions to these important discussions.
if you have any questions, you may reach out to the Vice President of Student Affairs m.winquist@sonoran.edu
Posted 2/7/2024
Effective October 2, 2023
Master of Science Clinical Mental Health Counseling Supplement to the Sonoran University Course Catalog and Student Handbook for the 2023-2024 academic year.
Effective 07/03/2023
posted 2/22/2023
Revised 11/20/2020
Posted 9/29/2020