Departments

Academic Center for Excellence (ACE)

ACE provides academic support services to help students learn how to learn, grow as critical thinkers, excel in their classes, and succeed by reaching their academic goals. Working collaboratively with faculty members and other offices on campus, ACE  provides students with the guidance, encouragement, foundation and support they need to be successful at Mount Mercy and beyond. ACE services include writing assistance, math/science assistance, identifying learning styles, testing strategies, time and organizational management planning, study skills, and services for students with disabilities. Students work with Peer Educators for academic assistance and support in most classes. To find out more about working with Writing Center Tutors, Peer Tutors and Peer Academic Coaches please contact ACE at ACE@mtmercy.edu or by calling call 319-363-1323 Ext. 1208.  ACE is located in 130 University Center. ACE is open Monday – Thursday from 8 am-8 pm and Fridays from 8 am – 4:30 pm.  Flexible appointment scheduling is available. There is no cost to use the resources available through ACE.

Access and Disability Services

Mount Mercy University is committed to equal educational opportunity for all students. The office of Access and Disability Services facilitates the accommodation process. It coordinates services so that students with disabilities can enjoy the same exceptional opportunities as their peers, with the greatest degree of independence possible. The office of Access and Disability Services obtains and files disability-related documents, reviews eligibility for services, and determines reasonable accommodations for students in compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. Core functions include:

  • Establishing and disseminating criteria for disability services;
  • Determining eligibility for disability services through review of documentation and assessment of individual student needs;
  • Facilitating academic and environmental accommodations and services;
  • Educating the campus community about disability issues;
  • Supporting faculty and staff in meeting the needs of diverse learners.

Students seeking disability services, or those with general questions about services, should contact the Disability Services Coordinator. Accommodations are determined on an individual basis. The need for specific documentation varies and will be determined in the initial discussion. Students who wonder if they are eligible for accommodations or services should make an initial contact with the Coordinator for Access and Disability Services as soon as possible.

The Office of Access and Disability Services at Mount Mercy University is located in The Academic Center for Excellence, 130 University Center.

Admissions – Accelerated

The Accelerated Program has courses offered online and in-person. The in-person courses are typically taught in Basile Hall or in the CRST Graduate Center. Current and potential adult students can find information and the application on the Mount Mercy website and may contact one of the adult/graduate recruiters to learn best practices for successfully completing their Mount Mercy education. The staff is available on a daily basis to answer questions for current and potential adult students.

Admissions – Graduate

The Graduate Programs are offered online, by virtual seminar, and in-person. The in-person courses are taught at the CRST Graduate Center. Information and applications are available online on the Mount Mercy website. Graduate recruiters are available to potential students to answer questions about our programs, process admission applications, and assist new students as they transition into the graduate program.

Admissions – Undergraduate

The Admissions Office, located at 260 University Center, is the first place prospective students go to learn about Mount Mercy. Prospective students are assigned an Admissions Counselor to help them start their university experience. The undergraduate admissions office focuses on traditional freshmen and transfer students who are either new to Mount Mercy or returning to us after an absence. Students can become involved in the admissions process by helping to recruit students through the Student Ambassador program. The Student Ambassador program is a key component of showing Mount Mercy to our new students. Ambassadors might give tours, send emails, make phone calls, participate in campus wide events, host visitors, and they might even be in a video or photo shoot. We welcome current students to visit with anyone in the Admissions Office regarding the Ambassador program.

Athletics

Mount Mercy’s intercollegiate athletic programs are open to all students and are designed to develop leadership, self-discipline, and sportsmanship in the academic environment of a small, independent university.  Facilities include the Hennessey Recreation Center, the Rinderknecht Athletic Complex and the Robert W. Plaster Outdoor Sports Complex. Teams are members of the Heart of America Athletic Conference, and the programs are governed by the rules of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Men compete in basketball, baseball, golf, soccer, cross country, bowling, indoor/outdoor track and field and volleyball. Women compete in basketball, softball, volleyball, golf, cross country, soccer, bowling and indoor/outdoor track and field, and lacrosse. Competitive cheer & dance is a coed sport.

Campus Music

Music Ensemble opportunities are open to all Mount Mercy students regardless of major. Choral Ensembles available for credit or non-credit include the University Choir, Jazz Choir, and Show Choir. Instrumental ensembles available for credit or non-credit include the University Band and Jazz Band, with additional performance opportunities in our Pep Band. All ensembles perform regular concerts both on and off campus, with the University Choir, Show Choir and University Band alternating on yearly tours. Choral participation is also available in the Music Liturgy Ensemble that sings for Sunday evening Masses. Smaller instrumental ensembles are also available.

Copy Services

Copies can be made at the Mount Mercy Copy Center located in the lower level of Busse Library.

Dining Services

Mount Mercy’s meal plans offer 12 hours of continuous dining service each weekday to provide students with maximum flexibility in fulfilling their dining needs. The cafeteria is open from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. during the week. Weekend cafeteria hours begin with brunch at 10:30 a.m. and last until 6:00 p.m. at night.  Students on Meal Plans will be asked to scan their ID cards. Non-board plan customers may pay with cash, credit cards, or purchase Declining Balance dollars online or at the Dining Service Office. All meals are provided in an all-you-can eat format and enable students to make food choices that best suit their preferences and lifestyles. The breakfast hours are filled with options such as cooked to order omelets, as well as eight cold cereals, assorted bagels, 100% fruit juices, and fresh baked pastries. Lunch and dinner service hours feature a home zone, presentation, and grill service lines. Also included in our home zone service line are vegan and vegetarian entrées.

During the week, a presentation cooking station is provided and serves popular items like fajitas, made to order pasta dishes, stir fries and Caesar salads topped with chicken. These presentation entrees are made to order and our guests get to choose their toppings, ingredients and selections to fit their own unique tastes.  Extended dining options always include a 24-topping salad bar with two kettle fresh soups, a selection of lettuces, dressings, and salads prepared fresh daily. A full deli bar provides the choice of several meats, cheeses, breads, and sandwich spreads such as tuna or egg salad.

For Dining Service Menus and Information please visit https://mtmercy.campusdish.com/ or download our CampusDish App for your Smartphone.

Dining Services will allow students to take a meal to-go if students are unable to make a mealtime. If Mount Mercy-sponsored activities prohibit them from participating in a mealtime on campus, they can stop in early and make their own to-go meal. The to-go policy is an either-or policy. You are not allowed to eat in the cafeteria for a meal and then take an additional to-go for that same meal period.  

Contact the Dining Service management team for any special dietary needs. A complete guide to dining services is provided to new students and additional copies are available in the Dining Service Office, University Center.

Additional retail dining options are provided at the Hilltop Grille and our Catering Dept provides services for all special events on campus. *The hours listed below are subject to change.  Many aspects of our service model, hours, locations, and customer experiences have changed throughout the Covid 19 pandemic, we have increased our to-go options in the cafeteria, and adjusted hours however our hope is that in the '23-24 academic year we can return to a more traditional experience for all guests.  For a up to the minute list of locations and hours of operation, please visit https://mtmercy.campusdish.com. 

Location Hours

McAuley Cafeteria Located between Regina and McAuley Halls, next to the University Commons
Monday–Friday: 7 AM–7 PM

  • Hot Breakfast 7:15 AM–9:15 AM
  • Hot Lunch 11 AM–1 PM

  • Hot Dinner 4:45–7 PM

Saturday Brunch: 10:30 AM–Noon
Saturday Dinner: 4:30 PM–6 PM
Sunday Brunch: 10:30 AM–Noon
Sunday Dinner: 4:30 PM–6 PM

The Hilltop Grill Ext. 1572
Located adjacent to the Dining Room
Monday - Friday: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.*

Residential Meal Plans

Meal Plan purchases and access are tied to your Mount Mercy student photo ID and an ID is what a student will use to "swipe" to gain access to the cafeteria or utilize their Declining Balance in the Hilltop Grille.
 

VIP Meal Plan *This is the assigned meal plan for 1st and 2nd year residential students who live in McAuley or Regina Hall

The VIP All Access meal plan gives you unlimited access to the Dining Hall, $100 Declining Balance dollars to use at any dining location and 5 guest passes in the fall/spring semester.  

Mustang Meal Plan *for 3rd and 4th year students that live in Andreas or Lower Campus and have access to suite kitchens.

The Mustang meal plan gives you 7 meals to use per week at the Dining Hall, $125 Declining Balance dollars to use at Hilltop Grille and 3 guest passes in the fall/spring semester.

Commuter Meal Plans

20+ Meal Plan  

For $120.00 you receive 20 board access swipes into the McAuley Cafeteria.  Cuts the cost of an all-you-can-eat meal in the café to $6.00 per entry. 

$200 Declining Balance Plan 

Add $200 Declining Balance to your student ID card and receive an additional 10% bonus of $20 to use in either the Hilltop Grille retail location or all-you-can-eat Cafeteria. Any student, faculty or staff member can add the $200 DB to their student/employee IDs at any time during the Academic year.

Library Services

Busse Library is physically open 72 hours per week during spring and fall semesters.  It is open virtually 24/7 online with access to electronic resources through Brightspace (https://brightspace.mtmercy.edu).  The building is 65,000 square feet, providing access to nearly 84,000 volumes.  There are 35 computers on the Reference Area, 20 PCs in the downstairs Computer Classroom, and a Mac computer lab.   Additional details on library collections, services, and personnel can be found via the university website (https://www.mtmercy.edu/academics/academic-support/busse-library/).

Mail Services

The Campus Store is a fully functioning mail center that receives and ships ALL university mail and packages. Students will receive an email notification when mail or package(s) are ready for pick, and department mail will be delivered and outgoing mail collected daily during business hours. 

Registrar's Office 

The staff members in this office oversee registration, grade submission, transcript ordering, enrollment verification, transfer credit evaluation and graduation. They also handle veteran and athletic certification. If you have any needs you can email them at registrar@mtmercy.edu.

FERPA

Annually, Mount Mercy informs students of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. This Act was designated to protect the privacy of education records, to establish the rights of students to inspect and review their education records, and to provide guidelines for the correction of inaccurate or misleading data through informal and formal hearing process. Students also have the right to file complaints with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act Office (FERPA) concerning alleged failures by the institution to comply with the Act. For more detailed information or questions concerning the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act, please contact the Registrar's Office.
More information »

Financial Aid and Student Accounts Office

For any concerns or questions about financial aid or billing you can contact the Financial Aid Office, located in Warde Hall, room 112. Students can call ext. 6467 or email finaid@mtmercy.edu for support and assistance. They work with prospective students, current students, and graduates to make the financial aid process as user-friendly as possible.

Every student who applies for financial aid will receive an award package, also known as an award offer. The award offer will list all Institutional, State and Federal grants and scholarships you are eligible for as well as federal student loans. The award offer includes a Direct Cost section which can assist you in determining if you have a balance due to the university.

If you have any questions regarding billing or payment options, you should also contact a student accounts manager within the Student Accounts team. Financial Aid Counselors are available to assist you with budgeting for expenses and answer any questions you may have regarding the financial aid process.

Prior to graduating, any student who has borrowed on Federal loans while attending Mount Mercy will be required to attend an exit counseling session. This session will explain how to pay back loans, what can happen if you default on your loans, loan consolidation and much more. It is mandatory for all graduating students to attend an exit counseling session. The Financial Aid Office will notify you of dates and times these sessions are offered.