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Students in Recovery (StepUP Program)

The University of St. Thomas has established a partnership with the StepUP program at Augsburg University. StepUP is an innovative residential collegiate recovery community on Augsburg University’s main campus in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the largest residential collegiate recovery community in the nation. St. Thomas undergraduate students may participate in Augsburg’s StepUP Program.

Students live at Augsburg and attend classes at St. Thomas and participate in campus life at either or both institutions.

The StepUP Program at Augsburg University strives to help students champion lives of recovery, achieve academic success, and thrive in a community of accountability and support, by:

• Remaining abstinent from alcohol and other drugs
• Attending at least two recovery meetings (12-Step, SMART Recovery, Celebrate Recovery, etc.) each week including a home group or other recovery support meetings with counselor approval
• Developing a relationship with a sponsor who follows an abstinence-based program or a recovery mentor with counselor approval, and will have at least one contact with them weekly
• Attending StepUP community circle meetings each week
• Meeting routinely with a StepUP counselor, who is a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC) licensed
• Maintaining ongoing mental health care relationships with psychologists, therapists, and/or psychiatrists when therapy and medication have been recommended as a part of a recovery plan

Who Is Eligible?

University of St. Thomas students enrolled in the undergraduate program who meet the following qualifications:

• A commitment to sobriety as evidenced by working a healthy recovery program and having at least 6 months of continuous sobriety
• Successful application to the StepUP Program
• Agreement to abide by the StepUP Student Agreement while enrolled in the StepUP Program

Contact Information

If you have questions about the program or process, please contact the St. Thomas Dean of Students Office.

deanstudents@stthomas.edu

(651) 962-6050

StepUP Program Details

Program Overview

Program Expectations

Costs & Fees

Parking & Transportation

Leaving the Program

Program Overview

Read, download, or print the program overview (PDF).

Program Expectations

The StepUp program is an abstinence-based approach to recovery. This may include but is not exclusive to a 12-Step program. We respect various pathways to recovery.

Students sign and complete the StepUP Student Agreement during orientation.

Participation in StepUP requires students be enrolled at St. Thomas. St. Thomas students will sign a release so that if they withdraw from St. Thomas, Augsburg’s StepUP Director is informed and will work with the student on a transition plan to move out.

Costs & Fees

Students are billed through their St. Thomas account at the start of each semester. Costs include:

StepUP Program Fee:

• $1,500 per semester
• $500 summer fee

Housing Costs:

• The StepUP Program at Augsburg is housed in the Oren Gateway Center (OGC).
• Based on a 4 bedroom/4 person/2 bathroom apartment for the 2022-2023 academic year (fall and spring semester)*: $10,372/year.
• Summer 2023 fee*: $2,400.
• Students may have other housing options in OGC based on accessibility needs.

Meal Plan Rates:

• The minimum requirement is the 5-Plus Meal Plan with 345 flex points for the 2022-2023 academic year*: $4,488/year.
• No summer meal plan is provided.
• A 10-Plus or 15-Plus Meal Plan can also be purchased.

See the for current housing and meal plan rates.

Parking & Transportation

Parking Permits:

• Augsburg Campus: St. Thomas students in the StepUP program would live on the Augsburg campus; thus, the resident student parking pass program is open to them. A limited number of permits are available for resident students. First-year resident students may not purchase a parking permit unless they are approved because of a medical exception. The parking permit would be an additional cost. More information is available on the
• St. Thomas Campus: St.Thomas students in the StepUP program would live on the Augsburg campus; thus, they may purchase a Commuter Student Parking Pass to park on the ÀÇÓÑÊÓƵ campus.

Public Transportation:

• Our St. Paul and Minneapolis campuses are well-connected to the surrounding metro area through multiple Metro Transit routes. has detailed bus maps, route information, and a Trip Planner system.

• St. Thomas subsidizes the cost of bus passes, making them less expensive for students. A bus pass is the most economical choice if you plan to use the bus daily. If you will use the bus occasionally, purchase a Stored Value Card.

  • Student bus pass: The semester-long student Metro Transit College Pass (or C-Pass) can be purchased through the .

See the website for more information.

Leaving the Program

Augsburg’s StepUP Director will inform the St. Thomas Dean of Students if a St. Thomas student voluntarily leaves (e.g., returns to treatment) or is asked to leave. A decision regarding continued enrollment at ÀÇÓÑÊÓƵ will be reviewed and determined by St. Thomas.

If a student returns to using, moves out, and enters treatment or another such program, Augsburg will prorate housing charges. Generally, a student would not be eligible for a reduction in the meal plan.

Program Overview

Program Overview

Read, download, or print the program overview (PDF).

Program Expectations

Program Expectations

The StepUp program is an abstinence-based approach to recovery. This may include but is not exclusive to a 12-Step program. We respect various pathways to recovery.

Students sign and complete the StepUP Student Agreement during orientation.

Participation in StepUP requires students be enrolled at St. Thomas. St. Thomas students will sign a release so that if they withdraw from St. Thomas, Augsburg’s StepUP Director is informed and will work with the student on a transition plan to move out.

Costs & Fees

Costs & Fees

Students are billed through their St. Thomas account at the start of each semester. Costs include:

StepUP Program Fee:

• $1,500 per semester
• $500 summer fee

Housing Costs:

• The StepUP Program at Augsburg is housed in the Oren Gateway Center (OGC).
• Based on a 4 bedroom/4 person/2 bathroom apartment for the 2022-2023 academic year (fall and spring semester)*: $10,372/year.
• Summer 2023 fee*: $2,400.
• Students may have other housing options in OGC based on accessibility needs.

Meal Plan Rates:

• The minimum requirement is the 5-Plus Meal Plan with 345 flex points for the 2022-2023 academic year*: $4,488/year.
• No summer meal plan is provided.
• A 10-Plus or 15-Plus Meal Plan can also be purchased.

See the for current housing and meal plan rates.

Parking & Transportation

Parking & Transportation

Parking Permits:

• Augsburg Campus: St. Thomas students in the StepUP program would live on the Augsburg campus; thus, the resident student parking pass program is open to them. A limited number of permits are available for resident students. First-year resident students may not purchase a parking permit unless they are approved because of a medical exception. The parking permit would be an additional cost. More information is available on the
• St. Thomas Campus: St.Thomas students in the StepUP program would live on the Augsburg campus; thus, they may purchase a Commuter Student Parking Pass to park on the ÀÇÓÑÊÓƵ campus.

Public Transportation:

• Our St. Paul and Minneapolis campuses are well-connected to the surrounding metro area through multiple Metro Transit routes. has detailed bus maps, route information, and a Trip Planner system.

• St. Thomas subsidizes the cost of bus passes, making them less expensive for students. A bus pass is the most economical choice if you plan to use the bus daily. If you will use the bus occasionally, purchase a Stored Value Card.

  • Student bus pass: The semester-long student Metro Transit College Pass (or C-Pass) can be purchased through the .

See the website for more information.

Leaving the Program

Leaving the Program

Augsburg’s StepUP Director will inform the St. Thomas Dean of Students if a St. Thomas student voluntarily leaves (e.g., returns to treatment) or is asked to leave. A decision regarding continued enrollment at ÀÇÓÑÊÓƵ will be reviewed and determined by St. Thomas.

If a student returns to using, moves out, and enters treatment or another such program, Augsburg will prorate housing charges. Generally, a student would not be eligible for a reduction in the meal plan.