That's the issue, it says that it is from an unknown (newer) version of Maya. Since the newer versions add new features to the file format, they almost always become unreadable to older versions. If you're using an older version, the best way to get around this is to export via FBX at your school, and import it into your copy.

If you're a student however, you can download Maya 2014 for free from www.students.autodesk.com