COURSE ENROLLMENT OPTIONS

COURSE ENROLLMENT OPTIONS THE HONORS PROGRAM: The Honors Program is based on the conviction that students should be given the opportunity to develop their intellectual abilities to the fullest extent possible. Those who come to the university with special academic talents and/or extensive backgrounds in specific disciplines are, through the Honors Program, provided with instructional options designed to challenge their abilities and allow them to more fully realize their intellectual potential.

Through enrollment in honors courses and entry into individualized honors work, students are able to explore subject matter areas in greater depth than would otherwise be possible. For those who come to the university seeking the maximum return for their educational investment, the Honors Program offers an excellent means of matching interests and skills with university expertise. The end results can be both personally and professionally rewarding.

Students active in the Honors Program are afforded an opportunity to participate in a variety of social and cultural activities which will augment their formal educational experience. Field trips, special programs and social interaction with other talented and motivated students combine to provide the Honors Program participant with opportunities for enriching experiences beyond the laboratory or classroom setting. Entering freshmen eligible for the Honors courses and continuing students in good standing in the program are extended registration preference in recognition of their exceptional academic achievement.

In addition to the enhanced educational opportunities presented by the Honors Program, students who successfully meet all specified requirements are privileged to graduate with a University Honors designation. This achievement is both personally gratifying and of importance as students seek professional employment or admission to graduate schools.

Components: Honors Program students must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.40 or better and complete honors courses and honors option work according to the following distribution:

     Classification     Minimum Honors Credits
     Freshman           Six credits at 100 level or greater
     Sophomore          Three credits at 100 level or greater
                        Three credits at 200 level or greater
     Junior             Three credits at 200 level or greater
                        Three credits at 300 level or greater
     Senior             Three credits at 300 level or greater

Full-time students should not go two consecutive semesters without completing an honors course or an H-option contract. Part-time students in the Honors Program will have their progress monitored by the Honors Program Office.

To graduate from the Honors Program, students must complete a minimum of twenty-one (21) honors credits. All Honors Program requirements and regulations must be met and adhered to throughout the time of enrollment.

Eligibility Requirements: Effective Fall 1993-94, entering freshman students are eligible to become members of the Honors Program if they have:

1. graduated in the top ten percent of their high school class
   AND
   attained a composite ACT score which ranks in the top twenty-five percent nationally (24 or greater);
   OR
2. attained a composite ACT score which ranks in the top ten percent nationally (27 or greater) AND graduated in the top twenty-five percent of their high school class.

Application forms are required for admission to the Honors Program. Information and appropriate forms may be obtained from the Honors Office.

ADD/DROP

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES: Students who submit priority registration course requests may make changes to those requests by the Touch-Tone Telephone System (414-472-1000) until class schedules for all students per the date listed in the Timetable for each term. After students have been scheduled, adds, drops and grade basis changes will be accepted by the Touch-Tone Telephone System or STAR Systems. The times will be specified in the letter sent with the schedule of classes. Also, the times for the add/drop period are noted in the Timetable.

The last day to add a 17-week course is the fifth day of classes. The last day to add a short course (or 8-week course) is the second class period. Students must have written approval of the dean of the course to add a class after the last day to add a class has passed. Students may drop courses through the sixth week of the semester. Short-term courses may be dropped through Friday of the week in which 33% of the course is completed. Drops must be done through the Touch-Tone Telephone or the STAR Systems. Note the fee reduction schedule for dropped courses in the Timetable, because there may be a charge for any course dropped after the first week of classes. Also refer to the Standards of Academic Progress in the Timetable. A review of the course drop policy is as follows:

1. A W grade will appear on student academic records (transcripts) for all courses dropped after the tenth day of instruction. This W grade notation will also appear on the records of students who withdraw from the University after the tenth day. THEREFORE A COMMITMENT MUST BE MADE TO THE COURSE BY THE TENTH DAY OR IT SHOULD BE DROPPED TO AVOID THE W GRADE. The fifth day of classes will be the deadline for short-term courses and for Summer Session courses.
2. An administrative drop procedure policy requires all departments to drop a student from a course if both of the following conditions have been satisfied:
   2. The student has not attended the first session of a course that meets once each week, or has not attended either of the first two sessions of a course that meets more frequently than once a week.
   4. The student has not provided written notice to the academic department in which the course is located that the student will not attend the required initial class session(s).

PROGRESSION STANDARDS: Check these policies before dropping a course. A reduction in credit load can affect students in a variety of ways, depending upon the situation.

A student enrolled in six or more credits at the end of the tenth day of classes for any semester must complete 50% of the credits on record with a passing grade (excluding withdrawal). If a student fails to make this progress, the student will be placed on Progression Warning. Failure to meet the Progression Standards a second time will result in suspension. If suspended under this policy, the student may appeal for reinstatement to the Academic Standards Committee.

FINANCIAL AID PROGRESSION: Whenever students may decide to apply for federal aid, their entire academic performance will be evaluated by Progression Standards. Students not meeting the standards for academic progress will be ineligible to receive federal financial aid.

Full-time undergraduate students may receive federal financial aid only through a maximum of their first twelve (12) semesters. Half-time students are eligible through a maximum of their first twenty-four (24) semesters. Full-time students receiving aid must successfully complete a minimum number of credits in proportion to their years of attendance. Part-time students must complete one-half the requirements. For complete details of these implementation guidelines, reference the Registration Guide and Timetable.

COURSE REPEAT POLICY

GENERAL: A course may not be taken for credit more than once unless it is identified in the Bulletin as a course that may be repeated for credit. If it is repeatable, the limitations of the number of times or maximum number of credits that may be applied to the major/minor, degree or graduation credits will be indicated. This policy applies to both courses taken in residence at UW-Whitewater and courses accepted in transfer from another institution.

GRADE POINT AVERAGE ADJUSTMENT: At the undergraduate level, any course in which a grade of D or F was previously earned may be repeated once. Only the grade of the second attempt will be used in the calculation of the cumulative grade point average (GPA). Both the first and the second attempt will appear on the permanent academic record. If an F grade is earned in the second attempt, all subsequent attempts will be averaged with the F grade. This repeat policy to nullify the effect of the first D or F can be used only once for each course, and courses initially attempted at UW-W must be repeated at UW-W; they cannot be taken at another institution to affect the UW-W GPA. However, students may repeat a D or F grade earned at a transfer institution if the course has an exact UW-W equivalency. All other repeat regulations apply.

If the first attempt was for a conventional grade (D or F received), the repeat must also be for a conventional grade. A repeat of an NC grade must be taken for a conventional grade. It counts as the second attempt under the repeat policy, and if it must be repeated again, subsequent attempts will be averaged with the grade from the second attempt.

Students will not be permitted to repeat a course if it is a prerequisite or corequisite of one already successfully completed within the same department.

Athletes should check with their coaches before repeating a course in which a grade of "D" was earned, because it may affect their eligibility. Students receiving veterans' benefits may not count in benefit level determination the repeat credits for a course in which a "D" was previously earned.

REPEAT FOR NO CREDIT: A course in which a C grade (or D grade if it was earned in the second attempt for GPA adjustment) or above was earned may be repeated if there are extenuating circumstances, but the new grade and credits will not affect either the semester or the cumulative GPA. Both attempts will be reflected on the permanent academic record with the second identified as "no credit". Students considering this option should confer with the department offering the course and inform the Records Department in the Registrar's Office of their decision at the time of registration, or the course may be dropped.

SATISFACTORY/NO CREDIT: Special permission is not needed to enroll for a course on a satisfactory/no credit basis. The S/NC option may be selected by using the Touch-Tone Telephone or STAR systems during the add/drop period, provided the limitations listed below are followed:

1. The S/NC option will be limited to a maximum of fifteen (15) credits in an undergraduate degree program. Developmental courses (040 or 090) that do not count toward the minimum credits necessary for graduation, and credit courses offered only on an S/NC basis, are not included in the fifteen-credit limitation.

2. Courses that are to fulfill a student's major/minor requirements, the lower/upper BBA degree requirements, any College of Business and Economics course attempted by a BBA student, and the new General Education core courses may not be taken on an S/NC basis unless the course is offered only on an S/NC basis by the department. Proficiency, General Education options, unique major/minor, and elective courses may be taken on an S/NC basis.

3. The S/NC option is available to any student without regard to grade point average or class standing. The decision to take a course for S/NC must be recorded via the Touch-Tone Telephone or STAR Systems by the tenth day of class for 17-week courses and by the end of the second class day for short courses. The decision for S/NC basis for off-campus courses must be made prior to the third class period. If a grade of S/NC is indicated by this date, it will not be changed to a conventional grade or vice versa.

4. Satisfactory (S) is the equivalent of a grade of C or better. The S will be recorded on the permanent record, but it will not be computed in the grade point average. Course work that does not merit a C or better will be graded NC. The NC grade will appear on the permanent record, but the course credits will not be counted in credits to degree or the grade in the grade point average. If a course in which an NC grade was earned is repeated, it must be attempted on a conventional grade basis.

5. The S/NC option cannot be used to repeat a course taken for a conventional (ABCDF) grade under the Repeat Policy. Veterans should refer to the VA Educational Assistance section for information related to this grading option.

AUDIT POLICY: For purposes of audit, there are two categories of students per UW-System policy: 1) students who are taking courses on an audit-only basis, with no courses for credit; 2) students who are taking a combination of courses for credit and courses for audit.

Audit-Only Enrollees: Students who are auditing courses only may do so under the following stipulations:

1. Wisconsin residents will pay 30% of the normal per credit resident academic fee and non-residents will pay 50% of the normal non-resident fee per the fee chart. No audit fees will be assessed disabled Wisconsin residents who are receiving federal old age survivors and disability insurance benefits (OASDI) under 42 USC 401 to 433.
   
2. Students will register on a space available basis with departmental permission in the week immediately prior to the start of classes. Remedial English (680-090) and mathematics (760-040 and 760-041) may not be taken as audit only.
   
3. Any special course fees other than the normal tuition charges will be assessed and paid by the student.
   
4. Students registering under this option can not change their courses to a credit grade basis during the term of enrollment.
   
5. An audit (X) symbol will be recorded on the academic record provided the instructor reports satisfactory attendance.
   
6. A fee of approximately $2.50 per credit will be assessed for required texts.
   
7. Access to University services will be limited to the library and to non-segregated fee funded activities of the University Center. A special identification card will be issued for auditors which will permit this limited access.
   
8. Regent, University, and Student Government regulations applying to other students will apply equally to audit-only enrollees.

Audit and Credit Combination Enrollees: Students who are taking a combination of courses for regular credit and for audit will pay the regular fees for all credits based upon the fee chart. The following stipulations will also apply:

1. The decision to audit must be finalized and recorded through the Touch-Tone Telephone or STAR systems by the tenth day of classes for 17-week courses and by the end of the second class day for shorter courses.
2. No credit will be granted for the course, but an audit (X) symbol will appear on the academic record, provided the instructor reports satisfactory attendance.
3. The audit course may be repeated for credit in another term.
4. Audits do not count as credits for either veteran benefit certification or financial aid consideration.

WITHDRAWAL FROM THE UNIVERSITY: Students who find it necessary to leave the University while the term for which they are registered is still in session should report to the Registrar's office and receive a withdrawal form to be signed by certain administrative offices. The following conditions apply:

1. If the withdrawal is initiated within the first ten class days of the
2. If the withdrawal is after the tenth day of classes in a semester or fifth day in summer session, "W" grades will be recorded for each of the courses in which the student is enrolled at the time of withdrawal.
   
3. If withdrawal is after the tenth day of classes, but the student was enrolled for six or more credits on the tenth day, a whole or a partial semester of eligibility will have been lost for financial aid.
   
4. If withdrawal is during the final fifteen class days of the semester (exam days included), the student will receive grades of F in those courses which are not being passed at the time of withdrawal, and the student may be suspended for not meeting the minimum grade point requirement.
   
5. Withdrawal does not affect the academic progression warning policy, but it may affect financial aid eligibility.
   

Failure to officially withdraw when leaving the University will result in students receiving unsatisfactory grades in those courses for which they were enrolled. This may cause a problem in an attempt to return to the University or transfer to another institution. If students must withdraw for medical reasons, they may petition to have a portion of their academic charges reduced. The appeal process is initiated in the Office of Assistant Chancellor for Student Affairs.

WAIVING OR SUBSTITUTING FOR A REQUIRED COURSE: The chairperson of the major or minor department may waive a required course within the major/minor if mastery of the course content can be demonstrated. However, other coursework must be completed to meet the minimum credit requirement for the major/minor.

A required course from a department other than the major or minor can be waived or substituted by: 1) the dean of the college of the degree if it is in the college or degree requirements; 2) the Assistant Dean for Letters and Sciences if the requirement is in general education or diversity; or 3) the college dean of the course in the proficiency area. In selected cases, departments may waive a course in their own department based upon high school background or departmental exam.