GENERAL INFORMATION AND POLICIES

Faculty members are assigned specific responsibilities in connection with the registration process and are expected to be present at their assigned stations for the entire registration period. They are designated to advise specific students: conditionally admitted students, majors, undeclared majors. All students who declare their major as "undecided" are assigned a Liberal Arts advisor.

An advisor assists an advisee in planning a program of study consistent with his/her abilities and interests. Additionally, an advisor monitors the student’s progress toward his/her academic goals: 1) The advisor insures that the student takes course work that contributes to the program of study of the declared major. 2) The advisor insures that the student meets all the requirements of the University and any special requirements of the College of Liberal Arts.

To carry out the above activities, an advisor must become knowledgeable concerning UWA rules, policies, regulations, and procedures which affect academic programs and activity. These are the foundations on which all advisement efforts will be built. Review of prior policies and study of new policy changes should be a regular activity of each advisor before beginning each registration or pre-registration period. The Provost, the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, the advisor’s Department Chairperson, and the Student Success Coordinator will keep advisors informed of all changes in policies and procedures related to academic advising.

The guidelines below are intended to provide a general overview of the policies and procedures relating to academic advising and to answer the questions most frequently raised concerning student advisement. Much of the following information was taken from the General Catalogue and the Faculty Handbook.

TRANSFER CREDIT:

• Transfer students who have less than 20 semester hours of transferable academic credit must submit their high school transcript and ACT/SAT scores and must meet the admission requirements for a beginning freshman.
• Transfer students may present for consideration for transfer credit all courses from accredited institutions which are applicable to their curriculums, provided a grade of C or higher was earned in each course.
• Courses in which a grade of D was earned may be considered for credit. See the transfer credit scale in the General Catalogue. Questions concerning transfer credit should be directed to the Registrar or the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts.
• Credits from a technical college are not accepted in the academic program. Technical credit is accepted only towards a Bachelor of Technology degree. Technical credit from a junior college is not accepted in the academic program.
• A transfer student who enters the College of Liberal Arts must complete at least 6 hours in his/her minor and 9 hours in his/her major at UWA.

CLEP AND AP CREDIT:

The Registrar accepts certain CLEP and AP scores for credit. Questions concerning CLEP or AP credit should be directed to the Registrar’s Office.

COMPENSATORY COURSE CREDIT:

All compensatory courses (Reading, Math, English), the Academic Skills course, and the Job Search Preparation course for seniors are non-credit for the basic curriculum, a degree program, and graduation. Students receive institutional credit. (Note: Non-credit hours are used in computing GPA, in determining if a student must be placed on probation or suspension, and in determining eligibility for sports and student loans.)

CLASS STANDING:

GRADES AND QUALITY POINTS:

A = Four quality points per hour I-Incomplete = No quality points
B = Three quality points per hour N-Non-Credit = No quality points
C = Two quality points per hour X-Absent from Examination = No quality points
D = One quality point per hour
F = No quality points

• The quality-point ratio for determining a student’s academic status and his/her eligibility for graduation is computed by dividing quality points earned on work at UWA by semester hours attempted.
• In cases where a student successfully completes a course in which he/she has earlier received a D or F, the original grade is dropped from calculation in the quality-point ratio.
• A student may repeat a course for credit in which he/she has made a C.
• An I or X received in a course is not computed in the GPA the semester it is received; however, the I or X must be removed the next semester (exception, a student who makes a grade of I or X during the Spring Semester and does not attend during the Summer Semester may remove the deficiency during the following Fall Semester), or it will convert to an F.
• An N received in a developmental course is not computed in the GPA. This grade designation indicates that the student attended class regularly but did not satisfactorily complete the course requirements. The student must register again for the class in the semester immediately following. Students are encouraged to successfully complete developmental courses in a timely manner so they can begin freshman-level courses with a minimum of delay.

REQUIREMENTS FOR CONTINUATION IN RESIDENCE:

Academic Probation: A student enrolled at UWA is placed on academic probation when the total number of hours attempted at UWA, multiplied by two, exceeds by more than 17 the number of grade points earned at UWA. No entering freshman or first semester transfer student is placed on academic probation on the basis of the first semester’s work at UWA. A student may clear probation by reducing the grade-point deficiency up to 17 grade points or less.

Academic Suspension: A student on probation is placed on academic suspension for a period of time to be determined by his/her academic Dean and the Registrar, acting for the Admission and Appeals Committee, when the number of hours attempted at UWA, multiplied by two, exceeds grade points earned at UWA by more than 29.

Such a student is not placed on academic suspension at the end of a semester in which he/she earns a grade-point average of C (2.00) or higher, but is continued on academic probation. At any time a student’s grade-point deficiency is more than 29 after the first academic suspension, he/she will be suspended indefinitely.

• A student is readmitted on academic probation following the expiration of suspension.
• Generally, a student who has been on indefinite suspension for at least six consecutive semesters will be readmitted.
• When a student fails the same course at UWA four times, he/she is placed on academic suspension. If, after being readmitted, he/she fails the same course a fifth time, he/she is placed on indefinite academic suspension.
• A student must complete the basic curriculum required for his/her degree program (48 semester hours in Liberal Arts) by the time he/she completes 90 semester hours. Failure to do so results in indefinite academic suspension.
• Conditional Registration: A student on academic suspension from UWA may not use credit earned at another institution for clearing suspension or for meeting degree requirements for graduation from UWA.

SECOND-CHANCE POLICY:

A student who is readmitted to UWA after an absence of five or more years may apply in the Registrar’s Office for consideration under the Second-Chance Policy. This policy allows the readmitted student who completes 21 semester hours of course work with no semester grade-point average below 2.5 to delete up to 32 semester hours of D, F, FA, or WF grades received prior to readmission from calculation in the grade-point average. Certain courses, including professional and teaching field courses in the College of Education and professional courses in the Division of Nursing, are excluded from this policy, and all courses remain on the transcript along with an explanation of the Second-Chance Policy. A student is eligible to apply for consideration under this policy only once.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS:

Credit Requirements: A student must complete at least 120 semester hours of work or the number of hours required for his/her degree program.

At least one third of the hours must be in upper-level courses.

A student must have twice as many quality points as hours attempted, or more if required by his/her degree program.

A student must have a 2.0 quality-point ratio in the basic curriculum--overall and courses taken at UWA, as well as a 2.0 quality-point ratio in the major and the minor--overall and courses taken at UWA.

The GPA requirements for degree completion is based on hours attempted (for students admitted Fall Quarter 1996 and thereafter).

In general, a student is expected to fulfill all credit and course requirements as outlined in the catalogue in effect at the time he/she last entered the undergraduate College from which he/she is to be graduated, except that, if the student chooses, he/she may be graduated by the requirements of a later catalogue.

The student must meet all requirements as outlined in a single catalogue.

A student who does not complete the requirements for a degree within six years of the date of admission to the University may be expected to meet the current requirements for the degree and may have transfer credits re-evaluated in terms of current policy.

Residency Requirements: A candidate for either an associate degree or a bachelor’s degree must complete 25% of his/her total hours at UWA.

A candidate for a bachelor’s degree must complete a minimum of 30 semester hours at the upper-division (300-400) levels at UWA.

Extension and Correspondence Work and Work at Other Institutions:

A D or lower grade earned in residence may not be raised by correspondence study or by study elsewhere (except in unusual circumstances and with prior approval of the Provost), nor may an inadequate average overall or in majors, minors, professional study, or the basic curriculum be raised by work taken outside the University.

Any work taken as a transient student at another institution must have the Dean’s prior approval. An authorization form can be obtained in the office of the Dean of the College. If a student fails to obtain approval of a course to be taken as a transient student, he/she has no recourse if the course is later deemed to be inappropriate for transfer.

ATTENDANCE POLICY:

Students are expected to display responsible judgment in regard to class attendance and to know and follow the attendance policies for each of their classes. It is also the students’ responsibility to keep a record of absences.

Faculty members are expected to keep an accurate record of attendance in all classes, recording all absences, including those due to late registration or change of course. A written attendance policy should be distributed to students in each class, and it is a faculty member’s prerogative to consider attendance records in determining grades. A student cannot receive credit for a course if he/she does not attend at least two-thirds of the class meetings, regardless of the reason for the absences.

Absences may be excused by a faculty member and the student allowed to make up work if the faculty member deems an absence legitimate. A faculty member is not expected to provide make-up evaluation for a student who is absent without a legitimate excuse. In the event that the student and instructor do not agree on the acceptability of the excuse presented, the matter will be determined by the Dean of the college in which the course is offered. The instructor or the Dean may require the student to present appropriate documentation for an absence.

COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS:

Residency Requirement: A candidate for a degree in the College of Liberal Arts must be officially registered in the college for at least two full semesters after the freshman year, one of which must be the semester immediately preceding completion of the requirement for the degree.

SPECIAL PROGRAMS:

Freshman Studies Program: The Freshman Studies Program is designed to facilitate the entering freshman’s acclimation to the college experience.

Honors Program: Administered through the College of Liberal Arts to provide the superior undergraduate student with a more stimulating and challenging curriculum.

The program is open to entering freshmen with minimum ACT scores of 22 composite and 24 in English, reading, or science reasoning or 23 in mathematics and appropriate scores on math placement tests.**

Pre-Law Program: Since law schools generally do not have specific undergraduate course requirements for admission, there is no single course of study which constitutes a formal pre-law program. The experience of students who have completed law school and the recommendations of law school deans suggest that the student intending to enter the profession of law should probably major in English, history, or political science and minor in another of these areas or in business. A foreign language is also recommended by some deans.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREES OF BACHELOR OF ARTS AND BACHELOR OF SCIENCE:

A student can earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in the College of Liberal Arts, the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and the College of Education. It is not offered in the College of Business. The requirements for a B.A. are identical to those for a B.S. with the exception of the inclusion of a foreign language component for the B.A. degree.

• All courses required in the basic curriculum with a 2.0 quality-point ratio (overall and in basic curriculum courses taken at UWA.)
• A total of at least 120 semester hours with twice as many quality points as hours on record.
• At least twelve semester hours, or the equivalent, of a foreign language with a 2.0 quality-point ratio.
• One major and one minor or two majors with a 2.0 overall quality-point ratio in each and a 2.0 quality-point ratio in courses earned at UWA in each.

NOTE: A foreign language is required for a Bachelor of Arts degree and for a minor in International Studies. There are no other majors, minors, or degrees that require a foreign language.

• All courses required in the basic curriculum with a 2.0 quality-point ratio (overall and in basic curriculum courses taken at UWA.)
• A total of at least 120 semester hours with twice as many quality points as hours on record.
• One major and one minor or two majors with a 2.0 overall quality-point ratio in each and a 2.0 quality-point ratio in courses earned at UWA in each.

CONFIDENTIALITY OF STUDENT RECORDS

Public law 93-380, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, also known as the "Buckley Amendment," allows college students access to their official University records and also restricts the circumstances under which a faculty member or other University personnel may provide information about individual students to others. The Handbook for University Faculty and Staff can be consulted for further information. The information below appears in the Student Handbook.

FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT

Attention of all students, their parents, and UWA alumni is called to the provisions of Public Law 93-380, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, also known as "The Buckley Amendment." Under the provisions of this law, all students and former students of the University have the right to inspect their official educational records in the Office of the Registrar. This right of inspection does not apply to any information submitted to this office as confidential prior to January 1, 1975, nor to access by students to financial records of parents. Parents and guardians of students may not see records nor receive any grades unless the student specifically designates that his records and/or his grade may be made available to the parents or guardians. Grades are mailed to the address indicated by the student on his registration form.

Information classified as "Directory Information" may be released by the University unless the student specifically informs the Registrar in writing that his written consent is necessary before even this information may be released. "Directory Information" may include any or all of the following:

1. Name, address, telephone listing
2. Date and place of birth
3. Major and minor fields of study
4. Participation in officially recognized athletics and other activities, including weight and height of members of athletic teams
5. Dates of attendance
6. Degrees and awards received
7. The most recent previous educational institution attended

Other information from a student’s record will be released only to UWA officials, including teachers, who have legitimate educational interests, unless the student has given his written consent for the release of specific information to others.

Students who have questions regarding their official records should address them to the Registrar.