Student Handbook — Registration Information

Student Handbook

For each academic semester there is an advising/registration period when current students meet with a faculty advisor and select courses for the upcoming semester.

Undergraduate students (including second bachelor's degree students) must meet with a faculty advisor each semester prior to registration. To support this policy, an Undergraduate Advising hold is placed on the student's registration each semester (except summer session). Only an advisor or major department can release this hold. Students are encouraged to meet with an advisor during the designated advising period to ensure that the hold is released prior to his/her assigned myWSU registration time.

Graduate students are not required to see an advisor prior to registration. However, students are encouraged to do so if they have specific questions related to a degree program.

Non degree students are not required to see an advisor prior to registration. If a non degree student would like to speak with an advisor, he/she should contact the Office of Admissions at 360-546-9559 for a referral.

If a student's initial registration for a specific semester is after classes begin, a late registration fee will be assessed.

Exception:

  • State employees and senior citizens enrolling under the fee waiver agreement are required to register on the first day of classes and the late registration fee is waived.

myWSU Registration

Students can complete most registration processes on the Web using myWSU. myWSU is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For questions related to myWSU, contact the Registrar's Office at 360-546-9565 or 360-546-9553.

(Note: Students must have a network ID (NID) and password to register on the Web.)

  1. Go to my.wsu.edu.
  2. Enter network ID and password.
  3. Select Academics, Register & Plan, then Registration.

Students who have questions or problems with either their network ID or password should contact the WSU Vancouver Help Desk (Classroom Building, Room 218) or call 360-546-9770, Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. On Saturdays and Sundays from noon – 5 p.m. students may go to the computer lab or call 360-546-9543 for help with their NID or password.

Priority Registration

Each semester, currently enrolled students will receive notification regarding priority registration for the following term. The notification will provide instructions on how students can check the Web for important information regarding advising appointments, registration times and holds, and a list of courses being offered.

Students should plan to register at their designated myWSU registration time or as soon as possible after this time to ensure the best chance of getting into the classes they need. myWSU registration times are assigned based on class standing and total credit hours earned.

Adds/Drops/Course Withdrawals  To Top

Adds: Classes may be added using myWSU through August 24 for fall 2007 and January 11 for spring 2008. After this date, the student must obtain the instructor's (or department designee's) signature on an Enrollment Change Form (PDF) and turn it in at the WSU Vancouver Registrar's Office (VSSC 100). Any credits added that will increase the amount of tuition due (e.g., part-time fees, fees over 18 credits) must be paid for at the time the credits are added. Failure to pay for additional credits at the time they are added may result in late payment fees.

Drops: Classes may be dropped using myWSU through the 30th day of the semester (September 18 for fall 2007 and February 5 for spring 2008).

Withdrawals: After the drop deadline, a student can still withdraw from courses with a grade of 'W' using myWSU through October 19, 2007, for fall semester and March 7, 2008, for spring semester. A $5 service fee will be charged to a student's account for each course withdrawal. Undergraduate students are allowed two uncontested withdrawals during the undergraduate career that can be used through the last day of instruction (See Rule 69b). Uncontested withdrawals can also be processed using myWSU and are assessed a $5 service fee.

Withdrawal from a course after the 9th week (Academic Regulation 69): Withdrawal from a course after October 19, 2007, for fall and March 7, 2008, for spring may be granted if withdrawal is recommended by the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs as a result of illness or by the Academic Director of the department offering the course because of other documented extenuating circumstances.

For undergraduates who entered WSU in the fall of 1998 through the summer of 2004, the maximum number of withdrawals (including two uncontested withdrawals) is six. This does not include withdrawals for cancellation of enrollment. For undergraduates who enter WSU in fall 2004 or later, the maximum number of WSU withdrawals is four, not counting withdrawals that result from a cancellation of enrollment.

If a student wants to withdraw from a course after reaching the maximum allowed, he/she may, in exceptional documented circumstances, submit a petition through the Registrar's Office for an exception to the withdrawal limit. The petition must be filed by the end of the semester in which the course was taken.

In all cases, a grade of 'W' is marked and a mandatory, non-refundable service fee is collected.

Uncontested Withdrawal (Academic Regulation 69b): From the end of the 9th week through the last day of instruction, undergraduate students are eligible to use up to two uncontested course withdrawals during their undergraduate careers, regardless of the number of undergraduate degrees earned.

Administrative Withdrawals  To Top

Students who are reported by the department as not having attended class and laboratory meetings during the first week of the semester may be dropped from the course by the department. (Students should not assume that they have been dropped without verification from the department or the Registrar's Office.) Students who believe they have extenuating circumstances which prevent their attendance during the first week should notify the Registrar's Office. The Registrar's Office will notify instructors of the absence and the reason for it. Valid reasons for missing classes do not relieve the student of making up the work missed (Academic Regulation 72).

Auditing Courses  To Top

Students registering for credit have first priority for classes; thus, auditors are enrolled on a space-available basis after classes begin. A maximum of two audits are allowed for any semester or term. Regularly enrolled full-fee-paying students may audit without charge. Part-time students and non-students pay an audit fee of $98.00 per audit hour. Summer session auditors pay full tuition per credit hour.

To audit, the student has until the end of the fourth week of the semester to obtain an Enrollment Change Form (PDF), secure the appropriate signature(s), pay the audit fee (if applicable), and return the form to the WSU Vancouver Registrar's Office, VSSC, 100.

Cancellation of Enrollment  To Top

Cancellation of enrollment (withdrawal from all classes) may be processed using myWSU until the day before classes begin each semester. If it necessary to cancel enrollment after the start of the semester, students can cancel on the Web by going to www.cancel.wsu.edu and submitting a form electronically. If a student stops attending classes, but does not officially cancel enrollment, he/she will continue to be charged fees until the University is officially notified of his/her intentions. For information regarding the refund of tuition/fees, please refer to the refund section of this handbook.

Change of Address  To Top

Students are responsible for maintaining address and telephone information. myWSU is available on the Web (my.wsu.edu) as one method of updating address information. Changes may also be submitted in writing to the Cougar Center (VSSC 100).

Late Registration  To Top

If a student's initial registration for a semester is on the first day of classes through the second Friday of the semester (August 31, 2007, for fall and January 11, 2008, for spring), he/she will be assessed a $25 late registration fee. Registration after the tenth day of the semester will not be permitted without prior approval from the Registrar's Office. If permission is granted a $100 late registration fee is collected.

Pass-Fail Option  To Top

Selection of the pass/fail grading option cannot be accomplished using myWSU. Students who want to take a course pass/fail should:

  1. Add the course through myWSU.
  2. Obtain his/her advisor's signature on an Enrollment Change form indicating the course he/she wants to take pass/fail.
  3. Submit the form to the WSU Vancouver Registrar's Office, VSSC 100.

The deadline for selecting the pass/fail grading option is the end of the third week of the semester. General Education Requirements (GERs) may not be taken pass/fail (by undergraduate students) under any circumstances.

Registration Holds  To Top

Registration holds can be placed on student records by administrative offices. Students with one or more registration holds will be unable to register until all holds are cleared. Listed below are the offices that must be contacted for each type of hold:

Registration Hold Phone Number
Academic Deficiency (graduate) 360-546-9779
Academic Deficiency (undergraduate) Major department or Student Resource Center (SRC)
Admissions (graduate and undergraduate) 360-546-9779
Advising (undergraduate) Faculty advisor, Major department, or SRC
Financial Aid 360-546-9559
International Programs 360-546-9563
Student Accounts 360-546-9559
Student Affairs 360-546-9559
Writing Portfolio 360-546-9260

Special Problems — 499  To Top

Prior to enrollment for a Special Problems course, a student must (1) crystallize an independent study intent and design, (2) negotiate a proposal including credit value (from 1 to 4) with the faculty member under whose jurisdiction the Special Problem will be conducted, and (3) have the proposal approved by the department head and filed with the student's records. Upon completion, Special Problems courses are graded S or F and may be repeated for credit in subsequent semesters. Maximum credit per semester, per department, may not exceed 4 credits. The following categories represent the type of independent study undertaken as a Special Problem:

  1. Research studies dealing with technical or specialized problems.
  2. Selection and analysis of reading relating to a specific subject, theme, concept, or interdisciplinary topic.
  3. The further development of a skill or aptitude through a creative prospect in the arts, sciences, or humanities.
  4. Off-campus field experience or other nontraditional learning experiences not available through conventional offerings.

NOTE: Many 499 classes require a supplemental registration form including the student's signature, the signature of the supervising instructor, and the number of credits for the course. This form should be submitted to the WSU Vancouver Registrar's Office (VSSC 100) for processing.