COP 03-1713: Priority Registration

Purpose Statement

The priority registration procedure is established to provide degree-seeking students with an opportunity to register for high-demand degree requirements.

Guidelines

The registration schedule consists of the following student groups for each registration period:

• Priority Group 1 - Registration period for degree and certificate seeking students in the following categories: Athletes, Honors, Housing, Presidential Scholars, students registered with Adaptive Services, and Veterans. Relevant dates are published in the Academic Calendar.
• Priority Group 2 - Registration period for degree and certificate seeking students in the following category: Students who have earned 45+ credits.
• Priority Group 3 - Registration period for degree and certificate seeking students in the following category: Students who have earned 30+ credits.
• Open Registration - Registration period following Priority Group 3 for all active degree-seeking, certificate, non-degree-seeking students, and guest students. Open registration before the start of classes does not require instructor or dean’s approval unless classes have reached capacity and/or instructor consent is required.
• Students applying for a state employee tuition waiver are registering on a space-available basis and can only register once classes have begun and fee-paying students have had the opportunity to register for classes. Some courses may be full and therefore unavailable.

Procedures

Registration Process

Registration may be completed electronically via the portal or in person. Students are encouraged to use web registration whenever possible. In lieu of web registration, students may register in the Office of the Registrar during posted business hours.

Registration Restrictions

The following registration restrictions are in place and could restrict a student’s ability to register for classes:

• Courses requiring the instructor’s consent cannot be added to students’ schedules until the instructor’s consent is obtained.
• Students who owe balances from prior terms must pay the outstanding balance before they are permitted to register.
• Students on probation must see their academic advisor prior to registering.
• Students who have not attended any classes for a year must seek readmission through the Office of Admissions.
• Students who do not meet the published prerequisites for courses will not be allowed to register for those courses.
• Students are not permitted to register for more than one section of a course per term.

Signature Approval

Sometimes, a course may require an instructor or academic dean’s signature or digital approval to register. Students can obtain a physical signature on the registration form to submit to the Office of the Registrar for processing, or can obtain a digital override to allow registration via their portal online.

Signatures also are required:

• If the course has met and is closed
  Capacity overrides for closed classes will only be issued during the add/drop period. Students may NOT request capacity overrides prior to the start of classes. In extenuating circumstances when a student has met with an academic advisor and has no other course selection alternatives a capacity override may be granted by the academic dean (or the academic dean’s designee). Some classes are restricted by space, fire code, and/or equipment.
• After the first week of classes
  Reinstatements may be requested due to extraordinary circumstances or when a documented administrative error occurred that prevented the student from adding the class(es) during regular or late registration. Students must obtain the instructor’s and academic dean’s (or the academic dean’s designee) approvals via the reinstatement petition process, and submit the petition, along with a written statement of circumstance to the Office of the Registrar for processing. Some classes are restricted by space, fire code, and/or equipment. Payment must be made by close of business on the day the reinstatement occurs.
• Conflicting courses
  Students who wish to register for two course sections with conflicting times must obtain the instructor's approval and submit it to the academic dean’s office for an override.

Prerequisites

Before a student is permitted to register for any course, they must have successfully completed the prerequisite requirements, or currently be enrolled in the course that is the prerequisite. In some cases, the prerequisite to a course is either an appropriate score on the placement test, or successful completion of a designated development education course.

Class Cancellation

Classes may be canceled during registration due to low enrollment or the ability to find a qualified instructor. If a course is canceled, every effort will be made to notify the students involved and to help them find a suitable substitute class. Notifications will be sent to students' FSW e-mail account.