Policies and Procedures

Registration
Schedule Modification Procedures
Change of Major, Minor, or Advisor
Academic Standing

Registration

With the exception of new freshman and transfer students, who are registered by the New Student
Advising and Registration Office, course registration is done online through WebOPUS. Access is
llimited to students via a student identification number, personal PIN number and alternate PIN (AltPIN).
Registration for continuing students begins in mid-November for the winter semester and in
late March for the summer and fall semesters.

Schedule Modification Procedures

Once students have registered for classes, they may process schedule modifications through WebOPUS:

Course Drops: A course drop may be processed using WebOPUS through Census Date of the term.
After Census Date (defined below) and prior to the last day of regular classes, all course drops must
be submitted using a Course Drop Form which may be obtained from the Registrar’s Office. The form
requires an instructor's signature, an instructor assigned ‘F’ or ‘W’ grade, and must be submitted to the
Registrar’s Office within seven days of the instructor's signature for processing. Important Reminders:
1) The process for dropping classes may not be used to withdraw from college beginning the first day of the term. Please see the section below on “Transfer, Stop Out, and Withdrawal Policies and Procedures.”
2) Non-attendance does not constitute a drop or a withdrawal.

Course Adds: Students may add courses with available seats using WebOPUS through the first five days
of the fall or winter semester or the first day of each summer term. Faculty may enter course permission
overrides electronically for the following special conditions: prerequisite, course/class level or instructor
permission. Once an override is entered, the student must still complete registration for the course via
WebOPUS.

If permission is not granted electronically, students must use a Special Condition Add form
available at the Registrar’s Office, beginning the second week of the fall and winter semesters and through Census Date, or the second day of each summer term. The form requires the signature of the instructor. Regularly scheduled courses cannot be added after Census Date.

Adds for Courses with Time Conflicts: In the case of a course time conflict, a Special Condition Add form is
required, along with the signatures of both instructors involved, as well as an explanation of how the course
requirements are to be met.

Adds for Late-Starting Courses: After Census Date, students wishing to enroll in courses beginning at
a time other than the normal start of the term may use a Special Condition Add form up until a week after the
first class meeting.

Census Date: Census Date for the fall and winter semesters is the twelfth class day of the term. Census
Date for each of the three summer terms is the fifth day of class. This day is the official date of enrollment for
state reporting requirements and for final student billing purposes. Courses dropped prior to this date are
not counted for tuition purposes.

Enrollments in courses on Census Date are reported for state purposes, are reflected on the student’s
transcript, and are counted for tuition purposes.

As of the close of business on Census Date for any semester or summer term all courses for which a student
has registered will appear on the student’s permanent academic record. Through Census Date, courses may
be dropped via WebOPUS from a student’s registration and will not appear on the student’s transcript.

Change of Major, Minor or Advisor

If you would like to change your major, minor or advisor, you can download the appropriate form here.

Academic Standing

Good Standing, Probation, and Suspension: An overall grade point average of 2.0 is considered satisfactory progress toward a degree.  If, in any single term, a term grade point average of less than 2.0 is earned, the student will be placed on probation or will be academically suspended or dismissed from the college.  Grades from courses completed during summer terms are not used in determining academic standing.  Academic standing can be viewed electronically via the student’s WebOPUS account in the “Final Grades” or the “Check Your Registration Status” pages.

The following table outlines the criteria used to determine academic standings:

Return to Good Standing after Probation or Reinstatement from Suspension or Dismissal: A 2.00 term GPA is needed to move up each standing level (from Probation 2/Reinstatement, Probation 1, and Good Standing).  A student on Probation Level 1 will return to Good Standing if the term GPA earned the next Fall or Winter term is at least 2.00.  Once the student is placed on Probation Level 2 or has been reinstated from suspension or dismissal, it will take two consecutive terms with GPAs 2.00 or higher to return to Good Standing.

Academic Suspension: Academic suspension is normally for one calendar year.  Suspension may be appealed to the Academic Standards Committee. 

Academic Dismissal: Academic dismissal occurs when a student has a term GPA of less than 2.00 the first term following readmission from suspension.  Academic dismissal is permanent separation from the college.  Dismissals may be appealed to the Academic Standards Committee.

Appeal of Academic Suspension or Dismissal: A letter officially notifying a student of academic suspension or dismissal will be mailed to both the student’s permanent and local mailing addresses shortly after grades are finalized for the term.  Included with the letter is the form needed to appeal the academic standing.  A student who wishes to appeal must complete all parts of the form and return it by the specified date.  The Academic Standards Committee reviews appeals twice a year, early January and mid-May, and notifies the student of the Committee’s decision by email or telephone the day after the Committee meeting.  Questions about academic standing and/or the appeal process should be directed to the Academic Advising and Student Success Center.

Academic Renewal: A transfer or returning Fort Lewis College student who has not attended any college for at least five years (60 consecutive months) may petition for “Academic Renewal.”  Academic Renewal is defined as the elimination of the student’s entire previous academic record, including credits earned and grade point average. 

Normally, a student applies for academic renewal as part of the admission (for new transfer students) or re-admission (for former students) process.  Under rare circumstances, an already admitted student may apply for academic renewal during the first year of resumed studies at Fort Lewis College.  Questions about the process for petitioning for academic renewal should be directed to the Academic Advising and Student Success Center.  

If a petition is granted, the student’s permanent record will denote “ACADEMIC RENEWAL APPROVED” with the date.  Academic Renewal applies only to actions taken by Fort Lewis College.  Other colleges may or may not accept the action of Academic Renewal.  Students granted Academic Renewal must meet all established College standards for satisfactory academic progress.

Advising & Registration FAQs

For a list of frequently asked questions about advising and registration from the Registrar's office, click here.