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Home > College of Arts and Sciences > Department Head Handbook > The Start of Classes

The Start of Classes

Once classes have actually begun, students enter and exit classes in different ways. Usually, for the first few days of classes, online registration is available; students themselves may drop and add classes.

Registration

All undergraduate and graduate students must be advised before registration. Students who have not been advised will not be able to access the registration system.  Published schedules, policies, and procedures for registration must be strictly observed. Registrations are canceled for students who do not pay fees by the published deadlines. 

New students are expected to register for classes during orientation programs held prior to the first day of classes.  Currently enrolled students may register for courses during the following registration periods:

Early:               Registration is held approximately six weeks before the term begins. Registration priority is based on student classification in the following order: Graduate students and seniors; juniors; sophomores; freshmen.

Regular:           Registration and drop/add are held immediately prior to the beginning of classes.  Registration is held on a first-come, first served basis.

Late:                 Registration and continued drop/add are held for approximately three or four days after the term begins.  A late fee is assessed for registration during the Late Period. 

Drop/Add

Students may add classes during preregistration and during the official drop/add period at the beginning of each term.  This process occurs online.  The official drop/add period is generally the first week of classes during regular fall/spring terms but is shorter during summer and other abbreviated terms.  After the end of late registration (the drop/add period), students must complete paperwork to add classes to their schedule.

PROCESS FOR ADDING OR DROPPING FROM A COURSE:

TIME	PROCESS
Pre-registration, Regular Registration, and Late Registration (before classes begin and usually the first week of class—may be a shorter period during abbreviated terms. Consult the Academic calendar for the schedule each semester.)	Students may add and drop on Banner.
Registration closed (generally after the first week of class)	If students need to drop or add, they must obtain a drop/add form and a late registration appeal form from the Registrar’s Office.
Late Registration Drop/Add & Appeal forms: http://www.valdosta.edu/registrar/documents/LateRegistrationAppealForms.pdf	The late registration appeal form must include a reason explaining why the student needs to drop or add a class after the late registration period has ended.

Students may drop a class during preregistration and during the official drop/add period at the beginning of each term.  This process occurs online.  At the end of the semester, no official record of the student having been in the class exists.  “Dropping” a class is not the same as “withdrawing” from a class (see the discussion of withdrawals below).

The drop/add form requires the signatures of the instructors of the classes that students wish to drop/add as well as the signatures of the department heads of those classes.  This form must be signed by the department head of the student’s major along with the dean of the student’s major and the Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA).  While the Registrar’s Office will provide the appropriate forms, the approval of adds or drops will be made by the instructor, department heads, deans, and VPAA. 

Department heads and directors should be prepared to see drop/add forms and late registration forms from the second week of the semester throughout the end of a given term.  Late adds generally should not be approved after the first week of a course unless the student is able to provide a compelling reason for a late add and the instructor is able to verify that the student has been attending.  Attending the course is not always a sufficient rationale for approving a late add.  If students have attended beyond the end of the late registration period, students should withdraw from a class, not drop.  Appeals for late drops should not be approved unless students are able to document that they did not attend class beyond the first week and the reasons why they were not able to complete the online drop process during the official drop/add period. 

Withdrawal

Students may withdraw from courses following the drop/add period until midterm by completing the withdrawal process on Banner.  A withdrawal before midterm is non-punitive, and a grade of “W” is assigned.  Students may not exercise this right to withdraw to avoid sanction for academic dishonesty.  It is the responsibility of the student to complete the withdrawal process.  Students are not allowed to withdraw after the midterm point of the semester; however, students may petition an exception for cases of hardship by completing a petition for withdrawal form available in the Dean of Students Office.  The petition will be reviewed by the University Withdrawal Appeals Committee and will become a permanent part of the student’s file.  If the petition is approved, the instructor may assign a grade of “W” or “WF” after midterm.  “WF” is calculated in the grade point average the same as “F.”  Any student who discontinues class attendance after mid-term and does not officially withdraw may be assigned a grade of “F.”

Regular withdrawal (generally from the end of the first week of class to midterm)	Students may withdraw on Banner.
Late Withdrawal (after midterm until the last day of the term)	Students must appeal for late withdrawals through the Office of the Dean of Students (see http://www.valdosta.edu/academic/WithdrawalProcess.shtml).

Limited course withdrawals (5 "W" policy)

Effective Fall 2010, all undergraduate students are limited to five course withdrawal (“W”) grades for their entire enrollment at VSU.  Once a student has accumulated five “W” grades, all subsequent withdrawals (whether initiated by the student in Banner or initiated by the instructor on the proof roll) will be recorded as “WF.”  The grade “WF” is calculated as an “F” for GPA purposes.  The limit does not apply if a student withdraws from all classes in a given semester before the midterm point of the semester.  Transfer students, regardless of their classification upon enrolling at VSU, are also limited to five withdrawals.  Additional information and the types of withdrawals that do not count against the limit can be located at: http://www.valdosta.edu/academic/WithdrawalPolicy.shtml

Proof rolls

Department heads and directors must stress to faculty that attendance is to be taken in all classes at least for the first several weeks of a semester.  During the fall and spring semesters, proof rolls are due at the end of the second week of the semester and faculty submit the rolls online through Banner.  During summer terms, the proof rolls must be submitted the first week or second week of a given term.  On the proof rolls, faculty can withdraw students who have “never attended” or “stopped attending” the course.  Students are not “dropped” on the proof rolls but rather “withdrawn” from the course and a W will appear on the student’s transcript.  If a student has been attending a course but is not listed on the proof roll, the instructor should notify the Office of the Registrar.  Fundamentally, it is a student’s responsibility to complete the required paperwork for a late add of a course.

In-progress and final grades

Faculty assign both in-progress (midterm) and final grades through Banner.  Faculty—including part-time faculty—may access their grade sheets and enter their grades.  In-progress grades must be entered for all 1000- and 2000-level classes.  Department heads and directors should emphasize to faculty that final grades must be submitted in Banner before faculty leave the campus or go on vacation.    In-progress grades are not required during the summer, although a faculty member may request that the Registrar enable that function in Banner for a lower-division summer course.

Incompletes

Faculty are not able to assign the grade of Incomplete through Banner when entering final grades.  The request for an incomplete must be initiated by the student.  A description of the process and the form can be found at http://www.valdosta.edu/academic/RequestforIncomplete.shtml.  The form requires the signature of the student, instructor of the course, and the department head.  The form is then sent to the Office of the Registrar.  Department heads and directors should make sure that the form clearly notes the reason for requesting an incomplete, the remaining course assignments, and the due dates for those assignments.  If a student had requested an incomplete but is not on campus (online course or the student is hospitalized), the instructor of the course can complete the form and submit it to the department head or director.  The form must be submitted before the entering of final grades.

Change of grade forms

Department heads and directors should advise faculty as well as students that final grades submitted by the course instructor may not be changed except for approved special circumstances such as an error in the calculation of a grade.  Department heads and directors should counsel faculty that grades must not be merely changed because a student’s financial aid or academic standing is jeopardized.  Faculty can get a Change of Grade form from the Office of the Registrar.  Students should never handle the form.  The form must clearly articulate the reason for changing the grade, and the form must be signed by the instructor and the department head.  If the change of grade involves a “W” (the grade is changed to a W or from a W to another grade), it must be approved by the dean and VPAA.

Authorization forms for field trips

If courses require field trips, department heads should have appropriate faculty complete authorization forms, signed by faculty and department heads, who submit them to the dean for his or her signature.  Faculty should submit the authorization well in advance of the field trip so the required signatures have been secured before students depart on the field trip.  Students on these trips must sign the “Field Trip Authorization and Wavier of Liability,” available at:   www.valdosta.edu/academic/documents/field_trip_authorization.pdf.   

If a state vehicle is used for field trips, USG Motor Vehicle Procedures must be followed.  All USG employees who drive on institutional business regardless of frequency of driving and/or location of driving must receive annual training.  This training will allow employees to complete the required Driver Acknowledgement Form. Additional requirements are needed for those employees who routinely drive state vehicles.  If employees drive their own car, a rental car, or non-routinely use a state vehicle they must view the online video accessed on BlazeVIEW.  If employees routinely drive a state vehicle, they must take the Defensive Driving Course offered by Employee and Organizational Development.  Department heads are responsible for ensuring all faculty in their departments have successfully completed the annual Motor Vehicle training prior to driving state vehicles.

A state-issued fuel card is to be used to purchase fuel for state vehicles being used for state business.  The department manager (director, department head, or supervisor) to which the vehicle is assigned is responsible for placing the card in the appropriate vehicle and checking the information on the card for accuracy.  The fuel card for a vehicle is to be kept with the vehicle and used only for the assigned vehicle.  The card can be used to purchase only fuel for the vehicle to which it is assigned.  The card is to be used at the stations that accept the Wright Express/Wex card.  If the Wright Express or Wex symbol is not on the pump with the other credit cards accepted for payment, please verify with the cashier that it is accepted.

A personal identification number (PIN) must be issued to an employee prior to using the fuel card.  The Driver ID (PIN) is an individual six-digit number assigned to each person who is authorized to purchase fuel.  The number must be used when making a purchase.  The number must be kept confidential and a driver who forgets an ID number must contact the VSU Fuel Card Contact for a copy of it.  The number can be used with any fuel card assigned to any VSU owned vehicle.  The application for the Drive ID (PIN) can be found at: http://www.valdosta.edu/finadmin/business/purchasing/documents/FuelAgreementApplicationform.pdf

Students

Adding new majors/graduate students (“Change of Major/Minor Form”)

Department heads and directors often see many of the students who wish to declare a major or minor.  Forms for this declaration are available from the Registrar, and departments should keep some on hand.  These forms must be completed by students and signed by departments from which students transfer (OASIS and First-Year Programs if the “undecided” student has yet to declare a major) and by the receiving department.  Students should take completed change of major forms to receiving departments; afterward, they must deliver a copy to the Office of the Registrar.  The Change of Major/Minor Form can be found at http://www.valdosta.edu/registrar/documents/data.pdf.

Advising students

Advising students is one of the most important tasks of all academic departments and programs, and generally all tenured and tenure-track faculty serve as advisers.  In Arts and Sciences, faculty may advise undecided students, majors, minors, and graduate students.

Assigning advisers to advisees

When students declare majors, department heads should assign them academic advisers.  Sometimes the head may assign advisers because of students’ particular tracks or concentrations or to equalize advisement duties among all faculty members.  Some departments have designated advisors who receive reassigned time.  Departments and programs should track all advisees and advisers, maintaining current, accurate records.

Advising process

Courses appear in Banner about a month before registration begins.  Departments and programs should schedule advising weeks prior to the first day of registration and utilize sign-up sheets for students to reserve advising slots; however, advising often occurs daily.  When an adviser receives a student’s folder, that folder should contain all the relevant information on that student, including transfer credits and courses already taken.  Departments and programs should use advisement forms, which need to be updated continually by advisers and students.  At least two semesters prior to graduation, advisers and students need to submit an “Application to Graduate,” which should be attached to a copy of the completed departmental advising form.  In that way, the Office of the Registrar can cross-check the adviser’s calculations.  Any advising software should be double-checked manually against the department checklist to identify the remaining courses for a student to graduate.  It is the student’s responsibility to deliver the Application for Graduation to the Office of the Registrar.

Course substitutions and waivers

As part of the advising process, advisers may need to substitute one course for another required course (especially with transfer students) or to waive a course.  Both actions require the appropriate paperwork, which must be signed by both the adviser and department head.  If the course substitution is in another field, department heads should call other appropriate department heads for advice.  In most cases, a course description is sufficient to justify a course substitution; however, a department head or director may request a syllabus for a course substitution.  It is the responsibility of the student to provide the syllabus, especially if the course is from another institution.  All course substitutions pertaining to the core curriculum (Areas A-F) and waivers must be signed by the dean as well as the VPAA.  Course substitutions for courses in the major must be signed by the dean and are then forwarded to the Office of the Registrar.  Course substitutions and waivers for graduate programs are signed by the dean of the major and then the graduate dean.  For transfer students, course substitutions for Area B (Perspectives classes) are routine.  For VSU students who have no transfer coursework, other VSU classes should not be substituted for Area B.  Those students must complete the institutional requirement of two PERS classes, each from a different area of the Perspectives offerings (there are seven areas within Area B).

Transient permission form

VSU students may request permission to take classes at another institution to count as part of their program of study.  In most cases, the Transient Permission Form is appropriate for a student moving back home during the summer and taking coursework at an institution closer to home.  The form is also used for students participating in study abroad programs at other institutions.  This form should not be used for students who are struggling in a particular course at VSU or looking to avoid a course or sequence of courses at VSU.  The process for approval and the Transient Permission Form can be found at http://www.valdosta.edu/financialaid/forms/TransientRequestForm.php.  The form must be signed by the academic advisor of the student and the department head.  The dean’s signature is required for students on academic suspension or attending local colleges.  Transient permission is usually not given to attend other local institutions.

Grade appeals

Department heads and directors need to be prepared to explain the grade appeal process to students as well as faculty.  The form for a grade appeal can be accessed at www.valdosta.edu/academic/VSUFinalCourseGradeAppeal.docx.  The student must attempt to initiate the grade appeal process within 30 working days after the Office of the Registrar has posted final grades.  As noted on the form, students can appeal grades for the following reasons: an obvious error in the calculation of the grade, the assignment of a grade to a particular student by application of more exacting requirements than were applied to other students in the course, the assignment of a grade to a particular student on some basis other than performance in the course, and the assignment of a grade by a substantial departure from the instructor’s previously announced standards.  The student must submit a detailed rationale for appealing the grade.  After the student files a grade appeal, the instructor should meet with the student to discuss the appeal.  The student must be provided with a copy of the instructor’s response.  If the grade appeal then moves to the department head or director, a meeting should be held with the student to discuss the appeal and the student must receive a copy of the response from the department head or director.  If the student elects to appeal to the dean, the department head or director should deliver the grade appeal paperwork to the dean’s office.  Instructors should respond to grade appeals within 14 days of receipt, and department heads or directors should respond with 10 days of receipt.

Other course possibilities outside the department: eCore, USG Independent and Distance Learning (USGIDL), and online institutions

When advising students, sometimes advisers discover that they cannot meet the needs of students through the on-campus schedule of courses.  Alternatives include on-line courses, eCore, and USG Independent and Distance Learning.  Department heads and directors should have reference information on these alternative delivery systems, and they should advise students that online courses taken outside the University System of Georgia must be from regionally accredited institutions.  Furthermore, students should be careful when enrolling in online laboratory courses to make sure the coursework will count at VSU or for a professional program.

Home pages/brochures

Departments and programs should maintain a current website which includes contact information for faculty and office hours, course syllabi, advising checklists for the major/minor, a tentative two-year rotation of upper-division courses, and information on study abroad opportunities as well as student organizations.  To attract students, this source may prove to be as useful as a brochure.  If prospective students call for information, department heads and directors usually refer them to the webpage.

Orientation/visitation sessions

Departments and programs have many other opportunities to interact with new and prospective students.  Visitation Days are held on various Saturdays throughout the academic year.  At these sessions, prospective students and their families come to VSU and representative from all departments and programs should set up a display and answer questions. 

Orientation sessions run throughout the summer and at special times during the year.  These sessions, for both new and transfer students, are for advising.  On the day before the session, the department should receive data on these students, which should be incorporated into folders for advising sessions.  Once again, a faculty member needs to be present at each session.

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Each spring semester in April, Valdosta State University hosts a campus-wide  Undergraduate Research Symposium.  The symposium includes oral presentations of papers, poster presentations, and creative performances across two days in the Student Union.  All departments and programs should encourage the participation of its majors and minors, including submission of proposals and attendance at students’ presentations.   Students submitting proposals for either papers or poster sessions should work closely with sponsoring faculty. 

Walking at graduation

In almost all cases, a student will walk at the commencement ceremony at the end of the semester during which they completed their final coursework for graduation.  If a student wishes to “walk early” at a graduation ceremony, they must complete a form available from the Office of the Registrar.  The form requires the signature of the academic advisor, the department head, and the dean (see Appendix A).  Generally, students must be within six hours or less of graduating to walk early at a commencement ceremony.