2007-2008 Academic Catalog
Getting started at UAF
Registration
You must register and pay tuition and fees to attend classes and earn credit. Registration is held each semester on dates published in the academic calendar. For special programs, short courses, seminars and other classes not part of the regular academic calendar, registration is as needed.
Details about procedures and schedules for registering are published online and in separate publications at each campus and branch campus. Registration instructions for the Fairbanks campus are provided in the UAF class schedule, published in April for the upcoming fall semester and in November for the upcoming spring semester. The same information is available online at http://alaska.edu/uaonline or www.uaf.edu/reg/schedule/.
If you register for courses, the university holds you financially responsible for payment of your tuition and fees. The university will not drop your registration if you do not pay, but there will be other consequences for non-payment, such as not being able to receive your grades or transcripts.
Academic advising is an important part of planning for your education. All degree and certificate students are required to have an academic advisor. Your advisor helps you explore your academic interests and goals, and determine the best options, alternatives and sequences of classes to take. Your advisor’s signature is needed to begin the registration process. Non-degree students may also see an advisor, and it is recommended for those taking 9 or more credits in a semester or for those who have accumulated 30 or more UAF credits. Academic advising is available at several campuses. See Services and Resources for more information.
Test results are required for first-time degree or certificate students, transfer students with fewer than 30 acceptable credits, or students planning to take 100-level written communication or mathematics courses. Results from American College Testing Program (ACT) or the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or, for associate degree or certificate students, the ASSET or COMPASS test must be on file with the Office of Admissions before you can register for classes. A hold may be placed on your ability to register if you have not submitted required test scores.
Course prerequisites tell you what previous preparation you need to enroll in a course. An instructor has the right to drop any student from the course if he or she does not meet the prerequisite or has not received a grade of "C" or better in all prerequisite courses. Under special circumstances, an instructor may allow a student who does not meet prerequisites to enter a class.
You should not register for a course for which you have not completed the appropriate prerequisite courses and received a grade of "C" or higher unless you have received the instructor’s explicit permission. You are expected to check all the prerequisites for the classes for which you intend to register. Prerequisites must be met in order to enroll in some math and developmental courses. Check for prerequisites in the current class schedule, the courses section of this catalog or at http://alaska.edu/uaonline.
Anyone who wants to attend classes at UAF as a non-degree student can as long as you have the appropriate permissions. Current high school students should refer to the High School and Secondary School Students section below. Non-degree students are subject to placement examination requirements for freshman courses, and they must maintain a 2.0 GPA to remain in good standing. Any non-degree student who wants to be considered a degree candidate must meet regular admission requirements and submit transcripts. Non-degree students are not eligible for financial aid or priority registration.
Many people who enroll as non-degree students have already earned a bachelor’s degree but have not applied to a graduate program. This category may include students who plan to take "interest courses," those who wish to prepare for admission to a graduate program, and those who expect to stay at UAF only briefly. It’s important for potential graduate students to understand that credits earned as a non-degree student might not be accepted for use toward a graduate degree program. Please see the transfer credit section of How to Earn a Graduate Degree.
High School and Secondary School Students
High school, secondary and middle school students may take classes at UAF. One program, Alaska Higher Education Admission Decision (AHEAD), requires formal admittance to UAF (see Admissions Requirements). Secondary student enrollment and TECH PREP, however, do not entail formal admission.
- Secondary Student Enrollment
The secondary student enrollment process allows high school and secondary school students to register for UAF classes. A student meeting course prerequisites may enroll in university classes with permission of the instructor or the department head. Students must consult their appropriate school district officials and school counselors for approval prior to registration if they wish to use university courses to meet high school graduation requirements. To register for classes high school students must use the secondary student enrollment form found in the UAF class schedule or online at the registrar website (www.uaf.edu/reg/).
Registering for courses at UAF establishes a permanent academic record that reflects student academic performance in all courses attempted.
Note: Enrollment in UAF courses as a secondary student does not constitute formal admission to the university for the purposes of earning a certificate or degree. - TECH PREP Opportunities
The TECH PREP program allows students to earn credits toward a UAF certificate or associate degree by completing classes in high school that have been approved for college credit by UAF. The classes available for credit vary from school to school, but in general, they are taken from the following areas: automotive and diesel mechanics; airframe and powerplant; human services; computer information office systems; office management and technology; allied health; drafting; accounting; emergency medical services; and welding. For more information, contact your high school counselor or Tanana Valley Campus student assistance at (907) 455-2851.
Undergraduates only--The credit/no-credit option encourages students to explore areas of interest not necessarily related to their major. This option may be used for one undesignated elective (an elective that is not specifically required for your major) each semester. The deadline for choosing the credit/no-credit option is the third Friday after the first day of instruction for a semester. The instructor does not know your status in the course, and you complete the course the same way as other students in the class. Credit for the course is awarded if your performance is at the C grade or higher; if your performance falls below that level, the course will not appear on your academic record. In either case, the course will not be included in any GPA calculations. If credit is granted, a CR grade will be entered for the course.
Under the credit/no-credit option, students may take undesignated elective courses or courses to meet the minimum credit requirements for a degree. Major or minor requirements and those specified as foundation courses are not allowed.
Students who want to enroll in one or more courses for informational purposes may only register as an auditor if space is available and auditing is permitted in the class. You pay the standard credit fees for the course, but the credits are not included in the computation of study load for full-time/part-time determination or for overload status.
The requirement, acceptance and review of work, and lab privileges are at the discretion of the instructor. A grade of AU (audit) is granted to students who complete an audited course, but no credit is awarded. Audited courses do not apply toward degree requirements, and they will not transfer to other institutions.
When you register you should indicate on the registration form your desire to audit a course. Students who want to change from audit to credit must request the change before the deadline to add a course. Requests made after the third Friday after the first day of instruction must be approved by the instructor of the course. All changes must be made before the deadline for student-initiated withdrawals.
Instructors set the requirements under which an AU grade is to be recorded, and they must submit AU for students who satisfy requirements. Auditors not receiving an AU grade receive a W grade. If you have audited a class, you cannot request local credit by exam for that class for a period of at least one year.
The add/drop process may be used to change from credit status to audit status for a class. The change must be made by the end of the second full week of instruction by following the add/drop process. Changes after this date require approval by the instructor of the course. For degree-seeking students an advisor’s signature is also required. You may not change from credit to audit after the last day for student-initiated withdrawals.
Adding, Dropping and Withdrawing from Classes
Information about the add/drop process can also be found at http://alaska.edu/uaonline, in the current class schedule at the Registrar’s Office or at www.uaf.edu/reg/schedule/. Adds, drops and withdrawals are not final until the student has completed the appropriate procedure, paid any relevant fees or tuition and submitted all necessary paperwork to the Registrar’s Office.
Important registration change deadlines.
You may add classes to your schedule until the end of the published late registration period. If you are on a wait list for a class and have kept up with class activity, you may be allowed to register for the class with instructor approval until the fourth Friday after the first day of instruction.
You may drop a class at UAOnline until the last day of late registration. To drop a course after this date but before the third Friday after the first day of instruction, go to the Registrar’s Office. Dropped classes do not appear on your academic record.
Students are expected to begin attending classes on the first day of instruction. Some departments, in trying to find space for students on wait lists, require that you attend the first class session or notify the department in advance that you cannot attend the first class. If you miss the first class without notifying the department, you may be dropped from the course, and the space may be assigned to a student on the wait list.
At the Fairbanks campus, the class schedule provides information on which courses use the non-attendance drop policy. After the first class session, names of students dropped from classes are forwarded by the department head to the Registrar’s Office so the courses can be removed from students’ enrollment files.
Because of the high demand for composition (ENGL 111X, 211X, 213X, 313 or 414) and basic speech (COMM 131X or 141X) courses, students who fail to attend the first class meeting will be dropped even if they registered in advance and paid their fees. If space becomes available in a class from which you have been dropped by the department, you need to follow the add/drop procedure to re-enroll.
Withdrawing Before the Student-Initiated Deadline
- Withdrawing from a Class
If you withdraw from a class later than the third Friday after the first day of instruction (last day to drop classes), a grade of W appears on your academic record. The W grade does not affect your GPA. The last day you can withdraw from a class is the ninth Friday after the first day of instruction. For specific dates, see the academic calendar on the inside cover of this catalog. - Total Withdrawal from All Your Classes
If you want to withdraw from all your classes later than the third Friday after the first day of instruction (last day to drop classes), use a Total Withdrawal form available from the Registrar’s Office. Students not in a degree program should use the Non-degree Total Withdrawal form. You’ll receive a W grade for all classes, which does not impact your GPA. A student-initiated total withdrawal is subject to the same deadlines as withdrawal from a class. For specific dates, see the academic calendar on the inside cover of this catalog.
Withdrawing After the Student-Initiated Deadline
Course withdrawals after the student-initiated withdrawal deadline--the ninth Friday after the first day of instruction--are allowed only in exceptional cases. Approval is not automatic, and you need to provide evidence to support your request. Acceptable non-academic reasons might include documented family emergency, major employment change, documented medical condition or disciplinary sanctions. Avoiding an unsatisfactory grade is not an acceptable reason for seeking a late withdrawal and will not be approved. Student-initiated withdrawals after the deadline should be submitted within 30 class days after the beginning of the next regular semester.
- Late Withdrawal from a Class
Late withdrawal from a class after the student-initiated withdrawal deadline requires a Late Withdrawal form (available at the Registrar’s Office or online at www.uaf.edu/reg/) and approval signatures from the academic advisor and dean of the college or school in which the class is offered. Students enrolled in only one course must use the Total Withdrawal form. It will also require signature clearances from several departments. Documentation in support of the request (e.g., student’s explanation accompanied by a physician’s letter) must be included along with the form before it is submitted to the dean. The form is then turned in to the Registrar’s Office. - Late Total Withdrawal from All of Your Classes
Late total withdrawal from all your classes after the student-initiated withdrawal deadline requires a Total Withdrawal form (available at the Registrar’s Office).- Degree seeking students--Complete the form and obtain clearances from student service departments as well as approval signatures from your academic advisor and dean of the college or school in which your academic program resides. Documentation in support of the request (e.g. student’s explanation accompanied by a physician’s letter) must be included with the Total Withdrawal form when it is submitted to the dean. Once approved, the form will be turned in to the Registrar’s Office.
- Non-degree seeking students--Complete the form and obtain clearances from student service departments as well as approval signatures from the university registrar or the associate vice chancellor of enrollment services. Documentation in support of the request (e.g., student’s explanation accompanied by a physician’s letter) must be included with the Total Withdrawal Form when it is submitted. Once approved, the form will be turned in to the Registrar’s Office.
Faculty-initiated Drop or Withdrawal
Class instructors have the right to drop students who do not meet course prerequisites, did not obtain a grade of "C" or better in all prerequisite courses or who have not participated substantially in a course. Faculty-initiated drops submitted through the third Friday after the first day of instruction will be treated as a dropped class and will not appear on any student transcript. The faculty-initiated withdrawal may occur after the third Friday but before the ninth Friday after the first day of instruction. A grade of W will appear on a student’s academic record for faculty-initiated withdrawals.
Registrar’s Office
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Signers’ Hall, Room 102
P.O. Box 757495
Fairbanks, AK 99775-7495
E-mail: registrar@uaf.edu
Online: www.uaf.edu/reg/
Telephone: (907) 474-6300
Toll-free: 1-877-474-6046