All students, including new and readmitted students, are required to complete their registration at an assigned time several days before the beginning of each semester. Students are advised when to arrive for this registration. Students who are authorized to begin classes later in the semester register on the Thursday or Friday before their first course begins.

Payment

All students must either make full payment, or make appropriate arrangements for payment, with the Enrollment Center at or prior to registration. Payment procedures and payment plans are described under the Tuition and Fees section in the current Catalog. A student whose payments are past due may be suspended from the University; that means that the student will not be permitted to enroll or continue in courses, to remain on the meal plan, or to live in campus housing. Diplomas, certificates, or transcripts will not be issued to or for a student whose account is in arrears. Payments may be made online.

Course Enrollment

The University reserves the right to limit the enrollment in any course, and to withdraw any course if too few students have registered or due to other unforeseen circumstances.

Changing Classes (Add/Drop)

The block system requires that even on the first day of the course much material must be covered. For this reason, students are advised to plan ahead; if you are unsure about which course to take, it is recommended to meet with your advisor to make any changes to your schedule before the block starts.

To change from one course to another, students must see their graduation advisor. You will need an “Admit to Class” slip from your graduation advisor entry into the new class. No changes are allowed after the first day of a two-week block or after the second day of a four-week block. Certain classes may require attendance from the first day.

Course Withdrawals

Students may withdraw from a course for any reason before a course starts or during the first half of a course. It is advised that first year students see the first year advisor and other students see the graduation advisor before withdrawing from a block. After the midpoint, students may only withdraw for reasons of illness or family emergency. If a student stops attending during the second half of the course for any other reason, they will receive a grade of NC. Under other extenuating circumstances, the Dean of Students may recommend the student be allowed to withdraw with a grade of W. Students withdrawing from a course who live on campus may recover from illness in their room, and then must either return to class, move off campus for the remainder of the block, or engage in other activity as approved by the Dean of Students. Students must withdraw within three days of their last day of attendance in class or they will receive a grade of NC.

Forms for class withdrawal are available from your graduation advisor in the Enrollment Center. This form must be completed for every withdrawal. It includes a statement of the withdrawal policy and requires the signature of your graduation advisor.

Course Withdrawal Procedures

1. To withdraw from the course before it has started, download the online Course Withdrawal Petition form and give to the graduation advisor in the Enrollment Center.
2. To withdraw two or more days after a course has started but before the midpoint of the course, fill out a withdrawal form together with your graduation advisor in the enrollment center within three days of the last day of class attended. Please give complete information: the reason for withdrawal and intentions for the rest of the block. Sign and date the form at the bottom. After completing the form, the original goes to your permanent record in the Enrollment Center; one copy goes to you; and one copy to your course instructor. Your instructor will record a grade of W on the grade sheet for the course. If you live on campus it will be necessary to meet with the Dean of Students who must also sign the withdrawal form. Your graduation advisor also signs the form.
3. If you stop attending class during the second half of the course for any reason other than illness or family emergency, the instructor will record a grade of NC on the grade sheet for the course. Complete a course withdrawal form with your graduation advisor in the enrollment center and have it signed by the instructor. The Dean of Students is immediately informed of the student’s situation by the graduation advisor and by the instructor.
4. It is your responsibility to inform your instructor of your intention to withdraw within three days of the last day of class attendance. If you are absent longer than three days, the instructor must assign a grade of NC.
5. The Exercise and Sports Science department receives a copy of the course withdrawal form. Students are not responsible for Physical Activity Reports during a block from which they withdrew.
6. Development of Consciousness course requirements can be adjusted if students are less than full-time in any semester. Students who withdraw from classes and become part-time students, may request a reduction in their DC course requirements.

Leaving the University

Students who wish to take a break from their studies need to inform their graduation advisor before leaving campus. The graduation advisor will remove the unattended classes from the student’s record and fill out a “Change in Charges” form for the student if an adjustment of charges and/or refund is warranted. Students who are absent for an entire semester must apply for readmission through the Office of Admissions when they desire to return. Details

Directed Study

Directed study is allowed only in special cases, such as a course required for graduation not offered at a time the student can take it. Students may apply for Directed Study by following these guidelines:

• The student must fill out a Directed Study form with the faculty who will supervise the course.
• The Directed Study form must be signed by the Department Chair of the supervising faculty and the supervising faculty.
• The form must be submitted to the graduation advisor in the enrollment center at least one week before the beginning of the course and must be approved by the Academic Standards Committee.
• Directed Studies are allowed only on the Fairfield campus.

Directed Study forms submitted after the block begins may not be accepted.

Internships and Fieldwork

• Internships and fieldwork must be supervised by a faculty member and approved in advance by the Department Chair, the Internship Committee, and the Academic Standards Committee.
• Internships must be in the United States or at an institution outside of the United States that is affiliated with the University.
• An Internship Proposal form must be completed and submitted to the student’s graduation advisor in the Enrollment Center at least two weeks before the internship is to start.
• Students doing internships or fieldwork in Fairfield are required to complete their Development of Consciousness course requirements.

Class Meeting Times

Classes in standard programs generally meet Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. with an hour break for lunch, and from 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon on Saturday. Attendance at all classes is required. (Each nonstandard program has its own class schedule.)

Punctuality

Students are expected to attend and participate in all classes, except when they are sick or have a family emergency or some other compelling reason. This allows students to gain the maximum from Consciousness-based Education.

Repeated unexcused absences and tardiness are a violation of the code of student behavior. In addition to academic consequences described in Academic Policies, students with repeated unexcused absences are subject to the following actions:

• If a student misses four sessions of a 4-week class or 2 sessions of a 2-week class for reasons other than the allowable sickness or family emergency, the student will be placed on Attendance Alert 1.
• If the student then has another unexcused absence in that class, the student will be invited to a conference with an Associate Dean of Students, who will place the student on Attendance Alert 2.
• If a student on Attendance Alert 2 misses yet another class without proper excuse, the Associate Dean of Students will call a Student Support Meeting, and the student will likely be suspended from the University.

See Attendance and Punctuality for details.

Standard Enrollment

Students in standard programs normally register for 21 to 23 semester hours (sh) of credit in each semester (20 to 22 sh of instructional courses and 1 sh of DC courses.) All students are expected to be enrolled in every block. Enrollment in nonstandard programs varies from program to program.

Double Majors

Undergraduate students may major in two disciplines by satisfying the departmental requirements for each. The second major must involve at least 24 semester hours of course work outside the first major department, and all course work for both majors must be completed before the degree is conferred.

Enrollment of Undergraduates in Graduate Courses

A senior who is within eight credits of graduation and who has been accepted to a graduate program may, with the approval of the academic department and the Dean of the Graduate School, take graduate level classes while completing requirements for the bachelor’s degree. Admission to graduate study must be approved before course work applying to a graduate program is undertaken. Undergraduate students are not eligible for graduate assistantships, other forms of graduate student financial aid, or those services and prerogatives normally reserved for graduate students. Students enrolled in graduate classes while enrolled in an undergraduate program will be given an undergraduate status until the baccalaureate degree has been awarded. However the graduate department may accept credit toward the graduate degree earned while the student was enrolled in an undergraduate degree.

Additional Courses for Graduate Students

A graduate student admitted with deficiencies in academic background may be required to take academic work in addition to the prescribed courses of a program. Credits earned in these courses generally do not count toward the minimum credit requirements for a degree.

Readmission

Students who have been away from the University for one semester or longer, have officially withdrawn from the University, or who have been suspended for three or more blocks must apply for readmission by completing an application for admission. Readmission is not automatic; applicants are subject to admissions review. Applications should be returned as early as possible.

Doctoral Research Off Campus

Candidates for the doctoral degree may, with the approval of the advisory committee, carry on some of the research work off campus. Arrangements for registration may be made by applying at the Enrollment Center.

Class Selection

Class selection is held each spring for the next academic year. All returning students who are attending classes at that time must complete class selection for the next year’s classes. This facilitates registration in the fall. The online schedule of classes is updated each April with courses for the following school year.

Course Number System

The content of this page was reviewed in August 2011.