Academic and General Regulations

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Academic Advising

All students are expected to seek, and the university is expected to provide appropriate advising resources. These resources include academic advisors for first-year and undecided students, professional and faculty major advisors, online and transfer advisors, special program advisors, career counselors, success courses, workshops, and publications. Academic advising for first-year and undecided students is available at the Exploratory Advising office, located in Bouillon 206. Incoming transfer students may contact transferadvisor@cwu.edu to receive initial advising. Professional advising for the Colleges of Arts and Humanities, Sciences, and Education, and Professional Studies is available in the Academic Advising office in Bouillon 205, College of Business advising is located in Shaw Smyser 413. Students pursuing an online major need to email onlineadvisor@cwu.edu to contact their professional advisor. Faculty advisors are available in their respective departmental offices and are also responsible for providing major program advising. Students are encouraged to seek additional academic counsel from various faculty concerning specific areas of interest.

All students are required to meet their assigned academic advisor at the following prescribed points throughout their academic career.

• Every quarter until they have earned over 45 credits. Students will meet with advisors who will assist them with class selection toward major declaration and major admission requirements, as well as appropriate completion of General Education Requirements.
• The quarter after they have earned their 90th credit. Students meet with major advisors to review and discuss major and overall graduation requirements and to develop a degree completion plan.

In addition, students who have not declared their major by the time they have earned their 75th credit are required to meet with an advisor before they can register for the next quarter.

Admission to Major

As a student progresses, identification with a major or pre-major program of study becomes necessary for effective advising. Students are required to apply for admission to the program in which they want to major. Application forms are available in department offices or on their department web sites. After completing the form, students should submit it to the department office which administers the major. A major or pre-major advisor will be assigned by the major department at the time a student is admitted into a major or pre-major program.

Students who have earned 75 or more credits and who have not applied and been admitted to a major or pre-major will not be permitted to register for classes until their advisor has removed their advising hold.

Students are bound by the major requirements which became effective with the fall quarter Online Electronic Catalog (OEC) for the academic year in which they are accepted into their major.

If a student does not enroll for two or more consecutive quarters at Central (excluding summer), he or she will be required to reactivate his or her major status. Unless a student applies for an official leave of absence from the school, reactivation must be done with the concurrence of the department and in accordance with the department and the OEC requirements current at the time of readmission. A leave of absence should be requested, if a student is going to opt-out for more than one quarter (excluding summer) at Central.  Leave of absence forms are due to Registrar Services by the end of the quarter prior to the quarter they are requesting their leave. A leave of absence can be granted for up to two consecutive quarters at a time. This will allow the student to be eligible for registration, maintain status in their major, and the student will not have to re-apply for admissions.

Registration

Currently enrolled students may register for courses by using MyCWU, the web registration system. Registration for new and readmitted students will take place during new student orientation.  New students who did not attend orientation may register during the open enrollment period.

Students may change their schedule during the designated change of schedule period as stated in the academic calendar. Students are encouraged to use the MyCWU web registration system to complete all registration transactions.

Registration, in-person, by telephone, or web, obligates students for payment of all tuition and fees. If tuition is not paid by the due date, students will be liable for late fees and for any other reasonable collection costs and charges.

Students are assigned a registration appointment through MyCWU.  This designates when the student may start registering for classes for the term.  Consult the university calendar at www.cwu.edu/registrar/course-information or contact the university center administration office to determine exact dates for early registration, open enrollment, tuition deadlines, and the change-of-schedule period.

Fall 2019 Registration

Please note that “credits earned” does not include courses in progress but does include transfer credit that has been posted to your academic record. Please use your MyCWU unofficial transcript, not Academic Requirements report, to determine your total earned credit hours. Non-matriculated students do not qualify for priority registration.

Winter 2020 Registration

Please note that “credits earned” does not include courses in progress but does include transfer credit that has been posted to your academic record. Please use your MyCWU unofficial transcript, not Academic Requirements report, to determine your total earned credit hours. Non-matriculated students do not qualify for priority registration.

Spring 2020 Registration

Please note that “credits earned” does not include courses in progress but does include transfer credit that has been posted to your academic record. Please use your MyCWU unofficial transcript, not Academic Requirements report, to determine your total earned credit hours. Non-matriculated students do not qualify for priority registration.

Summer 2020 Registration

Please note that “credits earned” does not include courses in progress but does include transfer credit that has been posted to your academic record. Please use your MyCWU unofficial transcript, not Academic Requirements report, to determine your total earned credit hours.  Non-matriculated students do not qualify for priority registration.

Academic Credit Hour

The rule for determining academic credit is: one credit represents a total time commitment of three hours each week of the quarter. A regular load of 15 credits requires 45 hours of work per week. The total time includes class time, studying, conferring with the instructor, writing, performing laboratory work, exercising, or performing any other activity required of students. A minimum of 180 credits is required for an undergraduate bachelor’s degree.

CWU operates on a quarter system and grants quarter credit. Some colleges operate on a semester basis (i.e., divide the academic year into two parts, exclusive of summer) and give semester credits. Quarter credits can be multiplied by two-thirds to determine equivalent semester credits. Semester credits can be multiplied by one-and-one-half to determine equivalent quarter credits.

Course Numbering and Class Standing

Courses are numbered sequentially from 100 through 700. Those numbered 100 are pre-collegiate and credits in such courses are not accepted toward meeting degree requirements or calculated in the student’s grade point average. Undergraduate courses are numbered 101 through 499 and graduate courses are numbered 501 and above. Courses numbered 500 are professional development courses and are not accepted toward meeting degree requirements.

Lower Division

Upper Division

Students may enroll in courses one year ahead of their present status except when otherwise specified in the course description. A student’s class standing is determined by the number of credits earned and/or accepted upon transfer. The following table lists the credits required for each class standing:

Students holding bachelor’s degree and pursing a second degree or CWU certification program are considered post-baccalaureate.  Students that are admitted to a master’s degree program are considered graduate students. Satisfying undergraduate graduation requirements depends not only on the number of credits completed (a minimum of 180), but also on completion of all other degree/major/minor requirements.

Student Study Load
Schedule Change Form (Add/Drop Form)

Full-time and part-time students are determined by the number of credits for which they register. Full-time undergraduate is 12 credits or more. Three-quarter time undergraduate is 9-11 credits. One-half time undergraduate is 6-8 credits. Full-time graduate is 10 or more credits. One-half time graduate is 5-6 credits.

Students are encouraged to enroll in 15 credits or more each term to ensure timely progress toward degree.  Please discuss your degree completion timeline with your academic advisor.

Undergraduate:
15 credits - Standard undergraduate load
18 credits or fewer - No permission required
19-20 credits - Major advisor and major department chair approval required, or Advising Center for undeclared majors.
Over 21 credits - Major advisor and major department chair approval as well as the appropriate college dean.
A cumulative GPA of 2.8 or higher is required for students seeking an overload.

Graduate:
15 credits - Normal graduate load
16 credits or less - No permission required
17-19 credits - Major department chair or dean approval required
20 or more credits - Dean of Graduate Studies and Research approval required 

Proficiency Requirements

Students will be assessed for placement into ENG 101 and MATH 101 and above upon entering CWU. Students with deficiencies in English usage/reading or mathematical computation must correct them prior to enrolling in ENG 101 or MATH 101 and above. Students should review requisites for courses listed in the catalog. Not having the appropriate pre- or co-requisite may result in being disenrolled.

Developmental and Foundational Course Requirements

Students who do not place into Academic Writing I or Quantitative Reasoning or higher, must enroll and complete all necessary developmental course work within the first sixty (60) credits for which they are enrolled at Central. 

Students are required to enroll and complete foundational course work (Academic Writing I and Quantitative Reasoning) within the first sixty (60) credits for which they are enrolled at Central.

Exceptions to these requirements may be made pending consultation with the student’s advisor and approval by the college dean or the dean of student success for undeclared majors.

Seniors in Graduate Courses

Seniors may enroll in graduate-level courses (501 and above) with the approval of both the instructor of the course and the department chair. Credit earned in these courses may meet undergraduate or graduate program requirements, but not both. Students wishing to designate the course for graduate credit must obtain approval from the dean of Graduate Studies and Research.
 

Auditing a Course

Audit Signature (Add/Drop Form)

(Schedule Change Form)

Students eligible to enroll in a course for credit may enroll as an auditor provided space is available and permission is secured from the instructor prior to registration. To receive credit for an audited class, students must enroll for credit in and repeat the same course in a subsequent quarter. Students are assessed full tuition for audited courses. Instructors may not compel auditors to write papers or take examinations, but may insist upon other course requirements. Instructors may request that the college dean withdraw the auditor from the course if these requirements are not met. Students receive neither credit nor grades for audited courses. Course participation requirements are set by the faculty member responsible for the course.

Concurrent Enrollment

Credit for work taken while simultaneously enrolled at CWU and other educational institutions may be transferred to Central. Any student who has obtained an F-1 visa from CWU must obtain permission from the executive director of the Office of International Studies and Programs (or designee) prior to enrolling in any other institution.
 

University Catalog

The Official Electronic Catalog (OEC) is the university’s compilation for all curriculum. Undergraduate catalogs are valid for five years, and may be found at www.cwu.edu. A student should expect to complete general education requirements as listed in the OEC current at the time of first enrollment at either Central or a community college in the state of Washington (provided he or she transfers directly to CWU from the community college and has not attended another four-year institution). The student should also expect to meet the specific requirements of the departments for majors and minors in the OEC current at the time he or she is accepted by the department into the major or minor program.

Graduate students admitted to the master’s degree program may use the catalog they are admitted under or the current one.

Leave of Absence

Leave of Absence Form

Students will automatically be granted one term leave of absence for fall, winter or spring quarter without reapplying for admission as long as they were enrolled in the previous academic term.  A student may petition for consecutive terms of leave by submitting a leave of absence form to Registrar Services.  The request may be granted if the following conditions are met:

1.       The petition must be submitted at least two weeks prior to the start of the term for which the student is seeking leave.

2.       The petition demonstrates that attendance would present an exceptional hardship or loss of opportunity for the student.

Students who are on leave are permitted to register for classes as continuing students at the designated time.

A student who attends another college or university while on a leave of absence must submit an official transcript from the school by the end of the term in which they return to CWU.

Graduate students need to contact the Graduate Studies office at 509-963-3103 for leave of absence information.

Withdrawal from a Course

Peremptory (uncontested) withdrawals will not be permitted after the first six weeks of instruction. Students who withdraw after the change of schedule period from 25 percent or more of the coursework for which they have registered for two or more quarters each academic year are subject to dismissal. Students who have been dismissed under this policy may not enroll for courses without submitting an approved plan of study signed by an academic advisor to the Office of the Provost/ Vice President for Academic and Student Life. To continue enrollment, the student must satisfactorily complete all credits enrolled during the first quarter of readmission. Students who do not meet this requirement will not be allowed to register for one calendar year.

Peremptory withdrawals will be noted on the student’s transcript with “+W,” but are not calculated into the student’s grade point average.  Students who are considering an uncontested withdrawal should consult the Financial Aid Office as it may affect the student’s satisfactory academic progress for financial aid. Class rosters will reflect the +W for students who have used their peremptory withdrawal.

Withdrawals after the sixth week of instruction will be granted only for reasons of hardship and then only upon written petition to and written approval by the registrar. The student must contact the course instructor and obtain the faculty member’s signature on the hardship withdrawal petition. The signature serves merely to acknowledge the petition and implies neither support nor rejection of the request. The registrar may consult with affected faculty when evaluating a petition and will notify the instructor if the hardship withdrawal has been approved. Hardship withdrawals will be noted on the student’s transcript with an “HW” (hardship withdrawal). Hardship withdrawals from individual courses will not be permitted during or after the final examination period.

Conversions of incompletes to withdrawals must be petitioned as if they were hardship withdrawals. They may be changed only upon petition to the registrar. Withdrawals will not be included in calculating grade point averages. There are no tuition refunds in cases of withdrawal from individual courses.

Complete Withdrawal from the Academic Term

A student may withdraw from the academic term for reasons of illness or other extenuating circumstances at any time prior to finals week. An official withdrawal form is available at Registrar Services or university center offices. A student may not withdraw from the university during finals week except with approval of the registrar. A complete withdrawal from the university will be noted on the student’s transcript with a “W” and will not affect the student’s grade point average. The registrar will notify affected faculty members when a student has withdrawn from the university. Students who plan to leave the university must complete the official withdrawal form and may need to have an exit interview. Failure to do so may result in failing grades. There is no refund of tuition and fees if total withdrawal occurs after the 30th calendar day of the beginning of the quarter. See refund policy for specific details.

Military Exigency Withdrawal

Students who have been called into military service of the United States due to a national emergency will be eligible for withdrawal from the university or the granting of credit. The policy does not apply to regular National Guard or Reserve duty or to annual active-duty requirements.

• Students who must withdraw from the University during the first third of the quarter will be granted a total University withdrawal (W).
• Students who must withdraw from the university during the second third of the quarter may request either an uncontested withdrawal (+W) or an incomplete (I) in each course with specified deadline for completion to be determined by the dean in consultation with the instructor or a total university withdrawal from all courses (W).
• Students who must withdraw from the university during the last third of the quarter may request an uncontested withdrawal (+W) or an incomplete (I) or credit if the coursework is satisfactory, to be determined by the dean in consultation with the instructor or a total university withdrawal from all courses (W). If credit is awarded, the instructors must report either a letter grade or a satisfactory (S) for each course depending upon the quality of the student’s work. If credit is received and the course(s) complete(s) all requirements for the baccalaureate degree, the degree will be awarded.
• Students being called to active duty will be placed on a leave of absence until their return, at which time they will be reactivated, so they will not need to re-apply to the university or pay the application fee. Students should contact Registrar Services when they are ready to return to Central to ensure a smooth transition.
• In all circumstances, students will be expected to attend classes up to fifteen (15) calendar days prior to induction.
• Students need to contact Registrar Services or their university center office as soon as possible to complete the appropriate paperwork, and to submit a copy of the Federal Activation Orders.

Grading Policies and Regulations

“Grade Points” are assigned to each grade as follows:

The following symbols are also used. No “grade points” are assigned.

All grades are frozen upon award of degree.

Financial aid may be affected by certain grades and/or grading symbols. It is incumbent upon students to be aware of the impact of all grades on their financial aid. Financial aid information policies are available from the Financial Aid office.

Emergency Pass/Fail (EP/EF) Grades Option

(Note: Spring 2020 and Summer 2020 Only)

To help you do your best work in this time of unusual stress and change, we are providing a new grading option called Emergency Pass/Fail. Emergency Pass/Fail (EP/EF) Grades.  In the event of a major campus emergency, the Provost may authorize the conditions of use of these grades for undergraduate courses only.

Grades defined below:

Students may elect EP/EF conversions on a course-by-course basis. Upon such election, letter grades of C- or higher shall be converted to a passing grade of EP; grades of D+ or lower shall be converted to EF.

Students will have 3 days after the date on which final grades are due to choose to retain the assigned letter grade or to choose an EP/EF grade. This choice will be available on a course-by-course basis.

Credits earned with a grade of EP/EF are not included in the computation of grade point averages. Credits earned with a grade of EP shall count toward program-specific passing requirements and general education requirements. Moreover, a grade of EP shall satisfy the prerequisites of subsequent courses.

Transcripts that show a grade of EP/EF shall include a statement indicating that a state of campus emergency existed during the quarter in which the grade was posted. Credentialing for some programs/scholarships may require students to select the graded option.

Students should consult with their major advisor before choosing the EP/EF grade.

Policy # CWUP 5-90-40(20)

Incomplete Grade

The “I” grade is used when the student was not able to complete the course by the end of the term, but has satisfactorily completed a sufficient portion of it and can be expected to finish without having to re-enroll in it. The instructor will designate what a student must do to complete the course and set a specific date up to one calendar year for the completion of the coursework.

If the work is not completed within one (1) calendar year from the last day of the quarter in which the “I” was received, the registrar will automatically convert the “I” to an “F.” However, instructors may require the work to be completed prior to the end of the calendar year. In these cases the registrar will convert the grade according to the date indicated by the instructor. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the professor and make arrangements to complete the course.
To earn a grade, the student must complete the work for the course as prescribed by the instructor by the indicated date on the incomplete. Students may not re-register for a course in which they receive a grade of incomplete.

All incomplete changes exceeding the one calendar year limit, including extensions, must be submitted by the instructor to Registrar Services for approval.

In-Progress Grade

For undergraduate students, the “IP” grade is used when the student was not able to be evaluated by the end of the term, usually because instruction is not yet completed. “IP” is used for special circumstances within programs such as aviation, international studies, and cooperative education.
For graduate students, “IP” is used for thesis, and project study, that normally extend beyond a single term.
All uses of the “IP” grade must be submitted to and approved by the registrar. A letter grade is issued when the course is completed and recorded by the registrar, upon receipt of the Change of Grade form submitted by the instructor. If a grade is not submitted to the registrar within one calendar year, the “IP” will automatically be changed to “F” by the registrar. 

Grade Point Average

Grade point averages will be calculated by dividing grade points earned by the credit hours attempted. Here is a typical example:

Dividing 42.4 by 17 gives a grade point average of 2.49. In computing cumulative grade point averages, only work attempted at Central will be included in the computation. Within the major, minor, and professional education option, grades earned in all allowed courses are used. Credits earned at other institutions are accepted in meeting degree requirements according to the limits described under bachelor’s degree requirements. Graduation with distinction honors shall be based on the GPA of all credits earned at Central and all transfer credits accepted by CWU.

Credit/No Credit Option

Students may use the credit/no credit option as a way to explore academic areas of interest without affecting their grade point average.

(A) Students, except for first year students and students on academic probation, may select one course per quarter under the credit/no credit option. The credit/no credit option is distinct from courses graded on satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.

(B) The credit/no credit option may only be applied to undergraduate free electives. The option does not apply to master’s degree requirements.

(C)  A maximum of 15-credits earned in credit/no credit courses may be allowed toward the 180 required for the bachelor’s degree.

(D) Courses taken beyond the 15-credit maximum as credit/no credit will be converted to a grade.

(E) The grade recorded on the student’s transcript will be “CR” if the course grade is C- or above. If below C-, the entry will be “NC.”

(F) Instructors will not be informed which students are taking a course for credit/no credit. A grade will be given as in any other course.

(G) Students must designate a course as credit/no credit by the uncontested withdrawal deadline. For students enrolling in 6-9-week summer courses, credit/no credit must be designated by the uncontested withdrawal deadline. Intensive courses whose dates so not correspond to the academic term in which they are scheduled must have specific withdrawal deadlines. 

(H) Courses taken on a graded basis may not be repeated on a credit/no credit basis.

(I) Credits earned under the credit/no credit option are not included in computing grade point averages.

Statute of Limitation on Grade Changes

Grade changes may be filed until the end of the quarter following the one in which they were recorded. Spring quarter grades may be changed until the end of the fall quarter.

Grade Reports

A report of the final grades assigned in courses will be available on MyCWU at the end of each quarter. Students may request a hard copy be mailed by contacting Registrar Services or their university center office.

Honor Roll

Undergraduates, post-baccalaureate, and non-matriculated students who achieve a grade point average of 3.5 or higher will be placed on quarterly honor roll. To be eligible, a student must complete a minimum of 12 graded credits in the quarter earned. Central will provide honor roll recipient names to student’s hometown based on the student’s permanent address listed on MyCWU at the end of the quarter. If a student has placed a FERPA directory restriction on their record through MyCWU, the hometown newspaper will not be notified of his/her honor roll status. The honor roll status is listed on the student’s unofficial transcript and is posted two to three weeks after grades are due on the web located at www.cwu.edu/registrar/honor-roll.

Grade Appeal Procedure

Students who believe they have been improperly graded should first attempt to resolve the matter with the instructor. If resolution is not achieved, the student may appeal the grievance to the department chair. Failing resolution at that level, the grievance may be submitted to the college dean. Finally, if the grievance is not resolved at the dean level, the student may petition for a hearing with the board of academic appeals. For details, contact the Office of Student Success in Bouillon Hall, room 204 or by calling 509-963-1515.

Repetition of Courses

Repeat Approval Form

Some CWU courses are approved for repetition with credit awarded each time the course is taken and passed. Such approval is indicated in the course description in the university catalog. Full tuition is assessed for all repeated courses. Other courses may be repeated under the following conditions:

• Students are allowed to take a course a second time without restriction. Students attempting to take the same course a third time may do so only with permission of the course instructor and the department chair. Unless otherwise designated as repeatable, courses may not be taken more than three times without permission of the dean of the college and department chair.
• Credit will be awarded only once, including credit for transfer courses that are repeated at Central.
• When a course is repeated, only the last grade earned will be used in the computation of the cumulative and major grade point averages. All grades will remain in the student’s official record.

Any CWU course repeated at another institution is subject to the following requirements:

• May be transferred in for CWU credit.
• Will be used in calculating both the CWU and the transfer GPA.

Scholastic Standards

Academic standards are established by the faculty. The Dean of Student Success has responsibility for implementing these standards. A student’s academic standing appears on the quarterly grade report or unofficial transcript located on MyCWU. Questions about academic standing should be directed to the Office of Student Success (Bouillon Hall, room 204).

Good Standing: A student is in good standing when both the quarterly and cumulative grade point averages (GPA) are 2.0 or higher.

Academic Warning: A student who has been in good standing will be placed on academic warning when the GPA for the previous quarter is below 2.0.

Academic Probation: A student who has been on academic warning will be placed on academic probation if either the quarterly or cumulative GPA is below 2.0.

Academic Suspension: A student who has been on academic probation will be placed on academic suspension if the GPA for the previous quarter is below 2.0. If the GPA for the previous quarter is 2.0 or above, but the cumulative GPA remains below 2.0, the student will remain on academic probation.

Immediately after grades are submitted, the dean of student success or designee(s) reviews the academic files of all suspended students and makes one of three decisions: 

• The student may be allowed to register for one more quarter with an academic standing of probation.
• The student may be allowed to submit an academic appeal presenting: (a)  reasons for poor academic performance, (b) explanation and documentation of circumstances beyond the student’s control which adversely affected the student’s performance during the preceding quarter(s), and (c) an academic success plan which clearly outlines what the student will do differently to achieve academic good standing, should s/he be reinstated. The committee will hear the student’s case and may decide to allow the student to enroll for one more quarter on academic probation.
• The student may be denied enrollment for one year, following which the student will need to re-apply for admission to the university; however, readmission is not guaranteed.
   

A letter will be sent to the student informing him or her of the committee’s decision.

Academic Forgiveness

An undergraduate student may petition the registrar in writing for academic forgiveness if all of the following criteria are met:

1. The student returned to CWU after an absence of at least five years;
2. The student’s CWU cumulative GPA at the time of leaving CWU was below 2.0; and
3. The student has earned at least a 3.0 GPA in at least 45 credits since returning to CWU.

 If academic forgiveness is granted, the previous credits and grades at CWU will remain on the student’s transcript but will not be used in the calculation of the cumulative GPA, and the student will be placed on good standing. Only the grades earned since returning to CWU will be used in computing the CWU cumulative GPA.
The student may request a review of the registrar’s decision by the board of academic appeals and academic standing. A petition for academic forgiveness may be granted only once. Unless academic forgiveness is granted, the GPA at CWU will include all CWU grades for all courses. The forgiveness policy does not extend to calculating GPA of major or to honors.

Class Attendance and Participation

Instructors may require regular class attendance. The first day of the quarter is the first day of instruction listed in the university calendar. An instructor may drop a student from the class by notifying the registrar if the student has failed to attend the class by the end of the third day of the quarter or the first class meeting if the class does not meet during the first three days of the quarter. Students enrolled in web courses should make a post on the learning management system within the first three days of classes to ensure they are not dropped for non-attendance. Students are responsible for checking their schedules by the fifth day of instruction or the end of the change of schedule period to ensure their class schedule is correct.

A student who does not meet course prerequisites may be required to drop the course. Instructors are not required to offer makeup work for missed classes, including those missed during the change of class schedule period, regardless of student course enrollment status.

Sponsors of university-approved activities requiring absence from campus will prepare and sign an official list of the names of those students who plan to be absent. It is each student’s responsibility to present a copy of the official list to the appropriate instructors and make arrangements prior to the absence(s). Instructors are strongly encouraged to make accommodations.

Members of the university community directing or arranging such activities must adhere to the following guidelines:

1. Scheduling of such activities shall not overlap with official final examination periods.
2. Scheduling of such activities shall not require an absence of more than three (3) consecutive class days.
3. Scheduling of such activities shall be announced to the students’ far enough in advance for them to plan to fulfill course requirements.
4. Seeking permission for an exception lies with the sponsor and not with the student(s).

Student Bereavement Leave

In the event that a student experiences a death of an immediate family member or relative as defined below, the student will be excused from class for funeral leave, subsequent bereavement, and/or travel considerations.  The student will provide appropriate documentation and arrange to complete missed classroom work as soon as possible according to the process outlined below.

Upon notification of the absence and proper documentation, each faculty member shall excuse the student from class according to this policy and provide an opportunity to complete missed exams, quizzes, and other required work.  Ultimately, the student is responsible for all material covered in class and must consult with each individual professor as soon as they return to complete any required work.

(A) Excused Absences
1.  Immediate Family and Relatives.  Students shall be eligible for up to five (5) consecutive days (not including weekends or holidays) or excused absence in the event of a death of a spouse, domestic partner, parent, child, grandparent, grandchild or sibling.

2.  Other.  In the event that a death occurs to a family member or friend that does not qualify as an immediate family or relative above, students can communicate the circumstances to individual faculty to determine on a case by case basis if it is covered by this policy.

Course Challenge Prior Learning Assessment (Credit by Examination)

Under certain circumstances the university may award credit based on course challenges and other prior learning assessments. Matriculated students, enrolled in one or more course, may challenge any course which appears on the current course challenge list.

The following rules apply:

• A Course Challenge Prior Learning Assessment (Credit by Examination) application form, must be completed. This application form is available in the Registrar Services Office.
• A fee of $15 per credit, with a minimum of $30 per course, will be charged to the student’s account and must be paid at the Cashiers Office.
• The challenge is conducted according to procedures established by the appropriate department.
• A list of department-approved courses which may be challenged will be maintained by Registrar Services.
• Special courses such as “individual study,” “special topics,” “cooperative education,” and “seminars” may not be challenged for credit.
• The result of the course challenge is recorded as “S” or “U” on the transcript and is not used in computing grade point average.
• The application to challenge a course will be denied if credit for the course has been received previously at this or another college, the course was previously failed, the student previously withdrew from the course, the course was previously unsatisfactorily challenged, the course was previously audited, or if registration was canceled.
• Credits earned by course challenge or prior learning assessment will not be allowed toward meeting the residence study requirements by the university.
• Graduate students who have been admitted to a graduate program must obtain permission from the dean of Graduate Studies and Research, their advisor and the course instructor for course challenge.

Course Challenge List

Special courses such as Individual Study, Special Topics, Cooperative Education, Workshops, and Seminars may not be challenged for credit.
Accounting: no courses are offered for challenge
Administrative Management: no courses are offered for challenge
Aerospace Studies: no courses are offered for challenge
Anthropology and Musuem Studies: no courses are offered for challenge
Art and Design: no courses are offered for challenge
Asian Studies: no courses are offered for challenge
Aviation Management and Aviation Professional Pilot: all courses with departmental approval
Biological Sciences: no courses are offered for challenge
Chemistry: CHEM 110
Communication: no courses are offered for challenge
Computer Sciences: all undergraduate courses with chair’s approval
Early Childhood Education: no courses are offered for challenge
Economics: no courses are offered for challenge
Education: all undergraduate courses with chair’s approval
English: no courses are offered for challenge
Engineering Technologies, Safety, and Construction: all undergraduate courses with chair’s approval
Environmental Studies: no courses are offered for challenge
Ethnic Studies: all 100 and 200 level courses with the director’s approval
Family and Consumer Sciences: ATM 280
Finance: no courses are offered for challenge
Geography: no courses are offered for challenge
Geology: no courses are offered for challenge
Health Education: HED 101
History: 101, 102, 103, 143, and 144
Humanities: 101, 102, and 103
Information Technology: 101
Law and Justice: no courses are offered for challenge
Management: no courses are offered for challenge
Mathematics: all undergraduate courses numbered above 170
Military Science: all 100 and 200 level courses.
Music: all undergraduate courses except applied lessons, class lessons, and performing groups
Nutrition: NUTR 101, 240, 240LAB, 340, 340LAB, 345, 440, 440LAB, 442, 443, 444, 445, 446, 447, and 448
Paramedics: EMS 245, 250, 440, 441, 443, 444,  and 451
Philosophy: no courses are offered for challenge
Physics: no courses are offered for challenge
Political Science: no courses are offered for challenge
Psychology: PSY 101
Recreation and Tourism: no courses are offered for challenge
Religious Studies: no courses are offered for challenge
Safety Education: no courses are offered for challenge
Social Science: no courses are offered for challenge
Sociology: all 100 and 200 level courses with the chair’s approval
Theatre Arts: no courses are offered for challenge
World Languages and Cultures: all 100 and 200 level courses with chair’s approval

Course Substitutions

Students may petition the degree granting department chair if they wish to substitute courses within degree requirements. The course(s) used for substitution must satisfy the programmatic goals and objectives of the department as determined by the dean and the department chair. The substituted course(s) credits may not reduce the total required credits. Permit to Substitute form can be obtained from Registrar Services or online.

Academic Appeal

Students should be aware that procedures have been established to hear complaints regarding academic matters. The board of academic appeals exists to guarantee due process for academic grievances involving students, faculty, staff, and administrators. The academic appeals policy is established by the faculty senate and is administered by the Dean of Student Success.

Required Participation in Assessment Activities

As part of the continual evaluation and pursuit of excellence in ongoing programs, students are required to participate in assessment activities at several points during their academic careers. They will be assessed for placement into Academic Writing I and Quantitative Reasoning upon entering as new students. Through the placement exams, students identified with deficiencies in English usage/reading or computation must correct them prior to enrolling in Academic Writing I or Quantitative Reasoning, respectively. Students will take a placement exam prior to or during orientation. Departments may establish their own requirements as long as they meet or exceed university standards. Departments may also require students with deficiencies to correct them before being accepted into their major.

To promote success, students will be assessed for placement into courses that require a specific skill set or proficiency level (e.g. mathematics or foreign languages). These placement opportunities will be available prior to or during orientation for new first year students.

Students will participate in an assessment of intended student outcomes of the general education program. End-of-major assessments are required prior to graduation. 

Students will participate in all required assessments prior to graduation.

Students enrolling in programs that require auditions/evaluations must follow department requirements.

Unless otherwise stated, all courses at CWU are taught in English.

Once accepted, international students may be evaluated by the ESL staff to determine whether additional English-as-a-Second-Language coursework will be required during attendance at CWU.

Student Service Campus

For tuition/fees to be properly charged and for assessment purposes, it is imperative that student service campus information be correct within the student information system by the end of the change of schedule period as published in the official academic calendar. Students may take courses at any campus, online, or through a combination of multiple instructional sites. A service campus is the location that a student will be taking the majority of classes or be receiving most of their support services. The service campus is the campus to which the student was admitted unless an authorized campus change request has been processed by registrar services or a university center.

Students who would like to change their service campus must complete a campus change request form. Any change involving the Ellensburg campus must be approved and processed by registrar services. All other changes may be approved and processed by university center or online advising staff as appropriate.

Qualifying Minimum Placement Test Scores

11th GRADE SMARTER BALANCED ASSESSMENT AGREEMENT

MATH
In recognition of the achievements of high school students who have demonstrated their readiness for college- level course work, the undersigned universities agree to exempt from remedial coursework in mathematics, without further placement testing, students who:

1. Earn a Level 3 or 4 on the 11th grade Smarter Balanced Assessment in Mathematics, and
2. Complete the minimum admissions requirement of a quantitative course in the 12th grade, and
3. Enroll in a college-level course that fulfills a quantitative requirement (also known as QSR) as specified by each university, excluding pre-calculus and calculus level college courses, during the first year following high school graduation. 

Students who achieve Level 3 or Level 4 may enroll in more advanced mathematics courses through university placement testing.

ENGLISH
Similarly, the undersigned universities agree to exempt from remedial coursework in English composition, without further placement testing, students who: 

1. Earn a Level 3 or Level 4 on the 11th grade Smarter Balanced Assessment in English Language Arts,
2. Complete the fourth-year of the minimum admission requirement in English, and
3. Enroll in a college-level English composition course during the first year following high school graduation.

At each university, students achieving at Level 3 or 4 will be eligible to enroll directly in an English 101, or equivalent, course that meets a general education English/writing requirement. 

This agreement will apply to students who complete the 11th grade Smarter Balanced Assessment and are members of the high school graduating classes of 2016 through 2019.

ENGLISH

MATH

*Students must see an advisor for permission to enroll in this course.

*Students must see an advisor for permission to enroll in this course.