Academic and General Regulations

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Academic Appeal

The academic appeals policy is established by the faculty senate and is administered by the dean of student success. The structure and procedures of the board of academic appeals may be amended by the faculty senate at any time with the approval of the university policy advisory council.

Definition of Academic Appeals

The purpose of an academic appeal is to provide students with a safeguard against an arbitrary or capricious academic decision, while respecting the academic responsibility of faculty.

Arbitrary or capricious practices are considered to be those practices in which:

• A determination is made on some basis other than academic performance, or
• A determination is made on the basis of program/course of study standards different from those which were applied to other students, or
• A determination is made by a substantial, unreasonable, and unannounced departure from the articulated standards for the program/course of study.

There are two categories for academic appeals:

1. Academic Petition

An academic petition is designed to address arbitrary or capricious practices in academic decisions other than a course grade. These decisions may relate to admission to a program/course of study or dismissal from a program/course of study when the decision is not made on the basis of student conduct.

• Colleges, departments, and programs are responsible for establishing, maintaining, and communicating academic and professional standards.
• Students are responsible for achieving and maintaining the academic and professional standards set by colleagues, departments, and programs.

2. Course Grade Appeal

A course grade appeal shall be confined to charges of capricious or arbitrary action toward an individual student and may not involve a challenge of an instructor’s grading standard. It is incumbent on the student to substantiate the claim that their final grade represents arbitrary or capricious practice based on one of the following:

• the assignment of a final course grade to a student on some basis other than performance in the course, or
• the assignment of a final course grade to a student by resorting to standards different from those which were applied to other students in that course, or
• the assignment of a final course grade by a substantial, unreasonable, and unannounced departure from the instructor’s previously articulated standards.

Faculty are responsible for establishing clear grading standards, policies, rules, and requirements and maintaining those throughout the term.

Students are responsible for:

• achieving and maintaining the standards of academic performance and excellence as defined by their instructors; and
• complying with all relevant policies, standards, rules, and requirements that are formulated by the university and university’s academic units.

The Board of Academic Appeals

The purpose of the board of academic appeals (Board) is to provide for fair and impartial hearing of academic appeals involving students, faculty, staff, and administrators. The Board serves as the final hearing body for the university in the matter of academic appeals. The Board may direct the university to change an academic decision affecting the student and specify the content of that change. The decision of the board of academic appeals is final.

The academic appeals policy is established by the faculty senate and is administered by the dean of student success. The structure and procedures of the board of academic appeals may be amended by the faculty senate at any time with the approval of the university policy advisory council.

Appeals must comply with the time limits specified in CWUR 2-90-040 or the right to appeal is forfeited. Reasonable exceptions to the deadlines may be made by the chair of the Board or designee.

No individual shall be penalized or retaliated against in any way by the university community for his or her participation in an appeal procedure.

Academic Advising and Orientation

All students are expected to seek, and the university will provide, appropriate advising resources. These resources may include (but are not limited to) specific faculty advisors, special program advisors, career development counselors, advising seminars, advising workshops, and advising publications. Students can view their assigned advisor in their MyCWU account. Locations of services and contact information for advising staff can be viewed at https://www.cwu.edu/academics/academic-resources/academic-advising/. Incoming transfer students may contact transfer@cwu.edu to get connected with the proper advising office. Students are also encouraged to seek additional academic counsel from various faculty concerning specific areas of interest.

The academic advising council is responsible for establishing and maintaining required advising practices and procedures. The academic advising council will work with other university stakeholders to assess the impact of required advising on student enrollment, retention, and success.

Required advising will occur according to check points that determine when a necessary connection between a student and an advisor should occur. At a minimum, required advising should happen at the following check points:

• Incoming First-Year Student Advising: All new incoming first-year students (students with fewer than 45 credits earned) will have required advising before they enroll for their first quarter at CWU.
• Current First-Year Student Advising: All current first-year students (students with fewer than 45 credits earned) will have required advising every quarter.
• Transfer Student Advising: All transfer students (students with at least 45 credits earned) will have required advising before they enroll in their second quarter at CWU.
• Undeclared Student Advising: All students with 75 credits or more and who have not declared a major will have required advising every quarter.
• Graduation Preparation Advising: All students will have required advising the quarter after they earn 120 credits.

Colleges, departments, and programs (including the general education program) may define their own additional required advising check points.

Students on academic warning or probation, or who are otherwise considered to be in academic jeopardy, may have required advising checkpoints assigned to them.

A major or pre-major advisor will be assigned at the point at which a student is admitted into a major or pre-major program.

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. Completed forms are to be submitted to the department which administers the major.

Students who have not been admitted to a major or pre-major prior to accumulating 75 credits will have holds placed on their registration.

• Transfer students who enter with 100 or more credits are expected to submit an application for a major or pre-major to the major department before their second quarter at CWU.
• Requests for waivers to this policy may be approved by a CWU advisor and submitted to the Office of the Registrar. Such waivers will be granted only for a single quarter.

Departments with major requirements that prohibit being admitted to a major at 100 credits or sooner must request pre-major codes from the Office of the Registrar and establish pre-major advising.

Students who are admitted to majors that contain fewer than 60 credits must also be admitted to a minor.

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.

Other Information
If a student does not enroll for two or more consecutive quarters at Central (excluding summer), they will be required to reactivate their 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 the Office of the Registrar 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.

Applying for Admission into a Major, Pre-Major, or Minor
A student can apply to most major or minor programs by logging into their MyCWU account, going to their student tab and then selecting the Records tab on the menu on the left side of the screen. After selecting the Records tab a student will select the Request to Apply/Drop Program, select request to apply to an academic program, enter in the program code or click on the prompt for “click here if you don’t know your program code”, once the major or minor has been selected, it will fill in the program code automatically. Then click on the submit button to finalize the application request.

Once the application request is submitted it will be sent to the appropriate academic department to review to make a decision on admitting the student into the requested major.

Students may also apply to a major by going to the academic department’s web site. Many departments have digital or downloadable application forms on their web sites.

For instructions go to: Applying for Admission into a Major Detailed Instructions  

Registration

Procedures for registration will be established by Office of the Registrar with the approval of the provost.

Wait List

1. Establishment of the course wait list is at the discretion of the instructor. Instructors may use their own waitlist or use the procedure established by the Office of the Registrar.
2. The wait list and auto enroll will be frozen after the second day of the change of schedule period.

Priority Registration
Priority registration may be extended to students in university programs based on the Office of the Registrar approval. Approval for priority registration is not intended to be based on major only. Individual students may not apply directly to the Office of the Registrar for priority registration.

Fall 2023 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, except for Sammamish Running Start students, do not qualify for priority registration.

Winter 2024 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, except for Sammamish Running Start students, do not qualify for priority registration.

Spring 2024 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, except for Sammamish Running Start students, do not qualify for priority registration.

Summer 2024 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, except for Sammamish Running Start students, do not qualify for priority registration.

Fall 2024 Registration

Winter 2025 Registration

Spring 2025 Registration

Summer 2025 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
First-year - 101 through 199
Sophomore - 200 through 299

Upper Division
Junior - 300 through 399
Senior - 400 through 499

A student’s class standing is determined by the number of credits earned and accepted upon transfer. The following table lists the credits required for each class standing:

First-year     0-44.9
Sophomore  45-89.9
Junior            90-134.9
Senior           135 or more

Students may enroll in courses one year ahead of their present status except when otherwise specified in the course description.

Other Information
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.

Undergraduate 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 status is 12 or more credits in any quarter.

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.

Students participating in activities which require “normal/satisfactory progress” must be registered for and successfully complete 12 or more credits per quarter. Criteria for successful completion may be established by the department supervising the activities.

Students on academic probation may not carry loads in excess of 15 credits. 

A cumulative GPA of 2.8 or higher is required for students seeking an overload. Exceptions may be approved by the major department chair or the director of academic advising services; in the case of students without declared majors.

Undergraduate or Post-Baccalaureate

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 Associate Director of International Student and Scholar Services or designee prior to enrolling in any other institution. 

Auditing a Course

Audit Signature (Add/Drop Form)

(Schedule Change Form)

CWU 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. CWU students may not convert an audited class to credit unless they retake the class for credit. Auditors are assessed full tuition for audited courses.

Instructors may not compel auditors to write papers or take examinations, but may insist upon other appropriate course requirements. Instructors may request of the college dean that auditors be officially withdrawn from the course if these requirements are not met.

CWU students receive neither credit nor grades for audited courses. Course participation requirements are set by the faculty member responsible for the course. 

University Catalog

The official electronic catalog (OEC) is the university’s compilation for all curricula. The OEC serves as the basis for major, minor, and program requirements for the degree audit system for that academic year. The OEC includes all the changes which met the appropriate deadlines for approval the previous academic year.

Undergraduate catalogs are valid for five years. A student should expect to complete general education requirements as listed in the OEC current at the time of first enrollment at either CWU or a community college in the state of Washington (provided the student 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 the student is accepted by the department into the major or minor program.

Students admitted into the early transfer admission+ program who formally declare and are admitted to a major or minor should also expect to meet the specific requirements of the departments for majors and minors in the OEC current at the time they are accepted by the department.

If the student does not enroll for two or more consecutive quarters at CWU (excluding summer) without a leave of absence, the student must reactivate their major status. Reactivation must be done with the concurrence of the department and in accordance with department and OEC requirements current at the time.

Department chairs will notify students that they are bound by the major requirements which became effective with the fall OEC for the academic year in which they are accepted into their major.

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

Peremptory (Uncontested) Withdrawal from a Course

Peremptory (uncontested) withdrawals will not be permitted after the first six weeks of instruction. Students who withdraw after the drop-add period from 25 percent or more of the coursework for which they have registered for two or more quarters each academic year are considered as exercising excessive peremptory withdrawals. The Provost or designee may authorize dismissal in these cases after reviewing records presented to the Office of the Registrar. 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 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.

In circumstances when academic dishonesty is confirmed, a W may be replaced with a letter grade (see academic dishonesty).

Other Information
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.

Hardship Withdrawal

Withdrawals will be granted only for reasons of hardship after the sixth week of instruction. Petitions must be submitted to Office of the Registrar. The registrar has final approval.

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 the course instructor when evaluating a petition for hardship withdrawals, and will notify the instructor if the hardship withdrawal has been approved.

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; i.e., they may be effected only upon petition to the registrar.

Withdrawals will not be included in calculating grade point averages.

Other Information
Hardship withdrawals will be noted on the student’s transcript with an “HW” (hardship withdrawal).

There are no tuition refunds in cases of withdrawal from individual courses.

Complete Withdrawal from the Academic Term and/or University

A student may withdraw from the university by reason of illness or other extenuating circumstances at any time prior to finals week.

A student may not withdraw from the university during finals week except with approval of the Office of the Registrar.

The Office of 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. Failure to do so may result in failing grades.

Other Information
An official withdrawal form is available at the Office of the Registrar or university center offices. 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. There is no refund of tuition and fees if total withdrawal occurs after the 30th calendar day of the beginning of the quarter.

Military Exigency Withdrawal

Students who have been called into active military service of the United States will be eligible for withdrawal from the university or the granting of credit. The policy does not apply to National Guard or Reserve soldiers required to attend their two-week annual training requirements.

Students who must withdraw from the university during the first third of the quarter will be granted a total university withdrawal (W). Tuition and fees may be refunded.

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 are granted an incomplete for classes must pay tuition and fees for those classes.

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). Students who are granted an incomplete for classes or receive credit for classes must pay tuition and fees for those classes.

If credit is awarded, the instructors must determine either a letter grade or a satisfactory (S), as requested by the student, for each course, depending upon the quality of the student’s work, as determined by the instructor.

If credit is received and the course(s) complete(s) all requirements for the baccalaureate degree, the degree will be awarded.

In all circumstances, students will be expected to attend classes up to fifteen (15) calendar days prior to the reporting date as specified in federal activation orders (National Guard and Reserves) or the Office of the Governor in the case of National Guard called up for state emergency.

Students need to contact the Office of the Registrar or their university center office as soon as possible to complete the appropriate paperwork, and to submit a copy of the Federal Activation Orders. As long as the university receives the proper notification, the student will not need to reapply for admission when they are ready to return to CWU. Students being called to active duty will be placed on a leave of absence until their return, at which time they will be reactivated.

Other Information
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 the Office of the Registrar when they are ready to return to Central to ensure a smooth transition.

Leave of Absence Procedure

Leave of Absence Form

Undergraduate and post-baccalaureate students who do not enroll for consecutive academic quarters (exclusive of summer), and are planning to take two quarters off, must reapply for admission. However, if students meet the criteria below, they may be granted a leave of absence, which means that they do not have to reapply for re-admission their returning quarter and that they may register early for classes as continuing students at the designated time.

The application for leave of absence must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar at least two weeks prior to the term for which the student is seeking leave.

Leaves will be approved only if attending consecutive quarters would present an exceptional hardship or loss of opportunity.

Students may be granted for up to two quarters at a time. Additional consecutive quarters must be petitioned separately.

Graduate students need to contact the school of graduate studies for leave of absence information.

The leave of absence procedure is under Undergraduate Admissions in the procedure manual.

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.

Grading policy is the responsibility of individual instructors as long as students are notified of that policy at the outset of a course and the policy is applied consistently within a course.

Departments may establish grading standards and policies which guide the grading by individual instructors. Any such policy must be course-specific and not instructor-specific, must be applied uniformly for all sections of the course, and must be in existence prior to the first day of instruction of the quarter in which the course is offered.

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. Only work attempted at Central will be included in the computation except in the GPA for major, minor, and professional education programs in which case 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. 

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.

Undergraduate 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.

The credit/no credit option may only be applied to undergraduate free electives. The option does not apply to graduate degree requirements.

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

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

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.

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.”

Students must designate a course as credit/no credit by the end of the 7th week of instruction. For students enrolling in 6-9 week summer courses, credit/no credit must be designated by the withdrawal deadline. Intensive courses whose dates do not correspond to the academic term in which they are scheduled must have specific withdrawal deadlines.

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

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

Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory Courses

Courses for which there are no performance evaluations required for entrance, progress, or completion, and for which attendance is the basis for evaluation are graded S/U.

Courses graded satisfactory/unsatisfactory and the conditions under which they will be so graded must be so identified in the course description in the catalog.

Statute of Limitation on Grade Changes

All types of grade changes require the instructor’s signature and a justification. Grade changes, beyond one week after grades are due, require both instructor and chair/program director signatures. Any request for a grade change after one quarter also requires the dean’s signature. If the instructor is not available, the chair or program director shall be the instructor’s designee. A request for a grade change after one year or after graduation must be submitted to the academic dean for approval/denial. No grade change will be allowed after two years from the date the original grade was issued. 

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 the Office of the Registrar or their university center office. 

Instructors are encouraged to provide summative feedback to each student in the first half of the quarter. Students are encouraged to contact their instructors for feedback at any time throughout the quarter.

Honor Roll

Undergraduates, post-baccalaureate, and non-matriculated students who achieve a grade point average of 3.5 or higher will be named to the quarterly honor roll.

To be eligible, a student must complete a minimum of 10 A-F graded college-level credits in the quarter earned; developmental courses are not calculated in the quarterly GPA.

Academic Dishonesty

Academic dishonesty is defined in the Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 106-125-020 Prohibited Student Content.

Faculty who suspect students of academic dishonesty must follow the procedure outlined in CWUR 2-90-040(24).

Students found responsible of academic dishonesty violations in a course will be prohibited from completing an SEOI for the course.

Withdrawing from a course does not excuse academic dishonesty. In circumstances when academic dishonesty is confirmed, a W can be replaced by a letter grade.

Course Grade Appeals

Grades may be appealed according to the academic grievance policy published in CWU policies and procedures.

Repetition of Courses

Repeat Approval Form

Some 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 Central Washington University courses may be repeated under the following conditions:

• Students are allowed to take a course a second time. 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 records.

Any CWU course repeated at another institution and approved by the department:

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

Incomplete Grade

The “I” grade is used at the instructor’s discretion when the student was not able to complete the course by the end of the term, but had been making satisfactory progress as of the uncontested withdrawal date.

Other Information
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 the Office of the Registrar 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.

If a grade is not submitted to the registrar within one calendar year, the “IP” will automatically be changed to “F” by the registrar.

Other Information
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 Office of the Registrar, upon receipt of the Change of Grade form submitted by the instructor.

No Show (NS)

“NS” is only used when the student has never attended a single class. If the student has attended even one class, a “NS” may not be issued. 

No Grade Reported (NR)

“NR” is used when no grade has been reported to the Office of the Registrar by the instructor. 

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 Office of the Registrar.
• 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 the Office of the Registrar.
• 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: Undergraduate courses, excluding internship and courses designated as culminating experiences per the General Education policy, may be considered for course challenge with department approval
Aerospace Studies: no courses are offered for challenge
Anthropology and Museum 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
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: no courses are offered for challenge
Humanities: no courses are offered for challenge
Interdisciplinary Studies - Social Sciences: no courses are offered for challenge
Information Technology: Undergraduate courses, excluding internship and courses designated as culminating experiences per the General Education policy, may be considered for course challenge with department approval
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
Retail Management Technology: Undergraduate courses, excluding internship and courses designated as culminating experiences per the General Education policy, may be considered for course challenge with department approval
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 the Office of the Registrar or online.

Blanket Substitutions
A blanket substitution is used when a required course, or group of courses, is/are no longer being taught (i.e., placed on reserve, no instructor to teach, etc.) and a replacement course, or group of courses, is/are needed to fulfill the student’s program requirement(s) during the academic year.

Blanket substitutions may be determined by the department chair, an academic program director, or college dean, where appropriate, for a course substitution meeting a program requirement. Requests will be submitted to the Office of the Registrar or designee. Blanket substitutions may be effective for no more than one academic year and will be deactivated the end of summer term of the requested year. Curriculum change(s) must be made if continuance is required. 

Scholastic Standards

Academic standards are established by the faculty.

Other Information
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 Engagement and Success (Bouillon Hall, room 204).

Academic Standing

A student’s academic standing appears on the quarterly grade report. There are four designations of academic standing:

1. Good Standing: A student is in good standing when both the most recent quarterly grade point average (GPA) and the cumulative GPA are 2.0 or higher.
2. 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. Students on academic warning whose quarterly GPA is 2.0 or higher, but whose cumulative GPA is below 2.0 will remain on academic warning. Students on academic probation whose quarterly GPA is 2.0 or higher will be placed on academic warning.
   • Students on academic warning will have required advising and shall develop an academic improvement plan in consultation with an academic advisor.
   • Students on academic warning may not enroll in more than 18 credits and may be advised to reduce their course loads.
3. Academic Probation: a student will be placed on academic probation if their quarterly GPA is below 2.0 for two consecutive quarters and their overall GPA is below 2.0.
   • Students on academic probation will have required advising and shall revise their academic improvement plan in consultation with an academic advisor.
   • Students on academic probation may not enroll in more than 18 credits and may be advised to reduce their course loads.
4. Academic Suspension: A student will be placed on academic suspension for up to one academic year if their quarterly GPA is below 2.0 while the student is on academic probation.
   • The academic files of all suspended students will be reviewed and students that have been placed on academic suspension will be denied enrollment for one academic year.
   • Students may appeal the suspension by presenting evidence of circumstances beyond the student’s control, which adversely affected the student’s performance during the preceding quarter(s). The appeal will be reviewed by the academic standing committee, which makes a final determination regarding the length of suspension.

1. A student who successfully appeals their suspension will stay on academic probation and enroll in class.
   • A student on academic suspension must apply for readmission to the university. Readmission to the university is not guaranteed and is contingent on demonstrating the ability to succeed at CWU.
2. A student will be placed on academic warning upon returning to CWU from academic suspension.

Course Requirement Overlap

Courses that satisfy the basic skills and/or breadth requirements may also be applied toward major, specialization, minor or certificate requirements (or as noted in CWUP 5-50-030), unless disallowed by the department. However, credit hours for each course will be counted only once toward the minimum 180 credit hour graduation requirement. (See CWUP 5-90-050)

Departments shall establish policy guidelines regarding the multiple use of a single course toward satisfying major, specialization, minor or certificate requirements (or as noted in CWUP 5-50-030). These policy guidelines shall be maintained on file with the Office of the Registrar and published in print and on-line catalogs and available department advising material. 

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. 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. Students in face-to-face classes are expected to attend the first meeting of the term. Students who fail to attend, login or make previous arrangement with the instructor or department will be dropped for non-attendance.

The drop for non-attendance date shall be defined as the third day of instruction during a regular quarter, or the second day of instruction during the summer session. If the first class meeting occurs after the drop for non-attendance date, then the first class meeting date shall be the drop for non-attendance date. Intensive courses whose dates do not correspond to the academic term in which they are scheduled will have course-specific deadlines for academic and financial responsibility.

Non-attendance does not relieve the student of academic and financial responsibility associated with enrollment as detailed on the academic calendar. Students who enroll or register after the third day of instruction are responsible for academic and tuition liability.

A student who is enrolled in a class, but did not successfully complete all of the course prerequisites the previous quarter and who does not have instructor permission, will be dropped from the course before the last day of the change of schedule period.                

In compliance with RCW 28B.137.010, educational institutions must accommodate student absences to allow students to take holidays for reasons of faith or conscience or for organized activities conducted under the auspices of a religious denomination, church, or religious organization, so the students’ grades are not adversely affected by the absences.

• Faculty members must reasonably accommodate students who, due to the observance of religious holidays, expect to be absent or endure a significant hardship during certain days of the course or program.
• “Reasonably accommodate” means coordinating with the student on scheduling examinations or other activities necessary for completion of the course or program and includes rescheduling examinations or activities or offering different times for examinations or activities. Students seeking reasonable accommodations under this policy must provide written notice to the faculty, within the first two weeks of the beginning of the course, of the specific dates the student requests accommodations regarding examination or other activities.
• RCW 28B.137.010 requires course or program syllabi to include either this policy or a link to the policy.
• Students may not be required to pay any fees for seeking reasonable accommodations under this policy.
• Students who feel that this policy has not been fairly implemented may appeal to the Dean of Student Success in the Office of the Provost.
• Instructors are not required to offer makeup work for missed classes, including those missed during the Change of Class Schedule period or university-approved activities, regardless of student course enrollment status

In cases where an absence meets the guidelines below, instructors are strongly encouraged to work with the student to make arrangements to avoid academic penalties due to absences. The student is responsible for obtaining written documentation that will serve as verification of the agreement. 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. Members of the university community directing or arranging such activities must adhere to the following guidelines:

• Scheduling of such activities shall not overlap with official final examination periods;
• Scheduling of such activities shall not require an absence of more than three (3) consecutive class days;
• Scheduling of such activities shall be announced to the students far enough in advance for them to plan to fulfill course requirements;
• Responsibility for seeking an exception to these guidelines lies with the sponsor and not with the student(s).

Last Week of Classroom Instruction

During the last week of classroom instruction, faculty may give no tests worth more than a total of 20 percent of a course grade, excluding summer quarter.

Graded assignments, such as papers and projects, due during the last week of classes must be indicated on the instructor’s syllabus.

Final Examinations

Currently, the final examination week for each term spans four days from the Tuesday through the Friday immediately following the last week of instruction. The Monday following the last week of instruction is designated as a study day for students and no exams may be scheduled on that day.

Examinations on the Ellensburg campus are established according to class schedules in order to avoid, where possible, conflicts resulting from simultaneous examination periods. Examinations at the university centers are scheduled by the university centers typically at the time the class has been taught. Final exam schedules are posted to the student MyCWU schedules by the 30th day of the quarter.

1. Final exam weeks are a part of the academic year/university calendar days, as established in the catalog.

2. During final exam week, a final examination or culminating experience (i.e., an “authentic assessment” which could be, but is not limited to, formal presentations, poster sessions, writing tasks, or portfolio reviews) is expected for each course taught as dictated by the nature of the course material and/or learner outcomes.

3. Faculty and students are required to conform to the final examination schedules published by the Office of the Registrar on the Ellensburg campus or determined by the university centers unless:

• A faculty member’s responsibilities require an alternative examination date and time.
• On the Ellensburg campus, in the event that a student can demonstrate that they have more than two examinations scheduled on the same day or two examinations scheduled at the same time, any one of their instructors is authorized to excuse the student from the regularly scheduled examination and give a final examination to the student during an alternative time during finals week. In cases in which alternative arrangements cannot be made, students shall refer the matter to the department chairs in consultation with the appropriate instructor.
• At the university centers, in the event that a student has two examinations scheduled at the same time, any one of their instructors is authorized to excuse the student from the regularly scheduled examination and give a final examination to the student during an alternative time during finals week, including Monday of finals week. In cases of difficulty in arriving at a solution, students shall refer the matter to the department chairs in consultation with the appropriate instructor.

4. If a faculty member is required to be away from campus due to a faculty development opportunity or leave as delineated by the Central Washington University and UFC Agreement, changes to an instructor’s exam date and time must be made at the earliest possible date and approved by the department chair. Moreover, it is the responsibility of that faculty, with approval from the chair, to arrange a suitable alternative that will accommodate all students.

5. Faculty must have grades submitted by no later than 10:00 p.m. on the Tuesday after final examination week.

Syllabi

By choosing to enroll in a course, students are obliged to accept and follow the stipulations and standards of performance and conduct formulated in the syllabus. Syllabi function to ensure that instructors maintain their courses in good order and take actions against those who disrupt the learning environment. Instructors will provide each student with a written or electronic syllabus at the beginning of a course. The syllabus must contain the following information:

1. Title, time, and location of the course;

2. Name, contact information, and office hours of instructor;

3. Objectives of course, expected student learning outcomes and method of assessment;

4. Any special conditions or requirements associated with the course (e.g. hybrid instruction, field trips);

5. Required books and materials;

6. Criteria for determinance of final grade;

7. Instructor’s policy on students’ attendance and absence;

8. Tentative dates for major assignments and examinations;

9. Instructor’s policy on late work, make-up, extra credit, and other issues unique to the class.

10. Instructor’s policy on academic dishonesty. It is recommended that reference be made to CWUP 5-90-040(24) and CWUR 2-90-040(24).

11. Instructor’s policy on student conduct. It is recommended that reference be made to the policy on expectations of student conduct in the Washington Administrative Code (see WAC 106-125-020).  Any expectations that go beyond what is stated in WAC 106-125-020 should be included in the syllabus.

12. A statement consistent with the university’s commitment to diversity, such as:

“CWU expects every member of the university community to contribute to an inclusive and respectful culture for all in its classrooms, work environments, and at campus events.”

13. A disability statement, such as:

Central Washington University is committed to creating a learning environment that meets the needs of its diverse student body. If you anticipate or experience any obstacles to learning, contact Disability Services to discuss a range of available options. Student Disability Services is located in Hogue 126. Call (509) 963-2214 or email ds@cwu.edu for more information.

14. RCW 28B.137.010 requires course syllabi to include a link to CWUP 5-90-040(39) regarding reasonable accommodation for religious holidays and a statement explaining the policy, such as:

“University Policy, CWUP 5-90-040(39), provides for reasonable accommodation of student absences for religious holidays in accordance with RCW 28B.137.010. Students seeking reasonable accommodations under this policy must provide written notice to their instructors within the first two weeks of class specifying the dates for which religious accommodations are requested. Contact the Dean of Student Success at (509) 963-1515 for further information.”

15. A statement consistent with the university’s position on sexual misconduct, clarifying the instructor’s role as a mandatory reporter, and providing information about confidential reporting, such as:

“Central Washington University is committed to providing all community members with a learning and work environment that is free from sexual harassment and assault.  Students have options for getting help if they have experienced sexual assault, relationship violence, and sexual harassment, or stalking. Information can be found at https://www.cwu.edu/about/offices/civil-rights-compliance/addressing-preventing-sexual-misconduct/index.php and in CWUP 2-35-050: Sexual Harassment. Faculty are required to report information regarding sexual misconduct or related crimes.”

“Students may speak to someone confidentially by contacting the CWU Wellness Center, 509-963-3213, or the CWU Student Counseling Clinic, 509-963-1391.”

Athletic Participation

Central Washington University may elect to abide by academic standards established by outside athletic organizations or agencies as long as they meet or exceed university standards.

Required Participation in Assessment Activities

Assessment of Students

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.

1. Students will be assessed for placement into Academic Writing I and Quantitative Reasoning upon entering as new students.  Assessment for placement should be completed prior to enrollment. Any student not assessed for placement prior to enrollment shall be assessed during their first quarter.
2. Students will be assessed for placement into courses that require a specific skill set or proficiency level (e.g. mathematics or foreign languages).
3. Students enrolling in programs that require auditions/evaluations must follow department requirements.

Assessment of Programs

1. Students will participate in an assessment of intended student outcomes of the general education program.
2. Students will participate in all required assessments prior to graduation.

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.

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 is not specifically covered by 5-90-040(43)A.1, students can communicate the circumstances to individual faculty to determine on a case by case basis if it is covered by this policy.

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 four (4) terms, including summer, 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 six (6) terms 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. 

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 during the fall, winter, and spring terms. The service campus is the campus to which the student was admitted unless an authorized campus change request has been processed by the Office of the Registrar or a university center.

During the summer session, Ellensburg service campus fees will only be assessed when a student is taking one or more courses on the Ellensburg campus. Students who are not automatically assessed Ellensburg service campus fees may choose to pay them in order to access services provided on the Ellensburg campus.

Other Information
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 the Office of the Registrar. All other changes may be approved and processed by university center or online advising staff as appropriate.

Student Evaluation of Instruction (SEOI)

SEOIs are one factor in the evaluation and assessment of faculty teaching effectiveness. Conclusions (formative or summative) based on SEOIs must be made with extreme care. Faculty should be encouraged to experiment with new teaching methods and should not be punished for methods that are in development. These guidelines are intended to ensure that SEOIs are used appropriately and consistently. See the policy for more detailed information.

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.
 

Degrees Offered

Central Washington University offers the following undergraduate degrees:

Bachelor of Applied Science
Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts in Education
Bachelor of Fine Arts
Bachelor of Music
Bachelor of Science

Students wishing to earn a BA, BAS, BAEd, BFA, BM, or BS degree must complete (1) the general education program; (2) a concentration of at least 60 credits which may be satisfied by a specified major, or a specified major and minor, or a specified major and courses in other fields as prescribed by the major department; (3) electives in sufficient quantity to include 60 upper-division credits to bring the total quarter credits to 180; and (4) other degree requirements as specified in the catalog under graduation requirements. Department fields of study are listed by major, minor, or specialization by college on the undergraduate programs offered. Minor concentrations are offered in many fields.

Students wishing to earn a BAEd degree must complete (1) the general education program; (2) a major in early childhood education, elementary education or special education and minors, when appropriate; (3) the professional education foundation courses; (4) 180 total quarter credits (including 60 upper-division credits); and (5) other general degree requirements as listed under the College of Education and Professional Studies and graduation requirements sections in this catalog. Students may select any university minor; however, students are strongly encouraged to select an endorsable teaching minor.

Qualifying Minimum Placement Test Scores

ACADEMIC WRITING I

All students completing CWU’s General Education Program  are required to take an Academic Writing I course. There are two options for completing this course:

• Option 1 - Complete an AW I course during a single quarter.
• Option 2 - Complete the AW I Stretch program, which stretches the content of an AW I course over two quarters and provides additional support to improve your writing and reading comprehension skills.

To help students decide which option is best for them, they will complete a directed self-placement survey that recommends a course option based on their responses. Students who have earned a Direct Transfer Agreement Associate Degree, or received a C- or higher in a class that transfers as an AW I course, do not need to complete the self-placement survey.

The directed self-placement survey asks students to reflect on their previous reading and writing experiences and answer questions about their preparedness for academic writing. After students complete the survey, they should discuss their Academic Writing I recommendation with their advisor and register for classes.

MATH

11th GRADE SMARTER BALANCED ASSESSMENT AGREEMENT

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.

This agreement for math 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.

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

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