Orientation and Registration

ORIENTATION

All new undergraduate students, both freshmen and transfer students, are expected to attend an orientation session preceding their enrollment. The orientation program is designed to introduce every aspect of the university community to our students in a manner in which they will establishe a bond with the institution and those here to support them. A significant aspect of this experience will be to provide students with information about the policies, support systems, and resources of the University, while engaging them with their advisers in the appropriate academic programs. To this end, students should complete the orientation program prepared to register for classes and ready to embark upon their academic careers. Students who attend the orientation program register during that time.

REGISTRATION

Undergraduate students, including students not declaring a major, must enroll in one of six academic units: the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences; the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, Sam M. Walton College of Business Administration, the College of Education and Health Professions, the College of Engineering or the School of Architecture. Information regarding registration periods and procedures is included in the schedule of classes, popularly known as a "racing form," published for each term.

Registration Periods

Students must register during one of the formal registration periods. Currently enrolled students are expected to register during the priority registration held each semester for the following semester. New students (freshmen and transfers) are expected to register during the registration held in conjunction with orientation. Students, new or returning, who have not already registered should register during the two-day registration session that immediately precedes the beginning of classes each semester. There is a late registration period of five days at the beginning of fall and spring semesters and a one- or two-day late registration period at the beginning of the summer sessions, but students may find that many classes are filled. All registration is processed using HOGCALL, the University's telephone registration system: dial (501) 587-8820 from off-campus and 7-8820 from on-campus.

Proper Address of Students

It is the responsibility of all students to maintain and correct their addresses with the University and to report any change of address promptly to the office of the registrar. Failure to do so may result in undelivered grades, registration notices, invoices, invitations, and other official correspondence and announcements.

Identification Cards

Identification cards are made by the Division of Student Affairs during each registration period and at scheduled times and places during the year. Several privileges on campus require an I.D. card and it can be used as a debit card for purchases at various locations throughout the campus. Part-time students are also eligible for a card.

Academic Advising

Academic advising is a process, ideally one of continuity and commitment, which involves both students and faculty. In addition to helping students plan course schedules, advisers use the medium of a curriculum to facilitate the intellectual, ethical, personal, cultural and social development of college students. Advisers help students explore academic options and personal goals and the relationship of these to the practical world of work. Advisers are accountable for the information and advice they provide.

All students may count on their faculty advisers to do the following:

* Disperse correct information regarding academic rules and regulations, University and college requirements, and course requirements in the student's selected major.

* Understand admission requirements and the relationship of ACT scores to placement in remedial or honors courses.

* Provide extended office hours during registration periods so students receive the information and guidance to complete the course selection process.

* Keep thorough records to chart academic progress toward graduation and to maintain the continuity of the advising process.

* Be able to relate the student's academic major to areas of future employment.

* Be sensitive to the diversity of students being advised and knowledgeable of campus tutoring and support services available to them.

* Be aware of current developmental theory as it pertains to college students so that student/adviser communication is based in reality.

* Be a resource and student advocate in the sometimes intimidating world of academia.

The University is committed to developing each student to his or her fullest potential. To this end, programs in each college have been established to improve the academic achievement and persistence of students on academic probation and other students in need of academic assistance. Such assistance is provided through a variety of instructional and informational services.

Arkansas State Requirements for Developmental Course Placement

Arkansas law specifies that all first-time entering freshmen who are enrolled in a bachelor's degree program will be placed in either college-level credit courses in English and mathematics or remedial courses in English composition, reading, and mathematics on the basis of their scores on specified tests.

* Students who score below 19 on the English section of the ACT or below 470 on the verbal score of the SAT must enroll in Remedial English 0003, which does not carry degree credit.

* Students who score below 19 on the reading section of the ACT or below 470 on the verbal score of the SAT must enroll in Developmental Reading 0003, which does not carry degree credit.

* Students who score below 19 on the mathematics section of the ACT or below 460 on the quantitative portion of the SAT must enroll in Remedial Math 0003, which does not carry degree credit. However, students whose Mathematics Placement Test (MPT) scores qualify them for placement in a higher-level mathematics course, such as MATH 1203, may enroll in that course. Students will be required to register for these courses during their first term at the University and, if necessary, in subsequent terms until passing grades have been earned in all required courses. Students must successfully complete any required developmental course in English before degree credit for freshman English can be awarded; students must successfully complete any required developmental course in mathematics before enrolling in a college-level mathematics course. Students who need further information or clarification regarding this law are encouraged to discuss this with their academic adviser or dean.

Courses That Do Not Count Toward A Degree

The following courses do not count toward degree credit in any college or school: ANTH 0003, PHSC 0003, ENGL 0003, MATH 0003, and RDNG 0003.

The following courses do not count toward any degree in the College of Engineering: MATH 1203 (College Algebra), 1213 (Plane Trigonometry), 1285 (Pre-calculus Mathematics), and ENGL 3003 (Intermediate Composition).

Registration for Grades of Pass-Fail

Students in some programs may register to take certain courses on a pass-fail basis. In such cases, a mark of "CR" (passed) or a grade of "F" (failed) will be recorded.

Students in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Architecture, and the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food & Life Sciences are eligible to enroll for certain courses on a pass-fail basis under the following conditions:

1. That such registration be approved by the student's adviser. (Students in Agricultural, Food & Life Sciences must also have the approval of their academic dean.)

2. That the student has attained sophomore rank, or higher.

3. That the student is not on academic probation, and has achieved a cumulative grade-point average of at least 2.00.

4. That such enrollment be limited to one course per semester.

5. That the total enrollment on a pass-fail basis be limited to no more than 18 hours in any student's degree program.

6. That the courses involved are not part of the student's major and are not specifically required as part of the student's degree program.

7. Normally, registration for pass-fail credit will be completed prior to the final date for changing registration by adding a course.

Grades for students enrolled on a pass-fail basis will be reported on final grade rosters in the usual manner. The dean's office will review each report and will authorize the registrar to record "CR" or "F" on the student's official academic record, as appropriate. The "CR" marks will not be counted in grade point averages but will increment hours earned; the "F" grade will be counted in the grade point average.

College of Education students may enroll in courses on a pass-fail basis under the same conditions but only in courses offered by the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Education. Walton College of Business Administration and College of Engineering students may not take courses on a pass-fail basis.

Undeclared Major

Degree-seeking students who are undecided about their choice of a major field of study will be considered to have an undeclared major. However, all undergraduate students must enroll in one of the colleges or schools. Each of these academic units makes provisions for undeclared majors and each has its own rules concerning the point at which a student must declare a major. Again, your academic adviser will be of great assistance in determining the college or school in which a student with an undeclared major should enroll.

Walton College of Business Administration students have the pre-business administration classification with an intended major until they complete specific lower-division courses, a process which normally takes four semesters. Students entering the College of Engineering must declare an intended major. All engineering students are classified pre-engineering students until they have satisfied the pre-professional program, which is normally completed during the freshman year.

Registration for Audit

Students wishing to audit a class should contact the instructor teaching that class and request permission to audit. If the instructor approves the audit, the academic department will register the student in that class as an audit. Auditing of a class is allowed on a space-available basis, and a student must pay fees for that class. The instructor shall notify the student of the requirements for receiving the mark of "AU" for the course being audited. The instructor and the student's dean may drop a student from a course being audited if the student is not satisfying the requirements specified by the instructor. The student is to be notified if this action is taken. The only grade or mark which may be awarded is "AU."

Adding and Dropping Courses

A currently enrolled student who has registered during the advance registration period should make any necessary or desired schedule adjustments such as adding or dropping courses or changing course sections during the schedule-adjustment period scheduled for the same semester. Students may also add or drop courses during the first five class days of a semester. Students who drop classes by the end of the first week of classes will have their fees adjusted. Fee adjustments are not done for classes dropped after the first week of classes.

A student may drop a course during the first 10 class days of the semester without having the withdrawal shown on the official academic record. After the first 10 class days, and before the drop deadline of the semester, a student may drop a course, but a mark of "W," indicating withdrawal, will be recorded. A student may not drop a full-semester course after the Friday of the tenth week of classes in a semester.

Drop-add deadlines for partial semester courses are published in the schedule of classes. Drop-add deadlines for summer sessions are published in the summer sessions schedule of classes.

Withdrawal from Registration

Withdrawing from the University means withdrawing from all classes that have not been completed up to that time. A student who leaves the University voluntarily before the end of the semester or summer term must drop all classes by telephone registration or must file with the registrar a petition for withdrawal from registration. Withdrawal may occur anytime during the semester through the last day of classes. Withdrawal deadlines for summer sessions are published in the summer schedule of classes. Students who do not withdraw officially from a class they fail to complete will receive an "F" in that class. Students with holds on their registration should contact the office of the registrar for assistance in processing their official withdrawal from the University.

Student Standing

Definitions of undergraduate student classification are as follows:

* Freshman ­ a student who has passed fewer than 30 semester hours of course work

* Sophomore ­ a student who has passed more than 29 hours and fewer than 60 hours

* Junior ­ a student who has passed more than 59 hours and fewer than 90

* Senior ­ a student who has passed 90 or more hours

Fulltime Students

While University offices and services typically recognize the full-time status of students who have enrolled for a minimum of 12 semester hours, students should bear in mind that this minimum number of hours is insufficient to allow them to complete a four-year degree program in eight academic semesters (four years). Since most University degree programs require a minimum of 124 semester hours, or 31 hours per year, a student should earn 15 to 16 hours per semester to complete most degree programs in four years (eight semesters).

Number of Hours Allowed Per Semester

1. Students who wish to carry more than 17 hours per semester must first obtain the permission of their academic advisers.

2. Students who wish to carry more than 18 hours per semester must first obtain the permission of their academic dean(s).

3. Students who wish to carry more than 21 hours per semester must first request and receive favorable action from the Academic Standards Committee.

4. Students on probation may not carry more than 15 hours per semester.

5. Students who wish to exceed the normal summer school load must have the approval of their academic dean(s) to take seven hours in five- or six-week sessions or 13 to 14 hours in 10- or 12-week sessions. Students who wish to take more than seven hours in one five- or six-week session or more than 14 hours in one 10- or 12-week session must first receive favorable action from the Academic Standards Committee.

6. For disabled students, less than 12 hours may be certified as full-time with the approval of the appropriate dean and the concurrence of a physician or a licensed examiner.

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The Office of University Relations
800 Hotz Hall
Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701
(501) 575-5555
urelinfo@cavern.uark.edu