Information and Services –

What's New at FSU - You Need to Know! Academic Forgiveness Academic Major Changes Address Updates Dropping a Class or Classes Grades Graduation Information Registration Information Registrar’s Calendar Residency Information Transcript Requests Withdrawal from the Institution for the Term

 

What's New at FSU - You Need to Know!

New Credit Hour Range for Class Rank - Beginning in the Fall of 2007 the credit hours used to determine class rank (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior) has been updated.  The new classifications are:

Freshman - 0 to 29 hours
Sophomores - 30  to 59 hours
Juniors - 60 to 89 hours
Seniors - 90+ hours

Changes to the D/F Repeat Policy - Beginning in the Fall of 2007, only courses taken prior to the attempted 60th hour may be repeated under the D/F Repeat policy.  See the new catalog (due in May) for complete details.

Self-Registration - Beginning with pre-registration in March of 2008, all students will be able to access the student web product to register for classes during the appropriate registration window.  Make sure to meet with your academic advisor prior to your registration window to make sure you know exactly what classes to take and to get your individual term PIN.   See Registration Information below for training dates and more details.

New Electronic Invoice - Beginning with the Fall of 2006 you will receive your bill for tuition and fees via your Fairmont State email address.  You will no longer receive a bill in the mail.  Check your Fairmont State email often for up-to-date bill and other important information.

Important Dates:

January 13 - Last day to withdraw from the institution without owing a portion of your tuition and fees

January 14 - Classes begin

January 18 - Last day to add courses and last day to drop courses without a 'W' appearing on your transcript

January 25 - Deadline to apply for DECEMBER 2007 Graduation

March 21 - Last day to drop a class for the full term

Check the Registrar's Calendar (link below) for all important dates.

 

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Academic Forgiveness Policy

Only the students applying for readmission after the effective date of this policy will be eligible for forgiveness under this policy. This policy supersedes all previous Academic Forgiveness Policies at Fairmont State. Academic Forgiveness only applies to courses taken at Fairmont State University or Fairmont State Community & Technical College.

Academic forgiveness is intended for the student who is returning to college with a grade point deficit and who has not been enrolled as a full-time student (12 or more credit hours) in any institution of higher learning during the five consecutive academic years immediately preceding the readmission semester. A student who does not normally qualify for readmission because of a low GPA may be admitted and placed on academic probation, unless the student has been placed on academic suspension. When forgiveness is granted, grades of D, F and FIW earned prior to the aforementioned five-year period are excluded from the computation of the grade point average. However, no failing grade will be removed from the permanent record. The academic forgiveness policy may be applied after a student has earned 12 credit hours that apply toward graduation, with a minimum GPA of 2.0.

Academic forgiveness will be granted only once for any student. The Registrar will give consideration to a request for forgiveness when s/he receives a signed, written request from the student which certifies that the student has not been enrolled as a full-time student (12 or more credit hours) in any institution of higher learning during the five consecutive academic years immediately preceding the readmission semester. Should the student have attended any institution of higher education on a part-time basis during the specified five-year period, s/he must have earned at least a 2.0 GPA in all course work attempted. The student’s request for forgiveness must be submitted during the readmission semester, and it must identify the non-enrollment period. If all prerequisite conditions have been met, academic forgiveness will be granted at the time the current GPA is calculated officially by the Registrar upon completion of the readmission semester.

The academic forgiveness policy does not alter, change, or amend any other existing policies at Fairmont State and is formulated to be consistent with Series 20 of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission. This policy pertains only to the calculation of the GPA required for graduation and does not pertain to GPA calculated for special academic recognition (such as graduating with honors) or to requirements for professional certification which may be within the province of licensure boards, external agencies, or the West Virginia Board of Education. The Regents Bachelor of Arts Program is governed by a different forgiveness policy.

Fairmont State is not bound by the decision of any other institution to disregard grades earned in college courses. Similarly, students should be aware that academic forgiveness extended by Fairmont State may not be recognized by other institutions to which they may transfer.

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Academic Major Changes

Student may inquire about their eligibility to change their academic major in the Student Services Center located in 248 Hardway Hall.  If qualified, students may change majors based on the following deadlines:

August 1 – Last Day to Change Majors for the Fall Term

December 15 – Last Day to Change Majors for the Spring Term

May 1 – Last Day to Change Majors for the Summer Term

Students who are eligible to change their major after the deadline will have the change processed for the following term.

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Address Updates

It is very important to keep your address updated.  You can do this by coming into the Student Services Center in 248 Hardway Hall or logging into your account through the Enrollment Center.  Once in the Enrollment Center, enter the ‘Students-Faculty-Staff: Secure Area Log-in’, enter your UCA and Password, and follow these steps:

Select ‘Personal Information’

Select ‘Update Address(es) and Phone(s)’

Select an address type from ‘Type of Address to Insert’

Hit ‘Submit’

Make the appropriate changes and hit ‘Submit’

Your address is now updated

Email Address

Once you have been admitted to Fairmont State, you are issued a Fairmont State email address.  Please check this address frequently as important information will be sent to you from the Financial Aid, Student Accounts, and Registrar’s offices.

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Dropping a Class or Classes

You must drop classes online through the Enrollment Center (Not Web CT/Vista).  Follow the steps below to access the Enrollment Center:

To Log-in:

1. Go to the 'Enrollment Center'
2. Select ‘Students-Faculty-Staff: Secure Area Log-in
3. Enter your UCA Username and password
4. Click ‘I Agree’ on the Web Transaction Policy
5. Select ‘Student & Financial Aid’
6. Select ‘Class Scheduling’
7. Enter the CURRENT Term - Spring 2006, Fall 2006. etc.
8. Select ‘Add/Drop Classes’
9. Enter 000000 as the Alternate PIN

To Drop Classes:

Select the drop code from the pull down box under ‘Action’ for all classes you want to drop.
When done, click ‘Submit Changes’.
MAKE SURE TO LOOK AT YOUR SCHEDULE TO VERIFY THE CLASS HAS BEEN DROPPED.

If you try to drop your last class, the system WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO DO THIS.  Dropping your last class is actually withdrawing from the term (see below).

NOTES:

1. If you have a financial hold on your account, you will not be able to drop a class.  Please visit the Registrar’s Office in 248 Hardway Hall for assistance.
2. If you have any problems dropping a class or withdrawing for the term, come to the Registrar’s Office right away.  Do not wait.
3. You are responsible for your schedule.  Every time you add or drop a class, review your schedule on- line and make sure you are registered only for the classes you want to be registered for.
4. If you do not attend a course, you are responsible for dropping that course.  You WILL NOT BE AUTOMATICALLY DROPPED FROM THE COURSE.
5. If an advisor/instructor indicates they will drop a class for you, check your schedule on-line to make sure the class has been dropped.

 

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Grade Reports/Unofficial Transcripts

Students can access mid-term and final grades by logging on to the Enrollment Center and entering the ‘Student-Faculty-Staff Secure Area Log-in’.  Select ‘Class Scheduling, Student Records…’, then select ‘Student Records’ to find both final and mid-term grades.  We no longer issue grade reports.  Unofficial academic transcripts can be printed from this location as well.

Registration Information

In order to register for classes you must have been admitted and have an active record.  Students who do not attend after they have been admitted or sit out a semester must reapply through the Admissions Office in order to become active. 

As an active student, you must contact your academic advisor to dicuss class selections and recieve your term PIN.  Without this PIN you cannot schedule your classes.  Please refer to the Registrar’s Calendar for registration dates for each term.

Click on the link for an online copy of the Registration Guide.  This guide will take you through the process step by step.

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Residency Information

General

Students enrolling in a West Virginia public institution of higher education shall be classified as resident or nonresident for admission, tuition and fee purposes by the institutional officer designated by the President. The decision shall be based upon information furnished by the student and all other relevant information. The designated officer is authorized to require such written documents, affidavits, verifications, or other evidence as are deemed necessary to establish the domicile of a student. The burden of establishing residency for tuition and fee purposes is upon the student.

If there is a question as to residence, the matter must be brought to the attention of the designated officer and acted upon at least two weeks prior to registration and payment of tuition and fees. Students found to have made false or misleading statements concerning their residence shall be subject to disciplinary action and will be charged the nonresident fees for each session therefore attended.

Residence Determined by Domicile

Domicile within the State means adoption of the State as a fixed permanent home and involves personal presence within the State with no intent on the part of the person to return to another state or country. West Virginia domicile may be established upon the completion of at least 12 months of continued residence within the State prior to the date of registration, provided that such residence is not primarily for the purpose of attendance at any institution of learning in West Virginia.

Establishment of West Virginia domicile with less than 12 months’ residence prior to the date of registration must be supported by proof of positive and unequivocal action, including but not limited to the purchase of a West Virginia home, full-time employment within the state, paying West Virginia property tax, filing West Virginia income tax returns, registering to vote in West Virginia and the actual exercise of such right, registering of motor vehicles in West Virginia, and/or possessing a valid West Virginia driver’s license. Additional items of lesser importance include transferring or establishing local church membership, involvement in local community activities, affiliation with local social, civic, fraternal or service organizations, and various other acts which may give evidence of intent to remain indefinitely within the State. Proof of a number of these actions shall be considered only as evidence which may be used in determining whether or not a domicile has been established.

Minors

Minors are defined by the West Virginia Code ß2-2-10 as persons under 18 years of age. The residence of minors shall follow that of the parents at all times, except in extremely rare cases where emancipation can be proved beyond question. The residence of the father, or the residence of the mother if the father is deceased, is the residence of unmarried and unemancipated minors. If the father and the mother have separate places of residence, minors take the residence of the parent with whom they live or to whom they have been assigned by court order. The parents of minors will be considered residents of West Virginia if their domicile is within the State.

Minor students who are properly admitted to an institution as resident students shall retain that classification as long as they enroll each successive semester.

Emancipated Minors

Emancipated minors may be considered as adults in determining residence, provided satisfactory evidence is presented that neither of their parents, if living, contributes to their support nor claims them as dependents for federal or State income tax purposes. Emancipated minors assume all of the responsibilities of adults to establish residence for tuition and fee purposes. Proof must be provided that emancipation was not achieved principally for the purpose of establishing residence for attendance at an institution of higher education.

Students Eighteen Years of Age or Over

Students 18 years of age or over may be classified as residents if (1) the parents were domiciled in the State at the time the students reached majority and such students have not acquired a domicile in another state, or (2) while adults, students have established a bona fide domicile in the State of West Virginia. Bona fide domicile in West Virginia means that students must not be in the State primarily to attend an educational institution and they must be in the State for purposes other than to attempt to qualify for resident status.

Nonresident students who reach the age of 18 years while students at any educational institution in West Virginia do not by virtue of such fact alone attain residence in this state for admission or tuition and fee payment purposes.

Students who are properly classified as residents at the time they reach the age of 18 shall continue to be classified as residents as long as they enroll each successive semester and do not establish a domicile, or legal residence, in another state.

Adult students who have been classified as out-of-state residents and who seek resident status in West Virginia must prove conclusively that they have established domicile in West Virginia with the intention of making their permanent home in this state. The intent to remain indefinitely in West Virginia is evidenced not only by persons’ statements but also by their actions. The designated institutional officer shall consider actions including but not limited to those described above in Section Two, “Residence Determined by Domicile.” Proof of a number of these actions shall be considered only as evidence which may be used in determining whether or not a domicile has been established. Factors militating against a change in residence classification may include such considerations as the fact that students are not self-supporting, that they are carried as dependents on their parents’ federal or state income tax returns or their parents’ health insurance policy, or that they customarily do not remain in the State when school is not in session.

Students may get the necessary paperwork for a change of residence from the Registrar’s Office.

Military

Individuals who are on active military duty or employees of the federal government may be classified as residents for the purpose of payment of tuition and fees, provided that they established a domicile in West Virginia prior to entrance into federal service, entered the federal service from West Virginia, and have at no time while in federal service claimed or established a domicile in another state. Sworn statements attesting to these conditions may be required. The spouse and dependent children of such individuals shall also be classified as residents of the State of West Virginia for tuition and fee purposes. Persons assigned to full-time active military service and residing in West Virginia may be classified as instate residents for tuition and fee purposes.

 

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Transcript Requests

Students at Fairmont State are entitled to official transcripts of their record. However, students who fail to meet their financial obligations to Fairmont State or to any of its departments will not be given transcripts.

A request for a transcript of credit should be made in writing and should include name, both maiden and married, the date of last attendance at Fairmont State and social security number.  All requests for transcripts should be sent directly to Enrollment Services. Students may request transcripts by downloading, printing, and submitting a completed Academic Transcript Request Form. Requests are processed within 5 days of receipt. While there is no charge for transcripts, there is a limit of three requests per day.  Rush service is available (limit 3 per day) at a charge of $9.00 and transcripts are mailed or available for pick up in 24 hours.

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Withdrawal from the Institution

You must withdraw online through the Enrollment Center (Not Web CT/Vista).  Follow the steps below to access the Enrollment Center:

To Log-in:

1. Go to the ‘Enrollment Center’
2. Select ‘Students-Faculty-Staff: Secure Area Log-in
3. Enter your UCA Username and password
4. Click ‘I Agree’ on the Web Transaction Policy
5. Select ‘Student & Financial Aid’
6. Select ‘Class Scheduling’
7. Enter the CURRENT Term - Spring 2006, Fall 2006. etc.
8. Select ‘Withdraw from the Institution'

To Withdraw:

Read all information before proceeding.

1. Check the ‘CONFIRM’ box.
2. Enter your Social Security Number.
3. Select the CURRENT Term – Spring 2006, Fall 2006, etc.
4. A message will appear that asks if you want to drop all of your classes, Click 'OK'
5. Click ‘Submit’
6. PLEASE PRINT THE PAGE OR MAKE NOTE OF THE CONFIRMATION NUMBER.

NOTES:

If you have a financial hold on your account, you will not be able to drop a  class.  Please visit the Registrar’s Office in Hardway Hall for assistance.

If you have any problems dropping a class or withdrawing for the term, come to the Registrar’s Office right away.  Do not wait.

You are responsible for your schedule.  Every time you add or drop a class, review your schedule on-line and make sure you are registered only for the classes you want to be registered for.

If you do not attend a course, you are responsible for dropping that course.  You WILL NOT BE AUTOMATICALLY DROPPED FROM THE COURSE.

If an advisor/instructor indicates they will drop a class for you, check your schedule on-line to make sure the class has been dropped.
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