Chapter 3: Policies & Procedures

Adding Back Classes after Financial Purge

Purpose: Used to "re-add" courses that have been dropped due to a financial purge.

Procedure: Students should start with the Bursar's Office, not University Studies.

Students will have five (5) business days after the purge to take action and resolve their financial obligations with the Bursar's Office.
- During this window, student will receive a copy of the letter from the University Bursar's Office stating that tuition and fees have been paid.
- Bursar's office will give student the Financial Purge Reinstatement Form.
- Student should return completed form, with all class information and signatures from instructors or department, along with Bursar's letter to University Studies.
- Deadline for completed form is 48 hours from date on Bursar's letter.
- Student will have access to Canvas within 24 hours of enrollment reinstatement.
After the five day window, a student will need to obtain college level approval before contacting the Bursar's Office. In this instance, give student the Financial Purge Reinstatement Form if students have Dean's approval after the initial five business days to reinstate their classes.

Authorization for Release of Academic Information (FERPA)

Purpose: Due to the laws, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), covering confidentiality, it is a violation for anyone to release non-directory information about any student to anyone without permission from the student. FERPA requires the student to authorize the university prior to the release of any academic record information to a third party. The student gives authorization by completing the on-line FERPA disclosure form on Hokie SPA, assigning a “Pass Code” to approved individuals.

A list of academic record information classified as “directory information” which does not require FERPA approval, as well as a detailed explanation of FERPA is found on the Registrar’s website. Students can request specific or the entire record to be confidential information to be withheld, and this can include directory information. In looking on Hokie SPA, you will see the word “Confidential” and on a search from the VT webpage specific information will not appear for the student.

Procedure: Students assign the pass code so it could vary per designated individual or it could be the same for all individuals listed. Advisors should must request the pass code prior to the release of any requested academic record information and confirm it corresponds to what is listed on Hokie SPA.

“One exception which permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests or concerns of health and safety”. A legitimate educational interest is defined as an activity needed in order to fulfill a professional responsibility as a university official.

The Registrar’s Office recommends on its website that students should assign a pass code for themselves to allow departments and college offices to discuss their records over the phone with them and provide the passcode when calling.

Disclosures will remain valid until the student removes the authorization via the add/delete button on the online the FERPA Disclosure screen on Hokie SPA.

Authorization to Take Courses (ATC) at Another Institution

Purpose: This online form should be completed by students to request permission to take courses at another institution and receive credit for an equivalent course at VT. This course cannot duplicate a course for which the student already has credit at VT. This form is not for students who are on academic suspension at the time they want to take the course. It is also NOT for students who wish to take courses at an institution outside of the United States; they complete a different form. (See “Education abroad: Authorization to take courses elsewhere”).

Procedure for students wanting to attend at Virginia Community College

Students should go to the Transfer Guide and search for the course equivalency
Students should go to University Studies website, Forms, and complete the ATC per the instructions.
Students should complete at least one month prior to course starting and they can expect a reply within two weeks
Upon completion of the course(s) and posting of grades, students are responsible for requesting that an official transcript be sent directly to VT’s Office of the University Registrar as soon as possible, but not later than two semesters after the work is completed.

Some colleges also require students to complete a Transient Form. At present, there are two. The Transient Form for Reynolds Community College and the Transient Form for John Tyler.

Procedure for University Studies Office

Departmental Administrator will receive the request for Authorization to Take Courses
Within 2 weeks, Departmental Administrator will reply with information about each course and save the email to Navigate under Notes.

Procedure for students wanting to attend a NON- Virginia Community College

Students should go to the Transfer Equivalency Database and search for the course equivalency
Students should go to University Studies website and complete the Authorization per the instructions, including the URL from the Transfer Equivalency Database when prompted for this information
Students should complete at least one month prior and they can expect a reply within two weeks
Upon completion of the course(s) and posting of grades, students are responsible for requesting that an official transcript be sent directly to VT’s Office of the University Registrar as soon as possible, but not later than two semesters after the work is completed.
If necessary, courses on the Transfer Equivalency Database may need to be reviewed and student will be notified by the Office Manager with instructions
If the course the students wishes to take is not found in the Transfer Equivalency Database, the student will be complete the form providing a link to a detailed current syllabus. The syllabus should include the following: text book title, text topics covered, and how the student is evaluated. This information is forwarded to the department of the course for reviewing. The office manager may contact the student for additional information.

Course Repeat Policy

Purpose: Students may repeat a course given the following consequences:

Courses in which a grade of C- or below is earned are repeated: grades for both attempts will be calculated in your GPA, but the semester hours for only one attempt will count toward graduation.

Courses cannot be repeated more than three times and colleges may set separate standards on number of repeats allowed for individual majors.

Courses in which you earned C or above that are repeated: you will receive only a grade of pass or fail when you repeat it, and the credit hours for the repeated course will not count toward graduation.

Question: I received a D- as a grade in one of my major classes; do I need to repeat this course?

Answer: The minimum grade needed in a particular course will vary by major, but a D- is considered a passing grade. Consult your academic advisor before repeating a course.

Procedure: Students can register or course request for a repeated course once they have a grade for the original course or fully withdraw from the original course. No documentation is required, but there are limits to the number of times students may repeat certain courses dependent on the major.

Education Abroad: Authorization to Take Courses Abroad

Purpose: This is a request form is specifically for undergraduate students to get their courses abroad pre-approved (final approval of transcript and number of credits will be contingent upon the Dean’s Office and Registrar). The form should be signed first by the Global Education Office, second by the students primary Academic Advisor, and thirdly by their primary major college Dean.

Procedure: Once the student has met with his/her Advisor to discussed the opportune term, and the course/major they will be focused on during that term, they should go to the Global Education Office to discuss specific universities and programs.

Students need to create a My Study Abroad Account. This is required for EVERY program (even Non-VT programs). Students can create a My Study Abroad Account. If students are going abroad with a Non-VT program they must register their program.

The Student must complete the Authorization to Take Courses Abroad form. This is a fillable form on a PC or mac. This form is mandatory for undergraduate students who wish to transfer credit from study abroad back to VT. The form must be submitted before departure. The Student should follow the Instructions (Steps 1-5) on the form. Take the form to the Dean’s office (locations at bottom of page 2). Allow 3 months for final approval. The student will receive an email when the form has been reviewed.

Students can take up to 18 credits on most study abroad programs (and sometimes even 21 credits), although typically students take between 12-15 credits.

Students can apply aid (federal aid, scholarships, grants, etc…) to their study abroad programs. They should seek assistance from the Financial Aid Office to discuss how they can benefit from financial aid and how their aid will be affected by going abroad.

Force/Add

Purpose: A force-add form is used to add a student into a course beyond its desired capacity or if the course is restricted. If a department allows force-adds, the procedure to follow is up to that department. Force-add forms are available digitally and University Studies creates a list of Force-Add procedures each semester. See the University Studies page below the main banner for more information.

Advisors will contact their departmental liaisons after Course Request for updated force-add procedures to be included in a final Force-Add Procedure document that is posted on the University Studies website. This document is usually available no later than the first day of drop/add for fall or spring term.

Procedure for summer or winter term:

For summer, refer student to the instructor for procedure
For winter, refer student to winter@vt.edu if the course is full. If a seat becomes available, the winter session staff will register them for the course and sent them an email confirmation with that information.

Grade Appeal

Purpose: University policy states that the assignment of a grade is the sole prerogative of the instructor of the class. It is incumbent on the instructor to establish the criteria for grading in the syllabus that is distributed at the beginning of the term. All grades are to be based on established grading criteria and not on personal conduct or opinions unrelated to academic standards. A student may not do extra work to raise his/her grade.

Procedure: If a student feels that a grade has been calculated incorrectly or has been assigned in a prejudiced or capricious manner, the student should discuss the matter with the instructor. If discussion between the instructor and the student cannot resolve the issue, the student should appeal to the department/division head. In the unusual circumstance that resolution does not occur at the departmental/divisional level, the student may appeal to the college dean who will attempt to reconcile the matter by whatever mechanism seems most appropriate for that college and for that case. A grade appeal must be made by the student as soon as possible but no later than the end of the student's subsequent term of enrollment after the grade in question has been assigned.

Grade Change

Purpose: University Studies instructors have the power to change grades for students who took UNIV 1824. Grade changes must take place at the latest by the end of the semester following the course taking place. A grade change may need to occur due to calculation errors, changing grades from incomplete to a letter grade, and/or other extenuating circumstances.

Procedure: To make a grade change, email Amy Ingram with the subject line of Grade Change Request, add the following information:

Term the UNIV 1824 Course took place
CRN of UNIV 1824 course
Your ID Number
Student's ID Number
New Grade
Name of Class: UNIV 1824

What will happen next?

This process can take time and involves an electronic approval process including AAI approvals as well as Dr. Smith's approval. During the grade change, a hold is added to the student's account. The student and advisor WILL NOT be notified that the change has happened. I suggest setting a reminder on your calendar to check about a month later on the unofficial transcript to see if the change has taken place. If a student has a question about the timeline for the Grade Change, please email Robin Lucas to see where the approval is at in the process.

Honor Code Violation

Purpose: To define academic behavior that is not acceptable for Virginia Tech students, including cheating, plagiarism, and falsification. The Undergraduate Honor Code pledge that each member of the university community agrees to abide by states:

“As a Hokie, I will conduct myself with honor and integrity at all times. I will not lie, cheat, or steal, nor will I accept the actions of those who do.”

Procedure: Faculty members must complete one form for each student when reporting an Honor Code Violation and/or requesting that the Undergraduate Honor System investigate a case. The student will be contacted by the Office of Undergraduate Academic Integrity. See more information on Honor Code Violations.

Late Drop /Petition to Drop a Course after the Deadline

Purpose: The drop deadline was established to ensure early stabilization of classes, to maintain high academic standards, and to minimize denial to other students of needed seats held by those who do not intend to stay in the course.

Procedure: Adjustments to a student's schedule must be made within the University deadlines. (Refer to the Academic Calendar)

After the 6-week drop deadline, students must complete the Petition to Drop a Course After the Deadline form. Once submitted, the form is sent to the instructor for approval, then when approved, routed to the Director of University Studies who will email the advisor, student, and Departmental Administrator for processing. If denied by instructor, then student and advisor get an email explaining that the request was denied.

Poor performance in a course is NOT an appropriate reason for requesting to drop a course after the deadline, nor is the desire to avoid academic probation/suspension. A late-drop request based on mental or physical illness requires a recommendation from Student Health Services or Cook Counseling Center. A decision of "not approved" may be appealed to Dr. Holloway.

Maximum Transfer Hours Policy

No more than 50 percent of a student’s graduation requirements can be transferred from a two-year institution.
Of the last 45 semester hours before graduation, a maximum of 18 semester hours may be transfer hours. (27 of the last 45 hours must be taken at Virginia Tech.)
A maximum of 38 hours of Advanced Placement Credit can be awarded.
A maximum of 38 hours may be awarded with the IB Diploma.
A maximum of 30 hours may be awarded with the IB Certificate.
A maximum of 12 credits may be for CLEP.
A maximum of 38 hours may be awarded via University of Cambridge International Examinations.

Additional Graduation Policies

Overtime Request

Purpose: This form is used if a student wants to exceed to maximum number of credit hours allowed for enrollment which is more than 19 credit hours for fall or spring term, 9 credit hours for either summer session, or 6 for winter

Procedure:

Student needs at least a 2.50 cumulative GPA to request overtime
Student meets with advisor to discuss implications of overtime
Student completes the online form
Advisor will receive confirmation email and can say yes or no to approve overtime
A receipt of the decision is sent to the student
A receipt of the decision is sent to Departmental Administrator via email and she adds the note to Navigate
If approved, the increase hours is given and it will be the student’s responsibility to add the course to his/her schedule

Request to Change Final Examination Time

Purpose: Students are eligible to request a change in the time of a final examination if they have 3 or more examinations scheduled to begin within 24 hours or if times for two examinations conflict. Please note: In order to constitute 3 exams within 24 hours, the third exam must be in progress before the end of the 24 hour period. Common time exams cannot be changed.

Procedure: University Studies encourages students to work out any scheduling problems with their individual instructors. However, if the instructor requires the exam change form, the student should complete the form found on the University Studies website and this form requires the student to have their instructors email Departmental Administrator to confirm the time change. All confirmations and forms are due virtually to UnivStudies@vt.edu by the deadline published on the Registrar's website. The request will be reviewed by Departmental Administrator and processed.

Request to Change Advisor (by student or advisor)

Purpose: To ensure that students and advisors are a good fit for the advising relationship.

Procedure: Students who wish to change their advisor should email a request to UnivStudies@vt.edu. The request should include full name, last four digits of ID number and a general reason for the change. Advisors who are concerned about whether they can continue to work with an advisee should bring the concern to the attention of the Director.

Resignation

The terms “withdrawal” and “resignation” refer to two different procedures and should not be used interchangeably even though the form used for each is the same. The form is found on the Registrar's website.

Purpose:

Resigning is necessary when a student wishes to drop ALL their classes after the first day of classes, even if the student is enrolled in only one credit.
Withdrawals take place before the first day of classes. After this date, it is considered a resignation and students are pro-rated fees for each day enrolled in courses. (See “Withdrawal”).
A resignation requires a the advisor's signature along with potentially other signatures.

Procedure:

The student must initiate the request. Parents, other relatives, or friends can NOT resign for the student
We cannot accept faxed or scanned Student Resignation/Withdrawal forms or letters.
We cannot email requests to resign from the university unless there is a special circumstance.
In the event of an email request, advisors and staff should schedule a phone conference with the student and remind the student he/she should complete the online FERPA form on Hokie SPA assigning themselves a pass code. Students will provide the passcode when calling.

Scenario:

In person after the first day of classes
- Students are encouraged to meet with their academic advisor to learn which signatures are needed and which are not needed. Advisor can give referrals as well.
- Student completes the top part of the form and the advisor's signature is required. The advisor's signature should be the first signature that they request. Upon getting the advisor's signature, scan a copy to Departmental Administrator.
- If the advisor is not there, put it in their mailbox and Departmental Administrator will scan form and contact student to return form
- The advisor should encourage students receiving financial aid to speak with a Financial Aid Counselor
- If the student is living in the residence halls, he/she is referred to the Housing and Residential Life Office and follow the check-out procedure as outlined by that office if applicable.
- If the student is a member of the Corps of Cadets, he/she is referred to the Commandant’s Office. The Commandant’s signature is required.
- If the student is an international student, he/she is referred to the Cranwell International Center and follow the check-out procedure as outlined by that office.
Phone Calls on or prior to the first day of Classes: the advisor will sign as proxy
- After receiving passcode and speaking with student regarding the reason for the withdrawal, the advisor completes the top portion of the form..
- The advisor will act as proxy for the student.*
- Form/s should be submitted to the advisor's box.
- When the advisor signs the form, they will have Departmental Administrator add the form to Navigate.
- The original completed form is sent though campus mail to the Registrar’s Office or delivered to the Registrar's Office.
- *If the student is an international student, the form should be sent to the Immigration Advisor of record (on Navigate) at Cranwell International Center for their signature. Get the advisor's signature first and then send it to Cranwell. The document can then be turned into the Registrar's Office.

Title IX

Purpose: To ensure that discrimination or harassment based on gender, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation is not tolerated.

Procedure: Detailed procedures are found in Section 4.0 of Policy 1025. Responsibilities of Advisors are found in Section 4.1 of the policy. See more Title IX information

Undergraduate Research/Independent Study

Purpose: To offer types of courses that are tailored to the needs of individual students or special groups.

Procedure: Once student has developed a plan of study, they will complete the Undergraduate Research and Independent Study Form. This form will require information from the instructor/s involved. Once the form is submitted, the advisor gets an email to send out to the instructor/s. Once confirmation from the instructor/s is received, then the advisor will inform the University Studies Administrative Assistant to add the course and also upload form to Navigate.

W Grade Policy

Purpose: To assist undergraduate students who are enrolled in undergraduate level courses for which they are insufficiently prepared, or for those who initially enroll in majors that they subsequently change. A W can be applied to a maximum of three courses during undergraduate academic tenure.

Procedure: Students will complete the Request for "W" Grade Policy form and submit it in person to their advisor by the published deadline for the semester. Once advisor signs form, give to administrative assistant for processing and uploading to Navigate.

Students with Holds

Please use these procedures when dealing with students who want to apply the “W” grade policy this semester, but who have a HOLD on their record when they meet with you:

Student completes the Request to Apply “W” Grade Policy form.
Advisor will get a confirmation email and must check for previous W's, holds, and any student request with a hold is denied. If submitted by the deadline, then can still be processed the next day. If a student has a hold, the advisor can give the student 24 hours to resolve hold (if desired) instead of rejecting the form.
Once advisor confirms W request, Departmental Administrator will get a copy of the request and will process it
Departmental Administrator will confirm she has completed the request and then the student will get a confirmation email of completion

Withdrawal

The terms “withdrawal” and “resignation” refer to two different procedures and should not be used interchangeably even though the form used for each is the same.

Purpose: Withdrawal is necessary when a student wishes to drop ALL of his/her classes, even if the student is enrolled in only one credit.

Withdrawals take place before the first day of classes. After this date, it is considered a resignation and students are pro-rated fees for each day enrolled in courses. (See “Resignation”).
A withdrawal does not require approval of the student’s Dean and does not require the Dean’s signature, but the student should still consult with his/her advisor about their academic eligibility status.
A student who withdraws through the first day of classes will receive a full refund for tuition and fees minus any administrative processing fees.

Procedure: (Five Scenarios)

Some scenarios require additional explanation to the Dean (such as late withdrawals or extenuating circumstances regarding the withdrawal) If this is the case, advisors can complete the Resignation/Withdrawal Form Notes along with the form listed above. Print the form out and attach it with the completed form.
The student must initiate the request. Parents, other relatives, or friends can NOT withdraw for the student
We cannot accept faxed or scanned Student Resignation/Withdrawal forms or letters.
We cannot email requests to withdraw from the university.
In the event of an email request, advisors and staff should schedule a phone conference with the student and remind the student he/she should complete the online FERPA form on Hokie SPA assigning themselves a passcode. Students will provide the passcode when calling.

Scenarios:

In Person on or prior to the first day of classes: The Dean’s signature is not required
- Student completes the top portion of the Student Withdrawal/Resignation form indicating the effective term and year of the withdrawal. In compliance with FERPA regulations, the students should only indicate the last 4 digits of their student number prior to the advisor scanning the form.
  - If the student is living in the residence halls, he/she is referred to the Housing and Residential Life Office and follow the check-out procedure as outlined by that office if applicable.
  - If the student is a member of the Corps of Cadets, he/she is referred to the Commandant’s Office. The Commandant’s signature is required.
  - If the student is an international student, he/she is referred to the Cranwell International Center and follow the check-out procedure as outlined by that office.
- From the copier, the advisor scans form to Departmental Administrator who will upload the form to Notes in Navigate.
- Advisor should explore with the student his/her reasons for the withdrawal and make appropriate referrals.
- The advisor should encourage students receiving financial aid to speak with a Financial Aid Counselor
- Students take the completed form to the Registrar’s Office for processing.
Phone Calls on or prior to the first day of Classes: The advisor will sign as proxy
- After receiving passcode and speaking with student regarding the reason for the withdrawal, the advisor completes the top portion of the Student Withdrawal/Resignation form indicating the effective term and year of the withdrawal.
- The advisor will act as proxy for the student (if needed, leave form in the advisor's box) and when they sign, they will have Departmental Administrator scan the sheet to Navigate.*
- The original completed form is sent though campus mail to the Registrar’s Office.
- *If the student is an international student, the form should be sent or walked over to the Immigration advisor of record (on Navigate) at Cranwell International Center for their signature after the advisor signs it. This process could include alerting the Immigration Advisor of Record via Navigate. If sending the form for Cranwell signature, add a note for them to forward the completed form to the Office of the Registrar.
Phone Calls the second day of classes and beyond: the advisor will sign as proxy; the advisor's signature needed
- After receiving passcode and speaking with student regarding the reason for the withdrawal, the advisor completes the top portion of the Student Withdrawal/Resignation form indicating the effective term and year of the withdrawal.
- Advisors instruct students to email their professors using this email template. The template will have the name and email addresses of each instructor, the email text students are to copy and paste to the instructors. Instructional text will suggest CC’ing all instructors within one email. Students will be instructed to send replies to the academic advisor.
- Advisor should paperclip instructor email responses and US/XT Withdrawal/Resignation Notes to completed Withdrawal/Resignation form XT and put them in the advisor's box.*
- The advisor will act as proxy for the student and have Departmental Administrator scan and add the form to Navigate.
- The original completed form is sent though campus mail to the Registrar’s Office.
- *If the student is an international student, the form should be sent to the Immigration advisor of record (on Navigate) at Cranwell International Center for their signature for their signature after the advisor signs it. This process could include alerting the Immigration Advisor of Record via Navigate. If sending the form for Cranwell signature, add a note for them to forward the completed form to the Office of the Registrar.
Medical Withdrawal
- Students requesting a medical withdrawal should contact Schiffert or Cook to initiate paperwork before filling out the Student Withdrawal/Resignation form.
Resignations/Withdrawals for Students Called to Active Duty:

Purpose: In 1991, Virginia Tech approved an exception to standard policies to accommodate students called into active military duty in which permission is granted without punitive action. The policy for the University as per the University Registrar’s Office is listed below:

Procedure for Military Resignations/Withdrawals:

Students who are called to active military duty should bring a copy of activation orders to their academic Dean. Students are encouraged to communicate with their advisors, instructors and Dean to discuss options, such as taking "incompletes", rescheduling of remaining work if their orders are received near the end of the term, completing the course on-line, or withdrawing from the term.
If students request a withdrawal from the university, permission is granted without punitive action as well as granting full refund of tuition and fees. This full refund is requested regardless of the date of the action of withdrawal. The activation orders should be attached to the withdrawal form. If orders are unobtainable (in some emergency call-ups, this is possible), the University Registrar will telephone the company commander for verbal confirmation. Further, the University Registrar will serve as facilitator of this process for any advisor, instructor, or Dean seeking verification of the students' military status.
Students with Federal financial aid are reminded that a full refund of tuition will result in an immediate requirement to commence repayment of aid. Students with Federal financial aid should discuss options prior to withdrawing with their Academic Dean and Financial Aid counselor.
In addition, residence hall students must obtain a signature from Residential and Dining Programs before the resignation/withdrawal may be processed.
Cadets must also obtain the Commandant's signature before the resignation/withdrawal may be processed.