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Fort Lewis College, not an individual department, awards baccalaureate degrees. For this reason, certain academic policies and procedures developed through faculty governance or administrative processes apply to programs in all departments upon approval by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. These policies and procedures do not represent all regulations that relate to students, are not catalog specific, and are subject to change without prior notice, with the changes becoming effective upon approval of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Students will be notified via their official Fort Lewis College email account if and when changes are implemented. Departments may develop and administer additional academic regulations. Students have a responsibility to know their department’s requirements, policies, and procedures by reviewing the departmental requirements in the catalog, the department’s website, and the department’s student handbook.
Academic Dishonesty by Students
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Academic Integrity and Dishonesty policies and procedures are set forth in the Faculty Handbook (pp. 62-68).
Academic Grievance and Appeals
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Academic Grievance and Appeals procedures are set forth in the Faculty Handbook (pp. 68-71).
A returning Fort Lewis College student who has not attended any college for at least three years (36 consecutive months) and whose Fort Lewis College cumulative GPA is below 2.00 may apply for Academic Renewal. If Academic Renewal is approved, grade point averages for work completed prior to readmission will not be carried forward. Previously completed courses with an earned grade of C - or higher are eligible to count towards graduation if they are allowable under the Time Limits on Coursework policy.
Students apply for academic renewal as part of the readmission process. Questions about this process should be directed to the Office of Admission and Advising. A student may receive academic renewal only once.
All coursework completed prior to the renewal will remain visible on the student’s academic record. If renewal is granted, the student’s permanent record will denote “ACADEMIC RENEWAL APPROVED” with the date.
Academic Renewal applies only to actions taken by Fort Lewis College. Other colleges may or may not accept the action of the Academic Renewal.
Students granted academic renewal must meet all established College policies for satisfactory academic standing. Students who receive academic renewal will be required to complete at least 30 hours of credit after readmission before they are eligible for a baccalaureate degree.
GOOD STANDING, ACADEMIC WARNING, PROBATION, and DISQUALIFICATION: A student whose semester grade point average and cumulative grade point average are both at least 2.00 is considered to be in good academic standing. Students are placed on Academic Warning if their semester GPA falls below 2.00 while their cumulative GPA remains at 2.00 or higher. Academic Probation occurs for the first time when the cumulative GPA falls below 2.00 (First Semester on Probation). Students are subject to Academic Disqualification if their cumulative GPA remains below 2.00 after three semesters of Academic Probation or if they fail to achieve a semester GPA of at least 2.00 during any semester of Academic Probation.
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Cumulative GPA
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Semester GPA
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Academic Standing
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2.00 or higher
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2.00 or higher
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Good Standing
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2.00 or higher
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Below 2.00
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Academic Warning
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Below 2.00
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Below 2.00
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First Semester on Probation (1P)
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Below 2.00
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2.00 or higher
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Second Semester on Probation (2P) if previously on 1P
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Below 2.00
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2.00 or higher
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Third Semester on Probation (3P) if previously on 2P
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Below 2.00
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2.00 or higher
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Academic Disqualification if previously on 3P
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Below 2.00
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Below 2.00
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Academic Disqualification if previously on 1P or 2P
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Appeal of Academic Disqualification
At the conclusion of fall and spring semesters, an email will be sent out to all students explaining how they may check their academic standing. This email will also direct them as to how to appeal their academic standing, if applicable. The Academic Standards Committee reviews appeals three times per year: early January, mid-May, and mid-September, and notifies the student of the Committee’s decision by email the day after the Committee meeting. Questions about academic standing and/or the appeal process should be directed to the Coordinator of Academic Success Resources.
Students may appeal academic disqualification to the Academic Standards Committee if:
- There are compelling and unforeseen reasons why the standards for satisfactory academic progress were not met, and
- There is high probability that the student’s cumulative GPA can be raised to 2.00 or higher in no more than one additional fall or spring semester of coursework. This is determined by having a Quality Point Deficiency of no more than 10 points.
If the appeal is granted, the Academic Standards Committee will establish specific requirements the student must meet. If these requirements are not achieved, the student is again academically disqualified.
Options For Students Who Have Been Academically Disqualified
Students who have been academically disqualified have four options for restoring their GPA and seeking readmission to the college:
- Successfully appeal the disqualification to Academic Standards Committee. (see above)
- Raise the cumulative GPA above 2.00 by taking FLC classes as a non-degree seeking student (unclassified, “Guest” student). Information about applying for Guest status is available online or from the Office of Admission and Advising. Guest status must be reconfirmed each semester and requires a minimum 2.00 semester GPA in order to be allowed to continue. Grades of D, F, I, or CW in any course result in termination of Guest privileges. Guest students register for classes during Open Enrollment. Students with this classification are ineligible for financial aid.
- Take classes at another school and meet these specified transfer standards: at least 15 credits with 2.40 GPA and no Ds or Fs; all 15 credits must be in academically rigorous, college level courses.
- Take at least three years off from any college or university work and then request Academic Renewal when reapplying to Fort Lewis College.
Students meeting readmission requirements apply through the Office of Admission and Advising to be allowed to resume studies the College as a degree seeking student. The Academic Standards Committee participates in the review of these applications, establishes specific requirements for each readmitted student, and monitors student academic progress.
Academic Standing Consequences of Withdrawing Entirely From a Semester
When a student has Withdrawal grades (AW, CW, or SW) in all courses in a fall or spring semester, satisfactory academic progress has not been met for that semester. The academic standing is changed in the following ways:
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Previous Standing
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Standing after Withdrawal
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Good
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Academic Warning
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Academic Warning
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First Semester on Probation (1P)
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First Semester on Probation (1P)
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Second Semester on Probation (2P)
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Second Semester on Probation (2P)
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Third Semester on Probation (3P)
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Third Semester on Probation (3P)
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Academic Disqualification
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All first-time freshman, transfer, and former students are advised by the Office of Admission and Advising. Subsequently, students are assigned a faculty advisor and a staff advisor, who provides supplementary advising services. All continuing students must consult with their faculty advisor at least once a term to review their progress towards graduation and plan course selections for the next terms. Continuing students will not be allowed to register until they have consulted with their faculty advisor.
Change of Faculty Advisor
Continuing students may change their faculty advisor by filing a Change and Declaration Form with the Registrar’s Office. Both the student’s signature and new advisor’s signature are required on the form (unless the student requests assignment of an advisor). The student’s faculty advisor should be a faculty member associated with the student’s declared major.
Definition of Academic Advisor
If a procedure requires approval of an “academic advisor,” either the assigned faculty or assigned staff advisor may give approval. If a procedure requires approval of a “faculty advisor,” only the assigned faculty advisor may give approval.
Regular class attendance is expected in all courses for which a student is registered.
To add a course, drop a course, or withdraw from a term, students must follow the procedures outlined in the Registration and Withdrawing from a Term sections. Course attendance does not constitute a course add. Non-attendance does not constitute a course drop, course withdrawal or semester withdrawal.
The impact of non-attendance during the first four days of a semester is determined by the faculty member, who has the option to administratively drop students who do not attend all class sessions during that period. Students who are administratively dropped will be notified by the Registrar’s Office via email. The impact of non-attendance on the final grade in a course is determined by the faculty member.
Students may audit courses with the permission of the instructor if they desire to attend classes regularly but do not wish to receive a grade and credit. Upon registration, the students must declare that they wish to take a course for audit or for credit. Students may not change from audit to credit, or vice versa, after Census Date. When registering, students may take both audit and credit courses but the total should not exceed the maximum course load. Students who audit a course and later wish to obtain regular credit for the same course may do so by credit by special examination, for an additional fee, or by repeating the course for credit. Repeating a previously audited course is not considered a grade replacement.
Census Date for the fall and spring semesters is the twelfth day of class. There are two Census Dates for the summer semester. The first Census Date is the fifth day of class for Summer Sessions One, Two, and Three. The second Census Date is the fifth day of class for Summer Sessions Four and Five. Courses dropped prior to Census Date do not appear on the student’s transcript and are not counted for tuition purposes. Enrollments in courses on Census Date are reported for state purposes, are reflected on the student’s transcript, and are counted for enrollment purposes.
A student’s major is initially determined based on information provided on the student’s application for admission. Students who are undecided about a major or who are exploring several majors are initially listed as “Major Not Declared.” Students may change their declared major by filing a Change and Declaration Form with the Registrar’s Office. The student’s signature is required on the form.
Classification of Students
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A degree-seeking student is a student who has been admitted to the College and has declared an intention to pursue the requirements for a baccalaureate degree. Degree-seeking students are admitted as either first-time freshman, transfer, or former. Degree-seeking students are also classified according to semester credits completed (earned), as follows:
| Freshman |
Fewer than 30 semester credits |
| Sophomore |
30-59 semester credits |
| Junior |
60-89 semester credits |
| Senior |
90 or more semester credits |
Unclassified students are defined as students enrolled in undergraduate courses who are not pursuing a degree, either by choice or because they are ineligible to do so. Those who are not degree-seeking by choice include post-baccalaureate students pursuing teacher licensure, exchange students, and students preparing for advanced studies or attending for personal enrichment or career development. Students who are ineligible to be degree seeking include concurrent students attending high school and college concurrently and Fort Lewis College students on academic disqualification who have been approved for Guest status.
Communications Policy
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Electronic mail is an official means for communication within Fort Lewis College. Therefore, the College reserves the right to communicate with students via email and expects that those communications will be received and read in a timely manner.
Normal Course Load
Normal course load is defined as the number of credits students are expected to enroll in each fall and spring semester. With limited exceptions, Fort Lewis College offers 120-credit, four-year baccalaureate degree programs. For this reason, students are expected to complete a minimum of 30 credits each academic year. Typically, students meet this expectation by enrolling in a normal course load of 15 credits each fall and spring semester, though different combinations of credits may be appropriate as indicated by the Map to Graduation for a major published in the Majors, Options, and Minors section of this catalog or as recommended by an academic advisor.
Maximum Course Load
Maximum course load is defined as the maximum number of credits students may enroll in each term. The maximum course load is 18 credits in a fall or spring semester and 8 credits in a summer session. All enrolled courses, including those taken for audit, count toward this maximum. Students may request approval to exceed the maximum course load by submitting a form available from the Registrar’s Office to their academic advisor.
Enrollment Certification Course Load
For purposes of enrollment certification for third parties, students’ course loads will be categorized as full-time, half-time, or part-time as follows:
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Full-Time |
Half-Time |
Part-Time |
| Fall or Spring Semester |
Minimum of 12 credits
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6-11 credits
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1-5 credits
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| Summer Session |
Minimum of 4 credits |
1-3 credits |
n/a |
Course Offerings and Cancellations
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The College reserves the right to cancel a class for any semester if enrollment is not deemed sufficient.
Credit by Examination
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See the Transfer, Examination, and Prior Learning Credit Policies section.
Students graduating from Fort Lewis College must meet the degree program and course requirements for graduation set forth in the catalog in effect at the time of their matriculation or any subsequent catalog between then and the time of their graduation. Students may choose from among the various catalogs but may not combine them. Regulations other than course requirements will apply according to the catalog in effect at the time of graduation except as new regulations have other effective, specifically fixed dates. However, no catalog more than 10 years old at the time of the student’s graduation will be accepted as the source of graduation requirements. A student who matriculated more than 10 years before graduation will meet the requirements of the catalog in effect at the time of graduation, or may petition via the “Exception to Graduation Requirements” process to be permitted to graduate under some intervening catalog not more than 10 years old. The student must contact the Registrar’s Office for more information pertaining to this process. Any student who is not registered at Fort Lewis College for any continuous period of two calendar years or more forfeits his claim to the catalog under which he entered and comes under the catalog in effect at the time he next returns to Fort Lewis College as a student.
Enrollment Certification
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Students may obtain enrollment certifications through the National Student Clearinghouse website. Additionally, students may download the Enrollment and Degree Verification Request Form and hand-deliver/mail/fax the form to the Registrar’s Office.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
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The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, also known as FERPA or the Buckley Amendment, helps protect the privacy of student records. The Act provides for the student’s right to inspect and review educational records, to seek to amend those records, and to limit disclosure of information from the records. The Act applies to all institutions that are the recipients of federal funding under any program administered by the Secretary of Education.
When a student reaches the age of 18 or begins attending a postsecondary institution, regardless of age or dependency status, FERPA rights transfer from the parent to the student. FERPA applies to all students who are currently enrolled, or were formerly enrolled, but does not apply to deceased students or persons who have applied but have not attended.
Fort Lewis College may disclose Directory Information unless a student requests that his Directory Information not be released. The College has designated the following items as Directory Information:
- Student name, addresses, telephone numbers, and Fort Lewis College email address
- Date and place of birth
- Major and minor courses of study
- Dates of attendance
- Degree information including degree and date conferred, honors and awards information, class and enrollment status
- Participation in recognized college activities and sports
- Most recent school attended
Requests for non-disclosure of Directory Information must be submitted in writing to the Registrar’s Office by Census Date via an Information Privacy Form. Students who request non-disclosure of Directory Information will have a “confidentiality flag” added to their records. This means that the student must conduct all business with the College in person with a valid identification. Requests to remove confidentiality can be made only in writing by the student. Additionally, a confidentiality flag requires that the College NOT acknowledge to a third party that the student is or was a Fort Lewis College student. As long as the confidentiality flag is in place, the college will NOT publish the student’s name in any manner, including commencement programs.
Separate days are set aside for final examinations at the close of the fall and spring semesters. It is the student’s responsibility to know the final examination schedule and take all final examinations. Finals schedules are posted on the Registrar’s Office website.
Four-Year Graduation Agreement
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A student admitted as a first-time freshman in a fall semester who meets the academic preparation standards for a major may sign a four-year graduation agreement that formalizes a plan for that student to obtain a degree in four years, with the exception of teacher preparation programs in the sciences, which have been authorized by the Colorado Commission on Higher Education to exceed four years in length. Students must apply to participate in the four-year graduation agreement by August 1 of their year of admission through the Coordinator of Degree Completion. For more details, consult the Finish in Four! website.
See Academic Grievance and Appeals.
After grades have been posted to the student’s transcript, the appropriate faculty, via a Special Grade Report Form filed at the Registrar’s Office, must make all changes. If a year has passed since the original grade was filed, special approval for a grade change from the appropriate dean is required. In the event that a student has graduated prior to a grade change being filed, the original grade will remain permanently on the graduate’s academic transcript.
Grade Replacement Policy
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Up to 12 credits of Fort Lewis College courses with initial grades of C- or lower may be repeated at Fort Lewis College or another accredited institution for grade replacement. Only the most recent grades earned will be counted in the grade point average for the first 12 credits of repeated courses in which the initial grade was C- or lower. However, all grades remain on the student’s record. When a course for which the initial grade was C or better is repeated, or when a student has already excluded 12 credits of C- or lower grades from his grade point average, there is no exclusion of prior grades from the grade point average. The student must notify the Registrar’s Office as to which courses to use for these 12 credits. Upon graduation, a student’s grade point average is frozen, and students are not eligible to repeat courses for grade replacement.
Grades, Quality Points, and Grade Point Averages
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Grades
Students are assigned a grade for each course registered for, completed, and/or withdrawn from after the Census Date for each enrolled term. A grade can be classified as either an appraisal of the quality of a student’s work or an explanation about why such an appraisal was not made.
Grades Appraising Quality of Work
The College has four grading systems to appraise the quality of a student’s work in a course.
LETTER GRADE SYSTEM
The letter grade system assigns a grade of A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D- or F. Grades of A to D- earn credit. Grades of F do not earn credit. Grades of A to F are figured into the computation of grade point averages.
SATISFACTORY/NO CREDIT SYSTEM
The satisfactory/no credit system assigns a grade of S or NC. Grades of S earn credit. Grades of S are not used in computing grade point averages. Grades of NC do not earn credit. Grades of NC are not used in computing grade point averages. The use of the satisfactory/no credit grading system for a course is authorized through the curriculum approval process.
PASS/FAIL SYSTEM
The pass/fail system assigns a grade of P or F. Grades of P earn credit. Grades of P are not used in computing grade point averages. Grades of F do not earn credit. Grades of F are figured into the computation of grade point averages. The use of the pass/fail grading system for a course may have been authorized through the curriculum approval process or may have been initiated by the student and approved by the instructor. In such a case, the student must request the pass/fail grading instead of letter grading from the instructor via a Special Condition Add Form available from the Registrar’s Office. Changes to or from the pass/fail system must be made by Census Date. Students may only initiate the pass/fail grading system for elective courses. This grading system may not be applied to courses fulfilling Liberal Arts Core, major, auxiliary, minor or certificate requirements with the exception of study abroad transfer credits. Students are limited to a total of 12 pass/fail elective credits.
CREDIT FOR PRIOR LEARNING SYSTEM
The credit for prior learning system assigns a grade of X to a course satisfactorily completed via credit by examination or military service. Grades of X earn credit. Grades of X are not used in computing grade point averages.
Grades Explaining Why Quality of Work Was Not Appraised
A grade of AU, AW, CW, I, MW, NG, or SW explains why the quality of a student’s work in a course was not appraised.
AU - A grade AU means the student initiated, and the instructor approved, the auditing of a course. No credit is awarded for a grade of AU. This grade is not used in the computation of grade point averages.
AW - A grade of AW means the College withdrew the student from a course or a term as allowed by an administrative policy. No credit is awarded for a grade of AW. This grade is not used in the computation of grade point averages.
CW - A grade of CW means the student initiated withdrawal from a course by a college-wide deadline in the middle of the term. Grades of CW do not require instructor or administrative approval. Students are limited to three CW grades during their undergraduate career at Fort Lewis College. No credit is awarded for a grade of CW. This grade is not used in the computation of grade point averages.
I - A grade of I means the student initiated, and the instructor approved in accordance with grading policy, a delay in the appraisal in the student’s work. No credit is awarded for a grade of I. This grade is not used in the computation of grade point averages. The conditions for which a grade of I may be assigned are 1) the major part of the course requirements has been met; 2) the student is unable to complete the requirements in the term in which the course is taken for compelling and unforeseen reasons, and 3) in the opinion of the instructor, the requirements can be completed by the student without repeating the course. If the student completes the course requirements within the time allotted, the instructor will make an appraisal of the quality of the student’s work by submitting a Special Grade Report Form to the Registrar’s Office. If the course requirements are not completed within one year after the end of the appropriate term, the grade of I will revert to an F. The dean of the school in which the course is offered may waive for good reason the one-year deadline upon petition by the student to the program director. A grade of I cannot be removed by registering to repeat the course. A course for which a student has a grade of I at the time of graduation cannot be used to satisfy any graduation requirement. In the event that a student has graduated prior to removing a grade of I, the grade of I will remain permanently on the graduate’s academic transcript.
MW - A grade of MW means the student was called to active military duty. No credit is awarded for a grade of MW. This grade is not used in the computation of grade point averages.
NG - A grade of NG means the instructor did not file a grade for the course by the deadline. No credit awarded for a grade of NG. This grade is not used in the computation of grade point averages. Once the deadline has passed, up to one year after the grade of NG was filed, the instructor may make an appraisal of the quality of a student’s work by submitting a Special Grade Report Form to the Registrar’s Office. NG grades will revert to F grades after one year.
SW - A grade of SW means the student initiated withdrawal from all courses in a semester prior to the last day of classes. No credit is awarded for a grade of SW. This grade is not used in the computation of grade point averages. Students submitting their first request for a post-Census semester withdrawal during their undergraduate career at Fort Lewis College will be automatically approved and all courses will be assigned the grade of SW. All subsequent requests for a post-Census semester withdrawal will be reviewed by the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs. If the request is approved, all courses will be assigned the grade of AW.
Quality Points
Quality points for a course are determined by the numeric grade earned in the course multiplied by the number of credits for the course.
Fort Lewis College uses the four-point system to three decimal points to assign numeric grades:
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| A = 4.000 points |
| A- = 3.667 points |
| B+ = 3.333 points |
| B = 3.000 points |
| B- = 2.667 points |
| C+ = 2.333 points |
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| C = 2.000 points |
| C- = 1.667 points |
| D+ = 1.333 points |
| D = 1.000 point |
| D- = .667 point |
| F = 0.000 points |
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Numeric grades are not assigned for the grades of AU, AW, CW, I, MW, NC, NG, P, S, SW, or X.
Grade Point Averages
Grade point averages summarize the quality of a student’s work at Fort Lewis College. Grades of courses accepted through the transfer process are not included in any grade point averages.
Computational Method
Grade point averages are computed by dividing the total number of quality points for the appropriate courses by the total number of GPA credit hours specified. The result is truncated to two decimal points.
Types of Grade Point Averages
The following types of GPAs may be calculated:
Cumulative - The cumulative GPA is computed using the quality points and GPA credit hours for all courses numbered 100 or above taken at Fort Lewis College. Courses receiving grades of AU, AW, CW, I, MW, NC, P, S, SW, and X, as well as grades of courses accepted through the transfer process, do not figure in the computation of the cumulative GPA. The cumulative GPA is one factor in determining a student’s eligibility to be admitted to, pursue and complete a program of study, to receive honors, to participate in athletics programs, and to continue receiving federal need-based aid and scholarship aid, among other uses.
Major - The major GPA is computed using only the quality points and GPA credit hours for courses taken at Fort Lewis College required for a major or option in a major, excepting courses meeting auxiliary requirements. Courses receiving grades of AU, AW, CW, I, MW, NC, NG, P, S, SW, and X, as well as courses accepted through the transfer process, do not figure in the computation of the major GPA. The major GPA is one factor in determining a student’s eligibility to be admitted to, pursue and complete a program of study, among other uses.
Minor - The minor GPA is computed using only the quality points and GPA credit hours for courses required for a minor taken at Fort Lewis College. Courses receiving grades of AU, AW, CW, I, MW, NC, NG, P, S, SW, and X , as well as courses accepted through the transfer process, do not figure in the computation of the minor GPA. The minor GPA is used to determine eligibility to complete that course of study, among other uses.
Remedial - The remedial GPA is computed using only the quality points and GPA credit hours for courses numbered below 100 taken at Fort Lewis College. Courses receiving grades of AU, AW, CW, I, MW, NG, or SW do not figure in the computation of the remedial GPA. This GPA is used to determine eligibility for federal need-based aid, among other uses.
Semester - The semester GPA is computed using only the quality points and GPA credit hours for courses numbered 100 or above taken in a specified term. All courses taken during a summer semester, regardless of session, are computed as the summer semester GPA. Courses receiving grades of AU, AW, CW, I, MW, NC, NG, P, S, SW, and X, as well as courses accepted through the transfer process, do not figure in the computation of the semester GPA. The semester GPA is one factor in determining a student’s eligibility to pursue a program of study and to continue receiving federal need-based aid, among other uses.
Term - The term GPA is equivalent to the semester GPA.
Failure to comply with various campus policies may result in holds that are placed on a student’s WebOPUS account. Most holds prohibit student services such as registration, schedule modification, and processing academic transcript requests. Students must contact the office that placed the hold to make arrangements to have the hold removed.
Dean’s List
The Dean’s List, published at the end of the fall and spring semesters, honors students for high scholastic achievement. Students who attain a grade point average of 3.60 or better in no fewer than 15 credit hours of graded college level work and have completed all work for which they are registered by the end of the semester will be on the Dean’s List for that semester.
Graduation with Honors
Latin Honors
Students must have earned, in residence at Fort Lewis College, no fewer than 60 semester credit hours to graduate with Latin honors. Latin honors are not awarded upon receipt of a second bachelor’s degree. Grade point averages required for Latin honors are as follows:
| Summa Cum Laude |
Grade point average of 3.80 to 4.00 |
| Magna Cum Laude |
Grade point average of 3.60 to 3.79 |
| Cum Laude |
Grade point average of 3.40 to 3.59 |
Note: Latin honors read at commencement are based on the credit hours and cumulative grade point average posted as of the previous term and are not official. Official honors will be awarded upon posting of final grades, calculation of final cumulative GPA, and completion of the program of study. Official honors are noted on the final transcript and diploma.
John F. Reed Honors Program
Students who are admitted to and complete the requirements of the John F. Reed Honors Program will receive a designation on their transcripts that they are graduates of the John F. Reed Honors Program and earn a minor in the Rhetoric of Inquiry. Click Honors: John F. Reed Honors Program for more information.
Individual and Independent Study
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Departmental Individual Study (299) and Independent Study (499) courses are student learning experiences structured and supervised by a faculty member. Students formally enroll during the period of research or independent study. Individual and Independent Study courses should be completed in the term in which they are approved.
The number of credits earned for an Individual or Independent Study course is based on the number of hours the student will take to complete it. Students will complete a minimum of 50 hours of work for each credit hour earned. The appropriate number of credit hours will be determined by the instructor of record who will also document that the student completed those hours. A maximum of eight credits of departmental 299/499 courses will count toward a baccalaureate degree. Prior approval to assure that the independent project is commensurate with the proposed number of credits will be given by the instructor, department chair or program director, and dean of the school.
Procedures to Register for Individual and Independent Study
- Student and instructor complete the form: Independent Study Petition.
- The student obtains the department chair or program director approval.
- The student takes the form to the appropriate dean’s office for approval.
- Registration must be completed by Census Date.
If approved,
- The dean’s office will initiate registration by emailing the Registrar’s Office.
- The Registrar’s Office will register the student in the course and confirm registration via email to the student, the instructor, and the dean’s office.
OR
- Inform the student via email of any additional requirements before registration can be completed (such as removal of holds).
- The Registrar’s Office will also inform both the instructor and the dean’s office of a student’s failure to successfully register.
Students should confirm registration via their WebOPUS account.
New freshman and transfer students are required to attend New Student Orientation immediately prior to their first term of attendance.
Course registration is done online through WebOPUS. Access is limited to students via their network username and password according to the Registration Eligibility Schedule published on the Registrar’s Office website. Currently enrolled students must consult with their faculty advisor in order to be cleared for registration. Students may register for summer coursework during the registration periods for either the fall or spring semesters. Continuing but not currently enrolled students, new students, former students, and Guest status may register during the Open Registration period, which begins the Monday following the end of the registration period for currently enrolled students.
Schedule Modifications
Once students have registered for classes, they may process schedule modifications using the following procedures:
Course Drops
A course drop may be processed using WebOPUS through Census Date of the term. Non-attendance does not constitute a course drop.
Course Withdrawals
After Census Date and up through 4 p.m. on the date in the middle of the term specified on the Academic Calendar, a student may initiate a course withdrawal at the Registrar’s Office and receive a grade of CW for a course if they have not exceeded their limit of three course withdrawals during their undergraduate career at Fort Lewis College. Students who have exceeded this limit must complete the course and receive a grade from the instructor appraising the quality of their work or file an appeal that will be reviewed by the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs. Students initiating a withdrawal from all courses in a semester should follow the procedure outlined in Withdrawing from the Term. Non-attendance does not constitute a course withdrawal.
Course Adds
Students may add courses with available seats for which they have met all prerequisites and restrictions using WebOPUS through the first five days of the fall or spring semester or the first day of each summer session up to the maximum course load. Adds beyond the maximum course load must be approved by an academic advisor using a form available from the Registrar’s Office.
Students seeking to add a closed class should join the waitlist for that course and enroll themselves when notified via email that there is an opening in the course. The waitlisting function is available through the fifth day of class in the fall and spring semesters and first day of class in a summer session. Students may use a Special Condition Add Form available at the Registrar’s Office for any courses for which waitlisting is unavailable.
For a student to add a course for which they do not meet the prerequisites or restrictions or for which instructor permission is required, the instructor must enter an override using WebOPUS. Once an override is entered, the student must still complete registration for the course via WebOPUS.
Beginning the second week of the fall and spring semesters and the second day of each summer session through Census Date of each term, any course additions must be on Special Condition Add forms, available at the Registrar’s Office. The form requires the signature of the instructor. Regular-starting courses cannot be added after Census Date. Course attendance does not constitute a course add.
Adds for Courses with Time Conflicts
In the case of a course time conflict, a Special Condition Add Form is required, along with the signatures of both instructors involved, as well as an explanation of how the course requirements will be met.
Adds for Late-Starting Courses
Students seeking to enroll in late-starting courses, defined as courses beginning at a time other than the normal start of the term, may use a Special Condition Add Form up until a week after the first class meeting in a fall or spring semester and one day after the first class meeting in a summer semester.
Remedial Education Policy
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The Statewide Remedial Education Policy applies to all degree-seeking students. This policy requires assessment of each first-time freshman and transfer student to determine if the student is college ready in reading, writing, and mathematics. This policy specifies the assessment process and minimum scores that must be earned. If through the assessment process a student is determined to not be college ready, the policy requires completion of remedial coursework with a minimum grade of C- by the time a student earns 30 credits at Fort Lewis College.
For more information about this policy, contact the Office of Admission and Advising.
Residency Requirement
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A minimum of 30 credits for a baccalaureate degree must be completed at Fort Lewis College. College-sponsored off-campus academic experiences are considered “in residence.”
Restrictions on Repeated Courses
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Certain courses in the curriculum may be repeated and count toward graduation. To determine whether a course may be repeated and the conditions under which it may be repeated, check the course description. In addition, please note limits on these courses:
PE Activity: No more than six credits in different physical activities.
Departmental 299/499: No more than eight credits of individual and independent study. Some departments have other restrictions on applying 299/499 courses to major requirements. See major course requirements for more information.
ED 489: No more than six credits in college teaching practicum.
Any student who does not enroll for three consecutive semesters (summer is counted as one semester) must reapply through the Office of Admission and Advising for readmission to Fort Lewis College. It is the student’s responsibility at the point of application to notify Fort Lewis College of any and all possible transfer, test, or military credits earned during any absences. The Effective Catalog policy, see above, will determine which catalog a student is eligible to use upon return to Fort Lewis College.
Student Bill of Rights
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The General Assembly implemented the Student Bill of Rights (C.R.S. 23-1-125) to assure that students enrolled in public institutions of higher education have the following rights:
(a) A quality general education experience that develops competencies in reading, writing, mathematics, technology and critical thinking through an integrated arts and science experience;
(b) Students should be able to complete their associate of arts and associate of science degree programs in no more than sixty credit hours or their baccalaureate programs in no more than one hundred twenty credit hours unless there are additional degree requirements recognized by the commission;
(c) A student can sign a two-year or four-year graduation agreement that formalizes a plan for that student to obtain a degree in two or four years, unless there are additional degree requirements recognized by the commission;
(d) Students have a right to clear and concise information concerning which courses must be completed successfully to complete their degrees;
(e) Students have a right to know which courses are transferable among the state public two-year and four-year institutions of higher education;
(f) Students, upon successful completion of core general education courses should have those courses satisfy the core course requirements of all Colorado public institutions of higher education;
(g) Students have a right to know if courses from one or more public higher education institutions satisfy the students’ graduation requirements;
(h) A student’s credit for the completion of the core requirements and core courses shall not expire for ten years from the date of initial enrollment and shall be transferable.
Time Limits on Coursework
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Fort Lewis College coursework more than 10 years old is not applicable toward major, auxiliary, or minor requirements in a degree program or applicable to requirements in a certificate program without approval of the department chair or program director. This policy does not apply to courses fulfilling Liberal Arts Core requirements or being used as free electives. See Transfer, Examination, and Prior Learning Credit Policies for time limits on the transfer of coursework from other higher education institutions.
Transcript ordering is provided through the National Student Clearinghouse. Students must pay the Clearinghouse processing fee as well as a Fort Lewis College processing fee for each transcript. Transcript requests will not be processed for those students who have holds on their accounts.
Withdrawing from a Term
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Students who have registered for classes and decide not to attend have the responsibility to cancel their registration or initiate a withdrawal by following the appropriate procedure. Non-attendance does not constitute cancellation or withdrawal. Students are cautioned that they are only eligible for one Post-Census Withdrawal during their undergraduate career at Fort Lewis College.
Procedures to Withdraw From a Term
PRIOR TO THE FIRST DAY OF THE TERM
Students must cancel their registration through WebOPUS. Students should select “Student Services” > “Registration” > “Add/ Drop Classes” > select the appropriate term > drop each of their classes prior to midnight on the day before the term begins.
FIRST DAY OF TERM THROUGH CENSUS DATE
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| Students must initiate a pre-Census withdrawal using WebOPUS. Students should select “Student Services” > “Registration” > “Withdraw from the Current Term” > read about |
| impact of withdrawals on tuition and fee charges, eligibility for on-campus housing, and financial aid > Submit “Request to Withdraw from the Current Term” > complete |
| the form > Submit “Request to Withdraw from the Current Term” > “Withdraw from Current Term now.” Students will be notified via email when their request to withdraw |
| has been processed. |
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| AFTER CENSUS DATE TO LAST DAY OF REGULAR CLASSES |
| Students must initiate a post-Census withdrawal using WebOPUS. Students should select “Student Services” > “Registration” > “Withdraw from the Current Term” > read about |
| impact of withdrawals on course grades, tuition and fee charges, eligibility for on-campus housing, and financial aid > Submit “Request to Withdraw from the Current Term” > |
| complete the form > Submit “Request to Withdraw from the Current Term” > “Withdraw from Current Term now.” |
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| Students submitting their first request for post-Census withdrawal during their undergraduate career at Fort Lewis College will be automatically approved and they |
| will receive the grade of SW (semester withdrawal) for all of their courses. |
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| Second and subsequent requests for post-Census withdrawals will be reviewed by the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs. Students will be notified via email whether |
| the request has been approved or denied. |
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| Students who are approved for a second or subsequent post-Census withdrawal will receive the grade of AW in all of their courses. Students not approved will |
| be assigned a grade by each instructor at the end of the term. |
Technical Difficulties with WebOPUS
If a student experiences problems with using WebOPUS, it is the student’s responsibility to contact the Registrar’s Office as soon as possible.
Tuition and Fees Schedule For Students Who Withdraw
Students initiating a pre-Census or post-Census withdrawal will be assessed tuition and fees according to the pro rata schedule published on the Student Billing & Cashiering website. There are separate schedules for the fall and spring semesters and the summer sessions.
Other Responsibilities Associated With Withdrawal
Students who have applied for housing and/or financial aid have other responsibilities associated with official withdrawal and must contact those offices directly. |