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Course Enrollment and Schedule Change Procedures

Course of Study 2011-2012

During the first seven class days of each semester, the drop/add period, students may come to the registrar's office to alter their course selections (or status within courses), with the approvals of their advisors and instructors. Students may enroll in an Individual Study up to the seventh class day in any given semester. Before a sponsoring faculty member or department chair approves an Individual Study, the student (consulting with the instructor) must submit a written plan for the IS based on the guidelines articulated in the department /program policy.

Course enrollments are finalized at the end of the drop/add period (seventh day of classes). Students are fully accountable for all courses for which they are enrolled from that point on, and all will remain on the permanent record.

If a student has attended a course in which he or she was not enrolled, no record of or grade for the class will be available.

If a student never attends or stops attending a course but fails to withdraw properly in the registrar's office, an F is recorded.

Fees for late course changes. All enrollment changes after the first seven class days of each semester are subject to the late course-change fee unless otherwise noted. These fees apply to all enrollment changes including those accomplished through petition and are found in the Kenyon College Fees and Charges booklet.

At the discretion of the registrar, payment of all or part of these fees may be waived. Students may appeal the registrar's decision to an associate provost, whose decision is final. Students may request that these fees be added to their College accounts, but Kenyon reserves the right to require a cash payment.

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Generally, the College curriculum requires that students enroll for a minimum of 4 units of credit each academic year. Although most students enroll for 2 units each semester, it is acceptable to enroll for as few as 1.75 units in one semester as long as the 4 units per academic year are accumulated. Students who fail to meet this requirement will find the notation "Underenrolled" on their academic record.

However, seniors who are ahead on the required credits, and who can therefore afford to do so, may enroll for as few as 3.5 units for the year so long as a minimum of 1.5 units each semester is maintained.

Also, students must enroll in at least two departments each semester for a minimum of .5 unit of credit in each of the two departments. Although many students will enroll in three or even four departments in a given semester, no one may enroll in only one department. Students who fail to meet this requirement will find the notation "Improperly enrolled" on their academic record. This rule applies only to those students who are working toward their first 16 units of credit; students are exempt from this rule in semesters following the one in which 16 units have been completed.

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In certain instances, described below, students may change their course enrollments after the first seven class days of each semester. However, unless otherwise noted, all such changes require payment of a late processing fee and the explicit approvals of advisor and instructor via signatures on their forms.

No course may be added after the sixth week of classes.

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Audit. Students may change to audit status beginning the first day of the semester through the first seven days of classes, provided such change leaves them properly enrolled. This change requires the signature of the instructor and advisor.

Pass/D/Fail. A student may change status in a course to or from pass/D/fail only through the end of the fourth week of classes. Students are specifically required to maintain a consistent grading option over both halves of a year-long course. This change requires the signature of the instructor and advisor.

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Withdraw, illness. A student may petition to withdraw from a course because a serious illness or other personal circumstance beyond the student's control has prevented him or her from meeting the requirements of his or her courses. This will appear as a "WI" (withdrawal because of illness or incapacity) on the student's transcript. A dean must support the student's claim of illness or incapacity, and the request must be approved by the Academic Standards Committee. Students eligible for WI are exempted from payment of a late fee.

Withdraw passing after the seventh class day. A student may withdraw without petition from an extra course only within the first eight weeks of each semester, provided the student remains enrolled for at least 1.75 units of credit in the semester and 4 units for the year. A "WP" (withdraw passing) is recorded if the student is passing at the time of the request; otherwise an F is recorded on the student's transcript. Students may withdraw passing (WP) from an extra year course (a credit overload) only through the eighth week of the first semester, or from the second half of a year course through the eighth week of the second semester. The withdrawal requires the signatures of the instructor and the faculty advisor. A late-course-change processing fee will be charged. Students may not withdraw from the course if an academic infraction is pending.

Withdraw late. A student may withdraw from a course one time only without petition. Students may withdraw late (WL) from a year course during the first semester only. Students may not withdraw late from the second half of a year course. A "WL" (withdraw late) will be recorded on the student's transcript. A student may use this option even if it leaves the student underenrolled, with the understanding that the student must still accumulate 16 units to graduate. However, students who are already underenrolled may not use this option to become further underenrolled. Use of the WL must be discussed with the student's faculty advisor, the instructor, and the dean for academic advising before a decision is made to use the option. Students are expected to continue to attend class and participate until the required signatures are obtained and the WL form is submitted to the registrar's office. Students should obtain signatures in the following order: faculty advisor, course instructor, and dean for academic advising. This option must be exercised prior to the beginning of the final exam period for the semester in which the course begins. A student may use this one-time option in any class year. However, students who have already exercised the option to underenroll by one course in the fall of the senior year may not use the WL option the following spring.

Students may not withdraw from a course where Academic Infractions Board sanctions are pending or have been imposed. Similarly, students may not withdraw from a class after they have been expelled from the class and the "X" grade has been submitted.

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Withdrawing from a year course at midyear. Students are allowed, with permission of the advisor and the instructor, to withdraw from a year course with half credit and a final grade at the end of the first semester. The instructor may require a final examination. Students who withdraw after tentative grades have been submitted must understand that the final grade for the first semester need not necessarily be the same as the tentative grade.

Forms for dropping the second half of year courses at the end of the first semester are available at the Registrar's Office and should be returned there in a timely manner, no later than the seventh class day of the spring semester. The final grade must be received in the Registrar's Office within two weeks (ten class days) of the effective date of the drop. Otherwise a grade of F will be recorded.

Please see section regarding withdraw passing from a course after the seventh class day.

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