Academic policies
The undergraduate and graduate catalogs are the source of all academic policies as they relate to UWL students. The below lists are intended as an aid to help locate the policies in the catalogs.
About UWL
UWL's Mission, Vision, & Values are found in the offical published catalogs of the university and apply to both undergraduate and graduate students.
UWL's policy on freedom of thought and expression can be found in the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.
UWL's policy on civil rights can be found in the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.
UWL's policy on accommodation of religious beliefs can be found in the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.
UWL's policy on providing facilities and programs that are accessibly to all students with disabilites can be found in the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.
Academic calendar
The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse's Academic Calendar is describe briefly in the official catalogs, undergraduate and graduate. A longer description of how UWL's calendar is determined can be found in the "UWL Academic Calendar Full Policy and Revisions" located on Records and Registration's Academic Scheduling page. UWL follows a seven year calendar cycle.
Student conduct
The full UWL Student Honor Code can be found in the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.
The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System has established administrative codes to address academic and non-academic misconduct. A brief description of the situations these codes cover can be found in the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.
The student handbook, Eagle Eye, has more specific information about how these disciplinary procedures are enforced at UW-La Crosse and how one may report an incident.
Student records
F.E.R.P.A. refers to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act which protects the privacy of student educational records. An abbreviated policy can be found in the undergraduate and graduate catalogs. UWL's full policy can be found on our FERPA page.
It is the student’s responsibility to keep appropriate offices advised of changes. Campus (local) or permanent home (legal) addresses may be changed through the student's WINGS Student Center. Official name changes must be done in the Office of Records and Registration, 117 Graff Main Hall, with proper identification and documentation.
In August 2016, the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse began implementation of a Preferred Name Policy that allows eligible students, faculty, and staff to indicate their preferred first and/or middle name to the university community regardless of whether they have legally changed their name.
Academic Eligibility
CAPS revisions approved by Faculty Senate 11/20/2008, 2/26/2015, and 12/1/2016.
Admissions
The criteria and policies for undergraduate admission can be found in the admissions section of the undergraduate catalog. See the Admissions website for further information on applying to UWL.
Degrees, Commencement, & Honors
The current policy can be found in the undergraduate catalog.
The current policy can be found in the undergraduate catalog.
The current policy can be found in the undergraduate catalog.
The current policy can be found in the undergraduate catalog.
The current policy can be found in the undergraduate catalog.
The current policy can be found in the undergraduate catalog.
The current policy can be found in the undergraduate catalog.
The current policy can be found in the undergraduate catalog.
Occasionally events take place where the need to consider additional degree options arises in order to honor those who have provided exemplary service to the university or to extend sympathy and compassion to the families and friends of deceased students near completion of their degrees. UWL has policies for awarding honorary, extraordinary, and posthumous degrees in recognition of these exceptional situations.
Final Exams
The current policy can be found in the undergraduate catalog.
Grading
The current policy can be found in both the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.
The current academic policy can be found in both the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.
The audit policy applies to both undergraduate and graduate students. The current policy can be found in the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.
The current policy can be found in both the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.
The current policy can be found in the undergraduate catalog.
The current policy can be found in the undergraduate catalog.
The current policy can be found in the undergraduate catalog.
The current policy can be found in the undergraduate catalog. The Admissions Office has details on ways to earn this credit.
Internships
Departmental and/or university-wide (non-departmental) co-op internships are designed to carry variable credit with maximum credits awarded only if student assignments meet operational standards of 40 hours per week for approximately 14 weeks. Fewer credits will be awarded on a prorated hours-per-week basis.
While a maximum of 30 semester credits may be taken in internships and recorded on the permanent academic record, no more than 15 credits will be applicable to a degree. (Credit applicable to a major or minor will be assigned by the appropriate department chairperson).
All students involved in departmental and/or university-wide co-op internships (non departmental) for credit are required to register.
Academic departments who plan to make changes in their departmental requirements for the cooperative education and internship program should consult with Career Services.
These policies do not apply to internships in teacher education, physical education, recreation, social work, physical therapy, medical technology, nuclear medicine technology, or graduate programs. Students wishing more information should contact the Cooperative Education/Internship Program in the Career Services Offices.
The list of participating UWL academic departments can be found in the catalog.
Registration, Attendance, & Schedule Changes
The current policy can be found in the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.
The current policy can be found in the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.
The current policy can be found in the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.
The current policy can be found in the undergraduate catalog.
The policy sets the deadlines for dropping a course without affecting a student's academic record and the deadlines for adding without permission and with permission. The current policy can be found in the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.
After the change of schedule period is over (10 days for a full semester class; for shorter classes, deadlines are calculated proportionally), dropping a full semester course will result in a "W" being placed on the student's record. The complete "Individual Class Withdrawal Policy" can be found in the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.
The current policy can be found in the undergraduate catalog.
The current policy can be found in the undergraduate catalog.
A brief description of the registration process can be found in the undergraduate and graduate catalog.
For information on how to register through WINGS, see Records and Registration's registration resources for more details and links to help documents.
The current policy can be found in the undergraduate catalog.
The current policy can be found in the undergraduate catalog.
The current policy can be found in the undergraduate catalog.
The current policy can be found in the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.
Transfer Credit
The policies for transfering undergraduate credit to UWL can be found in the transfer credit section of the undergraduate catalog.
Undergraduate Policy Committees
CAPS is the faculty committee for formulating and reviewing local policies and standards for admissions and academic activity; ensuring equitable application of the standards by the colleges and schools; and developing procedures for hearing student appeals and petitions on academic matters. Membership of the committee consists of nine faculty and three students. The Director of Admissions and the Registrar serve as administrative consultants. The Chancellor selects an additional administrative consultant.
By-laws and other documentation for CAPS are posted on the UWL Faculty Senate website.
The Undergraduate Curriculum Committee (UCC) is the curriculum review faculty body for all academic programs at the baccalaureate level. Membership of this committee consists of nine faculty, with proportional representation by college, and three students. The Provost, Registrar, Director of the Library, and the dean of each college serve as administrative consultants.
By-laws and other documentation for UCC are posted on the Faculty Senate website.
Withdrawal Policies
This policy refers to dropping (a.k.a. withdrawing from) an individual course after the change of schedule period is over, when dropping courses starts to affect a student's academic record. The full policy can be found in the both the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.
The current policy can be found in the both the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.
The current policy can be found in the both the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.
An abbreviated version of the below policy can be found in the both the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.
Withdrawal Policies and Procedures for Students Called to Active Military Duty
- POLICIES
The following policies apply only to those students who are called to active duty (i.e., active duty Reserve, National Guard), not to individuals who voluntarily enlist. Students should be referred to the Student Life Office, 149 Graff Main Hall, for assistance and guidance with the following processes.
- Fee Refund Policies
- Students called to active duty prior to the beginning of an academic term will receive a 100% refund of all fees, including deposits and all housing and meal plan fees. Students may elect to have their deposits applied to a future term.
- Students called to active duty after the beginning of an academic term must choose one of the following options before departing for active duty:
- Withdraw from the University. Students choosing this option will receive a full refund of academic (deposit, tuition and segregated) fees and the prorated refund of housing and meal plan fees. No withdrawal fee will be assessed. Refunds of special course fees will be reviewed on an individual basis. The actual withdrawal date will be recorded; it will not be backdated.
- With the permission of the course instructors, accept the grades earned to that date in each of their courses, or elect to take the grade of "Incomplete" in some or all courses. Students who choose this option are not eligible for the refund of academic fees (deposit, tuition and segregated) or special course fees, but are eligible for the prorated refund of housing and meal plan fees.
- Withdraw from some courses and request grades and/or "incomplete" grades in some courses. Students who choose this option will receive a 100% refund of academic fees (deposit, tuition and segregated) only for those courses from which the student withdraws and the course load drops below the minimum credits in the fee plateau, i.e., drops below 12 credits for undergraduate students. Refunds of special course fees will be reviewed on an individual basis and refund of housing and meal plan fees will be prorated.
- Housing and Meal Plan Fees
- Students called to active duty before the beginning of an academic term shall receive a 100% refund of fees.
- Students called to active duty after the beginning of the academic term shall receive a refund based upon the unused portion of the fee.
- Deposits will be refunded unless students elect to apply deposits toward a future term.
- Students will be expected to move their belongings out of the residence hall unless special arrangements have been made with the residence life staff
- Financial Aid Policy
- Students will not be responsible for repayment of unearned federal grants to the U.S. Department of Education.
- Perkins Loan recipients will be granted a military deferment that will relieve the borrower of repayment responsibility while on active duty.
- Stafford Loan recipients should contact their lender or guarantee agency to request that their loans be maintained in an in-school status which will relieve them of repayment responsibility while on active duty for a period of up to three years. If needed, the Financial Aid Office will contact the lender or guarantee agency on behalf of the student. Note: the National Student Clearinghouse file will not indicate in-school status.
- Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements will be waived.
- Academic Record Policy
- Students called to active duty prior to the beginning of an academic term will have no academic record for that term.
- Records of students who are called to active duty after the beginning of an academic term and who elect to withdraw from the University will show the notation: "Withdrew (date)." No credit will be earned. Withdrawal marks of "EP/EF" will be recorded for each course; these grades do not affect GPA.
- For students who receive "Incomplete" grades, the following applies:
- Permission of the instructor is required for each course.
- The length of time to complete Incompletes will be extended as necessary. (To complete "incompletes," students are not allowed to register again in the courses.)
- For students who have completed enough work to receive permanent/final grades, those will be submitted, recorded and calculated into the GPA according to standard procedures.
- Re-entry Policy
- Students called to active duty are guaranteed re-entry upon the completion of active duty.
- The usual re-entry application and financial aid deadlines will be waived. Housing will be guaranteed also.
- Readmission decisions, if necessary because of academic standing, will be made on an individual basis.
- Veterans Administration Regulations
"A student called to active duty may also have his or her entitlement restored if training is interrupted only if they did not receive credit for a course and must retake at another time."
{Citation: 38 CFR 21.7576(e)(1)(ii)}
- PROCEDURES
- Student
- Bring/send copy of orders/activation papers to Student Life Office.
- Return textbooks to the Textbook Rental.
- Notify Stafford Loan lending agency, if applicable.
- Student Life Office
- Coordinate withdrawals from University, filing of Incomplete forms, and other processes deemed necessary to assist students who are called to active duty, if time does not permit student to complete the process.
- Forward copy of student's call-up orders to the Cashiers' Office and Records and Registration Office along with withdrawal form. Also forward a copy of the call-up orders to the Financial Aid Office, if applicable. Veterans Services Coordinator in the R&R Office will be informed via the withdrawal form and will take appropriate action.
- Cashiers' Office
- Process full refunds of academic fees and prorated refunds of housing and meal plan fees, as indicated by the above policies.
- Enforce financial aid repayment policies as directed by the Department of Education.
- Records and Registration Office
- Process either University withdrawals or course withdrawals as appropriate with date of withdrawal. Veterans Services Coordinator: Notify VA of any student called to active duty who is receiving benefits. File a copy of the student's call-up orders in the student's file as documentation for financial auditors.
- Financial Aid Office
- Identify active duty students' files to ensure proper allowances for satisfactory academic progress, waiver of repayment of unearned federal grants and maintenance of in-school status for loans.
CAPS approved 11/9/01
Updated 2/25/09
Academic Eligibility
The current policy can be found in the graduate catalog.
Revised by Graduate Council 5/1/1997; 5/31/2005; 1/28/2010; and 5/10/2013.
Admissions
The criteria and policies for graduate admissions can be found in the admissions section of the graduate catalog. See also the Admissions and Graduate Studies pages for further information on applying to UWL.
Assistantships
The current policy can be found in the graduate catalog.
Degrees, Commencement, & Honors
The current policy can be found in the graduate catalog.
The current policy can be found in the graduate catalog.
The current policy can be found in the graduate catalog.
Honors are not calculated for graduate students. The current policy can be found in the graduate catalog.
Final Exams
The current policy can be found in the graduate catalog.
The Graduate Council has approved a graduate research, comprehensive exams, and terminal project completion policy for students who are still working on required research, comprehensive exams, or terminal projects. The purpose of this policy is to provide continued access to university faculty, technology, facilities, and the library.
The current policy can be found in the graduate catalog.
Graduate Policy Committees
The Graduate Council is responsible for establishing academic standards pertaining to graduate study, determining procedures for selecting graduate faculty, formulating appeal procedures and hearing graduate student appearls on academic policies, and making recommentations to Faculty Senate about issues related to graduate study.
By-laws and other documentation for Graduate Council are posted on the UWL Faculty Senate website.
The Graduate Curriculum Committee (UCC) is the curriculum review faculty body for all academic programs at the graduate level. Membership of this committee consists of nine faculty, with proportional representation by college, and three students. The Provost, Registrar, Director of University Graduate Studies, Director of the Library, and the dean of each college serve as administrative consultants.
By-laws and other documentation for GCC are posted on the Faculty Senate website.
Grading
The current policy can be found in both the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.
The current academic policy can be found in both the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.
The audit policy applies to both undergraduate and graduate students. The current policy can be found in the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.
The current policy can be found in both the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.
The current policy can be found in the graduate catalog.
The current policy can be found in the graduate catalog.
The current policy can be found in the graduate catalog.
The current policy can be found in the graduate catalog.
The current policy can be found in the graduate catalog.
Registration, Attendance, & Schedule Changes
Advising is a critical part of graduate education. It is important for each student to meet with their program director early in their studies to chart a plan of study. Program directors serve as the advisors in some programs; in other programs, advisors are assigned. Consulting with your advisor prior to each registration will reduce the possibility of enrolling in courses which do not meet your goals.
The current policy can be found in the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.
The current policy can be found in the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.
The current policy can be found in the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.
The policy sets the deadlines for dropping a course without affecting a student's academic record and the deadlines for adding without permission and with permission. The current policy can be found in the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.
After the change of schedule period is over (10 days for a full semester class; for shorter classes, deadlines are calculated proportionally), dropping a full semester course will result in a "W" being placed on the student's record. The complete "Individual Class Withdrawal Policy" can be found in the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.
The current policy can be found in the graduate catalog.
The current policy can be found in the graduate catalog.
A brief description of the registration process can be found in the undergraduate and graduate catalog.
For information on how to register through WINGS, see Records and Registration's registration resources for more details and links to help documents.
The current policy can be found in the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.
Transfer Credit
The current policy can be found in the graduate transfer credit section of the graduate catalog.
Withdrawal Policies
This policy refers to dropping (a.k.a. withdrawing from) an individual course after the change of schedule period is over, when dropping courses starts to affect a student's academic record. The full policy can be found in the both the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.
The current policy can be found in the both the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.
The current policy can be found in the both the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.
An abbreviated version of the below policy can be found in the both the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.
Withdrawal Policies and Procedures for Students Called to Active Military Duty
- POLICIES
The following policies apply only to those students who are called to active duty (i.e., active duty Reserve, National Guard), not to individuals who voluntarily enlist. Students should be referred to the Student Life Office, 149 Graff Main Hall, for assistance and guidance with the following processes.
- Fee Refund Policies
- Students called to active duty prior to the beginning of an academic term will receive a 100% refund of all fees, including deposits and all housing and meal plan fees. Students may elect to have their deposits applied to a future term.
- Students called to active duty after the beginning of an academic term must choose one of the following options before departing for active duty:
- Withdraw from the University. Students choosing this option will receive a full refund of academic (deposit, tuition and segregated) fees and the prorated refund of housing and meal plan fees. No withdrawal fee will be assessed. Refunds of special course fees will be reviewed on an individual basis. The actual withdrawal date will be recorded; it will not be backdated.
- With the permission of the course instructors, accept the grades earned to that date in each of their courses, or elect to take the grade of "Incomplete" in some or all courses. Students who choose this option are not eligible for the refund of academic fees (deposit, tuition and segregated) or special course fees, but are eligible for the prorated refund of housing and meal plan fees.
- Withdraw from some courses and request grades and/or "incomplete" grades in some courses. Students who choose this option will receive a 100% refund of academic fees (deposit, tuition and segregated) only for those courses from which the student withdraws and the course load drops below the minimum credits in the fee plateau, i.e., drops below 12 credits for undergraduate students. Refunds of special course fees will be reviewed on an individual basis and refund of housing and meal plan fees will be prorated.
- Housing and Meal Plan Fees
- Students called to active duty before the beginning of an academic term shall receive a 100% refund of fees.
- Students called to active duty after the beginning of the academic term shall receive a refund based upon the unused portion of the fee.
- Deposits will be refunded unless students elect to apply deposits toward a future term.
- Students will be expected to move their belongings out of the residence hall unless special arrangements have been made with the residence life staff
- Financial Aid Policy
- Students will not be responsible for repayment of unearned federal grants to the U.S. Department of Education.
- Perkins Loan recipients will be granted a military deferment that will relieve the borrower of repayment responsibility while on active duty.
- Stafford Loan recipients should contact their lender or guarantee agency to request that their loans be maintained in an in-school status which will relieve them of repayment responsibility while on active duty for a period of up to three years. If needed, the Financial Aid Office will contact the lender or guarantee agency on behalf of the student. Note: the National Student Clearinghouse file will not indicate in-school status.
- Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements will be waived.
- Academic Record Policy
- Students called to active duty prior to the beginning of an academic term will have no academic record for that term.
- Records of students who are called to active duty after the beginning of an academic term and who elect to withdraw from the University will show the notation: "Withdrew (date)." No credit will be earned. Withdrawal marks of "EP/EF" will be recorded for each course; these grades do not affect GPA.
- For students who receive "Incomplete" grades, the following applies:
- Permission of the instructor is required for each course.
- The length of time to complete Incompletes will be extended as necessary. (To complete "incompletes," students are not allowed to register again in the courses.)
- For students who have completed enough work to receive permanent/final grades, those will be submitted, recorded and calculated into the GPA according to standard procedures.
- Re-entry Policy
- Students called to active duty are guaranteed re-entry upon the completion of active duty.
- The usual re-entry application and financial aid deadlines will be waived. Housing will be guaranteed also.
- Readmission decisions, if necessary because of academic standing, will be made on an individual basis.
- Veterans Administration Regulations
"A student called to active duty may also have his or her entitlement restored if training is interrupted only if they did not receive credit for a course and must retake at another time."
{Citation: 38 CFR 21.7576(e)(1)(ii)}
- PROCEDURES
- Student
- Bring/send copy of orders/activation papers to Student Life Office.
- Return textbooks to the Textbook Rental.
- Notify Stafford Loan lending agency, if applicable.
- Student Life Office
- Coordinate withdrawals from University, filing of Incomplete forms, and other processes deemed necessary to assist students who are called to active duty, if time does not permit student to complete the process.
- Forward copy of student's call-up orders to the Cashiers' Office and Records and Registration Office along with withdrawal form. Also forward a copy of the call-up orders to the Financial Aid Office, if applicable. Veterans Services Coordinator in the R&R Office will be informed via the withdrawal form and will take appropriate action.
- Cashiers' Office
- Process full refunds of academic fees and prorated refunds of housing and meal plan fees, as indicated by the above policies.
- Enforce financial aid repayment policies as directed by the Department of Education.
- Records and Registration Office
- Process either University withdrawals or course withdrawals as appropriate with date of withdrawal. Veterans Services Coordinator: Notify VA of any student called to active duty who is receiving benefits. File a copy of the student's call-up orders in the student's file as documentation for financial auditors.
- Financial Aid Office
- Identify active duty students' files to ensure proper allowances for satisfactory academic progress, waiver of repayment of unearned federal grants and maintenance of in-school status for loans.
CAPS approved 11/9/01
Updated 2/25/09