Policy

Enrollment and Registration Policy

1.00 Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide students with the information they need to pro-actively manage and assess their academic career at California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB).

This policy is deemed to be consistent with the University's commitment to the principles, goals, and ideals described in CSUMB Founding Vision Statement, and to its core values, and to adhere to Chancellor's Office Executive Order 1037.

2.00 Definitions

Residency refers to the units taken from and completed at CSUMB. In this policy and for the purposes of meeting CSUMB graduation requirements, every candidate for a bachelor's degree must successfully complete a minimum of 30 units "in residence" at CSUMB; every candidate for a master's degree must successfully complete a minimum of 21 units "in residence" at CSUMB.

Schedule Adjustment Period refers to the add/drop period at the beginning of each term, in which students are able to adjust their course enrollments.

3.00 Enrollment and Registration

State funding is allocated to the University based on student enrollment each term. To attend and participate in classes, students must be officially enrolled during the term of participation, in accordance with campus policy. Official term enrollment requires the awarding of grades for classes attempted.

Continuing CSUMB students and new students who have received notice of admission are eligible to register for classes. Registration is conducted online. Eligible students will be notified of their registration appointment time.

Once students register for classes, all registration fees must be paid by established deadlines. Failure to pay registration fees or make appropriate arrangements for payment will result in enrollment cancellation. It is the students' responsibility to determine their enrollment status.

For exceptions to mandatory tuition and fee established deadlines, please refer to the Fee Waivers and Exemptions section of the University Catalog.

3.10 Add/Drop

Students may add and drop classes within the established schedule adjustment periods for the term, which are published on the CSUMB website. The responsibility for adding and dropping any class rests solely with the student. However, students who are part of an approved cohorted program or who participate in an approved specialized program may be added to classes by the University. Students should review their Student Center homepage to determine their enrollment status.

There are many reasons a student may be dropped from a class, including but not limited to:

1. failure to meet the prerequisite requirements;
2. non-attendance (or non-participation for on-line courses) during the first week of courses in a regular semester without communicating with the instructor;
3. enrolling in a class for which the student already has an Incomplete (I), Report in Progress (RP), or Report Delayed (RD) grade; or,
4. enrolling in a class already successfully completed with a C or better grade.

It is the students' responsibility to determine their enrollment status.

3.20 Withdrawal After the Schedule Adjustment Period [1]

3.2.1 Withdrawal Authorized

Withdrawals after the schedule adjustment period and prior to the last twenty percent of instruction may be assigned only for serious and compelling reasons. Withdrawals approved under these circumstances shall state the reasons for the withdrawal. Permission to withdraw during this time shall be granted only with the acknowledgement of the instructor, the identified last date of attendance, and with approval of the Dean of University College or the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research, depending on program level. Undergraduate students may withdraw from no more than 18 units at CSUMB.

Withdrawals shall not be permitted during the final twenty percent of instruction except in cases, such as accident or serious illness, where the cause of the withdrawal is due to circumstances clearly beyond the student's control and the assignment of an Incomplete is not practical. Withdrawals of this sort may involve total withdrawal from the campus or may involve only one course, except that course grade and credit or an Incomplete may be assigned for courses in which sufficient work has been completed to permit an evaluation to be made. Withdrawal under these circumstances must be approved by the Provost, or designee, in addition to the Dean of University College or the Dean of Graduate Studies. If approved, these units shall not count toward the withdrawal maximum of 18 units.

If a student's petition for withdrawal is approved, the student's transcript shall reflect a "Withdrawal" (W). An official withdrawal (W) does not reflect the quality of the student's performance and shall not be used in the calculation of the student's grade point average; however, a W is used to calculate a student's progress to degree, which may affect financial aid eligibility. Students wishing to receive reimbursements shall refer to the Refund Policy as described in the University Catalog.

3.2.2 Withdrawal Unauthorized [2]

The instructor shall issue a designation of "Withdrawal Unauthorized" (WU) when a student did not properly withdraw from the course and also failed to complete course requirements. It is used when, in the opinion of the instructor, completed assignments or course activities or both were insufficient to make normal evaluation of academic performance possible. The instructor shall report the last known date of attendance by the student.

The symbol "WU" shall be identified as a failing grade in the transcript legend and shall be counted as units attempted but not passed in computing grade point average. In courses which are graded Credit/No Credit (CR/NC) or in cases where the student has elected Credit/No Credit evaluation, use of the symbol "WU" shall not be used and "NC" shall be used instead.

3.30 Audit [3]

Enrollment as an auditor is subject to permission of the instructor. In addition, enrollment in a course as an auditor shall be permitted only after students otherwise eligible to enroll on a credit basis have had an opportunity to do so. Auditors are subject to the same fee structure as credit students and regular class attendance is expected.

Once enrolled as an auditor, a student may not change to credit status unless such a chance is requested during the schedule adjustment period. A student who is enrolled for credit may not change to audit after the schedule adjustment period has expired.

3.40 Incomplete [4]

The use of an "Incomplete" may not be initiated by faculty, but rather must be requested by the student and approved by the faculty. The "Incomplete" (I) is a temporary assessment that may be assigned only when certain criteria apply. Those criteria shall be as follows:

1. The student has satisfactorily completed 75% of the course requirements as determined by the instructor; and,
2. The student has experienced unforeseen and extenuating circumstances that can be documented, which prevent fulfillment of the remaining course requirements no later than the end of the term; and,
3. The student shall be making satisfactory progress toward achieving course outcomes at the time the request for the incomplete is made.

Students shall be responsible for providing the instructor with documentation to support the request for an "I" normally no later than the published "Last Day of Instruction" for that term.

An incomplete shall not be assigned when it is necessary for the student to attend a major portion of the class when it is next offered. An incomplete is also prohibited where the normal practice requires extension of the course requirement beyond the close of the term, e.g., thesis or project type courses. In such cases, use of the Report in Progress (RP) symbol is required (see section 3.60).

The student and instructor shall agree on how and when the remaining course requirements shall be completed and enter into a written contract describing those requirements. Completion of the course requirements and evaluation shall take place no later than one year from the date of the approved "I." An extension of the one-year time limit may be granted by the faculty member for contingencies such as intervening military service or other serious and compelling reasons. Faculty members approving an extension shall revise the contract and notify the Registrar. A grade shall be reported to the Registrar when the work agreed upon has been completed and evaluated in compliance with this policy.

Official record of the written contract shall be maintained by the Department. If the instructor of record is no longer available, the Department Chair and/or Program Coordinator of a Graduate Program shall ensure that the instructor's obligations are fulfilled.

3.50 Incomplete Charged

If the conditions of the written contract have not been satisfied and/or the grade change form has not been submitted by the deadline, the "Incomplete Charged" (IC) symbol shall be applied by the Registrar in place of the "I" and be recorded on the students' transcript.

The symbol "IC" shall be identified as a failing grade in the transcript legend and shall be counted as units attempted but not passed in computing grade point average. In courses which are graded Credit/No Credit or in cases where the student has elected Credit/No Credit evaluation, the symbol "IC" shall not be used and "NC" shall be used instead.

3.60 Report in Progress [5]

"Report in Progress" (RP) shall be used in connection with thesis, project, or similar courses in which assigned work frequently extends beyond a single academic term and may include enrollment in more than one term. The "RP" symbol shall be replaced with the appropriate final grade within one year of its assignment, except in cases related to graduate theses courses. The President or designee may authorize extension of the established time limits.

In cases where assigned work is not completed, nor has an extension of time been requested by the student, the "RP" symbol shall be replaced with an "IC" and is counted as a failing grade for grade point computation and progress to degree. In courses which are graded Credit/No Credit or in cases where the student has elected Credit/No Credit evaluation, the symbol "IC" shall not be used and "NC" shall be used instead.

3.70 Report Delayed [6]

The "Report Delayed" (RD) grade indicates that the instructor has not yet submitted the grade for the class. Students may contact the instructor to inquire about the grade assignment.

The symbol "RD" does not reflect the quality of the student's performance and shall not be used in the calculation of the student's grade point average. Once the grade is submitted, the "RD" is replace with the earned grade.

3.80 Enrollment Status

For the purposes of financial aid reporting:

Enrollment status for Undergraduate and Credential-seeking students is defined as:

• Full time ~ 12 or more units
• Three-quarter time ~ 9 to 11 units
• Half time ~ 6 to 8 units
• Less than half time ~ 1 to 5 units

Enrollment status for Graduate students is defined as:

• Full time ~ 8 or more units
• Three-quarter time ~ 6 to 7 units
• Half time ~ 4 to 5 units
• Less than half time ~ 1 to 3 units

3.90 Enrollment Limits

The maximum number of units that a baccalauarete, graduate, or credential-seeking student may take are as follows:

• during the fall or spring semester the limit is normally 18
• during the summer term the limit is normally 14
• during the winter term the limit is normally 6

Some baccalaureat students will have higher or lower enrollment caps based upon their major, class level, and academic standing, while some graduate and credential-seeking student will have higher or lower enrollment caps based upon their degree objective and academic standing.

Exceptions to these limits shall be made on the basis of proven academic ability, the feasibility of a student's proposed schedule, and the evidence that it is necessary to enroll for an overload in order to complete the student's chosen academic program in a timely manner.  Permission must be obtained from the student's advisor or graduate program coordinator prior to registration via the approved Additional Unit Authorization Form which must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar before the end of the Schedule Adjustment Period.

4.00 Grades

Instructors shall assign students the appropriate grading symbols in a timely and reasonable manner. Grade symbols include letter grades A, B, C, D, F, with plus or minus designations or CR/NC to represent credit or non-credit.

4.10 Definition of Grades for Undergraduate Students

Grades and grade points per unit are used in reporting as follows:

 

Symbol	GPA Points	Definition
RP	Not counted in the GPA	Report in Progress
RD	Not counted in the GPA	Report Delayed
W	Not counted in the GPA	Withdrawal
AU	No units earned and not counted in the GPA	Audit
CR	Signifying units earned but not counted in the GPA	Credit    Undergraduate students shall earn a grade equivalent to a letter grade of C- or better to receive a designation of CR in a course
NC	No units earned and not counted in the GPA	No Credit    Undergraduate students who earn a grade equivalent to a letter grade of D+ or lower shall receive a designation of NC in a course
I	Not counted in the GPA	Incomplete
IC	Will count as an "F" for GPA computation	Incomplete Charged
WU	Will count as an "F" for GPA computation	Withdrawal Unauthorized

4.20 Definition of Grades for Graduate and Credential-Seeking Students

Grades and grade points per unit used in reporting are as follows:

Symbol	GPA Points	Definition
RP	Not counted in the GPA	Report in Progress
RD	Not counted in the GPA	Report Delayed
W	Not counted in the GPA	Withdrawal
AU	No units earned and not counted in the GPA	Audit
CR	Signifying units earned but not counted in the GPA	Credit  Graduate Students shall earn a letter grade equivalent to a B- or better to receive a designation of CR in a course.
NC	No units earned and not counted in the GPA	No Credit  Graduate Students who earn a letter grade equivalent to a C+ or lower shall receive a designation of NC in a course.
I	Not counted in the GPA	Incomplete
IC	Will count as an "F" for GPA computation	Incomplete Charged
WU	Will count as an "F" for GPA computation	Withdrawal Unauthorized

4.30 Grade Mode

Students may elect to take a course for a Credit/No Credit (CR/NC) grade if the course is already available for CR/NC grading as indicated in the University Catalog. Grade mode selections must be made before the end of the schedule adjustment period. Students may consult with instructors and/or non-faculty advisors about grading options.

5.00 Transfer Credit

Credit from coursework taken at a regionally accredited institution in the United States may be transferred and used toward a CSUMB degree. The students must present appropriate documentation, including official transcripts of work completed. If coursework was taken in a country other than the United States, it must be evaluated by an approved foreign credential evaluation service, at the student's expense, prior to admission.

Official determinations of acceptable credit and its application will be made by the Office of Admissions and/or the Office of the Registrar.

5.10 Transfer Credit for Undergraduate Students

5.1.1 Transferring Credit from Community Colleges [7]

A maximum of 70 semester units earned in a community college may be applied toward the baccalaureate degree, with the following limitations and stipulations:

1. No upper-division credit may be allowed for courses taken in a community college;
2. Students who transfer in with general education certification are still required to complete at least 9 units of upper-division general education coursework in residence at CSUMB [8];
3. Any course taken at a California community college can substitute for general education breadth requirements and lower-division requirements, if the course is approved as equivalent to the appropriate CSUMB course. Students with more than 70 transferable units from community colleges will get subject matter credit for all such courses, but no more than 70 units will count toward degree units;
4. All transferable units taken at community colleges will count toward computation of the overall grade point average. All transferable units in the major taken at a community college will count toward computation of the overall major grade point average.

5.1.2 Transferring Credit from Four-Year Institutions

Transfer credit for coursework completed while in non-matriculated status (e.g., taking courses through Open University) is limited to 24 units [10].

While there is no maximum limit of units that may be transferred between regionally accredited four-year colleges, there are additional residency requirements that must be fulfilled to earn a degree. Students should consult the University Catalog and speak with an academic advisor to determine their obligation.

5.1.3 Transferring Credit from Prior Learning Experiences

Award of transfer credit for prior learning (e.g., military service, or completion of Advanced Placement and/or International Baccalaureate programs) is guided by the Academic Credit and Assessment Policy.

5.20 Transfer Credit for Graduate Students

Transfer credit may be used toward a CSUMB graduate degree under the following conditions:

1. The coursework must be determined to be relevant to the individual student's program by the graduate program coordinator;
2. The coursework must have been completed within seven years of the student's projected graduation date [10].

A maximum of nine transfer units [11] (including any units from CSUMB Extended Education, Open University, and/or Cal State TEACH) may be used toward a graduate degree.

5.2.1 Extension Credit in Graduate Programs (applicable to state-side programs only)

Courses taken outside the of those required by the program through Extended Education are not normally used to fulfill the requirements toward a graduate degree. Students intending to take a course through Extended Education must request special permission from their graduate program coordinator to use the course toward their graduate degree. If approved, a maximum of nine transfer units may be used toward a graduate degree [13].

6.00 Leaves

There are two types of leaves available to students:  Informal Time Off and a Formal Leave of Absence.

While on a formal leave of absence, students are not eligible for any services from the University (except for maintaining the CSUMB email account). Students are informed of registration information and deadlines for the term the students are to return to Cal State Monterey Bay via email.

6.10 Informal Time Off

Consistent with the Graduation Requirements and Catalog Rights Policy, continuing baccalaureate and credential-seeking students may choose to not enroll for one fall or spring semester in any one calendar year and still maintain their enrollment eligibility and any associated catalog rights.  Students who do not enroll for the following semester will be automatically granted one additional semester of informal time off.

Graduate students are not eligible for informal time off and must enroll every fall and spring semester (and summer, if required by the program) until the degree is awarded, unless on an approved formal leave of absence.

Students are strongly encouraged to consult with the Financial Aid Office before choosing not to enroll as any absence may affect the status of their financial aid.

If the student does not return from their informal time off, they will lose their eligibility to enroll, their catalog rights, and will need to reapply for admission in order to return to CSUMB.

6.20 Formal Leave of Absence

A formal leave of absence may be available to continuing, matriculated students who are eligible to enroll in courses at CSUMB.  A formal leave of absence may be granted to students for a minimum of one semester, and up to a maximum of four total semesters.

To request a leave of absence, students shall submit a Leave of Absence Request Form to the Registrar at any time before the start of the semester for which formal leave is being requested.  This written request for leave must include the reason for the leave.

Students who are granted a formal leave of absence maintain certain rights and privileges ordinarily associated with continuing student status (i.e., catalog rights), even though not officially enrolled.  However, being on a formal leave of absence will not defer student loans, nor will it extend the maximum allowed time-to-degree for graduate students.

Students are strongly encouraged to consult with the Financial Aid Office before choosing not to enroll, as any absence may affect the status of their financial aid.

If the student does not return from a formal leave of absence, they will lose their eligibility to enroll, their catalog rights, and will need to reapply for admission in order to return to CSUMB.

7.00 Continuous Renewal

This policy shall be reviewed in ten years from its effective date to determine its utility and efficacy. This policy may be reviewed before that time as necessary.

s/ President Vanya Quiñones

Effective Date: 05/31/2023

Certification of Process

Reviewed by: Matriculation Committee, Policy Facilitation Team, Academic Affairs Council, Senior Staff of Student Affairs Leadership Team, ASEC, Educational Planning and Policy Committee, Post Graduate Studies Committee, Academic Senate, Associated Students, and Provost.

[1] https://catalog.csumb.edu/content.php?catoid=1&navoid=25#payments-refunds-debts-owed

[2] EO 1037

[3] Ibid

[4] Ibid

[5] Ibid

[6] Ibid

[7] Ibid

[8] Title 5 CCR § 40409

[9] Title 5 CCR § 40405.3

[10] Title 5 CCR § 40407.1

[11] Title 5 Title 5 CCR § 40510

[12] Ibid

[13] Ibid