Advising Handbook

The purpose of this site is to provide centralized advising information. Most links will take you to existing WIU web pages. Other links will take you to a .pdf file, so you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view them. Sometimes you will have to scroll up or down to find the information you seek.

Links are still being added to this handbook. Please send additions, corrections, and suggestions to Pamella McLean at PB-McLean@wiu.edu (last updated on 10/15/2007).

 

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

 

A

Absence from class

Academic Advising Standards and Guidelines
 
Academic Appeals - topics covered include:
Academic Assistance Center

Academic departments (chair, campus address, campus phone, web address)

 
Academic dismissal (scroll down to the last paragraph under "Reinstatement following Suspension") Students who have received two suspensions for poor scholarship are not eligible to return to WIU except during the summer sessions. If they are able to bring their cumulative GPA to a 2.0 in the summer term, they may apply to CAGAS for reinstatement.
 
Academic Integrity Policy
Academic load
 
Academic probation
 
Academic Status Policy - The Registrar's Office classifies students in one of the following academic states based on the cumulative and semester grade point average (GPA): good standing, academic warning, academic probation, academic suspension, academic dismissal. See below for definitions of each status.
  • WIU currently enrolled students in good standing flow chart
  • new freshmen or new transfers accepted in good academic standing flow chart
  • new freshmen accepted through Academic Services flow chart
  • new transfer accepted on Academic Probation flow chart
  • returning WIU student or re-entry student on Academic Probation flow chart
Academic suspension
 
Academic warning
 
Access to and release of student information
 
Adding/Dropping classes - calendar available on MVS (ACAL). Students can access calendar using STARS.
Administrative Procedures Handbook
 
Admissions

Advanced Placement (AP) credit / CLEP credit

  • To take the CEEB Advanced Placement Exam, a student must have taken an AP class in high school from a certified teacher.
  • Completion of a high school AP class without the needed exam score will not result in any college credit.
Advisor listing (name, campus address, phone number)
 
Advisor Syllabus
 
Advisor training

Affidavit of Dependency (Scroll Down)

 
Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) Resource Center
 
Anti-Harassment Policy
 
Articulations
 
Athletes

Audit guidelines

  • Classes may be changed to or from Audit during the program change period, the first 10 days of the semester
  • A previously audited course may not be repeated for credit
  • Audited classes are recorded on the transcript as "X" with 0 hours of credit
  • The only requirement for an audit is regular class attendance. If the instructor determines that a student has not attended enough classes to warrant receiving an Audit designation (X), the instructor may place an Unsatisfactory Audit (UX) symbol on the grade sheet which will also show on the transcript
  • Tuition for an Audit course is assessed the same as credit courses
  • Most financial aid will not pay for Audit credit hours.
 

B

Beu Health Center
 
Billing and Receivables
 
 
 
Board of Trustees (BOT degree)
  • Board of Trustees student in Good Academic Standing flow chart
 
Bookstore
 

Buckley Amendment

Business Careers for Liberal Arts Majors

 

C

CAGAS (Council on Admission, Graduation and Academic Standards). CAGAS is responsible for recommending and evaluating policies concerning admission, retention, graduation, and academic standards and for establishing some of the procedures to carry out such policies. It also serves as an appellate body regarding such piolicies and procedures. Appeals for exceptions to policies, for example, adding a class after the deadline, must be handled through CAGAS. Several forms are available on the homepage
Campus directory (address, phone number and email for employees by department)
 
Careers and Majors
 
 
Career exploration links
Career Services
 
Catalog
 
Catalog usage (Scroll Down)
 
CCC (see Community College Commitment)

 

Centennial Honors College

Center for International Studies
CLEP / AP credit (see also Advanced Placement (AP) credit)
  • CLEP has both subject and general exams. The general exams must be taken prior to starting classes at WIU. Subject exams can be taken after matriculation. To receive credit student must score at least at the 50th percentile.

Closed class permission list (NOTE: During second week of classes, permission of department chair may be needed, as well)

 

Communication - accelerated section of 241
 

Community College Commitment (CCC)
  • Students entering the university after receiving an A.A. or A.S. (not an A.A.S.) degree receive the Community College Commitment. No matter what classes they actually took for their degree, they are considered to have completed the WIU General Education requirements (11 sh each for NSM, SS and HUM). However, a specific college may impose additional or course-specific General Education requirements.
Community Colleges, colleges, and universities
  • Web addresses and links to US schools

COMPASS Math Placement - Raw scores must be submitted to the WIU Math Coordinator for evaluation and placement. The COMPASS test is available on campus at University Advising and Academic Support Center. Call 309/298-1846 to schedule an appointment.

  
Constitution Exam (SB 195 requirement)
  • Students who graduated from an Illinois high school have met this requirement. They must have a copy of an accredited Illinois high school transcript on file in the Registrar's Office. GED from IL will also meet the requirement.
  • U.S. and Illinois Constitution Exams: Students who have not taken an American Government class at a university outside of Illinois must pass exams on the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Illinois as required by state law. This requirement may be met by successfully completing Political Science 122, or passing an examination administered by the Department of Political Science (298-1055).
  • Illinois Constitution Exam: Students who have taken an American Government class at a university outside of Illinois just need to take one exam. Contact the Political Science Department (MH 422) to get a take home exam.
  • Both tests are also given @ Regional Office of Education (130 S. Lafayette St. 837-4821). Study guide is available for $2. The 60 multiple choice question test is given M-F, 8-3. Must get 30 questions correct to pass. Test may be retaken unlimited times-just not on the same day. A letter, FAX (309 837 2887, att'n Carol Walker) or e-mail (cwalker1@roe26.k12.il.us) from advisor is required. Correspondence should include: student's name, ID and their need to take the test.
Co-requisite/Pre-requisite  
 
Course Articulations
 
Course credit
 
Course offerings
 
Crisis intervention

Cumulative GPA - Total honor points earned divided by all hours attempted.

D

Dealing with difficult and/or dangerous students
 
Dean's List
 
Directories (student, faculty, staff, departments)
 
Discover Western - information, upcoming programs, online registration
 
Disability Support Services (DSS)
Dismissal - look under Reinstatement Following Academic Suspension. Students who have received two suspensions for poor scholarship are not eligible to return to WIU except during the summer sessions. If they are able to bring their cumulative GPA to a 2.0 in the summer term, they may apply to CAGAS for reinstatement.
 
Double major
 

E

Early warning notices - mid-term grades of D/F
  • Use GRDS screen on MVS to check early warning grades at mid semester
ECOM / Guava - Electronic Communications. WIU gives students an electronic account that includes e-mail, web storage space, and access to the WIU modem dial-up pool. Students should check their ECOM accounts frequently as important information from the Offices of Financial Aid, Billing and Receivables, and the Registrar are sent via e-mail to these accounts.

Elective - An elective is any course not required for your major, minor, or the General Education Requirement. Many, but not all, majors have room for students to take elective courses to complete their degree requirements.
Eligibility to represent the University
 
Emergency

Encumbrance: Hold that prevents registration for the next semester

  • Common ones include: Admissions, Advisor, Athletics, Billing, Campus Recreation, Immunization, and University Housing and Dining.
  • Listed on STARS and also on the ADEN and REGN MVS screens
English
Enrollment options - audit, pass/fail, retake, repeat
 

Enrollment status implications

 

Exit interviews - Students withdrawing from the University should contact the Registrar's Office (110 Sherman Hall, 298-1891) and Student Development and Orientation (301 Seal Hall, 298-1884).

 

F

 
 
FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
 
FERPA (Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act)
 
Final exam policy
 
Final exam schedule
 
Financial Aid
First Year Experience
  • FYE in the residence halls
  • Freshmen must take two FYE courses, one each semester of their first year at WIU
  • The suffix "Y" indicates an FYE class
  • Use "course search" (STARS on the web, Quick Look option) for list of current FYE classes

Forced Enrollment
  • A forced class must be the first class that a student enrolls in. NOTE: The ENG 100 force takes precedence over FYE force.
  • English - If a student has not completed the required ENG 180 and/or 280 course(s) within a specified time limit, the English department may "force" the student to register for the class by requiring that it be the first class the student enrolls in. Once the student has enrolled, the course cannot be dropped. Contact the Director of Writing at (309) 298-2136 for more information.
  • FYE (see First Year Experience above)
Foreign Language advanced placement credits (scroll down to Advanced Placement)
  • Initial placement recommendations - One year of college study is equivalent to two years of high school study. Placement exams can be scheduled by contacting the Department of Foreign Languages.
Full-Time status
 

G

General Education

General Education Handbook
 
General Education Requirements ~ Students may not use any one course to satisfy two General Education distribution requirements. ~ Students may not count more than two courses from the discipline in which they major toward satisfaction of the General Education requirements. ~ No courses under the Pass/Fail option may apply to the General Education requirements.
  • University
  • College of Arts and Sciences, B.A. degree
  • College of Arts and Sciences, B.S. degree
  • Community College Commitment - Students entering the university after receiving an A.A. or A.S. (not an A.A.S.) degree receive the Community College Commitment. No matter what classes they actually took for their degree, they are considered to have completed the WIU General Education requirements (11 sh each for NSM, SS and HUM). However, a specific college may impose additional or course-specific General Education requirements.
  • Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) - Students with the IAI have completed the University General Education requirements (10 sh NSM, 9 sh SS, 9 sh HUM)
General elective courses
  • count toward graduation but not in general education major or minor requirements. See Pass/Fail grading option.

General Orientation - Program for students entering the University who have not declared a major. Students may remain in General Orientation until they have completed 45 semester hours. The University Advising and Academic Support Center is responsible for advising these students.

 
Good academic standing
 
Good student discount
  • enrollment and grade point average verifications provided by Registrar's Office (110 Sherman hall, 298-1891).
 
GO West Transit
 
GPA calculator
 
Grade appeal policy
Grade change

Grade Point Average (GPA) - The average of a student's honor points divided by hours attempted. It is calculated at the end of each semester, as well as overall.
Grading policies (credits, honor points, GPA, Dean's List, grade change, incompletes, P/F, permanent grades, transcripts)
 
GRADTRAC agreement
 
GRADTRAC handbook
 
GRADTRAC Status Codes
 
Graduation application
 
Graduation requirements
 
Graduation with distinction (Academic Distinction, Honor Scholars)
 
Greek leadership course - RPTA 490 (scroll down to Course Descriptions)
 
Guava / ECOM

H

Harassment - See "Anti-Harassment Policy"
 
Health Insurance waiver
 
HIPPA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)
 
Honors College (Also see Illinois Centennial Honors College)
 
Honor points
 
Hotline
 
Housing requirements

Hours Attempted - Number of semester hours a student is enrolled in each semester.

I

ID information (scroll down for ID questions and answers)
 
Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) - A statewide agreement that allows a transfer of completed General Education courses beween participating institutions.
 
Immunization requirements
 
Incompletes
 
Independent Study classes
 
In-State Tuition for selected Iowa and Missouri students
  • Read paragraph just before Miscellaneous Fees and Charges near bottom of link
Insurance waiver
 
Interdisciplinary Studies

International Faculty
International students

J

Judicial
 
Junior standing
 

K

 

L

Language (see International Faculty)

Late add permissions

  • require instructor's permission and in some cases a CAGAS appeal
 

Late withdrawal

Lawyer for Students

Liberal Arts Majors and Business Careers

 
Lost and found offices ( contact one or more of the following)
Lower division courses - courses numbered 299 or lower
 

M

Majors and Careers
Major/Minor
 
Math
Military
  • Students called to military active duty should contact the Registrar's Office (298-1891).
  • In an emergency, the parents or commanding officer can make this contact.
  • The three options available to students are:
1. withdraw from all classes
2. receive incompletes for all classes
3. receive the grade earned in each class before orders were received

Policy on Military Service (when a student is called to active duty)
 
Model Degree Plans
 
MVS Advising Screen Descriptions
 

N

NACADA - National Academic Advising Association
 
 
New Student Information
 
Non Degree Student (scroll down)
 
Non-Traditional Student Organization (OASIS)
 

O

Office of Public Safety, 298-1949
 
Organization of Adult Students for Interaction and Support (OASIS)
 
On-Campus Housing Regulations
 
Online Classes
Oral English Proficiency Policy
Overload hours
 

P

Pass/Fail Grading Option
 
Permission to add closed classes (NOTE: During second week of classes, permission of department chair may be needed, as well)
 
PIN

 

Plagarism

 

Pre-requisite/Co-requisite

 

Prerequisite Policy and Procedure

Probation
 
Proficiency exams (scroll if necessary)
Psychology Clinic
 

Q

 
Quad Cities campus
 

R

RA classes: CSP 450 in Fall (scroll down), CSP 445 in Spring or Fall (scroll down)
 
Readmission
 
Registrar's Office
Registration instructions - MVS
Repeats/Retakes
 
Residency status regulations
 

Restricted enrollment
 

 

S
 
Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading option
  • An S in a credit course gives credit hours earned but no honor points. No credit or honor points are awarded for a U. Example, UNIV 100.
  • An S in a non-credit course means the student is eligible for the next class in the sequence. No credit is awarded. Example, MATH 099N.
SB 195 requirement (Constitution Exam)
  • Students who graduated from an Illinois high school have met this requirement. They must have a copy of an accredited Illinois high school transcript on file in the Registrar's Office. GED from IL will also meet the requirement.
  • U.S. and Illinois Constitution Exams: Students who have not taken an American Government class at a university outside of Illinois must pass exams on the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Illinois as required by state law. This requirement may be met by successfully completing Political Science 122, or passing an examination administered by the Department of Political Science (298-1055).
  • Illinois Constitution Exam: Students who have taken an American Government class at a university outside of Illinois just need to take one exam. Contact the Political Science Department (MH 422) to get a take home exam.
  • Both tests are also given @ Regional Office of Education (130 S. Lafayette St. 837-4821). Study guide is available for $2. The 60 multiple choice question test is given M-F, 8-3. Must get 30 questions correct to pass. Test may be retaken unlimited times-just not on the same day. A letter, FAX (309 837 2887, att'n Carol Walker) or email (cwalker1@roe26.k12.il.us) from advisor is required. Correspondence should include: student's name, ID and their need to take the test.
Scholarship Office
School of Extended Studies
Second Baccalaureate Degree
Special permission procedures
  • Permission can be loaded electronically or by completing a special Permission Form which is taken to the Registration Center to load. (NOTE: During second week of classes, permission of department chair may be needed, as well)
Speech - accelerated section
 
STARS
Student absence policy
 
Student academic integrity policy
 
Student Activities
 
Student Assistance and Parent Service Center
  • The new Student Authorization to Release Information form can be found at the following website: www.wiu.edu/registrar/forms.php. Students must complete and sign the form before a notary before it can be returned to the Registrar's Office. Parents may not sign the form for their son/daughter. This form can be completed and notarized by any notary and then mailed to the Registrar's Office.
Student Degree Plan Screen - There is no manual or instruction sheet for these screens. Online help available using F1 function key.
 
Student Degree Plan Status Codes
 
Student Development and Orientation (SDO)
 
Student Employment
 
Student Legal Services
 
Student Judical Programs
 
Student lists and downloads
 
Students participating in University-sanctioned activities
 
Study Abroad
 
Summer School - academic standing & impact on summer school attendance
 
Suspension (scroll down)
 

T

Teacher education
 

Tele-STARS

Tenth Day - The 10th day of the semester is the last day to drop a course or withdraw from the University without being charged tuition. Also, classes dropped before the 10th day will not appear on a student's transcript.

 
Transcript request form
 
Transcripts - contact Registrar's Office
 
Transfer Articulation Handbook
 
Transfer Students
  • see Community College Commitment
  • see Illinois Articulation Initiative
Tuition and Fees
 
Tutoring

U

Undergraduate credit for graduate courses (see Graduate Course for Undergraduate Credit)
 
Union Service Center
 
University Advising and Academic Support Center (UAASC)
 
University Counseling Center
University Computer Support Services (UCSS)
 
University General Education requirements
 
University Housing and Dining Services (UHDS)
  • RA's should take CSP 445 in Spring or Fall, CSP 450 in Fall
 
University Policy Manual
 
Upper division credit needed for graduation (scroll down to 5. Semester Hours)
 

V

Validine questions and answers (scroll down to ID)
 
Variable Credit Courses
 
Veteran's Affairs
 

Visiting Student

  • Admissions requires that first time visiting students submit an application, pay the fee, and provide documentation of good standing at previous school
  • May enroll in no more than 18 semester hours
  • Is not eligible for financial aid
  • May attend for 1 semester
  • Need special permission from the Registrar's Office to attend WIU for a second semester
 

W

Waivers - tuition & fees
 
WARD reports - Students can print WARD Reports on STARS
 
Warning, Academic
 
Webmail/ECOM
 
WESL (Western's English as a Second Language)
Western On-Line
 
Withdrawal Policies
 
Writing Center
 
Writing emphasis ("W") requirement (scroll down)
  • The following General Education disciplines are considered one academic department for the purpose of fulfilling the writing intensive requirement: Philosophy and Religious Studies, Sociology and Anthropology, and Foreign Languages.
  • A "D" or better in a writing intensive class will meet the requirement.

X

Y

"Y" suffix indicates a First Year Experience (FYE) course
 

Z