Florida State University General Bulletin

Fall Registration Guide 2013

(Fall 2014 will be available March 3, 2014)

Registration Information

Student Business Hours

Prior to Registration

Note: First-time students may be required to register for preparatory Math and/or English courses to complete registration.

Academic Advisement

All degree-seeking students are expected to participate in academic advising before registering for classes each semester. Students should check their FSU e-mail regularly as that is the main mode of communication advisers use to contact their students. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that s/he has met prerequisites or corequisites for each course in which s/he enrolled. Further, the student is responsible for any changes made to his or her schedule through the drop/add process without an adviser’s approval. All permits such as underloads, overloads (see the ‘Course Load’ section of this chapter), graduate course requests while an undergraduate, DIS, modified credit, and S/U grading should be discussed with an academic adviser. All such permits must then be approved by the student’s academic dean. The student is responsible for ensuring that the Office of the University Registrar has copies of these permits on file.

You may find your academic adviser’s contact information by going to http://undergrad.fsu.edu/advisors/index.html">http://undergrad.fsu.edu/advisors/index.html.

Attendance Policies

First Class Meeting Attendance Policy

Attendance at the first class meeting is mandatory unless properly excused by the class instructor. Students who do not attend the first class meeting of a course for which they are registered are dropped from the course by the academic department that offers the course. This policy applies to all levels of courses and to all campuses and study centers. This policy does not apply to any class added after the first official meeting of the course. It remains the student’s responsibility to verify course drops and check that fees are adjusted.

Required Summer Attendance Policy

As of August 1976, all students entering a state university with fewer than sixty semester credit hours must earn at least nine semester hours prior to graduation by attending one or more Summer terms at one of the state universities. The University President may waive application of this rule in cases of unusual hardship to the student. Students initiate appeal through their academic dean to the Vice President for Faculty Development and Advancement (Board of Governors Rule 6C-6.016). Prior to 2011, students who had earned nine semester hours of credit through approved acceleration methods (AP, IB, CLEP, and approved dual enrollment courses) were exempt from the Summer residency requirement. Effective 2011, this exemption is no longer available.

Note: Bright Futures scholarships are not awarded for Summer sessions.

FSU Cards

FSUCard

Your FSUCard is your key to university life while attending Florida State University. Besides serving as a picture I.D., the FSUCard offers many important features. It is your library card, bus pass, bank card, snack card, copy card and more; you need the card to gain entry into campus computer labs. Therefore, all students are required to have a photo FSUCard. There is a charge for the first card which can be paid with your tuition. If you should lose or damage the card, the FSUCard Center (located in the Woodward Ave Parking Garage) will replace it for a fee. An FSUCard semi-annual fee of $5.00 applies to all main-campus students each Fall and Spring semester. The FSUCard Center is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday; (850) 644-7777.

Library Cards

Your FSUCard is your library card. Students sixty years of age and older registered for tuition–free courses at Florida State University may obtain a library card by presenting proof of enrollment and identification to the staff at Strozier Library. All library card users are subject to the regulations concerning library usage, the check-out of books and materials, and fines.

Florida State University EMPLID

To better protect the identity of individuals within our campus community, Florida State University creates a unique nine-digit number identifier for each student and employee called the EMPLID. This identifier system replaces the FSUSN system. To find your EMPLID, follow the steps below:

Health Requirements

Immunization Requirements

The State Board of Education requires all entering students born on or after 1/1/1957 to complete Florida State University’s Required Student Health History Form and show documented proof of immunization against measles (rubeola), German measles (rubella), and mumps prior to registration. College-age individuals living in residence halls, shared apartments, and other group housing are at an increased risk for developing meningococcal meningitis and hepatitis B—serious infections that can have devastating consequences. State of Florida law mandates that all university students be informed of the risks of infection. Students currently enrolled must either be vaccinated against meningococcal meningitis and hepatitis B or sign a waiver stating that they have declined to receive the vaccine. All students are required to show proof of two MMR’s, meningococcal meningitis, and hepatitis B vaccinations before they are permitted to register for classes. Information about these vaccinations may be obtained at University Health Services or online at http://www.uhs.fsu.edu.

All students are required to complete and submit the student healthcare compliance form to University Health Services before registration. Students born before 1/1/1957 must complete the form and decline the meningococcal meningitis and hepatitis B vaccines. The form with its specific instructions is available at http://www.uhs.fsu.edu. For questions, please call (850) 644-3608.

Health-Insurance Requirement

All new full-time students at Florida State University must show proof of adequate health insurance coverage before being permitted to register for classes. Additionally, all non-United States citizens in F or J status, regardless of their credit load, are required to show proof of appropriate health insurance as a condition of their admission to the University.

To purchase the FSU-sponsored health insurance or to waive enrollment in the FSU sponsored plan:

Students seeking degrees in majors where they are exposed to particular hazards associated with the major are required to carry health and accident insurance prior to registration every Fall. The Film School, College of Medicine, and College of Nursing have additional health insurance requirements for their students. Check with your department for any additional insurance requirements associated with your major.

Health Insurance Questions

Questions about basic health insurance coverage or purchasing school-sponsored health insurance can be addressed to Collegiate Risk Management, the University’s insurance broker, at (800) 922-3420 or (850) 644-4250. Questions about specific benefits or authorizations for procedures for the school sponsored health insurance should be addressed directly to Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Florida, the University’s insurance carrier, at (800) 967-8938. Billing questions for services rendered at University Health Services should be addressed to the billing office at (850) 644-5453. Students insured by other carriers should contact their carriers for policy limitations and special requirements.

Official myFSU E-mail Accounts for All Students at Florida State University

The official method of communication at Florida State University is your myFSU e-mail account. In order to stay informed and aware, you are required to set up and maintain your account and check it three times per week. If you choose to have your myFSU official account forwarded to another e-mail account, you are still held responsible for all information distributed by the University to your myFSU account. To obtain your myFSU e-mail account, visit http://fsu.edu/myfsu.

Personal Identification Numbers (PIN) Codes

At Florida State University, students use multiple four-digit PINs to access personal services and accounts. Each of these PINs can be changed to a number(s) that each student may be reminded of either by contacting customer service or by visiting the appropriate campus office. Florida State University recommends that students do not keep these PINs written in their wallets and that they change their registration PIN.

The following list describes the various PIN types, their individual functions, and the services to which each provides access:

FACTS PIN

This is used when students wish to be transient students and take courses at another college/university for a semester.

Your birth month and year (mmyy) has been assigned to you automatically as your FACTS PIN code. You must change your FACTS PIN code from the birth month/year default to a unique four-digit code. You may change your FACTS PIN code by logging on to https://campus.fsu.edu and clicking the Secure Apps tab. From there, click the FACTS PIN link to change the PIN. Your FACTS PIN code may be changed as often as desired and should be regarded as confidential and under your control. Please memorize your new FACTS PIN code. You must have it to access your information through the FLVC.org Web site.

In order to provide security for a student’s confidential FACTS PIN by preventing further access, a lockout occurs after ten consecutive access denials for attempting to access a student’s confidential records. Should you get locked out, please call (850) 644-1050 to request reinstatement, and be prepared to provide proper identification.

FSUCard/SunTrust Banking PIN

This PIN is used for ATM withdrawals and deposits for SunTrust, PLUS Network, and POS purchases through the Interlink System.

The Registration Process

Step 1: Obtain the Florida State University FSUCard

See the “FSUCard” section of this chapter and activate you FSUID, if you have not already done so.

Step 2: Prepare for Registration

Step 3: Register at the FSU Web Site at http://campus.fsu.edu

Note: Be prepared to request non prime-time course sections to complete your schedule. Be persistent; the effort you spend during registration will save you a great deal of time and effort during the drop/add period.

Step 4: Pay Tuition

Tuition must be paid by the posted deadline at http://www.sfs.fsu.edu. Visit http://www.campus.fsu.edu for account status and fee-payment options.

Course Load

For Summer semester, the following course loads apply:

Session

A

B

C

D

F

Maximum

15

9

9

14

14

Minimum

9

6

6

9

9

For any combination of sessions, the maximum is fifteen and the minimum is nine hours.

For Fall semester, undergraduate students in good standing may register for as many as eighteen semester hours in one semester and as few as twelve semester hours in one semester. Full-time course load is twelve semester hours or more in the Fall.

Should a student wish to register for fewer or more than the allowed hours, “Overload/Underload” approval must be obtained from the appropriate academic dean. All students receiving approval for “Overload/Underload” from their academic dean must submit the approval to the Office of the University Registrar. No student may register for more than twenty-one hours per semester. Full-time undergraduate students should take an academic load that will enable them to graduate within four years. Students should take into account the requirement to take nine hours of credit in the Summer.

International undergraduate students must enroll in at least twelve semester hours during each of the Fall and Spring semesters to maintain legal immigration status. International graduate students must enroll in at least nine semester hours, except in some specific cases. An international student adviser may authorize a reduced course load for a few specific reasons. International students who wish to enroll in a reduced course load for a given semester must submit a request for authorization to an adviser at the Center for Global Engagement before the end of the drop/add period for that semester. An unauthorized reduction in course load may result in serious immigration consequences. For a complete definition of full course of study for immigration purposes, to access the reduced course load information and request forms, please refer to http://www.cge.fsu.edu.

For graduate students, the minimum number of hours allowed is twelve per semester and the maximum is fifteen.

Drop/Add or Changes of Schedule

During the first four days of classes, individual courses may be added, dropped, or sections of a course changed through the Web Registration tool (from Secure Apps, click either Drop and Add Classes or Register for Classes). Students are financially liable for all courses appearing on their schedule after the fourth day of classes. Courses may be dropped after the drop/add period and through the seventh week of classes using the Course Drop Tool (from Secure Apps, click Course Drop Tool) with the exception of mandated college preparatory courses, freshman composition, and courses involved in allegations of academic dishonesty; however, tuition charges remain. Approval by the student’s academic dean is required to reduce the academic load below twelve semester hours or increase an academic load above eighteen semester hours (to a maximum of twenty-one semester hours). Courses dropped during this period do not appear on the student’s transcript. To add courses after the first four days of classes requires the academic dean’s approval.

A cumulative maximum of two courses may be dropped between the eighth and twelfth week of classes during the semesters in which the student has earned fewer than sixty hours of college credit; tuition charges will remain. A student may only drop one course after earning sixty hours of college credit and until graduation; tuition charges remain. Approval by the student’s academic dean is required. Courses dropped during this period appear on the student’s transcript with the notation “W.” See the “Academic Calendar” in the Registration Guide for semester-specific deadlines.

Except in cases where a student is petitioning to use one of the three drops allowed under the policy above, any course drop petition after the seventh week of classes (with dates prorated for individual Summer sessions), will be considered only in documented exceptional circumstances that are beyond the student’s control, as determined by the student’s academic dean. Academic deans exercise their administrative and academic judgment in making final determinations about drop eligibility. Course drops are never approved when there are unresolved allegations of academic dishonesty in a course or when a course grade reflects an Academic Honor Policy penalty.

Such courses appear on the student’s transcript with the notation “WD.” Students who register for courses but who do not attend the classes receive grades of “F” if the courses are not officially dropped. Students changing from a previous bulletin year should consult their academic dean regarding limitations concerning the policy described above.

Registration by Student Categories

Non-Degree Seeking Students

All new non-degree seeking students on the main campus will be assessed a non-refundable application fee of $30.00, paid at the time of application. For specific policies concerning the registration and status of non-degree seeking students, consult the General Bulletin. For additional information, contact the Office of Admissions, University Center Building A2500, (850) 644-6200. Procedures and residency requirements for non-degree seeking student registration are the same as for regularly enrolled degree-seeking students as described on the preceding pages.

State Employees

Full-time state employees may use the State Employee Tuition Waiver to register for Florida State University classes. Individuals using the State Employee Tuition Waiver must be fully admitted degree-seeking or non-degree seeking students. Registration in classes using the State Employee Tuition Waiver is limited to a space-available basis. Florida State University does not consider the following as space-available courses: approved undergraduate limited access programs; remedial courses; dissertation, thesis, and directed individual study (DIS) courses; internship courses; distance-learning courses; Center for Administrative and Professional Development (CAPD) courses; College of Medicine courses; College of Law courses; all graduate program courses in the College of Business; and other one-to-one instruction courses. Accordingly, State Employee Tuition Waivers may not be used for these courses.

Florida State University accepts only the official State Employee Tuition Waiver Form available online at http://registrar.fsu.edu/services/emp_tuit_waive/. Agencies may require additional paperwork or forms that will not be accepted unless accompanied by the State Employee Tuition Waiver Form.

State employees using a tuition waiver must obtain supervisor signatures and academic departmental approval on the tuition form and then submit the signed and completed tuition waiver to the Office of the University Registrar on the fifth day of classes only. State Employee Tuition Waivers may not be used for any course that is registered for prior to this space-available registration window. Thus, for any class obtained prior to the fifth day of classes, the student assumes personal financial liability for tuition.

Additional restrictions and deadlines apply. For additional information, including the link to download the State Employee Tuition Waiver Form, see the Office of the University Registrar’s Web site at http://registrar.fsu.edu/services/.

FSU Employees

Employees of Florida State University intending to take Florida State University classes may do so through the FSU Employee Scholarship program. See the Human Resources web site at http://www.hr.fsu.edu/Index.cfm?page=formes_Employees&category=EMP&class=DP for details, restrictions, and deadlines.

FAMU—FSU Students

Consult the “Academic Calendar” in this Registration Guide for registration dates. Under a cooperative arrangement with Florida A&M University, Florida State University students may take courses at FAMU that will count as credit earned at Florida State University. Courses offered at Florida State University may not be taken at FAMU. Exceptions may be granted by your academic dean, whose office also determines eligibility based on courses already completed at Florida State University. Students taking courses at the host university on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory (S/U) basis will be held to the home institution policies regarding the total number of courses allowed on S/U basis or in a specific degree or major. Students are encouraged to consult their academic adviser about any limitations prior to registration. For additional information, as well as forms to be completed, please see http://registrar.fsu.edu/services/famu_coop/apdefault.htm.

Floridians over Sixty Years of Age

All fees are waived for persons sixty years of age or older who are Florida residents and who attend credit classes.

Student Cancellation of Schedule

Note: Students who cancel their registration and were not enrolled for the preceding semester (non-enrollment for two consecutive terms) must apply for readmission.

Office of the University Registrar
Florida State University
Room A3900 UCA
282 Champions Way
P.O. Box 3062480
Tallahassee, FL 32306-2480

registrar@admin.fsu.edu (e-mail must originate from the student’s fsu.edu account)

Auditing Courses

Seating privileges will be afforded to currently enrolled students and non-students on a space-available basis after registration. Admission to Florida State University is not required; no credit will be given and no permanent record will be maintained for audited courses. Standard tuition costs do apply.

Procedures

Note: If you have already registered for the course you wish to audit, you must drop it within the first week of class, before the audit request can be processed.

For the policy for audited-course refunds please refer to the Financial Information page of this publication.

Withdrawal

All students (degree-seeking and non-degree) who wish to leave the University after the fourth day of a term must officially withdraw from the University no later than seven days prior to the last day of the semester or term. See the “Academic Calendar” for the specific deadline date. For more information, contact Withdrawal Services at (850) 644-1741. Students who withdraw within the first seven weeks of a term (to be adjusted accordingly for Summer sessions) have no liability for grades; afterward, they will be assigned a grade of “W” or “F” at the discretion of their instructor. Students who do not officially withdraw will be assigned a grade of “F” for each course for which they are registered but fail to attend. These grading policies also apply to courses taken S/U.

International students who wish to withdraw must request and receive prior authorization from a Center for Global Engagement adviser. In addition, international students should submit the SEVIS Update Form, available at http://www.cge.fsu.edu.

For additional information regarding withdrawals, including fee liability, please refer to the “Withdrawals and Return of Financial Aid” section of this Registration Guide.

Exam Schedule

For the current exam schedule, please visit the Office of the University Registrar’s Web site at http://registrar.fsu.edu.

Grade Reports

Semester grades are reported via Blackboard at https://campus.fsu.edu. To access grades using the Web site, students must log in to the Web site and click on the Secure Apps tab. Grades for the prior term will be displayed. Grade changes processed after the initial grade posting will not display and may be viewed on the unofficial transcript.

Enrollment Certification

All student certifications will be by official request only. Students who need enrollment certification should submit a request online at https://campus.fsu.edu. From Secure Apps, select Certification Request. Follow the instructions on the screen in order to obtain your certification letter. Your letter will be processed the following business day. Written requests may be submitted to:

Office of the University Registrar
Florida State University
Room A3900 UCA
282 Champions Way
P.O. Box 3062480
Tallahassee, FL 32306-2480

Former students or outside agencies may request an enrollment verification or degree verification online from the National Student Clearinghouse at http://www.degreeverify.org.

Privacy of Student Records

Parental or Third Party Access to Records

Students may give a designated parent(s) authority to review their University financial status by logging onto https://campus.fsu.edu and selecting the Parent/Third Party Access link. Granting access to a parent or third party to view information in this manner also authorizes University personnel to discuss those records with the designated parent or third party.

Phone Monitoring

Students should be aware that phone calls placed to Florida State University’s interactive telephone network may be periodically monitored to ensure that the appropriate quality control is maintained.

To Prevent Publication of Directory Information

The educational record designated as Directory Information may be released or published by the University without prior written consent of the student, unless exception is made in writing by the student. Appropriate forms are available in the Office of the University Registrar. Such written exception must be received prior to the first class day of the academic year. Once received, that request will remain in effect until notification to the contrary is received by the Office of the University Registrar. Directory Information includes:

  1. Name
  2. Date and place of birth
  3. Local address
  4. Permanent address
  5. Telephone number (if listed)
  6. Classification
  7. Major
  8. Participation in official University activities and sports
  9. Weight and height of athletic team members
  10. Dates of attendance
  11. Degrees, honors and awards received
  12. Most recently attended educational institution
  13. Digitized FSUCard photo

Note: By submitting a request to prevent the publication or release of directory information you may be blocking the verification or publication of directory information, including but not limited to, the following: academic certification requests by or for employers, insurance companies, etc.; requests for information by or for parents, spouses, or other family members; publication in the Seminole Guide book, commencement program, or other media acknowledging a relationship between you and the University.

Notification of Student Rights under FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their educational records. These rights are:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.
Washington, DC 20202-4605

Students have the right to obtain a copy of Florida State University’s student record policy. You can obtain a copy of the policy from the Office of the University Registrar, A3900 University Center, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306-2480.

Community Service

The Center for Leadership & Social Change

At Florida State University, leadership, community involvement, and interculturalism are integral elements of a liberal arts education. With a mission to transform lives through leadership education, identity development, and community engagement, The Center for Leadership & Social Change (The Center) works towards the following vision:

The Center offers over twenty-five programs that students can choose from which include: service opportunities, leadership development, and intercultural education.

Students are welcome to schedule a meeting with an adviser. To schedule an appointment, go to the advising services Web site at http://thecenter.fsu.edu or visit the Center. The Center also offers the ServScript Program which allows Florida State University students to enhance their official academic transcript by documenting their service hours online.

For more information, contact The Center for Leadership & Social Change, Division of Student Affairs, Dunlap Student Success Center, 100 S. Woodward Avenue, Tallahassee, FL 32306; (850) 644-3342; Fax (850) 644-3362; Web site: http://www.thecenter.fsu.edu; e-mail: thecenter@admin.fsu.edu.

ServScript

The purpose of the ServScript Program is to formally recognize students’ demonstrated commitment to community service. This commitment is documented through the description of students’ community service hours on their official FSU academic transcript. Transcripts are student records of scholarly achievement; as such, the ServScript program has created guidelines to clarify and recognize community service of consistent quality. Three defining concepts serve as the basis for approved ServScript entries:

The ServScript Program is designed to encourage students to contribute their skills and resources to serve others. Through informed service, students gain compassion for others and the challenges they face. Recognizing these challenges, and the power of individual action to effect change, students may develop a commitment to practice social responsibility throughout their lives.

To participate, students need to register under ‘My Service Hours’ in Blackboard Secure Apps. ServScript forms and additional information about the program and guidelines are available online at http://thecenter.fsu.edu.

Graduation

Undergraduate students should request a graduation check from the Office of the University Registrar two terms prior to their anticipated graduation date, or at the time they have earned ninety hours of credit. A second check should be completed in the office of their Academic Dean one term prior to their anticipated graduation. Registration stops will be placed on students who have earned one hundred semester hours, including current term registration, but have not completed the graduation check. Graduate students should check with their department regarding degree requirements. Application for graduation must be made by the published deadline; students can apply online in Blackboard under Secure Apps; refer to http://registrar.fsu.edu for this information. Students who graduate in Summer 2013 must apply for and be readmitted to register for Fall 2013 or any subsequent term. Likewise, students who graduate in Fall 2013 must apply for and be readmitted to register for Spring 2014 or any subsequent term.