Academic Policies

33: Guidelines Governing Limitations on Registering for More Than 19 Credits per Semester — Implementation of Faculty Senate Policy 34-23

Purpose

To establish common practices required to implement Faculty Senate Policy 34-23.

Introduction

The Dean and the Senior Associate Dean met with the School Directors in March 2005 to discuss recent information from the Registrar regarding Penn State Harrisburg students whose total semester credit hours exceeded 19 credits. The academic leaders agreed to enforce University Senate Policy 34-23, Registration, and the Academic Administrative Policies and Procedures, C-2, para. 4 regarding limitations on the number of credits students could select each semester. That policy states "Students are not permitted to register for more than 19 credits prior to the first day of the semester. After consultation with their academic adviser, students are permitted to register for more than 19 credits during the first ten calendar days of the semester."

Guidelines

Except in unusual circumstances, some of which are specified below, Penn State Harrisburg students will not be permitted to register from more than 19 credits for academic reasons, each of which must be presented to students during the advising or pre-registration periods or whenever students request exceptions to this Guideline. Exceptions to the Senate policy at the Capital College will require the written permission of the Dean or Designate.

1. The College Registrar is authorized to establish procedures designed to block students from violating this Guideline and/or to register those students who meet the criteria established below upon submission of a signed endorsement from the School Director or Senior Associate Dean. The Registrar may design such forms or instruments as required to implement this policy.
2. Each Capital College School is required to establish and publish a policy regarding the conditions under which students could be allowed to exceed the credit limitation guideline. Such requirements as a 3.0 G.P.A., semester status, outstanding performance record in the academic courses required for the major, and those exceptions approved in advance by the Dean and/or Senior Associate Dean, such as the scheduling of additional credits by Elementary Education students when their academic work and field observation experiences coincide.
3. The Director of the School of Behavioral Sciences and Education is authorized to permit such exceptions as long as all exceptions are reported in writing by the third week of every semester to the Senior Associate Dean in accordance with practices adopted by the Academic Council. That report will include a list of the students in the major and a brief statement indicating that the exception is in accordance with the published requirements for the major.
4. All exceptions must have signatures of approval from the faculty adviser (the DUS Adviser if and when appropriate for students not enrolled in a College major) and the School Director. The School Director may require a justification in writing from the students and/or the adviser.
5. The signed forms or memoranda must be submitted to the Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs before the student registers for the additional credits. The Senior Associate Dean will forward the documents to the Registrar. No third-party registrations will be permitted under this and the other relevant Senate policies.
6. Students seeking to enroll in courses offered through World Campus and Independent Learning, the School Director must submit a brief statement verifying that the total number of credits will not exceed the 19-credit rule when the form is submitted to the Senior Associate Dean.
7. Since this policy was approved by the University Faculty Senate and affirmed by recent Senate actions, Capital College will follow the common University practice effective with the spring 2005 semester.

Approved: Academic Leadership Council (04/2005)

Provost and Dean (04/2005)