Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find...
My classes
- How do I get my class rosters?
- What is the attendance policy at VWC?
- What should I do if a student is on my class roster but is not attending class?
- How do I change classrooms?
FERPA
Registration
- What is the procedure for registration?
- How does a student add or drop my class after the semester begins?
- How long is the add/drop period?
- What is the deadline for adding or dropping a class?
Grading
- What is a "Progress Report" and what do I need to do?
- Where do I submit my final grades?
- How long do I have to turn in final grades?
- How do I change a grade after the final grade has been submitted?
- Can I post grades on my office door?
- When should a grade of Incomplete be given?
- How long does a student have to make up an Incomplete?
Final exams
Course scheduling
- How do I know what courses I will be teaching next semester?
- How do I request a technology classroom?
Other
Advising
- When do I begin officially advising students?
- How does a student change advisors?
- How do I find the academic information I need about my advisees?
- How does my advisee take a course for credit at another college?
- What is the 64/88 rule?
Where can I find the Registrar's Office?
We are located on the first floor in Clarke Hall immediately to your right as you enter the front door.
Phone: 757-455-3358
E-mail: reg@vwc.edu
Hours:
Fall/Spring semester hours: 8:30-4:30 p.m. Monday - Friday
Summer hours: 8:30-4:00 p.m. Monday - Friday
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Where can I find a schedule of classes being offered?
An up-to-date schedule of courses can be found on the college website under "Course Schedules."
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Where can I find the college catalog?
The current college catalog can be found on the college website under "Course Catalogs."
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How do I get my class rosters?
Class rosters are printed from your WebAdvisor menu the weekend before your classes begin. Click on "Class Rosters" and then select the term and year if different from the default. Click on the course desired (even if only one course shows). Select a regular roster of names or a picture roster. BlackBoard rosters can be set up by contacting Robin Takacs (2112).
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What is the attendance policy at VWC?
There is no college-wide policy on attendance. However, a course policy on attendance should be included in each syllabus.
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What should I do if a student is on my class roster but is not attending class?
Use the Early Alert notification on WebAdvisor or contact Dr. Keith Moore by e-mail kmoore@vwc.edu.
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How do I change classrooms?
All classroom spaces are filled to capacity at most hours. You may, however, contact the registrar, Regina Bynum (rbynum@vwc.edu), to check on the availability of another classroom.
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What is FERPA?
FERPA is the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 as Amended, also known as the Buckley Amendment. FERPA protects the privacy of student records.
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How does FERPA affect me?
Only Directory Information can be released without the student's signature. Students also have the legal right to restrict the release of Directory Information. Grades, social security numbers, ethnic backgrounds, age, birth date and students' class schedules are examples of non-Directory information which can never be released to a third party without the written consent of the student. Contact the Registrar's Office when more specific information is desired. See, Privacy Policy
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What is the "FERPA Release Roster"?
The FERPA Release Roster is available when selecting class rosters from WebAdvisor. It indicates information the Registrar's Office has on file from students as to whom non-Directory Information may be released (other than school officials) without written consent. A "FERPA Release Roster" is also available for your advisees.
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What is the procedure for registration?
Advance registration begins in April for the fall semester and summer sessions, and in late October/early November for the winter session and spring semester. Students should see their advisor as soon as the semester schedule is available on line. Once the advisor has cleared their advisee for registration, the student should register via the web through WebAdvisor. See, Registration Instructions.
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How does a student add or drop my class after the semester begins?
Once the student has been advised for the upcoming semester(s), he/she can add or drop classes (if necessary) without additional advisor approval through the end of add/drop week in the fall and spring semesters. Web Registration will not be available for a short period between semesters.
There is no add/drop period in Winter Session or Summer Session, so all adds and drops must be completed prior to the first day of those terms.
Students are encouraged to seek additional advising whenever there are questions or concerns.
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How long is the add/drop period?
The add/drop period is one week in the fall and spring semesters. There is no add/drop period for Winter Session or Summer Session. Be sure to consult the summer schedule each year for specific policies relating to summer classes.
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What is the deadline for adding or dropping a class?
All registration should be completed by the end of the add/drop period. There may be special circumstances, however, when an additional class is added after this deadline. The student must receive permission from the advisor and instructor of the class. Any course dropped after add/drop week ends but before the "automatic WF" deadline will receive a grade of W, WP or WF at the discretion of the instructor. See, Academic Calendar
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What is a "Progress Report" and what do I need to do?
The "Mid-Semester Progress Report" is a vital piece of information for both students and advisors. Grades (C- or below) and comments should be submitted on WebAdvisor. This gives students who are not doing their best academically enough time to take corrective action before the end of the semester. Progress Reports can, also, give students an extra pat on the back with positive comments. See, Progress Report Instructions
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Where do I submit my final grades?
Your final grades are submitted through WebAdvisor. See, Final Grading Instructions
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How long do I have to turn in final grades?
Final grades are due within 48 hours after each exam. Graduates are color coded on the Final Grade Roster so they can be submitted even earlier when necessary. See, Final Grading Instructions
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How do I change a grade after the final grade has been submitted?
Grade changes/corrections cannot be made on WebAdvisor but will be accepted through e-mail only from your VWC e-mail account during the grading period. Grade changes/corrections after a specified date each semester must be approved by the academic dean's office (on paper, the old way). The "Grade Change" form is in the Registrar's Office.
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Can I post grades on my office door?
Fortunately, students receive their grades in a secure manner on WebAdvisor shortly after you submit them electronically to the Registrar's Office. It would be very difficult to post grades publicly in any way which would meet approval by FERPA (Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974).
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When should a grade of "I" (incomplete) be given?
A grade of "I" may be given at the discretion of the instructor when circumstances beyond the control of the student prevent the completion of course requirements. An Incomplete is not a substitute for an "F" when the student simply has not completed the course requirements satisfactorially.
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How long does a student have to make up an Incomplete?
Your WebAdvisor menu has a "Term Incomplete Roster" which shows all students who received an "I" in any of your classes. You must submit a final letter grade through WebAdvisor no later than the last day of classes following the Incomplete. Summer counts as a term with Incomplete grades due on or before August 20 unless it falls on the weekend, then it will be the Friday before. The deadline you set for a student's final course work should be prior to the submission deadline so you will have ample time to grade the final work.
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When are the final exams scheduled to be given for my classes?
See, Exam Schedule
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How long is the exam period?
Individual exams are 2 1/2 hours in length with 1 hour between exams. All exams for the "day" program are completed in 4 days. Exams for the Adult Studies Program are held during the ASP exam period which may start before the day exams but will end on the same day.
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How do I know what courses I will be teaching next semester?
The Registrar forwards a Planning Schedule of "day" and ASP classes which were taught the previous year to your department coordinator during the second week of each semester. Your department coordinator should meet/contact you immediately about courses for the upcoming semester as the Planning Schedule quickly makes the rounds to the division chair and then back to the Registrar and ASP Office.
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How do I request a technology classroom?
Several classrooms have one or more computers, multi-media presentation equipment and large screens and are scheduled separately from the other classrooms on the Planning Schedule mentioned above. All faculty receive an e-mail from the Registrar when the window is open to make tech room requests for the upcoming semester. Tech room requests are made through your WebAdvisor menu. See, Tech Room Request Instructions
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How do I propose a new course?
The New Course Proposal Form (developed by the Educational Programs Commission) is available online. See, Faculty Information. New courses are first approved by your department, division, and finally EPC (Educational Programs Commission). A course approved as a permanent course is listed in the VWC Catalog.
Experimental courses are sometimes developed by an instructor with a group of students who may want to study a topic not adequately covered by an existing course. An experimental course may be taught up to three times on a trial basis. Experimental courses do not appear in the VWC catalog and must be approved as a "permanent" course if it is to be continued beyond the third offering of the course. Also see "Experimental Courses" in the VWC Catalog.
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What is special about 24-54-85?
You could ask, "When does a student become a sophomore, junior or senior?" Degree hours only are used in determining the academic classification of students. While developmental hours do not count toward degree hours, the grade(s) are computed in the student's GPA.
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When do I begin officially advising students?
All full-time faculty serve as academic advisors. However, new faculty are not assigned, and generally should not accept, advisees until after their first year at VWC. The Learning Resource Center assigns new students to faculty teaching First-Year Experience.
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How does a student change advisors?
The form required to change advisors (and/or declare a major) is available on the Registrar's home page under "Forms." A new advisor must sign the "Major/Minor/Advisor Declaration" form as a way of accepting a new advisee.
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How do I find the academic information I need about my advisees?
You will have immediate access to all academic information concerning a student through WebAdvisor once the Registrar's Office has processed the change of advisor form or the Learning Resource Center has assigned a new student to you.
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How does my advisee take a course for credit at another college?
Students may take courses (with permission) at other colleges as either a transient student or in some cases, as a cross-registered student. Check out "Transient vs. Cross Registration--What's the Difference?" under "Faculty Information" on the Registrar's home page for complete informtion.
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What is the 64/88 rule?
A potential graduate may have more than one major listed on their transcript. However, they can have no more than 64 semester hours in any one discipline, nor more than 88 semester hours in any two disciplines. A student who exceeds these limits will have to take additional hours beyond the 128 semester hours required for graduation.
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