GENERAL Information / Add/drop / Resignation

ACADEMIC CALENDAR, Spring 2009

See Academic Calendar for Spring 2009 here.

CLASS MEETING TIMES

DATES TO REMEMBER

FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS & PRIVACY ACT OF 1974 (BUCKLEY AMENDMENT )

PUBLIC NOTICE
Sam Houston State University Operational Guidelines

Under the terms of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, Sam Houston State University has established the following as directory information: (1) Name, (2) Local/Home Address, (3) Major, (4) Minor, (5) Local/Home Telephone Number, (6) E-mail Address, (7) Enrollment Status, FT/PT, (8) Degrees, Diplomas, and Certificates and Date of Award, (9) Honors and Awards, (10) Classification, (11) Extracurricular Activities, (12) Birth date and Place of Birth, (13) Names and Addresses of Parents/Legal Guardians, (14) Weight, Height, and Related Information of Athletic Team Member, (15) Age, Race, Sex, and Marital Status.

The above directory information will be available for release to the general public. However, the Act states that each student has the right to inform Sam Houston State University that the above information is not to be released.

A student may restrict the release of directory information by using the Sam Web Link on our home page www.shsu.edu or submitting written notification to the Registrar's Office, Estill 331. Notification must be given prior to the twelfth class day of the Fall and Spring semesters and the fourth class day of each summer term. (See Academic Calendar)

Sam Houston State University will honor the student's request to restrict the release of "Directory Information" as listed above, but cannot assume responsibility to contact the student for subsequent permission to release the information. In addition, a student's name will not be published in the Deans List, the Commencement Program, or the Honors List at Commencement, when the Buckley has been invoked. Regardless of the effect upon the student, the institution assumes no liability for honoring the student's instructions to restrict the release of "Directory Information".

FIRST CLASS MEETING DATES

FINAL EXAM SCHEDULE

Spring Semester 2008

**MW classes follow MWF exam schedule**

1. Degree candidates will take their exams at the regularly scheduled time.
2. Exams for separate lab sections and lab-associated lectures will be given during the scheduled lab period or at a single night session, to be scheduled by the department chair-person.
3. Students cannot take final examinations until all other work for the course has been completed.
4. Special arrangements for individual final examinations may be made only with the approval of department chairs and the appropriate academic dean.
5. Any faculty member who has been authorized to give the mark of X (incomplete) in a previous grading period should have students complete the required work.
6. Grades are due in the Registrar's Office no later than 9:00 a.m., Monday, May 18.

COMMENCEMENT

BERNARD G. JOHNSON COLISEUM

TIMES OF COMMENCEMENT TO BE ANNOUNCED LATER

LIBRARY SCIENCE WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Spring 2009

SCHEDULE CHANGES(ADDING/DROPPING CLASSES) / General Information

REFER TO THE "ADDITIONAL TUITION/FEES PAYMENT" SECTION FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.

If you process schedule changes on SAMWEB, ALWAYS verify your schedule to be sure the appropriate changes were processed. Students who fail to properly drop a class will receive a grade of "F" for the course. YOU CANNOT DROP YOUR ONLY CLASS YOU MUST RESIGN.

Students may make schedule changes by accessing the Internet. After classes begin, internet access is available until January 20 for dropping and adding courses. Courses dropped January 29 - May 8 will receive "Q". Courses may be dropped online until April 17 at 5:00p.m. without a grade of "F" before taking any final exams. To process a "Q" drop after the online drop closes, students must come to the Registrar's Office, Estill Building Rm. 330 between the hours of 8:00a.m. and 5:00p.m. No schedule changes may be made after the deadline specified in the Academic Calendar.

LIMITATION OF Q-DROPS

Students will be allowed to drop (Q-drop) no more than five classes during their academic career at Sam Houston State University. Classes that are dropped prior to the 12 th class day will not be included in this calculation. Students who have used their limit of five Q-drops will need to petition their respective dean to drop a class. If the dean refuses to grant permission to drop a class, a student will be required to remain in the class.

This policy will take effect with the start of the Fall 2004 semester. Any drops accumulated prior to the Fall 2004 will not be included in this calculation, nor will Q-drops from other universities.

Under section 51.907 of the Texas Education code, "an institution of higher education may not permit a student to drop more than six courses, including any course a transfer student has dropped at another institution of higher education." This statute was enacted by the State of Texas in spring 2007 and applies to students who enroll in a public institution of higher education as first-time freshmen in fall 2007 or later. Any course that a student drops is counted toward the six-course limit if "(1) the student was able to drop the course without receiving a grade or incurring an academic penalty; (2) the student's transcript indicates or will indicate that the student was enrolled in the course; and (3) the student is not dropping the course in order to withdraw from the institution." Some exemptions for good cause could allow a student to drop a course without having it counted toward this limit, but it is the responsibility of the student to establish that good cause.

Any college student affected by this statute that has attended or plans to attend another institution of higher education should become familiar with that institution's policies on dropping courses.

Policies and procedures for implementation of this statute are being developed and will be published as soon as they are available.

RESIGNATIONS

To resign (withdraw from all your classes) from the University, you must notify the Registrar's Office, Estill Bldg. 331, and process a Resignation Request in person, by mail (Box 2029, Huntsville, TX 77341) or fax (936) 294-1737. The Resignation Request must have a written signature and becomes effective the date received by the Registrar's Office. This is the date which is used for determining any refund. You may access a Resignation Request on the web. The student is responsible for clearing all debts owed to the university.

Students who fail to officially resign from the university will receive the grade of "F" for each course in which they are enrolled. If you are enrolled in only one class you must resign. Students who resign must reapply in the Admission Office if they intend to return to the university.

If you are a financial aid student and resign, you may be responsible for repayment of certain types of financial aid received during the semester. Access this link: http://www.shsu.edu/~sfa_www/refundpolicy.html for more information on the Return of Title IV Funds Policy.

REFER TO TUITION AND FEES REFUND POLICY
FOR REFUND SCHEDULE AND POLICY

NAME CHANGE

Documentation to support a legal name change must be submitted to the Registrar's Office prior to your next registration. Such documents may include but not limited to a driver's license, social security card, marriage license or court documents. You cannot register under a name different from that used in your last enrollment without the above certification, which becomes a part of your permanent record. All degrees, grade reports and transcripts are issued under your legal name as recorded in the Registrar's Office. You may access a Change of Name form on the web, fill it out and return it to the Registrar's Office with the appropriate documentation.

SAM CENTER

STUDENT ADVISING AND MENTORING CENTER

Located on the second floor of Academic Building IV (south of the Lee Drain Building, corner of Avenue I and Bowers Blvd.); SAM Center offers academic counseling and enrichment services to all undergraduate and graduate students. The Student Advising and Mentoring Center is a resource dedicated to helping students adjust to academic life at Sam Houston State University. The Center offers advising aid (see Academic Advising), with time management and/or study skills, career testing, tutoring and workshops with an array of academic and technological resources. The SAM Center can be contacted by e-mail at SAMCENTER@SHSU.EDU or by telephone, (936) 294-4444. For more information refer to the Catalog.

ADDITIONAL ACADEMIC SERVICES AVAILABLE

The Writing Center helps all University students, staff, faculty and community members. It was created to help individuals become better writers and develop more confidence in their writing abilities. To this end, it provides one-on-one and small group writing instruction and one-session workshops throughout the school year. It is located at Wilson 114. The Writing Center can be contacted by e-mail at WCTR@SHSU.EDU or by telephone, (936) 294-3680.

The Testing Center, located in AB4, room 102, offers a variety of college entrance, vocational, state-mandated and/or placement exams including ACCUPLACER, ACT, ACT Residual, TExES/ExCET/TExMAT, THEA, THEA-QT, and TOPT testing. The Testing Center can be contacted by e-mail at test.ctr@shsu.edu or by telephone (936) 294-1025.

STUDENTS PLACED ON PROBATION

Students placed on probation at the close of Fall 2008 who do not see an advisor to have their Probation Advisement Block removed by 4:00 p.m. Friday, January 9 will have their class schedule deleted. They must be advised/re-advised before they will be allowed to re-register. Please review procedures below.

To assist students in achieving academic success, Sam Houston State University is adding the following provisions to the Academic Advisement Procedures.

1. Students who advance register for the Spring Semester and are subsequently placed on probation at the close of the Fall Semester must be advised. Students who were advised prior to being placed on probation must be re-advised.
2. Students placed on probation will not be able to process schedule changes, pay their tuition/fees or apply financial aid until a "Probation Advisement Block" has been removed by an advisor.
3. Students placed on probation must be advised or re-advised by 4:00 p.m. the day prior to the first class day - refer to Academic Calendar for appropriate dates. Students who have not had the "Probation Advisement Block" removed by that date will have their class schedules deleted, and they must be advised/re-advised before they will be allowed to re-register.

Students who need Probation Advising should contact the SAM Center ( Student Advising & Mentoring Center), (936) 294-4444, or their academic advisor.

STUDENTS ON SUSPENSION

Students who register for the Spring Semester and are subsequently placed on suspension at the close of the Fall Semester will have their Spring schedule deleted . Readmission from suspension must be approved by the appropriate academic dean. The petition for readmission must be made in writing and supported by a transcript of all college work completed at Sam Houston State University.

If the academic dean allows the student to re-enroll, the student will have to re-register for his/her courses. If a student has already paid tuition and fees, the amount will be credited to his/her account when the student re-enrolls. If the student does not re-enroll, the Cashiers Office will process a refund.

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) is located in the Counseling Center and provides accommodations, counseling and adaptive technology for students with disabilities. Refer to the Counseling Center website for more details. Request help with academically related problems stemming from individual disabilities from instructors, department chairs or by contacting the Director of the Counseling Center, Lee Drain Annex, (936) 294-1720. Students may request admissions or registration assistance by calling (936) 294-1828 for the Admissions Office or (936) 294-1040 for the Registrar's Office. Parking permits and information concerning the location of parking spaces for disabled students may be obtained from the University Police Office.

WRITING ENHANCED COURSES

A writing enhanced course is one in which fifty percent or more of the student's grades are based on written assignments. Beginning freshmen are required to complete six writing-enhanced courses before graduation: English 164, English 165, two courses in the major, and two additional courses in any discipline. The letter W, which stands for writing enhanced, will appear after the designated courses, e.g., SED 480W.

STUDENT RIGHT TO KNOW & CAMPUS SECURITY ACT OF 1990

Sam Houston State University provides this report to comply with the Students Right-To-Know and Campus Security Act of 1990. Sam Houston State University is a state-assisted institution of higher education located in Huntsville, Texas. The campus, including its agriculture facilities, consists of approximately 1,256 acres in and outside the city of Huntsville, Texas, which has a population of approximately 35,000. The university enrolls approximately 14,300 students supported by 1,100 faculty and staff.

The information about the Student Right-To-Know and Campus Security Act of 1990 can be accessed at the Student Right to Know website.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT BACTERIAL MENINGITIS

This information about Bacterial Meningitis is being provided to all new college students in the state of Texas.