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| 2007-2008 UHCL Catalog |
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| 2007-2008 UHCL Catalog |
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REGISTRATION AND RECORDs SERVICES
Enrollment is necessary for every period of attendance at University of Houston-Clear Lake. Registrar's announcements specify times and places and give other instructions for completing the enrollment process. Registration materials and class schedules may be obtained from the Office of Academic Records, suite1.101, Student Services and Classroom Building, or by accessing www.uhcl.edu/records. Registration is not complete until tuition and fees have been paid in full. If tuition and fee payments are not received by stated deadlines, registration will be considered late. Questions regarding registration should be directed to the Office of Academic Records. The university does not guarantee that courses listed in this catalog will be offered in any given term or year. Registration for a particular section will be permitted only until available classroom space has been filled. The university also reserves the right to cancel any course or section for which enrollment is insufficient, according to state policies, to split classes that are over-enrolled and to change the instructor and/or classroom without advance notice. DEGREE-SEEKING VersuS NON-DEGREE-SEEKING STATUS
Final schedule revisions (drop/add) and late registration will be permitted during the first week of classes of a specific term. Times and dates will be announced by the Office of Academic Records. No registrations or schedule changes will be permitted after Late Registration. A late registration fee will be charged to students who have not registered prior to this date. Students who have registered but have not paid by the payment deadline will be considered late registrants and will also be charged a late registration fee. Students who have not paid by the late registration deadline payment date will be charged a late payment fee. Students may cancel their registration and be entitled to a full refund if they follow proper procedures through the Office of Academic Records before the first class day of the term. (Refer to the Refund Policies section of this catalog.) Requests for cancellations may be done on the telephone registration system, through E-Services or in writing and received by the Office of Academic Records prior to the first class day of the term. Such notices may be faxed to the office at 281-283-2530. If students become aware of registration discrepancies, (i.e., they are not listed on the official class roster or their class schedules do not reflect the classes being attended), they must contact the Office of Academic Records in order to correct any discrepancies. Only the Office of Academic Records is authorized to make official changes in students' registration status. Enrollment in a class is achieved only through proper registration or schedule revision procedures. Instructors receive students' names only by official notice from the Registrar. Students will not receive credit for courses for which they are not registered. Students are responsible for insuring that they have met any prerequisites prior to enrolling in any course. International students (F and J student visa holders) are limited to three credit hours, per semester, of online coursework that may be counted toward full-time enrollment per the Department of Homeland Security. The UHCL catalog provides a complete listing of courses with descriptions that include prerequisites. Course prerequisites are also shown in the class schedule. Students who enroll for courses without having met the prerequisites will be dropped from the course. As defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), the census date is the date for official enrollment reporting. For long semesters (fall and spring), the census date is the 12th class day and is adjusted in accordance with THECB for summer sessions. It is used for the last day to drop without a record and the last day to request a change on residency status for that semester. Verifications of enrollment for a semester will begin on the day following the census date. AUTOMATIC ENROLLMENT-MASTER'S OPTION COURSE WORK Students' first semester of registration for master's thesis, project, internship or residency must be done in person. After the initial semester of registration in master's thesis, project, internship or residency, students will be automatically enrolled in the same course work each long semester (fall and spring, but not summer) until a final grade is awarded. This registration will be processed prior to Open Registration, and students are expected to meet the fee payment deadline for Open Registration. Students wishing to be enrolled for summer semesters must notify the Office of Academic Records prior to the beginning of the summer semester. Students are not permitted to enroll in two different courses that are scheduled to meet at the same or overlapping times. Application forms to audit a course may be obtained from the appropriate associate dean's office. Registration to audit a course is on a space-available basis. Individuals may be given permission to audit courses only after the conclusion of the regular registration period and the determination that the student is eligible and space is available. Auditing status provides the privilege of class attendance only and does not include taking examinations, submitting papers, participating in laboratories, field work or receiving a grade in the course. Individuals auditing courses will pay the regular tuition, student services fees, specific course fees and other applicable fees indicated in this catalog. Individuals with audit status will not be given credit status after having registered on an audit basis. Records of individuals who have audited courses will not be maintained by the university. Fee Waiver for Senior Citizens to Audit Courses As provided in the Texas Education Code senior citizens, 65 years of age or older, may audit, on a space-available basis, any course offered without payment of tuition or fees. Applicants need to provide evidence of age to the Cashier when requesting waiver of fees. The Office of Academic Records, suite 1.101, Student Services and Classroom Building, will be responsible for assisting senior citizens to determine course availability, approval of instructor, registration procedures and general auditing regulations. The tuition and fee information provided is not intended to be comprehensive and is subject to change pending action taken by the Texas Legislature or University of Houston Board of Regents. Changes become effective on the date of enactment. The following information should be used only as a guide for estimating tuition and fee charges. Students are responsible for knowing the current financial regulations of the university. Current regulations are applicable to all students regardless of the date of enrollment. Interpretation or explanations contrary to the regulations of this catalog are not binding upon the university. The university reserves the right to modify any statement as required by unforeseen conditions or by legislative actions. Students are assessed tuition according to residence classification and the number of semester credit hours for which they register, subject to the statutory provisions of House Bill No. 43, 62 Legislature:
An alien who has been lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States shall be considered for residency based on the same regulations in effect for U.S. citizens. Aliens who are present in the United States on a temporary or student visa shall not be eligible for classification as residents. Tuition Residence Regulations and Appeals It is important for students to know whether they will be classified as residents of the state of Texas. Students who do not qualify as bona fide residents at the time they register must pay the non-resident tuition fee. An official determination of the residence status of students is made in the Office of Admissions at the time the application for admission and support documents are received. If students expect a change in residence status prior to first registration, this should be indicated on the application. If a change in residence status occurs after submitting the application, students must inform the Office of Admissions. Students have a continuing responsibility to register under and to maintain the correct residence classification. If there is any question concerning eligibility for classification as a resident of Texas at the time of registration, or any time thereafter, it is the responsibility of students to consult with the Office of Admissions. All requests for reclassification should be submitted at least 30 days prior to the registration period in question, but no later than the census date. Requests or documents received after the census date of a given semester will be considered for the next semester. Students who believe they have been misclassified may petition the Office of Admissions for reclassification. Students may be required to furnish evidence in support of an appeal. Credit Hour Maximum and Tuition Charges The 76th Texas Legislature amended the Texas Education Code to limit the number of semester credit hours per undergraduate students that institutions may submit for state funding. This House Bill limits the semester credit hours attempted by certain undergraduate students to no more than 45 semester credit hours beyond their state approved degree plan. The limitation on funding of excess undergraduate credit hours applies only to hours generated by students who initially enrolled as undergraduates in an institution of higher education in the 1999 fall semester or in a subsequent term. If a student has been enrolled as an undergraduate student in any public or private institution of higher education during any term prior to the 1999 fall semester, the student's credit hours are exempt. Semester credit hours generated by non-resident students paying tuition at the rate provided for Texas residents are subject to the same limitations as hours generated by resident students. Students who are in violation of the limitations set by this law will be subject to a tuition rate sufficient for the university to cover the student's educational costs. General Residency Requirements Summarized below are the general rules for meeting eligibility requirements in the state of Texas. Exceptions to these rules for military personnel, teachers of higher education and their dependents, scholarship recipients and other special programs are discussed in an online booklet titled "Rules and Regulations for Determining Residence Status" published annually by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The information may be viewed online through www.collegefortexans.com/residency. Residence of a Minor or Dependent: An individual who is 18 years of age or under or is a dependent and whose family has not resided in Texas for the 12-month period immediately preceding the date of registration shall be classified as a non-resident student regardless of whether he/she has become the legal ward of residents of Texas or has been adopted by residents of Texas while he/she is attending an educational institution in Texas, or within a 12-month period before attendance, or under circumstances indicating that the guardianship or adoption was for the purpose of obtaining status as a resident student. The legal residence of minors or dependent children is usually that of the parent with whom the individual spends the principal amount of time. Upon divorce of parents, residency is based on the residence of the parent who has legal custody or has claimed the minor for federal income tax purposes both at the time of enrollment and for the tax year preceding enrollment. Individuals over 18: An individual who is 18 years of age or older, who is a legal U.S. permanent resident, who has come from outside Texas and who is gainfully employed in Texas for a 12-month period immediately preceding registration in an educational institution shall be classified as a resident student as long as he/she continues to maintain a legal residence in Texas. If such 12-month residence, however, can be shown not to have been for the purpose of establishing legal residence in the state but to have been for some other purpose, the individual is not entitled to be classified as a resident. A student enrolling in an institution of higher education prior to having resided in the state for 12 months immediately preceding time of enrollment will be classified as non-resident for tuition purposes. The Student Service Fee, as authorized by state law, is required of all students. The income from this fee supports recreational activities, health and hospital services, artist and lecture series, cultural entertainment series, student publications, student government and other student services as authorized by state law. The Tuition Designated Fee, as authorized by state law and approved by the Board of Regents, is required of all students and is pledged to the retirement of bonded indebtedness for building construction. A parking fee of $75 for an annual permit, or $40 for each fall and each spring, and $25 for the summer semester, will be assessed to students who operate motor vehicles on the campus or on properties leased by the university. Proof of ownership (current license receipts or titles for the vehicles) may be required. Refer to the Parking and Traffic Regulations issued by the University Police Department for additional information. Any vehicle not having a valid UHCL permit will be ticketed unless special arrangements have been made with University Police to park on campus without such permit. Lost or stolen parking permits must be reported to the University Police immediately so that a replacement permit may be issued. There is no charge for the first replacement permit, but an administrative fee or replacement of second and subsequent permits may be charged. Students registering for the first time and re-enrolling in the university after a four year absence will be required to pay and maintain a $10 General Property Deposit. This deposit is to insure the university against losses, damages and breakage in libraries and laboratories. This deposit will be refunded only upon written request made within four years from the date of last attendance at UHCL. If a request for refund is not received by the stated deadline, this deposit will be put into a student scholarship fund. The proceeds from the Computing Fee shall be used to provide students with access to computing facilities for activities and uses that are part of regularly scheduled academic functions of the university, and which are related to instructional activities, lectures, homework projects and provisions of the learning environment. Extended Access and Support Fee The University of Houston Board of Regents has authorized the UH System universities to charge a fee to support Distance Education and Off-Campus Instructional programs. The revenue from the Extended Access and Support Fee will support these programs, including web-enhanced, web-based courses, and marketing. The charge will be $6 per credit hour, up to a maximum of $54 per semester for all students registering for classes. Publication and Transcript Fee A Publication and Transcript Fee of $15 is required of all students to cover the costs of university publications (Quick Reference Guide, catalogs, etc.) and reproduction of transcripts. An E-Services Fee of $13 is required of all students to cover the costs of maintaining online and telephone registration and other voice response registration system components. A fee charged for the sole purpose of financing, constructing, operating, maintaining and improving a student center for UHCL. This fee will pay for expanded student organizational space, more informal space for students (i.e., lounges, study rooms, gathering spaces), multifunctional space, space for meditation, recreational/exercise facilities, maintenance and operation of the new building and renovations to existing spaces. Graduate Programs Research Capability Fee Additional revenue will be used to purchase and support research databases befitting AACSB International accredited graduate business programs. Differential Designated Tuition (BUS) The designated differential tuition charged by the School of Business will be used to hire a minimum of four full-time tenure-track faculty in the school. These new faculty will facilitate the school in meeting the faculty sufficiency standards for AACSB International accreditation. School of Education Doctoral Program The designated differential tuition charged by the School of Education applies to doctoral-level courses only and will be used as excellence funding to support faculty development and research initiatives. Undergraduate students that exceed more than 45 semester credit hours beyond their state approved degree plan are subject to a tuition recovery fee of $130 per credit hour to cover the student's educational costs. Students that are affected are Texas residents that have attempted more than 45 credit hours beyond their degree program requirement. For more information contact the Office of Academic Records. The Writing Center Support fee will be used to provide administrative and support services for the Writing Center. Located in the Student Services and Classroom Building in SSCB 2105, this facility offers writing tutoring for all university students, faculty and staff. The charge will be $9 per semester. The International Education Fee of $2.00 is assessed to each student in order to provide scholarship support for those who participate in study abroad programs. INSTALLMENT PAYMENT OF TUITION AND FEES At the time of original registration UHCL students may pay their tuition and fees in full or they may elect a three-payment option (one half of tuition and fees at time of registration and the remaining one half in two equal installments). There is a $15 non-refundable fee for the multiple payment plan. The installment plan is not available for summer semesters. Courses added after the original registration period must be paid for when added and cannot be applied to the installment plan. Payments due at the time of registration include:
Subsequent dates of payments will be listed on the fee statement. Students are responsible for all installment payments being made on time. Additional payment notices are not mailed. A $10 late fee is charged for each late installment. Students who do not meet installment payment deadlines will have their records encumbered until all fees and penalties have been paid. At semester's end, any students who have not fulfilled their financial obligation on the installment contract will have their records encumbered and no grades or transcripts will be issued. There will be a $50 default fee attached to the existing debt. In order for students to be eligible for enrollment in subsequent semesters and have the encumbrance removed from their records, all penalties and contract balances must be paid in full. SCHEDULE OF CHARGES AND SPECIAL FEES The following Schedule of Charges and Special Fees shall apply, where applicable, to all students at UHCL. These tuition and fee charges are assessed according to the number of semester credit hours for which students enroll and are payable at the time of registration. Students are not registered and are not entitled to university privileges until their tuition and fees have been paid in full. If payment is made by check or money order, such check or money order must be payable to the University of Houston-Clear Lake. The charges quoted are those authorized at the time of publication of this catalog but are subject to change without notice as necessitated by university or legislative actions. Questions should be directed to the Office of the Cashier.
*The University may change tuition rates and other charges without notice when so directed by the Board of Regents. All students are charged, per semester, a Transcript/Publication fee, ID card fee, and Writing Center Support fee. Additional base fees include a Student Center fee of $30 and aE-Services fee of $13 for registration purposes. Graduate students within the School of Business will be charged, per semester, a Graduate Programs Research Capability fee of $57. In U.S. Dollars
Rebates or Exemptions from Tuition and Fees The statutes of the state of Texas describe certain instances in which students may be exempted from tuition and/or fees. The various types of exemptions and the Tuition Rebate Program are described below. In the case of exemptions, students have the responsibility to initiate the action of applying for an exemption through the Office of the Cashier and to provide evidence that all conditions required for the exemption have been met. Until such time as the exemption is established, students will be required to pay all tuition and fees. Students should apply to the Office of the Cashier at least one month prior to registration for the term in which they plan to utilize the exemption provision, but in all cases such requests must be received no later than the census date of any semester to be effective for that semester. For more information contact the Office of the Cashier. In the case of a rebate, the student must apply for the rebate at the time of graduation in the Office of Academic Records. Once the rebate is verified by the Office of Academic Records, the refund will be issued by the Office of the Cashier. Tuition Rebate for Undergraduates Tuition rebates to a maximum of $1000 are available for qualified students who have attempted no more than three hours in excess of the minimum number of semester credit hours required to complete the degree as defined by the catalog under which they graduated. Certain restrictions apply:
For more information, see the Office of Academic Records. Qualified students must apply for the rebate at the time they apply for graduation. Texas Veterans (Hazlewood Act) Legal residents of Texas may be exempted from tuition and certain required fees under the Hazlewood Act. Texas veterans must meet the eligibility criteria listed in the Financial Aid section of this catalog. UHCL Hazlewood applications should be submitted to the UHCL Office of Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs 30 days prior to registration. Exemption from payment of tuition and certain fees extends to children of members of the armed forces who were killed in action or died while in service in World War II or in the Korean conflict or in any subsequent actions, and to orphans of members of the Texas National Guard and the Texas Air National Guard killed since January 1, 1946 while on extended active duty. Children of Disabled Public Employees Children of certain eligible firefighters, peace officers, employees of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and game wardens who have suffered injury resulting in death or disability sustained in the line of duty may, under certain conditions, be exempted from payment of tuition and certain fees. Deaf or blind persons who are Texas residents may, under certain conditions, by exempted from payment of tuition and certain fees. Children of Prisoners of War or of Persons Missing in Action Dependent children under 18 years of age, or persons under 25 years of age who receive the majority of their support from their parent(s) may be exempted from the payment of tuition and certain fees if they are the dependent children of any person who is a domiciliary of Texas on active duty in the armed forces of the United States, and who at the time of registration is classified by the Department of Defense as a prisoner of war or as missing in action. Students who pay tuition and fees for any term and who subsequently cancel their registration through the Office of Academic Records prior to the first day of classes for that term as specified in the academic calendar are entitled to a full refund minus a $15 matriculation fee and the $13 E-Services Fee and any other non-refundable fees. Students who officially withdraw from the university after classes begin may be eligible for a partial refund of tuition and fees. The applicable refund is based upon the courses in which students are enrolled on the date of official withdrawal. Applications for official withdrawal from courses or from the university must be made to the Office of Academic Records, on the telephone registration system or through E-Services prior to the deadline stated in the academic calendar. Withdrawals in writing are effective on date of receipt. Letters can be faxed to the Office of Academic Records at 281-283-2530. The university reserves the right to deduct from the refund any outstanding financial obligations to the university. In order to obtain a refund of parking fees, the parking permit must be returned to the Office of the Cashier at the time of withdrawal. If the Parking Fee has been paid and the permit has not been issued, the fee statement must be returned to the Office of the Cashier at the time of withdrawal. No refund will be made to students who leave the university without officially withdrawing. Refunds are made in accordance with this schedule:
Three, Four, Five, Eight and Nine Week Summer Sessions
Class days, including Saturdays, are counted from the first day that classes begin at the university as indicated in the academic calendar for that semester. Refunds are not made immediately upon official withdrawal. They will be processed after completion of all university registrations for that semester. Refund checks will be mailed to students at their officially listed address. Students who drop courses within the first 12 class days of the fall or spring semester or on or before the fourth class day of a summer session and who remain enrolled in the university for that semester may be refunded the applicable tuition and fees. No refunds will be made for courses dropped after the official twelfth class day of the university during a fall or spring semester or the fourth class day of a summer session. All refunds will be prepared and mailed by the Office of the Cashier. The refunds quoted are those authorized at the time of publication of this catalog but are subject to change without notice as necessitated by the university or legislative action. STUDENT FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Students must meet financial responsibilities to the university. Writing checks on accounts with insufficient funds and failure to meet all financial obligations are considered a lack of financial responsibility. Students forfeit check writing and cashing privileges for the balance of the academic year if they write two bad checks (unless due to bank error) to the university for tuition and fees, to the university offices for payment of other university obligations or for check cashing purposes. Students who have written a bad check to the university (unless due to bank error) will be assessed a $20 service charge. It is the responsibility of students to present evidence of bank error. Encumbrances and returned checks must be cleared by cash or cashier's check. Returned checks will not be re-deposited. If the check was presented in payment of tuition and fees at registration time, the return of the check after open registration will result in a $50 late registration fee in addition to the service charge. The university will not accept two-party checks for payment or check cashing privileges. Students must be in good financial standing with the university at all times. Failure to meet financial responsibilities to the university may subject students to withdrawal and disqualification for registration for a subsequent term. Transcripts will not be given to or on behalf of students until all financial responsibilities have been met. Failure to clear outstanding debts could result in the debt being placed for collection procedure and reported to the Credit Bureau of Greater Houston. Official student records reside and are maintained in the Office of Academic Records. Students are responsible for insuring the accuracy of their records. Such records include, but are not limited to, personal information, home address and phone number, degree status, career (level), plan (major) and grades. Students wishing to change their plan (major) must obtain the Request for Academic Record Change form from the office of the associate dean in the school from which they are earning their degree. Students wishing to change their career (level) or degree status should contact the Office of Academic Records for the appropriate application. Changes made after the census date will be applicable to the next semester. University records of students' names and addresses are based on information given on the Application for Admission. Subsequent changes must be reported to the Office of Academic Records. Requests for name changes must be accompanied by supporting documentation including driver's license, marriage license, divorce decree or official name change document. Any communication from the university mailed to the name and address on record is considered to have been properly delivered. Students may request official copies of their transcript from the Office of Academic Records. There is no additional charge for a transcript. Transcript requests must be in writing with the name of the student, social security number or student ID, the number of copies, the address it is to be mailed to or if it will be picked up, a phone number where the student may be reached and the signature of the student whose record is requested. Fax requests will be accepted. The fax number is 281-283-2530. Telephone requests or e-mails will not be honored. Students whose permanent records have been placed with a service indicator will be denied transcript services until the specific obligations have been met. UHCL transcripts contain only academic information and course work pursued at UHCL. Requests are limited to 10 copies per request form. Transcripts from other institutions submitted to UHCL become the university's property and will not be reproduced and/or mailed to other institutions. Students may not obtain copies of their transcripts from other institutions. Transcripts from other institutions are destroyed five years after the last term of attendance. Students can access their semester grades by dialing 281-212-UHCL or 281-212-8425 with a touch-tone telephone or view grades online at www.uhcl.edu/records/eservices. The student's PIN number is required for this confidential access. Grades can also be obtained by requesting a transcript. Grade reports are not mailed. Students with suspected grade discrepancies on their grade report should check with the appropriate office of the associate dean for clarification. POLICY ON RELEASE OF STUDENT RECORDS The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 is a federal law stating (a) that a written institutional policy must be established and (b) that a statement of adopted procedures covering the privacy rights of students be made available. The law provides that institutions will maintain the confidentiality of student education records. UHCL accords all the rights under the law to students who are declared independent. No one outside the institution shall have access to, nor will the institution disclose, any information from students' education records without the written consent of students except to personnel within the institution, to officials of institutions in which students seek to enroll, to persons or organizations providing students financial aid, to accrediting agencies carrying out their accreditation function, to persons in compliance with a judicial order and to persons in an emergency in order to protect the health or safety of students or other persons. All these exceptions are permitted under the act. Within UHCL, only those members individually or collectively acting in students' educational interest are allowed access to student education records. These members include personnel in the office of the president, senior vice president and provost, vice president for administration and finance, deans, associate deans, student services, computing services, cashier, accounting, career and counseling services, student life, health center, financial aid, member of academic, grade and honesty appeal committees and academic personnel within the limitations of their need to know. At its discretion, the institution may provide directory information in accordance with the provisions of the act to include: student name, address, telephone number, university e-mail address, verification of date and place of birth, major field of study, dates of attendance, courses attended, classification, hours enrolled, date of graduation, degrees and awards received, the most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the student, participation in officially recognized activities and sports. Students who do not wish that public information (including their name, address and phone number) be released are responsible for notifying the Office of Academic Records during the first week of classes to insure that information is not released by the university or published in the student directory. A request made to withhold public information remains in effect until revoked in writing. The law provides students with the right to inspect and review information contained in their education records, to challenge the contents of their education records, to have a hearing if the outcome of the challenge is unsatisfactory and to submit explanatory statements for inclusion in their files if they feel the decisions of the hearing panel to be unacceptable. Information about this inspection and review process can be obtained in the Office of Academic Records. |