Online Subject Enrolment Change Policy
Background
This is a summary of a policy proposal endorsed by the Policy and Procedures Working Group and designed to support the University's teaching and learning activities as we move to implement the Melbourne Model in 2008.
It defines deadlines for enrolment variations (subject changes, adding and dropping subjects), and specifically the dates from which a student receives a 'WD' notation on their permanent record. The policy enables a largely self-managed process, supported by the new Student System, in a way that reduces manual data-entry by university staff.
Summary of Changes
Add/delete subjects from enrolment
Currently, a student may, using the on-line function of the existing student system, can add/delete subjects from their enrolments during the first week of a semester. During the second week, a student may add/delete a subject with 'faculty permission'. This is rarely - if ever - refused.
It is proposed that student may, using online functionality, make a change to their subject enrolment anytime during the first two weeks, without requiring faculty approval in the second week of a standard semester.
Discontinuing the practice of recording a WD result for changes made prior to the census date
After the first two weeks of a standard semester, a student must submit a request to withdraw from a subject to their faculty office. Provided a student is not restricted (e.g. required to undertake compulsory subjects, required to maintain a full-time enrolment requirement) a manual change is made to a student's record, adding a WD result and 'withdrawing' the student from the subject. Despite this, a student has the right to withdraw from a subject and not pay any fee for the subject right up to the semester census date.
To bring into alignment two key dates, it is proposed that a student be entitled to withdraw without a WD result recorded until the subject census date. After this time, a student is both required to pay fees AND will have their withdrawal formally recorded.
For intensive subjects, the common date is proposed to be the end of the last day of teaching.
The new system will allow a student to initiate a withdrawal online. The student's record will note the subject was originally selected, but a WD would not be published. Note: only with special permission can a subject be added, but it can be added until the census date.