Policies and Regulations

Add/Drop
During the first week of classes, registration changes can be processed by academic departments during normal business hours, submitted via goPFW at any time. Instructor and advisor approval is not required to drop a course during this 100 percent refund period. A course can be dropped and added via the goPFW portal under Registration Tools.

Timely Audit Request
If you choose to audit a class, you will enroll in the course, attend class, and pay full fees, but will not receive a grade or credit toward graduation for the course. The grade mode of audit cannot be selected through online means of self-service registration. To select the audit option for a class, during the first week of the class, submit the Late Registration Form found on the goPFW portal on the "Registration" Card, clearly identifying your audit request in the comment box. You will enroll yourself in the course as usual, and your registration will be changed to “audit” upon approval.

Late Registration
After the first week of classes, if you are not registered in any coursework, your new registration must be processed by the Office of the Registrar. Submit approvals and class add requests to the Office of the Registrar via the Late Registration Form found in goPFW under Registration Tools.

Late Addition of Courses
If you are already registered but wish to add additional courses after the 100 percent refund period has passed, your late additions must be processed by the Office of the Registrar. Submit approvals and class-add requests to the Office of the Registrar via the Late Registration Form found in goPFW under the "Registration" card. You will be assessed normal course fees plus late registration fees.

Changing Course Levels
International language and English: If you are in your first international language or English course at the institution, you have through the end of the 60 percent refund period to exchange course levels in the same subject area of international language or English.

Mathematics: If you are registered in a 100- or 200-level mathematics course at the institution, you have up to the end of the 20 percent refund period to exchange mathematics course levels.

Requests should be sent to the Office of the Registrar via the Late Registration Form found in goPFW under the "Registration" card. Be sure to explain the courses being swapped when requested, including course reference numbers. Be sure to provide the email of the instructor for the course you are entering, not leaving.

Note: Exchanges occurring after the first one-quarter of a class’s duration must have the instructor and dean’s approval. To obtain this, when your approval request is sent to the instructor, it will be reassigned to the dean. If the instructor does not approve the swap, your request will be denied.

Exchanging Sections within a Course
Submit a request to the Office of the Registrar via the Late Registration Form found in goPFW under the "Registration" card to exchange sections of the same course. Be sure to provide the email of the instructor for the course you are entering, not leaving.

Late-Audit Request
If you wish to select the audit option after the first week of the semester (or equivalent for a summer session), you must complete a Petition for Late Audit Form, available from your academic advisor. This form requires the signature or written acknowledgment from the course instructor, your academic advisor, and approval from a representative of the financial aid office. Changing a class to the audit option may occur only during the first six weeks of the semester (or equivalent during the summer session). You will enroll yourself in the course as usual and your registration will be changed to audit upon approval. Regular course fees will be assessed.

In general, students who have already registered may drop or add classes during those days and times permitted by their academic division or department. You should contact your academic division or department for specific information about drop/add and related procedures. You may not attend a class from which you have withdrawn.

If you decide to audit a class during the first week of a semester, you need to submit the late registration form found in goPFW. After the first week, if you wish to audit a class, you must go through your advisor for this process. Audited courses appear on the transcript records of Purdue Fort Wayne students as AU (Audit). Shifts between audit and regular credit will not be made after the deadline specified in the academic calendar.

Pass/Not-Pass requests must have advisor approval and then be sent to [email protected]. Regular course fees will be assessed. Shifts between Pass/Not-Pass and regular grading will not be made after the deadline specified in the academic calendar.

One of the many ways Purdue Fort Wayne keeps its students safe is by performing behavioral background screenings on all applicants for admission, as well as for applicants to student housing who are not Purdue Fort Wayne students.

Policy
Purdue Fort Wayne has an interest in making higher-education opportunities available, supporting students in achieving their educational goals in higher education, and taking reasonable steps to help ensure the safety of the campus community. In accordance with those interests, Purdue Fort Wayne will conduct behavioral background screenings for all applicants for admission and all applicants to student housing who are not Purdue Fort Wayne students.

The information gathered through those screenings may be used to determine the eligibility of the applicant for admission or student housing and special conditions or terms attached to admission or residence in student sousing. The procedures for conducting the behavioral background screening, review of the information gathered, and other matters related to this policy will be described in the Purdue Fort Wayne Procedures for Behavioral Background Screening of Applicants for Admission and for Applicants to Campus Housing.

Procedures
In accordance with the Purdue Fort Wayne Policy Regarding Behavioral Background Screening of Applicants for Admission and for Applicants to Campus Housing Who Are Not Purdue Fort Wayne Students, Purdue Fort Wayne will require that all applicants for admission and all applicants for housing who are not Purdue Fort Wayne students to answer a set of questions regarding their behavioral background.

The application shall first receive the standard review for admissions or housing eligibility. If it is determined that the applicant is eligible for admission or housing under the standard review and if any of the behavioral background-screening questions are answered in the affirmative, the file will be forwarded within three business days by the director of admissions or the director of housing to the vice chancellor for student affairs for additional consideration by a review committee.

The vice chancellor for student affairs shall contact the applicant within three working days of receiving the applicant’s file to notify them that their application is being reviewed. The applicant will be invited to provide additional information in writing within 15 business days regarding the circumstances of their prior behavior, any actions they have taken to make improvements on the situation (e.g., restitution, anger management courses), and any individuals the committee might contact for verification. The written information should be sent to the attention of the vice chancellor for student affairs. In the event that no written information is forthcoming from the applicant within the specified time, the review committee will proceed with its review.

The vice chancellor will convene the review committee within five business days of receiving the candidate’s written information or within five business days of the lapsed deadline should no written information be forthcoming from the applicant. The review committee shall consist of the vice chancellor for academic affairs, the vice chancellor for financial affairs, the associate vice chancellor for enrollment management, and the vice chancellor for student affairs.

The review committee will consider the evidence available to it and, based upon considerations of the health and safety of the applicant and of the campus community, determine that the applicant is

1. admitted or accepted for housing without any additional requirements,
2. admitted or accepted for housing but required to adhere to specified conditions, or
3. not admitted or accepted for housing at this time with notice regarding the earliest possible date for future consideration.

The review committee will reach its decision within five business days of its meeting to consider the application. The vice chancellor for student affairs will be responsible for notifying both the applicant and the director of admissions or director of housing of the review committee’s decision within five business days of that decision being reached. In the event an applicant is admitted or accepted for housing but special conditions are required, the vice chancellor for student affairs or their designee will be responsible for working with the applicant to assure compliance with the required conditions.

Decisions of the review committee may be appealed to the chancellor. Such appeals must be made in writing within 10 business days of the applicant being notified of the review committee’s decision. The chancellor will have 10 business days to consider the appeal and will provide a written decision to the applicant within 15 business days of receipt of the appeal. The chancellor is the final source of campus appeal.

Timelines expressed in this policy and procedure statement may be extended at the discretion of either the vice chancellor for student affairs or the chancellor for good cause in the interest of thorough and fair consideration of the application.

Behavior Background Screening Text and Questions
All applicants for admission to Purdue Fort Wayne (all applicants for student housing at Purdue Fort Wayne who are not Purdue Fort Wayne students) must answer the following questions as part of their application. An affirmative response to any of these questions will not automatically prevent admission (an offer of housing), but the applicant may be asked to provide additional information. The information will be reviewed as part of consideration of the application by a campus committee charged with that responsibility. Falsification or omission of information may result in a denial of admission (student housing), rescission of admission (termination of lease), or other appropriate sanction for personal misconduct (violation of terms of the lease) in accordance with the Purdue Fort Wayne Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct, or Student Housing Lease.

Background Screening Questions
Have you ever been disciplined (e.g., placed on probation, suspended, or expelled), by any secondary school, college, or university you have attended because of academic dishonesty, research misconduct, financial impropriety, or an offense that harmed or had the potential to harm others? Yes/No

Have you ever pleaded guilty or no contest, participated in a presentencing diversion program and/or been convicted of a criminal offense (including in a juvenile court), or are there criminal charges pending against you at this time? Yes/No

Are you currently required to register as a sex offender in any state? Yes/No

There may come a time during your enrollment when you have a need to withdraw from one or more courses or even from PFW altogether. First, if you’re considering withdrawing from a course, please get advice before deciding. Talk to the following people or offices to get information:

• Your professor can help you understand your grade and see if it is feasible to pass the course or work with them on an incomplete for that class. An incomplete will allow you to extend the deadline for the class and complete the work after the semester has ended.
• Your academic advisor can assist you in understanding how the withdrawal will impact your degree plan.  
• The Office of Financial Aid can help you know how the withdrawal will impact your financial aid, including scholarships and other grants.  
• The Office of the Bursar will assist you in knowing if you owe (or will owe) any money to the university.

Second, it is important to know the deadlines for course drop and withdrawal. All students are subjected to the deadlines specified in the PFW Master Detail Calendar and the published Course Fee Refund Schedule. Additionally, you should ensure that you do not have any holds on your account. 

As a student, it is your responsibility to fully understand the information presented in the current Purdue University Fort Wayne catalog and to know and observe all university policies and procedures. Regulations may not be waived, nor are exceptions granted because you pleads ignorance of policies or procedures. Students should be aware of all published university registration and withdrawal deadlines. While academic advisors and other staff will assist in every way possible, you are responsible for following all policies and meeting all requirements and deadlines. 

While Purdue Fort Wayne prefers to conduct all student business electronically, you do have the right to request that we conduct business nonelectronically. Such a request does not include official communications from Purdue Fort Wayne through your student email account, which will still be used for all official university communications, including official notices and academic, financial, and consumer information.

You are still responsible for all academic or administrative timelines provided to you via email.

You’ll need to print and fill out the Conducting Business Nonelectronically Form and bring it to the registrar’s office.

Some classes require students to register for both a lecture section and a laboratory or recitation section. You should consult the schedule of classes, the online registration system, and your advisor for assistance with selecting the proper combinations.

 Purdue Fort Wayne follows the Purdue University system-wide Credit-Hour Guidelines, found here.

Degree Map
Purdue Fort Wayne will provide a standard degree map to all new first-time, full-time students seeking an associate or a bachelor’s degree and who attend New Student Orientation or attend an initial advising meeting prior to enrollment of the first semester. Either during or immediately following the first semester of enrollment, each eligible student will be provided access to a customized degree map that will include completed dual credit and/or accepted advanced placement work.

Students who have selected a major will be provided a full map complete with specific courses. Students who have not selected a major will be provided a map with the first 30 credit hours based on the general education core, and these students will receive a full map when a major is declared at or before the completion of the 30 credits.

Free Course Guarantee
HEA 1348-2013 also contains a provision that requires the institution to provide (at no cost to the student) any course on a student’s degree map in which the student cannot enroll (because it is full, offered only at the same time as another mapped class, or is simply not offered). The free course guarantee applies only to students who have complied with their degree map. If a course is not available, Purdue Fort Wayne will either provide a new degree map that does not delay graduation or provide the course free of charge to the student the next available semester.

To qualify for the free course guarantee the student must have

• followed their degree map in each prior semester (the student must have successfully completed the prescribed courses or satisfied the prescribed electives in the semester mapped),
• been unable to register for the course during registration (students waiting to register after the initial registration period will not be eligible for the free course guarantee),
• not received a revised degree map that maps the unavailable course in a future semester without altering the graduation date, and
• been within 150 percent of the standard time (six years for a bachelor’s degree or three years for an associate degree) to complete the degree.

Any student who believes they qualify for the free course guarantee should meet with their academic advisor during initial registration to proactively reach a solution that would allow for on-time completion.

Purdue Fort Wayne supports students who are continuing members of the United States armed forces and reserve units. Active members of the US military, National Guard, or other armed-forces reserve units may be ordered unexpectedly to active duty at any time.

Of note, this policy does not pertain to initial active-duty basic training or annual training. Students who withdraw due to basic training or annual training are subject to the specific deadlines for the last day to withdraw and the published schedule of refund of fees.

There are several options for service-connected students who are being involuntarily deployed and are unable to complete their coursework. All requests and documentation may be presented by the student or other responsible party, who has the student’s military information and the student’s permission, to make the request.

Dropping before a Semester Begins
If you are dropping classes after submitting that semester’s VA Semester Certification Form, you must provide a copy of your deployment orders and all changes to your enrollment to Military Student Services in person, by email ([email protected]) or fax (260-481-0254).

Withdrawing during a Semester
The following options are available for each registered course anytime during the semester through the end of final examinations.

Option 1
With the permission of the instructor(s), a student may receive a final grade or an incomplete in some or all enrolled courses. Immediately consult with each instructor about finishing a course early. For example, you may be able to receive credit for a course by submitting final work ahead of schedule. If you are not able to complete a course, you may be able to receive a grade of Incomplete (I). This may be an option if a majority of the required coursework is completed and of passing quality, and you can reasonably expect to complete the remainder of your coursework within a year. In accordance with the university policy on Incomplete grades, you are allowed up to one year to finish your coursework. Given extenuating circumstances, the initial one-year time limit may be extended for a period not to exceed one additional calendar year if approved by the instructor and the instructor’s dean, and if the Office of the Registrar is notified before the expiration of the original time limit. No refund will be given if a final grade or incomplete grade are received.

Option 2
Any service-connected student ordered involuntarily to active duty may withdraw from any or all courses and may speak with the Office of the Bursar about receiving a refund of tuition and fees for the courses from which the student withdrew as a result of involuntary deployment. Refunds of fees will not be made if the student has already received a grade and credit for a course. If the withdrawal request is submitted after the first week of classes, the grade of W will be assigned and will appear on the transcript. Students receiving financial aid will be subject to the refund policies as required by financial aid regulations. Note that Veterans Affairs (VA) requires repayment of all fees paid for the withdrawn classes, as well as basic allowance for housing and book stipend. The VA will reinstitute the months of eligibility for GI Bill benefits that would have been expended for the withdrawn classes.

How to Withdraw

• Complete and submit the Course Withdraw Form (after refund period) under the "Registration" card in goPFW. After submitting the online withdrawal form, provide a copy of your deployment orders to [email protected].
• Connect with Military Student Services to submit a copy of your deployment orders and to have your certification with the VA updated to reflect any changes to your schedule. You can contact them at [email protected] or 260-481-0254 (fax).
• When the withdrawal is completed, the Office of the Registrar will add a notation to the transcript to document the withdrawal as a result of military deployment.

The withdrawal deadline applies to all students. But we recognize that some there can be serious and compelling reasons for not being able to submit a withdrawal request by the stated deadline. A Request for an Exception to the Withdrawal Deadline is only considered if your situation meets all of the following criteria:  

• Is a nonacademic, extenuating circumstance beyond your control
• Prevents you from from withdrawing by the deadline
• Is supported by appropriate documentation

Your petition should explain the nature of the request and what extenuating circumstances prevented you from submitting a withdrawal before the official withdrawal deadline for the course(s). If you are making a selective request, they must clearly explain how the circumstances affected one or some of the courses and not all.

Supporting documentation is required and must be included in all petitions. This must speak to the extenuating circumstances presented in the statement. For medical documentation, we require a letter from a medical professional on letterhead attesting to your inability to withdraw by the deadline.  

Please be aware that approval of this request for an exception does not waive the charges for the approved courses. If you have an unpaid balance or wish to verify your account standing, please contact the bursar at [email protected] or 260-481-6824. The Office of the Bursar will work with you to provide available options for resolving balances and financial holds. Courses must be in withdrawn status before beginning the petition to the refund policy through the bursar. 

Request for an Exception to the Withdrawal Deadline