This policy defines the registration period, drop/add period, late registration, withdrawals, and processes to be followed. Development, management, and support of registration and the associated processes, rules, and exceptions are the responsibility of the College Registrar.
Registration Dates
Registration dates will be established by the College Registrar following Tennessee Board of Regents policy and the TBR Common Calendar.
Priority Registration
A priority registration period will be established for each term and limited to currently enrolled students. Currently, enrolled student veterans of the United States Armed Forces will be given an opportunity to register first. The first day of priority registration is reserved for currently enrolled sophomores and special student populations approved by the College Registrar. The second day of early registration will be reserved for all currently enrolled students. A registration start date for new and readmit applicants will be established for a date after the first two days of early registration.
Drop/Add
Students may change their class schedule by adding and dropping classes through the Drop/Add period for each session of the registration term. Students may enter a closed class only with the approval of the academic dean of the division or his/her designated representative. Other registration restrictions may also be overridden with the approval of the academic dean of the appropriate division or his/her designated representative.
A formal drop/add period is permitted to allow students an opportunity to make changes after meeting their first class period. The standard Drop/Add period for each part of a term or full term is as follows and is indicated in the academic calendar:
| Term or Part of Term | Number of Days into the Term for Drop/Add |
|---|---|
| 3, 5, 6 or 7-Week Term | First two (2) days of term |
| 9, 10 and 12-Week Term | First three (3) days of term |
| 15-Week Term | First five (5) days of term |
Exceptions may be approved by consensus of the Vice President of Academic Affairs and the College Registrar.
Registration errors on the part of the student or the College may be corrected by the Office of Records and Registration. This includes, but is not limited to, purge errors, accidental drops, and removal of students registered in courses for which they are not eligible.
Late Registration
Students wishing to add a course or change sections after the drop/add period will require approval from the academic dean of the division responsible for each course to be added. The division office will be responsible for communicating the late add with the receiving faculty member.
Approval of the appropriate academic dean is not required if the course has not been met. Professional advising staff as identified by the Director of Advising & Testing may approve students to register in courses that have met only once. There must be seats available in the course for a professional advisor to grant permission.
Assignment of W Grades
After the census date for any term or individual part of term within the term, a student will be assigned a grade of W upon withdrawing from a course. Prior to the census date of any term or individual part of the term, a student may drop a course with no grade.
After the last day to withdraw from a course with a grade of W established by the College Registrar, and before final grades are posted for the term, a student must seek the approval of the Vice President of Student Services for a late withdrawal from a course or all courses.
Withdrawal From All Courses
Students will be required to obtain a signature from an Advising Center representative, or other designated College official, to drop or withdraw from all courses beginning the eighth calendar day from the first day of class for a full fifteen-week session.
Students enrolled in any session less than fifteen weeks will be required to obtain a signature from an Advising Center representative, or other designated College official, to drop or withdraw from all courses at the end of the drop/add period.
Administrative Drop/Withdrawal
Students who are suspended for poor academic performance will be removed from any courses for future terms in which they are registered by the Office of Records & Registration. Suspended students may appeal to the Office of Academic Affairs for a waiver of their term(s) of suspension. To initiate the suspension appeal procedure, students must submit an appeal in writing to the Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs and follow up by making an appointment to meet with the Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs prior to the first day of class.
A student may be dismissed from a course or from the College for disciplinary reasons. The action must be approved by the Vice President of Student Services and the College Registrar in consultation with the President.
Before final grades are posted for the term, students requesting to retroactively drop a course or courses for other non-academic reasons must gain the approval of the Vice President of Student Services. If the request to drop a course or courses includes a request for the full or partial refund of fees and is approved by the Vice President of Student Services, the request will be forwarded to the Vice President of Business and Finance for a separate decision regarding the refund.
After the date grades are posted for the term, a student requesting a retroactive drop or withdrawal should follow the procedure outlined in Policy III:15:06, Grade Changes.
Formerly policy numbers II:09:23, II:09:24, II:09:26 signed by President Hal R. Ramer on July 23, 1997.
Source: TBR Meetings, June 24, 1977; March 20, 1981; September 30, 1983; June 24, 1988; September 20, 1991; March 15, 2002; Board Meeting June 20, 2014; Revised at Board Meeting, March 31, 2017; Revised at Board Meeting, September 28, 2018; Revised at June 18, 2021 Board Meeting; Revised at December 1, 2022 Board Meeting
VSCC Source: May 10, 2021, President’s Cabinet; April 27, 2015, President’s Cabinet; January 28, 2019, President’s Cabinet; July 11, 2023, President’s Cabinet
