SPSU 1001
Hitchhiker’s Guide to SPSU
Navigating SPSU
Policies, Procedures & Registering
Copyright © 2010 by Bob Brown
Registrar’s Office
• Administration Building (B)
• Student records
 At the Registrar’s office you will find many
forms that are important to you
• Transcript Request Form – this form is used when
you want to get an “official” transcript
– Unofficial transcripts can be obtained from your
Banner area
• Withdrawal Form – this form is used when you
want to either partially or completely withdraw
from classes – this is done up through midterm
(last day to withdraw with a grade of “W”)
Student Records Continued
 Request for Academic Credit Form – this form
is used to receive possible credit by exam for a
particular course. You MUST first talk to your
department chair about the possibility of taking
an exam for a particular course. EACH
department has policies on which, if any,
courses they allow you to try and get a credit by
exam.
Each credit by exam costs $50.00 and you
MUST pay before taking the exam.
Student Records Continued
 Undergraduate Course Substitution Petition –
this form is used when you want to take a
course in place of a course required in your
curriculum. You MUST check with your
department chair or advisor about the feasibility
of even substituting one course for another.
The form includes signatures from your
advisor, department chair, chair of department
where the course resides, and dean.
Student Records Continued
 Petition to the Faculty – this form contains
several different things for students
• Overload of credit hours
• Extending an “I” – incomplete grade
• Receive “ten-year credit” – for transfer courses over
10 years old
• 25% Requirement Waiver – you must have at least
25% of your courses taken at SPSU
• Graduation Residency Waiver – similar to 25%
• Withdraw Completely after Deadline
• Partial Withdrawal after Deadline
• Exclude Previous Major courses from Grad Totals
Policies and Procedures
• Grade Point Average
 If you fall below a 2.0 cumulative GPA during
any one term – you are placed on PROBATION
• If during the next term you raise your cumulative
GPA above a 2.0, you come off probation
• If, however, during the next term your TERM GPA
is above a 2.0, but your cumulative GPA is still
below a 2.0 you remain on PROBATION
• If during the next term BOTH your TERM GPA
and cumulative GPA is below a 2.0 you are on
SUSPENSION
Policies & Procedures Continued
• If you are on suspension – you EITHER must stay
out a term, or you use the following form:
– Petition to the Faculty – REINSTATEMENT – this form
is sent to the Department Chair who decides the course of
action for you – whether to let you back into school the
next term, or have you sit out a term; you need to also
meet with your advisor to carefully plan out what you
will be taking so you can get your GPA back up above a
2.0
• Readmission
 If you have stayed out of SPSU for at least two
consecutive terms (including summer), you
need to fill out a Readmission application
Policies & Procedures continued
• Cross-Registration
 Cross Registration allows you to register at a
group of local state and private institutions in
the Atlanta area while paying SPSU tuition (this
is a consortial agreement) for approved courses
• Transient Registration
 This allows you to attend another institution
(many times in the summer close to home) and
have your credits transfer back to SPSU – you
need to get approval from your Dept. Chair to
do this
Honor’s Program
• SPSU has an Honor’s Program
• To get additional information contact
 Dr. Nancy Reichert, Director of Honor’s Pgm
 nreicher@spsu.edu
 Phone: 678-915-3928
Preregistration
• Fall classes open shortly after the mid term
• There are “phases” of registration
• Payment is due very shortly after the end
of each phase (but if you have financial
aid, it’s probably OK.)
• Especially if there are classes you really
need, register as early as possible.
Phases of Pre-registration
• There are 3 phases of pre-registration
 Phase 1
 Phase 2
 Phase 3
• You’ll find the dates for each phase on the
Zimbra calendar
• You MUST pay your fees at the end of a
particular phase OR your schedule will be
DROPPED and you will have to register
again during the next phase
Phases continued
• Phase 3 is actually during the first week of
the term (it begins shortly before the term
starts)
2-Year Plan
• Don’t forget your 2-year plan when
planning which courses you are going to
take the text term
Advising Website
• We have created a student advising
website with answers to several questions:
• http://advising.spsu.edu/studentadvising.ht
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Financial Aid
• If you are on any type of financial aid –
HOPE, PELL grants, loans, scholarships,
you need to be talking to the Financial Aid
office regularly
• Your regular advisor, coordinator or
department chair doesn’t have the most
current information for financial aid –
they’ll just refer to to the Financial Aid
office for help
Financial Aid
• Ground floor of Norton Hall
• Advisors are not equipped to answer
financial aid questions. Go to the source!
Bursar (Business Office)
• Ground floor of Norton Hall.
• Make payments here.
Questions