Admission and Enrollment of University Special Students

The UWM Admissions and Records Policy Committee recommends that the UWM Faculty Senate approve the attached document entitled:

Revised Policies Regarding Admission and Enrollment of University Special Students

Rationale

The Admissions and Records Policy Committee carefully reviewed the current policies and determined that the changes in the attached document were needed. They include:

1. The 18 Credit Rule. In 1986, the senate voted in this “rule” which indicated that only 18 credits earned as a special student could be applied toward a degree program. This has been struck and re-worked to be more consistent with today’s situation (please see Item 3, attached document).
2. Transcript Submission Expectation. Currently, special students out of high school less than five years must submit a high school transcript. This has been modified to read “two years or less.” Those out longer than two years may be asked to provide academic credentials from high school (please see Item 1, attached document).

Remaining changes are primarily editorial.

Revised Policies Regarding Admission and Enrollment of University Special Students

1. University Special Student applicants without a previous college degree who have been out of high school less than two years are required to submit appropriate credentials (e.g., high school transcript and/or transcript(s) of previous college work, if any) before being considered for admission. Credentials may also be required of applicants who have been out of high school longer than two years if it is deemed appropriate to verify complete academic information before making an admission decision.
2. To qualify for admission, University Special Student applicants are required to have received a high school diploma (or passed the GED exam with an appropriate score) at least one year prior to the desired semester of enrollment. Applicants who, based on their high school or prior college work, would meet the current requirements for admission (or readmission) as degree candidates will be considered regularly admissible as University Special Students. Applicants not regularly admissible will be evaluated on an individual basis as described below.
3. [Old language regarding 18 credit limit deleted.] Failure to meet regular admission requirements as noted above will not automatically disqualify an applicant from admission as a University Special Student. Admission decisions for these applicants will be made on an individual basis with consideration given to factors such as the length of time the applicant has been out of high school, his/her current motivation and maturity, etc. These applicants may be required to supply official transcripts, test scores and/or other appropriate supporting documentation, and students admitted on this basis may be subject to limitations on the number of credits and/or type of course in which they can enroll.
4. Future admission to a degree program is not automatic for University Special Students who did not satisfy standard admission requirements. Credits earned as a special student may not necessarily satisfy specific undergraduate degree requirements, depending on the program/major selected. Credits earned as a special student are not to be considered for graduate credit or toward a graduate degree. (They may, however, be used to satisfy deficiencies or otherwise qualify the applicant for eventual admission to a graduate program.)
5. The academic performance of University Special Students is monitored each semester. In order to remain in good standing, a GPA of at least 2.0 must be maintained.

Note: University Special Students admitted without a prior degree are assigned the USS-9 classification. Those admitted with a baccalaureate degree are classified US-9.)