The Office of the Registrar is charged with enforcing academic and legislative policies. Follow the links below for more information on these policies.
The University catalog is published by the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost for Academic Affairs. The University reserves the right to change curricula, rules, fees, admission requirements, and other requirements without notice. The provisions of this catalog do not constitute a contract, express or implied, between any applicant, student, faculty member, or any other person and Sul Ross State University.
The SRSU Student Handbook is published annually by the Office of Student Life.
Download the complete Student Handbook in PDF format (1.10 MB).
Last policy revision January 29, 2020.
No person shall be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any program or activity sponsored by Sul Ross State University on any basis prohibited by applicable law, including but not limited to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
Annual Notice of Rights Under FERPA
WHAT IS FERPA (FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS & PRIVACY ACT)?
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (also sometimes referred to as the Buckley Amendment), is a federal law regarding the privacy of student records and the obligations of the institution, primarily in the areas of release of the records and the access provided to these records. Any educational institution that receives funds under any program administered by the U.S. Secretary of Education is bound by FERPA requirements. Institutions that fail to comply with FERPA may have funds administered by the Secretary of Education withheld.
FERPA Frequently Asked Questions
ANNUAL NOTIFICATION TO STUDENTS
Consistent with its obligations under FERPA, SRSU’s annual notification to students is available here.
COMMENTS/QUESTIONS
Questions, comments or suggestions may be directed to the Office of the Registrar, LH 213, registrar@sulross.edu.
FILING A COMPLAINT
Students who feel that the institution has not fully honored their privacy rights under FERPA may submit a complaint to the Office of the Vice President for Enrollment Management at (432) 837-8343. The Office of the Vice President for Enrollment Management investigates each timely complaint to determine if the institution has failed to comply with the provisions of FERPA.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Additional FERPA resources can be found at:
FERPA for Parents and Eligible Students – Family Policy Compliance Office
Please note: These pages have been developed by the Office of the Registrar to provide general information about the law and procedures related to accessing confidential student information and to provide guidance on commonly asked questions or situations faced by faculty, staff, students and parents. These pages are for information purposes only; this information is not university policy nor is it intended as legal advice.
Statement of Philosophy and Policy on Student Records
Sul Ross State University maintains various records concerning students to document their academic progress as well as to counsel effectively with them. In order that the students’ rights to privacy be preserved, as well as to conform with federal law, the university has established certain procedures to govern the handling of student records. Federal regulations, as they relate to student records, are governed by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (Buckley Amendment). Generally, this act provides that currently enrolled or former students have the right of access to their educational records and the opportunity for a hearing to challenge such records, if necessary, on the grounds that the records are inaccurate, misleading or otherwise inappropriate.
Custodians of Student Records
The Office of the Registrar shall be responsible for the proposal, interpretation, enforcement, and publication of general policies and procedures consistent with state and federal laws and guidelines as they relate to the creation, maintenance, use, dissemination and destruction of records of students who are attending or have attended Sul Ross State University, and shall coordinate the development of general policies and procedures with the appropriate university officials listed below. The University maintains a Records Retention Schedule that determines the length of time a record is maintained and the record disposal date. Sul Ross State University considers a “school official” to be a person employed by the university in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, support staff, student assistant or in a teaching/research assistant position; a person or company with whom the university has contracted as its agent to provide a service instead of using university employees or officials; a person serving on the board of regents,; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee or assisting another school official in performing his/her duties. Each type of student record is the responsibility of a designated university official, and only that professional staff member or designee has authority to release the records. The responsible officials are :Note: Names of persons occupying positions listed and locations, may be found in the Campus Directory.
Academic and Admissions Records
Dean, School of Arts and Sciences
Dean, School of Education and Professional Studies
Dean, Agriculture and Natural Resource Sciences
Academic Center for Excellence (ACE)
Office of the Registrar (Official Custodian of Academic Records)
Office of Admissions and RecruitingAlumni
Associate Vice President for Development (Custodian of Permanent Alumni Records)Business Records (tuition, fees, grants)
Office of the Controller (Custodian of Permanent Financial Records)Career Planning
Director of Career Services and TestingCounseling Records and Test Scores
Director of Counseling and Accessibility Services
Director of Career Services and TestingDisciplinary Records
Dean of Student LifeEmployment
Human Resources (Custodian of Permanent Personnel RecordsEvaluation for Admission to Graduate Programs
Academic Deans, Department Chairpersons or Director of Admissions and RecruitingFinancial Aid
Director of Financial Aid(Custodian of Permanent Financial Aid Records)
Office of the ControllerIntercollegiate Athletics
Athletic DirectorLibrary Materials
Librarian Wildenthal Memorial LibraryMedical Records
Student Health CenterSpecial Academic Programs
Deans, Chairpersons or faculty members in charge of the programPlacement Credentials
Director of Career/Life Center (Custodian of Permanent Placement Records) Morgan University Center, Room 211Traffic and Security Records
Director of University Public Safety Briscoe Administration Building, Room 100Veterans Records
Associate RegistrarStudent Activities
Officers of student organizations
Coordinator of Campus Activities
Creation, Permanence and Disposal of Student Records
The following is a general guideline regarding the disposal of student records:
1. only such records as are demonstrably and substantially relevant to the educational purposes of the university shall be generated or maintained;
2. permanent retention of student records is limited to those records which are of long-range value to the individual, the university or mandated by state or federal guidelines;
3. all duplicate copies of permanent records, other than those maintained by the custodian of the permanent record and all non-permanent student records shall be maintained only for the minimum period of time required to serve the basic official function of the individual or department generating or maintaining them. Such records shall be destroyed as soon as they are no longer needed, e.g., within one year following graduation or two years after last date of attendance. A student will be granted access to his records prior to their destruction when the student has an unsatisfied request outstanding.
See current Official Records Retention Schedule
The portions of the records retention schedule concerning student academic records are based on recommendations developed by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admission Officers’ (AACRAO) Retention of Records: Guide for Retention and Disposal of Student Records (2000 Edition), recommendations from the SRSU Registrar’s Office, and the Texas State Library. All departments that maintain student records in their offices should follow the instructions of this records retention schedule. While several different offices on the campus play important roles in the course of a student’s enrollment, coursework, and graduation, the Office of Records and Registration is the official repository for students’ Academic Records.
The Office of the Registrar has primary responsibility to maintain the official academic record for all enrolled students. A variety of departments have responsibility for records created in the progress of a student’s career other than the student’s official Academic Record.
This retention schedule provides instruction for how long those records must be maintained. Because the Office of the Registrar is the official repository of student academic records, other offices on campus are released from the responsibility to maintain student academic records for extended periods. Copies of student academic records accumulated by other offices need not be retained beyond the period of their administrative use in those offices. By following this records retention schedule, campus offices dispose of student records and copies of records when their retention is no longer necessary. Office staff may find that they have student records that are not listed in this records retention schedule. In that event, contact Registrar Pamela Pipes at (432) 837-8049 or ppipes@sulross.edu. Many of the student records covered by this records retention schedule contain confidential information protected by federal and state law. Staff are required to handle and dispose of these confidential records appropriately to protect student privacy.
Undergraduates ONLY
Students enrolled in an undergraduate program for the FIRST TIME beginning fall 2007 and thereafter
In Texas, you are not allowed to drop more than six classes after the census date (12th class day in fall and springterms, 4th class day in summer terms). If you are an undergraduate student and if you started as a first-time undergraduate at any Texas public community college, four-year college, or university in the fall of 2007 or later, you can’t drop more than six courses during your entire Texas college career. This law is designed to motivate you to complete your coursework and your degree as soon as possible. College credit taken while enrolled in high school and below college credit courses do not count toward the total of six courses.
Any student who drops a course after the official census date of the term will receive a grade of WX. A student who drops a course and who has reached a total of six WX grades will receive a grade of F in all future drops. Any course taught on a shortened format or between regularly scheduled terms will have add/drop, WX-grade and withdrawal dates proportionally the same as if the course were offered in a regular term. These dates will be determined by the Registrar. Unusual circumstances may be considered if the student can show good cause for dropping more than the allowed limit of six courses, including but not limited:
a) a severe illness or other debilitating condition that affects the student’s ability to satisfactorily complete the course;
b) the student’s responsibility for the care of a sick, injured, or needy person if the provision of that care affects the student’s ability to satisfactorily complete the course;
c) the death of a person who is considered to be a member of the student’s family who is otherwise considered to have a sufficiently close relationship to the student that the person’s death is considered to be a showing of good cause;
d) the active duty service as a member of the Texas National Guard or the armed forces of the United States of either the student or a person who is considered to be a member of the student’s family or who is otherwise considered to have a sufficiently close relationship to the student that the person’s active military service is considered to be a showing of good cause;
e) the change of the student’s work schedule that is beyond the control of the student, and that affects the student’s ability to satisfactorily complete the course;
f) the loss of transportation causing the student a hardship with the commute to the campus;
g) the loss of child care that necessitates student to remain at home with dependent children; or
h) the lack of financial resources to meet requirements of course (supplies, travel, etc.).
If an appeal for unusual circumstance is approved, the student will receive a grade of W for the course. The decision of the Registrar shall be final. Courses in which a grade of W is approved will not be counted in the six total limit. Drops are not official until received and processed by the Office of the Registrar.
Students enrolled in an undergraduate program before fall 2007
The six drop limit policy does not apply to students enrolled as undergraduates in a public institution of higher education in Texas prior to the fall of 2007 term. For these students, the grade of W is given for courses dropped after the official census date (12th class day in fall and spring terms, 4th class day in summer terms) through the last day to drop a course with a W as published in the university’s calendar. Students who wait until the published deadline must have complied with the class attendance policy of the current catalog. An instructor is not obligated to recommend a W for a class if excessive absences have occurred. Students will not be permitted to drop a course or withdraw from the university after the published deadline.
Grading System
At the end of each semester and each summer term final grades are recorded on the student’s permanent record in the Center for Enrollment Services.
| GRADE | GRADE MEANINGS | QUALITY POINTS |
|---|---|---|
| A | Excellent | 4 |
| B | Good | 3 |
| C | Average | 2 |
| D | Poor | 1 |
| F | Failure | 0 |
| F0 | Failure/Never Attended | 0 |
| FX | Failure/Stopped Attending | 0 |
| I | Incomplete | 0 |
| CR | Credit | Not Computed |
| NC | No Credit | 0 |
| NG | No Grade | Not Computed |
| NR | Not Reported | Not Computed |
| P | Pass | Not Computed |
| PR | Progress | Not Computed |
| W/WX | Withdrew | Not Computed |
| WF | Withdrew/Failed | 0 |
| WP | Withdrew/Passing | Not Computed |
Incomplete Grades
The grade of “I” is given by the instructor upon consultation with the student. The work to be completed and deadline for completion must be communicated to the Registrar in writing. A student may have a maximum of one academic year in which to remove an “I” during which time the “I” will not be calculated in the student’s grade point average. If the work is not completed by the deadline set by the instructor, the “I” will be converted to an “F” and will be calculated in the student’s grade point average for the semester in which the “I” was given. Normally, an incomplete grade will be awarded only for situations such as illness, family emergencies, or unusual circumstances which prevent a student from completing a course in a semester or summer term. Incomplete grades must be removed prior to graduation.
PR Grades
There are two instances when “PR” grades are used in the grading process: Students who complete any developmental education courses, including ED 0300, ENG 0301, MATH 0300, or MATH 0301 or others, in good standing, but who have not earned a letter grade of “A”, “B” or “C” for the course may earn a grade of “PR” The grade of “PR” indicates that even though the student has made progress throughout the semester the student is not yet ready to advance to the next course. Criteria for determining “good standing” are all of the following: the student must have attended class regularly, participated in class and class work, and demonstrated an increase in course knowledge. Students who are not in good standing at the end of the semester will earn either a grade of “D” or “F”.
The grade of “PR” (in progress) will be assigned for students in the second semester thesis course or practicum courses. Students working on a thesis or practicum should be continuously enrolled in the appropriate course. Credit will be given upon completion of the thesis or practicum. A grade of “PR” will not be calculated in the student’s grade point average.
Withdrew Grades
The grade of “W” or “WX” is given for courses dropped after the 12th/4th class days through the last day to drop a course with a “W” as published in the University’s calendar. Students who wait until the published deadline must have complied with the class attendance policy of this catalog. An instructor is not obligated to recommend a “W” for a class if excessive absences have occurred. Students will not be permitted to drop a course or withdraw from the University after the published deadline.
Failing Grades
The grades “F”, “FX”, and “F0” are all failing grades. The “F” is awarded to students that continue to attend classes throughout the semester yet fail to pass the course. The “FX” is awarded to students that fail due to an unofficial withdrawal (student stops attending class without formally dropping or withdrawing). The “F0” is awarded to students that never attend class.
Symbols Associated with Courses and Grades
| SYMBOL | PURPOSE | QUALITY POINTS |
|---|---|---|
| E | Repeated Course | Not Computed |
| I | Repeated Course | Most Recent Attempt Computed |
| # | Developmental Course | Not Computed |
Repeat Policy
Except for courses specifically described, “may be repeated for credit”, only the most recent grade received for a repeated course is calculated in the GPA. The original grade will remain on the record but will be excluded from the GPA calculations. Courses repeated at a transfer institution will be treated in the same manner.
Grade Point Average
Sul Ross State University utilizes the four-point grading system. The student’s grade point average is determined by dividing the total number of GPA hours into the total number of grade points received. The grade point value for a course is determined by multiplying the number of credit hours by the quality point value for the grade earned. For example, grade points earned for “B” in a three semester credit hour course is 9 (3 credit hours x 3 quality points.) GPA hours are the hours for which a letter grade is earned (A, B, C, D, F), excluding repeated courses and developmental courses. For a more detailed explanation of Grade Point Average, visit Grades.
Grade Changes
An individual course grade may be changed when the involved faculty member certifies to the Registrar that an error was made in the original grade. The grade change must be approved by the department chair and appropriate academic dean. Grade changes must be submitted before the end of the next long semester after the grade was issued.
Grievances Regarding Grades
If a student disagrees with a grade received, the matter should be discussed first with the instructor of the course. If not satisfied with results of that discussion, the matter is then discussed with the Chair of the Department. If not resolved at that point, an appeal must be made to the Dean of the College who will make the final ruling. Any grievance regarding a grade must be filed within one year of receiving the grade.
No Grade
Students who do not desire college credit for a course may elect to take the course under the designation “NG” (no grade). To take a course under the “NG” designation, a student complete the NG Grade Option form and submit to the Center for Enrollment Services during registration or prior to the 12th class day. The no grade option is intended primarily for non-degree students who wish to improve their personal knowledge of a subject without receiving college credit. Students choosing the “NG” designation pay the same tuition and fees as students taking the course for credit and consequently are entitled to participate in all class activities and to receive the same student services available to other students.
Please see the Tuition Rebates page for detailed information regarding the $1000 Tuition Rebate Policy.