Auditor
Any student may audit a course offered by the University,
provided there is a space available. Audited courses do not count toward
regular full-time status for purposes of financial aid, visa
requirements or enrollment verification; neither a grade nor credit is
given for audited courses.
An audited course may be changed to credit status, or vice
versa, only if the request is filed with the One Stop Enrollment and
Financial Services Office prior to the census date for the course.
Auditors pay the same tuition as students enrolled for credit. For
further information on auditing classes, consult the One Stop Office.
Census Date
The census date of the University represents a calendar date
in each term when the general enrollment statistics of the University
are established. Particulars of these statistics are identified among
colleges, classes and student levels. The census dates are identified in
the Schedule of Classes for a term. Following the census date in any
term, classes dropped will receive a "W" symbol representing the fact
that the class was dropped after the census date; the only exceptions to
be made are classes canceled by the dean of the college, or a change
from one section to another of the same course. Students are liable for
the tuition for all courses withdrawn after the census dates.
Class Attendance
Students are expected to attend classroom and laboratory
exercises. Absences may affect the final grade or eligibility to sit for
the final examination. At the department's discretion, students who are
absent from the first two class meetings of the term may be
administratively dropped from the class.
When representing the University of San Francisco in
intercollegiate competition (e.g., athletics, debate), students shall be
excused from classes on the hours or days such competition takes them
away from classes. However, such students shall be responsible for
advising their professors regarding anticipated absences and for
arranging to complete course work for classes, laboratories, and/or
examinations missed.
Students in the School of Nursing and Health Professions who have been absent from
course work and/or laboratory experiences in a course required for the
major are expected to make arrangements to complete the missing work.
(Contact the School of Nursing and Health Professions for a copy of the Nursing Student
Handbook.) Professional Studies students who are absent from more than
one class in a course may be subject to administrative withdrawal.
Credit for Repeated Courses
Students may repeat courses. Both the initial grade and the
subsequent repeat grade will show on the academic record and count in
the grade point average. The credits earned in the repeated courses will
not be included in the cumulative credits earned or in the total needed
for graduation, unless indicated otherwise in this catalog. See specific
course descriptions.
Examinations
Students are expected to take all examinations for courses
in which they are enrolled. Dates for final examinations are given in
the University Academic Calendar and Schedule of Classes in any term and
may not be rescheduled without the approval of the dean of the
appropriate school or college. Members of Alpha Sigma Nu, the Jesuit
Honor Society, may request to be excused from final examinations at the
end of the final semester of their senior year. In such cases, teachers
will grade the student on the basis of work done during the semester.
Transcripts
Students who wish to obtain a copy of their academic
transcript must submit, in accordance with privacy laws, a signed
written request to the Office of the University Registrar. Such requests
may be submitted by mail, by fax, in person, or through a designated
online form using an electronic signature. For complete instructions on
submission, please visit http://www.usfca.edu/transcripts.
All requests for transcripts must be accompanied by a
payment of transcript fees. Processing of transcript requests usually
takes one to three days and may take as long as one week. Transcripts
may be delayed during the days of registration and commencement
ceremonies of any term. Express delivery is available for an additional
charge.
An academic transcript will not be released to any student
who has failed to meet all financial obligations to the University. Any
transcript request with incomplete addresses, insufficient information
for processing, or unaccompanied by the transcript fee will be
significantly delayed and may be returned to the sender.
Only official academic transcripts from the University of
San Francisco are released by the Office of the University Registrar.
Transfer transcripts from other schools must be ordered from original
sources to ensure their validity and accuracy. The University of San
Francisco reserves the right to control the conditions by which its
transcripts are distributed. The University is responsible for the
accuracy and validity of its transcripts as legal documents.
Changes to Academic Records After Students Graduate
A student's academic record is sealed when his or her degree is posted. With the exception of errors, omissions, or documented discrepancies, changes to a student's major, minor, concentration, or academic honors, or the removal and/or change of incompletes, grades, or other components of the academic record are not permitted.
Student Retention
The University of San Francisco has a genuine concern about
student retention and is committed to developing and implementing
strategies that assist students in attaining their academic objectives.
Students planning to take a temporary leave of absence or to
withdraw from the University are encouraged to make an appointment with
the dean of their school or college or with their advisor prior to
exiting campus. This representative will assist students in identifying
campus resources and services that may assist them in reconsidering a
decision to leave the University and/or how to re-enter at a later date.
Appropriate intervention strategies also are implemented for
enrolled students who may be at risk for stopping out or dropping out
of school prior to realizing their academic goal. When identified, these
"at risk" students will be provided with information about University
procedures or given referrals for problems related to academic,
personal, social, or financial difficulties.
Retention efforts are coordinated by the offices of Academic
Affairs in conjunction with the deans of the schools and colleges. For
more information, please contact Academic Support Services
(415-422-6876).
Leave of Absence
Registered
students in good standing (academic and disciplinary) who wish to leave
the University temporarily should file a Leave of Absence form with the
One Stop Enrollment and Financial Services Office. Forms are available
online at http://www.usfca.edu/onestopforms/.
It is the students' responsibility to contact their school
or college for additional information regarding a leave of absence
before they file a Leave of Absence form with the One Stop Office.
All leaves of absence that result from a health or wellness
issue may be handled collaboratively between the students' school or
college and the Dean of Students office. Leaves of absence are
authorized case by case.
The maximum leave of absence that may be granted at any one
time is one academic year. Students who do not return for the semester
specified are considered to have withdrawn from the University; they
must apply for readmission should they wish to return.
Students who wish to enroll for course work at other
institutions during their leave of absence from the University must
obtain their USF dean's prior written approval and must observe the
rules for courses taken at other institutions. Courses taken without
prior written approval will not be counted toward the degree.
Registered students who take a leave of absence from the
University from the beginning of the semester until 5:00 p.m. on the
census date will receive a full refund of tuition. No refund of tuition
will be made to students who withdraw after the census date.
For further information, see the next two sections on
"Withdrawal from the University" and "Federal Student Financial Aid
(Title IV Policy)."
Withdrawal from the University
Students planning to withdraw from the University are
encouraged to make an appointment with their dean's office or advisor
prior to initiating withdrawal procedures.
Petition to
Withdraw forms are available in the One Stop Enrollment and Financial
Services Office, most deans' offices, and online at http://www.usfca.edu/onestopforms/.
The withdrawal becomes final only when the completed form or an
intention to withdraw has been filed with the One Stop Enrollment and
Financial Services Office.
Students who simply absent themselves from class without
providing appropriate notice of intention to withdraw will have failing
grades (F) posted to their records. Withdrawal from the University must
occur on or before the last day to withdraw from classes for any
semester. For the summer term, a withdrawal applies only to those
programs that require a summer enrollment.
Registered students who withdraw or take a leave of absence
from the University from the beginning of the semester until 5:00 p.m.
on the census date will receive a full refund of tuition. Completed
withdrawal forms must be received by the One Stop Enrollment and
Financial Services Office before 5:00 p.m. on the census date. No
refund of tuition will be made to students who withdraw after the census
date.
Students mailing their withdrawal notification should send
them by certified mail to:
- Office of the University Registrar
- University of San Francisco
- 2130 Fulton Street
- San Francisco, CA 94117-1080
