Permissions required for certain courses or to override limits and remove students from wait lists are given online by the faculty, after you have requested the course through WebRegistration. But you usually have to contact the person individually giving the permission to talk about your reasons for wanting in to the course or for needing an overload or for getting off the wait list. As with most things at W&L, face-to-face conversations are probably preferred, but many faculty and staff are willing to discuss permissions via phone calls and e-mails.

    The vast majority of courses no longer require special permission (indicated by an asterisk: *).  Formerly, most courses required permission merely to "count noses."  Because the computer does counting very well -- and 24 hours a day -- the necessity for this type of permission has disappeared along with the lines outside of academic offices and the drain on the departmental support staff and faculty.  (You can still talk to faculty directly about a course or request an override of the departmental limit on a given course.)

    Nevertheless, some courses still require permission.  Some faculty want to talk to you directly about your preparation and interest in a course.  Some prerequisites are important enough that departments want to confirm them in person.  And courses DO still close and departments DO still override those limits in certain individual circumstances.  So permissions have to be easily requested and given.

    The important point is -- SIGN UP FOR THE COURSE FIRST and then CONTACT THE FACULTY to get the permission. When you enter the course on your Web Registration page, you know where you are on the list of students waiting for permission (1st, 10th, 93rd, etc) and the appropriate department is immediately aware of your interest.  They can then approve adding you to the course at any point, or they can communicate with you easily by e-mail if they have questions or comments.  It's literally as simple as a click of the mouse.  When you are given this electronic permission for entering a course, the add happens immediately and a message appears on the screen and an e-mail is generated to your address to let you know it is a done deal.  Check your e-mail or your registration screen often!

    IMPORTANT: Course Alternatives -- WebRegistration handles waitlists automatically.  Because you can "stand" on as many as four wait lists at a time, you can also register for an alternative course in the same slot.  So while you are waiting for permission, you can add one or two additional courses on the same line as a second or even third choice.  But be sure you've told the system which is your first choice (left-most column).  When permission is given, that first-choice course will overwrite and drop any other courses on the same line.  Again, this drop/add is done automatically and you are notified on the screen and via e-mail.

    Permission for an overload: If you plan to register for an overload (more than 14 credits in a long term, more than 8 credits in the spring term), see one of the academic deans (Dobin, Ikeda, Knapp, Peppers, Straughan, Leonard) to describe your plans. If they approve, they will notify the University Registrar's office immediately of the new maximum number of credits for which you may register. The permission will go into effect immediately for seniors (or in May, rising seniors). For all other students, the permission for overload will not be effective until after the freshmen (or in May, rising sophomores) have had a chance to register for a regular courseload. This process then maintains our priority of giving all non-seniors a chance at a normal load before any other non-seniors get a chance at an overload.

Thus you should sign up for your top choices first and then return to the WebRegistration during Clean-Up Days to add your additional coursework, once the overload approval has gone into effect. 

Course loads of 18 or more credits during the long terms and 10 credits during the spring term must be approved by the Faculty Executive Committee, through Dean Peppers.

    Permission for an underload: Underloads are not checked during WebRegistration. Students who have less than the required number of courses penalize only themselves. We check for unauthorized underloads after drop/add.

This page was last modified on Thursday, June 26, 2008.