Academic Policies

Availability of Student Records

The policy of the Registrar’s Office is to not release personally identifiable academic information (transcripts, grade averages, class rank, etc.) via telephone, fax, email or other means to any individual or requesting entity, except when granted specific permission to do so by the student, in such cases as required by law, or to persons working on behalf of Wabash College who can establish a legitimate educational interest as defined in the College's FERPA policy.

Release of personally identifiable academic information must be granted by the student, with a signed request document for each such request, except in the case of transcripts; see below for more information regarding transcripts. The Registrar’s Office will accept the release via email, provided it comes from the student’s Wabash College email account (ending in wabash.edu). The release must specify what information is to be released and to whom, and for what purpose. 

Transcript ordering is processed through the National Student Clearinghouse. Current students will link to the Clearinghouse's Self Services site and log in to place their order. Alumni and former students can access the Clearinghouse at www.studentclearinghouse.org. The Registrar’s Office will process these requests during normal business hours. All requests will be processed within 2-4 business days of receipt. Current and non-current students have the ability to attach up to two documents (such as a co-curricular transcript or documents associated with graduate school admissions) and request that they be sent with the transcript. Current and non-current students also have the option to pick up their transcript in the Registrar’s Office. The office will send an email to notify when the transcript is ready for pickup.

Parents who need an enrollment verification should ask their student to link to the Clearinghouse's Self Service site where the enrollment verification can be printed or emailed by the student. Employer or background screening firms requesting information regarding degree verification should visit the National Student Clearinghouse at http://www.studentclearinghouse.org/.

Changes in Major or Minor

All changes to a major or minor must be requested no later than mid-semester of the Fall semester of the senior year. This deadline is necessary to ensure proper faculty assignments for comprehensive examinations in January. Changes to a major or minor require the academic advisor's approval and must be provided to the Registrar’s Office in writing.  The request document is available in the Registrar's Office or as a download from the Registrar's web page.

Excused Absences

Students are excused for College-sponsored activities and for reasons of health and personal obligation. Faculty members honor excuses from the Dean of Students or the College Physician when properly requested by the student. In discussion with students, faculty members determine appropriate ways to make up the work missed.

Petitions

A student may request special permission for an exception from prescribed academic policies (e.g. to enroll in six or more course credits per semester, for dropping and adding courses after deadlines due to extenuating circumstances, etc.). The student must obtain a petition form in the Registrar’s Office or download the form from the Registrar's web page, complete the student portion, obtain recommendations from the academic advisor and other faculty members as appropriate, and turn in the completed form to the Registrar’s Office. A petition to take a course overload (more than 5.5 credits in a semester) must be presented at the time of registration. The petition will be acted upon by the Curriculum Appeals Committee and the decision conveyed to the student, advisor, and other petition signers as appropriate.