Guidelines for Adding Full/Closed ES Courses

Due to tremendous growth in the ES student population, coupled with a recent decrease in courses offered (budget cuts), the Environmental Studies Program (ES) has implemented a number of policies to assure ES/HYDRO majors have priority registering for ES courses necessary to graduate in a timely manner. Below are two Environmental Studies policies for: 

1. “Majors Only” Restriction on ES Courses During the First Registration Pass
2. Waitlist and Crashing Procedure for ES Courses Full/Closed on GOLD
• The following is a current list of ES Courses presently OPEN on the UCSB Waitlist for Winter, 2010:
  • ENV S 15 (including those who do not meet the Chem 1A prerequisite)
  • ENV S 115
  • ENV S 125A
  • ENV S 134
  • ENV S 166BT (same course as Anth 166BT and Geog 171BT)

1)  “Majors Only” Policy for First Registration Pass: 

Starting Fall quarter, 2009 all upper-division Environmental Studies (ES) courses enforce a “majors only” restriction during the FIRST Registration Pass.  This means only officially declared ES and Hydrology majors are allowed to register for upper-division ES courses during pass one.  If space is still available at the start of the SECOND Registration pass, courses will become open and available to any student/major as long as they meet the designated course prerequisites.

The process on how to declare the Environmental Studies or Hydrology Major is available online at: http://www.es.ucsb.edu/curriculum_info/declaring_es_major.php

2)  Waitlist & Crashing Policy for ES Courses Full/Closed on GOLD:

Below is the ES Program’s official policy on how students may attempt to add an ES course that is either full or closed on GOLD.  Note:  It’s up to course instructors’s discretion as to who and how many students they allow to add/crash their course.  All students are welcome to sign up on waiting lists, but beware, being on waitlist does not guarantee you a spot in the class and priority for add codes will be given to those who meet the course prerequisites, are in the ES or Hydrology major, and by class seniority.

1. When does the department close courses that are full?
1. The ES Program will leave all courses open on GOLD up to the first day of instruction, even if the course reaches maximum capacity.  The only exception is if a course instructor decides to start an online waitlist sooner than the 1st day of instruction (see "d" below).
2. Interested students are encouraged to check GOLD regularly and add themselves to course(s) as spaces become available.
3. If a course enrollment is FULL by the day instruction starts, the ES Program will close the course on GOLD and, at the instructor's request, create an online waitlist. 
4. In certain circumstances an instructor may elect to CLOSE a course on GOLD and start an online waitlist prior to the first day of lecture. Students are encouraged to check UCSB's official online waitlist site https://waitlist.ucsb.edu to see if one has been initiated.
5. The following is a current list of ES Courses presently OPEN on the UCSB Waitlist for Winter, 2010:
   • ENV S 15 (including those who do not meet the Chem 1A prerequisite)
   • ENV S 115
   • ENV S 125A
   • ENV S 134
   • ENV S 166BT (same course as Anth 166BT and Geog 171BT)


2. Who should students contact if a course is full and one wants to add/crash the course?
1. Students should not contact the instructor or TA for an approval (add) code. 
2. If a class is full, students must sign up via the UCSB online waitlist system.
3. Most ES courses will open their waitlist the evening before the first day of instruction, but always check the UCSB waitlist website regularly https://waitlist.ucsb.edu as certain instructors may elect to initiate a waitlist before the start of the quarter.

3. How are waitlists handled and what information will be collected from students:
1. Students will login using their UCSB NET-ID and password and enter their full name, PERM, class rank, major, umail, 50 word max as to why they want/need the course, and their preferred lab or discussion section if required.
2. Waitlists will be prioritized according to the instructor’s preference.  Typically, the waitlist is prioritized by prerequisites met, major and class level.   

4. What action(s) should students take until they know if they can add the course?
1. Students are expected to attend the first and all subsequent lectures, and if the class has a required section/lab, attend ONE section and let the TA know they are interested in adding the class. 
2. Continue to attend lectures until receiving an approval code from the instructor or TA or an e-mail stating that the class is closed for the rest of the quarter and no more approval codes will be distributed.

5. What should students avoid doing?
1. Students should not skip lecture.
2. Students should not contact instructors if classes are full but should instead attend the first day of class and get on the waiting list the first day of instruction.
3. Students should not contact or pressure TAs, who does not have the ability to add students to classes (unless the instructor decides to give TA’s authority to issue Approval Codes).

6. When will the decision about add codes be made?
1. Waitlisted students should receive an e-mail response within 72 hours from the time they have signed-up with the online waitlist system, unless the instructor specifically states a different timeline for issuing approval codes in class or on the waitlist website. 

7. What should the students do if they decide not to take the course anymore?
1. The students can withdraw themselves from the online waitlist.  However, if the student decides to take another course after receiving an approval code, they should quickly return the approval code by e-mail to the course instructor so another student may be added. 

8. How long do students have to enroll after being given the add codes?
1. The students are given 48 hours after being given the add codes to enroll in the class.  If the student does not enroll within that timeframe, his/her spot will be given to the next student on the priority list.

Important things students need to know about UCSB’s Online Waitlists:

1. Getting on a waiting list does not guarantee you a spot in the class.
2. The existence of a waiting list does not guarantee there will be additional spots available in the course.
3. Make sure you carefully read the notes about this course waiting list, and the departments policies on "crashing/course waiting list" if they exist. That policy might be a link on the course waiting list, or it might be on that departments website.
4. When you submit your information to be on the course waiting list write clearly and professionally. Once you submit your information, you will not be able to change it.
5. Add codes are issued by the instructor, not by the waitlist website.
6. An Approval (add) Code is the means for a course instructor to allow a student to register, bypassing registration restrictions on the course. Examples of restrictions a code will bypass are:
1. Instructor or department approval required prior to registration
2. Major limitations
3. Level limitations
4. Missing Prerequisite
5. Closed or full classes

The UCSB online waitlist website is: https://waitlist.ucsb.edu