Priority Registration

Policy

Early and priority registration is available to student groups or cohorts which have been approved by the University.

Early Registration - Students who are registered with Minnesota State University, Mankato Accessibility Resources are eligible to participate in early registration. The early registration window is 5 school days prior to the first scheduled registration day.

Priority Registration - Student groups impacted by schedules or other constraints outside their control, will be allowed to register in advance of the scheduled registration window.

Students in the following groups are eligible to participate in priority registration until graduation and will have their registration window updated accordingly.

• Student athletes
• Active military or veteran students

Students in the following groups who have earned 0-64 credits may also participate in priority registration and will have their registration window updated accordingly:

• Honors Program students (as identified by the Director of the Honors Program)
• Speech and Debate Team members (as identified by the Director of Forensics)
• Music students (as identified by the Department Chair)
• Students enrolled in TRIO Student Support Services (as identified by the Director of Student Support Services)
• Other groups approved for priority registration. A current list is maintained by the Registrar’s Office.

The priority registration window is 2 school days prior to the first regular registration day.

Procedure

The Registrar’s Office will work with advisors, coaches, and program directors to facilitate early and priority registration.

• Early Registration – Accessibility Resources email eligible students with detailed directions and their window for registration.
• Priority Registration - The Registrar’s Office email eligible students with detailed directions and their window for registration. The Office of the Registrar will set priority registration dates each semester within one week of the first day of regular registration.

Students who miss the early and priority registration windows can register in their regular registration period.

Process for student groups/cohorts to apply for priority registration:

1. The program advisor or administrator submits a request to the Associate Vice President for Undergraduate Education with the following information:
1. Group or cohort name or designation
2. Reason for request
3. Evidence of need for priority registration
2. Requests must be made by October 1 to be considered for the next academic year’s registration.
3. The following criteria will be used to determine eligibility for priority registration:
• The student group must have a documented need for priority registration through participation in a university sponsored activity or program which would slow academic progress without registration flexibility.
• Participation or membership in the student group must be clearly defined.
• The student group must exhibit evidence that priority registration will have a positive impact on academic progress and help alleviate scheduling difficulties inherent to their membership in that student group.
4. The Associate Vice President for Undergraduate Education will convene a committee comprised of the Vice President of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, the Director of Admissions, the Registrar, a Student Relations Coordinator, a Faculty Association appointed member, and a Student Government appointed member. Notifications of approval/denial will be sent by the Associate Vice President of Undergraduate Education to the program advisor or administrator by the 2^nd Friday in October.

Rationale

• Students registered with the Minnesota State Mankato Office of Accessibility Resources: The purpose of early registration is to provide an opportunity for students with disabilities to establish a class schedule that will accommodate their physical and academic needs.
  
  
• Active military or veteran students: The aim of granting priority registration to military members and veterans is to allow students greater ability to make progress toward degree requirements during their often intermittent periods of university study and to lessen the delay in receiving any Federal or State benefits earned. The Department of Veterans Affairs considers Priority Registration a benefit to active military/veterans. 
  
  
• Student athletes: Priority registration allows student athletes the ability to minimize conflicts occurring because of University-sponsored athletic obligations.
  
  
• Other approved groups or cohorts: Many students are asked to represent the university as part of officially-recognized university activities. Priority registration allows these approved student groups or cohorts the ability to minimize class conflicts occurring because of these University-sponsored activities.