Seniors course loads change

Seniors registered for fewer than 12 credit hours next spring might have to re-evaluate their last semester plans.

Students planning to underload will no longer be considered full-time students by UNC. An e-mail notifying seniors of the change was sent out last week.

Previously, students who underloaded still could be listed in the University’s records as full-time students to guarantee access to campus services such as housing.

In some cases, that full-time status also is necessary to receive federal financial aid and health insurance.

“It has been done this way for several years, but when I reviewed the practice, I determined that it had potential for putting the University and students at risk,” said Alice Poehls, assistant provost and University registrar.

By calling them full-time students, the University was providing inaccurate information to external sources such as federal programs, insurance companies and loan services, Poehls said.

After discovering the reporting issue, she decided to change how such students were recorded.

“We were clearly involved in a practice that was inappropriate, but the complicated nature of the computer system and the regulations left many of us unaware of the full picture,” Poehls said.

Last spring, between 300 and 500 students underloaded.

Students are still allowed to ask for permission to take fewer than 12 credit hours, but they will be listed in the computer system as part-time students.

While those students will still have access to campus services, they might have trouble with external sources.

“I think for many students, it will not affect them, but if they have health insurance that requires them to be enrolled full-time, they need to check what they need to do,” Provost Bernadette Gray-Little said.

While some scholarships and loans require full-time status, University-provided financial aid should not be affected by the change.

“Our policy has been that if students take an underload, we still offer financial aid. We just recalculate tuitions and fees based on hours they take,” said Tabatha Turner, senior associate director of the Office of Scholarships and Student Aid.

Some seniors were caught off guard by the new practice.

“The new rule I understand, I am just frustrated that we were told on Nov. 26 and that it was effective immediately,” said senior Anna Dorn.

Poehls said she failed to get the message out to advisers and students quickly but is willing to help anyone with the issue.

“I take full responsibility that students didn’t have the information in a timely way,” she said. “I’m happy to talk to any students or parents about the matter, whether it be on phone or in person for however long about the matter.”



Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.