Registrar's Office Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is “Roster certification”?
A. Roster certification is the technical term for reporting no-shows and certifying that your roster is correct after you have made any necessary changes. This must be complete by midnight on the roster certification date.
Q. What is a “no-show”?
A. A no-show is a student who has NEVER attended class.
Q. What is the difference between a no-show and non-attendance?
A. Non-attendance occurs when a student is listed on the roster, attends at least one class, but has quit coming to class or missed more than the maximum number of absences for a class. These students should be administratively dropped using the Administrative Drop procedures on Campus Connect.
Q. What is a non-enrolled student?
A. A non-enrolled student is one who is attending class but is not listed on the roster.
Q. If all my students showed up at least once, do I still need to certify my roster?
A. Yes. You must let the registrar’s office know that your roster is correct.
Q. What if I have a student who is physically in my class but not on my roster?
A. The non-enrolled student should be sent to the registrar’s office to be enrolled in the class. The student should not be allowed to “sit” in the class without being enrolled. The problem may be that the student is in the wrong class (which can easily be corrected by looking at his schedule), or the student may have been dropped for non-payment. Two drops for non-payment are done prior to the first day of class. If the student has not received the letter notifying him of the drop, he may assume that his financial aid has paid his tuition. If the student does not officially reenroll, his aid will not be processed, tuition will not be paid, and the student will be responsible for the tuition OR will have spent time in a class for which he will never receive credit. Students may NOT sit in a class in which they are not enrolled while waiting for financial aid to be processed.
Q. Why do we have to report no-shows to the Registrar’s office? If they don’t show, can’t I just give them a failing grade?
A. Pulaski Tech is required to report accurate enrollment by the 11th class day each semester. Our funding is tied to our enrollment. Recently, other college campuses have been found to have reported inaccurate enrollment numbers. As a result, all colleges are under increased scrutiny and are being held accountable during an audit in cases where erroneous reports are filed. Unsatisfactory enrollment audit findings can be a reflection on the institution, affecting our reputation and our funding.
In addition, PTC must repay federal funds to the US Department of Education for students who have received financial aid to which they are not entitled. If students are not reported as a no-show in a timely manner (by the roster certification deadline), students may pick up a refund check or have the funds direct deposited into their bank accounts. If these students do not repay the money, PTC is out that amount of money when the money is paid to U.S. Department of Education. Obviously, this can be a significant amount when all unreported no-shows are considered.
Most students who do not show up for class are not trying to get money to which they are not entitled. They often have legitimate reasons, such as illness or childcare needs, that cause them to be unable to attend. Students often rely on their instructors to drop them when they are no-shows or when they have missed too many classes, and failing to do so puts their grade point and financial aid in jeopardy. If a student receives a failing grade for a class she never attended, the balance of her PTC account may be too large for her to pay back, causing her to never be able to attend any institution of higher learning again!
Q. But shouldn’t the student be responsible for withdrawing from school or dropping the class?
A. Certainly it would be nice if all students were that responsible (and many of them are), but circumstances can prohibit well-meaning students from being able to take the necessary steps to protect their grade points and their financial aid.
And if students want to enroll only to get a financial aid check, making it easy for them to do so is not the best practice. If they receive a financial aid check they have no intention of paying back, they will tell their friends how easy it was, leading more students to try the same thing. Eventually, classes will be filled with people who are not serious about an education and those who really want to better themselves will have to be turned away due to classes being full. Not to mention, PTC will be paying back thousands of dollars to the U. S. Department of Education.
Q. I want to help PTC keep our funding and our good reputation! What do I need to do?
A. First, print a new roster from Campus Connect before each class until you certify rosters, so your roll will be accurate. You must use the roster in Campus Connect – rosters in Blackboard, Moodle, or any other program are not your official roster. Next, take roll each class period at least until you certify your roster by midnight on the roster certification date.
To make the process easier, a guide has been prepared to make navigating your way through the administrative part of your job as easy as pushing a button. The directions are in the order you will use them during the course of the semester, beginning with How to Print a Roster and How to Certify a Roster. Instructions for other administrative functions are also included, as well as a phone list for the Registrar’s office should you need further assistance. We are happy to answer any questions you may have.