Registrars Office
The purpose of the Registrar’s Office is to support the mission of Siena Heights University and to protect the integrity of the Siena Heights degree. We are committed to maintaining accurate academic records and providing timely information to students, faculty, and staff all within the guidelines of the Family Educational Rights to Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). For additional information please visit the pages below.
Click the links and tabs below for more useful information.
- Academic Honors Criteria
- Change of Grade Form
- Credit/No Credit Form
- Criminal Conviction Disclosure Form
- Directed Study Form
- Drop/Add and Withdrawal Form
- FERPA Block of Information
- FERPA Release of Information
- Independent Study Form
- Make-Up of Incomplete Grade Form
- Michigan Undergraduate Guest Application
- Prior Learning Petition
- Refund Policy
- Verification of Enrollment Form
- Veteran Registration Intention Form
SIENA HEIGHTS ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP) CREDITS
- You may request an official transcript in person, in writing, by faxing or by downloading a printable Transcript Request Form.
- Your written signature is required to release your transcript.
- Normal processing time is 24 hours. At the beginning and ending of each semester processing time may be extended due to other office responsibilities. Please allow ample time for your particular needs.
- Transcripts will not be released if you have a financial obligation with the University.
- You may request that your transcript be held until grades have been recorded or changed or degree has been posted.
- Please limit your requests to no more than 5-10 transcripts per request.
UNDERGRADUATE & GRADUATE TRANSCRIPTS
DID YOU ATTEND BEFORE FALL 1991?
If you attended Siena Heights University prior to Fall 1991 you will need to submit your request to the Registrar’s Office. They will prepare your transcripts and mail them through the U.S. Postal Service. Requests must be done in writing and submitted directly to the Registrar’s Office with your signature of release. There is no charge for this service. Click here to print out the request form. You can fax this form to 517-264-7744 or mail it to the Registrar’s Office.
DID YOU START YOUR COURSE WORK AT SIENA HEIGHTS AFTER FALL 1991?
If you have attended Siena Heights University since Fall 1991, help us “go green” and request your Siena Heights University transcript online and have them sent electronically. This is Siena Heights’ preferred method of sending transcripts.
REQUEST AN ELECTRONIC TRANSCRIPT
- Go to www.parchment.com
- Parchment has a list of all the colleges and universities that are part of its network. Please consult this listing for the school where you are sending your transcripts for admissions or evaluation.
- Create an account (initial visit only) with a valid email address; complete your profile and choose a password.
- Complete your registration through the confirmation email sent by Parchment.
- Select destinations to receive your transcripts.
- Sign user agreement and pay online. This money is paid directly to Parchment for their service. Siena Heights University does not receive any of this money.
- The following fees are our special MECH rates as part of the compact agreement for MECH states. Any surcharge the school wants to set would be in addition to these fees for students. These charges are subject to change by Parchment.
- Electronic transcript fee (Base fee): $3.00
- In addition to base:
- Paper handling fee: $1.70
- U.S. FedEx: $25.75
- Canada/Mexico: $3.25
- Canada/Mexico FedEx: $32.50
- International FedEx: $40
- The Registrar’s Office will receive the information from Parchment, check your account balance, prepare the electronic data, and then send it to Parchment electronically. Parchment will send the electronic transcript to the address you provided. NOTE: If you owe money to the University, your request will be rejected. Sorry, the money you paid to Parchment will not be returned. This is the policy of Parchment.
WHEN CAN I GET MY TRANSCRIPT AFTER I HAVE MADE MY FINAL PAYMENT?
For checks written, there is a seven business day wait for the check to clear the bank before the transcript is released. For ACH/electronic check payments, there is a seven business day wait before the transcript is released. This is because the ACH/electronic check is treated like a regular check. For credit card (MasterCard, Discover or American Express) payments, transcripts will be released within 24 hours.
QUESTIONS?
Visit www.parchment.com to search the site and FAQ, or contact the Registrar’s Office.
ORDERING WHILE ON CAMPUS
Transcript request forms are available in the Office of the Registrar. Office hours are from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday. You may also download a printable request form and mail it to the Registrar’s Office.
ORDERING FROM OFF CAMPUS
You may either mail or fax your request. Your transcript request must be in writing to the Office of the Registrar. You may also download a printable request form and mail it to the Registrar’s Office. The letter or fax should include the following information:
- Your full name
- Any former name(s)
- Your social security number
- Your date of birth
- Your last date of attendance or graduation date from Siena Heights
- Your current address and phone
- The address where the transcript is to be sent
- Sign and date request
- All express or priority mail will be charged the current postal rate and must be pre-paid by student/alumni at the time of the request
Send your written transcript request to the contact address at the upper right of this page.
IMPORTANT FACTS TO REMEMBER
- FERPA guidelines regarding release of student records are adhered to.
- We cannot release transcripts without a written request with your signature.
- Parents, relatives, friends MAY NOT REQUEST a transcript for you.
- Parents, relatives or friends may not pick up your transcript without your written permission.
- Transcripts sent or issued directly to you will be stamped “Issued to Student.”
- Transcripts will not be released if you have a financial obligation to the University.
- Your signature must appear on all requests.
- Siena Heights does not accept e-mailed transcript requests.
ORDERING A REPLACEMENT DIPLOMA
Has your original diploma been damaged or lost? You can order a new diploma from the Registrar’s Office very easily. Please send the following to the Registrar’s Office:
- Your name as it should appear on your diploma
- Your current name
- Your current address
- Your phone number
- Your check or money order for $50
- Your signature
Since this is a special printing of your diploma, it will take from 6 to 8 weeks for your diploma to arrive from the printer. All replacement diplomas have Siena Heights University and the signatures of the current Vice President/Dean and President printed on them. The date and degree on your new diploma will be the actual information from your file.
SEND YOUR WRITTEN TRANSCRIPT REQUEST TO:
Siena Heights University
Attn: Registrar’s Office
1247 E. Siena Heights Dr.
Adrian, MI 49221
Or fax your request to: 517-264-7744.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) was designated to protect the privacy of educational records, to establish the rights of students to inspect and review their education records, and to provide procedures for the correction of inaccurate or misleading data through informal and formal hearings.
STUDENT RIGHTS
- The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the University receives a written request for access. Students should submit to the registrar, written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The University official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the University registrar to whom the request was submitted, the registrar shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
- The right to request the amendment of the student’s education record(s) that the student believes to be inaccurate or misleading. Students may ask the University to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the University official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the University decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the University will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his or her right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.
- The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. Exceptions which permits disclosure without consent:
- Is the disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interest. A school official is a person employed by the University in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the University has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility. Upon request, the University may disclose education records without consent to officials of another school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.
- Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act of 2000 (CSCPA) allows the release of Sex Offender Registry Information. CSCPA provides special requirements relating to registration and community notification for sex offenders who are enrolled in, work or volunteer at institutions of higher education. This Act was signed into Law on October 28, 2000.
- Patriot Act of 2001 allows for release of information, without consent, of any student by subpoena authorized by the US Department of Justice. A subpoena in this case prohibits notification of the student. This subpoena applies also to financial and employment records as well as student records.
- The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Siena Heights University to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA is:
Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
600 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-4605
Please Note: FERPA has designated several items as “directory information” which can be released routinely by the University to any inquirer unless the student affected has taken steps to withhold items from circulation. Directory information is defined by FERPA as the following: student name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, date and place of birth, major fields of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of athletic team members, photograph, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, most recent educational institution attended, and other similar information as defined by the University which would not generally be considered harmful to the student, or an invasion of privacy if disclosed.
Please contact the Registrar’s Office for more information concerning the release and/or withholding of “directory information.” The following documentation is provided by the institution so that the student may ascertain his/her progress:
- Student grades can be accessed via the Web. This grading page is considered an official document of Siena Heights University from our secure website that is password protected. Students who are not currently enrolled and whose student accounts are past due will NOT be able to access the grading page.
- The student’s advisor has access to the student’s academic record via the Siena Heights University Web site for advising purposes.
NOTE: This information is as stated in the University catalog.
DROP/ADD & WITHDRAWAL POLICY
DROPPING OR ADDING A COURSE
Students choosing the Web registration option to drop or add a course will not be required to get advisor or instructor signatures for any open class during open registration. Students are responsible for any Drop/Add processed via the Web during this time. The Web registration module will close with the beginning of the semester/cycle. After the semester/cycle begins, the student must obtain a drop/add form and obtain all signatures from instructors and their advisor. After all signatures are obtained, it is the student’s responsibility to submit the drop/add form to the Registrar’s Office or site location for processing. Students must assume responsibility for making any changes to their schedules, which may, in anyway, change their degree plans. If a student does not process a drop form for a class from which they intend to withdraw, they will receive “E” grades in those classes. No refund will be given for any class not attended. If a student is sitting in a class and is not registered for that class they are to be discharged from the class. The student that is in this situation will not receive a grade or be allowed to add this course after the last date to add for the semester/cycle.WITHDRAWAL FROM A CLASS
Students who drop from an individual class, without completely withdrawing from Siena Heights University, OR add a course will have their financial aid adjusted. Students who withdraw from individual classes without completely withdrawing from Siena Heights University will not receive credit for any charges after the first week of classes. Technology fees and course fees are non-refundable. It is the student’s responsibility to submit the drop/add form to the Registrar’s Office/site location.WITHDRAWAL FROM ALL CLASSES
It is the student’s responsibility to contact the Director of Advising, or the Registrar’s Office, or CPS site director to inform the University that they are withdrawing from all courses for which they are registered. The percentage of refund is determined by dividing the number of remaining full weeks or class periods by the total number of weeks or class periods. The resulting percentage is rounded down to the nearest whole percentage. No refunds will be available after 50 percent of the enrollment period. For example: A student is enrolled in a class that is 15 weeks in length, withdraws during the second week leaving 13 weeks left in the session. The percentage of refund would be 13 weeks divided by 15 weeks. Since 13 divided by 15 is 86.66 percent, the percentage of refund would be rounded to 80 percent. The student would then be charged 20 percent of the tuition for the class. NOTE: Students who do not process a drop/add for all classes from which they intend to withdraw, will receive “E” grades in those classes. No refund will be given for any class not attended. All drops, adds, and withdrawals are time sensitive. Petitions from the student are required for any special circumstances or special time allowances. Students will be asked to provide supporting documentation for any petitions. Petitions must be submitted to the Registrar for adjudication by the appropriate Dean, Business Office, Financial Aid Office, and the Registrar. Drops can be done with a “W” or without a “W” showing on the student’s transcript record. It has been the policy that we allow students to drop until mid-term and they will not receive a “W.” This is an old policy and has been well supported (faculty and administration) for many years. Showing “W” grades or not has absolutely nothing to do with any refund policy. The important thing to remember is that SHU does not consider a “W” a punitive grade. A withdrawal is noted as a person that completely withdraws from class -totally for a semester. If we drop a student before the mid-term, “W” grades do not show on the transcript. If a withdrawal happens after mid-term, a “W” will automatically appear on the transcript for each course. Anything that may cause a drop/withdrawal to be back dated must be done through a student petition and forwarded to this office. The Registrar then makes a copy of this information to send to the Business Office and to Financial Aid for judgment if money is involved. After a review by all parties (Advising and the Dean are sometimes included), this office either processes the drop/withdrawal or denies the request. Either way, we notify the student about the actions taken.GRADES
Siena Heights University does not mail grade reports. The Online Registration system is the official site for your mid-term and final grades. You should be able to view your grades as soon as the professor inputs them to the computer system on the Online Registration module. Click on “My Siena” and sign on to Online Web Registration. Click on the “Grades” button. Please make sure you have the correct semester and year selected for the semester grades you want to view. If your parents would like to see your grades, you will need to share your grades with them. The officials of Siena Heights University are not allowed to share grades with parents unless the student gives permission or unless the student has declared as a dependent student. Siena Heights University follows all regulations as set forth by the Federal Educational Rights to Privacy Act of 1974. For any question concerning this policy or law please contact the Registrar’s Office or consult the current academic catalog.
PROFICIENCY IN MATHEMATICS AND WRITING
All students who graduate with an associate’s or bachelor’s degree must demonstrate that they have met a level of competency in Math and English composition. The University catalog has an explanation of what will fulfill these requirements. Please see page 17 in the University catalog under the heading of Proficiency.
STUDENT LOAN DEFERMENT PROCESSING
Siena Heights University participates in the National Student Loan Clearinghouse located in Herndon, Va. Siena Heights submits a report of students’ enrollment status to the clearinghouse that, in turn, supplies verification of enrollment to lending agencies. All enrollment information is forwarded to the clearinghouse. Siena Heights University does not supply this information directly to leading agencies except by deferment. If a student has registered late or has had an exception processed to the term registration, this information may not be reported until the submission of the next tape.
The clearinghouse asks that if a student receives a collection letter from a servicer, the student do the following (clearinghouse directions for the student):
- Call the lending agency to see if a deferment form was received between the time the clearinghouse supplied the information and when the lending agency sent the collection letter.
- If, after calling the servicer, it still appears that the deferment has not been processed, the student may call the clearinghouse at 703-742-7791 and ask for a student service representative. The representative will verify the following information: the date on which the deferment form was received by the clearinghouse, the date the deferment was certified, the date the form was mailed, the enrollment status that was certified, and where the form was sent.
- If an emergency exists, for example, the student is 150 days delinquent and being threatened with default, the clearinghouse will intervene on the student’s behalf by faxing another enrollment certification to the servicer. It will also work with the servicer to ensure that the form is processed on a high-priority basis.
In 2022, Siena Heights was ranked 29th in the nation for having the Best Online Bachelor’s Program for Veterans, according to the U.S. News and World Report. And Siena Heights was also honored to receive Silver Level Certification from the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency.
For more information about educational opportunities for our men and women in uniform, visit our VA Call to Action page.
In order to maintain Title IV student financial aid eligibility, Siena Heights University follows all applicable federal rules and guidance from the Higher Learning Commission, Siena’s regional accreditor. Credit hours are first developed from an in-person framework. Within this framework, a course provided one credit hour if a student was in class for one hour (defined as 50-60 minutes) and did an additional two hours of work and activities outside of class each week during a 15-week semester. Assuming a 15-week semester and 50-60 minute hours, a three-credit hour class would require 112.5-135 hours of student effort.
Siena Heights recognizes that no two students require the same amount of time to understand and apply new learnings. As faculty members prepare classes, they work to assure that the average student will be able to accomplish the learning outcomes from the materials and assigned tasks provided in the appropriate time frame. This is especially true in remote and hybrid classes. These classes should expect a similar time commitment to achieve the same learning outcomes as the on-ground versions of the same course. Course syllabi should help students understand the expected time commitment. As new courses are recommended to the appropriate curriculum review committee, these considerations should be identified.
Students who wish to attend Siena Heights as a Non-Degree Seeking Guest High School or Adult Student are required to submit a Guest Student Application each semester of planned enrollment. Tuition charges will be paid in accordance with the payment policies of the University.
Guest students are limited to 6-8 undergraduate semester hours per semester as a non-degree seeking student and only 15 hours applied to a degree if the status is changed to degree seeking. Specialized programs or certifications may be exempt from the above credit hour limitations.
Graduate guest students who earn credit hours as a guest are not guaranteed admission to the chosen program or that the credits will apply toward the Master of Arts degree if the applicant is admitted.