Purpose/Charge

The Priority Registration & Registration Holds Review Committee (Committee) is responsible for evaluating the undergraduate priority registration process and new requests to add additional student populations. Periodically, the Committee will review existing priority registration groups to ensure that the total number of students with priority registration does not negatively impact the registration of non-priority students. This review may include determining if current priority registration groups still meet the need for priority registration. Should it be determined to remove or restrict a cohort, the committee will develop a transition plan with the cohort liaison. 

The Committee also evaluates registration holds that prevent students from enrolling in a subsequent term and/or making schedule adjustments for the current term. As registration holds have a severe impact on students’ ability to continue their enrollment, requests for the holds must demonstrate a pressing need to connect with a student in which other methods of contact have failed. Additionally, the holds must support core initiatives of the university. The Committee may also review existing registration holds to ensure they continue to support the priorities of the university.

Committee Membership

The Committee membership includes the following university faculty, staff, and student representation:

• Vice Provost for Enrollment Management (Committee Chair)
• Chair, UC Davis Academic Senate
• Chair, Council of Associate Deans
• Vice Provost & Dean of Undergraduate Education
• Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Life, Campus Community & Retention Services
• University Registrar
• Senior-level undergraduate college academic advisor
• Chair, ASUCD Academic Affairs Commission

Priority Registration

Priority registration is a process that allows select undergraduate student groups with unique circumstances to register on the first day of the registration period. The purpose of the priority registration benefit is to ensure students have adequate support services, avoid conflicts with other responsibilities, and miss as little class time as possible as they manage multiple priorities. Best practices indicate that the percentage of undergraduate enrolled students with priority registration should not exceed 10%.

Priority registration requests may be considered for undergraduate student cohorts who meet one or more of the following criteria:

• Federal or state mandates that require accommodations and provisions.
• A program’s participation in which the program’s commitments place significant demands on the students’ schedules thus necessitating a need for a course schedule that enables them to fulfill their commitments. The commitments must meet all of the following additional criteria:
  • Students must regularly represent the university at or as part of officially-recognized university activities;
  • The officially-recognized university activities constrain students' ability to attend classes at different times of the day or week; and
  • The program and the students do not control the time periods in which the activities take place; e.g., practices, performances.
• A program's unique circumstances requires early access to registration to ensure academic success and contributes to building a high-achieving and diverse community. 

Procedure & Timeline for Requesting Priority Registration

New requests for Priority Registration must be submitted by March 15 of each year. Such requests will be reviewed by the end of the summer term for implementation for the following year’s Fall registration (e.g., requests approved in Summer 2023 will be applied for registration of Fall 2024). Requests must clearly define the population of students, the reasoning for the request, and the time frame for which priority registration applies (specific quarters and number of years). Requests submitted after March 15 will be considered in the next year’s review cycle.

1. Download, complete, and submit the Request for Priority Registration form to the University Registrar no later than March 15. The University Registrar will review the request for completeness and forward it to the Committee for review.
2. In early Spring Quarter, the Committee Chair will convene the Committee to evaluate the request.
3. If the Committee supports the request, it will be sent to the Academic Senate through its Request for Consultation (RFC) process by April 15.
4. By July 1, the Academic Senate responds with feedback from the RFC process.
5. By August 1, the Committee reviews the RFC response and determines if the request should be forwarded to the Chair of the Academic Senate and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs for final approval.
6. By September 1, the Chair of the Academic Senate and the Vice Chancellor respond to the request.  If approved, provide signatures of approval to the University Registrar.
7. Upon approval, the Office of the University Registrar will oversee the implementation of the cohort to the official list of priority registration populations.

Registration Holds

Registration holds are a powerful tool to impose students to comply with a university mandate (e.g., failure to pay an outstanding financial obligation, meet with an academic advisor). Requests for a registration may be submitted at any time during the academic year. The request must demonstrate that a registration hold is a last resort effort for the student to comply with an existing university obligation and that all efforts to motivate the student have failed.

Procedure & Timeline for Requesting a Registration Hold:

1. Download, complete, and submit the Request for Registration Hold form to the University Registrar. The University Registrar will review the request for completeness and forward it to the Committee for review.
2. The Committee Chair will convene the Committee to evaluate the request.
3. If approved, the Office of the University Registrar will oversee the implementation of the registration hold.