Graduation Applications - Information for Chairs

Information for Department Chairs and Program Managers

Department Chairs and Program Directors are responsible for reviewing graduation applications for majors and/or minors in their departments/programs. Students will send you their completed Graduation Application Checklist and may share with you access to their program evaluation on WebAdvisor

August/September Each Year

The Registrar’s Office sends an email to potential graduates advising them of the graduation process. Students applying for degrees are likely to begin contacting your offices early in September. The deadline for submitting May graduation applications is October 15th, and the bulk of our students will apply in the fall.

The deadline for August graduation applications is March 1st. We do, however, recommend that the August candidates who intend to participate in commencement submit their applications by November 15th in order to be added to the commencement email distribution list.

Overview of the Degree Application Process

There is a two-step process for students to apply for their degrees:

1. Students will submit the “Degree Application” on WebAdvisor.
2. Students will submit a Graduation Application Checklist and forward a copy of their response to their departments for review.

Students can find detailed instructions for apply for graduation on our Graduation Application page.

Suggestions for Working with Students

1. The student should make an appointment with you and if you are not also their advisor, the student should grant access to their academic records on WebAdvisor. This will allow you to view the student’s Program Evaluation and Unofficial Transcript for 30 days.
2. Review the Program Evaluation and their Application Checklist to be sure that the student will meet all requirements for graduation based on their completed courses and plan for the remaining semester(s).
3. If a course substitution will satisfy a requirement, and has not already been recorded, the completed substitution form must be submitted at the same time as the application.

We encourage Department Chairs and Program Directors to make use of the Graduation Requirement Checklist. It covers the basics and can be a helpful resource as you meet with students to determine their remaining requirements.

FAQ’s:

Q) As an advisor/chair/director, is it my responsibility to check a student’s General Education or overall requirements?

A) While our office will be providing the student with written confirmation of progress toward graduation, they rely on you to plan their schedules for their remaining semester. Feel free to contact us if you have questions.

Q) Is it OK to make major/minor course substitutions earlier in the student’s career?

A) Yes – in fact the earlier the better. Students and advisors can plan better if course substitutions are made early. The course substitution form is available to students on our Forms page.

Q) What if courses are not being applied the way I expect?

A) Please contact us directly so that we can investigate.

Q) What if the requirements in the major/minor have changed?

A) Students are assigned to the catalog (requirements) in effect when they entered (or re- entered) the college. The student can choose to change the catalog year to a more recent version. The Chair/Director/Advisor can help the student decide which catalog is most advantageous. Keep in mind that LC applies the catalog year to all majors, minors and general education. Changing a catalog year may impact other majors/minors. The Chair/Director can make allowances either way (i.e. substitute new courses onto an old catalog year or substitute old courses onto a newer catalog year). Students cannot choose a catalog year from before they entered (or re-entered) as an undergrad at LC.

Other questions?? Please let us know. Thank you,

We look forward to working with you to make the graduation application process as smooth as possible for all students applying this year. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

Alex Robbins - Degree Audit & Transfer Credit Specialist (students with last names L – Z)
@lclark.edu
503-768-7332

Tiffany Henning - Degree Audit & Transfer Credit Specialist (students with last names A – K) 
thenning@lclark.edu
503-768-7325