Registrar's Office

Office of the Registrar
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5256 USA
(269) 387-4300

August 31, 2015

Preferred name

In April the administration approved a policy to allow students the ability to use a first name other than their legal name to identify themselves.  As part of a phased implementation of the Preferred Name Policy, several University systems were modified over the summer.  A student's preferred first name will display in the following places:

  • Instructor class lists in GoWMU
  • Degree Works
  • Printed Directory
  • People Search
  • Email Display Name
  • Bronco Card (preferred name on front, legal name on back)

Preferred first names have been collected on the online application for admission since going live with Apply Yourself.  A website was launched last week to allow current students to establish, change or delete a preferred first name. Students can access the website on the "Student Home" tab in GoWMU by clicking on the "View/update My Personal Information" link.   Once a student establishes a preferred first name, the name will be populated in Banner on the SPAIDEN form.

Faculty and staff are encouraged to use the preferred first name in their interactions with students and in all University communications except where use of a legal name is required by University business.  Additional information on preferred first name can be found on the Registrar's Office website. 

One Stop 

Fall 2015 One Stop Center officially gets underway today at 9:00 a.m. in the West Ballroom of the Bernhard Center.  Days and times are as follows:

  • August 31: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • September 1 to 3: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • September 4:  9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.  
  • September 8 to 10: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • September 11: 9 a.m. to noon

Catalog PDFs

Thanks to the work of University Archives, WMU catalogs dating back to 1964 have been digitized and are available for viewing through ScholarWorks.  A link to the downloadable PDFs is available on the Registrar's Office website.

Upcoming dates

  • Aug. 31 - Sept. 11—One Stop Center
  • Tuesday, Sept. 1—Tuition and fees due
  • Sept. 3 - 4—Advising Days
  • Tuesday, Sept. 8—Classes begin at 8 a.m.
  • Friday, Sept. 11—Last day to apply for graduation (extended from Aug. 1)
  • Monday, Sept. 14—Last day to drop and add classes; last day to receive 100% refund
  • Tuesday, Sept 15—Census
  • Wednesday, Sept 16—$100 late add fee begins; begin recording withdraws as "W" on transcript
  • Thursday, Sept. 17—Last day to receive 90% refund for a complete withdrawal
  • Monday, Sept. 21—Last day to receive 50% refund for a partial withdrawal
  • Sunday, Sept. 27—First work grades due
  • Monday, Sept. 28—Spring 2016 course offerings open for viewing
  • Friday, Oct. 2—Last day to receive 50% refund for a complete withdrawal
  • Wednesday, Oct. 28—Last day to receive 25% refund for a complete withdrawal
  • Monday, Nov. 9—Last day to withdraw from classes
  • Wednesday, Nov. 25—Thanksgiving recess begins at noon
  • Monday, Nov. 30—Classes resume
  • Dec. 14 - 18—Final exam week
  • Saturday, Dec. 19—Semester ends; Commencement
  • Tuesday, Dec. 22—Final grades due by noon