January 27, 2023

Orientation updates from the Office of Student Transitions

It's winter outside, but summer is right around the corner. Orientation registration for summer 2023 will open on Friday, Feb. 3, along with the first Future Broncos Day event. Orientation begins in May and concludes in August, and is required for all incoming beginner and transfer students. We will have 19 different one-day and two-day programs for students to choose from. 

If you have questions about Orientation, please be sure to visit our website at wmich.edu/transitions/orientation or give us a call at (269) 387-2167.

Feb. 1 is the deadline for June, August and December 2023 graduation applications

Once the deadline has passed, students may submit a late application by Saturday, April 1, or apply for the next available graduation term. Please direct students interested in submitting a late application to contact Jessica Pickett. Late applicants will be charged $200 in addition to the $55 graduation fee. As with previous application campaigns, the Registrar's Office utilized a multi-pronged approach comprised of targeted communication, general communication and support/partner communication.

Targeted communication

Eligible undergraduate and graduate students received personalized emails, phone calls and a postcard. Eligibility is determined by Degree Works percentage (65% and above), advisor approval (those who have been approved to graduate but have not applied) and credits earned (12+ for students in master's programs and 40+ for students in doctoral programs). We also contacted all students enrolled in certificate programs to reiterate that students earning both a certificate and a degree must file separate graduation applications.

All of these students will receive a follow-up email in March regarding the April 1 late application deadline.

General communication

The application deadlines have been incorporated into our general messaging as well, including: 

  • Our "welcome" email, sent to all enrolled students on the first day of the semester/session, contains an entire section regarding the application deadlines (in addition to listing the deadlines in a calendar format).
  • Our registration email, sent approximately two weeks before registration periods begin, contains application deadline information for juniors, seniors and graduate students.
  • Our home page has showcased the Feb. 1 deadline since early December.

Support/partner communication

Thanks to collaborations with the Office of Marketing and Strategic Communications, the Office of Information Technology and Online Education, we have been able to share the Feb. 1 deadline via an announcement in Elearning, an event on the WMU Events calendar, a bulletin in WMU Today and posts on WMU social media. We also worked with numerous departments and colleges to run a new flyer on nearly all of WMU's digital display screens. 

Since Dec. 6, the Registrar's Office has provided 11,650+ targeted notifications. We are currently offering virtual and in-person assistance on a walk-in basis through Wednesday, Feb. 1, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. More information about walk-in assistance was sent to students via email last week. We know that many of you have been calling, emailing and meeting with students to help them make the application deadline. Thank you. Your work is appreciated and your efforts are making a difference. Please contact John Scott with questions.

2023-24 financial aid offers to first-year students

Student Financial Aid sent FTIAC aid offers for the 2023-24 academic year via email earlier this week. As of Wednesday, Jan. 25, we have packaged 5,675 new FTIACs and 275 transfer students. All future students are encouraged to turn in any requirements requested so documents can be reviewed and offers can be finalized. Aid offers are sent daily when all requirements are submitted and documents can be reviewed/completed. Printed offer letters will be sent to students' permanent address on file. 

Students and families with questions should be directed to Bronco Express at (269) 387-6000. Returning students will be packaged later this spring.

Semi-annual re-authorization begins Feb. 6

The semi-annual security re-authorization process begins Monday, Feb. 6, and concludes Friday, Feb. 17. Supervisors will have through Friday, Feb. 24, to approve or deny requests. Security re-authorization allows the Registrar's Office to audit access to critical computer systems used at WMU and to ensure that users are familiar with the latest policies. Users and supervisors will receive an email notification when re-authorization has begun. The email includes instructions on how to complete the process. Questions should be directed to the Registrar's Office at (269) 387-4300.

Summer course offerings now available; registration opens Feb. 6

There are two ways to view course offerings: Course Lookup and goWMU.

See the registration calendar
Did you know? A fun fact from the Registrar...

As of this morning, graduation application reminder emails have been opened in Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China, El Salvador, France, India, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Oman, Pakistan, Peru, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom and the USA.