CampS: Automated Wait List

Please read through the information below to understand how the Automated Wait Lists are managed in CampS.

General Information

• The CampS wait list operates only on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Registering onto a Wait List does not guarantee that you will be able to register for the course. 
• Wait Lists are only available for full-semester courses in the Fall or Spring. 
• You can tell if the course has Wait List seats available by checking the class status within Class Search results.
• CampS checks for prerequisites and required permissions before allowing you to join the wait list. If you need permission such as a prerequisite waiver or consent for a course offered “by permission only”, you will need that same permission to register on the wait list for that course. Please see the academic department associated with the course.
• You may register for a maximum of 8 credits of wait listed coursework. There are no exceptions to the 8 credit limit.
• We stop the Wait List enrollment after the fourth day of the term because the self-service add period ends after the fifth day of classes. This will ensure that the Wait List Engine does not pick up and add students after day five without proper consent from their advisor, instructors, etc. 
  
  

Swapping Classes

CampS offers a simple way to drop a “second choice” class only if your “first choice” wait-listed class becomes available to you. The process includes registering for the course you want to take in case you do not get into a wait-class and setting up a “swap” that will automatically drop that class only if you are auto-registered in the wait-listed class. (Please see the "How to Register onto a Wait List" section for detailed instructions on setting up your swap.)We have discovered some limitations to the swap function:

• When swapping courses, the course session/dates must match. You cannot swap a short course with a full-semester course.
• When swapping courses, the number of credits must also match. For example, you cannot swap a 3 credit class with a 4 credit class.
• If you have an intentional time conflict with a wait list course, the swap will not work. There isn't a way for Blugold Central staff to enter time conflict permissions and have them carry through from the moment of enrolling in to a wait list to the moment a seat opens in the course. If enrolling into an open seat would create a time conflict that you intend to keep on your schedule, your best option is to speak with the department about possibility being granted permissions to overload into the full course.
• You cannot set up a swap if the course number for the enrollment sections are the same. For example, you want to swap Lab A for Lab B, but both labs use the same lecture.
  • For example, a student enrolls in a course such as Biol 214.311 (lab). Enrollment in the lab section auto-enrolls the student into Biol 214.001 (lecture). The student prefers a different section of the lab (e.g., BIOL 214.312), but it is full, so she enrolls on the Wait list for Section 312 as a Swap, hoping that if Biol 214.312 opens, the system would Drop 214.311 and Add 214.312. However, we've learned that because both 214.311 and 214.312 labs are associated with 214.001 lecture as an auto-enroll, the swap will not work. For courses such as Biol 214, the Swap feature will only be helpful to students who are swapping Biol 214 with a completely different course.
    

How to Register onto a Wait List

1. Determine whether or not a SWAP is necessary. Common reasons for a swap include time conflicts, exceeding maximum number of credits, and multiple enrollment in the same course number.
   
   
2. If a SWAP is not necessary.....
   • Access the course, either while you are adding the course to your shopping cart, or by clicking the course while it is already in your shopping cart.
   • Select the Wait list if class is full checkbox.
     

     

     
     After saving your changes, you will see a confirmation. As soon as you enroll for a wait list you will see your order on the list (e.g., #1, #5, etc.).
     

     

   • Your wait listed course registrations will appear on your class schedules.
     
     

     

3. If a SWAP is necessary.....
   • Enroll in your second choice class – the one you want to take only if you are unable to add the wait listed course.
   • Click the SWAP option from the navigation on the Manage Classes tile..The Swap page appears.
   • If multiple terms appear, select the term you are editing.
   • In the Swap This Class section, use the pulldown menu to select the class you want to drop if you get a seat in the wait listed class.
   • In the With This Class section, select the wait listed class from your Shopping Cart or use Class Search to find the class.
     
     

     

     
     
     
   • Review the information on the Confirm Class Swap page. 
   • Click Submit.
   • Check your schedule to make sure that you are still enrolled in the second choice class, and that you are still enrolled in the wait list for your first choice. As soon as you enroll for a wait list you will see your order on the list (e.g., #1, #5, etc.).
     
     
4. If you are #1 on the wait list and someone drops the course, you will be automatically enrolled, and you will be notified by email.
   

   

   
   
   

Moving Into an Open Seat

Each night, a run control checks for classes that have open seats and students on a Wait List. If seats are available, then it runs each student through the Enrollment Engine starting with position 1. Once you are in position 1, if you are eligible to enroll in the course (no time conflicts, unit load OK, requisites met, etc.), then you are moved from Waiting status to Active. If successfully enrolled, you will receive an auto-generated email that lets you know that you have been actively enrolled for that class.If you are not eligible, the process will move to the next student on the Wait List. Ineligible students remain on the Wait List, as they may become eligible (i.e. Permissions). If you register on a wait list, it is your responsibility to check your email account daily to see whether you have been added to your wait listed class.

Common Errors

The following are the most common errors that prevent students from enrolling into an open seat from a course Wait List: 

• Multiple Enrollment in the Same Course 
  • PROBLEM: If you are concurrently active in another section of the same course, your wait list request will not be successfully processed when a seat opens up. You may, however, wait list for two sections of the same course.
  • SOLUTION: Set up a Swap to specify that you want to drop the active section for the wait list section. 
    
    
• Time Conflict(s)
  • PROBLEM: If you are registered in a course that meets at the same time as your wait listed course, the system will not enroll you in the wait listed course if a seat becomes available. Instead, it will enroll the next qualified student on the wait list.
  • SOLUTION: Set up a Swap to specify that you want to drop the conflicting course for the wait list section or remove the conflicting course from your schedule. 
    
    
• Max Unit Load Exceeded
  • PROBLEM: For most students, the maximum number of credits you may take in either Fall or Spring term is 18 credits. If enrolling into the waitlisted section would put you over 18 credits, the Wait List Engine will not be able to enroll you into an open seat.
  • SOLUTION: Set up a Swap to specify that you want to drop another course from your schedule for the waitlisted section. If you truly intend to enroll in over 18 credits, then you need to talk to the academic associate dean for your college for special permission. Once they have granted permissions in CampS, then the Wait List Engine would recognize that.  
    
    

All of these situations can be avoided by setting up a Swap. If you do not register through a Swap, and then try to come back later to make the correction, you will automatically be placed at the bottom of the Wait List. Please Note: Students cannot set up a swap if the course number for the enrollment sections are the same. For example, they want to swap Lab A for Lab B, but both labs use the same lecture.

FAQs

• What is an automated Wait List in CampS?
  The CampS Wait List operates only on a first-come, first-served basis. Students can enroll onto a Wait List, and if a seat opens for that course, the Wait List Engine will go through the students on the course Wait List, starting with the student in position 1. If they are eligible to enroll into the course, then they are automatically enrolled into the open seat and notified by email.
   
• How can I tell if a class has a Wait List?
  When you click on a course during the registration process, you are brought to the Class Information page. This screen lists the Wait List capacity (total number of students that can go on the wait list) and the Wait List total (total number of students already on the wait list). If the Wait List Capacity is zero, that course is not using the automated wait list feature.
  NOTE: When doing a course search, look for the class status. This indicates if the course is currently in wait list status. This means that regular seats are full, but you can still register onto the wait list. Once all wait list seats are full, the course is closed.
   
• How can I tell how many seats are left on a Wait List?
  When you click on a course during the registration process, you are brought to the Class Information page. This screen lists the Wait List Capacity (total number of students that can go on the wait list) and the Wait List Total (total number of students already on the wait list). Subtract the Wait List Total from the Wait List Capacity to see how many wait list seats are remaining.
   
• What do I do if the course Wait List is already full?
  If the course Wait List is full, then you are not able to add the course. Keep an eye on enrollment to see if a seat opens up on the Wait List, or contact the department with extenuating circumstances for a possible exception.
   
• I’m trying to enroll onto a Wait List, but there is an error saying that the class is full. What do I do?
  If there are still seats available on the Wait List, but you are receiving and error that the class is full, this means that you still need to check the Wait List if Class is full checkbox while registering. Please review the instructions about How to Register onto a Wait List.
   
• How can I tell my Wait List Position?
  After successfully enrolling onto a Wait List, your position is listed on the final enrollment screen. After that point, if you would like to see if it has changed, you can view your position by navigating to Manage Classes > View Class Schedule. Select the appropriate term. Make sure you are looking at the List View display. Your wait list position is listed by the course.
   
• Do I need to meet all course requisites and requirements before registering onto a Wait List?
  Yes, in order to register onto a Wait List for a course, you must meet the course requisites and requirements.
   
• Can I enroll into an open course and still be on a Wait List for the course that I want?
  Yes, but be sure that you register onto the Wait List through a SWAP. If you do not register via a SWAP, then the Wait List Engine will only return errors when attempting to enroll you into an open seat. It sees that you are already registered and multiple enrollments in the same term are not allowed. For full instructions on setting up a SWAP, click here.
   
• I’m on a Wait List, but I want to register for another course at the same time just in case I don’t get into the wait-listed course. Can I do that?
  Yes, but be sure that you register onto the Wait List through a SWAP. If you do not register via a SWAP, then the Wait List Engine will only return errors when attempting to enroll you into an open seat. For full instructions on setting up a SWAP, click here.
   
• Can I enroll into multiple Wait Lists?
  Yes, you may be on the Wait List for multiple courses and even multiple sections of the same course. The maximum number of wait list credits is eight. 
  NOTE: If you want to register onto a Wait List for a course and then enroll into an open section, make sure to set up a SWAP.
   
• What happens when a seat opens up in a wait-listed course?
  For information on moving into an open seat, click here.
   
• My lecture is open, but the lab I want is closed. What are my options?
  If the lab has a Wait List, you can register onto the Wait List and the related component (i.e. Lecture) will be added to your schedule labeled as Waiting.
   
• I’m trying to set up a Wait List SWAP, but the course is not listed through Class Search. Why?
  If you are not seeing the course in Course Search during the registration process, it is likely because the course is already in your shopping cart or on your schedule. If you did not originally register via a SWAP and are trying to drop the Wait-Listed course and re-enroll using a SWAP.
   
• It looks like there are plenty of open seats now, but the class is still at Wait List status. Why?
  When a seat opens in a course, if anyone is currently on the Wait List, new students will also be put onto the Wait List, regardless of whether or not there are enough open seats. If, for example, the department decides to add ten more seats to a course because there are already eight on the Wait List, there would be ten open seats, and new students that enroll will be put at Wait List status. The nightly Wait List Process would then fill those ten seats, starting with the first position and working its way through the entire Wait List. If the Wait List is empty, then students can actively register into open seats. If anyone remains on the Wait List due to being ineligible for the course, then the course remains at Wait List status, and new students are put onto the Wait List and enrolled through the nightly process.
  
  

Questions?

Please contact Blugold Central with any questions you may have: blugoldcentral@uwec.edu
715-836-3000