L&S guidance for department-provided information in Course Search & Enroll

SOAR and peak registration periods go more smoothly when students and advisors have easy access to important and relevant information about your courses, who to contact in different situations, and special enrollment process.

These are actions L&S departments can take to provide relevant and current information to students in Course Search & Enroll:

(1) Review and update your department’s “Subject Notes.” This “note” is displayed on every course, at the course level, in your subject in Course Search & Enroll. It should give information about department-level enrollment questions, including:

  • Contact information for enrollment questions
  • Links to pages that helps students understand their course options in the subject, if you have one (ex: Chem 103 vs 109)
  • Very brief explanation (or links) about relevant department enrollment procedures such as placement texts, procedures for special student enrollment, waitlist, etc.
  • A link to your department’s online syllabus library
  • We do not recommend including contact information for the department chair unless they are a best contact for enrollment questions.

Subject notes can be updated by curricular reps in SIS via Curric & Enroll Rep WorkCenter → Build/Edit Schedule of Classes → Global Notes Table

(2) Please use “Class Notes,” which are section specific to:

  • Convey special enrollment practices. For example, if the section is reserved until a specific date for certain populations.
  • Provide contact information or procedure (or link to procedure) in cases where the student needs special permission to enroll
  • Give additional information about hybrid or online sections, if appropriate
  • Include information about field trips
  • Information about evening midterm exams (if they will be given)

Class notes can be updated by curricular reps in SIS via Curric & Enroll Rep WorkCenter → Build/Edit Schedule of Classes → Maintain Schedule of Classes → Notes tab

(3) Please encourage instructors to add “instructor-provided content” to their course.

This is a way for instructors to provide information above and beyond the published course description, and can help students decide to enroll. For example, a more-in depth description, a list of weekly topics covered, pedagogical approaches, or brief descriptions of typical assignments. Instructors can add this information via Faculty Center, instructions can be found here.

For questions or more information: please contact Kimbrin Cornelius, Assistant Dean for L&S Teaching & Learning Administration (kimbrin.cornelius@wisc.edu)



KeywordsSOAR Notes Course Search Enroll Guidance   Doc ID118441
OwnerCathy Y.GroupL&S KB
Created2022-05-09 16:02:01Updated2023-07-03 10:26:52
SitesL&S KB
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