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SIS/Managing Your Enrollment - Managing Wait Lists

This document outlines the steps for activating, updating, and managing wait lists.

Overview

The steps below are intended for departmental staff who manage enrollment and wait lists for their subject(s).

Table of Contents

Activate Wait List using Update Sections of a Class

Both Curricular and Enrollment Representatives can set up sections of a course to allow enrollment wait lists of a specified size. Departmental staff then monitor and determine who can enroll from a wait list as space allows.

  • When you add or change the Wait Capacity, make sure that values for all impacted components of the enrollment package are changed (e.g. Discussion, Lab and Lecture).
  • If this is a Combined Section, each department must change its Wait Cap to match the combined section's Wait List Capacity.
  • Students can only get on an open wait list until the session’s add deadline date.

Step 1

From Home, select: Curric & Enroll Rep WorkCenter > Update Sections of a Class. The Find page will display.

Tip: Menu navigation: > Curriculum Management > Schedule of Classes > Update Sections of a Class.

Step 2

Use the Find page to locate the course you want to activate a wait list for and select "Search". The course will display on Update Sections of a Class page.

Step 3

Select the "Class Enrollment Limits" page tab. The capacities will display for all sections.

Tip: Combined Sections may look open from this page; verify available seats by selecting each section’s Combined Section link.

Step 4

Locate the "Wait Cap" for the appropriate section(s) and enter the wait list capacity. Make sure that all impacted components of the enrollment package are changed (e.g. Disc and Lecture). The new wait capacity number displays for the section(s).

In the example below, the four discussions auto-enroll into the lecture. Therefore, the sum of the wait list capacities for the discussions (5+5+5+5) should equal the wait list capacity for the lecture (20).

Update Sections of a Class screen with box around Wait Cap column

Tip: To stop further wait listing, decrease the "Wait Cap."

Note: If there is a "Wait Cap," once the "Enrl Cap" is met, the "Wait Tot" will display the number of students on the wait list. The wait list is available to students until the session’s add deadline date.

Step 5

Select "Save."

Step 6

If this is a combined section:

Class Sections screen with box around Wait Cap and Combined Sections link for a particle course

  1. Select the "Combined Section" link for the impacted section.
  2. Change the "Wait List Capacity" to match section’s "Wait Cap."
  3. Select "Save."
  4. Select "Return."
  5. Go back and follow these steps for every Combined Section with a wait list.

Combined Enrollment Capacities screen with box around Wait List Capacity

Combined Section Tips

  • Primary Subject: Notify secondary subject(s) to update the "Wait Cap" on the "Update Sections of a Class" page.

  • To assist with managing combined section wait lists, use this page: Curric & Enroll Rep WorkCenter, Identify Combined Sections. Search using "Term," and for the Description, change the search parameter to "contains" and enter the subject’s short description in all caps. 

  • Remember to review each section to see if there really are seats available.

Notes 

  • If a Wait List value has been added to a section, it is the responsibility of the department/subject to monitor and manage. 
  • Granting Wait List permission in “Manage Wait List” sends the permission to the “Class Permissions” page. Students still have to enroll on their own.
  • The permission generated by the wait list will not have the "Requisites Not Met" box checked. If you want to allow the student to enroll from the wait list without meeting the class requisites, you will need to manually check this box on their permission in the "Class Permissions" page.

Manage Wait List Page

Step 1 

From Home, select: Curric & Enroll Rep WorkCenter > Update Sections of a Class. The Find page will display.

Tip: Menu navigation: > Curriculum Management > Schedule of Classes > Update Sections of a Class.

Step 2 

Use the Find page to locate the subject area whose wait list you want to manage and select "Search." The specified subject's wait-list-eligible list of courses display.

Manage Wait List Landing Page Example

Note: Combined Seats Available will display a number if this course is combined. A negative Seats Available indicates over-enrolled. Use caution with the values on this landing page; they take into consideration the course as a whole and don't give insight into section-specific availability.

Step 3

If a student is on a wait list, the value in the "Count" column is an active link; select “Count” for a specific course wait list you want to review. The Wait List Manager will display.

Note: Combined sections will display all subject’s wait lists.

Wait List Manager Landing Page Example

Step 4

If you want to give a student permission to enroll:

Note: "Permission Expiration Date" defaults to two days from now and reverts back to this if you Change or Delete or leave the page.

    1. If a different "Permission Expiration Date" is desired, enter a new date.

    2. Based on your needs, do one of the following:

      • To allow one student to enroll, select their "ADD" link.
      • To allow multiple students to enroll, check their "Select to Add" box and then select "Add Selected."
      • To allow all students to enroll, select "Select All to Add" and then select "Add Selected."
    3. Select "Yes" to the "Are you sure" message.
    4. Automatically, the student is granted a permission in the Class Permissions page that expires as indicated and a comment is added. The student is notified via email to enroll and you are emailed a copy. A sample email is included at the bottom of this document.

If you want to extend an expired permission:

Note: The Extend Permission Date column and Extend link will only display if a previously granted wait list permission expired.

  1. If a different "Permission Expiration Date" is desired, enter the new date.
  2. Select “Extend.”
  3. Select "Yes" to the "Are you sure" message.
  4. Automatically, the student’s original permission is entered to expire as indicated and a new comment is added. The student is notified via email to enroll and you are emailed a copy.

If you want to delete a student from the wait list:

  1. Based on your needs do one of the following:

    • To remove one student, select their "Delete" link.
    • To remove multiple students, check their "Select to Delete" box and then select "Delete Selected."
    • To remove all students, select "Select All to Delete" and then select "Delete Selected."
  2. Select "Yes" to the "Are you sure" message.
  3. The student and you receive an email. A sample email is included at the bottom of this document.

Note: If an error regarding a hold displays, contact Curricular Services to delete.

If you want to change a student’s wait list position by section:

  1. Select “Change.”
  2. Type the "New Student Position" number.
  3. Select "Change Order."

If you want to view all student’s wait-listed classes:

  1. Select the student's linked "Name."
  2. Close View Wait List by Student when you're done.

If you want to view classes a student's already enrolled in:

  1. If you have access, right click on the red triangle in the "Campus ID" column.
  2. Select Enrollment Detail.
  3. View this student’s enrolled, waiting, or dropped course sections.
  4. When you're done, close the newly opened tab.

If you want to view class detail:

  1. Select "Section" link.
  2. Select “Return to Wait List Manager” when you're done.

If you want to view a student’s major(s):

  1. If you have access, right click on the red triangle in the "Acad Plan" column.
  2. Select Acad Prog Summary.
  3. View this student’s current declarations.
  4. When you're done, close the newly opened tab.

If you want to view wait listed student’s Email address:

Select the "Email" tab at top of page.

If you want to view Wait List Audit page:

  1. Select the "Wait List Audit" button.
  2. Close the Wait List Audit when you're done.

Sample "Add" and "Extend" Wait List Student Email 

As mentioned above, when a student receives permission to enroll from the wait list, they receive an automatically generated email communication. You will also receive a copy of the communication. If you're a staff member and aren't receiving the email notification, please email registrar@em.wisc.edu to ask for troubleshooting assistance. There may be an email setting that needs attention.

Subject: Enroll from the waitlist for MATH 240 by Jan. 1.

[Student Name],

You can now enroll in this Spring 2022‐2023 wait‐listed class — MATH 240 (332): “Intro to Discrete Mathematics” (class
number 74179).

This permission will expire at 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 1.

*Decided not to take this class?

Please remove this class from your wait list via Course Search & Enroll. This can help other wait‐listed students get
permission faster.

*How to enroll in this class

Note: If enrolling in this class would cause you to exceed your maximum allowed credits for a term, you’ll need to swap
with one of your currently enrolled classes. Depending on your academic program, adding another class may change
your tuition assessment. Please contact the Bursar’s Office with questions about tuition adjustments
(bursar.wisc.edu/tuition‐and‐fees/tuition‐adjustment).

  1. Log into Course Search & Enroll (enroll.wisc.edu)
  2. Go to your “Wait list” list in the “My Courses” tab and select the appropriate term
  3. Select the checkbox for the class
  4. Select the “Enroll” button.
  5. Review your “Enrolled” list to confirm that you have successfully enrolled

Questions? Please reply to this email for further assistance.

Sample "Delete" Wait List Student Email 

As mentioned above, when a student is deleted from the wait list, they receive an automatically generated email communication. You will also receive a copy of the communication. If you're a staff member and aren't receiving the email notification, please email registrar@em.wisc.edu to ask for troubleshooting assistance. There may be an email setting that needs attention.

Subject: Removed from Wait List, Spring 2022-2023

[Student Name], you have been removed from the wait list for MATH 240 332 (74179), Intro to Discrete Mathematics, Spring 2022-2023.

You are no longer under consideration to enroll for this section. Please reply to this message if you have any questions.

See Also


Keywords:
drop, sis (SIS), wait (waitlist, wait list) 
Doc ID:
16160
Owned by:
Paul O. in Office of the Registrar
Created:
2010-12-07
Updated:
2024-06-18
Sites:
DoIT Help Desk, Office of the Registrar