Directions for Processing Declarations of Majors, Minors, and Concentrations
rev August 2014

Login at
This form is linked off the Department Chair’s webpage under Academic Affairs.

Approving or deferring declarations

  1. Select “Manage Student Pending Requests.” You will see only those requests that still require your attention.
  2. Before proceeding, you may wish to have the Departmental Analysis for each student. Departmental secretaries can print these. Departmental secretaries can also provide information on the number of advisees already assigned to each faculty member in the program.
  3. Click on “Review Request”
  4. If you do not wish to approve the declaration, click “Not Approved.”
  5. Explain why the declaration is not approved in the Details box. Note that this message will go to both the student and the Registrar.
  6. If you wish, you may assign a new advisor even though you have not approved the declaration.
  7. You do not type in the Last Reviewed boxes. The computer tracks that automatically.
  8. Click Save. You can come back later if needed.
  9. You will now have the ability to “Finalize & Send.” Click there, take one last look at the declaration. Click “Finalize.”
  10. You also have the option to “Hold for Future Review.”
  11. This option should be used when the student lacks information or a credential that can be obtained in a reasonable amount of time. For example, you might choose this option if the student needs a portfolio review or needs to complete a course. You probably do not want to use this option if the student cannot resolve the issue within a semester.
  12. Explain why the declaration cannot be approved at this time in the Details box. Please be specific about what the student must do or with whom the student must meet.
  13. Select a Next Review Date when you will review the student’s status again.
  14. If you wish, you may assign a new advisor even though you have not approved the declaration. An advisor may help the student complete missing credentials.
  15. You do not type in the Last Reviewed boxes. The computer tracks that automatically.
  16. Click Save. You can come back later if needed.
  17. You will now have the ability to “Finalize & Send.” Click there, take one last look at the declaration. Click “Finalize.”
  18. If you wish to approve the declaration, click “Approved”
  19. Select the year of the catalog that corresponds to the requirements for this student. Usually that will be the current year, unless you are allowing an earlier set of requirements.
  20. Select an advisor.
  21. Select a template. This will cause a list of required courses to populate the screen.
  22. WAIT, WAIT until the template list of courses displays before continuing.
  23. You do NOT need to note which courses the student has already completed or which course from a list of options the student will use.
  24. If the student has no known substitutions and is not a transfer student, just click Save.
  25. For transfer students, please look carefully at transfer units in the major. Specify how the transferred units count in the new major by clicking on “Add course exception/equivalency” next to an item in the list of required courses. Click “Add Association.” When all done, click Save.
  26. IF you are going to allow any other substitutions, click on “Add course exception/equivalency” next to the course that the student will not take and enter the substitution you are authorizing. Click “Add Association.” When all done, click Save.
  27. You do NOT need to type in whether the student has already satisfied a requirement. You do NOT need to note which course out of a list of options the student has or plans to use.
  28. You do not type in the Last Reviewed boxes. The computer tracks that automatically.
  29. If you have completed all required elements (Catalog year, Advisor, Course List), you will now have the ability to “Finalize & Send.” Click there. Take one last look at the declaration to ensure correct advisor and course list.
  30. Click “Finalize”

Review Finalized Requests
This option allows you to see the declarations of all students managed through this electronic system.

Manage Program Templates
This option allows you to create new templates or modify existing ones.

  1. To modify an existing template, select it from the list. You can change its name, remove required courses, edit any of the individual requirements, add new required courses, change the order of the requirements, or delete the template entirely.
  2. To create a new template, you can either copy and modify an existing template or start a new one from scratch. To start from scratch, select “Add New Blank Template” from the ribbon at the top of this page. To modify an existing template, select “Copy,” then re-name and modify. You may wish to have multiple templates if you change requirements but plan to allow some students to continue to declare under the old requirements.

Manage Program Coordinators
This option is available only to department chairs. If the chair wishes, another faculty member may be designated to approve declarations. The computer system must run an overnight update to put the new coordinator into the system. When a chair designates a coordinator, both will be notified of new requests for declarations. Either may act on any pending request. Please ensure clear communication concerning individual responsibilities for acting on requests.

Need to amend a declaration?
As in the past, chairs may authorize changes in major declarations by simply emailing Registrar Leah Russell.