The University implemented a new system last month to alert students of their registration holds before they sign up for spring classes. Students will be automatically informed of any holds when they log on to their student accounts on the myGW Portal, GW’s primary information Web site.

Holds, prompted by unattended meetings with advisors, academic requirements, immunizations and financial debt to the University, prohibit students from registering for classes until they are lifted from a student’s record. Students are also prevented from receiving transcripts or graduating until holds are erased.

Before the alert system was implemented on Oct. 26, students had to search for their holds on their personal accounts, which are accessible through the GWeb information system.

Holds will appear under a section titled “My Action Items” at the top of the myGW window. The page allows students to click on each item to read information about the hold. The system will also alert students when the hold has been removed.

“My Action Items” will also notify students of issues with housing selection, financial aid awards, student accounts and other personalized information.

Peter Konwerski, assistant to the senior vice president of Student and Academic Support Services, said the system will improve student customer service. SASS and Information Services and Systems created the new feature.

“Our goal is to communicate as early as possible with students to notify and remind them (of their holds),” he said. “A lot of times students have been ready to register and have not realized they had a hold, so they couldn’t.”

Konwerski expects the new system to ease the registration process. Registration, which was delayed a week because of scheduling complications, begins Nov. 17 for undergraduate students (see p.1).

“The average student might take for granted that they need to take care of this … For example, they might have a hold from last spring that they forgot about. Now we can remind them around registration time,” Konwerski said. “This should make it easier to handle, and make sure that students get their business taken care of.”

Some students said they have been forced to register for classes after their assigned date because they were unaware of holds. Registering late limits class and scheduling choices.

“The second semester of my freshman year, I had a hold on my account by mistake. I couldn’t register and had to wait until it was lifted,” senior Caroline Huggins said. “The new system clued me in to the advising hold I have now. I probably wouldn’t have realized I had it without it.”

Senior Evan Dean said the new alert system will make registration easier this year.

“Last spring, I had two holds. I took care of the advising hold, but I had another one put on for account charges. I lost three days of registration while I ran around trying to get it taken care of,” he said. “I’ve seen (the alert system), and I think it is a really good idea. I won’t get taken by surprise now.”