Forum Post
As members of the WSU Faculty Senate, we wish to raise awareness about the impact of WSU audit enrollment processes on WSU ROAR Scholars. The WSU ROAR Program is a residential, inclusive postsecondary education program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and provides students individualized programs of study in education, vocation, social skills, and independent living through person-centered planning.
While the program is highly successful in its mission, WSU ROAR faces a few challenges from the unintended consequences of audit enrollment processes.
WSU audit enrollments are processed beginning on the first day of classes but can take anywhere from 3 days to 4 weeks to process. If a course is full, the audit enrollment will not be processed until the second or third week of classes to accommodate the waitlist, and it requires department chair approval to override the course enrollment cap. Due to ROAR students’ inability to pre-register, many courses of interest fill up quickly, leaving them unable to enroll. Additionally, audit procedures grant professors the discretion to approve or deny audit requests, meaning that if a student’s request is denied, they must seek an alternative course after classes have already begun.
The Current conditions for ROAR students to enroll has impact on:
Access to Accommodations: ROAR students, due to intellectual and developmental disabilities, benefit from accommodations on or before the first day of classes. Current procedures delay access to certain accommodations because students are not officially enrolled for days or weeks. This includes access to syllabi in advance, course materials on Canvas, and assistive technology such as screen readers. While students can advocate for non-technological accommodations, the inability to utilize essential assistive technology until their enrollment is finalized significantly impacts their academic experience.
Access to WSU Services: Without official enrollment at the beginning of the semester, particularly in the fall, students are not considered active WSU students. As a result, they are unable to access the services their tuition and fees entitle them to, including Cougar Health Services, Counseling and Psychological Services, WSU Libraries, the Access Center, Student Recreation Center, Chinook Student Center, and Meal Plans, among others, until their audit enrollments are processed. Again, it is not uncommon for WSU ROAR scholars to wait 3-4 weeks for their audit enrollments to be finalized.
Access to WSU ROAR Programming and Services: To update students’ Individualized Learning Plans (ILPs) and set goals based on syllabi, we need to confirm course enrollments and gain access to course materials on Canvas. When ROAR students were permitted to register alongside their degree-seeking peers, staff will be able to develop plans and resources ready for implementation in the first week of classes, rather than in weeks two, three, or even four of a 16-week semester.
Planning for Employment: A firm class schedule is essential for students to communicate with employers. Delays in audit enrollment processing result in corresponding delays in securing employment placements.
Limited Access to Programs: Certain courses, such as business, one-on-one music lessons, studio art classes, and some food science courses—are not available for audit. ROAR students are therefore excluded from these opportunities entirely. It remains unclear whether traditional students face these barriers when taking these courses for credit or if these challenges are unique to ROAR students. Clarification on this matter is needed.
Financial Impact: Delays in enrollment also result in delays in the posting of tuition and fees. In some cases, tuition and fees are posted on or after the date late fees are assessed, forcing students and families to either pay or dispute late fees due to processing delays beyond their control. Additionally, delays in processing complicate receipt of student financial aid and payment scheduling.
As awareness is raised here in the forum and through sharing constituent concerns we asking for support in our efforts in seeking early registration for WSU ROAR scholars, alongside their degree-seeking peers and ensure equitable access to academic and campus resources for WSU students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Sincerely,
Johnny Lupinacci, Associate Professor, Cultural Studies and Social Thought in Education
Anne Cox, Professor, Kinesiology
Katy Pietz, Associate Professor, Athletic Training
Chris Lebens, Assistant Professor, Sport Management
Response
Please see the attached memo from the Office of the Provost on Modifications to Administrative Processes related to ROAR students for Fall 2025
Comments
Faculty Exec met with the Provost’s leadership team on October 4 and asked for follow-up to this issue through the Provost’s office. The Provost indicated that he will do so and will also reach out to the registrar to identify solutions.
Thank you all for your work on this issue.