402.5 Internet-Only/eLearning Policy for Purpose of Tuition & Fees

Date Adopted: 8/12/2008
Date Revised: 
Date Last Reviewed: 01/16/2024
References: BOR Policy 940.20
Issuing Office: Administration and Finance
Approved By: Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance

1. Policy

   The University of Montana Western will follow all applicable Montana University System (MUS) Board of Regents (BOR) for Internet Only/eLearning (IO/EL) students.

2. Purpose

   The purpose of this policy is to set forth characteristics used to identify or define Montana Western’s IO/EL students, and outline the associated eligibility procedures.

3. Procedures

   1. Definitions

      1. eLearning Courses – An eLearning course at Montana Western is a Web-based, state supported, academic credit bearing course, with minimal face to face contact with faculty. Extension or Self-Supporting courses and non-credit bearing courses are excluded. Any local or remote campus-based course which requires a face to face meeting with the faculty or course instructor is not considered to be an eLearning course.
      2. Internet Only/eLearning student – An IO/EL student is defined as one taking eLearning courses only, and who has declared to the Registrar and Financial Aid that they are an Internet Only/eLearning student. Certain fees will be waived for IO/EL students, and their ability to register will be limited to eLearning courses. Additionally, individuals who meet the following criteria cannot be IO/EL students:
         • Students who accept Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) scholarships.
         • Any student, regardless of residency status, who resides in the 59725 zip code locality. This includes UMW residence halls.
      3. Term – A term is a full Fall, Spring or Summer session, not an individual block.

   2. The following procedures apply:

      1. Montana Western assumes students are not IO/EL unless otherwise informed. Students must petition to change their status to IO/EL. Request To Change Student Information petitions must be received and date-stamped by 5:00 p.m. prior to the first day of the term.
      2. Students classified as IO/EL students at the beginning of a term will maintain that status throughout the term. IO/EL students will not be allowed to add normal courses during the term or retroactively.
      3. Students initially classified as non-IO/EL during the term will not be re-classified to Internet Only/eLearning during the term nor will they receive an adjustment in fees, even if they are taking only eLearning courses during that term.
      4. Prior to the start of a term, a student can petition to change their IO/EL status by filling out a Request to Change Student Information Form.
      5. Fees waived are available via UMW Business Services, the campus website, or the campus Catalog.
      6. The Vice Chancellor for Administration & Finance, the Registrar, and the Dean of Outreach will jointly determine if a course is to be defined as eLearning prior to the start of the term. Course status (eLearning or not) cannot be changed within the term.

4. Authority

   BOR Policy 940.20

5. Responsibility

   Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance, Dean of Outreach, Director of Financial Aid, Registrar