Departments are authorized to cancel courses with enrollments below the following minimums (by level of instruction):

Lower Division:  25 students
Upper Division:  15 students (includes slash courses)
Graduate Level:  6 students

These minima do not apply to blanket number courses or to Honors College courses.The minima apply to the total number of students in combined sections taught concurrently; for example, cross-listed courses, a single course being simultaneously delivered to multiple sites, or separate courses or sections taught in the same classroom or laboratory by the same instructor at the same time.Compliance with this policy should ideally be achieved by studying historical enrollments and then making appropriate modifications (e.g. making scheduling decisions based on documented student needs). Every effort should be made to cancel underenrolled classes well before the start of classes; no classes should be canceled under the provisions of this policy after the day following the first meeting of class. The Office of the Registrar will not monitor section enrollment for compliance with this policy or automatically cancel sections with enrollment.

When a class is cancelled by the unit/department, students will receive an automated email from the Office of the Registrar announcing the cancellation after the student has been dropped. In addition, the department, college, or instructor must also notify students of the cancellation and include a list of available sections of the same course as well as information about course alternatives. Ideally this notification would be sent by the unit prior to the Office of the Registrar automated email.

The authority to make exceptions to minimum class sizes will rest with the deans; however, deans may choose to delegate such decisions to their department chairs. Colleges may establish minima that are larger than those established for the university by this policy. Grounds for exemptions to minima include, but are not limited to:

  • The specific course is required for an academic major or minor and its cancellation would impede the timely progress of students toward completion of a degree.
  • The course provides a valuable opportunity to experiment with the development of course content or pedagogical methods.
  • The department has good reason to expect that in the last days of registration remaining, the course enrollment will meet or exceed minimum class size.
  • The course has fees specifically associated with it that are sufficient, at the actual enrollment, to cover the costs of offering the course.
Approved By Date
Alix Gitelman, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Senior Vice Provost 11/02/2022
President Ray 03/06/2010