The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 requires that universities make available to current and prospective students important information concerning each institution’s academic programs, retention rates, graduation rates, crime reports, financial aid procedures and more in an effort to ensure fairness and transparency for all higher education consumers. The University of West Alabama is committed to providing prospective students, students, their families and the community full disclosure of all consumer information as required by state and federal law.
The laws are intended to satisfy an individual’s right to know and afford the opportunity to make fully informed choices regarding the institutions being reviewed. The University of West Alabama has developed this page to serve as the central portal for obtaining necessary information about our institution. It is our hope that this concerted effort to provide this data will allow all individuals to access the information they need to make the best college decision possible for them and their future.
Additional information can be found in our Student Handbook and Academic Catalogues.
Contact Information for Consumer Information Inquiries
UWA designates an employee or group of employees who are available on a full-time basis to assist enrolled or prospective students in obtaining consumer information.
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General Institutional Information
UWA offers services to students with disabilities, including those with intellectual disabilities. Students should visit with Student Advocacy for more information.
Find more information about the Americans with Disabilities act here: Americans with Disabilities Act.
Find information about Copyright Infringement Policies and Sanctions here: Copyright Infringement Policies and Sanctions.
UWA Discloses the accrediting bodies that approve the institution for postsecondary education here: Accreditations.
Information regarding program accreditations, approvals, or licensure can be found on the respective webpages of the following colleges and divisions:
College of Business
College of Education
College of Liberal Arts
College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
College of Nursing
Division of Engineering Technology
UWA’s required information is posted to the College Navigator website here: College Navigator.
UWA makes available information regarding student body diversity, including the percentage of enrolled, full-time students in the following categories:
- Male
- Female
- Self-identified members of a major racial or ethnic group
- Federal Pell Grant recipients
Learn more about Student Body Diversity here: Office of Institutional Effectiveness & Strategic Planning
and here: Fast Facts.
Learn more about The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act here: Students Rights and Records.
Academic Programs
Find a list of undergraduate and graduate programs here: Programs.
UWA discloses current degree programs and other educational and training programs, instructional, laboratory, and other physical plant facilities that relate to those academic programs, Faculty and other instructional personnel and any plans by the school for improving the academic program [if determined by the school that such a plan exists].
Licensure disclosures by state for all relevant UWA programs are available at State Authorization: NC-SARA. The University of West Alabama participates in NC-SARA, which allows UWA to offer distance education in participating states.
Access the UWA Faculty and Staff Directory here: Directory.
Find UWA’s Instructional Facilities here: Campus map.
Transfer credit evaluations are conducted in the Office of the Registrar. The evaluation process begins after a student is admitted as a degree seeking student to the university or has completed the reactivation process if a returning UWA student.
Find Information about our Transfer of Credit Policy here: Transfer of Credit Policy.
Articulation agreements are formalized transfer partnerships that outline the curricular relationship between an accredited institution and UWA. These agreements are intended to facilitate the seamless transfer of credit and reduce credit loss between partnering institutions. Seamless transfer of credit is best articulated by aligning program to program curricular requirements between institutions.
Find information about Transfer Partnerships & Equivalencies here: Transfer Partnerships & Equivalencies.
UWA has written arrangements with domestic and foreign institutions to assist students in increasing their educational opportunities.
Student Financial Assistance
Financial aid programs available to students attending UWA are distributed through the following UWA published documents:
- UWA Catalogue
- UWA Website
- External Resources posted on the UWA website
Financial Aid funds may be categorized into four basic sources: federal, state, institutional, and private. Learn more about financial aid here: Financial Aid.
UWA discloses the cost of attendance at the institution each year here: Cost of Attendance.
Learn about eligibility requirements here: Applying for Financial Aid.
Specific aid applications (i.e., loan applications for Direct Student Loans and scholarship applications) describe eligibility requirements.
Students may obtain criteria used for selecting financial aid recipients and determining award amounts by making an appointment with a Financial Aid Administrator.
The University of West Alabama (UWA) ensures that current and prospective students have ready access to the procedures and forms necessary to apply for financial assistance. These resources are made available through multiple channels:
University Catalogs: The UWA Graduate and Undergraduate Catalogs, which include information on financial aid policies and application procedures, are accessible online here: Academic Catalogs.
Direct Communications: Students receive pertinent information through various forms of direct correspondence, including email, text messages, and UWA Announcements.
Aid-Specific Applications: Applications for specific types of aid (such as Federal Direct Loans and scholarships) include detailed eligibility requirements and application instructions.
Financial Aid Website Content: Comprehensive information on financial aid, including forms, deadlines, and procedural guidance, is readily available on UWA’s Financial Aid web pages.
Federal Financial Aid Available to UWA Students Includes:
State Financial Aid Available to UWA Students Includes:
Institutional and Local Financial Aid Available to UWA Students Includes:
Private Financial Aid Available to UWA Students Includes:
Find information about Satisfactory Academic Progress here: Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.
Students receiving financial aid at the University of West Alabama (UWA) have certain rights and responsibilities. It is important that students understand both in order to successfully navigate the financial aid process.
Student Rights
Students have the right to know:
The financial aid programs available at UWA.
The application procedures required to be considered for financial aid.
The criteria used to determine eligibility, select recipients, and calculate financial need.
UWA’s refund and repayment policies.
The institutional policies regarding satisfactory academic progress for financial aid recipients.
The special facilities and services available to students with disabilities.
Student Responsibilities
Students are responsible for:
Completing all required forms accurately and submitting them by the published deadlines.
Providing any additional information or documentation requested by the Financial Aid Office in a timely manner.
Notifying the Financial Aid Office of any changes in personal information, including address, name, marital status, financial situation, or student status.
Reporting any additional financial assistance received from external sources, such as scholarships, loans, fellowships, or other educational benefits.
Informing the Financial Aid Office of any changes in enrollment status (e.g., dropping below full-time enrollment).
Maintaining satisfactory academic progress in accordance with UWA’s policies.
Reapplying for financial aid each academic year.
Financial Aid is disbursed after the last day to drop and add courses each semester. Additional disbursements are routinely scheduled each week. These disbursements are for students whose file was not complete at the time of the initial disbursement of funds.
Learn more here: Refund Information.
UWA discloses the institutional and federal refund policies for students who withdraw from the institution.
Learn more about the treatment of Title IV Aid when a student withdraws here: Enrollment Status & Withdrawal Implications
All students who attend UWA with sufficient financial aid have the ability to charge required books and supplies from the UWA bookstore to their student account. Online students can charge up to 10 days prior to the first day of classes. Campus students can charge up to eight (8) days prior to the first day of classes.
View the policy here:.
Visit the Book Store Website here: UWA Official Bookstore.
Learn more about the Covered Course Materials rental program here: Covered Course Materials.
UWA provides information published by the U.S. Department of Education to students at any time that information regarding loan availability is provided. The publication includes information about rights and responsibilities of students and schools under Title IV, HEA loan programs.
Visit the Department of Education’s website for more information: https://studentaid.gov/.
UWA informs students and parents of loan submission requirements to NSLDS that is accessible to guaranty agencies, lenders, and schools determined to be authorized users of the data system.
Visit the Department of Education’s website for more information: https://studentaid.gov/.
UWA provides comprehensive information on the terms and conditions and the borrowers responsibilities for Federal Direct Loans to first-time borrowers of a Federal Direct Loan.
Information about Entrance Counseling can be found here: Loan Programs.
UWA provides exit counseling with Federal Direct Loan borrowers and graduate or professional student Direct PLUS Loan borrowers shortly before the student borrower ceases at least half-time study at the school.
Information about Exit Counseling can be found here: Loan Programs.
UWA works with lenders to notify students of loan disclosures for those seeking private loan programs to assist with costs. Students are notified of truth in lending act information and given a self-certification form upon request.
Learn more about Private Loan Disclosures here: Loan Programs.
Athletics
UWA prepares and discloses its annual Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act (EADA) report.
Campus Safety & Security
For the safety of our campus community, all students are required to have certain up-to-date immunizations before arriving on campus. As such, all new students must verify their immunization histories.
Find Immunization Information for New Students here: Immunization Information for New Students.
The University of West Alabama is committed to providing a campus environment free of the abuse of alcohol and the illegal use of alcohol and other drugs.
In order to promote a safe and efficient educational as well as work environment, the Drug-Free Campus and Workplace Policy Statement has been adopted to supplement existing University policies, practices and procedures.
Implementation of this policy statement is subject to restrictions contained in all local, state, and federal laws. This policy statement is in compliance with the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act Amendments of 1989.
Learn more about our Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention Program here: Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention Program.
UWA reports and publishes the required security report by October 1 of each year. The report includes Crime Statistics, Timely Warnings and Emergency Notification, Crime Log, and Emergency response and Evacuation Procedures.
View the Annual Safety Reports here: Campus Safety.
UWA reports and publishes the above information in the required security report by October 1 of each year.
View the Annual Safety Reports here: Campus Safety.
UWA reports and publishes the required fire safety and fire log report by October 1 of each year.
View the Annual Safety Reports here: Campus Safety.
Learn about UWA’s hazing policy, how to report incidents, and our commitment to campus safety with the Stop Campus Hazing Act.
Student Outcomes
UWA compiles and submits a report each year with institutional and state information regarding teacher preparation.
See Annual Reporting Measures here (bottom of page).
UWA discloses the graduation rates of degree seeking, or certificate, first-time, full-time undergraduate students by July 1 annually. This information is disaggregated by certain groups of students to maintain compliance.
View Graduation Rates here: Graduation Rates.
UWA makes available to current and prospective students’ information regarding the placement in employment of, and types of employment obtained by, graduates of the school’s degree or certificate programs.
Since UWA advertises job placement rates as a means of recruiting students to enroll, we make job placement rates available to prospective students, at or before the time the prospective student applies for enrollment.
UWA makes information available to current and prospective students’ information regarding the types of graduate and professional education in which graduates of UWA’s 4-year degree programs enroll.
UWA makes retention rate information available to current and prospective students that includes those students who are certificate or degree seeking, first-time, undergraduate students as reported to IPEDS.
View our retention rates here: Enrollment Data.
Institutional Compliance
UWA makes a good faith effort to distribute voter registration forms from the state of Alabama to each student enrolled in a recognized degree/certificate program and who are attending. Forms are made available across campus to students at UWA.
UWA requests the forms from the State at least 120 days prior to the deadline for registering to vote within the State. (No liability is placed on the institution if it has not received enough voter forms to fulfill this requirement within 60 days prior to the deadline for registering to vote).
UWA holds Constitution Day annually on September 17, commemorating the September 17, 1787 signing of the Constitution.
Note: However, when September 17 falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday, Constitution Day shall be held during the preceding or following week.
Recent HEERF Reports
June 2023 HEERF REPORT (00102400_HEERF_Q22023_102023)
March 2023 HEERF REPORT (00102400_HEERF_Q12023_031023)
December 2022 HEERF REPORT (00102400_HEERF_Q42022_011323)
September 2022 HEERF REPORT (00102400_HEERF_Q32022_101022)
June 2022 HEERF REPORT (00102400_HEERF_Q22022_071122)
All Reports Prior to June 2022
Student Portion
March 2022
December 2021
September 2021
June 2021
March 2021
December 2020
September 2020
June 2020
Institutional Portion
December 2021
September 2021
June 2021
March 2021
December 2020
September 2020
In compliance with the Freedom of Speech and Expression Act (Act 2019-396) that was passed by the Alabama Legislature during the 2019 regular legislative session, the University of West Alabama, on behalf of its Board of Trustees, has issued this report, which covers the 12-month period running from August 1, 2023 – July 31, 2024:
(1) The date and description of each violation of the policy adopted pursuant to this act.
There have been no violations of the University’s Policy on Free Speech and Facility Use for the period of August 1, 2023 – July 31, 2024.
(2) A description of the administrative handling and discipline relating to each violation described.
Not applicable.
(3) A description of substantial difficulties, controversies, or successes in maintaining a posture of administrative and institutional neutrality.
The University has always strived to support its faculty, staff, and students in being able to express their thoughts and opinions, thereby ensuring to the fullest extent possible intellectual freedom and free expression across campus. The University also endeavors to remain neutral, as an institution, on the public policy controversies of the day, except as far as administrative decisions on the issues are essential to the day-to-day operations of the University. This year the University has followed these principles in maintaining a posture of administrative and institutional neutrality.
(4) Any assessments, criticism, commendations, or recommendations the Board of Trustees sees fit to include.
The Policy on Free Speech and Facility Use has served the University well by allowing its faculty, staff, and students to take positions on public controversies and engage in protected expressive activity, while maintaining order and the safety of all involved.
Paper copies of any information listed above are available upon request