Student Holds Policy

Owner	Student Affairs
Document Type	Policy
Last Review	August 6, 2025
Related Documents	Consolidated Billing Policy

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Holds on student accounts can effectively prompt student action to satisfy a requirement, but they can also create barriers to enrollment, retention, and graduation. This policy establishes requirements for the creation, maintenance, and elimination of holds across Ferris State University.

The University Holds Committee is comprised of the following departmental representatives or their designees:

• Academic Senate Faculty Member
• Dean of Student Life
• Director of Academic Advising
• Director of Financial Aid
• Director of Student Academic Affairs
• Director of Student Financial Services
• Director of Graduate Studies
• Member of Student Government Association
• Representative from the Provost’s Office
• Registrar

Any department wishing to create a new hold must submit a request through the University Holds Committee. After committee review, the unit will be notified in writing whether the request has been approved or denied within two weeks.

A hold request may be denied under the following circumstances:

• The hold creates an unnecessary barrier for student success.
• A similar hold already exists.
• The hold is being requested for tracking purposes only. Other tools such as student attributes are available for tracking.
• Insufficient plan to add, remove, and maintain student holds.
• Other concerns expressed by the University Holds Committee.

If a hold request is denied, the committee will provide a rationale as well as recommended alternatives.

When a request is made for a new hold where a similar hold already exists, the unit will be asked to utilize the existing hold, but a new reason code can be created if necessary.

Holds that are approved will be created in the student information system by the Registrar’s Office. Holds that are denied can be appealed in writing to the University Dean’s Council.

All requests must include:

1. Student-friendly and contact information to be listed on the holds including:
   1. Hold Name:
   2. Hold Function:
   3. Hold Impact:
   4. Hold Removal Process:
2. Justification as to why the hold is necessary.
3. An outreach plan to communicate both with current and former students about holds.
4. A plan on how the unit will follow up with those who have outstanding holds and need to take action to resolve them.
5. A process to identify and appropriately remove any holds that are on the accounts of former students in cases where the hold no longer applies.

Departments must perform an annual audit of their holds. The Registrar’s Office will assist units in providing data for these holds. Departments should account for staffing considerations when requesting holds to ensure they can be removed in a timely manner.

The department responsible for a hold may request to discontinue the use of their hold. Eliminating a hold requires contacting the University Holds Committee with justification for why the hold should be discontinued, and what impact this may have on students or university processes. After committee review, the unit will be notified in writing whether the request has been approved or denied within two weeks. If the hold is approved for elimination, existing holds will be purged from the student information system.

Non-compliance with annual hold audit processes by departments may lead to a review of the hold process, as determined by the University Holds Committee.

Students must be afforded the opportunity to appeal a hold. Units must have an appeal process in place.

Financial holds are permitted when in compliance with the Consolidated Billing Policy.

Non-financial holds must have an end date associated with them to ensure they lapse automatically. (Example: If there is an advising hold for a semester, it should lapse after the add/drop deadline for the term).

For further information, contact the Registrar’s Office.