The MRR is the Maximum Residency Rule of the university. The maximum residency is the time the University allows its students to finish a program. For the Associate in Arts program, the maximum residency is 7 years from the first enrollment. Beyond 7 years, the student is dropped from the rolls.
Seven years is actually more than enough time to finish you AA program, which can be finished within 2 years, if you always take full load (12 units) every term. If you are at half load (6 units), you should finish it within 4 years. If you take 3 units during some terms, you will still be able to finish it within 7 years. In other words, unless you absent yourself from the program for year/s at a time, the 7 year rule should not be an issue.
Does the MRR account for terms when the student did not enroll any course, was on LOA, or AWOL? The MRR takes into account whether you enrolled or did not enroll in any term within your 7 year allowance. It counts all enrolled periods (with courses and residency) and all terms you were AWOL. It does not count the times you were on LOA.
If I was absent for years (as mentioned), and have exceeded the maximum residency for AA, what are my options?
Request that the MRR be waived on your favor. This is only good if you have less than 36 units to go. Be aware that you are actually asking the Dean to bend the rules on your behalf. As such, much grovelling and justifying is required from your end.
To do this, you need two things:
- A very good reason for not being able to finish AA within 7 years, and
- A Plan of Study which shows that you will finish the AA within 3 terms, which is about as much as the University will allow you to stay on.
The first one is really up to you, the second one you will ask your program chair to check first before submitting.
When you have both requirements on hand, request for a Waiver of the Maximum Residency Rule by writing to the Dean of the Faculty of Education. Your request letter should include the following information*:
- An explicit request to have your MRR waived;
- An account of why you went over your maximum residency requirement;
If there are gaps in your enrollment (years/terms you did not enroll, AWOL or LOA), an explanation for these gaps;
- A justification for why you deserve to have your MRR waived. (Saying that you really want to finish the course is a good start, but not sufficient.)
- Documentation that can support your narrative (for example, medical certificates, employment certificates); if your reasons involve medical ones, try to get a medical certificate or letter from a government doctor or hospital
- An updated Plan of Study,
- Your intended graduation date.
Be professional, concise, and direct in your letter.
Email your signed and scanned request letter to fed@upou.edu.ph, cc the AA mailer at aa-program-chair@upou.edu.ph. You will need to submit a Readmission/Waiver of MRR Form and pay the corresponding (small) fee. Your request will go through the Records Section of the OUR, the Faculty Office, the Program Chair, the Faculty Secretary, and finally the Dean. This is why some lead time is required.
Wait for advise of the Faculty of Education staff (whether your request was approved or not) for the next steps that you should take.
Through all of this, do remember that we will do our best (within reason and within policy boundaries) to help you.
Goodluck!
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*lifted from the BAMS Perpetual Beta Initiative article "Requesting for an extension to your Maximum Residency Requirement (MRR)", accessed on 5 August 2019.