Residency waiver fee payment means no cornerstone (TESU)

[longtermstudent]

This was brought up in a thread about my plan to get a BSBA at tesu (now liberal studies, cause.... easier). With the advice of jsd, so that more people could be aware and maybe share if they have been told the same thing I will copy and paste this wall of text:

On the topic of the residency waiver and not taking the cornerstone. I was speaking with an advisor and figuring out what I needed to do and mentioned the cornerstone course. He said I would not need to take it if I paid the residency waiver prior to graduation. I had not seen anything on the TESU website about this, so I asked him where I could find it. He couldn't find it either. He told me to ask the registar to confirm in writing via email.

I emailed the registar this:

"I was told by an academic advisor that if I intend to pay the residency waiver that I would not need to take the cornerstone course TES-100? I am sending this message to verify this."

My response was:

"(My name), you are correct. If you pay the $2,000 Residency Waiver Fee, the 1 credit TES-100 is not required. Best wishes, Elaine Scheff "

I brought up the issue again when on the phone with an advisor due to the fact I am a little paranoid and if I can't find it on the website I feel a bit insecure on the matter. It was confirmed again. Some time goes on and I decided to switch to liberal studies as it would greatly accelerate my degree completion based on what I have taken. I talk to another advisor, bring up the cornerstone again, he says that I would not need to take it since I will be paying the residency waiver. I send this email to academicadvising@tesu.edu:

"I would like to change my major from BSBA in General Management to Liberal Studies. I would like to keep the BSBA in General Management as a potential degree. Also, I would like to confirm I do not need to take the cornerstone course if I plan to pay the residency waiver."

I get this in response:

"I have changed your degree program to BA Liberal Studies and left the BSBA Gen Man as a potential. Also, as long as you pay the residency waiver fee you will not have to take the cornerstone course unless you want to."

So, I have it in writing from both advising and the registars office that I would not have to take the cornerstone course if I pay the residency waiver fee. However, I am still a bit concerned about it due to the fact at the very latest I would have to schedule it in october if this proved to be false and it not being on the website anywhere I can find. I really would like to meet my goal of a March 2017 conferral and the sooner I wrap up all my work the earlier I can start to benefit from saying I have a completed degree (finally).

If anyone else could confirm that they have heard the same thing, feel free. Again, I find it odd that it is not on the website.