Non-Academic Withdrawals After Semester Deadlines

Non-Academic Withdrawals After Semester Deadlines

Students who are experiencing a non-academic situation that is affecting their ability to complete courses after the last day to withdraw on their own may request a non-academic withdrawal. The situation must be able to be verified through third-party documentation.

Please see below for the policies and procedure for requesting a non-academic withdrawal.

Exceptions are considered only under exceptional circumstances beyond the student’s control with verifiable, third party documentation. Such documentation is required of all students submitting requests to ensure equity and fairness. No withdrawals can be approved to avoid an unsatisfactory grade. Exceptional circumstances include – but are not limited to – the following:

• Medical Circumstances – Requests for withdrawals due to health or medical circumstances must be supported by relevant, dated medical documentation from the provider of treatment. The documentation must show a substantial medical change that arose unexpectedly after the drop period ended. If a student is seeking a selective course withdrawal, the student must show why the condition has affected that course (or courses) specifically. Otherwise, only a total semester withdrawal would be considered by the committee.
• Employment – Requests for withdrawals due to work-related reasons must be documented by the employer on company letterhead. Only unanticipated and unavoidable changes in employment that occur after the drop date and which result in a direct scheduling conflict with a course (or courses) will be considered. An increased or more stressful workload is not considered a valid reason to request a withdrawal (see the Academic Policy for Academic Load).

To submit a request for a non-academic withdrawal, please do the following as soon as possible:

1. Complete an Academic Action Appeal form explaining your specific request and reasons.
   1. You must include a personal statement explaining the request; please be thorough and use specific dates when explaining things that occurred.
   2. You also need documentation of the extenuating non-academic reason/circumstances that occurred during the semester in which the withdrawals are being requested. (Examples include: doctor’s note/memo, email exchanges with professors, etc.)
2. Delays in submitting requests increase the academic component of the request and can have an adverse effect on the final decision. After 30 days, all undocumented requests are automatically denied.
3. Submit your completed request and supporting documentation to your Exploratory Academic Advisor. Your request will then be reviewed by a committee, and a decision will be emailed to you within 7-10 business days.
4. If courses are ongoing, please continue attending all classes in which you are officially enrolled and complete the required coursework unless you receive written permission for a withdrawal.

Also note the following:

• Any withdrawal will result in a “W” on your permanent record for each of the courses.
• Requests for withdrawals must be submitted within one calendar year of when the courses were taken.  
• Requests for withdrawals do not impact tuition refunds in any way; since tuition insurance is offered, tuition refund exceptions are not considered by Student Accounts.