Academic Petition Policy 

I. Purpose

The purpose of the Academic Petition Policy is to establish a consistent procedure by which students may petition the associate provost for undergraduate studies or the associate provost for curriculum (for graduate students) to use any of the following procedures past the established deadline for doing so:

  • add a class (deadline: day 10)
  • drop a class (deadline: day 10)
  • audit a class (deadline: day 10)
  • withdraw from a class (deadline: last day of class)
  • change a class to pass/no pass (deadline: last day of class)
  • request an Incomplete grade for a class (deadline: Last day of class)
  • academic petition pursuant to this policy

Please note the following:

  • The deadlines above are approximate. Please consult the academic calendar for specific dates.
  • This policy does not apply to students who intend to withdraw from ALL their classes.
  • Students may ONLY choose to take two courses per academic year on a pass/no pass basis. Courses elected with a pass/no pass option will not count toward requirements in the major/minor/concentration (unless such courses are required to be so graded).
  • Courses taken for a pass/no pass grade do not count as “graded credits” for Dean’s List purposes. For more information, see the academic catalog.

II. Grounds for petition

The policy recognizes that there may be extenuating circumstances that may cause a student to miss a deadline to use one of these procedures. A student may petition a decision of the associate provost for undergraduate studies or the associate provost for curriculum (for graduate students) to use one of the above procedures after the deadline, on any of the following grounds:

  • death or serious illness of an immediate family member
  • medical emergency for self or dependent
  • student is receiving Title IX accommodations
  • unforeseen military orders
  • other extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control

The following are not grounds for petition under this policy:

  • a student’s work schedule
  • being mistaken about the deadline
  • ongoing mental or physical health issues (student should take action before the deadline as these issues have been ongoing throughout the semester)
  • receiving a failing grade after the deadline
  • realizing after the deadline that the student is not going to pass the class or to earn the desirable grade

The burden of demonstrating that there are grounds for a petition rests with the student. The deadline for any such petition is one week after the last experience of the class during the semester in which the procedure would be applied. It is the student’s responsibility to submit the paperwork in order that this deadline is met. Failure to meet this deadline is grounds for denial of the petition.

III. Procedure for petition

A student should first read the complete petition policy before petitioning one of the above actions after the deadline (to petition, click here). Students should then contact their advisor to discuss their request. Advisor support is required for all petitions. Petitions will be reviewed by advisor and the associate provost and may be granted. If granted, they will be submitted to the Registrar's office for processing.

Because all petitions are not granted, students should be sure to do their best to comply with posted deadlines, as petitions are to be used only as a last resort for situations beyond the students’ control.

In all petitions, the decision of the associate provost for undergraduate studies or the associate provost for curriculum (for graduate students) is final. Appeals of the associate provost’s decision may be considered by the provost only on the grounds that the procedure described in this policy was not followed or that substantive new information that was not reasonably available at the time of the petition has since become available and may change the outcome of the final decision.

IV. Responsible official

The official responsible for administering this policy is the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies or the Associate Provost for Curriculum (for graduate students).

V. History

Last Updated: August 2022; June 2023.
 

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