Through the tenth week of the fall or spring semester, a student may withdraw from any course. After the tenth week, a student may withdraw from a course only under extenuating circumstances with appropriate documentation and approval of the graduate dean. In any case the student must initiate a formal request for withdrawal through the Office of Student Records. Class non-attendance does not constitute withdrawal nor does notification to the instructor. Any student failing to follow the established procedure for withdrawal will continue to be enrolled in the class and may receive a failing grade in that course.
For students whose tuition is paid by the University through graduate assistantships or tuition scholarships, withdrawal from any course or courses that results in a course load below the level specified in their contract for that semester will require the student to reimburse the University for the tuition and fees for the course(s). It is the joint duty of these programs and the Office of Student Records to insure that students participating in these programs are aware of any such requirements.
Recording of Withdrawals
If the withdrawal process is completed during the first two weeks, the withdrawing student's name does not appear on the final rolls of the class from which the student withdrew, and that course does not appear on the student's permanent record. If the withdrawal process is completed after the first two weeks, then the withdrawing student's name will be on the final roll of the class from which the student withdrew, and that course will be recorded on the student's permanent record with a final grade of W. It is the responsibility of the Office of Student Records to inform each instructor in a timely manner (in writing) when a student appearing on the instructor's final class roll withdraws from that course. The University does not use grades of W to compute grade-point averages.
Retroactive Withdrawal Policy
Graduate students may at times experience extraordinary problems during an academic semester. Within two years of having completed such a semester, a student may petition the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies to withdraw retroactively from ALL classes taken during that semester. A retroactive withdrawal is granted only under exceptional circumstances, such as extraordinary medical or personal problems. The petition should include clear and documented evidence whenever possible. If a retroactive withdrawal is granted by the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, the grades for all courses taken during the semester in question will be changed to W's. If a retroactive withdrawal request is denied, the student may appeal to the Graduate Council.
Counseling
Students need to be aware that many potential employers, as well as graduate and professional schools, view an excessive number of W's on a transcript as a flag that the student cannot be counted on to complete demanding projects. Advisors should be informed of this fact and students should be encouraged to discuss with their advisors any plans to withdraw from a course, especially after the first two weeks of the semester.