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 and with the approval of the dean of the college in which the student is enrolled. In any case the student must initiate a formal request for withdrawal through the college or 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.
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.
The University does not require that the student justify any course withdrawal completed before the end of the tenth week. Beginning the eleventh week, the student must give evidence of extenuating circumstances to justify withdrawal from a course. Avoidance of an undesirable grade does not justify withdrawal. The request for withdrawal approval in this situation must be submitted with a written explanation of the extenuating circumstances and any appropriate documentation to the dean of the college in which the student is enrolled, and it is the duty of the dean to verify that the circumstances justify withdrawal from a course. In addition, students participating in certain programs must secure approval or give adequate notification to the appropriate officers of these programs. 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.
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.