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Criteria:

• Undergraduate students
• A degree has not been conferred since the petitioned semester
• Requests are for a full-term withdrawal; the following are considered terms:
  • Fall
  • Spring
  • Each Summer Session
  • Winter Session

Retroactive withdrawal requests are only eligible in the case of unforeseen extenuating circumstances that prevented a student from withdrawing during the petitioned semester:

• Debilitating health problems (mental or physical)
• Family emergencies (such as death of a parent/guardian)Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý
• Unexpected financial difficulties (such as parent/guardian losing their employment, housing insecurity, legal challenges)

The following are not acceptable stand-alone reasons for petitioning:

• Poor performance in class
• GPA protection
• Failure to verify class schedule
• Failure to monitor waitlist position
• Change of major or program that results in a course no longer being a requirement
• Failure to attend/participate in class on a regular basis
• Failure to abide by withdrawal deadlines

Appeals and Academic Sanctions:

A petition for a retroactive withdrawal is not a Grade Appeal, an appeal of a decision a college/school/program may have previously provided (such as for a Late Drop Petition), or an appeal of academic sanctions applied as part of Honor Code procedures.Ìý

For students who would like to appeal a grade, lodge a complaint, or submit a grievance, please visit the Campus Policies website for guidance.

An approved retroactive withdrawal of a semester will not change grades documented as a result of an academic sanction.Ìý For information on the Honor Code procedures, please visit the Student Conduct & Conflict Resolution office’s Honor Code website.

For assistance navigatingÌýthese considerations, the Ombuds Office is a helpful resource.
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Retroactive Withdrawal and COVID-19

COVID-19Ìýhas brought about unprecedented changes and challenges, and the University has continued to adapt its efforts in providing students options to succeed academically.ÌýThe committee will consider all additional resources and exceptions provided by the University during COVID- 19 in their deliberations. These include, but are not limited to, extended withdrawal deadlines, pass/fail options, and incompletes granted by professors.

Students who dealt with unforeseen circumstances such as severe health problems, family emergencies, and financial difficulties and are requesting a full-term withdrawal remain eligible to use this process, as long as they submit a thorough personal statement and supporting documentation.ÌýCiting stressors from the pandemic with no documentation, changes in class format, or challenges with a virtual learning environment will not be acceptable stand-alone reasons for petitioning.ÌýAs always, documentation should convey both the occurrenceÌýandÌýimpact of the challenges faced during the term requested.

1. Connect with your academic advisor or coach to discuss considerations:

Academic advisors and academic coaches are an extremely helpful resource in determining if a retroactive withdrawal is the right process for you. Be sure to use them as a resource when drafting your petition as they can help guide you through the process and work with you to help make your petition stronger.Ìý They can also help you determine how this process might impact your degree progress, graduation timeline, and academic standing. Lastly, they can connect you with other campus resources that would aid you on your path to future success such as CAPS, Disability Services, SSCM, and more.
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2. Research the petition process (finish reviewing content on this page)
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3. Review the online petition form questions and gather supporting documentation to support your reasoning:

• Which semester(s) are you petitioning?
• Please provide specific and detailed information about how your circumstances affected your coursework.
• If you are petitioning for multiple semesters, explain why you were successful in some semesters versus other semesters.
• If you are petitioning for multiple semesters, explain why you continued to enroll despite your ongoing circumstances.
• Why did you not withdraw at the time?
• What have you been doing to ensure success since the term(s) when you had these challenges?
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4. Draft a thoughtful statement that clearly provides the relevant details and important dates:

A well-written personal statement should be highly detailed with references to the supporting documents submitted, chronological, and well-organized. When all questions on the form are completed, a typical submission is roughly one or two pages. It’s helpful to get feedback from your academic advisor; if you have been away from campus