Retroactive Withdrawals

Please note: Staff are not permitted to discuss any aspect of a student’s retroactive withdrawal or status at the University with anyone outside of the University or with anyone who is not the student (i.e. family member, friend, guardian, etc.) unless a formal FERPA release of information is on file.

In order to be eligible for a retroactive withdrawal, a student must demonstrate satisfactory evidence that they have incurred one of the following that impacted the semester from which they are requesting to withdraw from:

1. A serious injury or illness;
2. Serious personal or family problems;
3. Serious financial difficulties; or
4. Permanent disability verified by the Disability Resource Center and diagnosed after the semester for which the withdrawal is requested.

Completed applications – including all required attachments – must be received within two years from the last day of classes of the semester from which withdrawal is requested AND prior to graduation (note: a student’s status in a course cannot be changed after graduation). Two years is defined as two consecutive periods of 365 days (or 366 if leap year) from the last day of classes for the semester for which the withdrawal is requested.

Appeals are reviewed by the Retroactive Withdrawal Committee each month.  Appeals received by the first of each month will be on the monthly agenda. Appeals received after the first of the month will be placed on the following month's agenda. All decisions will be issued by the end of the month in which the appeal is reviewed.

All students are required to submit a personal statement which should explain:

• Which criteria impacted their academic performance: serious illness, serious personal or family problem, serious financial difficulty, and/or permanent disability verified by DRC and diagnosed after the semester in question
• Why the student did not withdraw during the semester
• If applying for a partial withdrawal, why the criteria did not impact all courses
• Communicate how the situation impacted performance
   

In addition to the required personal statement, students must also provide additional supporting documentation to support their reason for withdrawal.