Withdrawal for Extenuating Circumstances

Medical, psychological, and compassionate withdrawals are initiated within Health Services and Counseling Services or at the discretion of the administration based on recommendation. Specific circumstances include:

  1. Withdrawal from classes for medical or psychological circumstance: When an enrolled student experiences illness, injury, or psychological/psychiatric disorders, a student, parent, or guardian may request a medical withdrawal from school. Appropriate documentation must accompany the withdrawal request.
  2. Withdrawal from classes for compassionate circumstance: A student may file a compassionate withdrawal request when extraordinary personal reasons, not related to the student’s personal physical or mental health (for example, care of a seriously ill child or spouse, or a death in the student’s immediate family), prevent the student from continuing in classes.

All withdrawal requests for extenuating circumstances require thorough and credible documentation. While consideration is usually for complete withdrawal, requests for less than a complete withdrawal must be especially well-documented to justify the selective nature of the partial withdrawal.

Health Services or Counseling Services designees, in consultation with the Vice President for Student Affairs, determine the appropriateness of the withdrawal. Students who are granted withdrawals receive grades of WD (withdrawal) in courses in progress at the date of the withdrawal.

Conditions for re-admittance may be stipulated at the time of withdrawal. These conditions may specify a minimum period of time for the withdrawal and/or may require a letter of medical clearance from a physician, psychologist, or psychiatrist stating that in the professional’s opinion the student is now capable of handling the academic, physical and social demands of college.

NOTE: The student is strongly encouraged to consult with the Office of Student Accounts and the Financial Aid Office to identify and understand the monetary implications of processing a withdrawal.