Advising

• General Education Requirements

College of Health Professions and Social Work 

Appeal for Late Withdrawal From a Course

The deadline for withdrawal from a course is listed in the academic calendar for each term. On or before this deadline, a student may withdraw from any course by completing a drop form and taking it or faxing it to the Office of the Registrar. The Academic Calendar can be found at http://www.fgcu.edu/Registrar/academiccalendar.asp

Once the withdrawal deadline has passed, a student who desires to withdraw from a course must submit an Appeal for a Late Withdrawal without Academic Penalty. If a grade has already been entered for the class in question and the student has actively participated in the class, the student must submit an Appeal for Grade Change.

An Appeal for Late Withdrawal will be considered when it is demonstrated that extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control occurred that prevented him/her from successful completion of the course and the student was not able to withdraw by the deadline posted on the Academic Calendar. Extenuating circumstances include death in the immediate family (parent, spouse, child, sibling) of the student; illness of the student that is of long duration or severity, as confirmed in writing by a physician; or call to, or enlistment in, active military duty.

For late withdrawals from courses in the College of Health Professions, the student must submit the following to the Office of the Dean: 

1. Appeal for Late Withdrawal Without Academic Penalty form
2. Letter stating extenuating circumstances leading to late withdrawal.  This letter must demonstrate that extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control occurred that prevented him/her from successful completion of the course.
3. Completed Add/Drop form
4. Supporting documentation (documentation from physician, employer, etc.) that substantiates the claim noted in the Letter of Explanation.

Prior to submitting the paperwork to the Office of the Dean, the student must meet with the course instructor/professor. The instructor or professor must sign the form and indicate whether he or she supports the appeal for a late withdrawal and indicate the last date of attendance by the student. The Chair or Director of the program offering the course must also sign the form and indicate whether they support the appeal for a late withdrawal. The form and supporting paperwork is then submitted to the Dean’s Office for consideration by the College of Health Professions Student Affairs Committee and College Dean.

The Student Affairs Committee will make every reasonable effort to meet for review of the case within 15 school days after receipt of the student’s written appeal and any information provided by the faculty member and Chair or Director of the program offering the course. The committee will function as an objective, fact finding body when examining all available and relevant information concerning the student’s appeal for a late withdrawal.  Such information shall include the student’s written appeal, written and/or oral information provided by the instructor, statements made by both parties before the committee, and any other information the committee may deem relevant.

The student and faculty member shall be invited to meet with the committee.  Each shall be allowed adequate time to respond to the appeal and material as submitted as well as any questions from committee members.  Additionally, each shall be able to present information needed to clarify the issues involved.

After meeting with both parties, the committee shall develop its recommendations by majority vote.  These recommendations concerning the disposition of the case shall be submitted to the College Dean. The College Dean shall render a decision within ten school days of the conclusion of the committee hearing. 

If dissatisfied with the College Dean’s decision, the student may, within ten (10) school days, file a written request for review with the Provost stating the basis for review and the resolution sought by the student.

Student Grade Appeal
Before beginning the grade appeal process, the student must meet with the instructor of the course to discuss the assigned grade and make every effort to solve the problem at the informal level. If dissatisfied with the instructor’s decision, or if the instructor is not available, the student may continue to pursue an informal solution with the Chair or Director of the department in which the course is housed. If not satisfied with the resolution of the complaint proposed by the Chair or Director, the student may proceed within ten (10) school days of receipt of the Chair’s or Director’s decision to file a written appeal with the Office of the Dean of the College of Health Professions. The Student Grade Appeals Policy is published in the Student Guidebook provided online by Judicial Affairs. Students should read the policy before beginning the grade appeal process. Failure to follow the correct procedures may result in a delay of the resolution of a grade appeal. The process for Student Grade Appeals can be found at http://studentservices.fgcu.edu/StudentConduct/appeals.html

Student grade appeals apply only to the following:

1. Grades or other academic action taken by an instructor
2. Grades resulting from an instructor’s:
   a. Alleged deviation from established and announced grading policy
   b. Alleged errors in application of grading procedures
   c. Alleged lowering of grades for non-academic reasons

NOTE:  The professional judgment exercised by an instructor in assigning a grade or in conducting a class are excluded from the provisions of this rule except as noted in (1), (2) a, b, and c above.

For grade appeals in courses offered by the College of Health Professions, the student must submit the following to the Office of the Dean:

1. Appeal for Grade Change form
2. Letter stating special circumstances for grade change
3. Supporting documentation (e.g., Email, letters of documentation from instructor, etc.) that substantiates the statements in the Letter of Explanation.

Miscellaneous:

• Incomplete Grade Agreement