3-03.1 Procedure - Late Withdrawal

Late Withdrawal

A Late Withdrawal from the college is for the student who has a medical or hardship circumstance in a given semester needing a complete withdrawal (e.g., a personal illness; the responsibility to help care for a member of his/her immediate family such as a child, spouse, guardian, parent or grandparent who is seriously ill; experienced an Act of Nature such as a fire, flood or extreme wind damage to the student’s personal property; or experienced an employment change without options to complete course requirements during the current or the previous semester.)

Applying for Late Withdrawal

Before applying for a Late Withdrawal due to a medical or hardship-related issue, students should explore other academic options with their instructors, such as an Incomplete and Early Completion.

Examples of Late Withdrawal conditions for which medical or hardship withdrawals will be considered include (but are not limited to):

• Personal illness or injury from an accident of the student
• Medical issues related to pregnancy and/or childbirth
• Mental health issues of an immediate family member
• Physical illness (chronic and acute) of an immediate family member
• Injury from accident of an immediate family member
• Act of Nature that results in a significant loss/damage to personal property
• Change in work schedule and no option is available to switch to another section of the course(s) for completion of course requirements.

Qualifications for Late Withdrawal  

To qualify for a Late Withdrawal related to a medical or hardship situation, the student will be required to complete and submit the Late Withdrawal Request Form with supporting documentation to the Office of Student Records.  The form requires a written statement describing the circumstances preventing timely withdrawal from the semester along with specific details, dates, and severity involved.  In addition, supporting documentation is required to accompany the request as follows:

• Medical (Self) – letter in sealed envelope on office letterhead from the treating medical health professional, documentation supporting the need for late withdrawal, i.e., medical records, accident reports, etc.
• Hardship (Medical for Immediate Family Member) – letter in sealed envelope on office letterhead from the treating medical health professional stating the medical condition/circumstances and that the student’s presence is required to provide care for the immediate family member to include dates and responsibilities. Note:  Hospital and physician bills will not be accepted as documentation.
• Hardship (Work Related) – letter in sealed envelope on office letterhead from the student’s employer explaining the new position or change in hours along with the new required work schedule and that the company is unable to work with the student’s course schedule to complete the course requirements.
• Hardship (Act of Nature) – supporting documentation to include dates of act, copies of insurance claims and/or police reports and the extent of the damage(s).

Late Withdrawal Process Steps – Student

The following steps provide the necessary action of the student:

1. The student should obtain the Late Withdrawal Student Guidelines Packet either in person or via the college website. The student can obtain the information in person at the Office of Student Records located at the Dreisbach/Anderson Student Success Center.  
2. If applicable, the student must contact the Financial Aid Department regarding their financial status.
3. The student must complete the Late Withdrawal Request Form (pdf). Incomplete forms will not be processed.
4. The student must submit the completed Late Withdrawal Request Form to the Office of Student Records at the Dreisbach/Anderson Student Success Center.

Late Withdrawal Process Steps – College  

After Student Records receives the completed Late Withdrawal Request form, the college will complete the following steps to review the request and make the final decision:

1. Student Records will complete the Late Withdrawal Request College Review Form (pdf). It will be completed for each course and will be sent, via email, to the course instructor for completion.
2. The instructor for each course will complete the instructor’s portion of the Late Withdrawal Request College Review Form providing student-specific information, i.e., academic status in the course, options considered, attendance, etc. The instructor will return the completed form to Student Records via email.  This review form will be provided to the Withdrawal Committee and the Academic Dean and/or Vice President for Academic Affairs as a part of the documentation to determine the final outcome of the request.
3. Student Records will forward the completed Late Withdrawal Request Form along with all documentation, the completed Late Withdrawal Request College Review Form for each course, and a blank Late Withdrawal Evaluation Rubric (pdf) to the Withdrawal Committee.
4. The Withdrawal Committee will review all documentation provided and make a recommendation to approve, deny, or grant partial withdrawal for the request using the Late Withdrawal Evaluation Rubric as documentation. The Withdrawal Committee’s representative will then complete their portion of the Late Withdrawal Request College Review Form and return the form and the completed evaluation rubric to Student Records via email.
5. Student Records will then forward all documentation from the student, instructors, and the Withdrawal Committee to the student’s Academic Dean and/or Vice President for Academic Affairs for their review and final decision on the withdrawal request. The Academic Dean or Vice President for Academic Affairs will complete their portion of the Late Withdrawal Request College Review Form and return to Student Records via email.
6. Student Records will then update the student’s records based on the final decision of the Academic Dean and/or Vice President for Academic Affairs.
7. Student Records will notify the student of the final decision in writing via the student’s GTC-issued email account.

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