Consistent with the University’s Withdrawal Policy, students may make a request to fully withdraw late from all courses during an academic term after the Last Day to Withdraw deadline as noted on the official Academic Calendar, or request a Retroactive Withdrawal after the completion of an academic term, for extenuating circumstances.
Qualifying Extenuating Circumstances
Extenuating Circumstances are defined as unforeseen, uncontrollable, and unavoidable events that have resulted in a student's inability to complete academic responsibilities within a given academic term and include a late or retroactive withdrawal due to:
Health - Physical injury, illness, mental health concerns or substance use that has resulted in the student’s inability to complete academic responsibilities within the specified academic term.
Military Service - An Appalachian student who received orders for training or active duty within the specified academic term.
Unforeseen Personal Hardship - An uncontrollable, unavoidable and unforeseen personal event that is over and above the course of everyday experiences that are considered beyond a student’s control, and impairs a student’s ability to complete the specified academic term. Includes but is not limited to the following examples:
Death of an immediate family member.
Request to care for a seriously ill child or other immediate family member.
Flood and/or fire of a residence.
Homelessness
Other
Extenuating Circumstances do not include requests made for:
- Poor performance in coursework
- Dropping courses to avoid failing grades
- Not wanting to use a career drop
- Missed deadlines
- Change of major
- Probationary standing
- Deciding that school/work/life responsibilities are overwhelming
- Job responsibilities/opportunities are overwhelming
- Jury duty
- Involved in a legal situation as a defendant
Process for Late or Retroactive Withdrawal Requests
Requests for Late or Retroactive Withdrawals may be made by completing the following steps:
Complete, sign, and submit the Late or Retroactive Withdrawal Request form.
Submit substantiating documentation (refer to Extenuating Circumstance Guidelines for Documentation below). This should be submitted to the Registrar’s Office no later than two business days prior to the committee meeting (which are listed below).
If the request is due to personal health reasons, the Health Documentation Leave Form will be required along with the Late or Retroactive Withdrawal Request form.
Committee reviews request. There is no guarantee that the withdrawal request will be approved. As a result, it is recommended that students continue to attend class, if at all possible, until they are informed of the Committee’s decision, however that decision to attend, or not, is the responsibility of the student.
Requests received after the completion of an academic term will not be eligible for review as a Late Withdrawal. These requests will be considered a Retroactive Withdrawal and will follow that established timeline for review and a decision.
Extenuating Circumstance Guidelines for Documentation
Documentation to substantiate that the nature of the circumstance was uncontrollable, unavoidable, unforeseen, and resulted in the student's inability to complete academic responsibilities within the specified term includes:
Health: A student requesting a Late or Retroactive Withdrawal for Health circumstances must submit the Health Documentation Leave form.
Military: A student requesting a Late or Retroactive Withdrawal for Military Service Obligation must provide documentation such as Title 10 Active Military Orders with length of time away, Title 32 Training Orders (Two weeks training), or a letter from the Director of Student Veteran Services which validates orders.
Hardship: A student requesting a Late or Retroactive Withdrawal for Hardship Circumstances must provide documentation meeting requirements verifying that the personal hardship event was uncontrollable, unavoidable and unforeseen. For example: a recommendation on official letterhead from a professional organization such as a social service provider, a Death certificate and/or obituary.
Review Timelines:
Requests and any supporting documentation submitted by the student are reviewed by a Committee composed of Appalachian faculty and staff. The Committee will determine if the student meets the requirements for a withdrawal due to an extenuating circumstance(s).
Late Withdrawals will be reviewed on a regular basis beginning after the Last Day to Withdraw Deadline, as noted on the official Academic Calendar, through the Last Day of Classes for the current term.
Students will be contacted via their App State email with a decision within fifteen (15) business days of their request being reviewed. Because there is no guarantee that the withdrawal request will be approved, it is recommended that students continue to attend class, if at all possible, until they are informed of the Committee’s decision but that decision to attend or not is the responsibility of the student.
Retroactive Withdrawals are those requests made after the completion of an academic term including final exams.
Students will be contacted via their App State email with a decision. In cases where a student no longer has an active App State email account, the decision will be sent to the email provided by the student on the request form.
Students denied a late or retroactive withdrawal may appeal the decision to the University Registrar. Appeals must be received within ten (10) calendar days from the date App State’s decision is provided to the student via their App State email account. In cases where a student no longer has an active App State email account, the decision will be sent to the email provided by the student on the request form.
In cases where an appeal deadline falls on a weekend or University closure, the deadline for filing the appeal will be extended to the next University business day. Requests received after any appeal deadline will not be eligible for review.
Withdrawal Committee Meeting Schedule
- December 12, 2024 (Documentation must be submitted by December 9, 2024 by 5:00 pm)
- January 23, 2025 (Documentation must be submitted by January 20, 2025 by 5:00pm)
- February 27, 2025 (Documentation must be submitted by February 24, 2025 by 5:00pm)
- March 27, 2025 (Documentation must be submitted by March 24, 2025 by 5:00pm)
- April 24, 2025 (Documentation must be submitted by April 21, 2025 by 5:00pm)
Re-Enrollment Steps for Late Withdrawals (Not Applicable for Retroactive Withdrawals):
A Late Withdrawal is a withdrawal that is submitted and approved prior to the end of the term. Late Withdrawals require the submission of a Return Request form and a Readmission application.
When a student decides to return to Appalachian, they will be required to submit a Return Request form and, if requested by the University, supporting documentation showing that the Extenuating Circumstance(s) has been mitigated and the student is able to continue their academic studies successfully. The documentation will be reviewed by the Committee before re-enrollment will be allowed.
Upon approval to re-enroll by the Committee, students must then complete the Readmission Process in accordance with applicable dates and deadlines. Failure to meet stated deadlines at any point in the process may prevent the student from re-enrolling for a given term.
Students denied re-enrollment may appeal the decision to the University Registrar. Appeals must be received within ten (10) calendar days from the date App State’s decision is provided to the student via their App State email account. In cases where a student no longer has an active App State email account, the decision will be sent to the email provided by the student on the request form.
In cases where an appeal deadline falls on a weekend or University closure, the deadline for filing the appeal will be extended to the next University business day. Requests received after any appeal deadline will not be eligible for review.
A Retroactive Withdrawal is a withdrawal that is submitted and approved once the term has ended, after final exams. Retroactive Withdrawals do not require re-enrollment documentation.