A new policy on class withdrawals passed by the University Council on Feb. 7 limits students to four withdrawals during their undergraduate years. The policy also gives both undergraduate and graduate students additional time to make decisions on withdrawals and adding classes.
The policy, recommended by the council’s Educational Affairs Committee, is designed to strengthen academic rigor, help students graduate on time and protect federal financial aid, Denise Mewborn, committee chair, told the council.
Over the past six years, students have withdrawn from an average of 14,000 courses per year, according to a committee report presented by Mewborn. The report says a new withdrawal policy is needed because some students are “chronic users” of the withdrawal process. Many of these students don’t do well academically, and they occupy classroom seats other students need to progress toward graduation. Many also default on student loans or don’t earn sufficient hours to maintain financial aid, which could negatively affect the university’s receipt of federal aid dollars, the report said. The limit does not include hardship withdrawals approved by Student Affairs.
Three additional rules will apply to both undergraduate and graduate students. The deadline for withdrawing from a course will be extended to two weeks after the semester midpoint. The drop/add period will have another “add” day to allow students to pick up seats that become available after the drop period ends. And the grading system will be changed to eliminate the W (withdraw) grade. Grades will be either WF (withdraw failing) or WP (withdraw passing).
Mewborn said the rules will go into effect fall semester of this year. Currently enrolled students will be subject to the four-course limit beginning in the fall, but withdrawals they already have accumulated will not be counted toward the limit.
In other business, President Michael F. Adams assured council members UGA’s policy against sexual harassment and discrimination “will be vigorously enforced” and said he will consider additional steps to handle complaints of wrongdoing. Adams also said he would consider forming a committee to explore having an ombudsman to deal with complaints. But he cautioned any actions regarding harassment allegations “must and should maintain appropriate respect for both tenure and due process.”
