Medical Withdrawal Policy
Updated 6/24/2020
A few reminders regarding students wishing to drop all their classes:
As of the first day of the semester, any undergraduate student wishing to officially withdraw from the university must notify the Student Records & Registration Office in order to initiate the process. It is in the best interest of the student to go in person to their office, SSC 110. Student Records Office will help the student fill out the Official Withdrawal Form and direct them to the appropriate offices for signatures.
For more information visit the Student Records & Registration website.
I. PURPOSE
Students who find it necessary to withdraw from individual courses or from the University due to a serious and compelling medical reason may be seen at the WellCat Health Center to request a letter supporting their withdrawal. A provider at the WellCat Health Center will decide if the student’s condition justifies a withdrawal for medical reasons. If a medical withdrawal letter is issued by the WellCat Health Center, the student must also obtain approval from the course instructor, Department chair, and College Dean to withdraw from individual classes or from Academic Advising to withdraw entirely from the University.
II. OBJECTIVES
A. Consideration: As stated in the University catalog, students who are receiving financial aid funds must consult with the Financial Aid Office and Student Financial Services prior to withdrawing from the University regarding any required return or repayments of grant or loan assistance received for that academic term. If a recipient of financial assistance under federal Title IV financial aid programs withdraws from the institution during a payment period, the amount of grant or loan assistance received is subject to return and repayment provisions governed by federal law.
B. Consideration: Requests for medical withdrawal are reviewed from information submitted by each student, including: (a) course drop or withdrawal application (b) a withdrawal letter from a WCHC provider or a private healthcare provider based on a thorough medical evaluation and, (c) personal statements submitted by students or shared in conversation with the course instructor, Department Chair and College Dean.
C. Criteria: In general, for a medical withdrawal letter to be issued, the student’s condition must be severe enough to warrant hospitalization for treatment (not just evaluation) and/or extensive outpatient medical consultation as defined by the following criteria:
1. The condition should be of sufficient severity to result in the inability to attend class or complete course work for two or more weeks during the semester.
2. Students need to be receiving medical care with WCHC for the condition prior to requesting a withdrawal note.
3. The student’s medical record should contain the specific diagnosis and treatment plan including follow up visits.
4. During the final two weeks of the semester, medical withdrawals will be provided only for extenuating circumstances and the treating provider at the WellCat Health Center may require the student to return for additional visits to verify the severity of the condition.
5. A retroactive medical withdrawal may be issued after the semester has ended provided the above criteria are met and the student returns for follow-up with adherence to the treatment plan as indicated in the medical record.
The WellCat Health Center will issue a recommendation to support the student’s course/university withdrawal in a form or a medical withdrawal letter addressed to the Course Instructor. Unless requested by the student through a signed release of information, the WellCat Health Center will not release specific confidential information to the student’s course instructor, Department Chair or College Dean for the purposes of consideration of the medical withdrawal.
III. RESPONSIBILITY AND AUTHORITY
The Director has the primary responsibility and authority for implementing this policy which may be designated to the Chief of Clinical Medicine.
IV. ADMINISTRATION OF POLICY
A. If the student meets the above criteria, the student needs to make an appointment with a WellCat Service provider.
B. No medical withdrawal letters will be issued if the above criteria are not evident in the student’s record.
C. If the student has been followed by a non-WellCat Service provider, the student must obtain the medical withdrawal letter from their own private medical provider using the same criteria above.
D. During the appointment, it is the student’s responsibility to provide the WellCat Service provider with all the necessary information required for a withdrawal letter including the course number(s) and names.
Established: 10/15/08