1. Overview

   1. Purpose

      It is the purpose of this policy:

      1. To clarify the distinctions among "cancellation," "withdrawal," and "dropping" (terms that are often mistreated as interchangeable);

      2. To establish an equitable, fair, and consistent appeal process; and

      3. To ensure that the appropriate consequences (academic and financial) flow from all changes in students' class registration status, both to the students, and also to the university by way of Ohio department of higher education reporting and subsidy calculations.

   2. Summary

      Ohio university will comply with the Ohio department of higher education (ODHE) reporting guidelines on official changes in student registration status.

      The university will comply with applicable regulations relating to refunds for students participating in distance learning programs in states where the university is authorized to offer such programs.

      Registration cancellation, class drops, and withdrawals will be processed in a way that accurately reflects the actual and effective dates of the activity and the corresponding refund or grading action to be taken, based on deadlines.

      Procedures that identify and implement the appropriate financial and academic consequences of cancellation, dropping, and withdrawal are detailed in paragraphs  (B) to (H)  of this policy.

      For a variable-credit course, unless otherwise specified, changes to the number of hours are subject to the same regulations as adding a course (for increases in credit) or dropping a course (for decreases in credit that leave a non-zero value). Decreases in credit to zero require dropping or withdrawing, depending on the date within the semester or session (as described in this policy).

   3. Terminology

      1. Semester:  Any semester, including the fourteen-week summer semester.

      2. Session:  Any seven-week session.

      3. Canceling registration:  Terminating registration in all classes before the first day of classes. This does not prevent a student from registering for a future semester or session.

      4. Dropping classes:  Terminating registration in one or more but not all classes for a given semester or session before the deadline specified in this policy. Courses dropped will not appear on the student's academic record (official transcript).

      5. Withdrawing: 

         1. Withdrawing from classes means terminating registration in one or more but not all classes after the deadline for dropping. Courses from which the student has withdrawn will remain on the student’s academic record (official transcript), with grades of WP, WF, or WN. (WP, WF, and WN grades indicate whether the student, in the professor's judgment, was passing or failing the class(es) at the time of withdrawal or never attended/participated. These grades do not affect the grade point average.)

         2. Withdrawing from the university means dropping or withdrawing from all regular Ohio university classes for which a student is registered for a given semester or session, whether on one campus or more than one. Withdrawing from the university does not prevent a student from registering for a future semester or session.

      6. Flexibly Scheduled Class: Classes that do not meet for the full semester or session. 

      7. Non-term Based Class: Classes that are offered through OHIO Online via print-based education, special projects, or course credit by exam. These classes span multiple months and are typically longer than a semester. 

   4. Canceling registration

      Students may choose to cancel registration prior to the first day of a semester or session by dropping all classes.

   5. Dropping classes

      Students may drop individual classes from their schedules without permission from the first day of classes through the Friday of the second week of a semester (Friday of the first week of a session). Courses dropped will not appear on the student’s academic record.

   6. Withdrawing from classes

      Students may withdraw from one or more but not all classes from the Saturday of the second week of the semester (Saturday of the first week of a session) through the Friday of the tenth week of the semester (last instructional day of the fifth week of a session) without permission. However, the courses remain on the students' academic records with grades of WP (withdrawn passing), WF (withdrawn failing), or WN (withdrawn never attended) and they continue to be used in the calculation of tuition and fees. WP, WF, and WN grades do not affect the student's grade point average. Withdrawing from individual classes after the Friday of the tenth week of the semester (last instructional day of the fifth week of a session) is not possible without appeal; see paragraph  (H)  of this policy. Students may petition their student services office in their college or regional campus for consideration of special circumstances.

   7. Withdrawing from the university

      Students may withdraw from the university (terminate enrollment in all registered classes for which grades have not yet been assigned on all campuses) from the first day of classes through the day before the last day of classes for the semester or session. No grades are assigned for withdrawal through the Friday of the second week of a semester (Friday of the first week of a session). Withdrawal after these dates results in WP, WF, or WN grades. Withdrawing is not an option on or after the last day of classes, and regular grades will be assigned. Undergraduate students initiate the withdrawal process from the university through their college or regional campus student services office; Graduate students initiate the withdrawal process through the Graduate College; Medical students initiate the withdrawal process through the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine. 

   8. Tuition and fee issues

      When dropping classes affects the total registration in a way that changes the amount of tuition or fees, the student will receive the appropriate reduction of charges or pay the appropriate forfeiture for the class(es) dropped, according to the deadlines for those classes, and the tuition for the remaining registration will be re-calculated.

      Tuition for students who schedule a total of twelve or more hours in any combination of registration in the full semester, sessions, or flexibly scheduled classes will be calculated in the usual way (fewer than twelve hours equals part-time, twelve through twenty hours equals full-time for undergraduates; fewer than nine hours equals part-time, nine through eighteen hours equals full-time for graduate students). When dropping classes affects the total registration for the semester in a way that changes the basis for tuition, the tuition will be re-calculated for the remaining registration, and the student will receive the appropriate reduction of charges or pay the appropriate forfeiture for the class(es) dropped, according to the deadlines for those classes.

   9. Deadlines

      Deadlines for cancellation, course withdrawals, university withdrawals, and class drops are based on the appropriate dates for each semester or session.

      Deadlines are prorated for classes that are flexibly scheduled or non-term based offered through OHIO online. Flexibly scheduled classes are classes that do not meet for the full semester or session.

      Further details of deadlines may be found in paragraphs  (B) to (H)  of this policy and in the policies linked from the  references  part of this policy.

2. Canceling registration

   This paragraph applies to cases in which the student terminates registration in  all classes  before the first day of classes for the semester or session, or before the first day of the earliest class if one or more classes is flexibly scheduled. This includes all classes for which a student is registered, on all (one or more) campuses, but not non-term based courses offered through OHIO Online for which students register and pay separately. 

   Financial aid recipients who cancel their registration prior to the first day of classes are not eligible to receive funds for that term and must return one hundred percent of any financial aid received as a refund. In addition, any financial aid credits for the affected term will be cancelled.

   1. Guidelines

      If the student officially cancels registration for all classes before the first day of classes, they are entitled to a one hundred percent refund of fees paid. The student receives no grades and classes do not appear on the student's academic record.

   2. Procedure

      1. Student drops all classes through online registration before the first day of classes (student must notify bursar's office if they wish to initiate a refund process); or

      2. Student notifies college student services office, regional campus student services office, Graduate College, or Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine prior to the first day of classes. That office submits completed " Cancellation of Registration Form " to the office of the university registrar. (Student must notify bursar's office if they wish to initiate a refund process.)

3. Dropping one or more classes early in the semester or session

   This paragraph applies to cases in which the student terminates registration in one or more classes, but remains enrolled in at least one class on any campus,  after the first day of classes for the semester or session, through the Friday of the second week of the semester or Friday of the first week of a session (or corresponding, prorated dates for flexibly scheduled classes). 

   Financial aid or scholarship recipients who fail to maintain the minimum hours required for their specific aid may become ineligible for that aid, creating a balance owed or requiring repayment of funds received. 

   1. Guidelines

      If the student drops a class or reduces credit hours on or before the Friday of the second week of a semester or on or before the Friday of the first week of a session (or corresponding, prorated dates for flexibly scheduled classes), which causes the student to drop from full-time status to part-time status tuition and fees will be reduced accordingly. Additionally, undergraduate students who were enrolled in more than twenty hours or graduate students enrolled in more than eighteen hours who drop to full-time or part-time status will have their fees reduced accordingly. The student receives no grade for the class(es) dropped. The course(s) are removed from the student's academic record.

   2. Procedure

      Student drops class(es) through online registration. (Student must notify bursar's office if they wish to initiate a refund process.)

4. Withdrawing from one or more classes later in the semester or session

   This paragraph applies to cases in which the student terminates registration in one or more classes, but remains enrolled in at least one class on any campus,  after the Friday of the second week of the semester or Friday of the first week of a session, through the Friday of the tenth week of the semester or last instructional day of the fifth week of a session (or corresponding, prorated dates for flexibly scheduled classes).  Withdrawing from a class is not permitted after the Friday of the tenth week of the semester or last instructional day of the fifth week of a session (or corresponding, prorated dates for flexibly scheduled classes). Registration  is included in the ODHE report. There is no reduction to fees, and financial aid adjustments may occur. 

   1. Guidelines

      Students may withdraw from individual classes without permission through the Friday of the tenth week of a semester or the last instructional day of the fifth week of a session (or corresponding, prorated dates for flexibly scheduled classes). Students receive no refund of tuition fees for classes dropped after the Friday of the second week of a semester (Friday of the first week of a session (or corresponding, prorated dates for flexibly scheduled classes); classes remain on student's academic record; WP, WF, or WN grades apply.

   2. Procedure

      Student drops the class(es) through online registration, which results in a withdrawal.

5. Withdrawing from the university early in the semester or session

   This paragraph applies to cases in which the student terminates registration in  all classes  after the semester or session begins, through the Friday of the second week of the semester or Friday of the first week of a session.

   If the student is a financial aid recipient and is subject to a Return to Title IV Fund calculation, the student's financial aid  may be canceled or reduced, creating or increasing an outstanding balance on the account. 

   1. Guidelines

      If the student officially withdraws from the university (drops all classes on all campuses, combined) through the Friday of the second week of a semester or the Friday of the first week of a session (as specified in the academic calendar or corresponding, prorated dates for flexibly scheduled classes), they are entitled to an eighty percent reduction of tuition and fees. The classes are removed from the academic record, but there is a notation on the academic record that the student withdrew during the semester or session.

   2. Procedure

      1. Undergraduate student initiates the withdrawal process with the student services office of the college in which they are enrolled or regional campus student services office. Graduate student initiates the withdrawal process with the Graduate College. Medical student initiates the withdrawal process with the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine. 

      2. The effective date of the withdraw is the date the student notified the office, either orally or in writing. 

      3. The withdraw form is submitted to the registrar's office for processing. 

6. Withdrawing from the university later in the semester or session

   This paragraph applies to cases in which the student terminates registration in  all classes  after the Friday of the second week of the semester or Friday of the first week of a session and before the last day of classes for that semester or session (or corresponding, prorated dates for flexibly scheduled classes).  Withdrawing is not permitted on or after the last day of classes.

   If the student is a financial aid recipient and is subject to a Return to Title IV Fund calculation, the student's financial aid may be canceled or reduced, creating or increasing an outstanding balance to the account. 

   1. Guidelines

      If the student officially withdraws from the university (drops all classes on all campuses combined) after the Friday of the second week of the semester or Friday of the first week of a session (as specified in the academic calendar or corresponding, prorated dates for flexibly scheduled classes), they are not eligible for a refund. Student receives WP , WF, or WN grades.

   2. Procedure

      1. Undergraduate student initiates the withdrawal process with the student services office of the college in which they are enrolled or regional campus student services office. Graduate student initiates the withdrawal process with the Graduate College. Medical student initiates the withdrawal process with the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine. 

      2. The effective date of the withdraw is the date the student notified the office, either orally or in writing. 

      3. The withdraw form is submitted to the registrar's office for processing. 

7. Registration changes for medical reasons

   1. Guidelines

      Medical registration changes are cancellations, withdrawals, and class drops that are approved for medical reasons. The guiding principle that determines the effective date of the action is whether or not the student's illness rendered them incapable of doing academic work as of a certain date.

      If the effective date is prior to the beginning of the semester or session (or corresponding, prorated dates for flexibly scheduled classes) and the intent is to drop all classes, the action would be cancellation of registration. If the effective date is after the beginning of the semester or session (or corresponding, prorated dates for flexibly scheduled classes) and involves dropping all classes, then it is a withdrawal from the university. If the intent is to reduce the scope of the academic load after the semester or session has begun, then one or more, but not all, classes would be dropped or withdrawn from as of the effective date as determined by the onset of the illness.

      Once the effective date is established, removal of classes from the academic record, grading, and refunds will be determined by existing policies, based on the effective date as for any other cancellation, withdrawal, or class drop. As for other withdrawals, medical withdrawals cannot have an effective date later than the day before the last day of classes for the semester or session (or corresponding, prorated dates for flexibly scheduled classes) - the last date on which withdrawal is permitted. Withdrawal for a semester or session is not permitted in cases where the student has completed final examinations (or other terminal work for the classes) and grades have been submitted. Refunds involving medical withdrawals for financial aid recipients are subject to a Return to Title IV Fund calculation and the student's financial aid may be canceled or reduced, creating or increasing an outstanding balance on the account. Institutional financial aid recipients are subject to aid proration that corresponds to any tuition and charge adjustments. 

   2. Procedure

      1. Undergraduate student initiates the withdrawal process with the student services office of the college in which they are enrolled or regional campus student services office. Graduate student initiates the withdrawal process with the Graduate College. Medical student initiates the withdrawal process with the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine. 

      2. The effective date of the withdraw is determined by the onset of the illness. 

      3. The withdraw form is submitted to the registrar's office for processing. 

      4. In cases where the effective date is prior to the deadline but the deadline has been passed, the student services office presents the recommendation to the tuition appeal review panel. Requests for special consideration based on medical circumstances also may be presented to the tuition appeal review panel by the student services office. For medical-related cancellation, withdrawal, or class drop, the tuition appeal review panel will determine the effective date based on documentation provided. 

      5. The dean of students, at their discretion, may place a registration hold on students who withdraw or cancel registration for medical reasons. The purpose of such a hold is to ensure proper review of the student's medical condition prior to re-enrollment. 

8. Tuition appeal review panel appeal process

   The tuition appeal review panel (membership and chair specified here) has the responsibility to consider appeals concerning changes in registration status and tuition in cases where students feel that retroactive, corrective adjustments should be made effective before the first day of classes or before the Friday of the second week of any semester or the Friday of the first week of a session (or corresponding, prorated dates for flexibly scheduled classes), due to extenuating circumstances.

   The tuition appeal review panel reviews appeals for the approval of exceptions involving requests for cancellation after the first day of the semester or session and withdrawals and class drops after the Friday of the second week of the semester or Friday of the first week of a session (or corresponding, prorated dates for flexibly scheduled classes) that would result in refunded fees or removal of classes from the academic record (have an effective date before the first day of the term or on or before the Friday of the second week of the semester or Friday of the first week of a session, or corresponding, prorated dates for flexibly scheduled classes). Exceptions will be made only under extreme circumstances. As a general rule, refunds and class status changes will be approved only if the student can establish that the reason for the action requested was beyond the student's control and prevented them from addressing the issue at the appropriate time.

   The college student services offices do not process change orders to remove former "I*" ("Administrative Incomplete"), or "FN" ("Failure, Never Attended"), or "FS" ("Failure, Stopped Attending") grades from the student's record. Students who received these grades because they did not officially drop a class for which they registered but did not attend or stopped attending without permission may retake the class under the regular retake procedures if they choose, as with any other grade. All other cases involving removal of classes with "I*," "FN," and "FS" grades are no different from any other request for an exception to the tuition and grades associated with the student's registration status, and therefore are to be considered by the tuition appeal review panel.

   The tuition appeal review panel will not consider appeals for retroactive action in cases where the student has completed final exams (or alternative summative experiences) and grades have been submitted.

   The tuition appeal review panel consists of two assistant deans, the chair of the educational policy and student affairs committee of faculty senate, one representative from the financial aid office, one representative from the bursar's office, one representative from graduate college, one representative from the dean of students office, one representative from regional higher education, and one representative from the registrar's office. The panel is chaired by a member of the provost's executive leadership team.

Reviewers

Proposed revisions of this policy should be reviewed by:

1. Director of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships

2. Bursar

3. Associate Provost for Faculty and Academic Planning

4. Dean of Students

5. All Academic and Regional Campus Deans

6. Faculty Senate

7. Associate Provost for Institutional Effectiveness and Analytics 

Forms, References, and History

1. Forms

   The following forms are specific to this policy:

   1. The "Cancellation of Registration Form" is available from the Registrar's Office.

   2. The "Request for Withdrawal Form" is available from college student services offices, from the Graduate College, or from the International Student and Faculty Services office.

2. References

   The following items are relevant to this policy:

   1. Changes in registration that result in changes in fees will often have special implications for students on financial aid. The Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships can provide information about the general rules and their application in specific instances.

   2. Additional details regarding Return to Title IV Fund calculation may be found online at  https://www.ohio.edu/bursar/withdraw

   3. Policy  12.030 , "Course Credit and Grading in Emergencies."

   4. Policy  12.040 , "Grading."

   5. Policy  12.055 , "Deadlines for Adding and Dropping Classes."

   6. Policy  20.100 , "Fee Assessments and Refunds for Multi-Campus Registration."

3. History

   Draft versions of this policy that were circulated for review, their cover memos, their forms, and Reviewers' comments on them are available on the password-protected Review site.

   Prior versions of this policy were approved on:

   1. December 15, 2014

   2. October 1, 1995

   3. March 23, 2012