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Extenuating Circumstances Appeal
Students with extenuating circumstances or emergencies that warrant special consideration may appeal for an exception from University policies and regulations. It is the student's responsibility to obtain any and all necessary supporting information and documentation from instructors, physicians, counselors, etc. to present to the appropriate University staff member or office authorized to make a decision about an appeal for an exception. A favorable final decision will be based on documented circumstances presented by the student that lead to clear and convincing findings of fact in his/her favor. Consequences (e.g., academic or financial) the student may face, either real or perceived, are not usually reasons for an exception.
Financial consideration for current and prior term only.
Record Changes After One Year Appeal
UW-Whitewater academic record policy states that "no changes will be made to course entries that are not appealed within one year of the posting date, and changes will not be made to a record after a degree is officially entered". In practice this means that a change to an undergraduate or graduate student's academic record (i.e., a record that does not have a degree posted) must be made within one year after the end date of the term for which the change is requested. Requests for exceptions to the one-year change policy must be submitted as a formal appeal by the student. Please note, if a degree has been posted to a student's record, no appeal will be permitted to change a part of the student's academic record that is related to the degree.
No financial refunds (changes) will be awarded (made) for potential academic record changes.
The student, instructor, and department chairperson (undergraduate student appeals) or graduate program coordinator (graduate student appeals) are required to submit information to support the appeal. The dean (dean of the college of the student's major for undergraduates; dean of the School of Graduate Studies for graduate students) is the final authority and will approve or deny the request. The steps for submitting an appeal are as follows:
Prepare a written appeal for an exception to the UW-Whitewater policy regarding the one-year requirement for academic record changes. The appeal must include an explanation of the extraordinary reasons why the late record change should be considered and must document the reasons why the change could not have been appealed within the one-year period cited in the university policy. In addition to this statement, include all of the following information in the written appeal:
Your name, address, and phone number
Your UW-Whitewater student ID number
An email address at which you can be contacted
The Term the course was taken (e.g. 2002 Fall)
The course's 4-digit Class Number (e.g. 2345)
The course's Subject, Catalog, and Section Number (e.g. English 101 section 03)
Course Title (e.g. Freshman English)
Indicate if you have applied for graduation
Specify if this record change will complete your degree requirements
Submit your complete appeal to the instructor.
After receiving the appeal information from the student, please indicate your own support/non-support for the late change and the reasons why it should/should not be considered. This statement should be in memo form, must include an email address where you can be contacted, and be on official letterhead. Submit your statement along with the original copies of the student's written information to the department chairperson (undergraduate student appeals) or graduate program coordinator (graduate student appeals). Note: if the appeal is for a grade change, or a Late Add and a grade, prepare and submit a Grade Change form also.
Department Chairperson or Graduate Program Coordinator
Review the documentation from the student and the instructor. Via written memo on departmental letterhead, indicate:
a) your recommendation for approval or disapproval of the appeal and the reasons for your decision;
b) an email address where you can be contacted.
Submit your memo and the original copies of the student and instructor written documentation to the dean.
Review the documentation from the student, the instructor, and the department chairperson or graduate program coordinator. If you do not support the request for a late change, respond to the student in writing and copy the instructor, department chairperson or graduate program coordinator, and the Registrar's Office. The student's appeal for the late change will end here and no change will be made to the academic record. If you approve the late change, prepare a memo* verifying the approval decision and submit it and the appeal packet to the Registrar's Office. The Registrar's Office will update the student's academic record and will send an email notification confirming the record change to the student, instructor, department chairperson or graduate program coordinator, and the dean.
*Please let the Registrar's Office know if this student is intending to use this appeal to complete final requirements for graduation in your memo.
Excess Credit Appeal (165 Credit Appeal)
An appeal will be accepted only after the student has earned a minimum of 145 credits - this total does not include credits in progress. Submit the appeal packet (this form and a personal statement) to the Registrar's Office no later than 30 days before the start of the term in which the Excess Credits surcharge will be billed. The personal statement is required and it should cite your plans for graduation and any extenuating circumstances the appeals review committee should take into account when considering your appeal.
In certain cases, you may be required to provide additional documentation to support the appeal. Examples of reasons an appeal is not eligible for consideration include, but are not limited to, a declared second major/minor, seeking licensure/certification along with a first baccalaureate degree, or changes you initiated yourself in your choice of program or major/minor.
University of Wisconsin System Excess Credits Policy: The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents established an Excess Credits Policy that requires resident undergraduate students who earn more than 165 credits toward their first undergraduate degree to pay a surcharge for all credits beyond 165. The surcharge will be applied to students in the term following the one in which they reach the earned credit limit. The policy covers all earned credits from UW-Whitewater as well as earned credits from other UW System schools or Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) schools that are accepted toward your degree. Credits transferred from other colleges outside the UW System or the WTCS do not count toward the 165 credit limit. In addition, Advanced Placement, retroactive credits, credits by examination, and remedial credits do not count toward this limit.
Excess Credit Appeal Form (165 Credit Appeal)
If a student has reason to believe the grade is incorrect the student may act on that by taking the steps outlined in the University Policies & Resources Handbook.
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