Drops and Withdrawals
Students may drop/withdraw from class(es) for either academic or personal reasons. It is the responsibility of the student to withdraw from a class. Any student not following the established drop or withdrawal procedures may be assigned an “F” or “NP” grade by the instructor. It is highly recommended to meet with a counselor regarding dropping or withdrawing as it may impact the completion of the student’s program and/or academic status.
Drops
The term “drop” refers to a specific period at the beginning of a term whereby removing oneself from enrollment will result in no record of enrollment in the class for transcript purposes. A student may drop from a semester length course during the first three weeks of instruction and no notation will be made on the academic record of the student. In courses of less than a regular semester duration, a student may drop prior to the completion of 20% of the period of instruction and no notation will be made on the academic record of the student.
W-Withdrawal
A student may withdraw from a semester length course, whether passing or failing, at any time after the third week of instruction through the last day of the fourteenth week of instruction. In courses of less than a regular semester duration, a student may withdraw from the 20% period of completion of instruction to the completion of 75% of the period of instruction. Upon a Withdraw, a “W” shall be noted on the student record.
A “W” is considered a course attempt and is included in the three course attempt limitation for courses not designated as repeatable.
A “W” shall not be assigned or may be removed if assigned from a transcript if the student withdrew due to discriminatory treatment or retaliation for alleged discriminatory treatment.
Late Withdrawal
The academic record of a student who remains in class beyond the time periods set forth above must reflect an authorized symbol other than “W.” However, after the end of the fourteenth week (or after the 75% period of instruction for a course less than semester length) withdrawal may be authorized in the case of extenuating circumstances. These are defined as verified cases of accident, illness or other circumstances beyond the control of the student. An approved withdrawal, under these conditions, shall be recorded as a “W.” An extenuating circumstance petition may be obtained from the Admissions and Records Office or at the College website: www.canadacollege.edu. (under the “Admissions” tab, then by clicking on “Resources” drop down menu, then "Forms"). All college forms can be found on canadacollege.edu/forms.
EW-Excused Withdrawal
An “Excused Withdrawal” will be authorized when a student withdraws from a course(s) for reasons beyond their control. A student may request to use an “EW” for only one course or all courses in a term depending on the reason for the request. In accordance to Title 5, section 55024 (e), an EW symbol may be requested by the student any time during the semester and no later than one year following the end of the term in which the EW symbol is requested in accordance with the District grade change policy. Upon verification of the extenuating circumstance, a notation of “EW” will be placed on the student record. Excused Withdrawals are not counted in the probation or dismissal calculations. In addition, the “Excused Withdrawal” should not be counted towards the permitted number of withdrawals or counted as an enrollment attempt. An EW is acceptable when a student withdraws from a course(s) due to reasons beyond their control, which include but are not limited to, the following:
- Job transfer outside the geographical region
- Illness in the family where the student is the primary caregiver
- An incarcerated student in a California State Prison or County Jail is released from custody or involuntarily transferred before the end of the term (In the case of an incarcerated student, an excused withdrawal cannot be applied if the failure to complete the course(s) was the result of a student’s behavioral violation or if the student requested and was granted a mid-semester transfer)
- The student is the subject of an immigration action
- Death of an immediate family member
- Chronic or acute illness
- Verifiable accidents
- Natural disaster directly affecting the student
The financial aid eligibility of a student may be affected depending on individual circumstance. A student should consult with the financial aid staff regarding any impact.
Executive Order - Selecting Excused Withdrawal-EW
The Excused Withdrawal (EW) is reserved for when a student withdraws from a course(s) for reasons beyond their control. Pursuant to Executive Order 2020-01 a student may use the EW from Spring 2020 through the Fall 2021 semester. Students are strongly encouraged to speak to a counselor before making the decision to use an Excused Withdrawal. Students can self-select the ‘EW’ option for a course via WebSMART.
An EW grade is not considered in GPA calculations or academic progress locally. It may affect academic progress requirements for Federal Financial Aid and Veterans Educational Benefits. Students who do not select an EW by the end of this semester, but wish to change their final grade to an EW upon completion of the course, will have one year from the end of the course to make the grade-change request. If students are considering taking an Excused Withdrawal, this may affect how long it takes them to earn their degree or certificate, or their ability to transfer into a four-year institution.
Students may qualify for a refund of enrollment fees for any course which they choose the ‘EW’ option. Non-resident/international students may qualify for a partial enrollment fees refund only.
Students will not receive a refund for materials fees or Inclusive Access fees as these are “pass through” costs.
MW-Military Withdrawal
Military withdrawal will be authorized when a student who is a member of an active or reserve U.S. Military Service unit receives orders compelling a withdrawal from courses. Upon verification of such orders, a notation of “MW” may be made on the student record. Military withdrawals are not counted in probation or dismissal calculations. Further information may be obtained at the Admissions and Records Office.