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2007 Drop Limit Policy

Presentation TopicsPolicyProcessExceptionsFAQ

Handouts: Policy, New Drop Form

Source: Offices of Registrar & Undergraduate Studies

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2007 Drop Limit Policy

6-Drop limit mandated by law in 2007 –

Under section 51.907 of the Texas Education Code, “an institution of higher education may not permit a student to drop more than six courses, including any course a transfer student has dropped at another institution of higher education” during the student’s entire undergraduate career.

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2007 Drop Limit Policy

Applies to undergraduate students who enroll in a public institution of higher education as first-time freshmen in fall 2007 or later.

Applies to any course that the student drops after the census date – with designated exceptions.

Requires students to stay in courses after they reach the limit.

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2007 Drop Limit Policy

Legislative intentTo create an academic penalty for “course

fishing” or “course shopping” by requiring students to complete courses that they begin;

To encourage students to complete degrees on time.

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2007 Drop Limit Policy - Exceptions

Exceptions to drops counted toward limit:

Courses dropped when students drop all classes in the semester (withdraw from university);

Courses in which the grade is “WF;”

Courses dropped at private or out-of-state institutions.

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2007 Drop Limit Policy - Exceptions

Courses dropped due to a severe illness or other debilitating condition that affects the student’s ability to satisfactorily complete the course (SL reviews);

Courses dropped due to the student’s responsibility for the care of a sick, injured or needy person if the provision of that care affects the student’s ability to satisfactorily complete the course (SL reviews);

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2007 Drop Limit Policy - Exceptions

Courses dropped due to the death of a person who is considered to be a member of the student’s family* or who is otherwise considered to have a sufficiently close relationship to the student** that the person’s death is considered to be a showing of good cause (SL reviews);

* A “member of the student’s family”: the student’s father, mother, brother, sister, [spouse, child, grandchild], grandmother, grandfather, aunt, uncle, nephew, niece, first cousin, step-parent, or step-sibling;

**A “person who is otherwise considered to have a sufficiently close relationship to the student”: any other relative within the third degree of consanguinity, plus close friends, including but not limited to roommates, housemates, classmates, or other persons identified by the student for approval by the university, on a case-by-case basis.

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2007 Drop Limit Policy - Exceptions

Courses dropped due to the active duty service as a member of the Texas National Guard or the armed forces of the United States of either the student or a person who is considered to be a member of the student’s family or who is otherwise considered to have a sufficiently close relationship to the student that the person’s active military service is considered to be a showing of good cause (SL reviews);

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2007 Drop Limit Policy - Exceptions

Courses dropped due to the change of the student’s work schedule that is beyond the control of the student, and that affects the student’s ability to satisfactorily complete the course (Undergrad. Studies reviews); or

Courses dropped due to other good cause as determined by TWU (Undergrad. Studies reviews).

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2007 Drop Limit Policy - Process

A new drop course form has been developed by the Registrar for use by undergraduates.

New form is to be used beginning Sept. 13, 2007 (the day after ‘census date’).

No requests for drop after the census date from students who entered higher education Fall 2007 or thereafter will be accepted without use of the new form.

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2007 Drop Limit Policy - Process Students who drop classes must decide whether or not to

request an excused drop and provide written documentation for the excuse from those listed on the form.

Advisors inform students of the possible consequences and sign the drop form.

Requests for unexcused drops may be reviewed and advising suggested.

Registrar will forward requests for excused drops to Assoc. V.P. for Student Life or Assoc. V.P. for Undergraduate Studies for decisions.

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2007 Drop Limit Policy - Process

If a student wishes to appeal an associate vice president’s decision, the appeal will be directed to the Vice President for Student Life or the Provost according to the office in which the decision was made.

Appeals must be made within 10 days after the decision is made and communicated to the student. The decisions of these administrators are final.

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2007 Drop Limit Policy - Process

Consequence for students:

After a student drops a total of 6 courses without approved exception at an undergraduate in a Texas public institution of higher education, any additional requests to withdraw/drop a course will be denied and students will remain enrolled in the class to the end of the course.

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2007 Drop Limit Policy - Process Steps in drop process

Student picks up drop form in department office, talks to faculty and gets instructor signature/s.

Student meets with advisor to assure the new rule is understood and gets advisor’s signature.

If student decides to request an excused drop, she fills out the form for that and places written documentation in sealed envelop.

Student brings drop form and documentation to Registrar’s Office. Registrar’s Office routes requests to appropriate administrator for

review. Administrators review requests, sign and mark decision on the form,

and return it to Registrar. Registrar informs student of the decision. If appeal is requested, student requests appeal to Registrar who

routes the request to the appropriate appeal administrator, then informs student of the decision.

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2007 Drop Limit Policy - FAQ

Will courses dropped without excuse at other Texas public institutions count against students after the student transfers?

Yes, according to the law. A method of counting drops on transcripts is being developed.

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2007 Drop Limit Policy - FAQ

Should faculty or staff review the student’s documentation to determine if the drop is excused or not?

No, many of the reasons are covered by FERPA (confidentiality) rules. The offices of Student Life or Undergraduate Studies will review documentation.

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2007 Drop Limit Policy - FAQ

How will students know that they are subject to the drop limit?

Communications are going out in multiple formats. The new drop form requires the date of student’s entry into higher education – which determines who is affected by the rule.

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2007 Drop Limit Policy - FAQ

What types of documentation are needed for an excused drop?

The same documents currently used for withdrawal from the university for reasons such as illness, family death, military service.

For employment excuse: letter from supervisor on letterhead or with company contact info.

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2007 Drop Limit Policy - FAQ

What are “other good causes” that might be considered?

No specific circumstances are intended by the rule. Requests will have to be evaluated on case-by-case basis.

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2007 Drop Limit Policy - FAQ

Will the student’s drop record be captured in the DARS record for student and advisor monitoring?

Yes, we intend to do so pending programming.

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2007 Drop Limit Policy - FAQ

Is this policy final or subject to change?

The law has been passed; the implementation policy is pending further changes at the October meeting of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

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2007 Drop Limit Policy - FAQ

Is this policy unique to TWU?

No, it affects all Texas public higher education institutions.

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2007 Drop Limit Policy - FAQ

If a student drops a lecture course and its co-requisite lab course, does that count as two drops?

No, the two courses will count as one drop.

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2007 Drop Limit Policy - FAQ

Will information about this policy and process be available online?

Yes, on the Registrar’s website and on the Undergraduate Studies website.

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2007 Drop Limit Policy Flyer