Guidelines for Writing a Retroactive Withdrawal Personal Statement
The retroactive withdrawal request will consist of the submitted online form, a personal statement and official documentation supporting your statement.
A student may request that all grades in an academic period (one or more semesters of continuous enrollment) be retroactively removed and be replaced by entries of ―W on his or her transcript. A retroactive withdrawal may be granted only when a student’s academic progress was seriously adversely impacted by documented extenuating circumstances outside of the student’s control during the academic period(s) in question, and the student could not be reasonably expected to complete a University Withdrawal in the ordinary manner, given these circumstances.
Examples of extenuating circumstances include (but are not limited to):
- Serious personal/family issues
- Significant and lasting mental or physical health issues
- Unexpected financial difficulties of sufficient magnitude to cause significant threat to the student’s physical and/or mental wellbeing
- Other crisis situations
Failure to academically perform due to factors such as the following would not generally qualify a student for retroactive withdrawal:
- Bad habits or poor judgment
- Time management issues/working too many hours
- Ignorance of University policies
A retroactive withdrawal is not allowed if a student has earned a degree from CSU and the semester in question was used to meet University, college, or departmental requirements for the degree. Students are allowed two requests for the same period, the second request requiring additional supportive documentation. If granted, assessment of tuition and fees remains unchanged. The student’s academic record will remain unchanged if a request is denied.
An undergraduate or graduate student applying for a retroactive withdrawal must submit an online request accompanied by a personal statement from the student and supportive, third-party official documentation from a relevant professional or CSU department that references dates for the semester in question. Examples of support documentation may include but are not limited to: reports from medical professionals, obituary notices, letters or correspondence from CSU staff or faculty, or legal documentation. If the justification for the request is based on death or serious illness of someone with whom the student has a very close relationship, the student must document the relationship to this person as well as the death or serious illness of that person. The request will be forwarded to the Faculty Council Committee on Scholastic Standards. It is recommended that students consult with their academic success coordinator/academic advisor or the Collegiate Success Coach for assistance with the retroactive withdrawal process.
By submitting the appeal, you are also stating that you are aware:
- If you have not been formally admitted to a program of study at the University, contact the Division of Continuing Education at (970) 491-5288 with questions about the appeal process.
- Notice for VETERANS: If you are receiving or have received GI Bill education benefits for the term from which you wish to withdraw, please contact the Veteran Benefits office (970)-491-6340 before processing this request to understand the ramifications of a retroactive withdrawal.
For questions, please contact: Scholastic Standards