APM 231 Policy on Adding and Dropping Classes
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November 28, 2022
Introduction
Executive Order No.1037 specifies system-wide policies “designed to facilitate a student’s graduation through changes in policies in course withdrawals” (Memo from Chancellor Reed 9/8/08). Students are responsible for planning and monitoring their progress toward graduation and implementing their graduation plan. Implementation of a graduation plan consists of activities such as enrolling in courses and dropping or adding courses as appropriate given course availability and changes in the students’ extracurricular demands on time and personal resources. Once a student is enrolled in a course they should make every effort to complete the course. Withdrawal from a course after four weeks of instruction should occur only as a last resort in response to an unforeseen event. Thus, the university limits the number of late withdrawals from courses allowed to an individual student to encourage the student to make consistent progress toward graduation. This policy outlines student responsibilities and rules for adding and dropping classes after instruction begins during a semester and the limits on the number of late withdrawals from courses that the university allows for an individual student.
Administration
Undergraduate students may withdraw from no more than 18 semester units. This limit applies only to units attempted at California State University, Fresno. This limit does not include units from a semester in which a student withdraws from the university after the twelfth week of instruction.
Adding Courses
These procedures and deadlines apply to fall and spring semesters only. For state-side summer sessions, see the Office of the University Registrar’s website for deadlines and procedures.
The First Two Weeks of the Semester (10 instructional days)
During the first two weeks of the semester, students may add courses through the tenth day of instruction without obtaining special permission from the instructor if the class is open to enrollment. A faculty member has the discretion to close a course to enrollment on or after the first day of instruction to manage waiting lists and/or to facilitate the development of an effective learning environment.
The Third and Fourth Weeks of the Semester (up through the Census Date)
From the 11th day of instruction to the 20th day of instruction (Census Date), students may add a course if they have obtained a permission number from the instructor. The department may provide permission numbers to students after faculty members communicate their approval to the department. Faculty members are not obligated to give students permission to add a course after the tenth day of instruction. No adds are permitted after the census date except in cases of Retroactive Add Requests (see below).
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Dropping Courses
Management of class enrollments under all circumstances is the responsibility of the individual student. Students must withdraw properly and in a timely fashion from any course they do not intend to complete. Failure to withdraw will result in the assignment of the appropriate failing grade.
These procedures and deadlines apply to fall and spring semesters only. For summer sessions, see the Office of the University Registrar’s website for deadlines and procedures.
A faculty member may administratively drop a student who does not attend class at any time during the first ten (10) days of instruction. If a faculty member does this, no record of enrollment in the course will appear on the students’ transcript. For this reason, a student absent from any class meeting during this period is responsible for contacting the instructor before the next class meeting to request being retained in the course. A faculty member is not obligated to administratively drop students who do not attend class meetings during the first ten (10) days of instruction. Thus, a student cannot expect instructors to administratively withdraw them in the event they are no longer attending class.
Up to Four Weeks (19 instructional days)
A student may drop a course after registration and up through the first four weeks (19 instructional days, the day before Census) without permission. No record of enrollment in the course will appear on the student’s transcript.
From the Census Date through the Twelfth Week of Instruction
From the census date (20th instructional day) through the twelfth week of instruction, a student may drop a course only for a serious and compelling reason. The student must provide documentation that substantiates the reason for the request. The reason must be acceptable to and verified by the instructor of record and the department chair of the department in which the course is offered. Denials will be reviewed by the Dean of Undergraduate Studies or the Dean of Graduate Studies, whichever is appropriate. The Dean may override a department chair’s denial.
The following are NOT considered serious and compelling reasons for withdrawing from a course on or after the twentieth day of instruction: failure to acquire required course materials, performing poorly on course assignments, and dissatisfaction with the subject matter, class, or instructor. The following unforeseen situations are likely to be serious and compelling reasons: prolonged and debilitating student illness or injury, terminal illnesses of family members and significant others, death or injury of family members and significant others, and other unforeseen events that arise that prevent a student from attending a course for a prolonged period of time.
When the request has been approved and processed, a “W” will be recorded on the student’s transcript for that course.
The Last Three Weeks of Instruction (final 20% of instruction)
During the last three weeks of instruction (last 15 instructional days), withdrawals from a course are not permitted. Exceptions are only allowed in situations clearly beyond the student’s control and the assignment of an incomplete is not practical. Students are responsible for obtaining the approval of
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the instructor of the course, the department chair, and either the Dean of Undergraduate Studies or the Dean of Graduate Studies, as appropriate.
The reason must be acceptable to and verified by the instructor of record and the department chair of the department in which the course is offered, and either the Dean of Undergraduate Studies or the Dean of Graduate Studies, as appropriate. The student must provide documentation that substantiates the reason for the request to withdraw.
When the request has been approved and processed, a “W” will be recorded on the student’s transcript for that course.
Retroactive Adds / Withdrawals – Record Adjustments
Deadlines for adding and dropping individual class(es), and complete withdrawal from the university established by this policy are clearly articulated in university publications and on websites. The university recognizes that on rare occasions students will experience exceptional situations that prohibit them from completing some procedures in a timely manner. A student may petition for a record adjustment if a documented hardship occurred during the term for which the adjustment is requested. A record adjustment petition must be filed within a maximum of six years from the last day of instruction of the term being petitioned. No changes will be made to a student’s records once a degree has been granted.
Recommended by the Senate Approved by the President
May 1991
Interim May 18, 2006
October 7, 2009 October 28, 2009
April 25, 2016 April 27, 2016
February 6, 2019
November 7, 2022
February 8, 2019
November 28, 2022
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