Academic Term Withdrawal

After consulting with the student, if the advisor determines that the student is a candidate for an academic withdrawal, the advisor uses the Initiate Undergraduate Petition page to begin the application process for the student. This allows the student to complete and submit the withdrawal request.

• Go to the Initiate Undergraduate Petition page.
• Review the page for important reminders.
• Enter the student’s person number or UBIT and click “Load.”
• If needed, click the “Considerations” button at the top of the page to review the policy and procedure details from the previous page.
• Select the term from the drop-down menu. The drop-down menu will show any eligible (within the deadline) or ineligible (beyond the deadline) terms.
• In rare cases, advisors may select an ineligible term, but the student will need to provide documentation demonstrating why it is late.
• Click “Initiate.”

The student should review information about Academic Withdrawal, and then must complete the electronic Academic Withdrawal Request Form.

• The student will receive an email alerting them that a petition was created. The email will contain a link directly to the form.
• The student must complete all fields. They can only select one reason and should choose the reason that resonates most with their situation.
• The student uploads supporting documentation. They can upload multiple documents and can also delete any unnecessary documents.
• The student must review and check all acknowledgements. By default, emails will go to the UB email account. The student may also choose to send all email communications to their personal email address on file in HUB.
• Click the “Submit” button. The student and advisor who initiated the petition receive email confirmation of submission.

• Once a student selects a “Reason,” the recommended items for “Supporting Documentation Upload” will appear based on what is selected.
• If the student has an F-1/J-1 VISA they will see an additional acknowledgement related to their VISA type.
• The “Late Justification” section only appears if the tool detects that the application is past the deadline.

A signed, dated and legible statement on original letterhead from a healthcare professional; must include:

• Dates of treatment.
• Dates of onset of medical event.
• Opinion as to the student’s ability to perform academically during the term in question.
• Signature of healthcare professional.

A signed, dated and legible statement on original letterhead from health care professional; must include:

• Dates of treatment.
• Date of onset of medical event.
  Statement pertaining to the impact of family member’s medical event on student’s ability to do academic work during the term in question.
• Signature of health care professional.

Immediate family is defined as parent, spouse, sibling, child or primary caregiver.

Chosen family is defined as an individual with whom the student has such a close relationship that the individual is equivalent to family, even absent a blood or legal relationship. Relationships must be substantiated by a neutral third party.

Obituary or death certificate and proof of relationship to the deceased; the death must have occurred during the term in question.

Immediate family is defined as parent, spouse, sibling, child or primary caregiver. Chosen family is defined as an individual with whom the student has such a close relationship that the individual is equivalent to family, even in the absence of a blood or legal relationship. Relationships must be substantiated by a neutral third party.

A clinical provider familiar with the student’s disability must provide an opinion about the student’s ability to perform academic work during the term in question. In addition, the Office of Accessibility Resources may provide a memo of support.

Military orders specifying full-time active duty and dates of deployment in the Armed Forces during the term in question; students enrolled in any branch of a Reserve Unit must show proof of inability to attend classes due to hardship beyond their control, due to military assignment or order.

Extraordinary circumstances not covered by the sections above must be accompanied by a statement from the student’s Academic Advisor and supporting documentation from a neutral third party.

The advisor will receive an email alerting them to a pending submission that requires their review. They can use the link in the email to go directly to the petition, or they can access the petition from the dashboard.

The information on the petition includes:

Relevant student information as well as the information provided by the student in the application are available to the advisor for review.

The advisor can invite other reviewers, including alternative advisors or professional staff who are working with the student during this process.

• Student: This sends the petition back to the student and provides the opportunity for information to be added, directing the student on what changes or additional information are needed. This creates a loop—the application goes to the student, and once completed by the student, the application goes back to the advisor.
• Advising Admin: This sends the petition forward to the next step of advising administrator review. The advisor will be prompted to select an advising administrator from the list. Then click the Submit button.

The petition will be moved to admin status. If the documentation does not meet the requirements, the status should be updated and sent back to the advisor for review. Notes from the advising admin must be included specifying what else is needed to move the petition to the next step.

If the documentation does not meet the requirements, the status should be updated to student.

The request now moves to the Academic Withdrawal Committee for review. Once the committee has reached a decision, the student record will be updated, if needed, and the student and advisor will be notified of the outcome.