What is the Policy?
Effective Summer 2021, all undergraduate students are limited to ten course withdrawal (“W”) grades for their entire enrollment at Valdosta State University. A student may not accumulate more than 3 course withdrawals in an academic year. Beginning on the sixth withdrawal during enrollment at VSU and each subsequent withdrawal, academic advisor approval must be received prior to the student withdrawal taking place. Once a student has accumulated three “W” grades in an academic year or more than ten “W” grades during their entire undergraduate enrollment, all subsequent withdrawals (whether initiated by the student in Banner or initiated by the instructor during attendance verification) will be recorded as “WF.” The grade of “WF” is calculated as an “F” for GPA purposes. Any appeal for additional “W” grades must be made to the Office of Student Success.

What Are The Benefits of This Policy to VSU Undergraduate?
Fewer than 10% of VSU undergraduates accumulate more than ten withdrawals over the course of their college careers, so most undergraduates will be largely unaffected by this policy. However, this policy will ensure that students enroll only in those classes that they intend to complete, thus freeing more seats for all students. In order to stay within the five withdrawal limit, students will also need to be more proactive in ensuring their success in courses by attending classes regularly and seeking assistance, if needed, from many of the resources available on campus—the Academic Support Center, the VSU Counseling Center, etc.

To Whom Does This Policy Apply?
All undergraduates, enrolled in all programs, including eCore, and any graduate courses taken as an undergraduate.

When Does This Policy Begin?
This policy will begin in Summer 2021 for all current VSU undergraduates and any incoming VSU undergraduates, whether new students or transfer students. No withdrawals prior to Fall 2010 will be counted in this policy, but withdrawals will begin to accumulate during Fall 2010 and all subsequent semesters until a student is no longer classified as an undergraduate.

What Withdrawals will be Counted Toward the Ten Withdrawals Allowed Under This Policy?
Any courses from which a student withdraws after the end of the drop/add period (generally the first week of a regular term) up until the designated withdrawal date will count toward the ten count limit. These withdrawals also include those that an instructor may indicate during Attendance Verification (generally completed during the second week of a regular term) if a student has never attended or stopped attending a class. Withdrawals count by class, not by hour, so that if a student withdraws from a 1 hour class or a 4 hour class, either class would count as 1 withdrawal.

What Withdrawals Will Not Count Under this Policy?

  • if a student withdraws from all classes in a given semester

  • if a student successfully petitions for a hardship withdrawal

  • if a student successfully petitions for a medical or mental health withdrawal

  • Military withdrawals

  • Grades of “WF”

  • Withdrawals taken in semesters before Fall Semester 2010

  • Withdrawals taken at other institutions

Where will Students be Able to View their Withdrawal Count?
Students will be able to view their current number of withdrawals that will count under this policy by accessing the following BANNER page:

  • Log into BANNER

  • Select Student and Financial Aid

  • Select Registration

  • Select Add/Drop/Withdraw: on this screen, students will be able to view the current number of withdrawals that count under this policy

  • Or Select Student Advising Information

  • Or from underneath the Student and Financial Aid menu select Student Records

  • Select DegreeWorks

Where Will Faculty be able View Students' Withdrawal Counts?
Faculty will be able to view the student withdrawal count by accessing the following BANNER page:

  • Log into BANNER

  • Select Faculty and Advisor Menu

  • Select Advisor Menu

  • Select Student Registration Eligibility—the current count will be available on the screen where faculty make students eligible for registration

  • Or select Student Advising Information

  • Or DegreeWorks

  • Also, the Attendance Verification rolls will contain the withdrawal counts for each student in the course.

Where will Faculty and Student be able to View Student's Withdrawals History, including those Withdrawals that will be Counted under this Policy?
The Student Advising Information screen in BANNER.

How May Students Petition For a Medical or Hardship Withdrawal?
Processes available at Medical Withdrawals and Hardship Withdrawals. 

How May Students Petition to Change an Existing Withdrawal that Counts to One that Does Not Count Under this Policy? 
No appeals to change the type of withdrawal will be considered until students have reached the sixth withdrawal. Any appeal for additional “W” grades must be made to the Office of Student Success.