from Student Handbook (within Registration Procedure 01.203)

01.203.E. Dropping a Course. Dropping a course is a formal administrative procedure; merely ceasing to attend class is not the same as dropping a course. Before dropping a course, a student should consult with his or her instructor and academic adviser. A student may drop a course within three calendar weeks of the date classes begin, in which case no grade or other designation will appear on the student's official record.

01.203.F. Withdrawing from a Course. Withdrawing from a course is a formal administrative procedure; merely ceasing to attend class is not the same as withdrawing from a course. Before withdrawing from a course, a student should consult with his or her instructor and academic adviser. A student may withdraw from a course after the third calendar week and, ordinarily, before the end of the ninth calendar week of the semester. A grade of W will appear on the student's official record; a W is not calculated in the student's grade point average.

203.F.1. Before the end of the ninth calendar week, a student may withdraw from a course with a signature of acknowledgment from the instructor.

203.F.2. After the end of the ninth calendar week, a student may no longer withdraw from a course unless a petition is approved by the Interdivisional Committee of Advisers. The petition must include the signatures of the course instructor and the student's academic or divisional adviser. The petition must also describe and document the extenuating circumstances (extraordinary circumstances usually beyond the student's control) that form the grounds of the petition. If the petition for withdrawal is approved, the student will be withdrawn from the course with a grade of W. If the petition is not approved, the student will be expected to remain in the course.

203.F.3. Only in rare circumstances will a petition to withdraw from a course after the ninth calendar week be approved for reasons of academic performance alone.

203.F.4. When possible, a student should continue to attend class until the Interdivisional Committee of Advisers has acted on his or her petition. Non-attendance does not void financial responsibility or a grade of F.

203.F.5. If a student is found guilty of academic dishonesty in a course and withdraws from the course, the student will receive the grade W(AD) for the course, and the grade of F will be calculated in the student's grade point average (refer to Section 01.504.A of The Student Handbook).

01.203.G. An accelerated course or a summer-term course may be dropped without a grade until 20 percent of the class meetings are completed. Withdrawal with a grade of W may occur until 60 percent of the class meetings are completed. After that date, a student may no longer withdraw from a course unless a petition is approved by the Interdivisional Committee of Advisers. A petition to withdraw may be filed as described above in Section 01.203.F.

Complete Handbook information can be obtained at

http://www.miami.muohio.edu/documents_and_policies/handbook/academic_regulations/acadregspii.cfm