Fullerton College Extenuating Circumstances Petition
The extenuating circumstances petition is a formal request for an exception to or waiver of college procedures.
Extenuating circumstances are verified cases of illness, accident, or other circumstances beyond your control.
If this petition is submitted due to medical reasons, legible documentation from the physician must accompany the petition.
As prescribed by FERPA – The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, all documentation supporting this petition will be held strictly confidential.
All petitions will be reviewed by the Academic Standards Committee.
General reasons why students request this petition include but are not limited to the following reasons:
- Drop without a W for the current semester
- Withdrawal after the W deadline
- Military Withdrawal (MW) – Students called to military service during a semester in progress can complete this form to have an “MW” (military withdrawal) noted on their academic transcript.
- Grade Change – Never attended the course(s) the previous semester (No grade change will be made after 2 years from the date of assignment of the grade)
- Grade Change – Stopped attending the course(s) the previous semester and did not properly withdrawal (No grade change will be made after 2 years from the date of assignment of the grade)
- Chancellor’s Office Tax Offset Program (COTOP) Letter/Write Off – Owe fees from previous semester(s).
Excused Withdrawal
The excused withdrawal will allow a student to withdraw from a class(es) without penalty.
The EW notation does not affect a student’s grade point average (GPA), and will not be counted toward academic progress or academic status notice and dismissal.
Generally, an approved EW is not eligible for a refund.
In accordance with Title 5, section 55024(e), the governing board of a district shall adopt an EW procedure based upon verifiable documentation supporting the request.
An EW is acceptable when a student withdraws from a course(s) due to reasons beyond their control, which include but are not limited to, the following:
- Job transfer outside the geographical region
- Illness in the family where the student is the primary caregiver
- An incarcerated student in a California State Prison or County Jail is released from custody or involuntarily transferred before the end of the term (In the case of an incarcerated student, an excused withdrawal cannot be applied if the failure to complete the course(s) was the result of a student’s behavioral violation or if the student requested and was granted a mid-semester transfer)
- The student is the subject of an immigration action
- Death of an immediate family member
- Chronic or acute illness
- Verifiable accidents or
- Natural disasters directly affecting the student
Verifiable documentation can include, but is not limited to a note from a doctor stating the student is not currently able to complete the work due to illness, employment verification of a new job, a booking report, police report of an accident, or any other documentation that proves the student’s completion of a course is impractical.
The Chancellor’s Office defines impractical as impossible due to reasons beyond the student’s control.
The determination shall be made by the local college’s admissions and records office.
* You can complete the extenuating circumstance form here*