VCU FRSC ARAC Guide

Academic Regulations Appeals Committee Procedures
1. Determine eligibility for ARAC Appeal by visiting
http://bitly.com/frscaracappeal and page 2 of this guide
2. Email HASARAC@vcu.edu to initiate the ARAC process
3. Begin gathering documentation (see pages 2-4 of this
guide for suggested documentation) to support your
appeal.
4. Print a copy of your unofficial transcripts from eServices.
5. Write a letter explaining your request using the
instructions found on page 5 of this guide.
6. Schedule an appointment with Lyndsay Durham by visiting
http://go.vcu.edu/ucme to discuss your petition and
letter. (Please bring at least a draft letter with you to your initial
appointment)
7. Following your initial advising appointment, you will be
provided with instructions:
a. to strengthen your application with additional
documentation/further edits to your letter
b.
to make an appointment with the Department Chair
or Associate Department Chair to obtain their
signature (the Department Chair/Associate Department Chair will
not review your packet until it is complete with a final letter and
supporting documentation)
Regulations that may be appealed to ARAC:
1. A petition for retroactive drop from …
2. A petition for retroactive withdrawal from…
3. A petition for waiver of the requirement that 30 of the last 45 earned credits be earned in
residence at VCU, to the extent of ___ credit hours.
4. A petition to retroactively add…
5. A petition for waiver of the continuance policy following a (number of) suspension.
6. A petition for a waiver of the requirement that limits nondegree-seeking students to 11
credit hours, to the extent of ___ credit hours.
7. A petition for waiver of the policy stating that a student on academic probation is
limited to 13 credits to the extent of ___ credit hours.
8. A petition for change in registration from credit to audit in ___.
9. A petition for change in registration from audit to credit in ___.
10. A petition for waiver of the ___ credit hour degree requirement to the extent of ___
credit hours.
11. A petition for waiver of the policy that 45 credit hours in upper level courses be
presented for graduation, to the extent of ___ credit hours.
12. A petition for waiver of the university requirement that 25% of the course credits be
taken at VCU. (Note: 25% of a typical 120 curriculum is 30 hours).
13. A petition for a change in academic standing for the previous semester due to late
submission of historical repeat requests for courses taken in that previous semester
(must be submitted to ARAC prior to end of add/drop for the current semester, or within
seven calendar days for the summer session).
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Undergraduate study | Academic regulations and general degree requirements | Appeal to waive an academic regulation, Academic Regulations Appeals
Committee
Undergraduate study
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Appeal to waive an academic regulation,
Academic Regulations Appeals Committee
The Academic Regulations Appeals Committee considers appeals for
exceptions to undergraduate program academic regulations listed in
this bulletin. The committee — composed of faculty and administrators
from each school and the college, and representatives from the Office
of Records and Registration, Division of Community Engagement and
the Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Services — is a standing
committee of the Office of Academic Affairs.
Virginia Commonwealth University
Undergraduate study
Admission to the university
Tuition, fees and expenses
Financial aid
Academic regulations and general degree
requirements
Advising program
Current mailing address
Attendance regulations
Student conduct in the classroom
Classification of students
Categories of student enrollment
Undergraduate students who wish to petition the university for a waiver
of the regulations in this bulletin may do so through the Academic
Regulations Appeals Committee. Students who have been accepted to
the graduate portion of a five­year bachelor’s/master’s program may
also need to make an appeal through the Graduate School. Examples
of typical petitions are requests for retroactive withdrawal, waiver of
the continuance policy following a suspension or a waiver of the rule
requiring that the last 25 percent of a program be earned in residence
at VCU. Students may petition for a past semester within three years,
but cannot ask for waivers after having graduated. In exceptional
circumstances any member of the Academic Regulations Appeal
Committee and/or academic dean may refer a case to the provost who
has the right but not the obligation to consider remanding it back to the
committee for further review.
Nondegree­seeking student guidelines
To begin the appeal process, students should contact the Academic
Regulations Appeals Committee representative in the dean’s office of
their school or college; nondegree­seeking students should contact the
University College at (804) 827­8648. The student then works with the
representative to prepare the petition following guidelines established
by each school and the college. The first step is for the student to
prepare a letter that details the extenuating circumstances supporting
the student’s belief that the university should waive its regulations and
grant the request. All circumstances cited in the student’s letter must
be documented, and the student is responsible for gathering all the
necessary documentation. Examples of documentation include medical
records, police reports, death certificates and employer reports. Things
that may not be used as documentation include letters from parents,
friends or relatives. Any petition that does not have the required
documentation will not be heard.
Commencement participation policy
After the Academic Regulations Appeals Committee representative
receives the student’s letter and all necessary documentation, he or
she will prepare a petition cover sheet and, if appropriate, gather
pertinent information from faculty. When the petition is complete, it will
be presented to the committee at one of its semimonthly meetings.
Requests are granted or denied by a majority vote of the committee.
Decisions are effective immediately, and students are notified by their
representative. All committee procedures are confidential and ensure
the right of privacy of the student.
Since a request to waive a regulation is itself an appeal, committee
decisions are final, and there is no further appeal within the university.
However, if new documentable information is provided, petitions may
be brought back before the committee. A rewritten student letter does
not constitute new documentation. The representative will request that
the petition be reheard based upon the new information and the
committee will vote on that request.
Certain exceptions may affect current and future financial aid. Students
should consult with a financial aid staff member before submitting an
appeal.
Registration policies
Degree options
Degree requirements for all
undergraduate students
General course information
Grading and marking system
Grade review procedure
Transcripts
DegreeWorks
Continuance in academic programs
Termination of enrollment
Graduation process
Awarding degrees posthumously
Appeal to waive an academic regulation,
Academic Regulations Appeals
Committee
Consumer information
Contacts
Effective bulletin
University College
College of Humanities and Sciences
School of Allied Health Professions
School of the Arts
School of Business
School of Dentistry
School of Education
School of Engineering
L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and
Public Affairs
School of Medicine
School of Nursing
School of Pharmacy
School of Social Work
VCU Life Sciences
Graduate School
Professional study
Division of Community Engagement
Division of Strategic Enrollment Management
Division of Student Affairs
Global Education Office
Office of Research
da Vinci Center for Innovation
The Honors College
READ CAREFULLY
**
You must complete and submit all paperwork
NO LATER THAN 4:00 p.m. on the Friday before the ARAC meeting. **
The Academic Regulations Appeals Committee (ARAC)
Should you have questions about the petition process, please contact:
HSARAC@vcu.edu
There are a number of steps to the petition process.
1. Write a letter explaining your request and provide any *documentation supporting your situation. (See the
Step-by-Step Instructions for Writing an ARAC Letter.)
2. Complete the top half of the Cover Sheet after you have written your letter and attached any relevant
documentation (medical letters, court documents, etc. -- see the Step-by-Step Instructions for Writing an ARAC
Letter for more information). The same cover sheet is used for a number of requests so please check the box
(boxes) related to your request.
3. For retroactive withdrawals/drops only: Fill out the top part of the Faculty Memorandum with your name
and course information. It is your responsibility to contact the instructor(s) in each course from which you are
seeking the retroactive withdrawal. You will need one form for each class. It is recommended that you discuss
your situation in person and give the instructor the Memorandum at that meeting. Sometimes an instructor will
prefer to return the Memorandum directly to Attn: HSARAC, by fax (804-827-4511), by email (HSARAC@vcu.edu),
or via campus mail (P.O. Box 842532). If you have been awarded Financial Aid, you must meet with your
Financial Aid counselor and obtain a letter stating what, if any, financial implications might occur due to
retroactively withdrawing from or dropping any course(s). Financial Aid is located at Harris Hall, 1015 Floyd Ave.,
1st Floor, 804-828-6669 (fax 804-827-0060). Note: Selective retroactive withdrawals/drops from some, but not all,
courses for a particular semester are usually denied unless the reason for the selectivity can be explained and
documented.
4. For retroactive adds: If you have a hold on your account on the first day of the semester, you are not eligible
to petition ARAC to add a course for that semester. In addition, for any retroactive adds, you must submit an
approved override form and you must not have a hold on your account at the time of the ARAC meeting. You
should check with Student Accounting to see if you will need to make any payments if this appeal is approved.
5. Contact your Academic Advisor to discuss your petition and get his/her recommendation on your petition.
Your advisor must sign the cover sheet. If you do not know who your academic advisor is, our office and the
departmental office of your major can assist you in identifying him/her.
6. Contact the Chairperson of your major department and ask for his/her signature. Your academic advisor may
be able to assist you with getting this signature. You do not need to get the dean’s signature.
7. Print out unofficial transcript from e-services and submit with all other documentation.
8. Submit your completed petition to the University College front desk, 1st floor Hibbs Hall, 900 Park Ave.
Completed ARAC petitions must be submitted before 4:00 p.m. on the Friday before the ARAC meeting.
9. The Committee typically meets the second and fourth Thursday of each month. Your completed petition will
be put on the upcoming agenda. This schedule may be adjusted due to holidays, etc.
10. You will receive a letter notifying you of the action taken by the Committee.
Rev. 2014-02-11
READ THIS GUIDELINE CAREFULLY
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR WRITING A LETTER TO THE ACADEMIC
REGULATIONS APPEALS COMMITTEE
Your letter MUST be typed, dated and signed!
1.
Address your letter to: The Academic Regulations Appeals Committee
A.
The first sentence should be one of these, based on type of appeal:
§ I request a retroactive withdrawal or drop (choose one) from _________class,
_____semester______year. List each class if there is more than one.
§ I request a retroactive add into _________class, ____semester______year. List
each class if there is more than one.
§ I request a waiver of the continuance policy following a first suspension that
occurred in the (FA, SP, SU) _____, (yr.) _______semester.
§ I request a waiver of the continuance policy following a second suspension that
occurred in the (FA, SP, SU) _____, (yr.) ______semester.
§ I request a waiver of the policy limiting a student on academic probation to 13
credits, to the extent of ______credits, for the (FA, SP, SU) _____,
(yr.) _______semester.
§ I request a waiver, to the extent of ____credits, of the requirement stating that 30
of the last 45 credits must be earned in residence at VCU.
§ I request a waiver, to the extent of ______credits, of the requirement
stating that 45 credits of upper level courses are required for graduation.
§ I request a waiver of the requirement that 120 credits be earned for
graduation to the extent of ____credits.
§ I request a change in academic standing based on late historical repeats for the
(FA, SP, SU) _____, (yr.) _______semester.
§ Other: Specify___________________________________________
B. After this sentence, you should indicate the reasons why you are making your
request. Be clear, concise, specific and complete. You are trying to convince the
committee to make an exception to a University policy for you.
C. If you are asking for a retroactive withdrawal for some classes, but not others in the
same semester, explain and document why.
2. If there are medical reasons associated with your request, submit a doctor’s statement (or
other medical verification) indicating date(s) or visit(s), treatment, diagnosis, etc.
The more detailed in terms of dates, the better.
3. If there are job related reasons for your request, submit documentation of change in
schedule, out-of-town trips, etc. from your supervisor.
Rev. 2014-02-11
A.R.A.C. COVER SHEET
COLLEGE OF HUMANITIES AND SCIENCES
MAJOR___________
Please complete the entirety of this form and return to University College front desk, 1st floor Hibbs Hall, 900 Park Ave.
NAME
Last
Student ID
First
ADDRESS:
CITY:
STATE:
PETITION FOR:
o
Retroactive
o
ZIP:
withdrawal/drop* from :_______________________________________________________
(circle one)
Retroactive
PHONE: (____)____________
(list class/ classes)
add* into :___________________________________________________________________
(list class/ classes)
∗ Ι have checked with a Financial Aid counselor (if receiving financial aid) or Student Accounting (for retroactive
add) and understand the financial implications if this appeal is approved. ______________________________
Student signature
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
That occurred
Waiver of the continuance policy following a (specify: 1st, 2nd, 3rd . . .)
suspension.
Waiver of the Academic Probation policy limiting a student to 13 semester credits to the extent of _____credits.
Waiver of the requirement that 30 of the last 45 credits be earned in residence at VCU, to the extent of
credits.
Waiver of the requirement that 45 upper level courses are required for graduation to the extent of ___ credits.
Waiver of the requirement that 120 credits be earned for graduation to the extent of
credits.
Change in academic standing based on late historical repeats (previous semester only).
Other: Specify
o Fall Semester
o Spring Semester
o Summer Semester
Year:
I understand that making misleading statements, misrepresenting facts or circumstances, or presenting false
documentation in this petition or in the attached materials constitutes a serious violation of the University Honor Code.
DATE
STUDENT SIGNATURE
To The Recommenders: This form is covered under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974.
Advisor’s Recommendation:
Reasons for or against:
DATE
Dean’s Recommendation
Reasons for or against:
DATE
oAGAINST
ADVISOR’S SIGNATURE _______________________________________
Chairperson’s Recommendation
Reasons for or against:
DATE
o FOR
oFOR
o AGAINST
CHAIRPERSON’S SIGNATURE __________________________________
o FOR
oAGAINST
DEAN’S SIGNATURE _________________________________________
Rev. 2014-02-11
FACULTY MEMORANDUM
TO:
Print Professor’s Name
FROM:
Associate Dean’s Office of Student Services
COLLEGE OF HUMANITIES AND SCIENCES
DATE:
RE:
Retroactive Withdrawal/Drop
is petitioning the Academic Regulations Appeals
Committee (ARAC) for a retroactive withdrawal or drop from ______________________________,
(circle one)
attempted during the
(Course number & section)
semester.
(FA or SP or SU + year)
Please indicate below:
1) Was the student's academic standing at midterm (withdrawal date) C or above? yes ¨ no ¨
2) Test and quiz grades with dates:
3) Dates of attendance:
4) Recommendation for support: yes ¨ no ¨
5) Additional comments or information:
6) Do you provide information concerning the withdrawal date on your syllabus? yes ¨ no ¨
7) Did you announce the withdrawal date in class? yes ¨ no ¨
After filling out this form, you can give it directly to the student, or, if you prefer, return it Attn:
HSARAC, by fax (804-827-4511), by email (HSARAC@vcu.edu), or via campus mail (P.O. Box
842532). Please note: This student has been instructed to explain their particular situation to you. If
this form was just left for you without any explanation, please return it unsigned.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Name (Print) ____________________________________
Signature_______________________________________
Date
Rev. 2014-02-11