Petitions

At some point in your undergraduate academic career, you may have a reason to request that an exception to a standard policy be made for you.  Contact your academic advisor, the One Stop, or the Student Success Center to help you determine the following:

  • Which petition(s) may be appropriate for your situation
  • What petition form to complete
  • Whether additional documentation may be necessary
  • When your petition needs to be submitted
  • Where to submit your petition

Personal statement

All petitions require a personal statement. A personal statement should explain why you are asking for an exception to a policy. University policies are set to ensure fairness and equity for all students. Your explanation must be compelling to allow for an exception.

Supporting documentation

Most petitions require supporting documentation. This documentation serves as evidence to support the reasons you are requesting an exception to a policy. Supporting documentation could be either physical, such as a letter, or electronic, such as an email. For a petition to be considered, you will need to provide a completed petition form and appropriate supporting documentation. The following are examples of supporting documentation you might provide:

  • Note from a healthcare or mental healthcare provider
  • Letter of support
  • Documentation from the Disability Resource Center
  • Deployment orders
  • Coursework from another institution
  • Police reports
  • Obituaries

Common petitions

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Academic Policy Petition

You may petition for an exception or other accommodation to University academic policies by submitting the Academic Policy Petition form. Contact the Office of the Registrar to determine the following:

  • Whether additional documentation may be necessary
  • Whether your request is due by a specific date

Should the petition be denied by the Registrar or Scholastic Committee Coordinator, you may appeal the decision to the Scholastic Committee. The committee will consider your appeal based on the following:

  • Meeting the spirit of the requirement
  • Student hardship
  • Institutional responsibility

All petitions are decided on a case by case basis, dependent on the facts applicable to each situation.

Dean's List Endorsement

You may request “faculty endorsement” to be added to the Dean's List in situations in which your course work was completed by the scheduled final date of the course but the grade was not recorded at the time that the Dean's List was generated. Request faculty endorsement using the Endorsement for the Dean's List form.

Dean's List Petition

If you have completed a minimum of 12 credits on the A-F grading system and earned a GPA of 3.666 or higher in a given term, but were unable to complete all the credits for which you were registered during the term due to directed or independent study projects, serious illness, or justifiable emergency, you may petition to have your name added to the Dean's List. To petition, complete the Academic Policy Petition form and submit it to the Office of the Registrar.

Dean's Petition

If you have experienced nonacademic extenuating circumstances, you can submit a Dean's Petition to withdraw from all of your classes for a term after grades for that term have posted. You must meet with a member of the Student Success Center staff to determine if you are eligible to submit this petition. The petition must be based on a prolonged illness or other difficulties beyond your control that interrupted your class attendance for an extended period of time. Official documentation that supports the petition is required. The deadline for Dean's Petition submission is one calendar year from the date grades post for the term. If a Dean's Petition is approved, the classes will appear on your transcript with “W” symbols.

General Education Exceptions

If you are seeking an exception from general education requirements, contact the Scholastic Committee coordinator for more information.

One Repeat Rule Petition

You are entitled to petition the Scholastic Committee for exemption from the one repeat rule as defined in the University's Grading and Transcript policy, section E.4. If you wish to take a course for a third time, you must meet with your advisor to thoroughly discuss other options and the impact of taking a course for a third time. To petition, complete the Academic Policy Petition form and submit it to the Office of the Registrar.

Petition to take more than the maximum number of credits allowed

You may enroll in up to a maximum of 20 credits per semester and 12 credits during summer term. You must receive Registrar approval to enroll in more than the maximum number of credits allowed. To request approval, complete the Academic Policy Petition form, and submit it to the Office of the Registrar. If your request is not approved, you may appeal to the Scholastic Committee.

Substitutions for the Major

If you are seeking a course substitution in your major, contact the discipline coordinator of the major for approval.

Transfer Evaluation Appeal

If you have questions about your transfer evaluation, contact the transfer evaluation coordinator. You are entitled to petition the Scholastic Committee regarding the outcome of transfer evaluation.

Tuition Refund Appeal

If you are leaving Morris for medical or military reasons, or for academic dismissal, you may be entitled to a partial or, in rare cases, a full tuition refund. Print the Tuition Refund Appeal form or pick up the form at the One Stop. You must provide third party documentation supporting your appeal. See the instructions on the form for more details. If you are leaving for military reasons, please refer to the Active Military Duty Cancellation Policy.

Late Registration Fee Petition

A late registration fee is assessed for an initial registration that occurs on or after the first day of classes for any semester. It does not affect adding or dropping classes. During fall and spring semester, the fee is $50 if your initial registration for that semester occurs within the first two weeks of classes and $100 thereafter (summer semester fees are $25 and $50, respectively). To petition to have a late registration fee waived, complete the Petition for Late Registration Fee Waiver form.

Petition to Withdraw after the Deadline

If you have already used your one-time discretionary late withdrawal, you must petition the Scholastic Committee to withdraw from a class after the tenth week of the semester. See the drop a class page for more information.