Drop Deadline

• Please remind students that the deadline for an undergraduate to drop an individual semester-length course without collegiate authorization is Monday, April 17.
• After initiating a course drop in MyUI, students must obtain authorization from their academic advisor, then must finalize the drop in MyUI by 11:59 pm on the deadline.
• Deadlines for off-cycle courses may be found using the Registrar’s Course Deadlines Lookup.

Considerations for instructors related to the deadline to drop a course:

• The mark of W will appear on the student’s transcript when they drop a course.
• Ws are neutral marks that do not affect a student’s GPA.
• It is important that students understand how they are doing in the course at this time in the semester. This information can help them make a realistic and well-informed decision about continuing in a course. Sometimes dropping a course can be in the best interest of a student.

Withdrawal Deadline

• The deadline for undergraduates to withdraw their entire Spring 2023 registration without collegiate authorization is 11:59 pm on Monday, April 17.
• After initiating a withdrawal in MyUI, students must obtain authorization from their academic advisor, then must finalize the withdrawal in MyUI by 11:59 pm on the deadline.

Please refer students with questions to CLAS Undergraduate Programs in 120 Schaeffer Hall or clas-undergrad@uiowa.edu. Undergraduate students who wish to drop a course or withdraw their registration after April 17 will need collegiate authorization. 

Supporting Students with Absences

Students may be asking instructors whether they can catch up after significant missed classes or coursework. Here are some questions to guide instructors in this situation:

• Good standing: Overall, was the student’s work submitted for the course to date satisfactory, i.e., at least of average quality?

• Attendance and Participation: Did the student usually attend class (or attend class according to SDS accommodations as discussed with the instructor)? Was the student’s written work generally submitted by the relevant deadlines? Did the student take the previous exams or quizzes at the day and time scheduled? (For the SDS DRADM accommodation, the DRADM Agreement between the instructor and student is the best way to set expectations. If an agreement form has not been completed, it is not too late to do that now.) Student Disability Services encourages instructors with questions to confer with them.
• Communication: Has the student communicated reliably with the instructor as needed?
• Documentation: If the student’s longer absence (more than 1-2 class periods) was related to an emergency, excused activity, medical or mental health reason, did the student provide appropriate documentation? (Students with the flu, colds, or other short illness are encouraged by the health care community to stay home but seek care as needed. Do not ask for medical documentation to excuse the absence but instead trust the student unless a pattern continues.)
• Course Context and Role in the Curriculum: Instructors will need to think about the role of missed work in a course, depending on its structure, level, size, and role in the curriculum. In all cases, a key factor is whether the student has a reasonable chance to achieve the course learning outcomes.

Incompletes

A student unable to finish a course may ask an instructor for a mark of I (Incomplete), which gives the student until the end of the next full semester (i.e., spring or fall) to complete the work of the course.

• Course instructors may approve a student’s request only if all three of the following conditions are met:
  1. The unfinished part of the student's work is small.
  2. The work is unfinished for reasons acceptable to the instructor.

• • The student's standing in the course is satisfactory.
• Generally CLAS supports the use of incompletes only in rare cases. Instructors should keep in mind that it can be more helpful to the student to give the grade the student has currently earned and that a grade change can later be submitted. Incomplete grades turn to Fs at the end of the following (spring or fall) semester.
• If approved, the student and instructor should agree on a deadline for the work missed and include any other expectations in writing using the Incomplete Agreement Form in order to remind each party of the agreements.

CLAS Undergraduate Student Academic Concern Form

The academic staff in CLAS Undergraduate Programs (120 Schaeffer Hall) have created a reporting form for instructors to use when academic concerns arise related to a student in one of their courses. If you are concerned about a student, please fill out the online reporting form. You will be asked to share your name, the student’s name, and a brief summary of the concern. You can choose whether to remain anonymous, and CLAS staff will determine the appropriate outreach and resources to support the student.

Reasons instructors might use the form:  

• Student has stopped coming to class or stopped submitting assignments with no communication for more than a week.
• Student has not responded to your attempts to outreach via email or ICON website.

For support reporting academic misconduct, please visit the CLAS website on Undergraduate Academic Misconduct for questions and to make these types of reports.

For support with matters related to Title IX, other sexual misconduct claims, or any protected class complaints, please contact The Office of Institutional Equity (OIE) for questions and to learn more about these types of issues.