NUMBER:   ACAF 3.05

SECTION:  Academic Affairs    



SUBJECT:  Withdrawal of Students Called to Active Military Duty   

                           

DATE:     February 1, 1995



LATEST REVISION:  November 7, 2001

                     

Policy for:     All Campuses

Procedure for:  All Campuses

Authorized by:  Jerome D. Odom

Issued by:      University Registrar



________________________________________________________________





I.   Policy



This policy addresses situations in which currently enrolled

students in the National Guard or Armed Forces Reserves are

placed on active duty by order of the President of the United

States or the Governor of their state during a national or state

emergency.  This policy also applies to active duty military 

personnel who are reassigned during a time of national emergency, 

as declared by the President of the United States.  For purposes 

of this policy the president of the University may also invoke 

the provisions of this policy.



The general University policy for students serving in the

National Guard or Reserves who are called to active military duty, 

or active duty military personnel who are reassigned during a 

time of national emergency, during an academic term is to provide 

a full withdrawal from the University without academic or 

financial penalty (grade of "W", 100% refund) and to suspend 

the normal policy of converting grades of incomplete to grades 

of "F" after 12 months.  This policy will apply only to courses 

in which the student is enrolled at the time that he/she must 

report for active duty.



II.  Procedure



All students requesting special consideration regarding their 

call to active military duty or reassignment of duty must 

provide full written verification through the submission of 

their orders or alert notice.  This notice must be submitted 

to the Office of Student Judicial Programs in the Division of 

Student and Alumni Services, along with a statement requesting 

relief from academic or financial penalty.



Students intending to withdraw from all courses and secure a 

grade of "W" should be referred to the Office of Student Judicial 

Programs in the Division of Student and Alumni Services.  This 

step is essential to receiving special consideration in accordance 

with this policy. Housing and food service refunds will be 

calculated as a percentage of the unused portion of the total fees 

paid.



Students enrolled in one or more courses who do not wish to 

withdraw from all courses, but wish to negotiate with their 

instructors for a combination of grades, incompletes, and/or 

"W"s, should likewise be referred to the Office of Student 

Judicial Programs. "WF"s shall not be assigned to students 

called to active military duty.  After the Office of Student 

Judicial Programs documents their military call-up status in 

writing, students will be informed of their options and given 

a statement verifying their status which should be presented 

to their college or graduate school dean.  A copy of the 

statement and all supporting documentation should also be 

sent to the University Registrar.



Students opting for "W" grades may secure from their college

dean, or Dean of the Graduate School for graduate students, an

Extenuating Circumstances form (Request for Assignment of W Grade

for Extenuating Circumstances After Penalty Date, AS122A).  The

completed Extenuating Circumstances form should be returned to

the college or graduate school dean's office for final approval,

and then forwarded to the University Registrar's office. The

student will be issued a complete refund for each course for

which a grade of "W" is received.



Except for withdrawals, it will be up to each instructor to

assign a letter grade or an incomplete ("I") consistent with

applicable departmental, college, and University policies.  If an

incomplete grade is assigned, an Assignment of Incomplete Grade

form (AS-5) must be completed.  Special care should be exercised

by the student and instructor to state clearly and specifically

the "Conditions for Make-Up" at the bottom of this form.  This

specificity will protect the instructor and the

student from miscommunication and will serve as a contract for

the completion of the course.



The normal policy of converting grades of incomplete to grades of

"F" after 12 months is suspended for students in this category. 

The student may complete the work for up to 12 months after

release from active duty, or return from active duty reassignment.  

Copies of military orders must be provided to the University 

Registrar before the extension will be granted.  The Registrar 

will monitor the application of this policy suspension.  



If an undergraduate student fully withdraws and remains absent

for more than one major (16 week) semester, the student must

apply for readmission with waiver of any application fee and will

be given every consideration for readmission in the same academic

status as at the time of the withdrawal.  Students seeking

readmission should refer to the procedures for "Readmission of

Former Students" as stated in the Undergraduate Studies Bulletin. 



Graduate students who have been called to active military duty, 

or reassignment of duty and do not return within four terms 

following their withdrawal semester, should contact their academic 

unit regarding specific procedures for continuing their graduate 

degree program.   All time requirements related to completion of 

both undergraduate and graduate degree requirements will be 

suspended for the period equal to the time spent on active duty, 

reassignment, and/or medical rehabilitation directly related to 

that military service.



Students who present unique problems not covered by this policy

should contact their college or graduate school dean. 



III.  Reason for Revision



To include active duty military personnel under the terms of the 

policy.

This page copyright © 1995-01, The Board of Trustees of the University of South Carolina.
URL http://www.sc.edu/policies/acaf305.html