Medical Withdrawal from Classes (Procedure 4.0705)

Purpose

The purpose of this procedure is to establish the steps students take for a Medical Withdrawal from one or more courses when the student experiences a serious illness or serious injury necessitating a medically necessary absence from the remainder of the semester, accruing no credit.  

Definitions

1. Health care provider: a doctor of medicine or osteopathy, podiatrist, dentist, chiropractor, clinical psychologist, optometrist, nurse practitioner, nurse-midwife, or a clinical social worker who is authorized to practice by the State and is performing within the scope of their practice as defined by State law. The College also may accept medical certification from other legitimate providers to substantiate a claim.
2. Medical Withdrawal: College assignment of a W5. This results in no course grade included in the GPA. [1]
3. Medically necessary absence: inability to participate in the learning experience for one or more courses beginning after the final day of Add/Drop and extending through the final day of the semester.
4. Serious illness or injury: illness, injury, impairment, or any other physical or mental condition extending more than three days that involves inpatient care or continuing treatment by a health care provider that prevents class attendance/participation in more than three class meetings or more than 10% of the course.
5. W5: the grade assigned by the College following a successful request for Medical Withdrawal. That code represents Administrative Withdrawal.

Procedure

Seminole State College of Florida recognizes that emergency or extraordinary medical circumstances may occur beyond the student’s control. At times, this results in the student being unable to demonstrate mastery of the student learning outcomes in one or more courses. Alternatively, because of serious illness or injury, the student may be unable to meet the attendance requirements identified in the course. If this is the case, the student should follow the process outlined in this procedure.

1. Students should discuss the circumstances with the instructor(s).  The instructor may be able to provide some assistance or guidance that could assist the student in completing requirements prior to the end of the semester. With the student’s written permission, the instructor may communicate with the representative of a seriously ill or seriously injured student.
2. If there is no chance of successfully completing the course(s), due to a serious illness or injury, students may submit a Medical Withdrawal Request package of documents electronically.  The form and the list of required documentation are at Online Forms
   The withdrawal deadlines are at the Seminole State catalog

3. The deadline to submit a Medical Withdrawal is prior to the end of the subsequent semester in which the course is taken. Under extraordinary circumstances, the College will consider requests after this period on a case-by-case basis. Such requests must meet College requirements for the Medical Withdrawal process (Items 4a-d, below) as well as provide documentation of the circumstances that precluded timely submission.  
4. Seminole State College of Florida requires the complete submission of the Medical Withdrawal package prior to consideration. That includes:
   1. Medical Withdrawal Request form;
   2. signed health care provider’s statement on letterhead relating the nature of the medical condition to the reason the student could not complete the course work during specific dates within the term of enrollment;
   3. a letter of explanation from the student regarding the severity of his/her medical condition, explaining why he/she is unable to complete the semester due to the medical condition;
   4. Medical Withdrawal Instructor Recommendation form for each course, with Part 1 completed by the student and Part 2 completed by the instructor(s), deans, or designees. The student will receive the completed forms from each instructor and assemble the complete package for presentation to the College.  Instructors may choose to submit the form in a sealed envelope to the student
5. Consideration of a Medical Withdrawal is contingent upon complete and acceptable documentation. Students have one opportunity to submit all required documentation properly. Additional documents will not be accepted after initial submission. The Medical Withdrawal Request form (excluding supporting documentation) and cover sheet stating the outcome of the request will be added to the student’s record. 
6. If the College determines that the student was reasonably aware of the serious illness or injury at the time of course registration, the request may be denied.
7. The request is reviewed by a three-member Medical Withdrawal committee. Its members will include Enrollment Services, a faculty member, and a Financial Aid representative. Approval is at the sole discretion of the Registrar/Enrollment Services Department, who may consult with knowledgeable individuals as consistent with FERPA, HIPAA, and other applicable statutes. The decision is final and there is no appeal.
8. Students will be notified of the approval or denial of their Medical Withdrawal request through their official College email account within 10 business days of submission to the College.
9. If a Medical Withdrawal Request is approved for a course, the student will receive a grade of “W5”, Administrative Withdrawal, in that course. The W5 is treated as a withdrawal for financial aid purposes based on the last date of attendance. An approved Medical Withdrawal will not remove a student’s tuition and/or financial aid obligations for the term. Course repeat rules and standards of academic progress may also be impacted/affected by approved medical withdrawal requests; therefore, it is recommended that students seek academic and financial aid advising prior to submitting a request.
10. An approved Medical Withdrawal applies only to one semester during a student’s enrollment at Seminole State College of Florida.

Limitations 

1. Seminole State College of Florida does not grant tuition or fee refunds for approved Medical Withdrawals. However, students who receive an approved Medical Withdrawal may receive priority for an institutional scholarship for the next semester in which they enroll, equivalent to the same number of college credits that were approved for the Medical Withdrawal. 

2. Students who are approved for a Medical Withdrawal and are eligible for financial aid and as a result of their withdrawal, are required to reimburse the College for Title IV funds, may use the institutional scholarship funds to pay the Title IV debt instead of using the institutional scholarship funds to pay for a course the next semester. 

3. The availability of funds to cover the costs of future courses is dependent upon funding allocations available at the time of the request. The number of Medical Withdrawals that allow priority for the payment of future courses is limited and institutional scholarships are not guaranteed. 

4. Students have two academic semesters from the date the Medical Withdrawal is approved to utilize any institutional scholarship funds awarded. 

5. If the Medical Withdrawal is approved, the institutional scholarship may only be utilized as described above. It may not be redeemed for cash or course materials and it may not be exchanged or transferred.  

 

[1] This definition ensures compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Title IX. It includes all absences, with specific recognition of those relating to pregnancy or disability. This will be documented by a recognized health care provider stating in writing the circumstances of the absence, when based on any medical condition including disability, pregnancy, complications of pregnancy, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, childbirth, or recovery from any of these conditions.