Students are responsible for managing their own registration and are required to adhere to published policies and deadlines, but sometimes encounter extraordinary circumstances that prevent them from doing so. The Academic Petition Review Committee exists to review such cases. Academic policies can be found in the current Course Catalog, and the Academic Calendar with pertinent deadlines can be found on the Office of the Registrar’s homepage. Students who have experienced extraordinary circumstances that have prevented them from adhering to policies and deadlines may submit an academic petition to request an exception. Petitions to change terms that are 3 years or more old may be submitted, however, sufficient information may not be available to evaluate your request. Students may petition any WOU registration and student- record related policies.  These policies include but are not limited to:

• Late course add/drop
• Late course withdrawal
• Graduation application deadlines
• University Degree Requirements
• Extension of incomplete grades
• Registration overload
• Late change of grade mode

Petitions to the APRC are intended to redress circumstances that are:

• Extraordinary
• Beyond a student’s control
• Documented
• Remedied or significant progress has been made to remedy the issue

The Academic Petition form is on the Registrar’s Forms Page.  A PDF copy of the form can be found here. 

Read the petition directions carefully and provide all requested information. Complete petitions and supporting documentation can be turned into the Registrar’s Office. The Registrar’s Office cannot accept incomplete petitions. Be prepared to show picture ID if you are delivering the petition in person.  The petition and supporting documentation can be emailed as a PDF attachment to registrar@wou.edu. Your petition materials must be sent from your WOU email account to be accepted by the Registrar’s Office.

It greatly helps your case to provide documentation. While you are not required to submit documentation, be aware that the committee is less likely to approve a petition that does not have verifiable documentation. Also be aware that the submission of documentation does not guarantee that your petition will be approved. More guidance for petition submission can be found by clicking the Documentation Guidelines button below.

Depending on the type of petition you submit, we may ask your course instructor(s) or academic advisor for their recommendation and comment about your petition. Your petition is not considered complete until your instructor and/or advisor responds to our request for information, if applicable.

If your petition will require an explanation that discloses confidential information related to sexual harassment or sexual violence, start the process by visiting Abby’s House or the Student Health and Counseling Center to speak with a professional staff member that serves as a confidential employee. Non-confidential professional staff, faculty, and student staff members are required by federal law to report to a University official information disclosed that is related to sexual harassment or sexual violence and an investigation will result.

You can ask the confidential employee to provide a letter of support for your petition.  The letter of support can be used as documentation for your petition process.

Confidential employees are not required to make a report to a University official and will typically not share information without your permission. However, they may be required or allowed to share information in certain circumstances. For example, if a court order is presented, if they have reason to believe that a student is at high risk for suicide, or violence toward others, or if a minor is being abused.

Petitions are reviewed weekly on Wednesdays by the Academic Petition Review Committee. Petitions completed by 12:00 pm (noon) on Tuesday will be reviewed that same week. Please note that if your petition requires instructor and/or advisor input, your petition is not complete until they respond to the requests for information. The decision of the Academic Petition Review Committee will be sent by email no later than Thursday afternoon.

You will receive an email no later than Thursday morning requesting additional information. Please provide the requested information as soon as possible.  If you fail to respond with the requested information within two weeks the Committee will take no further action on your petition.  You will be notified if the Committee needs additional information from faculty or staff.  The Registrar’s Office will reach out to faculty or staff on the Committee’s behalf.

To appeal a denial, you must re-submit a petition to the committee and include new information and/or documentation. If your first appeal is denied by the committee, you may request that your petition materials be forwarded to the Dean of the college in which you have declared your major (students with an undeclared major will have petitions reviewed by the Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences). You have the option of addressing a written statement to the Dean. If the Dean denies your appeal, you may request that your petition materials be forwarded to the Provost. The decision of the Provost is not appealable.

The decision of the Academic Petition Review Committee relates strictly to your academic request, it has no bearing on your student bill or debt with the institution. Requests for exceptions to the refund schedule must be submitted to Accounting & Business Services.  For more information concerning refunds, visit Accounting & Business Services website or call 503-838-8201.