Administration Committee Process

The Administration Committee hears requests from students and faculty for exceptions to academic policies. This does not include assessing course or independent study content for distribution credit; these requests may be directed to the Curriculum Committee . The most common Administration Committee requests include:

International Students : Click here for additional information listed at the bottom of this page.

Key Deadlines to Remember

• The deadline for applying for Special Student Status for the spring semester is November 15, and for the fall semester is March 15.
• Requests to add a course must be submitted by the end of the second week of classes in the fall or spring semester.
• Requests to drop a course must be submitted by the end of the fifth week of classes in the fall or spring semester.
• For winter term, the deadline to add or drop a course is the end of the 3rd day of classes.  
• Requests for readmission after academic failure or suspension must be received by June 1 for fall term and by November 15 for winter or spring term.

Submitting a Petition
Students who make a request to the Administration Committee must always do so by letter to the Dean of the College  Office in Meeker House. For late drop/add requests, students must take the additional step of completing a drop/add card, which must include the signatures of the professors, the signature of the student's academic adviser, and the dates the professors and adviser signed the card.

When preparing a petition to the Administration Committee, please be specific in outlining the details of your request, including signing and dating your petition. Your petition should use the following format:

Paragraph 1: Clearly state your request.

Paragraph 2:  Give a brief explanation as to why the request is being made.

Paragraph 3: Reference any accompanying documents, letters of recommendation , or required signatures. This assists the Administration Committee in determining when your petition is complete and ready to be reviewed.

The letter should be submitted to either Associate Dean of the College Karen Guttentag, or Assistant to the Associate Deans of the College Penny Deacon, both of whom can be found on the third floor of Meeker House.

Calendar
During spring term 2008, the Administration Committee will generally meet each Tuesday (please note that this is a change from our fall 2007 and winter 2008 meeting schedule).  However, exceptions to this schedule occur throughout the year, so if your request is unusually time-sensitive, please check to confirm the next scheduled meeting. All completed requests must be submitted by no later than noon on Friday to be reviewed at the Administration Committee meeting that week. Please note that requests will not be placed on the agenda until all materials are complete. For example, if your petition for a late add or drop does not include the proper signatures from your professor and adviser, or if you have not provided the Administration Committee with the necessary supporting materials, the Committee will not consider your request until such information is provided. Students requesting to drop a course are strongly advised to continue attending class and to complete work in the course until the Administration Committee reviews the request and makes a decision.

The Administration Committee does not meet regularly during the summer months. Meetings generally do not occur more than once a month as necessary. Please take this into account as you assess your needs.


    
Outcomes
There are several possible outcomes of Administration Committee petitions. Requests may be approved. They may also be conditionally approved; for example, Special Student status may only be approved on the condition that outstanding transfer credits must be submitted and finalized. Requests may also be tabled. This means that the Committee is postponing a decision until they have more information about the request. They may require the student to provide additional information, or the Committee may seek it themselves. Finally, petitions can be denied.

Communication of Outcomes
Once the Administration Committee has reviewed your petition, the secretary of the committee will notify each student of the outcome by letter, usually within a week. If time permits, the secretary will often contact students with especially time-sensitive requests by email immediately after the meeting to share the outcome. Students who wish to know their outcome before they have received their letter may contact Dean Karen Guttentag (x2024) or Penny Deacon (x5771). 


Appeals of Outcomes
There is no formal appeals process for Administrative Committee decisions. However, students who have had petitions denied may resubmit them if they have addressed the concerns of the Committee and have revised their petition.


A Note for International Students
International students should be aware that some of the requests that commonly lead students to petition the Administration Committee may impact your immigration status. These requests may include reducing your course load, seeking readmission after academic withdrawal, or other circumstances. Please carefully consider the impact your requests and their outcomes may have on your immigration status and consult with the International Student Advising staff before you initiate this process.

If you have any questions, please contact Co-chair Dean Karen Guttentag (x2024), Co-chair Professor Cates Baldridge (x5330), or Administrator Penny Deacon (x5771).