Petition for Exception To Registration

• Expectations: Petitions are requests for exceptions to university policy and approval is not guaranteed.

• Petition form: The petition for exception to registration should be completed, signed and dated by the student. It is imperative that the form is completed accurately.

• Role of Instructor, advisor, and third parties:  statements and approvals are advisory and are not binding on the decision of the Office of the University Registrar.

• Supporting documentation:  It is the student’s responsibility to provide supporting documentation, based on their circumstances and for what is explained in their student statement. Copy and pasted email correspondences or other-wise altered documentation will not be accepted.

• Medical Documentation: If you are providing medical documentation, please make sure that this includes a letter from a medical professional on letterhead. The information should include an explanation of the circumstances and a timeline relevant to the term the request is being made for.  Please do not include the medical documentation form that is related to the tuition refund appeal process. This document will not be accepted. This is a separate form, for another process and a different office.

• Advising: We strongly encourage students to discuss their academic progress and options with their academic advisors. We also encourage students to communicate any questions, concerns or options regarding coursework with their instructors.

• Academically Dismissed: When a student is academically dismissed, they are notified of their student status. In addition, they are provided with the instructions regarding appealing the dismissal through the college office. The petition for exception to registration is not a means to remove an academic dismissal form the student record. Students are expected to decide to remain in courses or withdraw online prior to published university deadlines. If they wish to remain in courses, they should seek assistance form their instructor and/or academic advisor if there are challenges during the term to discuss best options, prior to any deadlines and prior to possibly being academically dismissed.

• Financial Aid: If you are a recipient of financial aid and scholarships, we advise that you contact the office of Financial Aid to discuss any implications if this petition is approved. Approval may affect current and future financial aid awards. It could result in repayment of financial aid received. It may also affect your eligibility to retain insurance coverage.

• Bursar account: Any registration activity may have an effect on your student account. Please contact the Bursar’s office to inquire about any charges or fees that may be assessed due to a registration request. Dropping a course and adding a different section of the same course does not mean that additional fees will not be assessed.

• Refunds: Review the Bursar’s website regarding tuition credits and Bursar Refund Appeal process. An approved drop or withdrawal through the petition for exception to registration process does not mean that the student is eligible for a refund.

• Financial issues: The Petition for Exception to Registration process is not to be used to resolve financial hardship or financial aid issues. Students should not register for courses to obtain the desired amount of credit hours solely for the purpose of becoming eligible for Financial Aid and then seek to withdraw or switch courses, after university deadlines.

• Grades: The petition for exception to registration is not the appropriate process to dispute or appeal grades. Please contact your college office or the Student Ombuds for assistance. Petitions for exception to registration requesting to drop/withdraw will not be considered for courses with passing grades, IP, or IN administrative marks.

• Incomplete Grades:  If you wish to pursue an incomplete grade for a course, you must do so through your instructor, prior to the end of the semester. In addition, students are unable to request a late withdraw through the petition for exception to registration process. An incomplete or in progress grade will stand. 

• International Students: Please include a letter of support from the Office of Global Education.

• ESL Students: Petitions for exception to registration are only forwarded to this office through the ESL office.

• Copies: Students are responsible for retaining copies of any and all materials submitted to the Office of the University Registrar. Paperwork will not be returned to you. Medical and sensitive documentation is shredded after the review process. We do not forward documents to other offices. You must make copies if you intend to use materials for another process.

• Communication: Decisions are communicated through the student’s KSU email account. If they are a former student we ask that the student provide the best phone number and personal email address, which will be verified. A mailing address may also be included.

• Time frame: Depending on the request, allow 1 to 14 business days for review, research, decision and processing. Current term petitions are reviewed first. Retroactive requests for prior terms may take longer. If you have questions regarding the status of your petition, please email RegPetition@kent.edu.                                       

• If all necessary information and documentation is provided from the beginning, the petition process is completed much faster. Delays occur when forms are incomplete and when relevant information and documentation is missing. If your petition is pending, you must follow-up as soon as you are able to provide the requested information, if it is needed from the student. There are times when the Office of the University Registrar has directly contacted faculty and/or staff and await additional information.

• Incomplete petitions: Incomplete petitions may be returned to the student.

• Pending: If additional information/documentation is needed the petition will only remain pending for 1 week. A decision will be made. The petition will be considered not sufficient to review/approve due to being incomplete, and therefore denied.

• Return for Revision: If any request form is returned to the student for correction, a deadline will be indicated in the return message. If the updated form or the correct form (in the cases of the wrong form being submitted)  is not received by the deadline, we well be unable to consider the request.

• Petitions that are not approved: All students are granted a one-time opportunity to appeal the decision. Appeal decisions are final. Email RegPetition@kent.edu, for details.

• Students should submit an appeal within 7 days from the time the original decision was received.  Appeals will be reviewed during the last week of each month.  Petitions must be received by the 20th of each month to be reviewed at the end of that month. If the petition for exception to registration appeal is received after the 20th, the petition will be reviewed within the review period of the following month.

• Read the petition form carefully. Make sure the petition is signed and dated when complete and successfully submitted. It is an electronic form routed directly to the Office of the University Registrar.

• Provide accurate student and course information on the petition. 

• Please do not make a request for multiple semesters on one petition. Requests for multiple semesters require separate petition forms.

• Student Statement: The student statement should explain the nature of your request and what extenuating circumstances prevented you from completing this change before the official processing deadline for the course(s). If a student is making a selective request, they must clearly explain how their circumstances affected one or some of their courses and not all. Documentation must be provided.

• Supporting Documentation: Provide documentation that supports the extenuating circumstances presented in your student statement. There should be a documented reason, as to why you were unable to withdraw by university deadlines.

• Medical Documentation: If you are providing medical documentation, a letter from a medical professional on letterhead is required. The information should include an explanation of the circumstances and a timeline relevant to the term the request is being made for.  Please do not include the medical documentation form that is related to the tuition refund appeal process. This document will not be accepted. This is a separate form, for another process and a different office.

• Additional information: The Office of the University Registrar reserves the right to request additional information from the student or others and will take the time to thoroughly conduct research as part of the review process. An instructor statement is NOT required. If we have specific questions for instructors or an academic advisor, we will contact them. Information from third parties is advisory only. The Office of the University Registrar reviews and makes the final decision for Petitions for Exception to Registration.  This is a review process, and an approval is not guaranteed. 

• Approved late withdraw: An approved late withdrawal is processed as of the date of approval. Withdrawals are not backdated. A withdrawal is not a guarantee of any tuition credit. Please note that any changes to registration, may cause changes in your student account and financial aid.

• Some of the reasons not appropriate for a petition for exception to registration:

  • Deciding to make an attempt to complete a course, though the student is experiencing extenuating circumstance, and discovering after university deadlines that they will not be successful, is not a an appropriate reason to petition a late withdraw. Computer errors, loss of internet connection, change in employment, being unaware of published university deadlines, incorrect deadline date on a syllabus, lack of books or supplies, poor performance, dissatisfaction with a grade earned or instructor issues are not valid reasons for this petition.

  • Holds: If a student has a hold, they should indicate whether they contacted the office that initiated the hold and when. Students should resolve these matters as soon as possible, in order to complete registration activity prior to university deadlines.

  • If a student petitioned to late add a course they should not submit a 2nd petition to late withdraw the same course, unless under extraordinary circumstances.

  • Unable to complete the course due to financial reasons or seek to request a refund. The university does not offer a refund appeal process due to extenuating circumstances, as of Fall 2020.  Kent State University offers tuition insurance through GradGuard.  This option can be purchased at the beginning of each term. To obtain a quote or learn more about selecting this optional tuition insurance from GradGuard visit their website or call 877-794-6603.

A Drop/Delete (drop at 100% tuition credit) of a course may only be considered during the semester of the course and due to never attending. A drop/delete is removal of a course from the academic record. The deadline for a late request is the last day of the course. Requests will not be considered during finals week or beyond. This request is made with the NF Final Graded Courses Petition for Exception to Registration – Current Term   Retroactive requests for an earlier term will not be considered for a drop. You must use the NF Petition for Exception to Registration form -Prior term for courses that are graded NF or with verification from the instructor of never attending. Please be aware a review may take longer than usual if additional information is required or when the instructor needs to be contacted and we are waiting on a response or completion of a required administrative task. It is the student’s responsibility to drop courses by published university deadlines if they do not intend to continue in a course or are unable to continue in a course for any reason.

A few reasons not appropriate for a late drop request:

• Students are unable to make a request for a late drop/deletion with 100% tuition credit due to extenuating circumstances, perceived quality of instruction or dissatisfaction of an academic experience, changing their mind about taking a course, not being aware of published university deadlines, financial reasons, incorrect drop deadline date on a syllabus, job related (promotion, changing shifts, changing jobs), poor grades etc. 

• Students are unable to make a request to late drop/deletion of a course with 100% tuition credit because they have changed their major and no longer need the course, course placement or advising issues.

• Students are unable to make a request for a late drop/deletion of a course with 100% tuition credit due to late submission of an academic transcript from another school for a review of transfer work, late posting of transfer credit, not being aware of transfer work or the completion of the transfer review process. There may be a consideration of a late withdrawal only. A “W” would be on the record and there would not be any tuition credit.

The university does not offer a refund appeal process due to extenuating circumstances, as of Fall 2020.  Kent State University offers tuition insurance through GradGuard.  This option can be purchased at the beginning of each term. To obtain a quote or learn more about selecting this optional tuition insurance from GradGuard visit their website or call 877-794-6603.

• Student Statement:  Attach a typed detailed statement, explaining the nature of your request, why the request is being made and what extenuating circumstances prevented you from completing this change before the official processing deadline for the course(s).  Please note if you are requesting to audit a course.

• Instructor statement:  Please have the instructor of the course(s) email RegPetition@kent.edu, from their KSU email address, if they are in favor of your enrollment. They may also provide a statement on KSU letterhead. The instructor should include the course subject, course number, section and CRN.

• Supporting Documentation: Provide documentation that supports the extenuating circumstances presented in your student statement. Supporting documentation is required after the first week of classes.

• Late adds are considered only if the instructor is in favor of the late add and verifies:

  • Student has participated in class and has a reasonable chance to successfully complete the course by the end of the term

  • If the student has not participated in class it should be understood what is expected (catching up with missed assignments, additional work etc.) and that there is a reasonable chance that the student will be successful in completing the course.

If a student is requesting to add multiple courses, all instructor statements must be received. We do not process partial petitions. If there is an issue with obtaining approval from one or some instructors, the student may submit a revised petition for the courses where an instructor statement was received. The original request will be voided.

• Open Learning courses: Students may request to late add open-learning courses after the first week, with this form. Instructor approval is needed.

• Re-add: Circumstances for which a student may request to re-add a course:

  • Student was withdrawn during Bursar Deregistration and they are beyond the rebuild period and unable to request to rebuild their schedule through the Bursar’s Office.  Students are not able to pick and choose which courses to re-add, all courses withdrawn must be re-added. Students should request to re-add courses within the term they were de-registered and before the end of the semester. 
  • Classes were dropped due to early cancellation due to non-payment and the student is unable to re-add online.
  • Student accidently drops or withdraws the wrong course.

• Course Changes: A student may need to request a change from one course section to another. Even if the courses are the same, there may be additional fees based on the dates of dropping/withdrawing and adding of a course. In addition, tuition and fees associated with a course vary based on the campus and method of instruction. Changing a course of the exact same subject does not necessarily mean that there will not be any additional charges.

• Pass/Fail or Audit: Undergraduate students wishing to take coursework on a pass-fail basis should complete the Pass/Fail or Audit Grade Request Form by the published deadlines. Only one course per semester may be taken pass-fail. (NOTE: Some courses such as Kent Core or graduate courses cannot be taken pass-fail.)

• Online Late Registration Request:

  • Students will use the online Late Registration Request when attempting to add to their class schedule during the 80% drop window. This request form cannot be used for Open Learning courses. After the 80% drop window students will need to use a petition for exception to registration.

• A student may need to request a change from one course section to another. Even if the courses are the same, there may be additional fees assessed based on the dates of dropped/withdrawing and adding of a course.

• In addition, tuition and fees associated with a course vary based on the campus and method of instruction. Changing course of the exact same subject does not necessarily mean that there will not be any charges. 

• Student Statement:  Attach a typed detailed statement, explaining the nature of your request, why the request is being made and what extenuating circumstances prevented you from completing this change before the official processing deadline for the course(s).

• Instructor statement:  Please have the instructor of the course(s) email RegPetition@kent.edu, from their KSU email address, if they are in favor of your request. They may also provide a statement on KSU letterhead. The instructor should include the course subject, course number, section and CRN and any other relevant information.

• Supporting Documentation: Provide documentation that supports the extenuating circumstances presented in your student statement.

  • COURSE SECTION CHANGE (exact same course but different section) - Only with the approval of the instructors and if it is related to verified university error

  • LEVEL CHANGE (Undergraduate to Graduate level or vice versa) - Only with the approval of the instructors and if it is related to verified university error

• Inappropriate reasons to change grade mode:

  • Poor performance in a course (change from standard letter grade to P/F or audit)

  • Performing better than expected (change from audit or P/F to standard letter grade)

  • Earning a poor grade on mid-term, project or paper and wishing to change grade mode.

• Changing credit hours:

  • Verification is needed from the instructor that you are completing the amount of course work equal to the credit hours.

  • It is inappropriate to request to change credit hours for financial reasons. A student cannot request to change credit hours late in the term because of fees and wishing to reduce their bill.

• Until they are notified of the outcome of their petition, students remain fully accountable for university financial obligations and course work. Students should continue to attend classes that they are registered for.

• If you are waiting for a possible approval to late add or re-add a course, you should not be attending the class. Students who are not officially registered for a course by published university deadlines should not attend classes and will not receive credit or a grade for the course.

• We seek to review and make decisions on petitions for exception to registration in a timely manner. If the petition form is incorrect/incomplete or if required documentation is not submitted, the review process will be delayed. We encourage you to follow-up with us. If you have questions about whether a petition for exception to registration is appropriate for your circumstances or you wish to inquire about the status of your petition, please email RegPetition@kent.edu.  

It is the responsibility of the student to fully understand the information presented in the current Kent State University Catalog and to know and observe all policies and procedures of the University. Regulations may not be waived nor exceptions granted because a student pleads ignorance of policies or procedures. Students should make themselves aware of all published University Registration and Withdrawal deadlines. While academic advisors and other staff will assist students in every way possible, the responsibility for following all policies and meeting all requirements and deadlines rests with the student.

• The university is obligated to ensure the integrity of the academic transcript as an accurate historical document. Therefore, in order for the academic transcript to reflect the actual history of a student’s experience at the university, an exception to university policy is warranted only in cases involving documented unusual or extenuating circumstances.

• A petition is a request for exception to university policy and review and/or approval by the Office of the University Registrar is not guaranteed.  Students may submit a petition in a reasonable period of time, typically within the term under consideration.   Petitions for exception to registration may be reviewed retroactively at the discretion of the University Registrar not to exceed two years (2) from the end of the term in which the requested action is sought. Petitions more than two (2) years from the end of the term under consideration are not guaranteed to be reviewed and/or approved. 

• For further information regarding the Petition for Exception to Registration process, please email RegPetition@kent.edu.