Petition the Committee on Academic Status
Topics: Overload for more than 19 credit hours, Summer Overload, Underload, Late Drop, Late Withdrawal from a Course, Late Withdrawal from a Semester, Appeal of a Previous CAS Action, Academic Reinstatement, FlexTrack Status
Deadline: The deadline varies by petition type. For a petition to be heard at the bi-weekly CAS meeting, please have it submitted by the Friday before at 4:00pm.
Contact: [[w|academicaffairs]]
Full Details
If you are attempting to underload in your final semester, please view the Registrar's Office website for Final Semester Underload requests.The Committee hears individual undergraduate student requests for exceptions to academic rules and regulations. Students are required to continue attending their present class schedule until notified in writing of the Committee’s final decision.
Graduate students must consult with their graduate program director for assistance with their program's enrollment policies.
- Petition approval is not automatic and is generally given only when circumstances are extraordinary.
- Students are expected to be knowledgeable about William & Mary policies and regulations as set forth in the Course Catalog. Please also consult the policies concerning academic standards and good standing.
- Students are required to continue attending their present class schedule until notified in writing of the Committee’s final decision.
- A professor's supporting statement will be requested and is a required component of the review process.
- If this petition is denied, the student has 5 business days from the day their decision email was sent to submit an appeal of the denied petition. Appeals are submitted online the same way the initial petition was submitted.
- All petition materials must be submitted in PDF file format. If your materials are in another file format, such as a Word Document, please convert them to PDF format before submitting them.
Physical or Mental Health Conditions
If the request is related to a physical or mental health condition, students should complete a Medical Review Committee petition instead.Questions?
Students are encouraged to reach out to the Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs ([[w|academicaffairs]]) if they have questions concerning academic policies, the exception to academic regulations requested by this petition, or the Committee on Academic Status procedures.Types of Petitions
Petition to Late-Drop / Late-AddIf a student wishes to drop a class after the add/drop deadline, the student must petition the Committee on Academic Status (CAS) below. Petitions to drop classes are rarely approved except under circumstances beyond a student's control. Late-AddThe Office of the University Registrar may review requests from students who wish to late add a course after the add/drop deadline as long as their request meets the following criteria:
Students who do not meet the above criteria but wish to late add a course may petition the Committee on Academic Status (CAS) below. |
Petition for a Late WithdrawalA petition may be made requesting (1) a late withdrawal from a class or (2) a withdrawal from all classes after the deadline to withdraw has passed. Students wishing to withdraw from all classes should contact our office for an appointment. Retroactive withdrawals refer to course withdrawals after the last day of classes or relating to a previous academic semester. |
Petition to OverloadStudents may request to overload to 19 credit hours through the Office of the University Registrar. The request form will open two weeks prior to the start of the semester, however, changes to maximum credit hour limits will be processed no sooner than the day before classes begin. The form will remain open through the last day of classes. Eligibility Criteria for University Registrar Office ReviewThe Office of the University Registrar may review requests from students who wish to overload to 19 credit hours as long as the student meets the following criteria:
Students who do not meet the above criteria but wish to overload, or those students who wish to request an overload for more than 19 credit hours, may petition the Committee on Academic Status (CAS) below. Overload for summer school: Students may register for up to 16 credits per summer. However, they are advised not to take more than two intensive, five-week courses in the same session. Students who wish to request an overload for more than 16 credit hours, may petition the Committee on Academic Status (CAS) below. |
Petition to UnderloadStudents who are in their final undergraduate term and have applied for graduation may enroll in fewer than 12 credits as long as they are enrolled in all courses required for their degree. Students that meet these requirements would submit a Final Semester Underload request through the Registrar's Office. Students that do not meet those requirements may petition the Committee on Academic Status (CAS) for an underload. Underload requests (to take fewer than 12 credit hours) will normally be considered ONLY under one of the following conditions:
Important Underload Information
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Petition to Change Registered Course HoursIf you register for a course that is variable credit (ex. from 1.00 to 3.00 credit hours) you may select the number of credit hours you want. If you select a variable credit course, the system will automatically register you for the minimum number of credit hours allowed for this course. To make changes, use the Schedule and Options tab in Banner 9 Register for Classes. Please note that updating the credit hours for a variable credit course is only available through the add/drop window. You only need to complete these steps if you are taking the course for more than the minimum number of credit hours allowed. If you are trying to change the credit hours after the add/drop window, the Office of the University Registrar may review requests from students who wish to make a change to the credit hours for their variable credit course after the add/drop deadline as long as their request meets the following criteria:
Students who do not meet the above criteria but wish to make a late change to the credit hours for their variable credit course may petition the Committee on Academic Status (CAS) below. |
Petition for Academic ReinstatementRecommendations after a First Academic Suspension
Important Dates
Reinstatement Process
Students may opt to submit a transcript (if they took courses elsewhere) and a letter of recommendation with the petition. Students may choose to provide a letter of recommendation from an employer/volunteer supervisor/mentor (not next of kin), to highlight the student’s accomplishments during suspension to the Dean of Students Office. |
Petition for FlexTrack StatusFlexTrack is a program for non-traditional students with significant time constraints outside of the classroom, an example being family commitments, full-time employment, etc. FlexTrack students can take anywhere between 3 to 18 credits per semester, however, many FlexTrack students, do take a full course load (taking up to 12 credits or more). To request FlexTrack status, please file a petition with the Committee on Academic Status. |
SUBMIT A CAS PETITION NOW