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Academic Related Concerns

Academic Probation Assistance

Probation, Dismissal, and Academic Standing Policy
This policy is a comprehensive outline that defines a student’s academic standing and probationary status, and underlines the College’s academic dismissal policy.

Disability Support

Accessibility Resource Center – Roscoe West, 2nd floor
The Accessibility Resource Center (ARC) collaborates with students, faculty, staff and guests to advance access within the campus community and to further extend both the mission of The College of New Jersey and the mission of the Division of Inclusive Excellence to persons with disabilities. As part of this effort, Inclusive Excellence promotes awareness of disability as a facet of diversity with underpinnings of collaborative efforts being rooted in social justice.

General Academic Resources

Center for Student Success – Roscoe West Hall, Suite 131
The Center for Student Success is a supportive network aimed at providing students with academic assistance to strengthen their overall scholastic performance.

To schedule an appointment with CSS for any academic coaching or supplemental advising, click here: bit.ly/cssadvise.

Tutoring Center – Roscoe West Hall, Suite 101
The Tutoring Center provides services that facilitate TCNJ Students’ learning and persistence as they meet academic challenges throughout their academic careers. In-person sessions are organized one-to-one or in small-group sessions by scheduled appointment or drop-in.

Incomplete Course(s)

Incomplete and In-Progress Grade Policy
This Policy provides the rationale for when grades of I (Incompletes) and IP (In Progress) may be assigned.

Leave of Absence / Withdrawal

Dean of Students Office – Brower Student Center, Suite 220
The Dean of Students (DOS) Office provides students with services to foster their academic development and aid in their collegiate success. DOS office includes Title IX & Sexual Misconduct, Student Conduct & Off-Campus Services, and TCNJ Cares
Phone: 609-771-CARE (2273)

Involuntary Health or Safety Withdrawal Policy
The purpose of this policy is to describe the criteria and procedural standards
for an involuntary health or safety withdrawal (withdrawal) of a student from
The College of New Jersey. This policy is reserved for those circumstances when
other supports and resources have been exhausted, or the risk of harm or
impediment to the operations of the College are so significant that an
involuntary withdrawal is necessary to preserve the health or safety of an
individual student or community, or the educational mission of the College.

Office of Records and Registration – Green Hall, Room 112
The Office of Records and Registration maintains and provides a variety of scholastic information needed to monitor academic progression and degree completion.
FOR LEAVE OF ABSENCE OR WITHDRAWAL INFORMATION, please go to: https://recreg.tcnj.edu/student-withdrawal-process/.

Withdrawing from the College Policy
This policy outlines the process for a student’s withdrawal from the College.

Retroactive Withdrawal Appeal

To submit a Retroactive Withdrawal Appeal, please click here.

The College of New Jersey authorizes the Behavior Intervention Team (BIT or BIT Ad-hoc) to use professional judgment on a case-by-case basis for students with “special circumstances” that affect a student’s ability to withdraw from the College within the dates outlined in the academic calendar. The committee is authorized to hear requests for retroactive withdrawals and/or tuition credits. 

A Retroactive Withdrawal is an exception to The College of New Jersey’s withdrawal policy (https://policies.tcnj.edu/?p=493) that sets forth the withdrawal timeline and the grade designation that a student shall receive based on the date by which a student withdraws (ex. WD, WP, WF).

A Retroactive Withdrawal Appeal is an appeal for retroactive “WD” grades for all courses in the semester for which the student is appealing. A student cannot appeal for retroactive “WD” grades for single and/or select courses from a semester. If a student submits a Retroactive Withdrawal Appeal, it will be understood that the student is appealing for retroactive “WD” grades for all courses in the semester being appealed.

Process: 

  • Retroactive Withdrawal appeals will only be reviewed if a student withdrew from all classes (after the deadline) for the semester. 
  • The BIT Ad-hoc committee will only review retroactive withdrawal appeals at the conclusion of each semester (twice per year). 
  • All appeals must be submitted within two weeks of the end of the semester (as defined by when grades are posted for the term).
  • Appeal committee review meetings will be held approximately Feb 1st for the Fall semester and June 15th for the Spring semester
    • Summer and winter course retroactive withdrawal appeals will also be reviewed at one of these meetings based on the submission date. 
  • If the committee approves the request, the recommendation will then be routed to the Provost for final approval.
  • Notification to student/family will be made after verification of approval from the Provost.
  • The decision made by BIT Ad-Hoc where a retroactive withdrawal appeal is not recommended is final.
  • The decision made by the Provost where a retroactive withdrawal appeal was recommended is final. 
  • The BIT Ad-Hoc committee is the only approved body to review and make recommendations on any retroactive withdrawal appeal for the College.

Considerations for Retroactive Withdrawal Appeal:

  • Meeting an acceptable special circumstance condition allows BIT Ad-Hoc to review all pertinent data supporting the special circumstance. The existence of a special circumstance, however, does not guarantee that the requested relief will be granted.

TCNJ Acceptable Special Circumstance Conditions needed to request relief:

  • The special circumstances must have occurred within the semester for which the request for a retroactive withdrawal is being sought.  
  • The student must demonstrate that, upon initial awareness of the special circumstance(s), they withdrew from the semester (in a timely manner) in order to prioritize their health and well-being. 

The following are examples that may be considered for special circumstances relief:

  • Significant and persistent documentable health and wellness-related conditions that directly impact a student’s ability to attend and/or complete course work (if accommodations can mitigate the situation, students should work with the Accessibility Resource Center);
  • Loss of a parent and/or caregiver; and/or
  • Hospitalization or specialized intensive treatment programs for health-related concerns.

TCNJ Unacceptable Special Circumstance Conditions:

  • Health and wellness concerns that can be resolved through accommodations offered by the Accessibility Resource Center and/or through working with the TCNJ Cares program;
  • Failure to abide by withdrawal deadlines;
  • Short-term health and wellness-related concerns that can be supported through the College’s withdrawal deadline; and/or
  • Delaying withdrawal from the semester after they are made aware of the special circumstances that gave rise to their withdrawal.

The Team will review each request for the following criteria:

Positive Considerations 

Self-help-seeking behavior. The extent to which the student has demonstrated, by actions or plan, a commitment to addressing the circumstances precipitating their withdrawal. Examples may include:

  • Self-selecting to be evaluated by a health care provider;
  • Committing to a therapeutic plan;
  • Committing to a recommended health care regimen;
  • Committing to other healthy coping mechanisms; and/or  
  • Committing to the resolution of any outstanding conduct or legal proceedings.

The extent to which the student has demonstrated, by actions or plan, a commitment to pursuing accommodations (if applicable and appropriate) to support their successful return to campus.

Examples may include:

  • Investigating and contemplating a change in academic plan or major;
  • Establishing an affiliation with the Accessibility Resource Center;
  • Investigating and contemplating a reduction in course load;
  • Undergoing an evaluation by a health care professional regarding the ability to be successful as a member of the residential community; and/or
  • Committing to take advantage of other College resources such as the Career Center, Center for Student Success, academic advising, student employment, tutoring center, etc.

Negative Considerations

The extent to which the student has engaged in behavior that is a violation of College policy or law, placed the community at risk, or created a substantial disruption to pedagogy or services. Examples of applicable policies may include:

  • Student Conduct Code;
  • Sexual Harassment, Misconduct, and Discrimination Policy (formerly known as the Title IX Policy);
  • Academic Integrity Policy; and/or
  • Computer Access Agreement.

The extent to which the student has previously received an administrative withdrawal. Absent extraordinary circumstances, a student may be eligible for retroactive withdrawals only one time.

The extent to which the circumstances leading to the retroactive withdrawal request occurred after a deadline established in the College Withdrawal Policy (i.e., the more time that passes after the deadline) may weigh in favor of a negative recommendation.

The extent to which the student could feasibly salvage the academic term by taking an “incomplete” grade with their professor and then finishing the work at a later date.

The extent to which the student was able to attend class and successfully complete coursework for the academic term.

If your circumstances fall within the listed reasons to request relief, please submit a complete Retroactive Withdrawal Appeal Form with the required documentation. Note that the ability to request relief does not guarantee that the requested relief will be granted.

PLEASE NOTE

A complete Retroactive Withdrawal Appeal consists of the following three (3) components; (1) a letter, (2) a chronological timeline, and (3) corresponding documentation. The committee will only review appeals that are complete with all three (3) of the aforementioned components. If you do not submit all three parts of the request, your appeal will not be reviewed. All documentation must be uploaded/attached to this appeal form. Below you will find more information on each component of a complete appeal:

  • A Letter – Students submitting an appeal must submit a letter that states the request, which is a Retroactive Withdrawal Appeal, along with the semester/term for which they are requesting WD grades.  The letter should include what circumstances prevented you from withdrawing from your courses within The College’s withdrawal deadlines. All withdrawal deadlines can be found on The College’s academic calendar, which may be viewed here: https://tcnj.pages.tcnj.edu/academics/academic-calendars/.
  • A Chronological Timeline – Students submitting an appeal must provide a chronological timeline with all relevant dates of circumstances that prevented the student from withdrawing from courses prior to the deadline. Many students will provide these dates in “bullet-point format.” This document must be submitted separately from the letter.
  • Corresponding Documentation – Students submitting an appeal must provide corresponding documentation to verify circumstances listed in their letter and on their timeline that prevented the student from withdrawing from courses the academic calendar deadlines. This documentation can include treatment verification, appointment dates, discharge documentation, obituaries, letters of support from on-campus offices such as the Accessibility Resource Center or CAPS, and other documentation that seems appropriate to support the appeal. 

The BIT Ad-hoc team meets twice per year to review all appeals. Depending on the volume of appeals, it may take anywhere from one to two months to receive the outcome of your appeal. 

The appeal process is not designed to take the place of other appeal processes at The College (e.g. academic dismissal appeal). 

Once a decision has been made, a letter will be sent to your TCNJ email account with the outcome of your appeal request.