Petitions for Enrollment Exceptions
University policies and deadlines are established to protect the integrity of the academic experience, and policies on enrollment set clear guidelines for graduation requirements and navigating enrollment changes. Evanston-campus undergraduates with special circumstances in rare instances are granted exceptions to the standard guidelines.
In special circumstances undergraduates may submit a petition for the following:
- Late Tuition Adjustment
- Late Term Withdrawal
- Undergraduate Registration Requirement Waiver
- Undergraduate Tuition Waiver
Overview
Undergraduate students are expected to have thoroughly reviewed the relevant University Policy as well as any processes specific to their school and understand the specific elements of the petition (previously referred to as an appeal) they plan to submit. Undergraduates are strongly encouraged to work with their school adviser or another school representative, or may contact anyone below for guidance:
- Lori Barcliff Baptista, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs and Advising, School of Communication (l-baptista@northwestern.edu)
- Beth Bennet, Associate Dean (Academic), Medill (e-bennett6@northwestern.edu)
- Wesley Burghardt, Associate Dean of Undergraduate Engineering, McCormick (w-burghardt@northwestern.edu)
- Linda Jacobs, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, Bienen (e-bennett6@northwestern.edu)
- Susan Olson, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, School of Education and Social Policy (susan-olson@northwestern.edu)
- Nicholas Tononzzi, Associate University Registrar, Office of the Registrar (nicholas.tonozzi@northwestern.edu)
- Lee West, Director of Undergraduate Education, Office of the Provost (leewest@northwestern.edu)
- Constance Wright, Assistant Dean for Academic Standing, Weinberg (constance.wright@northwestern.eedu)
All petitions require students to provide a clear and factual explanation of the exceptional circumstances the student encountered, and, where appropriate and possible, include supporting documentation (see Instructions for a specific petition). Exceptional circumstances must demonstrate impediments beyond the control of the undergraduate which made it impossible to comply with academic requirements or complete an action by a published deadline. Petitions must be written and submitted by the student. In addition to the documentation provided by the student, the committee will also review a school statement of facts, and as appropriate, enrollment records, and other institutional records.
Instructions for Petition Letters and Supporting Documentation
Follow the instructions for submitting a petition for an exception to enrollment requirements, including determining appropriate supporting documentation, below.
Late Tuition Adjustment Instructions
Late Term Withdrawal Instructions
Undergraduate Registration Requirement Waiver Instructions
Undergraduate Tuition Waiver Instructions
Petition Review
Petitions are reviewed by a panel of the Undergraduate Enrollment Petition Committee, which consists of the associate provost for undergraduate education, the University registrar, associate or assistant deans from six undergraduate schools, and representatives from the student finance and financial aid offices.
Petitions are reviewed based on the standards and principles of university policies, the timeliness of the petition submission, the special circumstances described, and any supporting documentation included in the petition.
- Submit petitions to enrollmentexceptions@northwestern.edu.
- Petitions received in full by the 15th of the month will be reviewed in the next month’s Committee meeting.
- Committee decisions are final. In extremely rare instances the Provost may be appealed to review a petition outcome. For information about the process for an appeal to the Provost please email nu-registrar@northwestern.edu