Health Withdrawal (WH) Information
We urge you to be familiar with the procedures for a WH, as well as other withdrawals and incompletes so that you can discuss the options with your students before they need to make use of these options. These procedures are detailed in the current Academic Catalogue, and are supported by Provost Crawford.
The ideal use of the WH option
- A WH is only given to those situations that a mental health or medical health professional deems serious enough to qualify.
- A WH is considered on an individual basis. The evaluating professional will take into account the nature of the problem, its severity, duration, impact on functioning, and whether or not the student has sought assistance for the problem in an appropriate and timely manner.
- Do not lead your student to believe they will be given a WH as a matter of course. Rather, recommend to the student that they investigate with student health or counseling (as appropriate) the possibility of a WH.
- If the student reports having seen a physician or mental health provider off campus, encourage the student to investigate the possibility of WH with that individual.
- The WH often requires more than one contact with a counselor or nurse; that is, there may be follow up required on the part of the student in order to receive support, so that steps toward resolution of the concerns are begun (e.g., obtaining a medical or medication evaluation, meeting with the counselor again to work on coping strategies, etc.)>
- Final approval of a WH is granted by the Academic Exceptions Committee based on the submission of a petition and supporting documentation.
Situations where a WH is not the appropriate solution
- The WH is not an alternative to the 15th day withdrawal; a WH will not be supported because it ‘looks better’ on a transcript than a W.
Be aware of the other options that students have available to them, including withdrawing before the 15th day, petitioning for an incomplete, taking a 15th day withdrawal, changing the grading in the class to S/SD/NC (an alternative grade), and doing poorly or failing and possibly retaking the class.
Ebersole Health and Wellbeing Center staff members encourage persistence in academic classes and we encourage you to do the same.
If you have questions regarding a WH or I, for mental health or physical health reasons, please contact the Ebersole Health and Wellbeing Center at x4292.