Yesterday I bemoaned the sense of failure that hits us when the withdrawal deadline approaches. It’s the point where we have to admit to ourselves that there is no longer any hope and abandoning ship is the only recourse. I have set a personal abandon-all-hope date of August 16, 2039. That will be my 80th birthday and if I am not yet thin and wrinkle free I’m throwing in the towel. I’m going to start eating whatever I want, avoid unnecessary movement that might be construed as exercise, lay out in the sun all day, moisturize haphazardly, and let my hair grow in gray. I’m going to be a big fat wrinkly prune-like Blob creature with a head of hair that looks like a skunk. And I’ll love it! I will finally accept and embrace the real me.
Saturday, November 22 is the day in which faculty and students alike must embrace reality. This is the deadline for fall semester individual class withdrawals and no withdrawals will be accepted after this date. Every semester I receive lots of questions regarding the fine points of faculty withdrawals so I want to address those in the next few days as I usher you up to the withdrawal deadline at the end of this week.
Q: Why do you keep emphasizing that the withdrawal deadline is so strict this semester? How is it being handled any differently than last semester?
A: Good question! You are obviously an astute reader. You may recall that in the past semester we have allowed a student who missed the withdrawal deadline to have a one-time-only withdrawal extension. This had to be approved by his professor and, if it was, we allowed the late withdrawal, making a notation on his record that he had used his one-time-only extension and would not ever be given another. This practice is being suspended this semester. The goal is strict adherence to the withdrawal policy for both students and faculty with no withdrawals accepted after November 22.
Q: I see two withdrawal deadlines on the posters around campus. What’s the deal with that?
A: Students may turn in a withdrawal form to Registration and Records (Brighton) or Student Services Center (DCC) until 4:45 on Friday, November 21. They will still be able to withdraw online through Saturday, November 22. Since all faculty do their withdrawals online, you have until Saturday, November 22 to submit a withdrawal. I’m so glad you are noticing the posters on campus!
Q: What can I do to avoid arguing with students after the deadline has passed?
A: If I were teaching a class (something MCC will never be desperate enough to allow to happen) I would do several things in class this week. First of all I would announce to students at the start of every class that they have until Friday to turn in forms to withdraw or Saturday to do it online. Secondly, I would then look at my class list and withdraw anyone who was failing (and whom I did not want to grade with an “F”) and anyone who had not attended and thus would receive an “F” if not withdrawn. Thirdly, having done the above, I would feel that I would have no problem explaining to a student why he received a failing grade from me and why withdrawal was his responsibility and not mine.
Tomorrow I will answer additional withdrawal questions and beat you over the head with the November 22 deadline date in case you have not already marked it on your calendar. I will also allude to my attempt to persuade ‘the powers that be’ to let me take late withdrawals if accompanied by an expensive jar of Olay moisturizer and a crème brulee.
Deborah Benjamin
Registration and Records
11/18/2008 |