|
University of Minnesota study abroad participants have the right to petition a number of policies outlined on these academic policy pages. Some petitions require consultation between the Learning Abroad Center and the student's college or home university. Other petitions are handled solely by the Learning Abroad Center. Petitions for study abroad programs that are administered by a department are handled by the appropriate department and/or college. The Learning Abroad Center will assist if appropriate.
Quick Links to Forms
- Grade Petition Form (pdf)
- Incomplete Request Form (pdf)
- Petition for Students in Undergraduate and Professional Colleges
- Request for Late Drop (pdf)
Petitions Requiring College/Learning Abroad Center Consultation
The petitions requiring consultation are:
- Late cancel/add or "one time drop"
- Late grade basis change (A/F, S/N, audit)
- 13 credit policy
- Retroactive withdrawal or cancellation
Petition Process Steps
- The student contacts the Learning Abroad Center to discuss their interest in a petition. The adviser explains that s/he will consult with the student's college office (or home university if appropriate) on the student’s behalf. Direct collaboration between the advisers ensures complete and accurate sharing of information related to the student's situation.
- After discussion, if the student wishes to proceed with a petition the student submits the Petition for Students in Undergraduate and Professional Colleges and relevant documentation to the college. The college shares copies with the Learning Abroad Center. The college also checks for special student status (e.g., student athlete, international student).
- The college and the Learning Abroad Center advisers consult to reach the best course of action, using email to document. The Learning Abroad Center may need to contact appropriate on-site or provider staff before making a recommendation. In the unlikely case of disagreement, the college stance takes precedence.
- The Learning Abroad Center adjusts the term registration to reflect the decision made. The Learning Abroad Center (in consultation with the Office of the Registrar) does all its own registrations, grade posting, etc. The college enters PeopleSoft information, such as the one-time drop student group.
- Non-University of Minnesota student participants may also have a petition process on their home campus for appealing an academic policy upon return from study abroad.
Petitions Categories Handled by the Learning Abroad Center
- Grade petitions are handled by the Learning Abroad Center (see below for more detail).
- Partial credit or incomplete grade decisions are made by the Learning Abroad Center in the event a student returns home early from study abroad due to accident, illness, personal emergency, program cancellation, expulsion, or other unforeseen circumstances.
- Refer requests for tuition refunds directly to the Learning Abroad Center. They are subject to the terms of the Learning Abroad Center Cancellation Policy.
Grade Petitions
In the case of a Learning Abroad Center administered program, a student must provide a well-reasoned statement that supports the request to review the assigned grade no later than the end of the term after the study abroad grade is posted. Documentation appropriate to the request must be attached, such as graded exams or papers.
Deadlines for submitting a grade petition for programs not administered by the Learning Abroad Center are determined by the study abroad program provider or host university.
The following are NOT reasonable grounds for appeal:
- Differences between U.S. and host country educational systems
- Personal disappointment in the grade outcome
- Comparison with one’s own prior academic record/GPA
- Failure to complete one or more assignments
- Minimum grade requirement of college/department or home university (in the case of non-University of Minnesota participants)
- Health concerns/missed classes
The Learning Abroad Center consults with the on-site faculty and program director in reviewing a grade petition. Students should not contact the overseas staff independently.
NOTE:
Students who wish to petition a grade received for a cosponsored or outside program study abroad course must follow the petition process outlined by their study abroad program provider or host university. In the case of a program administered by a University of Minnesota college or department, students should consult the college or department for grade petition instructions.
Last modified on February 12, 2008 |
Last modified on November 21, 2008 |