Can professors drop students this late into the semester?

dfbdfb
Mon, 21 Nov 2016 04:12:26 +0000

The answer to the question in the subject line is, in full, “It depends.” That is, it depends entirely on the regulations of your particular university. These will be found in the university catalog, and may or may not be discussed in the course syllabus.

So, for example, my university has a policy of not allowing administrative withdrawals by faculty, since in some cases it’s a financial hardship for a student to be withdrawn from a class rather than simply failing it. (For example, if it drops the student below the credit level required to receive financial aid.) Other places tacitly, and perhaps even, overtly, encourage administrative withdrawals rather than flunking a student. There is no one single way of approaching the issue, and for that matter no best way.

I would talk to the professor, advising, and the registrar, in that order. (If you need to, that is. The first of those will most likely give you all the information you’d need.)