2008 Woodie Awards
Should we change the withdrawal policy?
Jason Shepard
Editor-in-Chief
Issue date: 10/15/07 Section: Opinion
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The University of South Alabama Faculty Senate passed a resolution last month recommending modification to the University late-course withdrawal policy. Many students seem concerned about the proposal, as it will require all students to receive a signature from their professor before they can withdraw from a course.
Overall, this small modification could prove to be very helpful. It will help ensure that students are making informed decisions.
Dropping courses can delay graduation and affect financial aid status, along with other potentially negative consequences. It will also give professors more insight into why students are dropping courses. If the reasons are legitimate, it may help the professor improve the course.
However, many students envision that one wicked professor who will refuse to sign the required paperwork to allow a student to withdraw. Though many students on second pressing are more than willing to admit that these professors are few and far between, these students argue that it only takes one such case to make their collegiate career turn into a nightmare.
But the fact of the matter is professors do not want to waste their time with a student who does not want to be in the class. It is a waste of their time and energy to instruct and evaluate students who have already given up interest in the class.
The two potentially troublesome scenarios that are more likely than the vindictive-professor scenario are the "over-confident professor" and the "absent professor."
The over-confident professor is the one that believes in the student's ability more than the student does - perhaps to a fault. It is easy to imagine a student who is way too overloaded in a given semester, yet the professor encourages the student to "hang in there."
However, most professors that fit into this category have the student's best interest - and perhaps even the student's feelings - in mind. They do not want to see the student make a mistake that will delay graduation or have some other adverse impact. The last thing these professors want is for that student to make a spur-of-the-moment decision based on a frustrating week, especially when the professor knows the student has the ability to perform. However, these professors are also the least likely to refuse to sign. They will make sure to talk it over with the student and even strongly encourage the student to stay, but they will not refuse. But isn't this exactly what the policy is meant to do: to make sure students are making a well informed decision based on the student's best interest?
Overall, this small modification could prove to be very helpful. It will help ensure that students are making informed decisions.
Dropping courses can delay graduation and affect financial aid status, along with other potentially negative consequences. It will also give professors more insight into why students are dropping courses. If the reasons are legitimate, it may help the professor improve the course.
However, many students envision that one wicked professor who will refuse to sign the required paperwork to allow a student to withdraw. Though many students on second pressing are more than willing to admit that these professors are few and far between, these students argue that it only takes one such case to make their collegiate career turn into a nightmare.
But the fact of the matter is professors do not want to waste their time with a student who does not want to be in the class. It is a waste of their time and energy to instruct and evaluate students who have already given up interest in the class.
The two potentially troublesome scenarios that are more likely than the vindictive-professor scenario are the "over-confident professor" and the "absent professor."
The over-confident professor is the one that believes in the student's ability more than the student does - perhaps to a fault. It is easy to imagine a student who is way too overloaded in a given semester, yet the professor encourages the student to "hang in there."
However, most professors that fit into this category have the student's best interest - and perhaps even the student's feelings - in mind. They do not want to see the student make a mistake that will delay graduation or have some other adverse impact. The last thing these professors want is for that student to make a spur-of-the-moment decision based on a frustrating week, especially when the professor knows the student has the ability to perform. However, these professors are also the least likely to refuse to sign. They will make sure to talk it over with the student and even strongly encourage the student to stay, but they will not refuse. But isn't this exactly what the policy is meant to do: to make sure students are making a well informed decision based on the student's best interest?
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