Late Withdrawal/Waiver of Liability Appeal Guide

Use the Late Withdrawal/Waiver of Liability Appeal form to request an exception to Tompkins Cortland Community College’s liability and/or withdrawal policies. 

Before completing the form, please review the guidelines below. 

You must complete all steps and submit the signed form with appropriate documentation in order for your appeal to be considered. Results will be sent in a separate letter. You will receive all communication regarding this appeal in your myTC3 email account within 30 business days. It is important that you check your myTC3 email during this time in case there are questions or additional information needed.

Deadline

The deadline for submitting a Late Withdrawal/Waiver of Liability Appeal form is generally one year from the semester that you are appealing.

Types of Appeals

• Late Withdrawal – If approved, this changes your course grade(s) to W after the withdrawal deadline has passed. The class remains on your record, but your GPA is not affected. A Late Withdrawal appeal may be considered when you can document extenuating circumstances existed.
• Removal/Reduction of Liability – A removal/reduction of liability may be considered when you can document that extenuating circumstances existed.

Required Documentation

You must include a typed statement that describes your situation and documentation to support your appeal as indicated below:

Appeal due to Student Illness

• Your health care professional must provide the following information on medical facility letterhead:
  • The dates you were unable to attend class due to a medical issue.
  • The name of the facility where you were treated.
  • The name and signature of your treating professional.
• The illness should have prevented your attendance from all classes for at least two weeks. An appeal based on a pre-existing or recurring condition may or may not be approved.

Appeal due to Illness or Death of Immediate Family Member

• Appeals will be considered only for a spouse, significant other, child, sibling, parent, or other of whom you are the legal dependent or legal guardian (documentation of legal dependent or guardian status is required).
• If your appeal is due to illness of a family member, include:
  • The dates you were unable to attend class.
  • The identity of and your relationship to the person you were responsible for assisting.
  • Official documentation of the person’s medical situation.
  • A written statement addressing why you acted as the primary caregiver.
• If your situation required out-of-state or country travel, attach a copy of your travel itinerary prepared by the airline or travel agent.
• If your appeal is due to the death of an immediate family member, include a copy of the obituary or death certificate.

Military Leave of Absence Process

Tompkins Cortland Community College recognizes the importance of supporting students called to active military service and is committed to fully supporting students in fulfilling their military obligations while minimizing disruption to their educational pursuits. This policy provides a process for students to request a leave of absence due to military service, ensuring that they are not penalized for their educational progress and can resume their studies upon return.

Students are eligible for a Military Leave of Absence if they are:

1. Called to active military duty (e.g., Reserve or National Guard activation, deployment, etc.).
2. Temporarily unable to continue academic studies due to military service requirements.
   • Note: The term "military service" means full-time active duty in the Army, Navy (including Marine Corps), Air Force, or Coast Guard of the United States, or qualifying National Guard duty during a war, other military operation, or national emergency as defined in Section 5 of the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students (HEROES) Act (Public Law 108-76).
   • Enlistment under a delayed enlistment plan does not constitute "full-time duty" until the student is required to leave school on the effective date of active duty as stated in the student's orders.

Requesting a Military Leave of Absence

To request a Military Leave of Absence, students must:

1. Notify the institution as soon as possible about the military activation.
2. Complete the Appeals and Withdrawal forms:
   • Late Withdrawal/Reduced Liability Appeal
   • College Withdrawal Form - Student Initiated
3. Submit official documentation of military orders (e.g., deployment orders or activation letter).

Financial Considerations

1. Tuition Refunds:
   Students who leave for military service are eligible for a full refund of tuition and fees. Refunds will be processed according to the institution’s refund policy. However, the student may instead choose to have a credit of the tuition and fees applied toward the next period of enrollment after returning from a military leave of absence.
2. Housing and Meal Plan Refunds:
   Students living on campus may be eligible for a pro-rated refund of housing and meal plan costs if required to leave mid-term. Students should contact the Bursar for specific details regarding refund procedures.
3. Scholarships and Grants:
   There will be no loss of scholarships or grants awarded prior to the commencement of the student’s active military service.
4. Financial Aid Considerations:
   Students receiving financial aid should contact the Financial Aid Office in the Panther Welcome Center to discuss the impact of the military leave on their aid package.

Academic Considerations

1. Withdrawal from Courses:
   Students leaving for military service will typically receive a “W” grade for any courses they are unable to complete due to the leave, and their academic standing will not be negatively impacted.
2. Re-enrollment upon Return:
   Students who take a Military Leave of Absence have the right to resume their studies with the same academic standing as when they left.
   • Students must re-enroll within one year of completing their military service.
   • They should contact the Student Success Office in the Panther Welcome Center or their academic department for specific re-enrollment procedures.
   • There will be no loss of academic credits already earned.

Support Services for Military Students

Students on military leave or returning from military service are encouraged to contact the campus Student Success Office, Financial Aid Office, and the Veteran’s Certifying Official for the following:

• Academic Advising
• Re-entry Support
• Financial Aid Advising
• Veterans’ Benefits Information

Tuition, Fees, and Housing Refunds:

1. Tuition Refunds: Students who leave for military service are eligible for a full refund of tuition and fees. Refunds will be processed according to the institution’s refund policy.
2. Housing and Meal Plan Refunds: Students living on campus may be eligible for a pro-rated refund of housing and meal plan costs if required to leave mid-term. Students should contact the Housing Office for specific details regarding refund procedures.
3. Financial Aid Considerations: Students receiving financial aid should contact the Financial Aid Office to discuss the impact of the military leave on their aid package.

Academic Considerations

• Withdrawal from Courses: Students leaving for military service will typically receive a “W” grade for any courses they are unable to complete due to the leave, and their academic standing will not be negatively impacted.
• Re-enrollment upon Return: Students who take a Military Leave of Absence have the right to resume their studies with the same academic standing as when they left. Students must re-enroll within one year of completing their military service. They should contact the Student Success Office or their academic department for specific re-enrollment procedures.

Return to Campus After Military Service

Upon return from active military duty, students are entitled to resume their education under the following conditions:

• Reinstatement: The student will be reinstated in their program of study without penalty. If the student has been away for more than one year, the institution will assist in re-enrollment.

Support Services for Military Students

Students on military leave or returning from military service are encouraged to contact the campus Student Success Office, Financial Aid Office, and the Veteran’s Certify Official for the following:

• Academic Advising
• Re-entry support
• Financial Aid Advising
• Veterans’ benefits information

Appeal due to College (Tompkins Cortland Community College) Error

• Include an explanation of the error and supporting documentation. Without supporting documentation, your appeal will not be considered (this may include email correspondence).

Appeal for Other Reasons

• When appealing for other reasons, make a clear case for your appeal and submit supporting documentation.

Appeal Deadlines

Submit your complete appeal online. The results will be emailed to your myTC3 email account within 30 business days.

Appeals for Late Withdrawal and/or Refunds

Appeals based on the following circumstances will typically not be approved:

• Failure to obtain a valid Certificate of Residence.
• Inability to pay.
• Disregard or lack of knowledge of College’s drop, refund, and withdrawal policies or deadlines.
• Failed attempts to drop/withdraw online.
• Dissatisfaction with the instructor, class, or grade.
• Taking a new job.
• A condition pre-dating the term start date.
• A recurring condition, when previously approved for a prior term.
• Work schedule change (unless a condition of maintaining existing employment; documentation on employer letterhead required).
• Child care or transportation issues.
• Disregard or lack of understanding of course prerequisites or placement requirements.
• Withdrawals will not be granted for students who attempted to complete the work of the class.
• Classes that were not dropped from a schedule may not be removed from a transcript.