Academic

The university has numerous academic resources available to support students navigating the aftermath of interpersonal violence. Advocates at the Women and Gender Advocacy Center can assist survivors through providing academic resources and referrals based on their unique situations. The links below include further information on available academic resources.

MORE ACADEMIC RESOURCES

OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO HELP WITH ACADEMIC CHALLENGES
REPEAT DELETE

If you didn’t do well in a course and would like to retake the class, you have the option to Repeat Delete – repeating a course and having your initial grade removed from your GPA calculation and replaced by the grade you earned your second time taking the course. You can do this with up to three courses during your time as an undergraduate at CSU. To learn more about the Repeat Delete option, visit the Registrar’s Office webpage.

PLANNED LEAVE

If you are considering taking a break from classes for a semester or two, Planned Leave is an option for you. Any undergraduate student to take up to two semesters off from the University for fall or spring semesters, and they can be consecutive or in two separate terms. To learn more about Planned Leave, visit the Registrar’s Office webpage, as there are a few considerations to keep in mind as you prepare for your leave.

REGISTRATION APPEAL

Sometimes after an experience of interpersonal violence, it can be difficult to predict the impact the trauma will have on your academic performance. Often times survivors choose not to withdraw from a course they may be struggling in by the add/drop deadline, expecting to be able to make up missed work and do better by the time the course ends. If you find that at the end of a course, you were unable to meet the academic requirements, there is the option for a late withdrawal (or registration appeal) as long as you have documentation of extenuating circumstances. Advocates at the WGAC can provide the needed documentation in a letter of support. To withdraw from a course after the withdrawal deadline, you need to fill out the Registration Appeal form.

TUITION ASSESSMENT APPEAL

Tuition Assessment Appeals are used to appeal the percentage of tuition and fees that you are assessed at the time you withdraw from all of your classes for a given semester. Your tuition and fees are assessed as a percentage based on the date you formally withdraw from your classes. Along with your appeal, you will be asked to submit a personal statement and supporting documentation. Advocates can provide a letter of support documenting the extenuating circumstances you experienced that led to your appeal. For this appeal, you will need to fill out the Tuition Assessment Appeal form.

INFORMAL OPTIONS

It may be helpful to speak to an advocate at the WGAC, who can help identify additional options for navigating any academic challenges you may be facing. Advocates can send a letter of support to your professor(s) as a means of jump-starting the conversation regarding missed classes or work, as well as other accommodations that may be needed.

A student may request that all grades in an academic period (one or more semesters of continuous enrollment) be retroactively removed and be replaced by entries of ―W on their transcript. A retroactive withdrawal may be granted only when a student could neither function normally during the academic period nor be reasonably expected to complete a university withdrawal due to extenuating circumstances such as an incident leading to major physical or mental trauma. Click the following links for more information about how to request a withdrawal or a retroactive withdrawal.

THE WOMEN AND GENDER ADVOCACY CENTER ACADEMIC RETENTION SCHOLARSHIP

The WGAC recognizes this financial hardship as another way survivors of interpersonal violence are traumatized after their assault. The office is creating an endowment for survivors of interpersonal violence who have withdrawn from one or more of their courses as a result of the trauma related to interpersonal violence they experienced. It is our hope to raise the $25,000 needed so that we may begin awarding the scholarship in the Fall of 2019. To donate to the fund click here.

The Women and Gender Advocacy Center Academic Retention Scholarship is a one-time scholarship award designed to support a student who has re-enrolled in a course/s from which they withdrew as a result of past/present trauma they experienced. Funding can be used to support tuition and student fees in cases that fit the criteria below. It is administered through the Women and Gender Advocacy Center. This scholarship has a rolling application and will be awarded by a committee.

To be eligible for the scholarship, applicants must meet the following criteria:

  • Applicant has withdrawn after the add/drop date from a course or courses as a result of experiencing sexual assault, dating/domestic violence, and/or stalking.
  • Applicant has not been granted a tuition appeal for the withdrawn course/s.
  • Applicant is reenrolled in previously withdrawn from course/s.
  • The scholarship can only be awarded to currently enrolled Colorado State University students. Both undergraduate and graduate students can apply.
  • Applicant must demonstrate a plan for successfully completing the course/s in question.

The amount awarded varies as funding is available.

If the person who abused you is in any of your classes, you have a few options. To talk through which options make the most sense for your situation, it is best to talk to an advocate with the WGAC.

If you’d like to make an official report to the university, the university can implement interim measures for your protection during the reporting process. Check out our University Reporting page for more information.

If you’re not interested in reporting to the university at this time, there are other options you can consider depending on the class and the time of the semester. It may be best to speak to your professor to discuss your options, although keep in mind that faculty at CSU are not confidential resources, so consider how much information you disclose to your professor about the abuse. You can request to transfer to a new section, take an incomplete in the class and finish the coursework at a later time, or even request a late withdrawal (or registration appeal) from the class. You can also speak to your professor to make sure you’re not placed in the same group for any projects, or request to transfer groups if your abuser is currently in a group with you.

Advocates at the WGAC can also help you create a safety plan and identify ways to manage being in the same class with your abuser, if you would prefer to remain in class.