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Programs > Exceptions to Policy

All students are responsible for adhering to UAB’s academic policies, as published in the UAB Undergraduate Catalog and the current UAB Class Schedule. The Provost may make exceptions to policies. Exceptions will only be made in extraordinary circumstances. Only in cases of serious illness, which precludes a student from attending classes, or a call to active military service can a student qualify under this policy. In such instances, students requesting an exception to policy must provide the cause-specific documentation in order for the request to be considered.

Requests for exceptions to academic policies should be submitted in writing along with supporting documentation noted above to the:

Office of Academic Programs and Policy
470 Hill University Center
University of Alabama at Birmingham AL 35294-1150
Attention: Exceptions to Academic Policy

Requests are evaluated only from written documentation and not through appointments or telephone calls. (Please note that grievances of an academic nature are addressed through the Academic Grievance Policy.) Requests for exceptions must be submitted at the earliest possible time. Consideration will not be given to any request submitted later than the term immediately following the term for which the exception is being requested.

A full reduction in tuition and associated fees will be made for appropriately documented serious illnesses or military service activation which precludes a student from continuing his/her studies at UAB. For students receiving refunds, such refunds will first be applied to any outstanding obligations and to any scholarship, grant, or loan the student has received for that term. A student who is receiving any form of Federal Title IV Financial Aid will be liable for any unearned funds received as determined by the Federal Return of Funds Policy (check with Student Accounting Office for details.)

Failure to adhere to the published drop and withdrawal deadlines (as outlined in the UAB Catalog and the UAB Class Schedule) does not qualify under this policy as an Exception to Academic Policy. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of and adhere to the drop and withdrawal policies. If a student cannot continue in a course, for reasons that are outside of the strict qualifications under this policy, then the student, through the UAB Registrar, should exercise the drop or withdrawal options.

Academic Policy Appeal Form

Academic Suspension

If a student does not clear probation (achieve a UAB grade point average of 2.00 or better by the completion of 24 additional semester hours,) the student will be placed on first suspension for one term. When returning from the first suspension, the student must meet with his/her academic advisor to be reinstated prior to registering for classes. The student will be reinstated on academic probation and must achieve a 2.00 or higher grade point average each term until the UAB grade point average is at least 2.00. The student must achieve a UAB grade pint average of at least 2.00 to have the academic probation removed.

After the first suspension, a student will be placed on second suspension when both the term grade point average and the UAB grade point average are less than 2.00. The second suspension is for twelve months.

Students wishing to return to UAB after a second suspension is must apply to the Office of Undergraduate Admission for readmission. The deadline for a student to submit a letter of appeal for readmission will be eight weeks prior to the date of intended enrollment. By this deadline, an applicant must have submitted any attending documentation to support the appeal.

If readmitted to UAB after, a second suspension, the student will be admitted under probation and must achieve a 2.00 grade point average each term until the UAB grade point average is at least a 2.00. If both the term grade point average and the UAB grade point average fall below 2.00, the student will be placed on suspension for twelve months.

Students may not transfer to UAB work earned at another institution while on suspension from UAB.

Note that individual schools may have probation and/or suspension rules in addition to the above.

All notations of academic warning, probation or suspension are a permanent part of a students transcript.

Appeal of First Academic Suspension

Students are academically suspended from the University of Alabama at Birmingham for one term. During this time frame the student is not allowed to register for classes until the end of the suspension period. If a student appeals successfully, he or she will be immediately eligible for readmission.

The procedure for a student to appeal an academic suspension decision are as follows:

The suspended student must present a petition describing the extraordinary personal circumstances that contributed to his or her academic deficiencies. Such events must be highly unusual such as the death of an immediate relative, a serious illness, severe financial distress, or personal crisis. Each individual wishing to appeal an academic suspension is required to submit a petition outlining the reasons for the applicant’s previous academic problems and how the applicant plans to correct the problems. Each petitions must be accompanied by appropriate documentation relative to the need for additional consideration and/or substantiating the extenuating circumstances related to the appeal. The student petition should be received in the Office of Academic Programs and Policy no later than five working days prior to the beginning of the desired semester of entry. The suspension appeal documentation will be forwarded to the Suspension Appeals Committee.
The Suspension Appeals Committee is composed of four members (two faculty members appointed by the Provost’s designee, one student designated by the Student Government Association, one representative from the Office of Academic Programs and Policy, and one representative from the University Registrar’s Office) who will review all petitions.
Should the suspension appeals committee determine that indeed an extraordinary personal event contributed significantly to the student's academic deficiencies, and there is evidence of an adequate plan to address these extraordinary circumstances, they will recommend that the student be reinstated on academic probation. The student must maintain a minimum 2.0 grade point average or reach the retention standards each semester he or she remains in this status. The decision of the suspension appeals committee is final.

The Office of Academic Programs and Policy is the administrative unit responsible for the academic suspension appeals process. This unit is responsible for coordinating the appeals process, maintaining the official records and producing annual reports.

Effective Fall 2008

First Term Suspension Appeal Form