Petitions
A petition should be a last resort. Before you consider petitioning, be sure to consult the instructor of the course, your faculty advisor and/or the Dean of Academic Advising to discuss alternatives and strategies for success. Petitioning should be reserved for situations where you find yourself a victim of circumstances beyond your control. The Petitions Committee will not provide relief to those who have created their own problem through poor planning, poor choices, poor work-habits, or poor performance. Be advised, the Committee will not approve a late change to or from Pass/D/Fail for those seeking to protect or enhance their grade-point average.
Please note that the late withdrawal (WL) is intended to give students greater control over their schedule and course load in instances where they deem it necessary. The Petitions Committee expects that students will use the WL wisely, and that in most cases there will be no need to petition so long as the WL is still available; the Committee is not inclined to grant petitions to those whose difficulty can be overcome by exercising the WL option.
If you have not already met with your faculty advisor, you should do so. Additional suggestions and help can often be provided by the Dean for Academic Advising. Discuss your situation with the instructor of the course in question (if applicable) and with any other faculty member (e.g. the chair of the department), dean, doctor or counselor who has knowledge of your situation; ask them if they are willing to comment on your petition.
Take a few minutes with your Campus Directory and jot down the e-mail names of your advisor, the instructor of the course in question, and any others who have agreed to comment upon your petition--you will need this information to submit the petition form.
Answer all questions on the following form before submitting it. This form will go to to the Office of the Registrar as well as your advisor, your instructors, and you. Please forward your copy of the petition to any other members of the faculty and administration with whom you have discussed the merits of the petition.
The Petition Committee reserves the right to contact additional faculty and administrators from individuals who could provide supplementary information.
CAUTION: Do not presume a successful outcome for your petition. You should assume that your request will NOT be granted. For example, if you are petitioning to drop a course after the deadline, you should continue to attend class and submit work until the result of your petition is known. There is no such thing as a routine petition or a "sure thing."
See the Kenyon College Catalog for other pertinent information regarding petitions and appeals. When the College is in session, the Petitions Committee convenes regularly to consider petitions with sufficient faculty/administrative responses. You will be informed of the committee's decision by reply to your e-mail within two working days of the meeting