§ 2-106 Policy and Procedures for Retroactive Medical Withdrawal
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (the university) is committed to supporting the health, safety, and welfare of its students and preserving the integrity of its learning environment. The purpose of a retroactive medical withdrawal is to provide academic relief for students who experienced a significant physical or mental health condition that significantly impacted their ability to function safely or successfully as a member of the university community. The university has designed this policy to ensure that students are given the individualized attention, consideration, and support needed to address health issues that arise or escalate during their time at the university.
Retroactive medical withdrawal is voluntary, and the decision to pursue a medical withdrawal shall be at the sole discretion of the student.
A student is eligible for a retroactive medical withdrawal only when the following conditions have been met:
The student experienced a physical or mental health condition that significantly impacted their ability to function safely and/or successfully as a member of the university community;
The health condition was debilitating (i.e. hospitalization and/or catastrophic event) and of a duration that rendered completion of the semester, even with accommodations, unmanageable;
The health condition itself or the timing of the diagnosis of the health condition prevented the student from withdrawing in a timely manner;
The student has documentation from a treating healthcare provider attesting to and in support of the retroactive medical withdrawal;
The student has documentation from a healthcare provider attesting to their inability to withdraw according to published deadlines for withdrawal during the semester of attendance; and
Except in extraordinary circumstances, students are only granted retroactive medical withdrawals if their request is submitted within one year of the last day of class for the semester in which the withdrawal is sought. Students who were unable to submit a request during this time period may request an exemption by submitting, along with the materials described in § (e)(1) below, an explanation of why they were unable to do so within one year and any supporting documentation.
Procedures for Retroactive Medical Withdrawal
To request a medical withdrawal, the student must submit a petition online at https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/8436933. As part of the petition, the student must provide the following:
A personal statement that:
Explains why they are requesting a retroactive medical withdrawal;
Explains why they were unable to withdraw according to published deadlines; and
Describes how they addressed or are addressing the circumstances that led to the request for retroactive medical withdrawal.
A completed Instructor Statement Form for each class for the semester in which they are requesting withdrawal;
Give explicit permission for the Office of the Dean of Students and McKinley Health Center to share any and all information pertinent to the medical withdrawal request;
Give explicit permission for the Office of the Dean of Students and the student’s academic college to share any all information necessary for processing the medical withdrawal request; and
Provide documentation from their treating, licensed healthcare provider that includes, at a minimum:
The student’s diagnosis and relevant medical history;
The approximate date of the onset of the condition (or, if a chronic condition, the date the condition was exacerbated) giving rise to the circumstances surrounding the request for a retroactive medical withdrawal, and the dates through which such condition(s) continued; and
An explanation of how the medical condition significantly impacted the student’s ability to function safely or successfully as a member of the university community, why it warrants the action sought, and how the medical condition impacted the student’s ability to withdraw according to published deadlines.
Within one month of receipt of all required documentation, McKinley Health Center will conduct an individualized review of the student’s medical documentation and determine whether the student meets the conditions set for in subsection (c). McKinley Health Center will rely heavily on information received from student’s treatment provider in making this determination. McKinley Health Center will then notify the Associate Dean of Students (ADOS) of their recommendation for or against retroactive medical withdrawal. If McKinley Health Center determines that the student’s documentation meets the criteria set forth in subsection (c), McKinley Health Center will include the effective date of the withdrawal, any conditions the student must meet before registering for future semesters, and the rationale for those conditions. If McKinley Health Center determines that the student’s documentation does not meet the criteria set forth in subsection (c), McKinley Health Center will provide an explanation for their recommendation.
Upon receipt of McKinley Health Center’s recommendation, the ADOS will convene a committee consisting of the ADOS, a representative of the Office of the Provost, and a representative of the student’s college, to review McKinley Health Center’s recommendation. This committee will make all decisions by simple majority vote.
If, for non-medical reasons, the committee does not agree with McKinley Health Center’s recommendation, the committee will communicate its concerns in writing to McKinley Health Center and request revisions as appropriate. If, after reviewing the revised recommendation, the committee still does not agree, it will then decide whether to accept the recommendation, reject the recommendation, or modify the recommendation. In making this decision, the committee will not substitute its judgment for McKinley Health Center’s on any medical matters.
The ADOS will email official notification of the committee’s decision to the student’s university email address. If the committee has denied the retroactive medical withdrawal, this notification will include a rationale for the denial and information about the appeal process (see subsection (e)). If the committee has approved the medical withdrawal, this notification will include the effective date of the withdrawal, the conditions for return, a rationale for any conditions, and information about the re-entry process. The student will have five business days to communicate their acceptance of this withdrawal to the committee in writing. If the student does not accept the withdrawal in writing the retroactive medical withdrawal is not approved.
If the student accepts the retroactive medical withdrawal, the committee will then notify the student’s college in writing. This communication will include the decision, the effective date of the withdrawal, and the first semester for which the student may request to return (if applicable).
From the date of receipt of all required documentation, this process shall take no longer than two months, unless the committee can show good cause for the delay.
Appeal Process
A student may appeal a denial of a retroactive medical withdrawal to the Dean of Students/Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs (DOS) within five business days of the date of email notification. To do so, the student must submit a written request by email to helpdean@illinois.edu, which must include the reasons for the appeal and any supporting documentation, to the DOS by the deadline.
The DOS will promptly review all appropriate records and documentation and confer with McKinley Health Center staff and other appropriate campus professionals. The DOS will then decide whether to overturn decision and will communicate the decision to the student in writing as soon as is reasonably practicable. The DOS’s decision is final and is not subject to further review.
From the date of receipt of the appeal, this process shall take no longer than two weeks, unless the DOS can show good cause for the delay.
Return to the University
If the student was not enrolled at the time they were approved for retroactive medical withdrawal and the committee set conditions for their return, the student must follow the procedures as outlined in § 2-105(f).