Academic Exceptions

Statement of Policy 

The purpose of the BYU-Pathway Worldwide Academic Exceptions Committee is to establish processes and  criteria to manage requests for exceptions to academic policies that impact a student’s permanent academic  record (e.g., typically drop or withdraw requests, etc.). This is done in collaboration with our partner schools, BYU-Idaho and Ensign College, and other appropriate stakeholders.  

Recommendation 

To scale the process for a worldwide audience, BYU–Pathway Worldwide, BYU–Idaho, and Ensign College  will establish an Academic Exceptions Committee that will:  

1. Collaborate with BYU-Pathway Worldwide partners to determine the policies and criteria for reviewing  and granting exceptions to academic policy for EnglishConnect and PathwayConnect programs. (See Academic Exceptions Petition for established criteria.)  

2. Collaborate with BYU-Idaho and Ensign College to determine criteria for reviewing and granting  exceptions to academic policy for Online Certificate and Degree programs. (See Academic Exceptions Petition for established criteria.)  

3. Authorize the BYU-Pathway Worldwide Registrar to establish processes and procedures for reviewing and  granting academic exceptions for the various programs offered by and through BYU-Pathway Worldwide  according to established policies and criteria (e.g., EnglishConnect, PathwayConnect and Online  Certificates and Degrees).  

4. Provide regular reports and receive training and guidance from BYU-Idaho and Ensign College as defined  in the outcomes and assessment plan.  

5. Guiding principles for considering exceptions to academic policies 

   1. The absoluteness of the policy (i.e., residency, total credits, etc.) 

   2. The circumstances surrounding the student’s request for an exception 

   3. The extent of control the student had to influence the circumstances 

   4. The student acted in a timely manner 

   5. The student initiated the request for an exception within a reasonable period of  time following the term of enrollment 

6. Only institutional academic policies can be appealed; federal guidelines and/or requirements cannot be  appealed through this committee.  

Procedures and Process 

The following procedures will apply to the request for academic exceptions: 

1. The BYU-Pathway Worldwide Academic Exceptions Committee will establish a single intake for students  to submit a petition and supporting documentation.  

2. Petition requests must be submitted within 90 calendar days from the last day of the term for which the  student is requesting an exception to academic policy.  

3. BYU-Pathway Worldwide will have the responsibility to gather information, consult with appropriate  stakeholders, and compile petition information to present to the Academic Exceptions Committee.

4. A student may only appeal the decision of the Academic Exceptions Committee when additional, relevant  information is provided.  

5. All participants review exceptions to maintain consistency of decisions and group learning. However,  committee members will be considered voting members only for exceptions applicable to the program  offered by or through their respective institutions.  

6. Petitions will be reviewed by the Academic Exceptions Committee to determine the appropriate  action and decision. 

7. Documentation for the petition will be stored by BYU-Pathway Worldwide and reported regularly to  partner schools. 

The Academic Exceptions Committee membership and program representation will be as defined in Table 1: BYU Pathway Worldwide Academic Exceptions Committee Membership. Each member will serve for a two-year period,  after which a new representative from that will be invited to represent the area or department. The BYU-Pathway  Worldwide Registrar is the permanent Chair of this committee.  

Table 1: BYU-Pathway Worldwide Academic Exceptions Committee Membership 

APPROVER 
System Exchange Team Executive Group (SETEG) 

APPROVAL DATE 
2023.02.27 

POLICY STEWARD 
Registrar 

EXECUTIVE SPONSOR 
Student Success Vice President 

APPLICABILITY 
This policy applies to all BYU-Pathway Worldwide students.