It had been a student’s last resort in a terrible semester — “exiting” the university in the last week of classes and taking all Ws.

Now students who want to withdraw from all courses must do so by the 10th week of the semester.

In the past, students who were just taking Ws in a few classes had to do it by the 10th week.

“It wasn’t fair for a student to wait for the end of the term to get all Ws when a continuing student didn’t have that option,” University Registrar Glenn Davis said.

Elizabeth Sinclair, associate dean of the College of Business, said allowing students to withdraw right before finals could reflect poorly on the university.

The university discontinued use of the term “exit.”

“The word ‘exit’ had the connotation that you were leaving Kent State forever,” said Sinclair. “The word was not a positive descriptor.”

The new policies were developed by the Associate and Assistant Deans Committee. They were approved by the Educational Policies Council, the Faculty Senate and the Board of Trustees last spring.

LuEtt Hanson, associate dean of the College of Communication and Information, said there can be some exceptions to the new policy. Five-week classes will operate on a different system and students withdrawing from them will have to see their advisers.

Students with extreme circumstances after the 10th week of class can petition to withdraw. Hanson said students with this issue should also see their college adviser.

Overall, Hanson said, “It was a very lenient policy for a very serious matter.”

Contact student affairs reporter Kristine Gill at [email protected].