Senate Bill 1231, passed during the 80th Texas Legislative Session, limits the number of drops that certain undergraduate students may accrue without a punitive grade. Undergraduate students who complete a high school program, or the equivalent, and enter a Texas public institution of higher education for the first time on or after the Fall Semester of 2007 are subject to the requirements of Senate Bill 1231.

Drop Policy for Undergraduate Students Subject to Senate Bill 1231

Beginning with the 2007-2008 Academic Year, undergraduate students subject to Senate Bill 1231 will be permitted only six (6) non-punitive drops during their undergraduate studies. Non-punitive grades included in the maximum number of drops will be identified on the transcript with a grade of WX. Once a student has accumulated 6 (six) WX grades, the only grade that may be awarded for a dropped course is a grade of F, regardless of the student’s academic standing in the class. Drops processed while withdrawing from the university will not be included in the maximum number of non-punitive drops.

Exceptions to the Maximum Number of Non-Punitive Drops for Undergraduates Subject to Senate Bill 1231

A non-exempt student may drop a course with a non-punitive grade that is not included in the maximum number of non-punitive drops if extenuating circumstances are involved. In such cases, a grade of F will be posted as the student’s official grade for the course. A grade of F may only be awarded if one or more of the following circumstances are involved and the drop is approved by the appropriate college dean.

1. The student has a severe illness or other debilitating condition that affects the student's ability to satisfactorily complete the course.
2. The student is responsible for the care of a sick, injured or needy person that affects the student's ability to satisfactorily complete the course.
3. The student has suffered the death of a person who is considered to be a member of the student's family or person who is otherwise considered to have a sufficiently close relationship to the student* that the person's death is considered to be a showing of good cause for dropping the course.
4. The student is a member or dependent of a member of the Texas National Guard or the armed forces of the United States and the active military service is considered to be a showing of good cause for dropping the course.
5. The student has a change of work schedule that is beyond the control of the student and the change affects the student's ability to complete the course.
6. The student has other extenuating circumstances that prevent the completion of the course and the circumstances are approved by the dean of the college.

*A “member of the student’s family” is defined to be the student’s father, mother, brother, sister, grandmother, grandfather, aunt, uncle, nephew, niece, first cousin, step-parent, or step-sibling; a “person who is otherwise considered to have a sufficiently close relationship to the student” is defined to include any other relative within the third degree of consanguinity, plus close friends, including but not limited to roommates, housemates, classmates, or other persons identified by the student for approval by the institution, on a case-by-case basis.

Appeals to the Maximum Number of Non-Punitive Drops for Undergraduates Subject to Senate Bill 1231

A student who wishes to request an exemption to the maximum number of non-punitive drops must submit a letter of appeal with appropriate documentation to the dean of the college within five (5) business days of the drop. If the student cannot provide the supporting documentation within five business days of the drop, the student must request an extension with the dean of the college within five business days of the drop.

Courses that do not count against the Six-Drop Limit

Some courses will not count against the six-drop limit. These include courses dropped at independent or private institutions in Texas or while the student is still enrolled in high school; as well as dropping a developmental course, non-funded course, or courses dropped at colleges in other states.

Administrative Drops for non-Attendance

A faculty may drop an undergraduate student for non-attendance at any time prior to the mid-point of a long semester. A drop processed by a faculty member for non-attendance will be treated as a non-punitive grade unless the undergraduate student is subject to the requirements of Senate Bill 1231. The Office of the Registrar will treat all drops processed by a faculty member in accordance with the requirements of Senate Bill 1231 and may change a grade of Q to a grade of WX or a F, depending on the student’s status.

Drops Policy for Course with Concurrent or Co-Requisite Enrollment Requirements for Undergraduate Students Subject to Senate Bill 1231

In determining the number of non-punitive course drops by a student subject to Senate Bill 1231 when concurrent or co-requisite courses are involved, the following regulations will apply. (Concurrent and co-requisite courses are courses with different course numbers such as a lecture course with it own course number and a lab course with a different course number that must be taken at the same time.)

1. If the student is required to drop both courses when dropping either course, then both course drops will be calculated as one drop.
2. *If the student is not required to drop both courses at the same time, then each course will be treated as a separate drop*. However, if the student drops both courses at the same time, the drops will be calculated as one drop*.

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*Each drop will be subject to the maximum number of non-punitive drops allowable under Senate Bill 1231.

Withdrawing from the University

If a student finds it necessary to withdraw from the university, the student must notify the Office of the Registrar and process a withdrawal form. In the case of a student subject to Senate Bill 1231, a grade of F will be awarded in each course after the late registration period regardless of the student’s academic standing in the class.