A student who wishes to petition a department policy must submit a letter that provides a rationale and, if applicable, supporting evidence which justifies waiving the policy in question. Before doing so, the Department advises that the student meet with their Psychology faculty advisor and/or Psychology Department chair to better understand the basis of the policy, establish a timeline, and learn what types of concerns or questions faculty may have that need addressing in the petition letter. For guidance, complete petitions clearly articulate the student’s understanding of both why the policy is in place and why their situation merits waiving the policy. That is, students should explain why their situation is an extenuating circumstance that falls outside of the policy’s guidelines.
The student should submit the petition letter and any accompanying materials to the Department chair. If relevant, the chair will consult with faculty who have additional information about the student’s situation. The chair will circulate the petition to department faculty, who will then discuss the merits of the petition (either via email or in-person as needed). Using a simple majority standard, the faculty will then vote whether or not to grant the student’s request. The chair will communicate the decision to the student in writing and be in contact, if needed, with the Registrar to confirm any changes that need to be made to the student’s official degree progress records.
For petitions related to the Departmental Attendance Policy, please refer to the Minimum Attendance tab on Policies page for additional support.
Psychology Department Chair: Erin Colbert-White