The Academic Procedures Committee (APC) is a standing committee of faculty, staff, and student members charged with ruling on student petitions for exceptions to the academic rules and regulations of the College.
The Committee assumes in its deliberations that the College's academic rules and regulations ensure the standards that mark a Â鶹´«Ã½ education. You should not present a petition to the Committee on the basis of a fundamental disagreement with a rule or regulation.
The Committee is empowered by the Faculty to make exceptions to policies when justified by unforeseeable or extraordinary circumstances relevant to you specifically.
The Committee meets once a week during the fall and spring semester. Its members include three faculty members (one from each division of the College) the registrar, the dean of students, and two students chosen by the Associated Students of Â鶹´«Ã½ (ASPC).
Petitions
Examples of the kinds of requests handled by the Academic Procedures Committee include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Changes to final exam times
- Course overloads
- Exceptions to registration deadlines
- Incomplete grades
- Requests for enrollment beyond the eighth semester
- Second major declarations
- Variances in cross registration and general education requirements
Dismissal From Courses
A student who proves unable or unwilling to carry a course satisfactorily may be dropped from it by the Academic Procedures Committee upon the recommendation of the instructor.
Before You Decide to Petition
Consider carefully why a rule which applies to others should be waived for you, and argue that point in the statement of your petition.
Is your petition timely? Procrastination is not considered a rationale by the committee. If you present your petition more than a week after the deadline for which you are requesting an exemption, address why the petition is late - as well as why you missed the deadline.
What is the Deadline for Filing a Petition?
The Academic Procedures Committee will meet every Tuesday for Fall 2024 beginning Sept. 3rd (holidays excepted). The deadline to file a petition for pending review is the Thursday prior to a Tuesday meeting. Example: If the Committee meets on Tuesday, Sept. 17th, the deadline to submit a petition for the review docket is Thursday, Sept. 12th.
All supporting documents and comments from the course instructor and student's advisor must be submitted to the petition for it to be considered complete and eligible to be added to the APC review docket for the Tuesday meeting. If the Committee requires additional information regarding the student's petition, the Office of the Registrar will reach out to the student via email.
The APC issues decision notifications before the end of the following Wednesday after a meeting. If a student submits a petition by Thursday and does not receive a decision the by the end of the following Wednesday, they can reach out to the Office of the Registrar at registrar@pomona.edu.
The last day to submit a petition for an Incomplete is Friday, Dec. 6th.
How to Submit a Petition to the APC
- Complete an APC Petition by clicking the link titled "APC Petition" under the My Academic Records section on the main page of the Student Portal.
Your petition consists mainly of your statement as to why you feel the committee would be justified in allowing you an exception to a particular rule. Educational appropriateness is important, but in many cases-particularly for late drops-the committee is also concerned about equity to other students.
Include all relevant supporting material as PDF attachments. This may include documents such as medical verification (see below). It is your responsibility to present your case fully. The Committee will not make assumptions in your favor when information necessary to support your case is missing.
- Once you have submitted the petition through the portal, it will automatically be forwarded to your advisor and instructor, unless you have requested otherwise.
- Your advisor and instructor must add their comments to your petition through the portal. Your petition isn't complete until they have done this, and it may not move forward for Committee review until comments are received. It is your responsibility to follow up with your instructor or advisor to ensure they complete their portion of the petition.
- If you have been seen at Monsour Counseling Center or Student Health Services Center (or other clinicians) and wish for relevant information to be submitted in support of your petition, please use these forms to authorize the release of information to the APC:​
- Monsour Counseling Center - Request for Information (available on )
- Student Health Services - Request for Information (available on )
- Other faculty that wish to provide special support or additional comments to the Committee should send their comments to registrar@pomona.edu.
What Should You Do After Filing?
Until you receive notification of the APC's decision, take no action which may adversely affect your status in a course. Keep going to class. You will be notified of the Committee's decision after the Committee meets (i.e., one week or more later).
Please note: for Incomplete petitions, your instructor will be asked to recommend a deadline for incomplete work to be due; however, the Committee sets the official deadline relayed in the email notification for approved Incomplete petitions. Be sure to check this notification and take note of the work due deadline that has been approved by the Committee, as it may be earlier or later than the date suggested by your instructor.
If you file a petition for an Incomplete Extension, it is highly advised that you continue your work under the pretense that the petition has not been approved; in other words, you are strongly urged to still try to turn in your work before the original Incomplete deadline while your Extension petition is pending a decision.