Academic Issues
Assisting students with a variety of academic needs, the Office of Student Affairs offers a comprehensive Academic Success Program designed to help students struggling with the adjustment to law school.
Find out more information below about the following academic issues:
You can also find information on disability accommodations, exam deferrals,and student complaints.
Students are encouraged to contact the Office of Student Affairs for assistance.
Changing Divisions
A student enrolled in the extended division who wishes to transfer to the regular division or a regular division student who wishes to transfer to the extended division must file a Dean’s Action Request form with the Office of Student Affairs.
Except for cases of hardship, all requests to change divisions must be made prior to the beginning of the academic year (fall semester).
Curricular Advisement
The Office of Student Affairs provides academic advice and counseling to students. Students interested in receiving advice on course selection and scheduling should contact the Office of Student Affairs to schedule an appointment.
Honor Code Concerns
Students shall strive to become competent professionals by acquiring and following a professional standard of conduct while enrolled at Widener Law Commonwealth. Students are subject to the ethical requirements governing the legal profession as well as the specific provisions of the Student Code of Conduct outlined in the Student Handbook.
Complaints are recorded by the Registrar's Office and passed to the Office of Student Affairs for investigation. The Office of Student Affairs prepares a report summarizing the results of the investigation and forwards that report to the honor code officer.
Leave of Absence
A student who must drop all classes for good cause, such as death or illness of a family member, job change, active duty assignment in the armed forces or other good cause, may apply for leave of absence for personal reasons for a period of up to one year. A leave of absence will be granted freely.
A student may not register for any coursework while on leave of absence, but may make up any deferred final examinations and complete any incomplete seminar papers, course papers or directed research papers outstanding on the date the leave of absence was granted. Leave of absence will normally be granted for a period of one academic semester. However, a first-year student who takes a leave of absence after completion of the first semester, must take a leave of absence for one year. If a student on leave of absence wishes to extend the leave of absence for an additional semester, the student must submit a written request for extension together with evidence to support the need for the extension.
Medical Leave of Absence
Any student may apply for medical leave of absence from the Law School for good cause. "Good cause" includes treatment by a residential treatment center, a physician, a psychologist, or a drug counselor for substance abuse. An application should be submitted on a Dean's Action Request form, together with a letter from a physician, psychologist, or drug counselor, stating that medical leave of absence is in the best interest of the student's physical or psychological well-being.
Medical leave of absence will normally be granted for a period of one academic semester. If a student on medical leave of absence wishes to extend the leave of absence for an additional semester, the student must submit a written request for extension, together with a physician's, psychologist's, or drug counselor's letter stating that an extension would be in the best interest of the student. Medical leave of absence does not count toward the five-year or six-year requirement for completion of legal studies.
A student who has been charged with a crime involving the possession of a controlled or uncontrolled substance with intent to distribute or sell, or a student charged with trafficking will not be allowed to take medical leave of absence due to substance abuse, unless charges are dismissed.
Withdrawal
To withdraw from the Law School, a student must submit a Dean’s Action Request form indicating the last date of class attendance. A student who has withdrawn from the Law School is ineligible to return to the Law School.
Withdrawal Presumed
A student who fails to apply for leave of absence and who misses more than twenty percent of the regularly scheduled classes in any course or seminar is presumed to have withdrawn from the Law School.