Whereas, currently, the deadline to drop a class without a ‘W’ noted on students’ transcripts is the first day of the 9th week of classes of a given semester, as has been the case for as long as any current student has been enrolled at Cornell,
Whereas, transcripts with ‘W’s noted are stigmatized by potential employers as well as graduate and professional school admissions,
Whereas, the Educational Policy Committee of the Faculty Senate moved “Resolution to Revise University Add/Drop Deadlines to Support Student Learning and Academic Planning” [1] out of committee deliberations and onto the general body for consideration on March 24, 2026,
Whereas, the aforementioned Faculty Senate resolution proposes shortening the deadline to drop a course without denoting a Withdraw (“W”) on students’ transcripts to the end of the 11th day of classes,
Whereas, this resolution also proposes shortening the grade option change deadline to the end of the 11th day of classes as well,
Whereas, the Educational Policy Committee of the Faculty Senate, in collaboration with the Office of the University Registrar, released a survey pertaining to drop deadline policies to Cornell students on October 19, 2026,
Whereas, the student body has enjoyed the flexibility of the current drop deadline, which allows exploration of classes beyond major requirements, a primary component of a classical liberal arts education,
Whereas, the student body has appreciated that the current drop deadline allows for an adequate assessment of the level of rigor for a course, as to accommodate present and future enrollment needs,
Whereas, in many cases, the level of rigor and volume of work for language courses specifically is not adequately surmised from the first two weeks of classes,
Whereas, most colleges and schools, most notably the College of Arts & Sciences, institute language requirements for all students, regardless of declared course of study, to complete,
Whereas, the rationale stated in the abstract of the aforementioned Faculty Senate resolution vaguely references adherence to federal enrollment reporting requirements, yet offers no additional rationale as to what that entails, i.e., how that adherence will positively affect the student body or the University at large,
Whereas, the resolution references in its abstract that a shortened drop deadline without a ‘W’ period will quicken veterans’ benefits certifications, yet neglects to state the size of Cornell’s veteran population in proportion to the larger student body, nor explicitly provide feedback from said community,
Whereas, the Student Assembly acknowledges that the sixth bullet point under the first “Be it therefore resolved,” clause of the Faculty Senate resolution stipulates that Project/Independent Studies courses, including research conducted for credit, shall retain the Week 9 drop deadline,
Whereas, the Student Assembly does, however, question the legitimacy of claiming federal enrollment reporting requirements as rationale for shortening the drop deadline, yet maintaining current deadlines for certain students,
Whereas, the rationale stated in the Faculty Senate resolution is due to credit enrollment verification, yet goes beyond the issue of the number of credits a student is enrolled in by shortening the grade option change deadline, as well,
Whereas, numerous clauses reference student academic success and wellbeing while simultaneously neglecting to acknowledge the inherent restriction in student educational autonomy that the proposed deadlines represent,
Whereas, Leave of Absence policies vary only slightly across colleges and schools, and generally stipulate that Leaves of Absence requested prior to the drop deadline do not result in ‘W’s on transcripts, and that only those requested following the drop deadline do,
Whereas, the Faculty Senate resolution fails to mention or prescribe its policies’ effect on Leave of Absence policies, leaving those to the discretion of individual colleges and schools,
Whereas, currently, this policy would transfer the deadline for students to take Leaves of Absence without transcript notation (thus penalty) from the 9th week of classes to the end of the 2nd week, which would be highly detrimental to an already difficult situation to navigate for students,
Be it therefore resolved, the Student Assembly expresses its disappointment in the Faculty Senate resolution, given the broader student body’s enjoyment of the flexibility to take classes beyond their primary course of study, a hallmark of a liberal arts education,
Be it therefore resolved, the Student Assembly additionally expresses its disappointment in the aforementioned Faculty Senate resolution, given the broader student body’s appreciation of its ability to adequately assess the rigor of a course,
Be it therefore resolved, the Student Assembly requests more transparency as to what enhanced adherence to federal enrollment reporting requirements entails, and wishes to understand what burdens the current level of adherence is levying on the University,
Be it therefore resolved, the Student Assembly requests that the Faculty Senate and pertinent committees therein pursue and provide to the public input from the veterans’ community on this policy, given that their benefit certification timeline is named as a primary motive,
Be it further resolved, the Student Assembly requests an explanation for the contradiction in creating deadline exceptions for students pursuing research but not for the rest of the student body,
Be it further resolved, the Student Assembly requests the Faculty Senate acknowledge the impact the proposed policy will have on students’ ability to take Leaves of Absence, and provide remedy to this overlooked externality,
Be it further resolved, the Student Assembly requests the Faculty Senate dedicate a portion of its agenda for the next meeting, scheduled for October 28, 2026, in the Schwartz Auditorium of Rockefeller Hall, for the President of the Student Assembly and the Academic Policy Committee Chair of the Student Assembly to present grievances on behalf of the undergraduate student body,
Be it further resolved, the Student Assembly encourages the Faculty Senate to propose an amendment on the floor to the second bullet under the first “Be it therefore resolved,” clause of the aforementioned Faculty Senate resolution, to read:
“Drop deadline (no transcript notation): Through the Friday of Week 5”
to align with the proposed deadline for adding Project/Independent Studies credits,
Be it finally resolved, the Student Assembly similarly encourages the Faculty Senate to propose an amendment on the floor to the third bullet under the first “Be it therefore resolved,” clause of the aforementioned Faculty Senate resolution, to read:
“Grade option change deadline: Through the Friday of Week 5”
for the same reason.
Respectfully Submitted,
Alexander Walters
Vice President for Communications, Student Assembly
Academic Policy Committee Chair, LGBTQIA+ Representative, Student Assembly
Vasilios Likourezos
Academic Policy Committee Member, Student Assembly
Zora deRham
Deputy Parliamentarian, Student Assembly
Eeshaan Chaudhuri
President of the Student Assembly
Lydia Blum
Vice President for Policy, Student Assembly
College of Agriculture & Life Sciences Representative, Student Assembly
