Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Student Affairs announced on March 17 that the Class Withdrawal Extension is now officially April 17.

WSU faculty and staff have responded to the crisis in a number of academic ways, including providing support by utilizing virtual classrooms rather than face-to-face classroom lectures.

While acknowledging that this is a “transition period,” Dr. Ravi Krovi, Provost at WSU, said, “It is too early to tell if there will be a decrease in academic performance.”

According to Krovi, the withdrawal deadline has never been extended before.

While withdrawing from a class is something that some students might need to consider, this will affect WSU’s athletes, students who need to demonstrate academic progress, and those students with scholarships and those students who are on financial aid the most.

Krovi said, “Extending the W (Withdrawal) deadline till the end of the semester gives students the opportunity to protect their GPA, and or academic record.”

Students considering taking advantage of the extended withdrawal deadline should evaluate how this will impact them in the future. Withdrawing and having a “W” won’t impact a student’s GPA, but it could potentially affect financial aid for the coming semesters or impact the length of time it will take for a student to graduate.

If students need advice on whether or not they should withdraw or on their current paths, students can set up a meeting with their academic advisor.

If students are worried about withdrawing and the impact it may have on financial aid, the Financial Aid and Scholarships Department is still open virtually.

International students can consider contacting the International Student Office with questions.

Student athletes can contact their advisors in the Athletics Department for any questions specifically impacting athletes.

Aside from the announcement email sent out on March 17, The Department of Student Affairs has provided additional resources for WSU students and faculty to use as a resource for staying updated on any and all changes.

“We’ve updated the Academic Calendar, the information is posted online at WSU’s COVID-19 FAQ page, the Registrar’s FAQ page,” Krovi said,

Krovi expressed the importance of carefully evaluating the decision before taking advantage of the class withdrawal deadline extension, currently open and extended until end of spring semester.