Catalog Rights

The requirements for degrees may change during the time a student attends Fullerton College.

Catalog rights are established when a student first takes classes at Fullerton College, and they are maintained through continual enrollment at the college. These rights protect students from being held responsible for changes made to their academic programs in the years that follow their initial enrollment.

Students maintain catalog rights by maintaining continuous enrollment at Fullerton College — that is, by receiving a grade of “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” “F,” “CR,” “P,” “NC,” “NP,” “RD,” “W,” "EW", or “I” on their transcripts for at least one course per academic year. Documented military or medical leave during the academic year will not be considered an interruption of enrollment. This policy supersedes all previous catalog rights provisions and applies only to programs at Fullerton College.

Withdrawal vs Excused Withdrawal

Withdrawal (W)

A regular withdrawal occurs when a student (1) withdraws from a class after the census date and before the withdrawal deadline, or (2) is withdrawn by an instructor after the census date and before the withdrawal deadline. Neither a W or EW is calculated in the GPA.

Excused Withdrawal (EW)

An Excused Withdrawal "EW" occurs when a student is permitted to withdraw from course(s) due to specific events beyond the control of the student and may include:

• a job transfer outside the geographical region
• illness of the student or of someone in the student's family where the student is the primary caregiver
• release from custody or involuntary transfer before the end of the term if the student is incarcerated in a California county jail or state prison
• the student is the subject of an immigration action, or
• other extenuating circumstances beyond the control of the student affecting his/her ability to complete a course(s).

The college will proactively engage with the student or their representative to identify available college support services that may mitigate the extenuating circumstances and prevent withdrawal. If mitigation efforts are unsuccessful, the student will receive the excused withdrawal symbol (“EW”) on their transcript. Students will not be denied an excused withdrawal due to a college’s inability to respond to the petition or to provide sufficient assistance to mitigate the student’s circumstances.

An excused withdrawal will not be counted in progress probation and dismissal calculations, or toward the permitted number of withdrawals or enrollment attempts. In no case may an excused withdrawal result in a student being assigned an “FW” grade. An excused withdrawal will be assigned if a determination is made that the student withdrew from a course due to unlawful discrimination or retaliation.

NOTE: The "EW" symbol DOES count in the Federal financial aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Calculations. Students are advised to consult with the Financial Aid office to determine whether an EW will have an impact of their awards.