The Petition Process
Students who feel that they have an extenuating circumstance related to the enforcement of school policy and procedures may request an exception to stated policies and procedures through the Student Affairs Petition process.
A petition must be submitted within one calendar year of the academic quarter in which the issue occurred (e.g. a student must submit a petition by no later than the end of the fall quarter of 2019 to request an exception for an issue that arose in the fall quarter of 2018).
To submit a Student Affairs Petition, use the electronic form found on the Forms and Documents page.
Students must include all relevant documents and evidence in the initial submission. Electronic supporting documents (doctors’ notes, medical records, death certificate, etc.) may be emailed to spspetitions@northwestern.edu. Petitions submitted without supporting documentation will not be processed.
All petition requests should include:
- An explanation of the issue in question and requested outcome.
- Legible documentation from a credible source.
- When appropriate, an accurate timeline of their actions within the situation (e.g. last date of attendance).
Students should not use the petition process frivolously. The committee will be most understanding of cases in which the student could not have reasonably foreseen the circumstances. Before submitting a petition, students should review the Graduate Student Academic Catalog and/or consult with their academic adviser with questions regarding SPS policies and procedures.