Administrative Withdrawal (Face-to-face courses) 

Students who initially participate in the face-to-face course and then do not officially withdraw from the course by submitting an add/drop form to their academic advisor/graduate program specialist will be considered unofficially withdrawn. When students earn a grade of F (Failure) or W (Withdrawal) the professor will submit the last date of participation based on CUC’s Attendance policy. Students will be considered to have earned all of their federal financial aid after the completion of sixty percent of the payment period. Questions regarding the implications on financial aid can be directed to the Office of Financial Aid at Financial.Aid@CUChicago.edu or at 708-209-3113. 

Administrative Withdrawal (Distance Education courses) 

Students who initially participate in the online synchronous, hyflex, online asynchronous, and/or hybrid course and then stop participating in the course for at least fourteen consecutive days without officially withdrawing from the course by submitting an add/drop form to their academic advisor/graduate program specialist will be considered unofficially withdrawn and as a result, will be administratively withdrawn from the course by the university. Course participation is defined in CUC’s Attendance policy.  

Students who are administratively withdrawn will be assigned a grade of AW for the course on their permanent academic record, will not receive a refund of any kind, and shall not be readmitted into that course for the remainder of the term. If a student receiving an AW reenrolls in the course in a later term all attempts will appear on the student’s permanent academic record and will be counted toward the maximum timeframe for financial aid purposes. A grade of AW will be considered as coursework attempted, but not completed. In addition, repeated courses are counted in the hours attempted calculation for financial aid purposes. Students will be considered to have earned all of their federal financial aid after the completion of sixty percent of the payment period. Administrative withdrawals will be processed during the term before final grades are posted. Students who have had their degree/credential conferred are not eligible for an administrative withdrawal.  

Students that have faced the following circumstances within the term are not eligible for an administrative withdrawal which may include, but are not limited to: 

• Job/internship-related conflicts or challenges  
• Travel issues/delays  
• Incarceration. 

CUC Attendance Policy

Federal regulations require the university to document whether students actively participate in each course. Attendance at Concordia University Chicago is therefore defined as evidence of engagement in an academically related activity to the students’ course of study.

Definition of Attendance

• Face-to-Face, Hyflex, and Online Synchronous Courses, and university assigned study groups (e.g., recitations): Attendance is the student’s documented physical presence at scheduled class meetings.
• Online Asynchronous and Hybrid Courses: Attendance is the student’s documented participation in class in the learning management system and requires students to complete an academically related activity, such as:

• Submitting an assignment, assessment, and/or exam.
• Participating in an interactive tutorial, webinar, study group, group project, online discussion, and/or other interactive computer-assisted instruction.
• Documented, student‑initiated communication with the instructor about course content by CUC email.

Please note the following actions do not count as attendance: 

• Living in campus housing. 
• Participating in the campus’s meal plan. 
• Logging into an online class without any further participation in the learning management system. 
• Meeting with an academic advisor. 

Instructor Responsibilities

Faculty are expected to:

• Include a clear attendance policy in each course syllabus and/or the learning management system aligned with this policy.
• Maintain documentation of student attendance.
• Use appropriate academically related activities to determine whether students have attended.

Student Responsibilities

Students must review and follow the attendance expectations for each course. Failure to meet attendance requirements may result in:

• Loss of credit for assignments or assessments
• Reduced or failing course grades
• Administrative removal from the course

Students should consult the Academic Catalog for policies on incompletes, administrative drops, and administrative withdrawals. Requests submitted after deadlines on the Academic Calendar must be filed using the Dean of Students Appeal Form.

Authorized Absences from Class  

A student representing the university at university-sponsored events is granted authorized absences from class provided that the student is in good academic standing and has complied with approved procedures. See the Student-Athlete Class Attendance Policy  for absences due to participation in athletics. Faculty members will receive email notifications regarding authorized student absences via Navigate. 

When leading/hosting a university-sponsored event where students will be absent, faculty members should notify the Office of the Dean of Students so that it can send out notifications to the CUC community.   

In compliance with Title IX, absences due to pregnancy, recovery, or related conditions must be authorized if the student’s physician deems the absence medically necessary. Regarding all absences tied to pregnancy, recovery or related conditions, students should email TitleIX@CUChicago.edu with documentation included for any such absence. The Office of the Dean of Students will review request and documentation and notify faculty members if absences are authorized. Faculty members are expected to assist pregnant and parenting students (female and male) by providing them with options, such as extended deadlines, make-up assignments or alternate learning activities.   

At the discretion of a faculty member, at times in consultation with the Office of the Dean of Students and in line with a program’s requirements, absences due to medical and mental health issues, personal crises, military orders, or contractual obligations may be authorized.  Students should complete the following form to notify the Office of the Dean of Students with documentation included for any such absence.  

An authorized absence does not excuse a student from course material, assignments or exams. It is ultimately up to each faculty member to decide what, if any, accommodation can be provided for an authorized absence. It is the student's responsibility to initiate a request for an accommodation with the faculty member. It is also a student’s primary responsibility to schedule courses to minimize potential class absences.