Tuition Appeal Policy

Policy Number	Policy Owner
6019.1	Student Financial Services

1.0 Purpose

In accordance with sections 1.C.2 (Discretionary Deferrals), II.B (Exceptions), and III.2.d (Fulfilling Obligations) of the State University of New York Policy # 7301, this document establishes the President’s primary designee and process for students to appeal their tuition liability. Under this role, the President’s designee makes determinations regarding removal of tuition charges that cause undue hardship, removal from a class roster and related tuition charges, discretionary deferrals, and execution of agreements for repayment of delinquent accounts.

2.0 Revision History

Date	Version Number	Change Description	Referenced Section
2/5/18	1.0	New Document	Entire Document
10/6/21	1.1	Minor Revisions	4.0
4/5/24	1.2	Minor Revisions	4.0, 6.0, 7.0.

Review Process / Approval

Action:	Units	Date
Policy Review	Financial Aid Management Services	1/1/18-1/3/18
Policy Approval	Executive Council	2/2/18

Action:

Units

Date

Policy Review

Financial Aid
Management Services

1/1/18-1/3/18

Policy Approval

Executive Council

2/2/18

3.0 Units and Persons Affected

4.0 Policy

After a course or college withdrawal has been processed and the effective date established, a student may submit a written appeal for removal or adjustment of tuition charges based upon a change of effective withdrawal date. Appeals are warranted under extraordinary and unusual circumstances that are beyond the control of a student, and that prevent a student from dropping or withdrawing from a course via standard procedures within the appropriate deadline for a refund. The student must thoroughly document the circumstances from independent third-party sources. Appeals may also be warranted when a student provides official notification of their intent to withdraw to an appropriate campus representative by the relevant deadline and submits documentation from a credible source. Appeals may also be warranted when a student demonstrates that they are matriculated at another college during the same term or they are enrolled as a new non-matriculated student at SUNY Plattsburgh.

Tuition appeals may not be granted to students who have earned credit for coursework or who have completed more than half of the given term or course for which they are requesting an appeal. Requests for tuition appeals must be received by the college within one year of the end of the term in question.

The President’s primary designee makes determinations regarding removal or adjustment of tuition charges based upon a change of effective withdrawal date. The decision by the President’s Designee is considered final and no further appeal is possible.

The President’s designee also coordinates the execution of agreements for repayment of delinquent accounts and discretionary deferrals related to tuition appeals.

The designee of the President is also authorized to make determinations regarding removal or adjustment of tuition charges prior to a course or college withdrawal, instead of afterward, for only two unique student populations:

first-time non-matriculated students who receive a failing course grade and never actively participate in the class as confirmed by the professor; and
students who are academically dismissed from the college and receive a failing course grade in the winter or summer term immediately following dismissal, and never actively participate in the course as confirmed by the professor.

5.0 Definitions

6.0 Responsibilities

Student: Responsible for submitting an appeal to the Designee of the President and providing all documentation requested.

Designee of the President: Responsible for reviewing tuition appeals and documentation, requesting additional information, and making a determination that is provided to the student as well as the Registrar and Student Financial Services Offices.

Registrar: Responsible for updating the student’s academic record (if there is a change in the effective date of withdrawal).

Student Financial Services: Responsible for adjusting tuition and any fee liability that is impacted by the date change in accordance with applicable college refund schedules and making any adjustments to financial aid according to federal, state, and other regulations.

7.0 Procedures

After withdrawing from a course or from the College, the student emails the designee of the President their appeal along with supporting documentation.
The designee reviews the documentation and makes a determination if additional information from the student is necessary to make a determination.
If so, the designee requests the documentation from the student. The appeal will not be evaluated further until receipt of the additional documentation.
The designee summarizes the student’s academic history at the college and the sequence of events related to the appeal.
If necessary, the designee will contact the instructor of the course and request the last date of academic activity by the student.
Upon completion of the review, the designee evaluates the student’s justification and makes a determination.
The designee emails a written summary of the appeal determination to the student along with copies to the following offices: Registrar and Student Financial Services.
If there is a change in the effective date of withdrawal, the Office of the Registrar updates the student’s academic record and then Student Financial Services adjusts tuition, and any fee liability that is impacted by the date change, according to college refund schedules. The Financial Aid Office makes any adjustments to financial aid according to federal, state, and other regulations.
The decision by the President’s Designee is considered final and no further appeal is possible.

8.0 Forms

9.0 Appendix

10.0 Distribution and Training

Method	Date
Campus Handbook	4/5/2024
Faculty / Staff Digest	7/7/2018
Student Digest	7/7/2018
Other	N/A

Method

Date

Campus Handbook

4/5/2024

Faculty / Staff Digest

7/7/2018

Student Digest

7/7/2018

Other

N/A

There are no specific trainings identified with this policy.