The deadline, now simply referred to as the withdraw deadline, is Nov. 15 for standard term one classes and March 15 for standard term two classes. For two-term classes, the deadline is Feb. 15.

If you’re getting a grade so god-awful that you want to ditch the class at the last minute to avoid an embarrassing blemish on your transcript — well, you’re now shit out of luck.

Dropping a class after the “deadline to avoid academic penalty” is no longer an option.

Until May 2012, University of Saskatchewan students could drop a course after the academic penalty deadline and receive a withdraw failure, or WF, as a grade comment on their transcript. Once exams started, however, students were unable to drop.

Now students will be restricted by PAWS from dropping a class after the deadline. If they choose not to finish the coursework, a zero will be factored in for incomplete work and a grade will be doled out at the end of the semester according to the total work completed.

The deadline, now simply referred to as the withdraw deadline, is Nov. 15 for standard term one classes and March 15 for standard term two classes. For two-term classes, the deadline is Feb. 15.

University Registrar Russ Isinger said the reason for the change was to eliminate the discrepancy between dropping a class after the academic penalty deadline and dropping a class during exam time.

“Since the end result is the same, students are failing in both cases. Why do we have these two separate rules?” he said.

Isinger said not allowing students to drop classes after the deadline may force them to seek out a tutor or academic help and could eventually result in more students receiving passing grades.

The new rules do not affect students who are unable to complete a course because of health or personal reasons.

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