Student Advocacy

The Dean of Students Office is dedicated to nurturing an environment where all students can thrive. We understand that each student and situation is unique; as such, we support students through all phases of their academic journey.

Our office collaborates with campus partners on student advocacy initiatives including excused absence requests, incomplete grade requests, and withdrawals and leaves of absences due to extenuating circumstances, among many other issues that students face during their academic career.

The Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students will meet with each student to help them navigate the best path to success.

Excused Absences

Illinois Tech expects all students to attend courses regularly. When illness or emergency requires a student to miss an exam/and or more than two days of class, the student must notify the course instructor. In extenuating circumstances, the dean of students can advocate on behalf of the student to request an excused absence. Supporting documentation to verify the absence is required. 

Please complete this form to request an excused absence from the Dean of Students Office. Any questions regarding this form or the student absence policy can be sent to dos@iit.edu.

Incomplete Grade Requests

Students who have a substantial amount of equity in a course but are unable to complete the course requirements by the end of the term due to extenuating circumstances (i.e, illness or unforeseeable circumstances) and need additional time to complete the course may be able to request an incomplete (i) grade.

The incomplete (I) grade is a temporary grade that must be requested in writing by the student to the instructor of record using the Incomplete Grade Request Form. The form must be submitted prior to the week of final examinations. Final exam dates can be found on the academic calendar.

More information regarding the incomplete grade policy can be found on the Office of the Registrar website.

Medical Leave of Absence

Degree-seeking students who intend to leave the university for one semester or more must complete the online leave of absence form. Graduate students requesting a leave of absence may do so through the Office of Academic Affairs, and will need to provide supporting documentation to the Dean of Students Office.

Undergraduate degree-seeking students who need to withdraw from the university with the intention of returning and completing their degree program may apply for a leave of absence.

More information regarding an undergraduate leave of absence can be found online.

Withdrawal due to Extenuating Circumstances

Withdrawals from courses after the published deadline due to an extraordinary circumstance beyond a student’s control, such as medical or personal emergencies, are considered a late withdrawal.

In the rare event that a student has experienced circumstances beyond their control that might permit an exception to the university policy on course withdrawals, the student may submit the Late Withdrawal Appeal form to the Office of the Registrar. Any documentation supporting the appeal should be included.

More information regarding the late withdrawal policy can be found on the Office of the Registrar website.

Pregnancy and Parenting 

More information regarding pregnancy and parenting can be found here.

Concerns in the Classroom?

While the Dean of Students Office assists students with personal matters, we can also serve as a liaison between the student and their academic department when experiencing issues related to the classroom. Any questions or reports regarding a classroom issue can be sent to dos@iit.edu.