Students in danger of failing a class that is not as easy, fun, or even as tolerable as they first expected it to be need not despair after the drop/add deadline has passed. Resigning a course, although not always recommended, is an available option for students in danger of failing.
"The university does allow students to resign because we understand that students want to explore and sometimes they get in over their heads," said Beth Del Genio, assistant vice provost for academic affairs and UB 101 professor.
Resigning a course is a short-term solution to a college student's academic worries but there are long-term consequences to having an R on a transcript.
"There are only negative implications when there is a pattern of resigning," said Del Genio. "A pattern of resigning shows that the student is not seeking academic advisement and that the student is not focusing. These are the students that are usually unsuccessful academically."
Gillian Weisen, a junior double majoring in theatre and classics, agrees with Del Genio. Weisen has yet to resign a course.
"If you are consistently resigning a course, it would show an inability to make personal decisions," she said. "If I felt that it would look better to resign rather than failing or just barely passing, I'd resign."
While resigning a course may seem like a viable option, Senior Academic Advisor Jerry Gadwin warns students of the ramifications of adding an R to their transcripts.
"If a student is unsure whether or not to resign a course, talk to an academic advisor first. A resign negatively impacts the course completion rate," said Gadwin.
If a student resigns enough courses to drop below 12 credits during any given semester, that student could lose financial aid awards and health insurance coverage received through the school.
Charles Ebert, distinguished teaching professor emeritus in the Philosophy Department, has been at UB for 48 years and says that it is frustrating when students resign a course.
"Usually when students resign, they don't talk to you," he said. "The greatest beef I have is that I don't know why the students resigned."
Ebert said that out of every hundred students, about five resign.
Resigning classes may also delay graduation and can affect acceptance to graduate schools.
"The student may be bright, but (graduate school) admissions advisors will be looking for Rs on the student's transcript. As a result, the student may be put on a waiting list instead of being accepted," said Gadwin.
"Resigning is a wiser action than receiving an F in the course," said Gadwin. "If a student receives a B or a C, then resigning is not recommended."
If, however, there are circumstances beyond the student's control, such as a death in the family, Gadwin suggests that the student talk to the professor and an academic advisor before resigning to explore alternatives to resigning.
This semester, course resignation began on Sept. 7 and ends on Oct. 18. First semester undergraduate students can receive an extra three weeks to resign a course by filling out a form available in an undergraduate advisor's office.
