Federal regulations require that an institution use, as a withdrawal date, a student's last date of attendance in an academically-related activity. The institution must document that the activity is academic or academically-related, and the student's attendance at the activity.
Defining Academically-Related Activity
Active participation by a student in an instructional activity includes, but is not limited to, the following:
- Attending a synchronous class, lecture, recitation, or field or laboratory activity, physically or online, where there is an opportunity for interaction between the instructor and students
- Submitting an academic assignment
- Taking an assessment or an exam
- Participating in an interactive tutorial, webinar, or other interactive computer-assisted instruction
- Participating in a study group, group project, or online discussion assigned by the institution
- Interacting with an instructor about academic matters
Academically-related activities do not include activities where a student may be present, but not academically engaged, including, but not limited to, the following:
- Living in institutional housing
- Participating in the school's meal plan
- Logging into an online class or tutorial without any further participation
- Participating in academic counseling or advisement