Get SMU Undergraduate Petition

A: A student petition is a request for a waiver of a Senate policy, so in order for a petition to be approved, students must present a case that is compelling enough for the Senate Subcommittee on Undergraduate Petition Review to decide that an exception is warranted.

An academic petition is a formal document, which should be written in clear, formal language. It should begin with the date and some form of salutation (such as “Dear Academic Petitions Committee”), followed by a clear articulation of what the petitioner is requesting and then a persuasive rationale for that request.

Among students reporting a religious preference, 26 percent are Catholic and 17 percent are Methodist. SMU's main campus is five miles north of downtown Dallas and is comprised of 101 buildings on 237 acres, including facilities east of U.S. Highway 75.

SMU was founded on April 17, 1911, by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South—now part of the United Methodist Church—in partnership with Dallas civic leaders. However, it is nonsectarian in its teaching and enrolls students of all religious affiliations.

Rather than ask the courts to compel the defendant to perform a particular action, a petition asks the court to provide a court order. More generally, a petition is a formal request advocating for a cause and addressed to an authority. Many signatures are often sought in order to demonstrate support for the cause.

Your personal statement should explain what you are requesting and the rationale for why you believe your request should be granted. Describe in detail the personal, medical or other circumstances outside of your control that led you to submit a petition.

An Academic Petition enables students to request an exception to college policy or procedure when extenuating circumstances have occured. Students may also request an exception for a degree/program requirement when the student would be better served by allowing substitutions or waivers.

Writing a good petition State clearly what change you want to make. Make this realistic and concrete. ... Direct the demand to the right people. ... Include accurate information and evidence. ... Make sure it is a clear record of people's opinion. ... Write clearly. ... Get your timing right. ... Get your petition to the right place.