Leave of Absence and Withdrawal
Students who must step away from their studies at Keuka College temporarily are able to request a Leave of Absence or Temporary Academic Leave. Students who wish to take a leave must have a 2.0 GPA minimum and be in good academic standing with the College. All leaves of absences and withdrawals must be requested using the official forms available only through the Registrar’s Office. Students may contact the Registrar’s Office for more information.
1. Leave of Absence
A formal Leave of Absence (LOA) is defined by Title IV Federal Student Aid requirements:
• LOAs may be voluntary or involuntary
• The student must submit the reason for the request in writing, and it must be dated and signed. The LOA may be granted only to currently registered students.
• LOAs will only be approved for extreme extenuating circumstances, such as a documented medical condition, active military duty, or church service.
• LOA may last no longer than 180 consecutive days (including weekends and breaks). Therefore, the student must be registered in the next available semester.
• LOA can only be taken when a semester is in session.
• Only one (1) LOA may be taken in a 12-month time period.
• A student must complete at least one semester and have at least a 2.0 GPA to be eligible for a LOA.
• LOA maintains your academic requirements as outlined in the KC Record from year in which the student enrolled. Students should be aware that there may have been changes to the degree programs that may impact their return, such as enrollment limits, changes to course offerings, etc. There is no guarantee of re-entry to a particular major.
• The student wishing to return from a LOA must notify the Registrar’s Office in writing and present a written verification on official letterhead from a health professional stating that the student is deemed medically able to return to the College.
• Students may extend their leave for two more traditional, academic semesters by requesting to be moved to a temporary academic leave upon or prior to the expiration of the LOA. However, the effective date of the TAL is unchanged from the date listed on the LOA.
• Students who are not registered for classes at the expiration date of the LOA will no longer be an active student at Keuka College. The student must apply for readmission and meet any new admission or degree requirements in place when returning to the College.
3. Temporary Academic Leave
A Temporary Academic Leave (TAL) is defined by Keuka College as an approved temporary withdrawal from the College.
• TAL maintains your academic requirements as outlined in the KC Record from year in which the student enrolled. Students should be aware that there may have been changes to the degree programs that may impact their return, such as enrollment limits, changes to course offerings, etc. There is no guarantee of re-entry to a particular major.
• TALs may be taken for any reason which prevents successful completion of a semester(s); however, at the time of requesting a TAL, the student must fully intend to return to Keuka College before the leave time expires. Undergraduate students will be granted a TAL upon request, with the exception of students who are not in good academic standing and students who have just completed a TAL.
• TAL will be granted for a minimum of one semester and a maximum of one year. Only one TAL can be taken in a 12-month period.
• Prior to returning from a TAL, the student must notify the Registrar’s Office or his/her advisor in writing. TAL allows a student to re-register for classes without having to go through a formal readmission process.
• Students who are not registered for classes at the expiration date of a TAL will no longer be an active student at Keuka College. If a TAL expires, the student must apply for readmission, and meet any new admission or degree requirements in place when you return to the College.
• Students may not go on a TAL until all previous course attempts have been completed. Students with incomplete grades must finish their coursework and receive a grade prior to being put on leave.
• For students wishing to take a TAL in the middle of a semester, the College’s course withdrawal policy applies.
4. Voluntary Withdrawal
If you submit a full withdrawal from the College prior to the 50% mark, you will receive “W” grades. If a student withdraws past the 50% mark, they will receive grades for the work completed unless an exception to policy is submitted and approved.
5. Administrative Withdrawal
Students who are not registered for classes by the Census day of each term, are administratively withdrawn from Keuka College. Students who wish to return, should contact the Admissions Office.