Temporary Leave 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 meet all the eligibility criteria below. If a student does not meet one or more of the criteria below, they may submit an exception to policy form to the Registrar’s Office. All signatures must be obtained for the exception to be considered. All leave 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. A formal leave of absence can be voluntary or involuntary but must be requested while a semester is in session. A leave of absence will only be approved for extreme extenuating circumstances, such as a documented medical condition, active military duty, or religious service. A leave of absence may last no longer than 180 consecutive days (including weekends and breaks). Therefore, the student must be registered in the next available semester.

The student must submit the reason for the request in writing, and the appropriate form must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office. A leave of absence maintains a student’s academic requirements as outlined in the catalog year from year in which the student was 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.

To be eligible for a leave of absence, the student must:

1. Be a currently registered student.
2. Have a GPA of 2.0 or higher.
3. Be in good academic standing with the College.
4. Have completed at least a full semester at Keuka College.
5. Provide a written verification on official letterhead from a health, military, or religious professional stating that the student is deemed eligible to take a leave from the College. 
6. Not have taken another leave of absence or temporary leave within the past 12 months.
7. Not have a current account hold.

When a student wishes to return from a leave of absence, they must notify the Registrar’s Office in writing and present a written verification on official letterhead from a health, military, or religious professional stating that the student is able to return to the College. A leave of absence allows a student to re-register for classes without having to go through a formal readmission process. 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 leave of absence. However, the effective date of the temporary leave is unchanged from the date listed on the leave of absence. Students who are not registered for classes at the expiration date of the leave of absence will no longer be an active student at Keuka College. Students who do not return by the deadline of their leave of absence must apply for readmission and will be required to meet any new admission or degree requirements in place when returning to the College.

2. Temporary Academic Leave

A Temporary Academic Leave (TAL) is defined by Keuka College as an approved temporary withdrawal from the College. A temporary academic leave may be taken for any reason. Students may take a temporary academic leave for a minimum of one semester and a maximum of two full semesters (Fall/Spring).

The student must submit the reason for the request in writing, and the appropriate form must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office. A temporary leave maintains a student’s academic requirements as outlined in the catalog year from year in which the student was 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.

To be eligible to take a temporary leave, the student must:

1. Be a currently registered student.
2. Fully intend to return to Keuka College by the date indicated.
3. Have GPA of 2.0 or higher.
4. Be in good academic standing with the College.
5. Have completed a full semester at Keuka College.
6. Not have taken another temporary leave within the past 12 months.
7. Not have a current account hold.

Students may not go on a temporary leave until all previous course attempts have been completed. Students with incomplete grades must finish their coursework and receive a grade(s) prior to being put on leave. For students wishing to take a temporary leave in the middle of a semester, the College’s course withdrawal policy applies. Prior to returning from a temporary leave, the student must notify the Registrar’s Office in writing. A temporary leave 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 their temporary leave will no longer be an active student at Keuka College. If a temporary leave expires, the student must apply for readmission, and will be required to meet any new admission or degree requirements in place when you return to the College. 

3. Involuntary Leave

Matriculated undergraduate and graduate students may be administratively placed on an involuntary leave of absence (LOA) for a maximum of 180 days (including weekends and scheduled breaks) in any 12-month period and they must be registered in the next available semester.   

An involuntary leave of absence is invoked only when a student is unable or unwilling to request a voluntary leave of absence and the student’s behavior disrupts the College’s learning environment or is otherwise negatively impactful on the campus community. Determination of the administrative need to place a student on an involuntary leave of absence will be done through an individualized assessment of the student (e.g., health issues, behaviors, treatment needs), including current medical diagnosis if available, objective evidence of the student’s behavior, and will be made by a team of reviewers. When feasible, students will be allowed to provide input into the decision-making related to risk assessment considered in determining the need for an involuntary leave of absence.  Before an involuntary leave of absence is considered, efforts will be made to encourage the student to take a voluntary leave of absence.  

Students who are placed on involuntary leave of absence will be notified by the College via email. Details related to the rationale for the administrative action, the criteria for return, and details on transcript notations will be included in the notification letter. A student placed on involuntary leave of absence has the right to appeal to the Vice President of Student Development and must submit their appeal request in writing within forty-eight hours of being notified of their involuntary leave. 

This policy and these procedures do not take the place of disciplinary actions that are in response to violations of the campus code of conduct, nor do they preclude the removal or dismissal of students from the College or college-owned facilities because of violations of other college regulations.   

A student wanting to return from an involuntary leave of absence within the 180-day period must follow the “Resumption of Study from an Involuntary leave of absence” policy.  A student who is not registered for classes at the expiration date of the leave of absence will no longer be an active student at Keuka College and must apply for readmission should they wish to return to the College.  Readmitted students are required to meet any new admission or degree requirements in place when returning to the College. 

4. Voluntary Withdrawal

Students who wish to withdraw must notify the Registrar’s Office. Students will be asked to participate in an exit interview. After the exit interview is conducted, the student will be provided with an electronic form to withdraw from the College. If a student submits the form to fully withdraw from the College prior to the withdrawal deadline they will receive “W” grades. If a student requests to withdraw after the withdrawal deadline, they will receive grades for the work completed unless an exception to policy is submitted and approved. Students who do not submit a withdrawal form will be issued grade(s) and will be responsible for all charges incurred. All withdrawal deadlines can be found in the current Academic Calendar.

5. Administrative Withdrawal

Students who are not registered for classes by the Census Day of each term are administratively withdrawn from Keuka College. Additionally, students who fail to submit the proper leave or withdrawal documentation will be administratively withdrawn if they are reported as a “no show” to their registered coursework and/or housing. Students who wish to return, should contact the Admissions Office for readmission.

Resumption of Study After an Involuntary Leave of Absence

a) The student wishing to return to the College from an involuntary LOA must notify the Dean of Students 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. Requests should be made as far in advance as possible of the semester in which she/he expects to return to maximize scheduling, aid, and housing options for their return. Those returning from an involuntary LOA may be required to meet with health and counseling staff to ascertain the degree of counseling or health care support needed. 
 
b) The student requesting to return after normal registration or housing selection processes is not guaranteed course and room preference.  

c) Students return to the College under the same academic status under which they departed and they are subject to the terms of their academic contract upon their return. 
 
d) If there are any student conduct charges pending involving the student requesting the LOA, those proceedings will continue during the student’s absence. 

e) A student whose Resumption of Study request is denied may to appeal to the Vice President of Student Development in writing within five business days of their request being denied.