A matriculated student who, due to a serious medical condition that requires extended inpatient treatment in a medical facility and/or ongoing outpatient medical treatment, becomes unable to complete his/her academic requirements and/or who becomes unable to meet the program’s technical standards and/or the requirements of the Student Code of Conduct, may apply for a formal Medical Leave of Absence for up to two consecutive semesters.
Students considering a Medical Leave of Absence should be aware that granting of such leave does not relieve a student from financial responsibility to the college. A student who is seeking a Medical Leave of Absence who is also a financial aid recipient should contact the Financial Aid Office to discuss the leave and any potential implications for changes in financial aid eligibility.
Students requesting Medical Leave of Absence must:
- Provide a letter to the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs identifying their program of study, the medical reason for the request, the proposed date on which the leave would begin, and the proposed date of readmission, and;
- Provide the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs documentation of the medical condition from a licensed health care professional directly involved in the treatment of the student’s particular condition that is sufficiently comprehensive to facilitate the decision-making process.
The Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs (or designee) will make a determination regarding the appropriateness of the leave request and notify the student in writing whether the request for Medical Leave of Absence was granted and what conditions for readmission may apply. Students whose requests are granted will not be required to reapply for admission at the end of the leave period provided all conditions for readmission have been met.
Conditions for readmission may include, but are not limited to, submission of documentation from a licensed heath care professional directly involved in the treatment of the student’s particular condition that is sufficiently comprehensive to provide reasonable assurance that the returning student will be able to meet all college and program academic, technical, and behavioral requirements. Other conditions for readmission may include a required in-person meeting with the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs and/or the student’s program Department Chair; compliance with any new admission criteria implemented in the student’s absence; following a new curriculum plan that may have been implemented in the student’s absence; and/or repeating courses and/or clinical experiences to ensure clinical competence following an extended absence. (Please note that students wishing to return to a residence hall may be required to meet additional, separate criteria from those required for return to an academic program. Students should directly negotiate any return to residence life with the college’s Student Affairs Office.)
Students who choose to seek Medical Leave under the provisions of this policy should be aware that information they voluntarily disclose during the application and readmission processes will be handled under the confidentiality guidelines of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and disclosed only to those persons with a direct academic need to know.