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 of 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 to be exempt from this policy. 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 church service. To be eligible for a leave of absence, the student must:
- Be a currently registered student.
- Have a GPA of 2.0 or higher.
- Be in good academic standing with the College.
- Have completed a full semester at Keuka College.
- Provide a written verification on official letterhead from a health professional stating that the student is deemed medically or otherwise to take a leave from the College.
- Not have taken another LOA or TAL within the past 12 months.
- Not have a current account hold.
The student must submit the reason for the request in writing, and the appropriate form must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office. An LOA maintains your 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. 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.
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 LOA 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 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. 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.
3. 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 which prevents successful completion of a semester(s); however, to be eligible to take a TAL, the student must:
- Fully intend to return to Keuka College by the date indicated.
- Have GPA of 2.0 or higher.
- Be in good academic standing with the College.
- Have completed a full semester at Keuka College.
- Not have taken another TAL within the past 12 months.
- Not have a current account hold.
The student must submit the appropriate form to the Registrar’s Office. An 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. Students may take a temporary academic leave for a minimum of one semester and a maximum of two full semesters (fall/spring).
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(s) 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. Prior to returning from a TAL, the student must notify the Registrar’s Office in writing. A 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 will be required to meet any new admission or degree requirements in place when you return to the College.
4. Voluntary Withdrawal
Students who wish to withdraw must obtain the proper forms from the Registrar’s Office. If a student submits a request to fully withdraw from the College prior to the deadline to withdraw, , 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. All withdrawal deadlines can be found in the current Academic Calendar. Students who do not submit withdrawal paperwork will be issued grade(s) of F and will be responsible for all charges incurred.
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.