Temporary Leave and Withdrawal

Policy applies to:

• Undergraduate Students
• Graduate students

Students who need to pause their studies temporarily may request a Leave of Absence from Keuka College by contacting the Office of Records and Registration. Students who do not meet the eligibility criteria below may submit an Exception to Policy form to the Office of Records and Registration. All required signatures must be obtained prior to the exception to be considered. Questions about the leave or withdrawal process should be directed to the Office of Records and Registration.

1. Leave of Absence

A Leave of Absence (LOA) is a formally approved, temporary interruption in a student’s program of study. As defined by Title IV Federal Student Aid requirements (34 CFR §668.22. An approved LOA is not treated as a withdrawal and does not trigger a return of federal financial funds, provided all required conditions are met.

A Leave of Absence may be voluntary or involuntary but must be requested while a semester is in session. The leave may not exceed 180 consecutive days (including weekends and breaks). Upon expiration of the leave, the student must be registered in the next available semester.

Eligibility

To be approved for a Leave of Absence, the student must:

1. Be currently registered at Keuka College
2. Be in good academic standing
3. Not have taken a Leave of Absence within the past 12 months
4. Not have a current account hold.

Procedure for Request

Students must submit a written request to the Office of Records and Registration. Students with incomplete grades at the end of the semester must complete all outstanding coursework and receive final grades before the leave can be activated. Students taking a mid-semester leave are subject to the College’s course withdrawal deadlines, as outlined in the Registration and Registration Changes policy.

Financial Aid Notice

A Leave of Absence that does not meet the Title IV conditions will be treated as a withdrawal, which may require the College to return federal financial aid funds and could affect the student’s loan repayment terms, Students with federal loans will be notified via their keuka.edu email by the Office of Financial Aid of the impact. Students are strongly advised to speak with the staff members in the Office of Financial Aid prior to requesting a LOA.

When a student wishes to return from a Leave of Absence, they must notify the Office of Records and Registration in writing. A Leave of Absence 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 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.

Students who are considering taking a leave under Title IX/NYS 129 regulations should consult with the Title IX Coordinator for additional information.

2. Involuntary Leave of Absence

When it applies: The College may administratively place a student on an Involuntary Leave of Absence when the student engages in conduct that disrupts the academic or campus environment, poses a risk to the health and safety of the student or others, or render the student unable to fulfill their academic responsibilities.

• Threating, intimidating, or harassing behavior directed at students, faculty, or staff;
• Repeated or serious interference with instruction, or College activities and operations;
• Behavior arising from an unaddressed physical or mental health condition that poses a risk to the student or the campus community.

Before imposing an involuntary leave, the College will make reasonable efforts to encourage the student to voluntarily request a Leave of Absence. Students who post an immediate threat to the campus will be subject to the Emergency (or Interim) Measures Policy[CL2.1] and Procedures, as outlined in the Community Standards and Code of Conduct in the Student Handbook.

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. 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 five business days 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 College’s 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, outlined in Section 5 below. 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.

3. Voluntary Withdrawal

Students who wish to withdraw from the College must notify the Office of Records and Registration. All students will be asked to participate in an exit interview before the withdrawal is processed. Upon completion of the exit interview, the student will receive an electronic withdrawal form to complete.

Students who submit the completed withdrawal form on or before the published withdrawal deadline will receive a grade of “W” for all enrolled courses.

Student who request withdrawal after the deadline, will receive earned grades for the work completed unless an approved Exception to Policy is submitted. Students who fail to submit a withdrawal form will be assigned grade(s) and will be responsible for all charges incurred. All withdrawal deadlines are published in the current Academic Calendar.

4. Administrative Withdrawal

Students who are not registered for classes by Day 10 of each term will be administratively withdrawn from Keuka College. This applied without exception. Additionally, students who fail to submit required leave or withdrawal documentation and are reported as a “no show” for registered coursework and/or housing assignments will be administratively withdrawn.

Students who have been administratively withdrawn and wish to return to the College must contact the Office of Admissions to apply for readmission and will be required to meet all admission and degree requirements in effect at the time of return.

5. Resumption of Study After an Involuntary Leave of Absence

A student seeking to return from an Involuntary LOA must satisfy all of the following conditions:

(a) Written Request: The student must notify the Vice-President of Student Development in writing of their intent to return. Requests should be submitted as early as possible prior to the intended semester of return to allow adequate time for scheduling, financial aid processing, and housing placement.

(b) Medical Clearance: The student must provide written verification on official letterhead from a licensed health professional confirming that the student is medically cleared to return to the College. Students returning from an Involuntary LOA may be required to meet with the College’s Health and Counseling staff to determine the level of ongoing support needed.

(c) No guarantee of preferences: Students who request to return after registration or housing selection deadlines are not guaranteed their preferred course schedule or housing assignment.

(d) Academic Standing: Students return under the same academic standing they held at departure and subject to the terms of their academic contract upon return. .

(e) Pending Contract Matters: Any student conduct charges that were pending at the time the leave was imposed will continue to be adjudicated during the student’s absence must be resolved in accordance with College policy.

(f) Appeal of Denial: A student whose request to resume study request is denied may to appeal in writing to the Vice President of Student Development within five business days of receiving the denial. The denial will be sent electronically to the non-keuka.edu email address on file.

Definition: Leave of Absence (LOA): A temporary interruption in a student’s program of study. An LOA is not required if a student is not in attendance solely due to an institutionally scheduled break, though a scheduled break may occur during an LOA.

For all leave and withdrawal matters, contact the Office of Records and Registration. For financial aid questions related to a Leave of Absence, contact the Office of Financial Aid.

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2026-2027 Updates
Removed references to TAL