Leave of Absence
LEAVE OF ABSENCE REGISTRATION AND REINSTATEMENT
Students who wish to leave the College temporarily (excluding summers) for academic, medical, religious, or military service-related reasons may request a Leave of Absence for a specific period of time. Leave of absence is meant for students who plan to complete a Maryville College degree but who have a need to be away from their Maryville College studies for an extended period. Leave of Absence is distinct from both withdrawal from the College and suspension from it. Typically, it is arranged in advance of the semester for which it is granted. It is usually not granted for a semester once that semester is underway, although it may be granted for the following semester. Some situations (e.g., those created by military deployment or health-related reasons) may call for leaves granted during a relevant semester.
Leaves are usually approved for one semester and may be extended to one year with approval of the Committee on Academic Standing. An exception to this general rule is made for leaves granted so that students may complete the second part of a dual degree program at other partner institutions, in which case the standard leave time is two years. In most cases, a Leave of Absence may not exceed a cumulative total of two years. Leave of Absence may not end during a semester that is in progress.
Applications for Leave of Absence must be submitted to the Registrar. Leaves of Absence must be requested at least three weeks before the beginning of the term during which the student wants to be absent from the College. Requests for unexpected leaves must be made as soon as possible and are not considered or approved retroactively. Students who do not return after the specific term of the Leave of Absence will be withdrawn retroactive to their leave date and may face financial consequences. Leaves of more than 180 days may also have financial consequences. Students in multiple majors may not request a leave of absence status from only one program. International students should also contact the Center for Global Engagement to discuss eligibility and potential visa issues.
As noted above, the College recognizes four kinds of leave of absence: academic, medical, religious, and military:
A. Application for a leave of absence for academic reasons is granted only for the purpose of academic enrichment. Typically, this will be for completion of the non-Maryville College portion of a dual degree program (for example, a 3-2 Engineering program). The student’s academic advisor must certify that the student has completed all Maryville College-specific requirements of the dual degree program and is ready to move on to the second part of the dual degree program.
In the case of academically motivated leaves taken for reasons other than the completion of a dual degree program, students taking courses elsewhere while on Leave of Absence must obtain division approval in advance for any course to be used as transfer credit for degree completion. Students and advisors should bear in mind that there are rules governing the minimum number of hours which must be completed at the College for a Maryville College degree, and certain requirements which must be satisfied on campus. Study abroad under the auspices of Maryville College is managed through Overseas Study registration and is not addressed by this policy.
A student taking Leave of Absence registration in order to complete a dual degree program has the option to participate in Commencement, ordinarily at the point at which the student completes the minimum number of hours for a Maryville College degree. The actual degree will not be awarded until the official transcript has been received from the partner institution and the required transfer credit has been awarded.
Students taking academic Leave of Absence from the College in order to complete the non-Maryville College portion of a dual degree program may choose to live in College residence halls, depending on the availability of space, in accordance with Maryville College rules and the College’s schedule. Accordingly, they would also participate in a College meal plan. Normal room and board fees will apply, and the needs of enrolled students will take precedence in the allotment of rooms. Students taking academic Leave of Absence for dual degree programs may also continue to use other facilities and services normally available to registered students, such as health services, the post office, email and printing accounts, sports passes, etc., to participate in College-sponsored events open to all College students, and (where consistent with the requirements of dual degree partners) participate in College-sponsored student activities such as ensembles and team sports. The College will decide upon suitable student fees to support these activities on a yearly basis. The use of College rooms, facilities, and/or services and participation in College-sponsored student activities are not allowed to students on Leave of Absence for any reason other than the completion of dual degree programs.
B. Application for a medical-related Leave of Absence must be accompanied by medical documentation in support of the leave and in support of readiness to return, as feasible under the circumstances. Medical Leave of Absence differs from medical withdrawal, in that medical Leave of Absence is better suited to students who are proactively seeking to address their health issues by taking an entire semester off, or in any case who have some sense of when they expect to be back. Medical withdrawal is better suited to students who encounter unexpected health problems that make it impossible for them to continue their studies or impossible to finish a semester.
C. Application for Leave of Absence for religious reasons is suitable for religious obligations that are of an extended character and that would make it impossible for a student to succeed during a semester. It is not given for recurring observances that take less than a semester to fulfill (such as, for example, Lent, Easter, Ramadan, or Eid) but for longer term obligations, such as pilgrimage or extended mission trips.
D. Application for a Leave of Absence due to a military call to active duty is granted when accompanied by a copy of relevant military orders, at the time a student is required to stop attending classes.
E. Other types of leaves may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Students returning from an approved Leave of Absence are not required to apply for readmission but instead need only submit a “return to campus” notification to the Registrar’s Office by April 1 for a Fall Semester return or November 1 for the following Spring Semester. Reinstatement is never guaranteed or automatic. The College reserves the right to require additional documentation that the student is qualified and ready to return. Decisions regarding financial aid are made separately from the reinstatement process.
See Emergency Temporary Leave of Absence (ETLOA) for policy and procedures for granting a brief absence during the semester.