Withdrawal and Leave of Absence Policies

Leave of Absence

A leave of absence is intended to provide a student time away from his/her studies due to a temporary circumstance or situation (academic, financial or personal). Any student who wishes to request a leave of absence should contact the Assistant Dean of Student Success for additional information and guidance as to next steps. Students must request a leave in writing to the Assistant Dean of Student Success and in making the request, include the following information: the specific reason/purpose for the leave, how the student plans to spend his/her time while away and confirmation of the intended semester of return. There are three types of leave that a student can request:

Approved Leave of Absence

An Approved Leave of Absence is a leave initiated by the student and approved by the Assistant Dean of Student Success. The student's planned leave from their studies at Manhattanville University cannot exceed 180 days in length.

Any federal loans taken prior to entering an Approved Leave will qualify to remain in an in-school status. If the student in this status does not return to Manhattanville within 180 days, their status will be changed to "Institutional Leave of Absence." The student's federal loan servicer will be notified that their six (6) month grace period has ended and their federal loans will enter repayment. The loan servicer will contact the student with information about the first payment due date. Please contact the Office of Financial Aid if you have questions or concerns.

Institutional Leave of Absence

An Institutional Leave of Absence is a leave initiated by the student and approved by the Assistant Dean of Student Success. This leave can last no more than two academic semesters, excluding winter and summer session. This leave may be extended for one additional semester under extreme circumstances and only by approval of the Assistant Dean of Student Success.

Institutional Leaves of Absences do not qualify under federal regulations to have federal loans remain in an in-school status.

Medical Leaves of Absence

Voluntary Medical Leave of Absence

Students who are experiencing medical or psychological conditions that are interfering with their academic functioning and that necessitate an extended absence may request a medical leave of absence. The student must provide supporting documentation of the medical condition from his or her treating physician to the associate dean of student health and counseling or designee, who will review the documentation with the appropriate school staff and make a determination.

A medical leave of absence may be granted for up to two semesters. Upon conclusion of the medical leave, in order to return, the student must provide the completed Provider Evaluation Form to the associate dean of student health and counseling or designee confirming the student's necessary readiness to return. Once the form has been received, the student will be able to schedule a clearance review. During this review, students may be advised of reasonable accommodations as well as any continued behavioral plans needed to support and ensure their success and wellness.

A student may request a medical leave by following the process outlined below.

1. Student completes and submits the medical leave application form and schedules an appointment with the associate dean of student health and counseling. Information for medical leave of absence can be found on the Student Health and Counseling webpage or at the Student Health and Counseling offices.
2. If approved, Academic Advising is notified of the effective date for tuition/financial aid refund purposes.
3. Academic Advising will send official notice of medical leave to campus departments (this may take 2-3 business days).
4. Requests for medical leave must be processed five days before the final course date of the term in which the withdrawal is requested; after this time the student will receive the earned grades.

When a medical leave of absence is granted, the course grade in all courses for which the student is registered will be withdrawn ("W" grade). Students taking a medical leave of absence or withdrawal who are recipients of federal Title IV financial aid should refer to the Refund Policy to determine how taking a medical leave might impact your financial aid. Questions should be directed to the Office of Financial Aid.

Returning from Voluntary Medical Leave of Absence

Students on medical leave of absence from the University, will not be permitted on campus for the duration of the leave. In order to return from a medical leave of absence, the student must submit a completed Provider Evaluation Form no sooner than one month prior to the start of the semester in which they are requesting to return. The form must be submitted to Student Health and Counseling office, along with signed release of information forms permitting the associate dean of student health and counseling or designee to share information with the professionals who provided care to the student during the medical leave. Subsequently, a clearance evaluation will be scheduled. During the clearance evaluation, the student requesting to return from medical leave will meet with the associate dean of student health and counseling or designee to review progress made over the course of the medical leave. When a student is cleared to return, the University may establish plans or criteria regarding the student's eligibility to return to campus. The criteria may include, but are not limited to, plans for continued participation in treatment, accommodations to support the student's success, safety, or overall functioning at the University. In the instance that a student is not cleared to return to the University, the student will not be permitted to remain on campus and the medical leave may be extended until clearance criteria has been met, but not beyond two semesters. In the event there is a pending student conduct matter, it may be addressed upon the student's return.

Appeals

Students may appeal the clearance evaluation decision in writing to the vice president of student affairs or designee. All information submitted, including the results of the evaluations, become part of the student's health record and will be carefully considered.

Involuntary Medical Leave of Absence

The University may place a student on an involuntary medical leave of absence when, after conducting an individualized assessment, it has been determined that there is a significant risk that the student will harm themself or another, and this risk cannot be eliminated or reduced to an acceptable level through reasonable accommodations.

If a student is considered to potentially be a risk to themself or others, the student will be required to undergo an evaluation with the student health and counseling psychiatrist or designee. The student must release all relevant medical information to the student health and counseling psychiatrist or designee prior to the evaluation. The results of the evaluation will be reviewed by the associate dean of student health and counseling and a decision will be made as to whether or not the student may return to the University. An individualized assessment to determine reasonable accommodations will be made on a case by case basis, in order to assist the student in continuing coursework while seeking to seek treatment.

A student who has been placed on involuntary medical leave of absence is subject to the same policies as a student granted a voluntary leave of absence with regard to financial aid and financial obligations as stated in the University's refund policy. Students placed on medical leave of absence from the University, will not be permitted on campus for the duration of the leave. Once a clearance evaluation is scheduled, the student will be expected to go straight to the Student Health and Counseling Office as soon as they arrive on campus.

Returning from Involuntary Medical Leave of Absence

In order to return from a medical leave of absence, the student must submit a completed Provider Evaluation Form no sooner than one month prior to the start of the semester in which they are requesting to return. The form must be submitted to Student Health and Counseling office, along with signed release of information forms permitting the associate dean of student health and counseling or designee to share information with the professionals who provided care to the student during the medical leave. Subsequently, a clearance evaluation will be scheduled. During the clearance evaluation, the student requesting to return from medical leave will meet with the associate dean of student health and counseling or designee to review progress made over the course of the medical leave. When a student is cleared to return, the University may establish plans or criteria regarding the student's eligibility to return to campus. The criteria may include, but are not limited to, plans for continued participation in treatment, accommodations to support the student's success, safety, or overall functioning at the University. In the instance that a student is not cleared to return to the University, the student will not be permitted to remain on campus and the medical leave may be extended until clearance criteria has been met, but not beyond 2 semesters.

Once a student has been cleared to return to the University, Academic Advising will be notified and the student will then be permitted to participate in course registration. Students who are on a medical leave will not be permitted to register for courses until they have obtained clearance. For residential students, the Director of Residence Life will be notified that the student has been cleared to return to the residence halls. Campus Safety will be notified and the student's ID card will be reactivated. In the event there is a pending student conduct matter, it may be addressed upon the student's return.

Appeals

Students may appeal the involuntary medical leave of absence or the associate dean of student health and counseling denial of a student's readiness to return from an involuntary medical leave of absence. The appeal must be submitted in writing to the vice president of student affairs or designee. All information submitted, including the results of the evaluations, become part of the student's health record and will be carefully considered.

Withdrawals

Students who intend to withdraw from Manhattanville University should arrange for an exit interview by contacting the Assistant Dean of Student Success.

Reinstatement After Withdrawal

Any student who subsequently wishes to be reinstated to the University must submit an Application for Reinstatement to the Assistant Dean of Student Success at least one month prior to the first day of classes in the semester of intended return. This application should include the following: the reason(s) for departure from the University, how the student has spent his/her time while away and why he/she feels prepared to resume studies at Manhattanville. If time away included completion of coursework at another college, the student should request an official transcript be sent to the attention of the Assistant Dean of Student Success in support of his/her request for reinstatement. Finally, if conditions for return were stipulated at the time of the student's departure then those conditions must be met before reinstatement can be finalized.

The Director of Student Success will contact relevant offices of the University regarding the request for reinstatement (Student Accounts, Financial Aid, the Dean of Students, and any other offices that may have imposed sanctions upon the student). In doing so, if the Director determines the student can be academically approved and any outstanding holds have been resolved to the satisfaction of the applicable University office, the student can be reinstated to the University. Withdrawn students who are approved for reinstatement may register following the University's traditional registration process. Students who have been reinstated to the University will be expected to complete the degree requirements posted to the current catalog at the time of reinstatement. Withdrawn students who are approved for reinstatement may apply for a room in the residence halls once they have registered for a full-time course load (they are not eligible to participate in the room lottery). A student's finalized reinstatement and/or placement on a housing waitlist does not guarantee that the student will receive a housing assignment for that semester.