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UniversityPolicyonStudentLeaveofAbsence(Medical,Personal,Military)

Version:EffectiveSpring2017

Access:PublicRelatedPolicy:StudentsCalledtoActiveMilitaryDutyPolicyADAAccommodationsPolicy

Positionresponsibleforeffectingcompliance:DeanofStudentsPositionssupportingcompliance:DisabilityServices,FinancialAid,ResidenceLife,StudentAccounts,Records/Registrar,VeteranAffairs,AcademicAffairs

PolicyAttimes,astudentmayneedtotemporarilyleavetheuniversityonthebasisofmedicalneeds,personalconcerns,ormilitaryservice.Insuchcases,thestudentdoesnotwithdrawfromtheUniversity,nordotheyneedtore-applytoreturn.Thisiscalled“Leave.”NiagaraUniversitybelievesthatarrangingandreturningfromLeaveshouldbeaclearandsupportiveprocess,andtothatend,hasimplementedthebelow-listedproceduresandguidance.Leaveshalltypicallynotexceed1year(2academicsemesters).MedicalLeaveMedicalleaveforphysicalormentalhealth-relatedreasonsshouldstartwithcontactingtheDeanofStudents.PersonalLeavePersonalleaveforbereavement,extremefinancialexigency(suchasjobloss),orotherpersonalreasonsshouldstartwithcontactingtheDeanofStudents.MilitaryLeaveMilitaryLeaveforactivedeploymentshouldfollowthepolicyfor“StudentsCalledtoActiveMilitaryService,”andmayconsultwiththeDirectorofVeteransServicesatanypointduringtheprocess.NOTE:StudentswhoarewithdrawingtojointhemilitarywillnotbegrantedMilitaryLeave;theymustfollowtheusualprocessforwithdrawal.

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ProcedurePerson ActionStudentneedingleave

MeetswithDeanofStudentsorDesigneetorequestamedical,personal,ormilitaryleave.

DeanofStudents(orDesignee)

Posts,publishes,providesandprocessesappropriateforms,policy,andguidancesostudentscaneasilyinitiateandworkwiththeprocess.

DirectorofDisabilityServices

ReceivesandreviewsformstoverifyaccommodationofMedicalLeave;confirmsverificationtoDeanofStudents.ForHIPAAcompliance,documentationforMedicalLeaveshalltypicallyonlybereviewedandassessedbyDisabilityServices.

DeanofStudents’Designee

ReceivesandreviewsinformationtoverifyaccommodationofPersonalLeave;confirmsverificationwithDeanofStudents.NOTE:IfreasonsarenotsufficienttojustifyaPersonalLeave,astudentmayalsoconsideraWithdrawal.

DirectorofVeteran’sServices

AssistswithMilitaryLeave(seeStudentsCalledtoActiveMilitaryDutyPolicy.

AcademicAffairs(orappropriateacademicoffice/advisor)

CollaborateswithStudentandDeanofStudents(ordesignee)todevelopappropriateacademicarrangementsforleave.

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Person ActionUponnotification,effectsnecessaryacademicadjustments.

DirectorofStudentAccounts;DirectorofFinancialAid

CollaborateswithStudentandDeanofStudentstodevelopappropriatefinancialarrangementsforleave,perrelevantpoliciesandfederalfinancialaidregulations.

DirectorofResidenceLife(ifstudentisinStudentHousing)

CollaborateswithStudenttotransitionthestudentfromon-campushousing,perrelevantpolicies;keepsDeanofStudents(ordesignee)informed.

DeanofStudents(orDesignee)

Afterallsupportactionsarecomplete,generates“LeaveLetter”settingoutbasisofleave,academic,financial,housing,andotherconsiderations,and(mostcritically)termsforreturn.

Student

Reviewsandsignsletter.Thisacceptanceoftheleavetermsfinalizestheleave.Priortoreturn,contactsDeanofStudentsassetoutinletter.

Registrar

Receivescopyofletterandofficiallyeffectsleaveasdirected.Uponreturn,receivesverificationbyDeanofStudents(ordesignee)thattermsofreturnaremet.

GuidanceforStudents

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Studentsmustsometimesinterrupttheirstudiesforavarietyofreasons(financial,academic,medical,militaryorpersonal).AstudentmayleaveNiagaraUniversitybyeitherwithdrawingfromtheuniversity(thismeansleavingtheuniversitywithnointentionofreturning)orbytakingaleaveofabsence(thismeansleavingtheuniversitytemporarily,withthefirmandstatedintentionofreturning).NiagaraUniversitybelievesthatarrangingandreturningfromaleaveshouldbeaclearandsupportiveprocess,andtothatend,hasimplementedthefollowingrulesandprocedures.AstudenttakingaleaveofabsencedoesnotwithdrawfromtheUniversityandtheyneednotre-applytoreturn.Therefore,aleaveofabsencemaintainscontinuingstudentstatus.Thisallowsastudenttomaintaincatalogrightsandeligibilitytoenrollforthetermimmediatelyaftertheexpirationoftheleavewithoutre-applyingtotheuniversity.KeepinmindthatMerit-basedawardsaregenerallyvalidforeightsemestersofstudy.Aleaveofabsencewillnotcounttowardstheeightsemesters.Need-basedaidisbasedonyourFAFSA.Fordetails,pleasecontactFinancialAid.LengthofLeave:Aleaveofabsencewilltypicallynotexceed2consecutivesemesters(excludingsummer).However,inspecialcircumstances,astudentmayrequestanextensiontohis/hervoluntaryleaveofabsence.ThisrequestcanbeapprovedordeniedbytheprimaryacademicDeanordesignee.Extensionswillbegrantedfornomorethantwoadditionalconsecutivesemestersandanewleaveofabsencerequestformmustbecompleted.SeparationfromtheUniversity:Astudentonavoluntaryleaveofabsencewillnotattendclasses,mustvacateuniversityownedhousingandmaybeentitledtowhateverrefundsoftuition,fees,androomandboardchargesaswouldbeappropriatefortheeffectivedateoftheleaveofabsence.Thoseonaleaveofabsenceareconsideredinactivestudents,andarenotpermittedtoutilizecampusresourcesincluding,butnotlimitedto,classrooms,labs,recreationalspaces,athleticfacilities,campushousing,dininghalls,andtheStudentHealthCenter.StudentsonleavearealsonotpermittedtomaintainemploymentasstudentsatNiagaraUniversitywhiletheirleaveisineffect.Finally,asthestudentisonleave,heorshewillhaveaccesstoemail,MyNU,andwebadvisorduringtheperiodofleave.Accesstothesesiteswillonlyberestrictedwhenastudentwithdrawsfromtheinstitution.StudentstakingaleaveofabsenceshouldreturntheirmailboxkeytothePostOfficeandfilloutaChangeofAddressformsothatmailcanbeforwardedtotheirnewaddressorhome.StudentsmustinformthePostOfficetheirwishtoclosetheirmailbox,iftheyarenotreturningtocampus.IfstudentspurchasedtheirtextbooksattheCollegeBookstore,theyshouldcontacttheBookstoreforspecificsandclarificationonoptionsforreturnassoonaspossible.

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StudentswhopurchasedaparkingdecalshouldnotifytheCampusSafetyOfficeinwritingsothattheappropriateproratedrefundcanbeissued.Incircumstanceswhereastudenthasapendingacademicactionorconductaction,avoluntaryleaveofabsencemaybeapprovedbutiftheresultsoftheacademicorconductactionresultinsuspensionofthestudent,thoseresultswilltakeprecedenceovertheleaveofabsencestatusandwillbeindicatedassuchonthestudent’srecord.Stepsrequiredtoenactaleave:StudentschoosingtotakealeaveofabsencemaywishtofirstcontacttheirdepartmentadvisortodiscusstheirplanswhileonleavetoworkoutanyconditionsthatmaybenecessaryforasmoothreturntoNiagaraUniversity.Inaddition,thestudentrequestingaleavemustmeetwiththeDeanofStudentsandcompleteaLeaveofAbsenceForm.FormsareavailableontheMyNUwebsite.Notifyinginstructorsornolongerattendingclassesdoesnotcompletetheprocessforobtainingaleave.Studentsarerequiredtofilloutallinformationontheleaveofabsenceform,includingallcommentsectionsrelatingtoreasonsfortheirleaveofabsence.Aftercompletionoftheform,studentsmusttakeittotheirhomedepartmentanddean'sofficeforappropriatesignatures.Theprocessoftakingaleavewillnotbecompleteuntilallnecessarysignaturesareontheleaveform.PleasenotethatstudentsrequestingaleaveforactivedeploymentinthemilitaryshouldstarttheleaveprocessbycontactingtheDirectorofVeteranServices.Therearesomewhatdifferentprocessesandproceduresforamilitaryleavebecauseofmobilization.However,studentswhochoosetojointhemilitarywillnotbegrantedaleave,insteadtheymustfollowtheusualprocessforwithdrawal.InternationalstudentswhoarehereonaF1orJ1visamustconsulttheOfficeofInternationalAffairsforinformationonpossiblevisaimplicationspriortogoingonleave.Thispolicydoesnothaveanyeffectontheexemptionofstudentsfromstudentloanrepayments.Beforetakingaleaveofabsence,astudentshouldcontacthisorherlenderregardingrepaymentobligationsthatmayariseasaresultoftheirleave.AstudentshouldalsoconsulttheUniversity’sFinancialAidOfficetodiscussanyimpacttheleavemayhaveonfinancialaid.TheUniversityreservestherighttonotifyaparentorguardianifdeemedappropriateunderthecircumstancesandapplicablelaws,includingmakingarrangementsforthefamilymembertopickupthestudentfromtheUniversity’spremises.

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TheUniversitywillmaintaintheconfidentialityofinformationregardingleavesinaccordancewithfederal,state,andlocallaw,andtothegreatestextentconsistentwiththegoalofprocessingsuchleaves.AllrecordsconcerningleavesofabsenceareconfidentialandtheofficialcopyofsuchrecordsshallberetainedbytheDeanortheDean’sdesigneeoftheacademicprogram,department,orschool.Accesstotheserecordsislimitedbyappropriatefederal,state,andlocallaw.Suchrecordswillbedestroyedseven(7)yearsafterthestudent’sgraduation.B.TypesofVoluntaryLeaves:TherearetwotypesofMedicalorPersonalLeave:Planned,orImmediate.Aplannedleaveofabsenceisrequestedforthesucceedingtermpriortothestartofthatterm.Thestudentagreestocompleteanycoursescurrentlyinsession,understandingtheleavewillbeginthefollowingtermandanycoursesenrolledfortherequestedtermwillbedropped.Animmediateleaveofabsenceisforstudentswhorequesttoleaveafteratermbegins.AnimmediateleaveduringtheacademicsemesterwilltakeeffectasofthedatesignedbythestudentontheLeaveLetter.AftertheleaveofabsenceformisreceivedbytheUniversity'sRegistrar'sOffice,itwillbereviewedbyStudentAccountsandFinancialAidfortheappropriatetuitionrefundsandgradeimplications.Therecordingofstudentcoursesandgradesfortakingaleaveinasemesterfollowsthedeadlinesforsemester:

OnorbeforetheuniversitydeadlinetodropclasseswithW(withdrawal)grades:allcoursesorgradesareremoved.

Aftertheuniversitydeadlinetodropclassesbutbeforethelastdayofclasses:W(withdrawal)gradeswillbeassignedtoallclasses.(Wgradesapplytoallundergraduatestudents,andgraduatestudents.)

Pleasenotethatiftherequestforleaveoccursinthelaterstagesofasemesterandthestudentcannotcompletethesemester,optionsforissuingIncompletesforthecoursesinprogressmaybeconsidered.Studentsonleavemaycompletecourseworkforwhichan'Incomplete'gradewasawardedinapriorterm(unlessdoingsoplacesanundueburdenonthepartofaninstructor,department,staff,orotheruniversityresource)andareexpectedtocomplywiththeourpolicyforresolvingincompletes;aleaveofabsencedoesnotstoptheclockonthetimelimitforresolvingincompletes.Afterthelastdayofclasses:Permanentgradesassignedbytheinstructorwillberecorded.C.ReturningtotheUniversity:

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ThestudentmustkeeptheDeanofStudentsandtheDean(ordesignee)ofhisorherCollegeapprisedofhisorhermailingaddressandmustmeetallregularuniversitydeadlinesforregistration,housingreservations,financialaidapplications,andsimilarmatters.Pleasenotethatfinancialaid/scholarshipawardsanduniversityhousingreservationsdonotautomaticallycarryover.Studentsonleaveareresponsibleforallarrangementswithoffices(FinancialAid,StudentAccounts,ResidenceLife)servingtheminthesematters.AstudentmayonlyanothercollegewhileonleavethrougharrangementwiththeDeanofStudents.Ifpermissiontobeonleavewhileattendinganotherschoolisgranted,officialtranscriptsmustbesenttotheOfficeoftheRegistrarforthepurposeofevaluatingacademicstandingandcreditsaccordingtoregulartransferpolicy.