Leave of Absence

• Typically, a personal leave will be one or two semesters.
• Meant to be arranged before the start of the term in which it will be taken.
• A petition for a fall semester personal leave should be submitted by July 1.
• For a spring semester personal leave, a student’s petition should be submitted by November 1.
• Students pursuing a personal leave who are receiving financial aid through Denison should consult with Denison’s Office of Financial Aid.
• Students should specify their return date in their original leave petition, but may request a leave extension by the deadlines above.
• Unexpected, exceptional circumstances, such as a family member emergency, may necessitate a request on a different timetable or an immediate leave in the middle of a term.
• New, incoming students should note that personal leaves are not granted to first-year students for their first term of enrollment. Instead, prior to the start of classes, an incoming first-year student may request permission through the Office of Admission to defer enrollment for one year or one semester.

A student may request a voluntary withdrawal for a semester for medical reasons if they encounter a medical condition or experience a serious injury that prevents them from meeting the normal expectations of a student. The request for a medical withdrawal must be made in writing and be clearly supported with documentation from a healthcare provider. The Division of Student Life oversees administration and approvals of medical withdrawals, in consultation as needed with medical or counseling experts from the student health center.

Deadlines, academic credit, and length of absence:

• A medical withdrawal must be initiated by 5 p.m. on the last day of classes for that term.
• Students receiving a medical withdrawal prior to the end of week 9 of the semester do not receive academic credit for the term.
• Students withdrawing after week 9 receive a “w” for all enrolled courses for that term.
• In cases with extenuating circumstances, the Academic Standing Board may approve petitions to have the “w” removed.
• Students taking an authorized medical withdrawal are normally away from Denison at least one full semester before returning to campus, not including the term in which the withdrawal occurred.
• Generally, a student may be on approved medical withdrawal for up to two semesters, not including the term in which the withdrawal occurred.

To initiate a medical withdrawal request:

1. Complete the university’s general voluntary leave or withdrawal: request for consultation. Indicate “medical withdrawal” under the section concerning type of leave.
2. Complete the medical withdrawal request form
3. Submit a completed medical withdrawal provider report after it is filled out by your health care provider. (Note that your provider will likely ask you to execute a form furnished by the provider, authorizing them to share information with Denison).

Students can voluntarily withdraw from Denison at any time, including at any point in the academic semester. Students may choose to voluntarily withdraw from Denison for a variety of reasons, ranging from a wish to be closer to family, to transfer and finish their studies at another institution, or other reasons.

• Many students who voluntarily withdraw are permanently leaving Denison.
• In some limited circumstances, students may seek to return after no more than two semesters away, and should discuss their intentions with their class dean.
• Students generally cannot return to Denison the semester immediately following a voluntary withdrawal.
• Reinstatement and return is within Denison’s discretion and is not guaranteed based on initial admission.

To initiate a voluntary withdrawal, schedule time with your class dean and complete the voluntary withdrawal request and inquiry form: request for consultation

• The timing of the voluntary withdrawal request will determine the grades for students enrolled in classes at the time of their withdrawal.
• If a student requests a voluntary withdrawal after the course drop deadline (the end of week 9 of classes), any classes they are enrolled in will reflect a “w” for that semester. In cases with extenuating circumstances, the academic standing board may approve petitions to have the “w” removed.
• If a student requests a voluntary withdrawal between semesters and prior to the course withdrawal deadline (the end of week 9 of classes), any course enrollments are dropped from the record and no grades are recorded. Financial reimbursements follow the tuition refund schedule.

Students may be academically withdrawn because of reasons relating to academic performance.

• Denison’s course catalog details Denison’s policies with respect to academic good standing, academic warning, and academic suspension.
• Students who are placed on academic suspension will be academically withdrawn while on suspension, and are subject to consideration for reinstatement pursuant to Denison’s academic standing policies and the decisional discretion of the Academic Standing Board.
• Students who are denied reinstatement following academic suspension will remain on academic withdrawal, and will be ineligible for reinstatement after exhausting their requests for reinstatement as detailed in Denison’s course catalog.

• In some instances, and following efforts made to identify a solution, students can be administratively withdrawn involuntarily from the University for failure to pay tuition and fees.
• Typically, involuntary administrative withdrawal is permanent. In some circumstances, students may apply for re-admission, but re-admission is not guaranteed based on initial admission success.

Students may incur an involuntary administrative withdrawal (non-financial) in certain situations. These may include:

• Students who do not return to campus at the start of the semester or at the end of a scheduled leave or suspension, and provide no reason for their absence.
• Students who are away from the university and do not respond to outreach from the university to indicate a desire to return or discuss return plans,
• Students who are not complying with stated deadlines
• Students who don’t comply with Denison’s attendance policy

Involuntary administrative withdrawal (non-financial) is typically permanent. In limited circumstances, students may apply for re-admission, but re-admission is not guaranteed based on initial admission success.

• Students may be withdrawn from Denison because of disciplinary matters.
• Students who are withdrawn from Denison under a disciplinary suspension are subject to consideration for reinstatement pursuant to Denison’s Code of Student Conduct or other relevant policy, and subject to any conditions for eligibility to return.
• Students who are dismissed/expelled from Denison for disciplinary reasons will be permanently withdrawn from the university.

Denison provides a range of support services to address the medical needs of students, including mental health needs, within the campus community.

Sometimes, students may have health needs requiring a level of care that exceeds what the university can provide or that is not compatible with the rigors of academic and campus life. In these situations, students may request a voluntary medical withdrawal (or in some situations, may decide to leave Denison permanently under a medical withdrawal).

Time away from Denison on medical withdrawal permits students to take a break from the university and their studies, so they can address the issues that led to the need for the leave and later return to the university, positioned to achieve their educational goals.

Requiring a student to take an involuntary medical withdrawal is rare. Some circumstances that could call for this include:

• When it is determined that a student is unable or unwilling to carry out substantial self-care.
• Where current medical knowledge and/or the best available objective evidence indicates significant risk to the student’s health or safety or a direct threat to the health or safety of others.
• When student’s behavior seriously disrupts the university environment, and no reasonable accommodations can adequately reduce the risk or disruption.
• When a student has not cooperated with efforts needed to make such determinations.

Each case is assessed individually based on all relevant factors, and not based on mere speculation, stereotypes, or generalizations about individuals with disabilities. Students in this circumstance would be given the opportunity to take a voluntary leave before a decision to require a medical withdrawal would be made.

This policy and related procedures do not take the place of disciplinary actions that may result from conduct or behaviors that violate Denison’s Code of Student Conduct or other policies or law.

Learn more about the involuntary medical withdrawal process.