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Taking a Leave of Absence from Purchase College and Other Administrative Action

Download the "Application for Leave of Absence or Withdrawal from the College" form

PERSONAL LEAVE OF ABSENCE
A personal leave can be taken for issues of a personal nature (i.e., financial reasons, to travel, because of employment schedule, etc.).  In order to take a Personal Leave, you must complete an Application for Leave of Absence or Withdrawal from the College (available at the Office of Student Affairs, Student Services Building 3rd Floor).  Depending on the point during the semester at which the leave request is submitted, grades may be given as W’s or they may be issued as earned.  A personal leave is for a period of up to one year.  A request for one additional semester may be granted if the request is made in writing.  In order to return from a Personal Leave of Absence, you need only register for classes (you will not be able to register by touch-tone) and apply for on campus housing if needed.  (Please note that on campus housing is limited and is not guaranteed for students returning from Personal Leaves of Absence – contact Residence Life at (914) 251-6320 for specific information related to on campus housing).  If you do not return from your personal leave, you will be administratively withdrawn from the College and will need to re-apply if you choose to return at a later date.  For additional questions and/or assistance, please contact the Office of Student Affairs at (914) 251-6030.

ACADEMIC LEAVE OF ABSENCE
An academic leave can be taken for issues of an academic nature (i.e., taking classes at another institution).  In order to take a Academic Leave, you must contact the Registrar’s Office (located in the Student Service Building First Floor) where you will be provided with an approval form giving you permission to study off-campus and permission to transfer the credits back to Purchase College.  In order to return from an Academic Leave of Absence, you need only register for classes and apply for on campus housing if needed.  (Please note that on campus housing is limited and is not guaranteed for students returning from Academic Leaves of Absence – contact Residence Life at (914) 251-6320 for specific information related to on campus housing).  If you do not return from your academic leave, you will be administratively withdrawn from the College and will need to re-apply if you choose to return at a later date.  For additional questions and/or assistance, please contact the Registrar’s Office at (914) 251-6360.

MEDICAL LEAVE OF ABSENCE
A medical leave can be taken for issues of a medical nature (i.e., injury, illness, substance-related issues, mental health issues, etc.).  In order to take a Medical Leave, you must complete an Application for Leave of Absence or Withdrawal from the College (available at the Office of Student Affairs, Student Services Building 3rd floor) and submit supporting documentation.  Acceptable documentation would be a letter or note from your physician, psychologist, or counselor, on their letterhead, which indicates the following:  (1) the reason you are requesting a medical leave, including your diagnosis; (2) the date of initial treatment; (3) the dates of subsequent treatment (if applicable); and (4) the expected semester of recovery. 

If your request is related to a mental health and/or substance related condition, you must schedule an appointment (health permitting) and submit your application documentation to  the Counseling Center (located in the Durst Family Humanities Building, Room 0010).  For specific questions contact the Counseling Center at (914) 251-6390.

If your request is related to any other medical condition, including a traumatic injury, accident, or illness, you must schedule an appointment (health permitting) and submit your application documentation to Student Health Services (located in Campus Center South Room 0002).  For specific questions contact Student Health Services at (914) 251-6390.

Students who take mid-semester approved Medical Leaves are given W grades.  Students on Medical Leaves remain eligible to maintain insurance through the Financial Services Office (contact Financial Services at (914) 251-6080 for specific information related to maintaining your College insurance).  Students on Medical Leaves who are insured on non-college insurance should check eligibility for continuing coverage with their insurance companies. 

A medical leave is generally for a period of no less than six months, and must be requested in writing for each subsequent year.  Please note that a return from a Medical Leave of Absence requires approval from the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs following a re-entry assessment process. This process must be completed within six weeks prior to the semester for which you wish to return.  Re-enrollment forms are sent out to the student at the time the Medical Leave is approved.  If you misplace the Re-enrollment form, contact the Office of Student Affairs (located in Student Services Building 3rd floor). 

In reviewing requests for return from medical leave, we look for evidence that the issues that led to your inability to perform have been addressed.  Specifically, evidence that you have maintained stability and demonstrated follow through with treatment for a sufficient period of time to enable you to be a successful student.  Additionally, evidence of productive functioning (i.e., employment, volunteerism, etc.) is looked upon favorably.  In order to be approved for return, you must have complied with any recommendations given to you for treatment at the time of your medical leave.

For specific questions related to returning from a mental health and/or substance related medical leave, contact the Counseling Center at (914) 251-6390.  For specific questions related to returning from any other medical condition, contact Health Services at (914) 251-6380.  In addition to the Re-enrollment process, you will need to have a housing re-entry eligibility assessment and apply for on campus housing, if needed.  (Please note that on campus housing is limited and is not guaranteed for students returning from Medical Leaves of Absence – contact Residence Life at (914) 251-6320 for specific information related to on campus housing).  If you have not returned from or re-applied to extend your medical leave, you will be administratively withdrawn from the College after one year and will need to re-apply if you choose to return at a later date.   

Administrative Actions

Change in student status

A. Interim Suspension and Interim Residence Suspension
When in the judgment of the conduct officer and/ or the director of residence life (in consultation with the conduct officer) the continued presence of an accused person at the College presents an immediate danger to the fulfillment of the educational mission of the College or to the life, health, welfare, safety or property of any member(s) of the College community, the accused person may be subject to a change in student status including immediate denial of campus residency and/or suspension from the College pending the outcome of an initial conference or disciplinary hearing which shall be scheduled as expeditiously as possible.

Such a recommendation would be communicated to the vice president for student affairs or designee who will review the recommendation and gather and consider whatever additional information may be needed, and will determine if any change in status is warranted. Notification of any change of the student’s status and the reasons for it will be communicated to the student, in writing, within 24 hours of the decision. The accused will be provided with a specification of charges and the terms of the immediate action changing student status.  This action may be taken, but is not limited to, situations involving physical and/or sexual violence, drugs and other controlled substances.

B. Administrative relocations
If a resident student fails to comply with the conditions set forth in the residence  license agreement (e.g. adhering to special interest housing expectations) he/she may be subject to reassignment. Such administrative action is not subject to the disciplinary appeals process, but will involve discussion with the student.

  1. Resident students who violate the terms and conditions of the residence license agreement in a manner which jeopardizes the health and safety of themselves or others are subject to reassignment and/or removal from campus housing. Such administrative action is not subject to the disciplinary appeals process, but shall involve discussion with the student.

C. Involuntary medical leaves of absence
The College maintains a health center and a counseling center to serve physical and emotional needs of students. Students whose needs are beyond the resources of these offices will be referred to off-campus facilities and service providers when possible. However, students who cannot adequately be helped by the available facilities and/or refuse to accept recommended emotional and/or medical treatment and whose resulting behavior renders them unable to effectively function in the residential or College community; that is, without harming themselves, others, or disrupting the College community may be required to leave the College following the described procedure below:

  1. The associate deans of student affairs and/or the vice president for student affairs or designee may require a mandatory assessment if a student’s condition renders him/her unable to function in the College community without harming themselves or others and/or disrupting the educational mission of the institution.
  2. When in the opinion of a professional member of the counseling or health center staff a student is unable to be adequately helped by the center or by other available facilities, and the student’s condition renders them unable to function in the College community without harming themselves or others and/or disrupting the educational mission of the institution, the staff member shall notify the vice president for student affairs or designee of the situation as soon as possible.
  3. When the vice president for student affairs receives notification under either (1) or (2), described above, the vice president for student affairs or his/her designee will review appropriate documentation and make a decision regarding the student's status.  Failure to appear for a mandated assessment will result in an involuntary medical leave of absence without further process. If the vice president for student affairs determines that the student should leave the College, the vice president for student affairs or his/her designee may inform the student’s parent, spouse, or other close relative.
  4. Involuntary medical leaves of absence are generally for a period of no less than six months. Following that period, a student may apply for re-enrollment by following the re-enrollment process described in the procedures for re-enrollment from a medical leave of absence.