C14: Leave of Absence & College Withdrawal

Responsibility for Maintenance: Registration and Records

Date of most recent changes: June 26, 2023

I. Policy Statement

Student requests for leave of absence and college withdrawal shall be subject to the conditions and procedures set forth in this policy.

II. Reason for Policy

Occasionally, students may find that they need to leave the College, either for a period of time or for a more indefinite period.

III. Applicability of the Policy

All students, faculty, and staff should be familiar with this policy.

IV. Related Documents

• Onondaga Community College Policy A1 Matriculation/Curriculum Change
• Onondaga Community College Policy M1 Refund of Tuition and Fees
• Onondaga Community College Policy M4 Financial Aid

V. Contacts

VI. Procedures

A. Leave of Absence

A leave of absence is intended by the student as a temporary departure from the College to address a specific situation in the student’s life. A leave of absence maintains the student’s matriculation status for the leave period. A student may request a leave of absence from the College by submitting a Drop/Withdrawal Request Form available from Student Central or the School Advisor. Students will be able to indicate if they want just the current term courses dropped or if they would also like the next term and/or any future term courses dropped in addition to the current term. Moreover, students who are not enrolled are ineligible to receive financial aid in future semesters until they resume enrollment. Matriculated students should consult with a Financial Aid staff member in advance of withdrawing. 

After the student returns from a leave of absence, the student’s status with the College shall be the same as that of the student’s last enrollment in the College. If the student on leave does not return to the College within the next four (4) consecutive semesters, the student will be made "inactive" per the matriculation policy. Students wishing to extend a leave of absence for any additional semesters should contact the Office of Registration and Records.

B. College Withdrawal

A student may withdraw from the College by submitting a Drop/Withdrawal Request Form available at Student Central or a School advisor. Withdrawal has the effect of ending the student’s matriculation, and, therefore, the consequences should be considered carefully. Students typically withdraw only where they have made a decision, in consultation with College personnel who can help to evaluate the impact of this decision on the student, to cease enrollment at the College.

Advisement prior to the decision to withdraw can assist a student to decide if complete withdrawal is appropriate. Students who receive financial aid are advised that they will lose future eligibility for financial aid if they withdraw from the institution. Current financial aid also may be impacted. Matriculated students should consult with a Financial Aid staff member and their Success Coach in advance. The Drop/Withdrawal Request Form must be returned to Registration and Records before the withdrawal is official. Students who request a College Withdrawal will be removed from all currently registered courses, regardless of term, as of the date that the College Leave of Absence/Withdrawal Form is received by Registration and Records.

If a student submits a College Withdrawal after the drop deadline for the term, a grade of W will be assigned by Registration and Records at the time of the withdrawal. These grades are not used to calculate GPAs, but the hours are counted as hours for which the student was enrolled that semester and as “attempted credits” for satisfactory academic progress calculations associated with financial aid eligibility.

Students withdrawing from the College after the course withdrawal deadline requesting a grade of W for currently registered courses must submit a Petition to Waive the Academic Rule, available at Student Central, documenting the circumstances for withdrawal. This petition must be submitted together with the College Withdrawal Form to activate this review process. If the petition is approved, the student will be awarded the grade of “W”, instead of the letter grade the student had earned for the course as of the date of withdrawal.

C. Readmission from Extended Leave of Absence or Withdrawal

A student wishing to return from a withdrawal or a leave extending longer than four (4) consecutive semesters must complete a Returning Student Application form. The Returning Student Application form must be submitted to the Registration and Records Office prior to the end of the add period for the semester in which the student is seeking readmission. Forms received after the current add/drop period will be processed for the next full term

VII. Forms/Online Processes

• Drop/Withdrawal Request Form
• Returning Student Application Form
• Late Withdrawal Request

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Approved by the OCC Board of Trustees June 19, 2018

Updated and approved by the President June 26, 2023