Leaves of Absence
On occasion, students may be well advised to take temporary leave of the College community. Leaves of absence may be granted for a variety of reasons: personal, medical, educational, occupational, or family related. Procedures and eligibility for applying for a leave of absence are described below. Questions about Leaves of Absence can be directed to either the Office of the Vice President for Labor and Student Life or the Office of Academic Services.
Academic Leaves
Academic Leaves of Absence are designed to allow students to explore educational or occupational opportunities not available through the formal educational program and should be planned as early as possible for a subsequent term. Requests for academic leaves must be submitted to the Director of Academic Services no later than the last day of registration for the next term.
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for a Leave of Absence, a student must have completed at least one regular term of attendance, may not be on any type of probation, and may not have financial obligations that cannot be reasonably met by the end of the current term. Students normally are not eligible for more than one Leave of Absence. Final approval and consideration beyond the parameters of this policy rests with the Enrollment Policies Committee.
Leave Conditions
A Leave of Absence may be no longer than one regular term. College credit earned while on leave is transferable to Berea under the stipulations for transfer credit set forth in the Berea College Catalog. Students on leave may not work in the Labor Program nor use most College services not available to withdrawn students, including advanced registration. Should a student for whom a leave has been approved fail to meet the eligibility guidelines, the leave will be revoked and the student must either enroll in the term for which the leave was approved or withdraw. Students who do not return at the end of the leave period will be withdrawn and must apply for readmission. Additionally, Title IV grant and loan aid may require repayment. Students approved for Leave of Absence are not subject to readmission policies unless the leave has been revoked or they fail to return as scheduled. (See “Readmission” in the Enrollment and Registration section of the Catalog.)
Leave of Absence Request Forms are available from the Student Service Center (Lincoln Hall) and from the Labor and Student Life Office (Fairchild 4). Forms must be signed by the Academic Advisor and returned to the appropriate office (see above) after completion.
Personal and Medical Leaves
Personal Leaves of Absence are appropriate during a current term of enrollment for extenuating personal circumstances that require absence for the remainder of the term. Requests for personal leaves should be directed to the Assistant Vice President for Student Life not later than the last day to withdraw from a course for that term. Normally, leaves will not be granted beyond this date except in rare circumstances beyond the student’s control, e.g., for medical reasons.