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Student Bereavement & Emergency Leave Policy

Student Bereavement & Emergency Leave Policy

Student Bereavement & Emergency Leave Policy

Paul Smith’s College recognizes that students may encounter the loss of a loved one, and/or various other forms of trauma that could require a leave from campus. We understand that grief impacts every student differently. The purpose of this policy is to provide students the time to attend to emergency personal or family needs, including the bereavement services of deceased loved ones. This is not an attempt to place parameters on the grief process nor is it meant to quantify the impact the death of a loved one or a traumatic incident can have on any student. In applying the guidelines below, students are strongly encouraged to use their judgment about the time they need and can afford to take given their academic responsibilities and goals. Similarly, students should use their discretion about the need to take more extended time through considering actions such as a withdrawal, seeking medical or compassionate withdrawal classification.

Standard Bereavement & Emergency Leave Procedures

  1. Student notifies the Center for Academic & Career Success (CACS) of their need to request bereavement or emergency leave at 518-327-6046 or academic_success@paulsmiths.edu.
  2. The student will be assigned a CACS advocate.
  3. The CACS Advocate will work with the student and/or their family to evaluate the request. They will help communicate with faculty and negotiate appropriate extensions and adjustments for coursework. CACS has the right to request documentation that verifies the death or emergency (ex. Obituary).
  4. Upon approval from CACS, the student is allowed five (5) weekdays of bereavement or emergency leave.
  5. The CACS Advocate will formally notify the student's faculty and course instructors via email.
  6. Faculty and instructors must grant the student five (5) days of excused absences and in-conjunction, must offer appropriate extensions for any coursework or exams that are scheduled during this period.
  7. Further extensions may be negotiated between the student and their faculty/instructors or can be formally requested to the Dean of Student’s.
  8. At any point during the student’s standard bereavement or emergency leave the student may decide to withdraw seeking a medical or compassionate withdrawal classification.

Questions

If you have questions about the Student Bereavement or Emergency Leave Policy, please contact the Center for Academic & Career Success (CACS) at 518-327-6046 or academic_success@paulsmiths.edu.

Medical or Compassionate Withdrawal Classification

Students may intend to seek a medical or compassionate withdrawal classification when extreme illness, injury, or other significant personal or family emergency requires them to withdrawal from classes. The extraordinary circumstances for the medical or compassionate classification generally involve severe physical or mental health difficulties, sudden death of an immediate family member, or unexpected care to a seriously ill family member. Repeat requests for refunds based on chronic situations are strongly discouraged and may not be considered. Requests based on judicial proceedings or religious immunization exemption will not be considered.

Medical or Compassionate Withdrawal Procedures

  1. Student notifies the Center for Academic & Career Success (CACS) of their need to withdrawal at 518-327-6046 or academic_success@paulsmiths.edu.
  2. Student meets with a member of the CACS Staff to complete the withdrawal process.
  3. Student must state their intention to seek a Medical or Compassionate classification during the withdrawal interview with the CACS representative.
  4. Upon completion of the withdrawal process, the student and CACS representative will review the additional paperwork and procedures needed for seeking a Medical or Compassionate withdrawal classification.
  5. The student has 30 days from the date of the withdrawal to return the necessary paperwork to MAP. Withdrawals will not be processed with the medical or compassionate classification until the required paperwork is complete. After this date, the withdrawal will be processed as a personal withdrawal.

Tuition and Program Fee Refund

Withdrawals receiving a medical or compassionate classification may qualify for a tuition and program fee refund. To qualify, the request process must be initiated on or before the 8th Friday of the semester according to the academic calendar, and the paperwork must be completed within the 30-day time limit. Tuition and program fees for a medical or compassionate withdrawal applied for after the 8th Friday of the semester/session will be refunded according to the withdrawal refund schedule as stated in the current year’s catalog under Student Withdrawals in the Expenses section. Room and board charges will be prorated according to the refund schedule, whether the withdrawal occurs before or after mid-term.

Returning to College following Medical or Compassionate Withdrawal

To return to the College, students that have been granted a compassionate withdrawal classification need only complete the readmission application form which is submitted to the Registrar.

To return to College, students that have been granted a medical withdrawal classification because of physical and/or mental health conditions, are required to apply for readmission through the Medical, Academic, Psychiatric (MAP) Committee in order to return.

  1. Students are able to return the following semester/session, immediately following withdrawal. However, the student should be sure they are able to manage their academic load upon return.
  2. Medical clearance is required from the student’s physician (physical health) and/or a licensed mental health professional (mental health), attesting that the student is returning to the College in good health and is medically prepared to resume full-time studies. This must then be approved by the MAP Committee. No student will be allowed to re-enroll until this process is complete.

Questions

If you have questions about the Medical or Compassionate Withdrawal Classification, please contact the Center for Academic & Career Success (CACS) at 518-327-6046 or academic_success@paulsmiths.edu.

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