A student who has been at Randolph-Macon College for at least one regular semester and who has a compelling medical, military, personal, or academic need may qualify for the status of “Student on Leave from Randolph-Macon College.” Completed applications for Student on Leave status are received by the registrar on behalf of the Committee on Academic Policies.
To qualify for such status, students must, in addition to completing the application:
- provide a written statement explaining the need for the leave of absence;
- provide appropriate documentation supporting the request (such documentation might include military orders, medical information, or proof of acceptance in a one-or two-semester non-degree program at another accredited institution); and
- be in good academic standing.
Any unsettled academic, judicial, or financial obligations to the college must be fully resolved before approval will be granted. The maximum term granted will be 12 months from the start date of the leave of absence. After 12 months have expired, students on leave must formally apply for readmission to the college. (See Readmission.)
Students on leave are held to the same standards as students on campus and to any other conditions which the committee might stipulate at the time of approval of the application. If all standards and conditions are upheld during the leave, students granted leave are not required to apply for readmission to Randolph-Macon. Such students may pre-register for the term in which they plan to return with the seniority afforded by their class standing. Students may retain their eligibility for institutional, federal, and state aid sources upon their return if they meet the required satisfactory academic progress standards and submit all financial aid forms. They may not apply any financial aid resources to any programs or coursework being completed during the leave period.
In the case of military service members being called to duty, the service member may retain their approved leave status through five years after the end of their military service, as long as they provide written notice of their intention to return no later than three years after their service dates end. Whenever possible, such students will be permitted to complete the requirements in effect at the time of their departure. In the case that their program is no longer offered, the College will advise the student on determining a suitable alternative. Students returning from military service are required to provide their discharge paperwork, as well as transcripts recording any college work that may have been completed during their absence. Should the request for leave be granted midsemester, non-punitive grades of “W” will be recorded on the service member’s transcript for the current term, regardless of the withdrawal deadline. In other words, a service member will not be penalized academically for abrupt military leave.