Withdrawal: Types and Process
Withdrawal from all courses during the semester.
Students who wish to withdraw from all courses prior to the end of a semester may obtain a request form from the Associate Dean of their College/School. The withdrawal process requires approval from various offices before it is complete.
Eligibility for any adjustment to tuition charges is based on the date a University Official is notified by the student that they wish to withdraw. You can obtain information regarding tuition adjustments for complete withdrawals in the Student Accounts and Financial Aid Offices. If you fail to complete the withdrawal process you will be responsible for all tuition charges and all grades submitted by your instructors. If there is a medical or emergency situation that prevents you from completing the withdrawal process yourself please contact your Associate Dean, the Associate Provost or the Director of the Shepard Academic Resource Center for assistance.
Withdrawing Permanently from the University
Students who do not plan on returning to the University may obtain a request to withdraw form from the Associate Dean of their College/School. Whether a student is withdrawing at the end of a semester or between semesters, they can file the form at any time in the semester preceding their permanent withdrawal. The withdrawal will be processed at the end of the semester.
Students who leave the University without completing the request form for withdrawal including the required signatures, may be charged for subsequent semesters in which they have registered. Not attending classes does not constitute withdrawal from the University.
Voluntary Medical Leave of Absence Policy
A medical leave of absence (“MLOA”) may become necessary when a student experiences a documented medical or psychological condition that significantly limits his or her ability to function safely or successfully and meet his or her responsibilities as a student at the University of Portland. In such cases, a student can request a voluntary MLOA from the University until the student and his or her medical provider believe the student is able to return to the University and achieve his or her academic goals.
This policy is designed to provide guidance regarding taking a MLOA as well as the process for returning from a MLOA. The University is committed to providing the flexibility and the individualized consideration and support necessary to help students transition back to University life at the conclusion of a leave.
Requesting a Medical Leave of Absence
Students who believe that they are experiencing a medical or psychological condition that limits their ability to function successfully at the University should consider requesting a MLOA. Such request should be made to the associate provost or designee, who may discuss other academic options that may make it possible for a student to complete the semester without taking a leave of absence. If the decision is made to seek a MLOA, the student will meet with the director of the Health and Counseling Center (HCC) or designee, at which time the process for MLOA will be explained and the student will receive the Petition for Medical Leave of Absence. The Petition for Medical Leave of Absence must be completed and returned to the director of the HCC or designee as soon as possible. Generally, the director of the HCC or designee will submit a recommendation regarding the MLOA to the Office of the Associate Provost only after receiving the completed Petition for Medical Leave of Absence and reviewing all relevant information regarding the impact of the student’s health issue upon his or her health, safety, academic, and social functioning, which may include meeting with the student or consulting with the HCC or other relevant professionals, and/or campus administrators as appropriate. If the director of the HCC or designee has recommended that the student be granted the MLOA, he or she may also provide to the student individualized recommendations designed to help the student be successful, both in academics and within the University community generally, if the student chooses to return at the conclusion of the MLOA.
If a student is granted a MLOA, he or she will receive a grade of ‘W’ (withdrawn) for each course the student is currently taking.
The deadline for submitting a request for a MLOA to the HCC is 5 p.m. on the Friday two weeks prior to the end of the semester. Applications submitted after that date will not be considered, except in extraordinary circumstances. In such circumstances, additional documentation and information may be required.
Students who are granted an MLOA may return no earlier than one full semester (fall, spring, or summer) after the leave, unless the student has submitted a case review to the associate provost and been approved to return earlier based on an individualized assessment of the student’s specific situation. A granted MLOA allows a student to leave school for up to one year (the three semesters that follow the grant of a MLOA inclusive of fall, spring, and summer) without subsequent financial or academic impact, unless approved for an extension in writing by the associate provost or designee, or by the Reenrollment Committee, as discussed below. Students should seek to return to the University when they, in consultation with their health care provider, believe that they are prepared to return to the academic and other rigors of university life.
If a MLOA is granted, the student’s financial aid for the current semester may be adjusted based on federal, state, and institutional policies. The student will receive a letter from the Office of Financial Aid with information about any adjustments made. If a credit balance refund was issued prior to the approved medical leave, the student may be required to return some or all of the funds to the University of Portland.
Additionally, the student may be required to pay any nonrefundable fees and/or fines charged to their account upon notification of such amount due. A student’s university housing and work-study employment may also be impacted, according to policies from the Office of Residence Life and the Office of Financial Aid, respectively.
Seeking Return from a Medical Leave of Absence
When a student believes that he or she is prepared to return to the University after a voluntary MLOA, he or she should take the following steps:
- Contact the associate provost and indicate his or her interest in returning to the University. Such request must be made far enough in advance of the next semester to allow appropriate University officials sufficient time to adequately review the request. Students must receive approval to return from leave before registering for courses or applying for on-campus residence for the semester. Therefore, students must submit all materials for return by November 1 for consideration for the spring semester, April 1 for the summer sessions, and July 1 for the fall semester. If materials are received shortly after the relevant deadline, the University will make every attempt to be flexible and review the request for return in the following semester, but may be limited in its attempts to do so if there is missing information or more information is needed to make a determination. The University will remain in contact with the student regarding the status of his or her request throughout the process.
- Complete the reenrollment questionnaire with the appropriate consent from the student’s health care provider, who must send the completed questionnaire directly to the HCC. The information in the reenrollment questionnaire is given individualized and significant consideration in the determination of whether the student is capable of resuming study and functioning safely as a member of the University community.
- In addition to the reenrollment questionnaire, the student is encouraged to provide additional information showing that the student is ready to resume studies and be a successful member of the University community, with or without accommodations. Depending on the nature and circumstances of the student's individual MLOA, the director of the HCC or designee may also require additional information to assist in making a recommendation about a student's readiness to return from a MLOA if the information provided by the health care provider is not, in the judgment of the Reenrollment Committee, sufficient to make a recommendation. Such additional information could include a personal statement describing the student’s experience away from the University, the student’s current understanding of the factors leading to the need for leave and the insights gained during the student’s time away, and specific plans the student has to ensure a successful return to the University. Depending on the nature and circumstances of the student's individual MLOA, these specific plans may include information on how the student plans to move forward in managing his or her medical and/or psychological condition (if symptoms are present) as well as how the student plans to attend to the ongoing academic responsibilities within this educational setting.
Review of Student’s Request for Return
Upon receipt of all materials requested in the above section, the director of the HCC or designee will inform the student that all information has been received, and will convene the Reenrollment Committee. The committee will be comprised of the director of the HCC or designee, the associate dean from the student’s college or school, and the Early Alert coordinator or designee. The director of accessible education services or designee may be consulted as needed. The committee will review the information as soon as possible after receipt. During the review process, if the committee determines that information provided by the treatment provider is incomplete, requires further explanation or clarification (for example, if there is inconsistency between the medical information provided and other information in the student’s files), the Reenrollment Committee may contact the treatment provider or student to obtain additional information. Depending on the individual circumstances of the medical leave, the student may be asked to provide additional documentation concerning the nature and duration of treatment, recommendations for ongoing care once the student has returned from leave, or to provide releases to the HCC to allow communication with treatment providers, and relevant campus administrators, regarding the student's safe return to campus. In extraordinary circumstances, the Reenrollment Committee may request that the student undergo an additional assessment to allow the University to make a determination about the student’s readiness for return. Such a request would be made to the student in writing, with the rationale for the determination provided.
If the Reenrollment Committee approves the student's request to return from a MLOA, it will inform the associate provost or designee, who will communicate that information to the student. Depending on the individual circumstances of the MLOA, there may be academic or other requirements that must be reviewed and met before the student's return to the University community. Students with disabilities may be eligible for reasonable accommodations in accordance with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Amendments At (ADAA) of 2008. Students are responsible for communicating their requests for accommodations to accessible education services.
Review
If the student is not approved for a return, the student will receive a letter from the associate provost indicating the recommendation, as well as suggestions to improve the student’s likelihood of a favorable recommendation upon a subsequent request for return. If the non-approval occurs at the end of the one-year (the three semesters that follow the grant of a MLOA inclusive of fall, spring, and summer) medical leave limit, the committee may indicate an approved extension of medical leave in the letter. A student may request a case review of the recommendation that he or she is not ready to return by submitting a case review letter in writing to the provost within ten (10) business days of receiving notice of the non-approval, along with any information he or she believes is relevant to the case review. The provost or designee will review the information provided and make a final determination regarding the recommendation for return.
Return from Medical Leave
The University is committed to supporting the successful return of a student rejoining the University community after the completion of a voluntary MLOA. Prior to return, the student will receive an email from the associate dean in his or her college or school, suggesting various measures, such as regular meetings with the associate dean, that may be helpful to ensure the student is receiving sufficient University support to assist in his or her successful return to campus life. The Early Alert coordinator may also contact the student to offer additional support.
Upon return from a voluntary MLOA, the student may receive the institutional aid they are scheduled to receive for the semester of return (subject to the financial aid satisfactory academic progress policy). This means the full amount of remaining institutional financial aid may be reinstated if the student is otherwise meeting all components of the financial aid satisfactory academic progress policy.
Any personal payments (cash, monthly payment plan payments, and/or loans) less nonrefundable fees and/or refunds processed prior to the approved MLOA and less any federal loan funds the school was required to return to the Department of Education from the Return to Title IV Funds policy calculation, will be applied to the student account for the semester of return as long as the student returns within one year (the three semesters that follow the grant of a MLOA inclusive of fall, spring, and summer) of the approved leave, unless an extension has been granted. These funds will generally be applied as a one-time medical tuition discount. The total amount of institutional financial aid plus the medical tuition discount cannot exceed institutional charges for the semester of return. Unused funds will not be returned.
Financial aid received from any non-institutional or third party source (e.g. federal/state financial aid funds, outside scholarships, etc.) will not be replaced by the University and will be subject to the stipulations of the agency providing the aid. Additionally, institutional funds that are dependent on receipt of funds from a third party (e.g. Providence Match Grant, ROTC Room and Board Scholarship, etc.) will only be reinstated if the funds from the third party are reinstated.