Withdrawals and Leave of Absence from the College

Withdrawal: 

Any non-graduating student who terminates their enrollment at Saint Mary’s during or at the end of any term must submit a request for withdrawal from Saint Mary’s College form to the Office of the Registrar. The submission date of the withdrawal from the college form will be the date used for the last date of attendance. All financial obligations to the College must still be met.

Administrative Withdrawal

Students who do not attend classes for the term that follows the last term of enrollment will be administratively withdrawn from the College. The last date of the term of the last term attended will be used as the last date of attendance. All financial obligations to the College must still be met.

An Administrative Withdrawal is initiated by an appropriate administrator for the College and not at the request or choosing of the student. An Administrative Withdrawal may be executed when a student stops attending Saint Mary’s College without notification, or when a student poses a direct threat of harm to others or self that causes a significant disruption to the community and which causes the College to have a legitimate safety concern for the community. Generally, but not necessarily in all circumstances, either the Registrar or the Dean of Students is the College official who will execute an Administrative Withdrawal.

The Registrar will execute an Administrative Withdrawal when a student does not return to classes following a subsequent academic term of enrollment, and has not otherwise formally withdrawn or taken a Leave of Absence. Students seeking reinstatement to Saint Mary’s College following a Registrar’s Administrative Withdrawal must submit an application for readmission through the College Registrar’s Office.  

The Dean of Students, or designee, may execute an Administrative Withdrawal when the Dean of Students is notified of a student who appears to have a serious behavioral, physical, psychological, or emotional disorder which offers reasonable cause to believe they may be a danger to others, or may disrupt proper activities of the College community and its members.

The Dean of Students will contact the student and seek voluntary resolution of the situation through investigation and review. Administrative withdrawals, when possible, take into account the participation of the student and their family in the process. Depending upon circumstances, an immediate professional assessment of the student’s condition by the appropriate medical or mental health specialist, or both, or other appropriate resources may be required, including a report of the findings by Student Outreach, Referral, and Behavioral Intervention Team. A student who fails to meet the conditions for evaluation may be subject to an Administrative Withdrawal or Immediate Interim Suspension by the Dean of Students.

Students who agree or are required to undergo an assessment will be scheduled to participate in a general review of status by the Student Outreach, Referral, and Behavioral Intervention Team.  This normally includes a personal interview of the student by members of the Team. Members of the Team may also interview other individuals who have prior knowledge of the matter. Additional assessments including, but not limited to, psychological assessment, medical examination, or referral for psychiatric consultation may be required. The student must sign an authorization of release allowing any attending medical or behavioral health professional to release the records and allow them to discuss these records with the Student Outreach, Referral, and Behavioral Intervention Team.

The Student Outreach, Referral, and Behavioral Intervention Team will receive all medical, psychological, disciplinary, or observational reports submitted with regard to or on behalf of the student as may pertain to determining health and behavioral status. Treatment and evaluative reports should include information pertaining to diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis.

Within a reasonable period of time after all personal interviews and other possible assessments are conducted and reviewed, the Student Outreach, Referral, and Behavioral Intervention Team will render a decision. The written communication to the student shall include a rationale, the conditions and requirements that must be met and the process by which the student requests readmission. The Dean of Students will inform the Registrar of a student who has been administratively withdrawn from the College. When a student is placed on an Administrative Withdrawal, the student will be withdrawn from all classes and a Dean of Students Hold is noted. Tuition and room and board reimbursement will be in accordance with established College withdrawal policy.  

Within five (5) business days of receiving the written decision of the Student Outreach, Referral, and Behavioral Intervention Team, if a student disagrees with the decision regarding involuntary withdrawal or readmission, the student may appeal to the Vice President for Student Life. The student shall state in writing the specific points the student wishes the Vice President to consider. The Vice President’s decision is final.

Students seeking reinstatement to Saint Mary’s College following a Dean of Students Administrative Withdrawal must receive clearance by providing the Dean of Students written evidence from a licensed medical or mental health professional that the student is no longer a direct threat to others or a legitimate safety concern, and is otherwise qualified to participate in the College’s educational programs. The Dean of Students will consider the student’s request based on a review of the entire record including any and all new information relevant to the matter, and may impose conditions on the student’s readmission. Any other conditions outlined in accordance with this policy and/or conduct sanctions must also be completed. The Student Outreach, Referral, and Behavioral Intervention Team may interview the student but is not required to do so.  

Leave of Absence 

Any matriculated student making satisfactory academic progress, or a student on academic probation, not in probationary status may request a leave of absence from the College, which withdraws the student from all of their courses but keeps their student status active. The leave may be for one fall or spring semester, or up to a full academic year. The student must submit the Leave of Absence request form to go on a leave of absence to the Registrar’s Office no later than the Withdrawal deadline (the end of the eleventh week of the term) in which the leave takes effect. In exceptional emergency circumstances, the Registrar may consider a student’s petition for a Leave of Absence after the Withdrawal Deadline.  These requests can be made directly to the Registrar by emailing Registrar@stmarys-ca.edu

Students on a Leave of Absence will receive W grades for any courses they attended beyond the Add-Drop deadline. The student’s submission date of the leave of absence will be the date used for the last date of attendance will be recorded as the date the Leave of Absence form was submitted, or the last date of attendance reported and verified by all of the instructors listed in that term, whichever is earlier.

Students on leave will keep their academic advisor and success coach, and will continue to be kept informed of pertinent College activities and deadlines, especially registration information for the next term. Any enrollments at other post-secondary institutions should be reviewed for transferability and applicability of the credit. Readmission is guaranteed assuming the student resumes enrollment at the College within the specified time. No additional applications are needed for students to return. Returning students will receive a registration time and will need to meet with their advisor to be cleared for registration. Students who do not return from leave within one academic year will be withdrawn from the College, and required to apply for readmission.

Link to request a Leave of Absence

Immediate Interim Suspension of Privileges 

In certain circumstances, the Dean of Students, or designee, may impose an Immediate Interim Suspension of Privileges to immediately remove an individual from the College community for any of the following reasons: (1) to ensure the safety and well-being of members of the College community or to preserve College property; (2) to ensure a student’s own safety or well-being; or, (3) if a student poses a threat of disruptions or interference with the normal operations of the College. Every attempt will be made by the Dean of Students, or designee, to meet as soon as possible with the student before implementing an Immediate Interim Suspension. If the student is to be suspended, the decision will be communicated in writing to the student. During the period of the Immediate Interim Suspension of Privileges, the student may be denied access to college activities, facilities, and/or classes or other privileges for which the student might otherwise be eligible, as the Dean of Students, or designee, may determine to be appropriate. The Immediate Interim Suspension of Privileges shall remain in effect until the Dean of Students, or designee, determines that the reason for imposing the suspension no longer exists.

For immediate removal of students due to behaviors related to any sex-based discrimination, sexual harassment, or sexual misconduct, see the “Emergency Removal” section of the Sex-Based Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, Sexual Misconduct, and Retaliation Policy.