D1.1

Medical Leave of Absence Policy for Students

In some cases, the Institute may place a student on a Medical Leave. An Institute-initiated Medical Leave will be used only in circumstances when a student is deemed unable to function successfully at RIT as a result of medical, psychological, or related personal situations and is unable or unwilling to request a Leave of Absence. The Medical Leave is intended to provide students with time to resolve their circumstances in a satisfactory manner without seriously undermining their ability to successfully complete their academic programs and without compromising the safety and welfare of the RIT community.

The policy and procedures for initiating a Medical Leave do not take the place of disciplinary actions that are in response to violations of the RIT Code of Conduct. They also do not preclude the suspension, dismissal, or expulsion of students from the Institute or Institute-owned/managed properties as a result of violations of any Institute policy.

A Medical Leave can be granted for no more than five (5) consecutive quarters, eight (8) for part-time students, including summer. If the stipulated conditions are not achieved or complied with in this time period, the student will have to reapply for admission in accordance with the Institute's readmission procedures. In some extraordinary cases, stipulated conditions may be attached to the Medical Leave that would extend the period of the leave beyond five/eight quarters.

A Medical Leave will be imposed by the Vice President for Student Affairs (or his/her designee) only after appropriate discussion with the necessary RIT parties, (including RIT medical and/or counseling personnel) and discussion with the student, and in appropriate circumstances, the student's family. Students will have an opportunity to have a consultation with an RIT staff physician, or other health care professional, or to meet with RIT counseling personnel, prior to the Vice President (or his/her designee) making a decision to impose a medical leave. Such a consultation or meeting must take place in a timely fashion. Information gathered from the consultation or meeting will be used in making the final decision whether to impose a medical leave.

The Institute may choose to establish conditions or parameters that need to be achieved or complied with in order for the student to be permitted to register as a student and/or live on campus. In order to register for classes again, the student will be required to provide the Vice President for Student Affairs (or designee) with written documentation from appropriate or designated professionals verifying that any and all of the conditions attached to the leave have been met. The Vice President (or designee) may require a personal meeting with the student before he/she is permitted to register as a student or live on campus.

Appeal Process

A student may appeal the decision to impose a Medical Leave to the Institute Appeals Board. (The make-up of this Board is described in Section VI.A of the RIT Student Conduct Process, within the publication Student Rights and Responsibilities; D18.0, section VI.A in the Institute Policies and Procedures Manual.) This appeal should be filed in writing with the office of Student Conduct and Mediation Services and must state which of the following grounds is the basis for the appeal and the evidence or reasons supporting this position. The Medical Leave will be in effect during the appeal process.

Grounds for Appealing a Medical Leave Initiated by the Institute.

1. To determine whether the process used to impose a Medical Leave followed designated procedures.

2. To determine whether the decision reached was based on information and situational conditions that a reasonable mind would accept as adequate to support the conclusion.

3. To determine whether the decision was biased or that the information provided to make the decision was biased.

The findings and recommendations of the Appeals Board are to be delivered to both the Vice President for Student Affairs and the President of RIT in writing within five working days of the appeals hearing. These findings and recommendations also will be communicated to the student along with any changes that will be made to the original decision as an outcome of the appeal. The written communication will be sent to the student within 10 working days of the Appeals Board hearing. The decision made as a result of this appeal will be final.

Approved May 5, 2000