WITHDRAWAL AND LEAVE OF ABSENCE (LOA)
Voluntary Withdrawal from the College
A student who wishes to withdraw completely from the College after the last day to add a class must complete the withdrawal process before the end of the tenth week of the semester. (See the “Academic Calendar” for the precise date each term.) A student must initiate the process by requesting a withdrawal form from the office of the Dean of Students and completing the process with the Office of the Registrar by the deadline. Students who comply with the deadline will receive transcripts showing “W” grades for all courses. Failure to withdraw officially will result in receipt of the letter grades earned in each course. A student who has withdrawn from the College more than once will not be readmitted. Any exceptions to this policy must be approved by the Academic Policies and Standards Committee.
Administrative Withdrawal
This type of academic intervention is imposed in response to poor performance within a semester by the student; specifically, the student has not withdrawn from the College but is making no appreciable attempt to attend and pass classes. Students who fail to meet these basic academic standards or policies in a given semester will be withdrawn by the Provost or his or her designee(s) and a letter put in their file indicating the academic issues that necessitated the withdrawal. An Administrative Withdrawal that is carried out on or before the last day to voluntarily withdraw from classes will result in grades of “W”. After the last day to voluntarily withdraw, Administrative Withdrawal will result in grades of “F”.
Administrative Withdrawal from a class
This type of academic intervention is imposed in response to poor performance, disruptive or other inappropriate behaviors that hinder the normal conduct of the class. Upon the referral from a faculty member, the Dean of Students will work in concert with the Office of the Provost and Registrar to assess the documented facts and determine an appropriate intervention.
Voluntary Medical or Compassion Withdrawal
Upon presentation of documentation deemed adequate and compelling by the Dean of Students or his or her designee(s), a student may be permitted to withdraw from the College during the semester and receive the grade of “W” for coursework being attempted at the time of withdrawal. Students seeking Voluntary Medical or Compassion Withdrawal after the last day for voluntary withdrawal from the College will be subject to particular scrutiny as such withdrawals entail relief from the academic consequences of late withdrawal. Students should submit documentation no less than two weeks prior to the last day of class unless there are unforeseen circumstances at the end of the semester.
Medical Withdrawal
The College, upon advice from its professional staff, may require a student to withdraw for medical or psychological reasons. In these cases, the student will be encouraged to seek professional care. Such action is not taken for punitive reason, but because the welfare of the individual and the community mandates the procedure. A Medical Withdrawal will result in grades of “W” regardless of when the withdrawal occurs.
Leave of Absence (LOA)
Catawba College recognizes that it is sometimes necessary for undergraduate students to interrupt their enrollment for a period of time and take a leave of absence (LOA) for medical or non-medical purposes. Students may take a LOA for a variety of reasons, including the need to attend to academic, personal, financial, or significant medical or mental health matters with the intent to resume their studies at the College. Students requesting leave should be in good academic standing. If the leave is granted, the duration of a leave must be for the remainder of the semester in which it is requested, or for one full semester. A LOA of greater than one semester is not permitted. Students returning to the College within the appropriate timeframe will not be required to reapply for admission. Please note that the LOA is not intended for students experiencing short-term matters that can be addressed before the end of a semester, and is intended to be one of the last considerations after all other options have been explored. A student must initiate this process through their advisor.