Changes in Enrollment Status

Policy Statement

Requests for time away, administrative withdrawals, resignations, and requests to return are acted on by the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Students.

Time Away

Students who wish to request time away from the College must submit a "Request for Time Away" form available from the Undergraduate Deans' Office. "Requests for Time Away" must be approved by an undergraduate dean before they become effective. The deadline to request time away is the last day of classes of each term. Students who take time away for medical reasons must have the concurrence of the College Health Service.

Note: It is strongly suggested that students considering a time away from the College consult with Financial Aid, the Office of Visa and Immigration Services, Athletics, and/or the Dartmouth Student Group Health Insurance Plan prior to their time away as such a decision may change their status, eligibility, or benefits.

Students who take time away must leave campus housing within 72 hours after their time away request has been approved. Time away may have certain conditions associated with it, such as the requirement to remain off campus until returning to Dartmouth, which will be reviewed with the student. A student who leaves the College without permission to take time away or who takes time away a second time (except for medical reasons or administrative withdrawal) will be considered to have resigned.

Upperlevel students who take time away in satisfactory academic standing from Dartmouth may enroll elsewhere in courses for transfer credit, subject to the policies and procedures of the Registrar's office requiring Dartmouth approval prior to enrolling. Transfer credit arrangements must be made in accordance with procedures outlined in the ORC. Such credit will not be entered on the Dartmouth record until the student is returned or reinstated in good standing. Students who matriculate at another institution will be considered resigned.

Time away is recorded in several categories:

1. In Good Standing. The student is eligible to return at any time.

2. In Questionable Standing. Questionable standing connotes an academic record that does not warrant "prejudice" but indicates problems that warrant review prior to returning. A dean (or the COS) may stipulate conditions that must be met before a return will be considered, e.g., passage of a stated period of time. 

3. On Probation. A student who takes time away while on Academic Probation will have that fact noted. If returned after time away, the student will remain on Probation for the first term in residence (See ORC for restrictions regarding Credit Transfer).

4. With Prejudice. Time away at a time when suspension is likely was the term to be completed will be permitted only "with prejudice." Students taking time away with prejudice must leave campus within 72 hours after the time away has been approved, and may not return to campus without prior permission from the appropriate dean. A return to Dartmouth will normally occur only after an absence of three terms. Early request to return will only be considered if the student presents very compelling evidence that the maximum length of their time away should not be in effect. Students returning from Time Away with Prejudice are on Academic Probation for their first term in residence. Refer above for information on Probation. Further unsatisfactory scholarship would not entitle such students to receive notices of Risk or Warning prior to Probation, Suspension or Separation. During the period of time away, a student may not progress toward completion of the Dartmouth degree by taking courses at other institutions, except as noted in the ORC. 

5. Medical. 

6. Case Pending. Students may take time away with case pending if a conduct issue or other concern is not sufficiently resolved prior to taking time away.

7. With Simultaneous Return.  Students are not normally granted simultaneous permission to return from time away unless their time away is in good standing in which case they are generally granted permission to return for the term immediately following time away.

8. Inactive Student. Students who have had four consecutive leave terms, or leave terms combined with administrative withdrawals, will be withdrawn by the Undergraduate Deans' Office at the beginning of the next term if they still do not have an active enrollment pattern.

NOTE: A student who takes time away from the College will, upon returning to Dartmouth, have the same academic and/or conduct status as before the time away, unless as otherwise indicated above. See also: Satisfactory Progress, Term Withdrawal and Suspension.

Administrative Withdrawal

Students who do not complete the check-in process, via BannerStudent, for a planned term in residence and who fail to clear administrative holds due to outstanding financial and other obligations will not be permitted to enroll for that term. Students are expected to respond to information posted in BannerStudent and notifications from the Undergraduate Deans' Office warning of pending administrative withdrawal. Students who fail to clear their holds, and thus do not receive permission to complete check-in, will be required to vacate College housing, will lose their dining account, will be removed from courses that term and will have their enrollment pattern changed to an 'A' for that term reflecting that they are administratively withdrawn and not enrolled.

Administrative withdrawal deadlines are strictly enforced. Students should contact the administrative sources of the holds (e.g. Student Financial Services, the Dartcard Office, the Registrar's Office, or Community Standards & Accountability) to work to resolve them at the beginning of the term, well in advance of posted deadlines.

Resignation

Students who intend to pursue degrees at another institution must resign from Dartmouth. A student who leaves the College without permission to take time away or who takes time away a second time (except time away for medical reasons or administrative withdrawal) will be considered to have resigned. Students who resign are not normally considered for a return to the institution. Resignation is recorded in the student's Undergraduate Deans' Office record and on the student's transcript as 'Resigned- Ineligible to re-enroll.'

Returning

Materials include the appropriate "Request to Return" form and supplementary materials which could consist of medical clearance and/or two letters of recommendation. Students will be asked to state:

• Why and when they left Dartmouth
• What they have done during their time away from the College
• How they have prepared for return, both academically and otherwise
• What their academic plans are if granted permission to return

No request to return is granted automatically. The Registrar reserves the right to deny a student an enrollment pattern that includes an "R" for an overcrowded term even when the student is returned by the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Students. "Requests to return" will be considered if returned at least 60 days prior to the beginning of the term for which a return is being requested, students who have taken time away for medical reasons must secure the recommendation of the appropriate personnel at the College Health Service stating that they are fully capable of meeting academic responsibilities.

Those who take time away with prejudice or who were suspended may support their applications with letters of recommendation from employers or other non-relatives who have known them well during their absence from the College. Falsification of any information in the request to return process may postpone a decision and be referred to the COS.

Returned students are eligible to move into campus housing the day residence halls open for their term of enrollment.