LEAVE OF ABSENCE POLICY
The purpose of a leave of absence (LOA) is to provide students with the opportunity to leave college for an extended period of time without withdrawing or affecting his/her satisfactory academic progress calculations. The Program Dean/Academic Dean, Student Services/ Student Affairs director, or a designee may authorize a leave of absence under the following circumstances:

• A leave of absence may only be granted to a student who has completed a quarter and has not been in class past the end date of the published Add/Change and Drop period of the current quarter in which he/she wishes to take the leave of absence.
• The student must resume classes at the same point at which he/she exited the program.
• The student must provide a signed written request for the leave of absence. The last date of attendance and return date must be clearly identified on the accompanying Leave of Absence form.
• The student has not completed his/her program.
• Under no circumstances will a leave of absence be extended beyond 180 days.
• Multiple leaves of absences may be granted during any 12- month period, beginning with the start of the most recent leave of absence as long as the total days do not exceed 180.
• All loans and grants will be returned to appropriate parties or disbursements rescheduled for the term of an approved leave of absence.
• The student will incur no additional tuition charges during an approved leave of absence.
• If the student is eligible under the authority if the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act, he/she may verbally request a leave of absence. However, all other conditions apply.

Reasons for granting a leave of absence may include, but are not limited to:
• Serious student medical problems
• Pregnancy
• Military duty
• Death of an immediate family member

If a student does not resume classes on or before the approved return date, the student will be withdrawn from the program.

Note: If a student does not return from an approved leave of absence, the grace period for Stafford loans will begin with the last date of attendance.