500.1 – Voluntary Leave of Absence (Including Medical and Parental Leave of Absence)

Students in good standing may apply in writing to the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs for a leave of absence on an individual basis for any personal reason (including medical and parental leave), at any point in the program.

Leave is generally granted for a one-year period, which may be renewed for a period not to exceed a total of three years.

To initiate reinstatement to the program, a student must request in writing to the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs by January 5 of the year the granted leave expires.

To request extension for the leave of absence, a student must request in writing to the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs by January 5 of the year the granted leave expires.

A student who fails to comply with the terms of the leave will be withdrawn from the school.

500.2 Mandatory Leave of Absence

500.2.A Adjudicated by the Progress Review Committee

The Progress Review Committee may mandate a leave of absence. If a student refuses the mandatory leave, the Committee will decide whether to dismiss the student or to allow the student to withdraw from the program.

500.2.B Adjudicated by the Dean’s Office

In rare and exigent circumstances including, but not limited to emergencies and other crises that affect the immediate ability of the student to demonstrate the essential attributes and abilities required to undertake doctoral study, the Dean or Associate Dean may require a leave of absence of any student.

A student who has been on a required leave of absence adjudicated by the Dean’s Office and wishes to be reinstated to the program, will be required to undergo a Review by the Academic Progress Review Committee who will determine the student’s readiness to be reinstated.

500.3 Returning from Leave of Absence (LOA)

If a student voluntarily leaves the program for any reason, they must immediately request a change of status with the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs’ office (for a withdrawal or a leave of absence). If the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs’ office does not receive a written request for a leave of absence within two weeks of their final day in the internship, the student will automatically be withdrawn from the School.

Any student considering a voluntary leave of absence from the internship, for any reason, must be in contact with the supervisor, Faculty Placement Adviser and Director or Associate Director of Placement to develop a sound termination plan that holds client care central. There are no partial internship credits granted for students who do not complete the internship.

A student who has withdrawn from the School and who seeks to return to the program must reapply to the School.

A student who is readmitted to the School will be granted credit for successfully completed academic units taken previously in the program only if no more than three years have elapsed since the date of the original withdrawal. This three-year period would include a leave of absence if one has been granted. However, given the special need for continuity between the academic and practice components of the program, in specific cases where students have withdrawn having completed only the first academic summer session, it shall be left to the discretion of the committee on admission whether a student readmitted to the program would be required to repeat the first academic summer or could re-enter the program at the beginning of the fall internship period.

500.4 – Withdrawal

Except in instances where the School has identified an alleged case of plagiarism, or a review has been called, a student may withdraw from the School at any time. The student must submit a formal letter of withdrawal to the director. For withdrawals requested during periods of clinical internship, the student must meet with the director prior to withdrawal, and must make arrangements with the clinical internship site, including arrangement for the care of clients. For purposes of the School record, the official date of withdrawal will be the date indicated on the withdrawal form or the date the School receives the official notification, whichever is later. Mere absence from class or clinical internship does not constitute withdrawal.

For a student whose academic and clinical internship is in good standing at the time of withdrawal, the official record of the School will indicate "Withdrawn." If a student withdraws after a Review has been called, but before the Review has been held, he/she may do so without permission from the Associate Dean. The official School record will indicate "Withdrawn." If a student withdraws while on probationary status, the record will indicate "Withdrawn on Probationary Status."

A student who has withdrawn from the School is not automatically readmitted. An application for readmission must be made to the Committee on Admission, accompanied by new application materials covering only the period of time between withdrawal from the School and the new application for readmission. The Committee will review the application in the light of current admission policies, and with due regard to the circumstances surrounding the student's withdrawal.

A student who is readmitted to the School will be granted credit for completed academic and internship taken previously in the Program only if no more than three years have elapsed since the date of the original withdrawal. This three-year period would include a Leave of Absence if one had been granted. However, given the special need for continuity between the academic and practice components of the Program, in specific cases where students have withdrawn having completed only the first academic summer session, it shall be left to the discretion of the Committee on Admission whether a student readmitted to the Program would be required to repeat the first academic summer or could re-enter the Program at the beginning of the fall internship period.

500.5 Probation & Dismissal

The Smith College School for Social Work through its various faculties and appropriate committees reserves the discretionary right to place on probation or dismiss any student from the School for failure to maintain satisfactory academic standing, personal conduct, or professional standards. In cases of dismissal, fees will be refunded as stated in the section on Refund Policy. The student's financial aid will be cancelled. If a student withdraws from the School while on probationary status, the record will indicate "Withdrawn on Probationary Status." If a student is dismissed from the School, the record will indicate "Dismissed."

500.6 Dismissal - Academic Work

Please review the section of this Handbook pertaining to Marginal Pass and Failing grades. A student in the Ph.D. Program who receives any of the following shall be dismissed from the Program:

• A failing grade in any required course (Within our structure the course cannot be repeated. See section of this Handbook regarding Failing Grades), or
• A grade of Marginal Pass in three required courses (Also see section of this Handbook regarding Marginal Pass in ten-week courses), or
• Failure to progress in work and/or to complete the dissertation requirement within the five-year post-residency time limit, except when written notice of an extension to this time limit has been granted by the School, either in recognition of a student's ongoing productive work on the dissertation or in consideration of special extenuating circumstances communicated by the student to the School, or when formal leave of absence has been granted by the School.

A decision to dismiss a student from the Program can also result from an action of the Ph.D. Academic and Clinical Internship Performance Standing Committee. Any situation warranting or placing a Student at risk of dismissal may be brought to the Ph.D. Academic and Clinical Internship Performance Standing Committee by a concerned party, including the student, except when the dismissal results from a prior action of the Committee itself. In that case, the recourse of the student is to a grievance or appeal procedure.