POLICY STATEMENT

Students may experience medical situations which impact their ability to attend class, complete assignments, or use technology. The goal of Nevada State College (NSC) is to foster an environment in which students are able to fully pursue their academic goals. When significant illness or injury prevents a student from achieving these goals, the College provides a mechanism for the student to fully or partially withdraw from courses during the current term or retroactively from courses taken in previous terms.

DEFINITIONS

Full Medical Withdrawal: Medical Withdrawal from all courses in a specific term.

Medical Withdrawal: A course withdrawal allowed outside of standard course withdrawal dates due to a documented mental or physical health condition.

Partial Medical Withdrawal: Medical Withdrawal from some, but not all, courses in a specific term.

 Working Day: For the purposes of this policy, Monday through Friday when campus is open.

PROCEDURES

I.    Eligibility for a Full or Partial Medical Withdrawal

A Full or Partial Medical Withdrawal is granted when the College determines that a student’s health, safety, and academic success have been compromised by a mental or physical health condition.

II.    Financial Aid Considerations

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) sets explicit criteria for a leave of absence to apply to financial aid and cautions that many institutions will not qualify. A Medical Withdrawal as described in this policy does not meet the criteria specified in 34 CFR 668.22(d). Therefore, a Medical Withdrawal granted by NSC does not apply to financial aid and does not relieve a student of obligations related to course attendance or satisfactory academic progress, nor will ED consider the student enrolled for the purposes of deferring payment on their federal student loans.

If a student requesting a Medical Withdrawal receives financial aid, the student should contact the NSC Office of Financial Aid to determine the possible impact of a Medical Withdrawal on their financial aid status (e.g., loan repayment status and obligations; return of aid already disbursed; effects on future eligibility).

III.    Requesting a Medical Withdrawal (Current Enrolled Term)

A.    Students seeking a Medical Withdrawal from the College because of significant illness or injury must complete a Request for Medical Withdrawal Form and provide the supporting documentation described in this section from a medical or mental health provider. Preferred documentation consists of a letter from the student’s attending healthcare provider with the following:

1. 1. Date of onset of illness;
   2. Dates the student was under care for the condition;
   3. Brief explanation why or how the illness impacted the student’s ability to be successful.

NSC recognizes that not every student has continuous access to healthcare. As a result, other supporting documentation may be submitted with the petition to verify the student’s claim. Additional documentation may be requested at the discretion of the petition reviewer.

B.    The student must submit the Request for Medical Withdrawal Form and supporting documentation to the Director of Academic Advising (or designee) and indicate if they are requesting a Full or Partial Medical Withdrawal.

C.    The Director of Advising (or designee) will confer with appropriate campus medical or mental health professionals as necessary in order to make a decision regarding the student’s request.

D.    In unusual or complex situations, the Director of Advising (or designee) may coordinate with the Dean of Students to convene a committee composed of representatives from campus counseling services and may include designees from the Student CARE Team and other campus units as appropriate.

E.    Students who are approved for a Full or Partial Medical Withdrawal will receive ‘W’ grades in the appropriate courses on their official NSC transcripts. ‘W’ grades do not affect GPA or academic standing calculations.

F.    Any adjustment to the student’s tuition, including possible refunds, will be made in accordance with standing College policy and state and federal law. Petitions for tuition/fee reimbursement will follow existing College policies and procedures.

G.    Students granted a Full Medical Withdrawal will have a hold placed on their account by the Academic Advising Office. The student must complete a mandatory academic advising appointment before re-enrolling at the College.

H.    Students granted a Medical Withdrawal will be given a copy of this policy and, if the student’s condition allows, will be asked to formally acknowledge receiving the policy.

I.    Students granted a Medical Withdrawal will receive a letter outlining expectations to be met in order for the student to successfully return to Nevada State College. Such expectations include providing appropriate medical documentation and attending an academic advising appointment, as described below.The letter will state that the College expects the leave to be of sufficient duration to allow the student to address the issues that required a Medical Withdrawal. It is common for a student who takes a Medical Withdrawal because of serious illness or injury to need a minimum of one full term away from the College to enhance the likelihood of success upon return.

J.    The Director of Advising (or designee) will send approved petitions to the Registrar’s Office for processing.

IV.    Retroactive Petition (Previous Term)

A student may experience medical challenges which prevent success during an academic semester, but may not be aware of the option to request a Medical Withdrawal or may be unable to request a Medical Withdrawal promptly due to complications related to the illness or injury.

If a student wishes to retroactively petition for a late Partial or Full Medical Withdrawal, they may do so up to one (1) academic year after the last day of the term for which the student requests a Medical Withdrawal. The student must follow the steps in Section III above.

An extension to the one-year deadline will be granted if the student has not enrolled at NSC since the term in which the student wishes to receive a Medical Withdrawal. The student must submit a petition for an exception to the standard deadline.

V.    Returning from a Partial Medical Withdrawal

When significant illness or injury makes it necessary for a student to withdraw, it is the College’s intention to support students in a successful return to the College community. Partial Medical Withdrawals require the student to meet with the Director of Academic Advising (or designee) prior to their return and re-enrollment at NSC. Students wishing to return must adhere to registration and payment due dates published in the campus Academic Calendar.

 VI.    Returning from a Full Medical Withdrawal

A student wishing to return to the College following a Full Medical Withdrawal must complete the following steps:

A.    Notify the Director of Academic Advising (or designee) in writing, via email, of the intent to return to the College and the term in which the student wishes to enroll. The Director of Academic Advising will schedule an advising appointment with the student.

B.    If required by the Director of Academic Advising (or designee), submit documentation from the attending healthcare provider attesting to the student’s ability to resume studies with a reasonable likelihood of success. All documentation will be held in strict confidence by the College; it will be maintained in the student’s medical or mental health treatment record and will not become part of the student’s academic record. Upon request, the student will authorize the Director of Academic Advising to secure any additional information necessary to help the student prepare for successful re-enrollment. The Director of Academic Advising (or designee) may consult with the Dean of Students, the Student CARE Team, and/or other appropriate resources regarding the student’s re-enrollment plan.

C.    Students must submit documentation and complete the mandatory advising appointment by the following dates:

1. 1. 1. August 1 for the fall semester;
      2. January 1 for the spring semester;
      3. May 1 for the summer term.

D.    If the Director of Academic Advising (or designee) has concerns about the likelihood of the student’s success, the Director of Academic Advising or designee will communicate this to the student.

Once the student has submitted all necessary documentation and attended the mandatory advising appointment, the Academic Advising Office will release the hold on the student’s account.

FORMS/INSTRUCTIONS

• Request for Medical Withdrawal Form

CONTACTS

RELATED INFORMATION

• Student CARE Team Policy
• Tuition/Fee Reimbursement Policy
• Financial Aid Handbook, Volume 5, Chapter 1 https://ifap.ed.gov/fsahandbook/1718FSAHbkVol5.html

APPROVALS

Approved by Dr. Vickie Shields, Provost, June 9, 2020.
Approved by Mr. Bart Patterson, President, July 27, 2020.