Leave of Absence
Students may find it necessary to take one or more semesters of leave from the University for personal or professional reasons. This is acceptable to the University; however, students choosing this option must complete a Leave of Absence form. Leaves of Absence will be approved for those students who have good academic, financial, and social standing at the time of the application for Leave. Enrolled students may apply for a Leave of Absence from the University for one academic year (two semesters and one or two summers). Students on Leave of Absence are eligible to return as continuing students upon meeting with their academic advisor, submitting an Application for Re-Admission to the Office of the Registrar, and meeting all financial obligations for the re-registration to the University. Students who file a Leave of Absence Form with the Registrar’s Office and return within one academic year retain the admission and graduation requirements from the Catalog in effect at the time of first matriculation (initial enrollment). Students who do not return within a year must meet the Catalog (admissions, graduation, etc.) requirements in effect at the time of re-enrollment and must reapply through the Admissions Office.
Students returning to Dominican after an absence of five years or less, and who were admitted prior to fall 2002, who are lacking only the senior thesis or 1-6 units of requirements to complete a baccalaureate degree, will not be subject to the new General Education requirements that went into effect in fall 2002. Rather, they will need to satisfy the General Education requirements that were in effect at the time of their withdrawal.
Students who are on Academic Probation or Academic Warning at the time of filing the Leave of Absence form may be readmitted on Academic Probation/Warning for one semester, at the discretion of the Appeals Committee. Such students must earn an overall GPA of 2.0 (‘C’) or above in their re-entering semester. (See Academic Probation section.)
Students who wish to enroll in coursework at other institutions during their leave of absence from the University must complete an Authorization to Take Courses Off-Campus form. Transcripts for all coursework taken off-campus during a leave of absence from Dominican must be forwarded to the Registrar’s Office at Dominican. Courses taken without prior approval may not be counted toward the degree.
Students who leave the University without filing an official Leave of Absence form may apply for readmission through the Registrar’s Office if their absence has been one year or less (two semesters and one or two summers). Students are readmitted under the Catalog in effect at the time of readmission. Students who do not return within a year must meet the Catalog (admissions, graduation, etc.) requirements in effect at the time of re-enrollment and must reapply through the Admissions Office.
Students intending to leave the University without planning to return must complete a Withdrawal Form (see Withdrawal from the University).
Registered students who file a Leave of Absence form at the Registrar’s Office prior to the tuition refund dates, as described in the Tuition Refund section of this Catalog, will be partially refunded. If the Leave of Absence form is filed after these dates, or if no form is filed, all tuition, fees, and other appropriate charges will be due. Under no circumstances is the registration fee waived or refunded.
Leave of Absence and Withdrawal forms, Application for Readmission forms, and Authorization to Take Courses Off-Campus forms are obtained from the Registrar’s Office or from the Dominican web site.
