Interim Policy, Aug. 30, 2023
Requesting a Medical Leave of Absence:
Occidental College (Oxy) students who have a medical or psychological condition that is negatively impacting their academic success may request a Medical Leave of Absence (MLOA). Medical leaves are intended to give students time to focus on their health and wellbeing so that they can return to campus and be successful in their academic and co-curricular pursuits.
We know that the decision to take a medical leave of absence (MLOA) can be challenging and we strive to make the process following the decision as simple as possible. Our goal is for students to feel that prioritizing one's health and wellbeing is an important and valued choice. In order to begin the process, students must meet with a Student Success Advisor in the Dean of Students office or Disability Services to discuss the MLOA process. Student Success Advisors seek to gain an understanding of the factors leading to the MLOA decision, and to make sure to answer any questions that arise. Students taking a MLOA indicate whether their reason for leavetaking is related to mental health, physical health, substance use, eating disorders, or similar challenges, or any combination of these factors.
Depending on their circumstance, we connect students to appropriate resources on campus (such as Emmons Wellness Center) to consult on any immediate treatment needs, and to offer support and referral if needed for the student's time away from Oxy. For some students with established care, these consultations may be unnecessary or brief. For other students who may not be sure how best to proceed, these resources can be extremely helpful in thinking about next steps in self-care.
Students are encouraged to discuss with their support network (which may include family, medical care providers, academic advisors, student success advisors etc.) before making a decision. When they have decided the MLOA option is best for them, the student success advisor working with them will help them complete a simple one page Leave Withdrawal Form, and indicate on the form the reason for their leave.
International students enrolled at Oxy with an F-1 visa must consult with an IPO staff member to discuss the implications of a Medical LOA for their immigration status and/or student visa.
Staff in the Registrar’s Office process the form and notify offices on campus who need to be aware (e.g. Residential Life, Financial Aid, etc.). Students will receive a confirmation email noting their MLOA status and reviewing the process to receive approval to return guidelines. With the student’s consent and consistent with FERPA, a student's parent/guardian will also receive a simple notification informing them that the student will be on a medical leave. Your Student Success Advisor can also support you in planning for departing campus if you need support in this way. The deadline for requesting a medical leave once the semester is underway is the last day of classes. An approved medical leave that was requested before Census date for a given semester will not appear on a student’s transcript; there will simply be no classes recorded for that semester(s). An approved medical leave requested after the start of the semester but before the last day of classes will result in “W” next to each applicable course.
As noted elsewhere, MLOAs are intended to give students time to focus on their health and wellbeing so that they can return to campus and be successful in their academic and co-curricular pursuits. In addition, students who have taken a MLOA can appeal for one extra semester of financial aid (beyond what was originally offered when admitted to Occidental) if progress toward completing the degree was impeded by receiving financial aid during a semester in which they received no academic credit. Appeal requests for one extra semester of financial aid will be considered on a case by case basis by the Occidental College Financial Aid Appeals Committee, and is not guaranteed. Appeal requests, supported by medical documentation, can be uploaded to the student’s IDOC portal.
Returning from a Medical Leave of Absence
Medical leaves are intended to give students time to focus on their health and wellbeing so that they can return to campus and be successful in their academic and co-curricular pursuits. The MLOA clearance process is designed to ensure that students have taken such care, and that appropriate support and resources are in place for their return.
The guidelines governing approval to return following a Medical Leave of Absence seek to assure, in consultation with the student and their medical care providers, that the student will be able to participate safely and effectively in the autonomous student environment at Oxy, meet academic and technical standards (with or without reasonable accommodation), and adequately monitor their own health. Please note that the academic program at Occidental College is delivered through in-person instruction and involves on-campus residency requirements, and thus any accommodations must be designed to enable in-person participation. The approval to return process also provides a review of the ongoing support a student may need (e.g. medications, and/or continued psychotherapy appointments, and/or continued medical appointments). When applying for approval to return from a MLOA all the required materials outlined below should be submitted via email to the Dean of Students Office by the deadlines indicated: deanofstudents@oxy.edu.
In addition to a Returning Student Application students must also submit three additional documents:
A Student letter: The letter should be sent to the attention of the Student Success Advisor who you have been working with. The letter should include:
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A header including your name, current email, and physical address at which you will receive your decision letter.
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The term for which the student is petitioning to return from their MLOA.
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Discussion of the factors that led to the leavetaking.
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An overview of the care and treatment received to address the health issue that led to the leave.
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Other activities in which the student has engaged while on their MLOA (for example: work, taking courses, volunteering, pursuing other interests) which may both contribute to their wellbeing and their readiness to return.
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Reflection on the student’s ability to return to the rigors of academic study, the independent residential living environment, and the social demands of Oxy.
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An overview of the student’s plans for how the student will manage the rigors of Oxy once the student has returned (continued treatment, building a support network, accessing resources, etc.) and any reasonable accommodations, if applicable, the student may need to return successfully.
Treatment Provider Letter(s): For leaves which require consultation from Emmons Wellness Center (Counseling), students must submit a letter from their mental health treatment provider. For leaves which require consultation from Emmons Wellness Center students must submit a letter from their physical health treatment provider. Students may submit more than one letter from treatment providers (e.g., a therapist and psychiatrist or a primary care and specialist health provider). In some instances, students may submit letters from both a mental health treatment provider and physician. The Leave Withdrawal Form signed at the time of leavetaking indicates the clearance type.
The treatment provider’s letter should include the following information:
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A statement of their opinion on whether the student will be ready to return to the rigorous academic and social demands of full time, in-person enrollment, and the independent residential experience at the College, by the beginning of the term for which the student is petitioning to return from medical leave. A reduced course load may be a reasonable accommodation for the student to continue full time enrollment. The statement should include the basis for their opinion on the student’s readiness to return.
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If there are concerns about the student’s readiness to return to the rigorous academic and social demands of full time, in-person enrollment, and the independent residential experience at the College, the treatment provider should explain those concerns. The treatment provider should include any recommendations that would mitigate those concerns, including any reasonable accommodations that would enable the student to successfully participate in Oxy’s programs.
Release of Information Form: Since the treatment provider letter is maintained as part of your medical record in Emmons Wellness Center, a limited Release of Information Form is required in order for the Oxy clinicians to participate fully in the Medical Leave Clearance Committee. Signing the release allows Oxy’s clinicians to share some information included in the support letter provided to us. The form is Oxy’s standard release and indicates that you give Emmons staff who review your letter permission to share relevant information with the committee. This release does not apply to any information aside from the letter, and it does not give permission to share the contents of the letter with anyone outside of the committee. The form can be found in the MLOA section of the Student Support Services website and will also be provided to you as part of reminders about the medical leave clearance process.
All materials should be submitted to the Dean of Student Office and should be submitted via a single email to: deanofstudents@oxy.edu. Oxy’s Medical Leave Clearance Committee may request additional information, if needed to assess the student’s petition to return. Please note, Student Success Advisors are available to answer questions about the requested materials or any other aspect of the process.
We encourage students to take sufficient time to address the health-related concerns that led to their leavetaking. Returning too soon may result in the student continuing to struggle academically and personally. The length of the leave is intended to allow a student sufficient time away from campus to address medical needs and to engage in activities that will contribute to a successful return. Students who are not approved to return may request to return again at any subsequent review period and/or appeal the denial. Any student whose request to return is denied will receive a detailed written explanation of the College’s decision not to allow the student to return, including all reasons for the denial, citing the best available objective medical evidence on which the decision was based, and may appeal the denial as described below.
Occidental College administers medical leaves in a nondiscriminatory manner. The medical leave clearance process requires an individualized assessment based on the best available objective medical evidence. The College will provide reasonable modifications to Oxy policies, practices, and procedures that are necessary to prevent discrimination unless the modifications would fundamentally alter the nature of the College’s academic standards, course requirements, goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations (“reasonable modifications”). Students with disabilities may request reasonable modifications to Oxy’s medical leave clearance policies, practices, and procedures by contacting accessibility@oxy.edu.
See the deadlines here:
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Final deadline to submit your returning student application:
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To return in the
FALL SEMESTER
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To return in the
SPRING SEMESTER
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To return and be guaranteed consideration for Fin Aid
Please note that to be considered for financial aid for any semester, you must have submitted your FAFSA, your CSS Profile, your Student Supplemental Application and have uploaded your family's income tax documents by March 2nd of the prior academic year (see Office of Financial Aid website)
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May 1st
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November 1st
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To be fully considered for Disability Services housing accommodations, if applicable
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March 1st
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November 1st
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To participate in course registration with your Class
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February 25th
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September 25th
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To return and be guaranteed for housing
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June 1st
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November 1st
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To return and participate in room draw for housing
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February 1st
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N/A
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Clearance to return after a Medical Leave of Absence
Timeline & Process
In order to carefully consider each petition and the individual situation of each student, the review process takes approximately four weeks following the respective deadlines:
Week One: Compile all materials, follow up with the student on any missing materials, and distribute letters to Student Success Advisors and Emmons clinicians for review. The Registrar’s Office checks for clearance holds with other offices on campus.
Week Two: Student Success Advisors and clinicians from Emmons Wellness Center review their respective letters. These staff may reach out to students and/or clinicians to request additional information that may not be contained in the letters, but which may help to understand the student’s readiness to return. However, any requests for additional information will be narrowly tailored to information that is reasonably needed to resolve individualized and objective questions or concerns regarding the student’s fitness to return to Oxy. The statements of treatment providers will be accorded considerable weight.
Week Three: The Medical Leave Clearance Committee meets to review each petition. The Student Success Advisor working with each student presents their petition. Following the meeting, Student Success Advisors may communicate to students with questions that the committee has about their treatment and activities while on leave or plans for care once they have returned. Any information that the Student Success Advisors seek will be narrowly tailored to information that is reasonably needed to resolve individualized and objective questions or concerns regarding the student’s fitness to return to Oxy.
Week Four: Any follow up is completed. Decision letters are prepared and distributed.
Medical Leave Clearance Committee & Criteria
The committee is composed of the Associate Dean of Students, the Student Success Advisor who has been working with the student, the Director of Disability Services, the Director of Emmons Wellness Center, and the Associate Dean for Student Academic Affairs. The committee makes an individualized assessment of each student and seeks to determine that the student has met the following clearance criteria:
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Received appropriate and sufficient treatment from mental health and/or physical health care providers.
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Demonstrates insight regarding the circumstances that led to their MLOA.
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Demonstrates readiness to return to full-time residential enrollment (note: a reduced course load may be a reasonable modification for the student to continue full time enrollment.) This may be shown through the general activities of the student while on leave.
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Demonstrates the ability to function in the student residential environment, with or without reasonable accommodations to College policies, practices, or procedures.
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Demonstrates an appropriate plan for managing the rigors of Oxy upon return. The plan may include their academic, residential, and social life balance, their support system (family and friends) and how it contributes to their readjustment, continued care from clinicians, and other activities in which they will engage to care for themselves.
The Medical Leave Clearance Committee will simultaneously coordinate with the Financial Aid Office to initiate a financial review and clearance process.
Clearance Letter & Transition
Once the review is complete, if approved by the Medical Leave Clearance Committee to return the Registrar’s Office notifies other offices on campus who may have placed conditions on the student’s return. If cleared by those offices, students are notified by a letter from the registrar that they have been cleared to return from a leave pending completion of the usual non-medical clearance process at the start of the semester. The chair of the Medical Leave Clearance Committee will also send a letter to the student that will include recommendations for support resources on campus that may be useful to the student, and any other conditions for re-enrollment, such as completing the College’s non-medical clearance process. A student who is approved by the Medical Leave Clearance Committee will be assigned a Student Success Advisor. The student may be in touch with their Student Success Advisor at any point with questions about the transition back to Oxy. The Student Success Advisor will also reach out to the student shortly after their return to check in.
If not approved to return by the Medical Leave Clearance Committee the chair of the committee will communicate directly with the student setting forth the reasons for the denial, and will notify the registrar that the student is not approved to return.
APPEAL PROCESS
Within five (5) business days of notification of a denial by the Medical Leave Clearance Committee, the student may appeal, in writing, the decision of the committee, setting out the reason(s) for the appeal and any supporting materials. Appeals will be submitted to the Dean of Students or their designee. A student may appeal a decision of the committee denying the student's request for readmission based on one or both of the following grounds: (1) there is relevant new information that was not reasonably available at the time the student submitted their materials to apply to return, and that would have affected the outcome of the College’s or committee’s decision, and/or (2) there was a material procedural error by the College or committee that affected the outcome of the College’s or committee’s decision. The appeal officer shall review the record and any additional information submitted in the appeal and determine whether to uphold or modify the decision of the committee or to return the matter to the committee with instructions for reconsideration.
Decisions will be communicated to the student within ten (10) business days of the appeal deadline.
Student Success Advisors are available to answer questions about the requested materials or any other aspect of the process.