Medical Withdrawal (from a semester or a course)

From a Semester: When a student experiences serious medical or psychological problems while enrolled at St. Lawrence University, he or she may request to take a voluntary medical withdrawal from all courses. Documentation from an appropriate medical, psychiatric, or psychological professional must be provided to the vice president and dean of student life at the time of application.  If a medical withdrawal from all courses is approved by the vice president and dean of student life, the student will leave campus immediately and will receive grades of   “WM” in all enrolled courses.  The student will be obligated to adhere to any readmission requirements outlined by the vice president and dean if he or she desires to return to St. Lawrence University.

The vice president and dean of student life may grant a medical withdrawal for the immediately proceeding semester for which the student was registered provided that:

a) the withdrawal is for the entire semester, and
b) in the dean’s judgement, application for the medical withdrawal could have been made and would have been granted for that semester.  Only in consultation with the Associate Dean for Academic Advisinge, and under unusual documented circumstances, may a medical withdrawal be granted for semesters prior to the last semester for which the student was registered. 

Similarly, the University may require a student to take a medical withdrawal (or impose other appropriate restrictions, e.g., restricted campus or housing access) if, in the judgment of the vice president and dean of student life, the student:

1. poses an imminent threat to the lives or safety of himself/herself or other members of the St. Lawrence University community (including a threat which results from the fact that the student cannot be properly treated in the University setting), or
2. has evidenced a medical condition or behavior that seriously interferes with the student’s ability to function in the University setting (thereby rendering the student unqualified to continue in the program) and/or seriously interferes with the educational pursuits of other members of the St. Lawrence University community.

In making the decision to require a medical withdrawal (or impose other restrictions), the vice president and dean of student life must act out of concern for the student and his or her rights, concern for other students and the concern for the University as a whole.  The Dean’s decision should be an individualized and objective assessment of the student’s ability to safely participate in the University’s program, based on a reasonable medical judgment relying on the most current medical knowledge or the best available objective evidence.  In cases of a student who poses a threat, this assessment should consider the nature, duration and severity of the risk posed by the student; the probability that the potentially threatening injury will actually occur; and whether reasonable modifications of policies, practices or procedures will sufficiently mitigate the risk.

Except in unusual circumstances, such as where safety is of immediate concern, a final decision to require a student to withdraw (or to impose other restrictions) should only be made after the vice president and dean of student life has first provided the student (on at least 24 hours advance notice) with an opportunity to meet.  In unusual circumstances, an interim withdrawal decision may be made (or other restrictions imposed, e.g., restricted campus or housing access) without first meeting with the student, but in such cases a meeting with the student should be arranged (normally within 72 hours) before that interim decision is made final.  In cases where the vice president and dean of students deems it advisable, he/she may require the student to undergo an assessment by a healthcare professional of the University’s choosing.

A student required to withdraw from the University (or subjected to other restrictions) under this provision may apply for readmission through the vice president and dean of student life, and if admitted will be subject to such conditions as may be required by the vice president and dean of student life.

A student remains subject to the University’s regular discipline system for acts of misconduct despite the applicability of this process.

A student who feels aggrieved by a final decision of the vice president and dean of student life may file a grievance with the University’s Section 504 Coordinator under the University’s Section 504/ADA grievance procedure.

In cases of both voluntary and required semester medical withdrawal, the policy on refunds contained in the University catalog will apply.

While on Medical Withdrawal, the student must absent him or herself from campus, unless access is otherwise expressly allowed by the vice president and dean of student lifeexpressly allows access.

From a course: When a student experiences a medical or psychological condition that severely impacts one course, then that student may request a medical withdrawal (WM) from that course provided the student submits appropriate documentation from a licensed physician or psychologist. A “WM“ from one course does not require the student to vacate campus. Additionally, a “WM“ from one course does not allow the student to receive financial credit in a future semester.