Administrative Involuntary Leave of Absence Policy

Administrative Involuntary Leave

Muhlenberg College reserves the right to place any student on an administrative involuntary leave of absence (“AILOA”) if that student is deemed incapable of participating successfully in the College’s educational programs or the College community. The following is a non-exclusive list of circumstances that may lead to a student being placed on an AILOA:

  1. Where a student is unable or unwilling to attend to personal needs related to food, shelter, hygiene or personal safety so that the student’s general well-being or the well-being of others is at risk.
  2. Where a student interferes with the daily activities of members of the College community or surrounding community, the educational or residential environment or with the orderly operation of the College.
  3. Where a student’s behavior unreasonably burdens other students causing them emotional, psychological or physical distress above the normal amount encountered in a college setting.
  4. Where a student engages in, or is at risk of engaging in, behavior that could threaten
    the safety of members of the College community.
  5. Where current medical knowledge or the best available objective evidence indicates that a student poses an actual risk to their own safety not based on mere speculation, stereotypes or generalizations.
  6. Where a student has not provided medical documentation as proof of required immunizations.

Administrative Involuntary Leave of Absence Process and Procedures

  1. In the event that the Dean of Students or a designee is notified that circumstances may exist that warrant placing a student on an AILOA, the Dean of Students or designee will contact the student in question and seek a voluntary resolution of the situation.
  2. The student will be given 48 hours to gather information related to the alleged circumstances giving rise to the AILOA and provide such information to the Dean of Students for review. During this period, the Dean of Student may impose interim measures, including but not limited to an interim AILOA, with which the student must comply.
  3. The Dean of Students, in consultation with a team of College professionals and administrators (the “Assessment Team”), will make an individual assessment of the circumstances based on the Assessment Team’s and the Dean’s reasonable judgment, using current medical advice or the best available objective evidence. The Dean of Students and the Assessment Team will consider the nature and severity of risk, probability of harm, and whether the risk can be mitigated by reasonable modifications of policies, practices or procedures (provided that any modifications related to academic standards or coursework shall be at the discretion of the applicable faculty
    member(s)).
  4. The Dean of Students, after consultation with the Assessment Team, will make a decision regarding the imposition of an AILOA and notify the student in writing.
  5. Within one week after being notified of the imposition of an AILOA, the student shall have the opportunity to make a written appeal of the decision to the Provost. The grounds for appeal shall be limited to the following:
    1. The existence of a procedural error(s) so substantial that such error(s) greatly impacted the decision, or
    2. The existence of new documentation or information that was not reasonably available at the time of the initial decision by the Dean of Students.

Reinstatement From Administrative Involuntary Leave of Absence

  1. In order to be reinstated from an AILOA, the student must submit to the Office of the Dean of Students a “Request for Reinstatement to Muhlenberg College after AILOA” Form and such other documentation as may be reasonably requested by the Dean of Students, verifying that the circumstances which led to the AILOA no longer prevent the student from participating successfully in the College’s educational programs or the College community.
  2. In order to allow for proper course registration and housing, submission of the “Request for Reinstatement to Muhlenberg College after AILOA ” Form and the other requested documentation must occur no later than August 1st for reinstatement in the Fall semester or December 10th for reinstatement in the Spring semester.
  3. After submitting the above documentation, the student must meet with the Dean of Students and/or other College officials, as determined by the Dean of Students.
  4. Upon receipt of the documentation and after the meeting with the student, the Dean of Students will review the Request for Reinstatement and consult with other College officials, as necessary, and then promptly advise the student regarding the Request for Reinstatement from an AILOA. The Dean of Students shall have the right to impose conditions such as, but not limited to, adherence to a behavioral agreement when granting a Request for Reinstatement.
Last Revised: 11/14/2018