Separation from the University

Separation from the University

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University of the Sciences in Philadelphia and its faculty reserve the right to dismiss at any time any student who is deemed undesirable, either on the grounds of conduct or of academic standing, and in this matter the faculty shall be the sole judge.

A student who has not attained good academic standing after completion of two consecutive or three nonconsecutive probationary semesters will be dropped from the rolls.

A student who fails any course twice will be dropped from the rolls. This regulation applies whether the course is taken in regular sessions or in summer school, at this University or at another institution.

A student who is dropped from the rolls is not eligible to attend any courses at this University.

A student who does not meet the criteria for progression into the third or professional year of the curriculum may be subject to being dropped from the rolls (refer to section on Academic Progress).

The college dean responsible for the student’s major will officially notify the student of this action and notify pertinent University offices of the change in status.

A student may apply to the college dean responsible for his/her degree program for a leave of absence. If the leave of absence is granted, the college dean will notify the student and pertinent University offices. Grounds for requesting a leave of absence may include serious family or medical conditions or other major life circumstances that may disrupt academic achievement.

An authorized leave permits the student to return to the University at the designated time without the necessity of formal reapplication and admissions processing. The terms of the leave will be specified by the dean.

If a leave is granted, the student must report to the office of his/her college dean by the return date specified on the Leave of Absence form. The dean will then notify the pertinent University offices that the student has been placed on active status.

If the student does not return by the return date specified on the Leave of Absence form, the student will be considered to have withdrawn from the University. The college dean will notify the student and the pertinent University offices of the change of status to withdrawn. Withdrawn status will become effective on the return date specified on the Leave of Absence form.

Requests for a voluntary Medical Leave of Absence are coordinated through the Dean of Students Office. Before a Medical Leave of Absence (MLOA) can be granted by the college dean’s office, the Dean of Students or his/her designee must recommend to the college dean’s office that the student be considered for such a leave. An MLOA is recommended when a student’s medical or psychological condition is deemed to significantly impair his or her ability to function successfully or safely in the academic environment. An MLOA, if approved, may be granted for a one-year period. The student must return by the designated agreed-upon date without risk to his/her continued enrollment at the University. An MLOA may not be granted for more than one year.

For consideration of an MLOA, the student must take the following steps.

Steps to Obtain an MLOA

1. Meet the criteria for consideration of an MLOA. The criteria include a significant mental or physical health issue that cannot be mitigated in a short period of time, such as an incident involving a major accident, injury, or significant illness requiring hospitalization or extended treatment. Also, the criteria may include the diagnosis of substance abuse or addiction (see Substance Abuse Policy).
2. Meet with the Dean of Students or his/her designee to review the precipitating concerns. Contact the Dean of Students Office, first floor, Whitecar Hall, 215.596.8950, to schedule an appointment.
3. Complete and return to the college dean’s office a signed Request for Medical Leave of Absence form (available from the student’s college dean’s office).
4. The college dean’s office will make the final determination if an MLOA can be granted and will notify the student in writing. The student may request to receive a verbal answer the same day the letter is sent to him or her.
5. The college dean’s office will also determine the student’s current coursework status and any withdrawal from courses.

In the event of an immediate and significant health or family emergency* a student may request a Short-Term Leave of Absence (SLOA) from his or her college dean. A short-term leave is intended to provide relief until a long-term remedy can be determined or the student resumes his or her academic course of study. An SLOA may not exceed 10 business days.

Note:
*Examples of a significant health or family emergency include:

• Death of a parent, sibling, or significant other.
• Major accident, injury, or major illness requiring hospitalization.
• Health and/or safety concern (i.e., risk to self or to others)-note that an SLOA does not negate or preclude the administration of the conduct policy or the administrative withdrawal policy.

Requesting an SLOA

The student should first contact his/her college dean. The student may be asked to provide documentation to verify the precipitating condition.

Upon approval of an SLOA, the college dean will notify all course instructors. Upon return to the academic program, the student is responsible for working with the instructors to complete missed assignments and complete the course requirements.

A student may be advised to withdraw either on the grounds of conduct or academic standing.

An official withdrawal from the University must be authorized by the college dean responsible for the student’s degree program. In order to obtain an official withdrawal, the student must first have an interview with the dean of the college in which the student is enrolled. The student must then submit to his/her dean a letter requesting withdrawal from the University. If approved, a “W” grade will be assigned for all courses in which the student is currently registered, unless the student withdraws after the conclusion of a term. The instructor for each course will be notified by the college dean of the student’s withdrawal and will have 10 working days from receipt of notice to reassign a course grade of “F” if appropriate. The official withdrawal date shall be determined by the date the letter of withdrawal is received by the college dean. The student will be considered to be in continuous attendance up to and including the date of receipt of the letter of withdrawal by the college dean. Ceasing to attend, or giving notice to an instructor, does not constitute an official withdrawal. The college dean will notify the student and the pertinent University offices of the withdrawal.

A student may be withdrawn from the University for major violations of University policy. Typical reasons for an administrative withdrawal include noncompliance with University policy (e.g., nonpayment of debt or exceeding program time limits). An administrative unit initiates the administrative withdrawal action, but authority to withdraw a student for administrative reasons rests with the dean of the student’s college. The student will be informed in writing by the dean of the action to withdraw and the criteria for readmission.

There is no guarantee of readmission following a separation from the University. The faculty reserves the right to readmit a student, and in this matter the faculty shall be the sole judge.

Students who voluntarily withdrew or were dropped from the rolls of the University may file an application for consideration of readmission with the dean of the college in which they seek to reenroll. To be considered for readmission, applications must be submitted by the following dates: no later than April 15 for the fall semester, no later than October 15 for the spring semester, and no later than February 15 for the summer session for those programs that accept summer admission. Application for readmission to the entry-level Doctor of Pharmacy program and the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy baccalaureate degree programs must be received by April 1 (all programs) for the fall semester and October 15 (all programs except pharmacy) for the spring semester.

Students who were dropped from the rolls will not be granted readmission for at least one calendar year from the date of separation from the University. The application for readmission must provide evidence of the student’s ability to complete his/her degree program. The application must be accompanied by any official transcripts of all course(s) taken at other accredited colleges or universities during the period of separation from University of the Sciences in Philadelphia.

A student may apply for readmission under the Fresh Start policy under the following circumstances: 1) the student has left the University after failing to achieve good academic standing, and 2) the student will have been absent from the University for at least one year between the date of withdrawal and the start date of the semester for which readmission is sought.

If a student is readmitted under the Fresh Start policy, his/her transcript will note all courses taken and grades earned at USP prior to readmission. However, grades previously earned will not contribute to the current GPA calculations and courses previously taken will not be accepted toward fulfillment of the student’s current degree requirements.

Acceptance of transfer credits from other institutions will be granted in accordance with current University policy.

After Fresh Start readmission, the student must comply with all current academic regulations required by the University and his/her degree program. No student will be readmitted under this policy more than one time. Once a student is reenrolled under the Fresh Start policy, the decision to treat the academic record as described above is irrevocable.

Students will be informed of the Fresh Start policy upon exiting the University and upon application for readmission in accordance with current University policy.

The final decision regarding readmission, including readmission under this Fresh Start policy, rests with the University’s faculty. The possible effect of the Fresh Start policy will be only one of the factors used in considering application for readmission.