Leave Of Absence Due to Military Deployment

The faculty and staff at Western Connecticut value the service of those students in the armed forces and have created a dedicated Leave of Absence policy for these students being activated.  To be eligible, students called to active duty must present a copy of their orders to the Office of Veteran Affairs as soon as possible.  The office will notify the instructors and the appropriate offices about their activation.

The length and dates of the activation may vary, and students are encouraged to discuss their options available to them with their instructors.  Students may not be eligible for incomplete grades if the activation is prior to the midpoint of the term or if the nature of the course prohibits the student from working independently.  The final determination of the student’s eligibility and deadline for any incomplete grades is left to the discretion of the instructor.

For activations longer than 3 weeks, students may:

1. Withdraw from all courses and request of Military Leave of Absence.
2. Work with instructors and determine if an incomplete grade is appropriate.
3. Take the course as a Pass/Fail pursuant with the Pass/Fail policy.
4. Any combination of the above.

Students who have been issued an incomplete grade during a long-term activation should understand that the work missed while on active duty must be completed within the time limit established by the instructor.  Work not completed by the established deadline may result in a failing grade for the course.

For activations less than 3 weeks, instructors should treat the student’s absence as excused absences.  Students must work with their instructors to ensure that any missed work is completed in a timely manner after returning from activation.

All students who are being activated for more than 3 weeks must complete a Leave of Absence Form and return it to the Registrar’s Office prior to leaving the institution.  This allows students to return to the university under the program requirements when they left and return without reapplying for admission.  This Leave of Absence is good for one year but may be extended if the student’s active-duty status is extended.  Students who take a Leave of Absence and do not return after their activation must complete the readmissions process with the Admissions Office.