Policies on Part-time Enrollment, Leave of Absence, Withdrawal from Program, Requests for Reinstatement, and Termination of Program
(revised 1/00)

The GTU is required to report to various accrediting, lending, and professional organizations each year on the number of students we have and their formal status. This requirement is a wise one, since we as an institution need to know the status of students in order to provide ongoing services and guidance adequately to all active students, and in order to encourage and help students to finish their programs within a reasonable length of time. Thus we have designed the following policies to ensure accurate and responsible mutual communication through the course of the program. They are also designed to ensure justice: that is, to ensure that students are paying equal fees for equal services. We cannot ask some of the students to bear the financial burdens for others.

Each semester all GTU students must register for a full load of classes or request part-time enrollment status, request a leave of absence, or formally withdraw from the program. These requests must be made to and approved by the Dean of Students by the end of general registration to avoid a late fee, and no later than the late registration deadline under any circumstances. Please keep the GTU informed of your current address at all times so that we can send you information you will need.

Part-Time Enrollment

Students are expected to enroll full-time in the doctoral program. A student may not be able to carry a full load in a semester due to personal, medical, and /or financial circumstances. The student must submit and have approved a request for part-time status each semester, including the number of units he/she plans to take and the reasons for the request, to the Dean of Students before the general registration deadline for that semester, to avoid a late fee.

Students can only enroll part-time during the tuition phase of their doctoral program, and cannot enroll part-time when paying continuing fees. Students have to pay the equivalent of four semesters of full tuition before they will be advanced to continuing fee status.

Leave of Absence

A student who is unable to continue academic work must submit a Petition for a Leave of Absence, providing in writing the personal, medical, or financial reasons for the request. The request should include specific reasons for the leave so that the Dean's office can determine if the leave is warranted. The petition should be sent to the Dean of Students. The Dean's office will communicate the decision in writing.

Students will be granted no more than four semesters of leave during the entire program and no more than two semesters consecutively. The only exception to this is an extraordinary leave for medical purposes.

Extraordinary Leave - Medical Purposes
Unfortunately, some students face medical conditions that prevent them from working on their program for a significant period of time. Students may request a one-time extraordinary leave for medical purposes. Students must submit to the Dean of Students a formal petition explaining the reasons for the leave and written documentation from the student's physician recommending the specific time frame away from the program. The Dean of Students will communicate in writing the decision on whether a request is approved or denied. The deadline and fees for a leave of absence apply. Students unable to continue their academic work in the program for more than four consecutive semesters should consider a student-initiated withdrawal.

In order to be fair to all students, the GTU assumes that students on leave of absence will abide by the following guidelines.

1. For students who have not yet proposed their dissertations, a leave of absence entails a break in all academic work including coursework, exams, use of the library, and interaction with faculty.
2. Students who are actively preparing a proposal for comprehensive examinations or for the dissertation may not take a leave of absence.
3. Students who have outstanding debt with the GTU Business Office will not be approved for a leave of absence. Students must clear their debt before they can be considered for a leave.
4. For students who are in dissertation, a leave of absence entails a break in library privileges and the assumption that the student will not be using faculty resources. In addition, while work on the dissertation may continue in a minor way, the assumption is that students on leave are unable to devote a major portion of their time to the dissertation.

Students who are on a leave of absence may not purchase a library card at the Hewlett (GTU) Library.

Students whose request for a leave is approved by the end of general registration will not be charged tuition but will be instead be charged a leave of absence fee which is paid by all students on leave. Students whose leave is approved after general registration is over but before the end of the second week of classes will be charged an additional late fee.

Students are advised to consult with the Financial Aid Office about whether a leave is the best financial decision. Students with educational loans need to check carefully that a leave will not jeopardize their deferment of payment. Payments on all state and federal loans may go into repayment within six months.

Questions about the leave of absence policy should be directed to the Dean of Students at 510/649-2464.

Withdrawal from Program

Withdrawal severs the relationship between the student and the GTU. Committees are dissolved. It is intended to be an irreversible decision.

Students must clear all outstanding debt with the GTU Business Office before seeking to withdraw from the doctoral program. Failure to do so will affect a student’s good standing with the GTU at the time of withdrawal and may affect efforts for reinstatement. Students who withdraw during an academic term (rather than between terms) may be eligible to have a portion of their tuition refunded – see Tuition and Fees for more information.

Files of students who withdraw or are withdrawn will be kept for seven years, after which time they will be destroyed. This includes placement files.

Requests for Reinstatement

If a student has withdrawn, he or she may petition for reinstatement within two years.

Such petitions are extraordinary; there is no presumption of a right to reenter.

1. The faculty committee will have been formally dissolved; faculty are under no obligation to return to the committee.
2. Language exams or comprehensives passed more than seven years prior to reinstatement will have to be revalidated; the process of revalidation is determined by the faculty.
3. A committee of faculty from the relevant Area will be asked to make a formal decision on whether or not to reinstate.
4. In questions of protocol, it will be assumed that the reinstated student will be bound by the catalogue and policies current at the time of reinstatement. If the student wishes to use policies current during the time of original enrollment, petition must be made to the Area for permission.
5. Students will be liable for the administrative leave of absence fees and late registration fees for the period of inactivity if reinstated.

Two years after having withdrawn, students requesting readmission must reapply through the doctoral admissions process. They would normally be required to redo or recertify all work more than seven years old.

Termination of Program

Students who fail to register or request a leave of absence by the late registration deadline will be removed from active rolls, and their programs will be terminated.

Students may also be terminated for failing to meet agreed upon deadlines in completing their degree program.

A student whose program has been terminated may petition for reinstatement within two years. This process will be the same as for withdrawn students; but if reinstated, such students must pay a $150 reinstatement fee and are liable for all late registration fees and intervening tuition or continuing fees during the period they are separated from their program.