Middlebury College recognizes its obligation to protect the welfare of the College community and reserves to itself the right to determine when that welfare is jeopardized. Specifically, the authorities of the College (the dean of the college; the vice president for Language Schools, Schools Abroad and Graduate Programs; the director of the Bread Loaf School of English; or the director of the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference, as appropriate) may, without further consultation, (1) exclude from the campus any student whose presence is deemed potentially dangerous to the College community or to himself or herself, and (2) take prompt disciplinary action, independent of the status of any action by local, state, or national authority. The College will neither attempt to interfere in any case involving a student and legal authority nor permit such involvement to affect its own disciplinary procedures.
When the College excludes a student from campus for disciplinary reasons, the fees that are due or which may have been paid in advance will not be remitted or refunded, in whole or in part. Neither the College nor any of its officers will be under any liability whatsoever for such exclusion.
A. Good Academic Standing
Students are "in good academic standing" if they are enrolled in at least three courses each semester, and in at least seven courses each academic year (fall, winter, and spring) and are making satisfactory progress toward their degrees. Seniors who need only one or two courses to graduate and who have been approved for special student status are also considered to be "in good academic standing."
Satisfactory progress consists of compliance with the policy on full-time student status as defined in the Handbook section on "course load" (see "Course Registration and Conduct of Courses" section of this chapter), or having been approved for an exception to that policy by the Administration Committee.
"Successful completion of a year" for veterans' benefits certification is defined as "in good standing." Students taking fewer than four courses, however, should consult with the registrar regarding veterans' benefits.
B. Course Warnings
Faculty members may send out course warnings to students thought to be in danger of receiving grades of "D" or "F." The Commons Dean will normally notify parents or guardians of students who receive more than one warning in one subject or warnings in two or more subjects.
C. Probation
See "Grades and Records" section of this chapter. A student who receives two D grades or one failing grade and a D grade in a single semester will be placed on probation until the end of the following fall or spring semester. A student completing a semester with three units of credit who receives one D or one F will be placed on probation. A student who receives a D or an F in the winter term will be placed on probation for the spring semester. Students placed on probation more than twice in their College careers will be required to withdraw. A student readmitted after an academic failure is readmitted on probation for the following fall or spring semester.
D. Leave of Absence
A student may be granted leave-of-absence status to pursue a full-time program of studies at another recognized and accredited college or university in the United States or abroad.
1. Leave-of-absence status for overseas programs is approved by the Off-Campus Study (Programs Abroad) Committee at the request of the student and the recommendation of his or her major department. Course programs must be approved by the appropriate Middlebury departments if leave status is to be granted.
2. Middlebury agrees to accept approved junior year abroad programs as equivalent to a full year's work. Students on other leave have no such guarantee and must seek final approval of courses after their return to Middlebury. Students on leave, under either junior year abroad or leave of absence, must inform the College if they withdraw from the institution they are attending or if they take a reduced course load.
3. The following policies will govern readmission for students who have been approved for programs of off-campus study and then wish to change their status:
a. Such students will be readmitted for fall or spring semester only. They will not be readmitted for winter term, even if they claim to have a place to live off-campus.
b. The deadline for guaranteed readmission for the fall semester is June 1. After this date, students who wish to be readmitted will be placed on a waiting list. Students on the waiting list will be notified on September 1 if they have been readmitted for the fall.
c. The deadline for guaranteed readmission for the spring semester is November 15. After this date, students who wish to be readmitted will be placed on a waiting list. Students on the waiting list will be notified on January 15 if they have been readmitted for the spring.
d. There will be no readmissions after the September 1 and January 15 dates.
E. Withdrawal
1. General Provisions
Students who wish to withdraw for any reason must notify the dean of their Commons in writing. The dean shall determine their status at the point of withdrawal. The courses of students who withdraw prior to December 1 of the fall semester or May 1 of the spring semester will be deleted from the transcript. Students who withdraw in the middle of a semester cannot normally be readmitted for at least one semester. The courses of students who withdraw after December 1 of the fall semester or May 1 of the spring semester will remain on the transcript. A course with a failing grade assessed on a student as part of a penalty for academic dishonesty imposed by the Academic Judicial Board will not be deleted from the transcript regardless of the time in the semester when the student withdraws. A grade of F will be recorded for all courses listed regardless of work accomplished and the student will be listed as an academic failure. The student may be required to spend the subsequent semester away from Middlebury College. Students who withdraw during the winter term will receive a grade of F for the winter term. Exceptions are made by the dean only for medical or exceptional personal circumstances. No refunds are permitted on College fees except for prorated board charges, unless the withdrawal is for medical reasons. (See Student Finances chapter of this handbook.)
2. Voluntary Withdrawal
Students who withdraw in good standing normally will be assigned a readmittance date at the time they withdraw. They must confirm their plan to return on this readmittance date with their Commons Dean no later than June 1 for the fall term and November 15 for the spring semester. Students who fail to confirm their plans to return by these deadlines will be placed on a waiting list for readmission. Normally, readmission is for fall or spring semester only. Students will be readmitted for winter term only with special permission from the Office of the Dean of the College.
3. Other Withdrawals
Students who withdraw from the College for medical or psychiatric reasons must have their attending physician or psychiatrist write to the dean of their Commons recommending readmission. The Office of the Dean of the College will decide about the advisability of readmission after receiving the information from the medical professional. If the student requires continuing medication or medical follow-up, this information should be forwarded to the College medical director. Students who are withdrawn in the middle of a semester cannot normally be readmitted for at least one semester.
Students who wish to be readmitted from a medical or other conditional withdrawal must notify their Commons dean of their request to be considered for readmission no later than June 1 for the fall semester and November 15 for the spring semester. Decisions on these requests will be made after full documentation has been received from medical professionals and others.
F. Resignation
Students who wish to leave Middlebury College and plan never to return may resign from Middlebury College. Students who resign must notify the dean of their Commons in writing. There is no readmission after a resignation.
G. Academic Failure
A student who receives two F grades, three D grades, or one F grade and two D grades during a fall or spring semester earns an academic failure and is required to withdraw. Seventh-semester seniors will be reviewed by the Administration Committee prior to final action.
A student on probation who receives one F grade or two D grades in the subsequent fall or spring semester is required to withdraw.
A student who receives D or an F in the winter term while on probation will be required to withdraw. Students placed on probation more than twice in their College career will be required to withdraw.
A student who is enrolled in three courses and receives one F and one D grade, or two D grades, will be required to withdraw. A student enrolled in three courses who is on probation and who receives one D grade will be required to withdraw.
At any time, a student failing a course, consistently receiving grades below C-, or in any way neglecting the obligations of a course, may be placed on course warning.
Students failing in their studies generally may be withdrawn from the College by the Administration Committee if, in its judgment, failure is due to lack of application or to a negligent attitude.
H. Readmission
A student withdrawn for academic failure will not be readmitted except by special action of the Administration Committee. Readmission is a special privilege, not a right. The committee will take favorable action only when it is satisfied that the factors which led to failure have been rectified and that the student has both ample motivation and capacity to earn a degree. Mere lapse of time is not a sufficient basis for readmission. The burden of proof of motivation and capacity rests with the student. The student is encouraged to enroll at another accredited institution and to achieve a good record there. In some cases, when approved by the Commons dean, military service or employment may be considered as favorable evidence.
Application for readmission must be made to the Administration Committee through the Office of the Dean of the College by June 1 for fall semester, and by November 15 for spring semester. Students found to be in academic failure in the spring semester and who request immediate readmission for the following fall must apply by July 1. The Administration Committee may defer action on these applications until an official transcript showing work completed at another institution has been received at Middlebury. Normally, readmission is for fall or spring semeser only. Students will be readmitted for winter term only with special permission from the Administration Committee in consultation with the student's Commons dean. Any student readmitted will be on probation for the first semester following return and, if withdrawn a second time, will not be readmitted. A student readmitted on probation for winter term remains on probation for spring semester.
I. Special Students
With departmental approval, Middlebury students may apply to the Administration Committee for special student status in cases of documented chronic illness or when they need only one or two courses to graduate. Special students are charged by the course and ordinarily may not live on campus. In special circumstances, the Administration Committee may grant permission for special students to live and eat on campus. These students are billed the customary comprehensive fee for the semester, less the per course rate for one course, as that is the only distinction between these students and those taking three courses during the semester.
Students who have a documented illness that develops late in the semester and prevents them from being able to fulfill their academic responsibilities may apply to the Administration Committee for permission to carry a reduced course load as a full-time student. Students who receive approval for a reduced course load pay the full comprehensive fee.
Applications for special student status must be filed with the Administration Committee by March 15 for the fall semester and November 15 for the spring semester. Students whose circumstances change after March 15 or November 15 may file applications for special student status after those deadlines if they have compelling reasons for requesting special student status.
Occasionally, a student working toward an undergraduate degree at another institution may be granted special student status by the Administration Committee with the approval of the degree-granting institution. This is done primarily to accommodate Middlebury residents who have to be home for a period of time. Students who have received their baccalaureate degree normally may not be admitted for credit to undergraduate courses at Middlebury.
J. Adjunct Students
A small number of students, primarily foreign nationals, may be admitted as non-degree candidates. They will take as many or few courses as desired, will decide whether or not to receive grades, and will pay full tuition. The Administration Committee will admit them and oversee their programs.
K. Visiting Students
Students from other colleges may be admitted through the Administration Committee, if space is available, for one semester as non-matriculated students. Such students are required to be in good academic and social standing at their home institutions and have the approval of their home institutions. The Administration Committee will review potential visiting students' applications and transcripts and proposed courses of study at Middlebury to ensure that the students meet academic standards and that there is room in the courses they plan to take. Any visiting student wishing to transfer to Middlebury must apply in the regular manner through the Admissions Office.