How Your Dean Can Help

Think about how you want your professor to address your question. If you are hoping for a longer answer, or anticipate having follow-up questions, attending office hours or scheduling an appointment is the way to go. Office Hours are also a nice way for your professors to learn more about you, and for you to learn about opportunities outside of the classroom!

Do you instead have a quick, clarifying question? First, carefully read over the syllabus, class announcement page and/or assignment instruction sheet. If you find that you are able to answer your own question, take this important win and be glad that you did not send an email to a professor that elicited strong feelings of frustration.  

If you do not see your questions answered on the syllabus, class announcement page and/or assignment instruction sheet, then email is likely the most appropriate form of communication. One important thing to remember with email is that it does not guarantee a timely response. If you have a question about an assignment, make sure that you ask your question at least 2 business days in advance of the due date. If you find that you are frequently looking at assignments less than 48 hours before they are due, make an appointment with Learning Resources in the Center for Teaching, Learning and Research to gain helpful skills around time management and planning.

Begin with a professional greeting and remember that your professor has a name and not just a title (e.g., begin with “Dear Prof. Sellers” and not “Hi Prof!”). 

Next, do your best to state as concisely as possible what you are asking for and why. If you are asking for something that is difficult or uncomfortable, such as an assignment extension or grade change, make sure that you read your message out loud before sending it. This way you are more likely to pick up on phrases, tones and nuances that might be interpreted differently from how you are intending to come across. 

In all instances, you want to make sure to check your emails over for proper grammar and spelling.

You are your best advocate. The ability to effectively communicate your needs is also a skill that will serve you well for the rest of your life. Just make sure that you don’t make a habit of asking for assignment extensions. If you notice a pattern of not being able to meet assignment deadlines, make an appointment with your Class Dean to explore underlying reasons for this pattern of behavior and to learn more about resources that are here to support your academic success!

Class Deans may reach out on behalf of students in instances in which the student is taking an official temporary medical leave, has recently lost a loved one or if they are experiencing a significant and unanticipated challenge, if requested.  

Final Exam Schedules can be found on the Registrar’s Course Scheduling site.

Final exam changes cannot be made to accommodate travel or due to athletic events (please speak with your coach for guidance). Class Deans are only able to approve requests to change the time of a final exam (1) if a student has three examinations scheduled in 24 hours; (2) if there is a scheduling conflict (two exams at the same time); or (3) if there are emergencies or compelling circumstances.  Final examination schedules will not be altered to accommodate student travel plans. Faculty members may not alter a student’s final examination schedule (Middlebury Handbook). If you feel you meet the criteria and would like to request a change in final exam time, please fill out a request. Once at this site, select “student” under affiliation, “request to change final exam” under report type and then follow the instructions from there.

The decision to take 5 classes should not be taken lightly. When considering this option,be sure to map out the time you will need to devote to co-curricular opportunities and self-care needs such as sleep, social connection and movement in addition to the time associated with attending class and completing assignments. Seek out the advice of your academic advisor, trusted mentors and people who know you well before moving forward with this request. Remember, there are many other options to make up credits that your Class Dean would be happy to discuss with you.

There are several things that your Class Dean must take into consideration while evaluating your application to take 5 credits. To be eligible for consideration, you must:

• Be of Sophomore or Junior standing 
• Have at least a 3.2 GPA in your two preceding semesters.
• Demonstrate that you can handle the increased workload.
• Seniors need only faculty approval for a fifth credit, entered in BannerWeb and emailed to the Registrar.
• First Year students in their first or second semester at Middlebury are not permitted to take five credits in a semester. To request an exception to this policy, students may petition the Administration Committee.

If you are a Sophomore or Junior and meet the above criteria, you will follow this link to request to take a 5th credit. Once at the form, you will need to do the following:

• Select the role of “student” in the first drop down menu “Affiliation with Middlebury.”
• Select “Request to add 5th credit” in the second drop down menu “Student Report Type.”

As part of the application process, you should be in touch with the course instructor to request permission to join the class. Upon approval, the instructor will need to put that in an email to you, and then will need to add an approval in Banner for the credit to be added. A copy of this email will need to be included in this application.

Next, you will need to email your advisor for hir support to add the credit and also have hir email hir approval. A copy of this email will also need to be included in this application. (Save as a pdf)

Only complete applications will be considered. Once the decision has been made, you will receive an email with an Approval or Denial of the request.

If you receive approval, the Office of the Registrar will add your 5th credit to your schedule. Once added, you will be able to see the credit in Banner. It is important to monitor your email for outreach from the Registrar in the event there are barriers to your request.

Keep in mind, 5th credits can be added during the add period, which is separate from normal registration. Students may work towards prior approval by submitting this application, but they cannot be officially added until later.

Additional information on half credits is available from the Registrar

Incompletes are issued only in unanticipated, exceptional circumstances that arise 1) near the end of the term and 2) when a student has been meeting the majority of course expectations.  Incompletes are not issued when students have not been keeping up with work in a course regardless of their circumstances or if the circumstances that have caused them to fall behind occurred prior to the end of the term.

Class Deans will work with students and their faculty to determine if a student’s circumstances meet these criteria. Once it is determined that a Class Dean supports a grade of incomplete, the professor and the Class Dean collaborate to create an Incomplete Contract which is sent to the student, the course instructor and the Office of the Registrar. Students should reach out directly to their Class Dean if they would like to explore the possibility of being issued a grade of Incomplete.

The Administration Committee hears requests from students and faculty for exceptions to certain academic policies.  If you are considering making a request for an exception to an academic policy, you should make an appointment to meet with your Class Dean prior to submitting a petition to the Administration Committee.  You can learn more about the general petition process and requirements by visiting the Administration Committee homepage.

Middlebury College undergraduate students can apply for transfer credit for courses taken at other U.S. colleges and universities. Find more information about the transfer credit criteria, process and policies. 

Information about the College’s Leave of Absence policies can be found in the Student Handbook.  Students who are considering taking a leave of absence to tend to personal concerns should make an appointment with their Class Dean. Students who are considering taking a leave of absence to tend to mental or physical health concerns should reach out to the Care Management Office by emailing middcares@middlebury.edu.

Please note that after June 1 students who change their fall semester status from full-time, on-campus to leave of absence will be charged a $500 late enrollment change fee.  After October 15 students who change their spring semester status from full-time, on-campus to leave of absence will be charged a $500 late enrollment change fee.  For students who elect to take a leave of absence during a semester in progress, student accounts will be credited according to the tuition refund schedule.

If you are a student who would like to Return from a Leave of Absence, you will need to complete a form to request readmission. Please refer to the letter you received outlining the terms of your leave prior to completing this form.  

You will need to have your student information, contact information for parents/guardians you would like to receive notice of your readmission, and the email address of your academic advisor handy as you complete this form. If you are an international student with F-1 or J-1 status, please consult with ISSS prior to submitting this form.

Once in the form, you will need to:

• Select the role of “student” in the first drop down menu “Affiliation with Middlebury.”
• Select “Return from leave of absence” in the second drop down menu “Student Report Type.”
• Under “Is this a leave with conditions?” 
  • Select “no” if you initiated a voluntary leave of absence and the only condition (or requirement) placed upon your return was notifying the College by a specific date. This information is in your leave of absence letter. 
  • Select “yes” if you worked with a college official during your leave process and you are being required to submit additional documentation as part of your readmission process. You will be asked to submit this documentation later. This information is outlined in your leave of absence letter. 
• Under “Description” briefly note that you are requesting to return from a leave of absence.  You may enter any additional information that you think may be relevant.
• Under “Term student began LOA,” please select the first academic term you took off from your studies. For example, if you were enrolled in Spring 2023, but then took Fall 2023 off, you would select “Fall 2023.”
• Under “Anticipated term for return,” please select the term you are requesting to resume your studies. For example, if you are requesting to resume your studies Fall 2025, you would select “Fall 2025.”

If you are on a leave with conditions, you will need to submit additional information by the date outlined in your leave letter. If you are ready to submit this documentation now, please upload the letter you were instructed to write to the “Verification and Documents” field. You should also upload any documentation that you were requested to submit or that you think would be helpful in evaluating your readiness to return. Please note that Medical Return Forms (MRFs) should not be uploaded here and should instead be emailed directly by the medical provider filling out the form to chw@middlebury.edu. If you are not ready to submit this information now, please make a note under “Description” that you will be submitting this additional documentation separately before the deadline outlined in your leave letter.

Only complete applications will be considered. Once your request has been processed, you will receive a new letter outlining the conditions and supports of your return if it has been approved. You will be contacted by a college official if there are additional considerations associated with your return that need to be addressed.

If you are a student who would like to Return from a Leave of Absence, you will need to complete a form to request an extension of your leave. Please refer to the letter you received outlining the terms of your leave prior to completing this form.  

You will need to have your student information, contact information for parents/guardians you would like to receive notice of your readmission, and the email address of your academic advisor handy as you complete this form. If you are an international student with F-1 or J-1 status, please consult with ISSS prior to submitting this form.

Once in the form, you will need to:

• Select the role of “student” in the first drop down menu “Affiliation with Middlebury.”
• Select “Continuation of leave of absence” in the second drop down menu “Student Report Type.”
• Under “Is this a leave with conditions?” 
  • Select “no” if you initiated a voluntary leave of absence and the only condition (or requirement) placed upon your return was notifying the College by a specific date. This information is in your leave of absence letter. 
  • Select “yes” if you worked with a college official during your leave process and you are being required to submit additional documentation as part of your readmission process. This information is outlined in your leave of absence letter. 
• Under “Description” briefly note why you are requesting to extend your leave. You may enter any additional information that you think may be relevant.
• Under “Term student began LOA,” please select the first academic term you took off from your studies. For example, if you were enrolled in Spring 2023, but then took Fall 2023 off, you would select “Fall 2023.”
• Under “Anticipated term for return,” please select the term you think you would like to resume your studies. For example, if you are requesting to resume your studies in Spring 2025, you would select “Spring 2025.”
• If there are any documents related to your leave extension that you wish to share, you may upload them to the “Verification and Documents” field, however, no additional documents are required for students to extend their leaves.

Only completed applications will be considered.