Attendance and Withdrawal

Late Arrivals

During the fall and spring semesters, any student who is found to be absent for the entire first week of classes in a given course will be considered to have forfeited his or her place in the course and may be dropped from the course at the instructor’s request, in consultation with the Dean of the College.

A student who has not arrived on campus or who has not attended a class for the entire first two weeks of classes during a fall or spring semester will be withdrawn from the College for that semester with grades of “W” in all courses. Students should consult summer session registration and academic policy material for information on deadlines for summer courses, which include penalties for late withdrawals and refund policy.

Withdrawal from a Course

Students may change their course registration without penalty up until the published Course Change (add/drop) deadline online or by completing a Course Change Request Form and obtaining the signature of their academic advisor and the professors in the courses involved. Students may voluntarily withdraw from a course (except for Academic Travel courses) at any time up to the final class meeting before the final exam (or final assessment in the course – project, presentation, or paper etc.) or published withdrawal deadline whichever comes first in each semester provided it does not affect their full-time status. (Consult the College Calendar for withdrawal deadlines.) A student who withdraws from a course will receive a “W” on his or her transcript which will not affect the grade point average. There are no refunds of tuition for withdrawals. Only in extraordinary circumstances can a student drop below active enrollment in at least four regular (3) credit courses with the permission of the Dean of the College.  If a student, for medical reasons, petitions successfully to withdraw from Academic Travel prior to the travel period, a “W” will appear for the travel grade. After the travel period there is no withdrawal from Academic Travel courses.

Administrative Withdrawal from a Course

Non-compliance with the attendance policy specified in the syllabus of a course may result in the student being dropped from the roll of the course by the professor in consultation with the Dean of the College. Students should understand that absences totaling three weeks of a course (or its equivalent in a summer session) may be grounds for a failing grade or administrative withdrawal. Students who are administratively withdrawn from a course before the end of the first ten weeks of the semester will receive a grade of “W” as long as they remain registered in a minimum of four regular (3) credit courses. A student will receive an “F” when the student has already withdrawn from a course or would otherwise fall below full-time status with the administrative withdraw. A student receives an “F” for administrative withdrawals after the published Withdrawal deadline.

Attendance and Participation Policy

Each faculty member will set a total number of absences tolerated before absences begin to affect a student’s participation and final course grade. This number of total absences allowed includes absences due to illness. The faculty member’s specific policy will be announced at the beginning of each course and included in the course syllabus. A student who, for no valid reason, remains absent from campus or from classes for an excessive length of time during a semester may be withdrawn from the College.

Leave of Absence Requests

Students in good academic and disciplinary standing may apply for a Leave of Absence. A Leave of Absence can be granted for one or two semesters in which a student can take time off from academics or pursue studies at another institution. Students who wish to request a Leave of Absence must complete a Leave of Absence Request Form, available from the Registrar. The form, completed with all necessary signatures, must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office by the end of the semester preceding the requested leave of absence period. Students who are granted a Leave of Absence can return to their studies at Franklin College within the requested time period without formally reapplying to the College. Students returning from a Leave of Absence continue with the same academic core and degree requirements they were subject to when they left the College.

Students who wish to return to Franklin College at the end of their Leave of Absence must notify the Office of Admissions and the Registrar of their intention to return in writing by March 15 for the Fall semester and by October 15 for the Spring semester. Students who also wish to apply for financial or merit aid renewal must notify the Office of Admissions in writing of their intention by March 15 for the Fall semester and by October 15 for the Spring semester. An enrollment confirmation deposit is required for a leave of absence. The deposit will be put towards the student’s tuition in the semester in which he or she returns. The deposit is non-refundable in the case the student decides not to return to Franklin College within two semesters.

Involuntary Withdrawal from the College

Franklin College Switzerland is committed to the well-being and safety of its community members and the integrity of its learning environment. The College may seek the involuntary withdrawal of a student if there is sufficient evidence that the student is engaging in or is likely to engage in behaviors that present a real danger of substantial harm to self or others, or seriously disrupts the learning environment and/or activities of the campus community. This policy and associated procedures do not take the place of disciplinary action associated with a student’s conduct that is in violation of Franklin College’s Student Code of Conduct. This policy is to be invoked only in those extraordinary circumstances in which the regular disciplinary system cannot be applied or is not appropriate, and after attempts to secure a voluntary withdrawal have failed.  Please refer to the Student Life Handbook or to the Franklin College web site for more information on the grounds for an involuntary withdrawal as well as the full procedures.

Voluntary Withdrawal from the College

In order to withdraw from the College before the end of a given semester, the student must complete a College Withdrawal form available from the Registrar.  Written permission for withdrawal from the College must also be received from the individual who signed the Statement of Financial Responsibility. On the date of receipt of these two documents, the withdrawal will be considered effective and the amount of refund will be determined (see Refunds below). If a student does not complete official withdrawal procedures, failing grades will be recorded on his/her transcript for that semester. Students who intend to withdraw from the College upon completion of a semester are not required to obtain parent’s permission, but should complete a Non-Returning Student form available from the Registrar.

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