University-initiated Leave of Absence

Introduction

Utah State University strives to create and maintain a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment for all students to pursue their academic, intellectual and personal goals. The university values the health and safety of every individual in the university community.

To that end, the university maintains a Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT), which is the centralized body for collecting, assessing, and addressing reports of concerning behavior and providing a safe physical and emotional environment for the university’s students. When an individual presents an immediate health or safety threat or disruption, the university, at the recommendation of the BIT, may determine that a student be required to take a leave of absence (“university-initiated Leave of Absence”).

Individualized Assessment

A university-initiated Leave of Absence can only be required for a particular student after the BIT has engaged in an individualized assessment. This individualized assessment is a reasonable and fair evaluation of the student’s unique needs and circumstances. The individualized assessment carefully considers information provided by the student, medical providers, and others in determining if a university-initiated Leave of Absence is necessary.

Factors considered during the individualized assessment may include, but are not limited to, the nature, immediacy, duration, and severity of risk associated with a student’s continued participation in university life; the probability that potential immediate injury and/or harm will occur as a result of the student’s continued participation in university life; whether the student is substantially impeding the education process or functions of other members of the university community; and whether the identified risks can be significantly mitigated through reasonable modifications of policies, practices or procedures.

University-initiated Leave of Absence

A university-initiated Leave of Absence is a last resort. It will generally only be required after voluntary actions by the student, reasonable accommodations, and other lesser interventions are determined to be insufficient to address the threat or disruption.

The university may initiate either a temporary leave of absence for a student when:

1. There is a reasonable basis to believe, based on a case-by-case, individualized assessment that the student cannot safely participate in the university’s academic programs and/or the residential life of the university.
2. There is a reasonable basis to believe, based on a case-by-case, individualized assessment, that the student poses an immediate, significant risk or threat to the health or safety of others; or causes or threatens to cause immediate property damage; or engages in behavior that is unduly disruptive to others in the Utah State community. (Behavior that is “unduly disruptive” includes but is not limited to conduct that substantially impedes the emotional or physical well-being of others and/or the academic, extracurricular, or social activities of others. The University-initiated Leave of Absence process is invoked when these behaviors cannot be addressed through existing policies and procedures, including the Disciplinary Procedures for Disruptive Classroom Behavior as outlined in the Student Code).

The immediate circumstances resulting in the initiation of a university-initiated Leave of Absence must be such that the student is not otherwise qualified to attend Utah State University without requiring a level of care the University cannot reasonably provide.

Returning from University Initiated Leave of Absence

To return to Utah State University after a university-initiated Leave of Absence a student must be authorized to do so by the AVPSA or designee. Decisions regarding return requests are made on a case-by-case basis and return to any specific academic program or to Utah State University is not guaranteed.

Additional information regarding the process and procedures related to university-initiated Leaves of Absence, including notice requirements and the challenge rights of a students placed on university-initiated Leaves of Absence can be found here: studentconduct.usu.edu/pdf/University-Initiated-Leave-rev-9-15-21.pdf.