The Deans of Medical Education and the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences reserve the right to require at any time the withdrawal of any student when it is evident that the student is unfit for any reason to continue their program of study. The Dean or designee may place a student on an Administrative Leave of Absence if a student presents a potential harm or has engaged in or is alleged to have engaged in behavior that is dangerous or deleterious to the educational, research, clinical or community environment.
Potential harm may be caused by neurological disease or degeneration, emotional or psychological disorders, or impairment caused by drugs or alcohol. Potential harm may be described as arising from behavior regarded by individuals as alarming, threatening, bizarre, hostile, or otherwise inconsistent with the duties and responsibilities of a student; or behavior that is disruptive for administrative, research, clinical, or educational processes.
Potential harm to other individuals that occurs in the context of a student’s status within the school, as well as personal actions of students outside of the Mount Sinai community, are also a concern of ISMMS because they may indicate the existence of a potential hazard if the person continues his or her role as a student. Any such behavior reported to the senior associate dean of student affairs will be referred to the relevant promotion/academic review faculty committee for appropriate action.
This section covers involuntary leave of absence. Students can find the following information about involuntary leave in this chapter.
The relevant promotion/academic review committee may place a student on an Academic Progress Leave if the student is making unsatisfactory academic progress. Please refer to the Academic Progress section of the Handbook for the academic progression policies for the relevant degree program.
The following policies apply to all involuntary leave types:
Involuntary leaves may be no longer than 1 year. An additional year may be granted at the discretion of the dean/director.
Students sponsored on an F-1/J-1 visa must seek the counsel of the Office of International Personnel as a result of this leave action. An involuntary leave of absence may impact an international student’s immigration status.
A student on an involuntary leave is not eligible for the use of any ISMMS facilities, resources, and/or activities available to enrolled students without the specific approval by the dean/director.
A student on an involuntary leave is not eligible to reside in student housing. No appeals will be accepted.
A student on an involuntary leave may not continue to be enrolled in the ISMMS sponsored health insurance plan without the specific approval by the dean/director. If approved, the student will be responsible for the associated insurance coverage fee for the duration of the leave.
A student on a one year leave of absence must notify the dean/director in writing of their intention to seek approval to return to the school at least 12 weeks prior to the end of the involuntary leave.
For leaves less than a year, students must notify the dean/director at least 4 weeks prior to the end of the approved leave. Students seeking return from an involuntary leave may need to be cleared for fitness to return by the Director of Student Health and/or Director of Student and Trainee Mental Health.
Students not cleared to return will be presented to the relevant promotion/academic review committee for further determination.